theverge--2020-07-19--‘Unspeakable’ video highlights the role of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in Black Lives Matter

Filmmaker Emmai Alaquiva of Pittsburgh wanted to talk to his 8-year-old daughter about the racial climate in the US , but was concerned that at her age , she might not be able to fully grasp the issues .
“ I told her the name ‘ George Floyd ’ and we talked about what Black Lives Matter means , ” he says .
“ I sort of gave her the Cliffs Notes version , to give her some inspiration.
” His daughter surprised him , however , and came back to him with a question : “ She said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no people doing sign language or ASL in your photos and videos ?
’ It was a great point , we weren ’ t. ” He says he and his daughter take ASL classes together , part of his mission to help her learn to express herself in different mediums .
Over the next few days Alaquiva reached out to professionals in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community including freelance sign language interpreter Amy Crawford , Danielle Filip of Pittsburgh-area Sign Language Interpreting Professionals , and Greg Pollock , an accessibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be consultants on the script for the video he wanted to do , featuring a message in American Sign Language .
“ I wanted to make sure the messaging was clear , and that we weren ’ t appropriating anything from the community , ” Alaquiva said .
The result is “ Unspeakable , ” a public service announcement featuring members of the Deaf community : “ Although we may be Deaf , we can hear the world loud and clear , ” the group signs .
“ It is my hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basic human right of communication access as a thread which connects us all , ” Filip said .
The nuances of communicating in sign language were important to get right in the video , Alaquiva said : for instance , the word “ black ” referring to the color can be signed with one finger pointed out in the ASL 1 handshape moving horizontally across the forehead .
But when referring to a Black person , the sign uses four fingers pressed together in the ASL “ b ” handshape moving horizontally across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for use by Black people , Alaquiva said .
Participating in public rallies is often challenging for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people , especially in large crowds with many people wearing face masks that cover their mouths .
Activists have worked with the National Alliance of Multicultural Disabled Advocates to push for the # BlackDisabledLivesMatter efforts , to spotlight these challenges , as Teen Vogue columnist Sarah Kim reported .
They also seek to call attention to the number of police violence victims who had disabilities .
Alaquiva said he hopes the PSA is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be more inclusive , not necessarily just for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing , but anyone with a disability .
“ It ’ s not our job to just do something then go about our business , ” he said , adding he and his production team built a website with additional resources .
“ There ’ s a photo I took at a protest in Oakland and the person ’ s sign said ‘ I ’ m sorry I ’ m late , I had a lot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movement you want to be a part of .
Whether you ’ re on time or late , you got ta show up .
”

Filmmaker Emmai Alaquiva of Pittsburgh wanted to talk to his 8-year-old daughter about the racial climate in the US, but was concerned that at her age, she might not be able to fully grasp the issues.
“I told her the name ‘George Floyd’ and we talked about what Black Lives Matter means,” he says. “I sort of gave her the Cliffs Notes version, to give her some inspiration.”
His daughter surprised him, however, and came back to him with a question: “She said, ‘hey, Dad, how come there’s no people doing sign language or ASL in your photos and videos?’ It was a great point, we weren’t.” He says he and his daughter take ASL classes together, part of his mission to help her learn to express herself in different mediums.
Over the next few days Alaquiva reached out to professionals in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community including freelance sign language interpreter Amy Crawford, Danielle Filip of Pittsburgh-area Sign Language Interpreting Professionals, and Greg Pollock, an accessibility officer at a local bank, to be consultants on the script for the video he wanted to do, featuring a message in American Sign Language.
“I wanted to make sure the messaging was clear, and that we weren’t appropriating anything from the community,” Alaquiva said.
The result is “Unspeakable,” a public service announcement featuring members of the Deaf community: “Although we may be Deaf, we can hear the world loud and clear,” the group signs.
“It is my hope that ‘Unspeakable’ brings attention to the basic human right of communication access as a thread which connects us all,” Filip said.
The nuances of communicating in sign language were important to get right in the video, Alaquiva said: for instance, the word “black” referring to the color can be signed with one finger pointed out in the ASL 1 handshape moving horizontally across the forehead. But when referring to a Black person, the sign uses four fingers pressed together in the ASL “b” handshape moving horizontally across the forehead, and is generally reserved for use by Black people, Alaquiva said.
Participating in public rallies is often challenging for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, especially in large crowds with many people wearing face masks that cover their mouths. Activists have worked with the National Alliance of Multicultural Disabled Advocates to push for the #BlackDisabledLivesMatter efforts, to spotlight these challenges, as Teen Vogue columnist Sarah Kim reported. They also seek to call attention to the number of police violence victims who had disabilities.
Alaquiva said he hopes the PSA is inspiration for others involved in protest movements to be more inclusive, not necessarily just for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, but anyone with a disability. “It’s not our job to just do something then go about our business,” he said, adding he and his production team built a website with additional resources.


theverge--2020-07-19--Watch the United Arab Emirates launch its first mission to Mars

