TWiG 796: Holding Space for Defying Gravity - Pixel Tablet 2, Facial Recognition Tech, Social Media

Google introduces its new generative AI video model, Veo. TikTok is fighting back, seeking to pause the US ban pending a review from the Supreme Court. A judge is currently blocking the sale of Infowars to The Onion. And Leo and Jeff help Pars decide on the best gifts for a white elephant party. - Google's new generative AI video model is now available. - Google introduces A.I. agent that aces 15-day weather forecasts. - Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip. - Google is suing a federal regulator over supervision of its payment division. - Hawk Tuah memecoin dumps 90% amid backlash over controversial launch. - TikTok seeks to pause US ban pending Supreme Court review. - Frank McCourt's Project Liberty advances bid for TikTok. - The Supreme Court must intervene in the TikTok case. - Bluesky teases paid subscription, Bluesky+, in new mockup. - Are those drones over New Jersey? Sightings mount, and still no answers. - Introducing Reddit answers. - Cloudflare 2024 Year in Review. - Instagram rolls out 'trial reels' that aren't shown to a creator's followers. - Infowars sale to The Onion rejected by Federal bankruptcy judge. - Debanking (and Debunking?) - YouTube's new auto-dubbing feature is now available for knowledge-focused content. - The AI We Deserve. - New KOSA, same as old KOSA, but now with Elon's ignorant endorsement. - 404 Media objects to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's subpoena to access our reporting. - Casey Newton: The phony comforts of AI skepticism. - WordPress parent company must stop blocking WP Engine, judge rules. - Bluesky stats! - Advertising is stupid. AI is stupid. The singularity is never. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to This Week in Google at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: INFO.ACILEARNING.COM/TWIT - code TWIT100

Amazon is being sued over slow deliveries to lower-incomer areas. What is the Oxford University's 2024 word of the year? Canada's antitrust watchdog is suing Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in advertising. And Leo tries not to spend too long on the Google Changelog items. 'Hawk tuah' girl Haliey Welch launches crypto memecoin—but insists it's not a cash grab. Amazon sued over slow deliveries to low-income areas. Bluesky COO rejects idea upstart social app is 'left-leaning'. Australia bans social media for everyone under 16. What is Brain rot, the Oxford University 2024 word of the year? Intel stock wavers on CEO Pat Gelsinger's departure. FTC opens Microsoft antitrust investigation that Trump administration must carry on or drop. Canada's antitrust watchdog sues Google alleging anti-competitive conduct in advertising. FTC changes its telemarketing rules to cover growing 'tech support scam' calls. Meta plans to build a $10B subsea cable spanning the world, sources say. U.S. officials urge Americans to use encrypted apps amid cyberattack that exposed live phone calls. No one is talking about ChatGPT anymore. Romans and cultural leaders criticize Airbnb's planned two-night Colosseum experience for up to 32 guests in May 2025, saying it will demean a cultural treasure. Google Chat rolling out audio 'Huddles' powered by Meet. Google Maps app showing incident reports from Waze. Gemini app rolling out 'Make calls and send message without unlocking'. Google Wallet for Wear OS adding corporate badges, campus IDs, and more. Pixel 6-9 now lets you check device temperature after 'Troubleshooting' update. Google's video generator comes to more customers. Google's beefing up Android app security, but not everyone's going to be happy. Google Photos rolling out 'Undo device backup' setting. Mikah's TATOFY for Magic Mouse 2 Grip Can the "Bookazine" save Magazines? Calculator Soup. Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paris Martineau Guest: Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to This Week in Google at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Paris' stuffing recipe. Source: Google has canceled the Pixel Tablet 2, not the Tab 3. Meta gains steam in its push to make Apple, Google verify users' ages. A complex new age of face tech. Musk unleashes online army on federal workers. 'A tough way to find out she's losing her job.' Elon Musk admits X is making it harder for people to read news. Elon Musk's Twitter backers gain windfall from xAI deal. Google's new chess game lets you customize pieces with AI. Google's Black Friday sale features record low prices on Pixel, Nest, and more. Here's the full list of Gemini extensions and what they can do. Google's iOS app now injects links on third-party websites that go back to Search. Google Maps now does a better job of highlighting stairs. Holding Space for Defying Gravity. What Leo, Paris, and Jeff are thankful for with the Internet. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to This Week in Google at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit uscloud.com cachefly.com/twit