The United Arab Emirates is counting down to the launch of its first interplanetary space mission today — one that will send a spacecraft called “ Hope ” to orbit Mars .
The Emirates Mars Mission will aim to provide a global snapshot of the weather on the Red Planet .
It will also be a source of pride for the UAE as the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding in December of 2021 .
To ensure that Hope is actually at Mars by the anniversary , the UAE must launch this summer .
Planetary scientists have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send spacecraft to Mars , when the Red Planet and Earth closely align on their orbits .
If Hope launches in July , the spacecraft will spend the next seven months traveling to Mars , arriving sometime in February — leaving it plenty of time in orbit before the anniversary .
Hope is launching on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket Hope is launching on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket out of Japan ’ s Tanegashima Space Center , located on an island off the southern coast of the country .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wee morning hours of July 20th , at 6:58AM .
On the East Coast of the United States , the launch is at 5:58PM ET this afternoon .
About one hour after the launch , the H-IIA rocket will deploy Hope in space , putting it on its course toward Mars .
The probe will then stretch out its solar panels and point them toward the Sun to start generating power .
The Emirates Mars Mission team operating the spacecraft will also try to get in touch with the vehicle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then heads out into deep space .
“ This is not for the faint of heart.
” About 28 days after the launch , Hope will correct its course slightly by burning its onboard thrusters — the first of many correction maneuvers it will do on the way to Mars .
Such burns are necessary to keep Hope on track to meet a tiny window at Mars and then insert itself into the planet ’ s orbit .
“ It ’ s a very small target , ” Pete Withnell , the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Colorado Boulder , which partnered with the Emirates Mars Mission , said during a press call ahead of the launch .
“ It ’ s equivalent to an archer hitting a two-millimeter target , one kilometer away .
So this is not for the faint of heart.
” The Emirates Mars Mission plans to provide multiple livestreams of the launch , and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , which operates the H-IIA rocket , will also provide a livestream .
Most of the streams begin at 3PM ET and will provide plenty of coverage leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to put a vehicle in deep space .

The United Arab Emirates is counting down to the launch of its first interplanetary space mission today — one that will send a spacecraft called “Hope” to orbit Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission will aim to provide a global snapshot of the weather on the Red Planet. It will also be a source of pride for the UAE as the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding in December of 2021.
To ensure that Hope is actually at Mars by the anniversary, the UAE must launch this summer. Planetary scientists have a very small window every two years to send spacecraft to Mars, when the Red Planet and Earth closely align on their orbits. If Hope launches in July, the spacecraft will spend the next seven months traveling to Mars, arriving sometime in February — leaving it plenty of time in orbit before the anniversary.
Hope is launching on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket
Hope is launching on top of a Japanese H-IIA rocket out of Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center, located on an island off the southern coast of the country. At Tanegashima, the launch is taking place in the wee morning hours of July 20th, at 6:58AM. On the East Coast of the United States, the launch is at 5:58PM ET this afternoon.
The UAE’s Hope spacecraft ahead of launch Image: Emirates Mars Mission
About one hour after the launch, the H-IIA rocket will deploy Hope in space, putting it on its course toward Mars. The probe will then stretch out its solar panels and point them toward the Sun to start generating power. The Emirates Mars Mission team operating the spacecraft will also try to get in touch with the vehicle, while it attempts to stabilize itself and then heads out into deep space.
“This is not for the faint of heart.”
About 28 days after the launch, Hope will correct its course slightly by burning its onboard thrusters — the first of many correction maneuvers it will do on the way to Mars. Such burns are necessary to keep Hope on track to meet a tiny window at Mars and then insert itself into the planet’s orbit. “It’s a very small target,” Pete Withnell, the program manager for the mission at the University Colorado Boulder, which partnered with the Emirates Mars Mission, said during a press call ahead of the launch. “It’s equivalent to an archer hitting a two-millimeter target, one kilometer away. So this is not for the faint of heart.”


theverge--2020-07-19--Twitter disables video in Trump retweet after Linkin Park files copyright complaint

Twitter confirmed that it removed a campaign video President Trump had retweeted Saturday over a copyright complaint .
The Linkin Park song “ In the End ” was featured in the background of the video , which included images of President Trump and excerpts from his inauguration speech .
“ Per our copyright policy , we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by copyright owner or their authorized representative , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in an email to The Verge on Sunday .
The band tweeted Saturday that it was pursuing a “ cease and desist ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its song in the video : “ Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump.
” The copyright notice has been posted to the nonprofit transparency initiative Lumen Database .
White House deputy chief of staff for communications Dan Scavino tweeted the video Friday evening and President Trump ’ s official Twitter retweeted it Saturday .
The retweet is no longer visible on the president ’ s Twitter feed , but Scavino ’ s original tweet is still live as of Sunday morning ( minus the video ) .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken action against one of Trump ’ s tweets over a copyright complaint .
Last month , it disabled a four-minute campaign video that included images of George Floyd , the Minneapolis man who died May 25th after a police officer kneeled on his neck .
Facebook and Instagram removed posts from their platforms that featured the video .
The president called the removal “ illegal , ” in a tweet , but Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded : “ Not true and not illegal .
This was pulled because we got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had other tweets flagged by Twitter that it said ran afoul of its content policies .
In May , the social media platform added a label to a tweet where Trump warned “ when the looting starts , the shooting starts , ” because Twitter said the tweet violated its policy against glorifying violence .
A June tweet by the president featuring a doctored video was labeled as “ manipulated media.
” The Trump campaign did not immediately return a request for comment Sunday .