DOJ will push Google to sell off Chrome to break search Monopoly. Trump's pick for FCC chair has vowed crackdown on big tech 'censorship'. Musk joined call between Trump, Google CEO. CFPB looks to place Google under federal supervision, setting up clash. What Brendan Carr, Trump's FCC pick, wrote in 'Project 2025' chapter. Bluesky tops 20M users, narrowing gap with Instagram Threads. Google's Gemini AI now has its own iPhone app. Live Scam Detection in calls rolling out to Pixel 6-9 Phone app. Coca-Cola causes controversy with AI-generated ad. Instagram will let you 'reset' your recommendations. Meta fined nearly €800mn for breaking EU law over classified ads practices. Meta's reward for providing free global communications? FTC lawsuit. Comcast to Spin Off Cable Networks, Including MSNBC and CNBC. Google fixes Chrome issue that broke text highlighting on some sites. Mobile browser Arc Search is now generally available on Android. Google Lens can now check prices and inventory when shopping in the real world. Source: Google is turning Chrome OS into Android to compete with the iPad. Exclusive: Google Pixel laptop in development! Can we talk about ALF hog? YouTuber Rosanna Pansino smokes cannabis grown from her father's ashes. Mike Masnick: One Billion Users, the Social Media card game. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to This Week in Google at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: INFO.ACILEARNING.COM/TWIT - code TWIT100 uscloud.com

Mark Zuckerberg just released his own NSFW version of 'Get Low' in a tribute to his wife Mattel Mistakenly Lists Porn Site on Packaging for 'Wicked' Dolls The Crypto Industry's Spending on the Election Pays Off Canada orders shutdown of TikTok's Canadian business, app access to continue Bluesky adds 700,000 new members as users flee X after the US election Matter 1.4 tries to set the smart home standard back on track Google's learning OpenAI Shifts Strategy as Rate of 'GPT' AI Improvements Slows Microsoft, A16Z AI manifesto: AI for startups Claude AI to process secret government data through new Palantir deal Randy Travis's beautiful baritone was lost. AI helped him sing again. Particle launches an AI news app to help publishers, instead of just stealing their work YouTube is testing music remixes made by AI I Spoke Only to Chatbots for 24 Hours. Who Needs Human Friends? Google Street View helps map how 600,000 trees grow down to the limb Chris Wallace Quits CNN to Pivot to Streaming, Podcasting Nicholas Carlson, the former top editor of Business Insider, is starting a new company that will focus on video. Lena Dunham to write Sam Bankman-Fried movie for Apple Banjo Toss, the game After years of trying, Just Eat Takeaway is selling Grubhub to Wonder for $650M Research suggests people are getting more bored Times New Dumbass font Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to This Week in Google at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com bitwarden.com/twit

Tech in the new Admin TikTok Sees Trump Victory As App's Best Hope Jeff Bezos congratulates Trump for 'extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory' Elon Musk says Trump win is just the start of his political ambitions Silicon Valley is officially grieving over Trump but quietly gleeful over a possible tech deal resurgence The Crypto Industry's Spending on the Election Pays Off Mozilla Foundation lays off 30% staff, drops advocacy division NYTimes Games for the strike Florida Access Network WebCheck Hosts: Leo Laporte and Paris Martineau Guests: Emily Forlini and Mike Elgan Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com 1password.com/twig

Google Preps AI That Takes Over Computers Researchers say an AI-powered transcription tool used in hospitals invents things no one ever said Jeff: Why Are Liberals Infuriated with the Media? Apples Have Never Tasted So Delicious. Here's Why Instagram saves the best video quality for the most popular content Video game preservationists have lost a legal fight to study games remotely Internet Archive: Vanishing Culture: A Report on Our Fragile Cultural Record Alphabet posts big revenue and profit growth More than a quarter of new code at Google is generated by AI Open-source AI must reveal its training data, per new OSI definition McDonald's Finds an Unlikely Savior to Finally Fix Its McFlurry Machines RIP Foursquare Craig gives CR $5 million for cybersecurity WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg says a fork would be 'fantastic' LeCun blasts Musk as the biggest threat to democracy today Workers Say They Were Tricked and Threatened as Part of Elon Musk's Get-Out-the-Vote Effort Trump's Truth Social valued at more than Musk's X after extraordinary rally Masnick on Elon Musk Events TikTok founder becomes China's richest man The Age of Cage Russian court fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 McKinsey's 18 next big arenas of competition Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: veeam.com uscloud.com INFO.ACILEARNING.COM/TWIT - code TWIT100 cachefly.com/twit

Requiem for Raghavan Electric Motors Are About to Get a Major Upgrade Thanks to Benjamin Franklin Epic judge lets Google keep its Android app store closed to competitors — for now Google will block election ads after polls close LinkedIn is News Publishers' New Best Friend People are flocking to Bluesky as X makes more unwanted changes Elon Musk's X is changing its privacy policy to allow third parties to train AI on your posts Musk's X seeks to steer lawsuits to conservative court in Texas Sam Altman's identity and cryptocurrency venture Worldcoin has a rebrand Character.ai Faces Lawsuit After Teen's Suicide On-device AI could make apps obsolete Former OpenAI Researcher Says the Company Broke Copyright Law Controversy after Polish radio station replaces human presenters with AI Sotheby's to auction its first artwork made by a humanoid robot Elvis Found Alive Thank you, Steve Ballmer, for a concert app that made me want to scream Content Warning: The following story discusses the sensitive topic of suicide involving a minor. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call or text 988 or chat online at chat.988lifeline.org. If you are located outside the United States, please visit findahelpline.com to find a helpline in your country. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Nathan Freitas Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: INFO.ACILEARNING.COM/TWIT - code TWIT100 bitwarden.com/twit uscloud.com

YouTube takes a baby step toward labeling authentic video Wimbledon tennis tournament replaces line judges with technology in break with tradition Citizen pruners The WordPress vs. WP Engine drama, explained Internet Archive hacked, data breach impacts 31 million users LLMs don't do formal reasoning - and that is a HUGE problem Google adds new features for Pixel along with Android 15 rollout October Pixel Drop: Helpful enhancements for your devices Google Shopping is getting an AI upgrade as Alphabet looks to monetize investments Google Shopping's getting a big transformation The latest Gboard beta lets you switch between Roboto and Google Sans fonts Google's Chrome Browser Starts Disabling uBlock Origin Google Messages gets a new feature that makes it easier to keep private TikTok executives know about app's effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege The Poozeum: Fossilized bug farts, T. rex poop, and more ancient coprolites Joe Trippi starts a social network: sezus Short-selling company goes after Roblox to profit Trump Signals Skepticism of Google Breakup, Citing Competition With China Defector: Year 4 in review Doritos to open first restaurant AI - generated restaurant via Taylor Lorenz Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit uscloud.com

More than a dozen states sue TikTok, alleging it harms kids and is designed to addict them Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto unmasked: Will HBO reveal who really made the cryptocurrency? How a UK treaty could spell the end of the .io domain OpenAI pursues public benefit structure to fend off hostile takeovers Geoffrey Hinton, Godfather of AI Who Expressed Alarm Over the Technology, Shares Nobel Prize in Physics Paris Megalopolis review The Wordpress saga Justice Department weighs fixes for Google search monopoly Google's response U.S. judge orders sweeping changes to Google's Android app store Why Caroline Calloway Is Staying Put in Sarasota for Hurricane Milton When Cell Service Is Down, You Can Send iPhone Texts via Satellite A Google Doc of 2024 Events Beer can artwork accidentally thrown in bin by staff member at Dutch museum First a statue. Now Zuck designs a minivan for his wife. Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: uscloud.com 1password.com/twig veeam.com