Twitter confirmed that it removed a campaign video President Trump had retweeted Saturday over a copyright complaint. The Linkin Park song “In the End” was featured in the background of the video, which included images of President Trump and excerpts from his inauguration speech.
“Per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by copyright owner or their authorized representative,” a Twitter spokesperson said in an email to The Verge on Sunday.
The band tweeted Saturday that it was pursuing a “cease and desist” and that it had not authorized use of its song in the video: “Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump.”
The copyright notice has been posted to the nonprofit transparency initiative Lumen Database.
White House deputy chief of staff for communications Dan Scavino tweeted the video Friday evening and President Trump’s official Twitter retweeted it Saturday. The retweet is no longer visible on the president’s Twitter feed, but Scavino’s original tweet is still live as of Sunday morning (minus the video).
Twitter/screenshot
It’s not the first time Twitter has taken action against one of Trump’s tweets over a copyright complaint. Last month, it disabled a four-minute campaign video that included images of George Floyd, the Minneapolis man who died May 25th after a police officer kneeled on his neck. Facebook and Instagram removed posts from their platforms that featured the video. The president called the removal “illegal,” in a tweet, but Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded: “Not true and not illegal. This was pulled because we got a DMCA complaint from copyright holder.”
Trump has had other tweets flagged by Twitter that it said ran afoul of its content policies. In May, the social media platform added a label to a tweet where Trump warned “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” because Twitter said the tweet violated its policy against glorifying violence. A June tweet by the president featuring a doctored video was labeled as “manipulated media.”


theverge--2020-07-20--I talked to Amy Lee of Evanescence about inspiring the world’s worst fanfiction

If you mention the name “ My Immortal , ” you may mean one of two things .
The first is the 2003 hit song from rock band Evanescence .
The second is a Harry Potter fanfic so transcendentally , mysteriously bad that it ’ s transfixed the internet for years .
The fanfic My Immortal is about a time-traveling mall-goth teenage vampire wizard ( named “ Ebony Dark ’ ness Dementia Raven Way ” ) who is obsessed with Evanescence and a variety of goth-inflected rock bands .
She ’ s supposed to look like Amy Lee , Evanescence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and songwriter .
And to this day , nobody is sure who wrote the story or whether they were serious .
Back in the real world , Lee and the rest of Evanescence have spent months under stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic .
They ’ ve used that time to film two music videos in collaboration with director P.R .
Brown , each shot by band members and their families .
The latest is a surreal video for “ The Game Is Over , ” a song from their upcoming album The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words , it ’ s shot as a “ psychological thriller , ” full of imagery based on a specific fear or inner demon from each member .
These videos — filmed in living rooms , cars , and other personal spaces — give fans a new kind of look into the band members ’ lives .
But I was curious about a different kind of fan relationship : did the creators of “ My Immortal ” know about My Immortal ?
I spoke to Lee , and the answer is yes ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a long-running family joke .
She ’ d never actually read it , however , until last week .
The following interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity .
You ’ ve made two videos under quarantine , and they ’ ve taken very different approaches .
What was the process behind each of them ?
We really had to just think kind of quickly .
We were working on another video treatment that would have been full-production , this whole deal with a big crew and things we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — including the fact that we couldn ’ t even physically get together because we live all over the world .
We recognized that “ Wasted on You ” had a bunch of lyrical content that felt like all of a sudden where we were .
So we went for that .
I really wanted it to be real on a level like people hadn ’ t seen us before : in our own homes , in our real lives , not dressed up , not in makeup , just the real , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re finally forced to stop being distracted , there ’ s silence — and that stuff comes out.
” For the second one , it ’ s like “ Okay , how do we take what we ’ ve learned and amp it up even more to make it look like a real video more than just us being ourselves ?
” We have all been very serious about the lockdown , so we have been completely alone for the most part during this time — and that is cool in some ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to live with yourself all the time .
A few of us have gone through some difficult things in the past few years .
[ Bassist Tim McCord ] and I both experienced losses in our immediate family .
There ’ s just been a lot of hard .
So you know when you ’ re finally forced to stop being distracted by all the things that keep us happy , there ’ s silence — and that stuff comes out .
So each of us had a private kind of gut-spilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about what we ’ re struggling with .
We were just sharing deeply in a way that we don ’ t normally go all the way with when it comes to at least our visuals .
When I pour my lyrics into my music , it ’ s always really raw .
But in this , it ’ s like , we ’ re not going to hold back on the video side and just make it beautiful — we ’ re going to go for it and let it be ugly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think of a lot of your music as being open and vulnerable , and you interact with fans online .
What does filming a video at home like this communicate that your normal social media presence and music don ’ t ?
I hope it just shows more and more of that willingness to be vulnerable because as hard as it is , it always leaves me feeling more satisfied than just putting on a pretty face .
Social media ’ s such a weird world for me .
I love it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea that we can have a direct relationship with our fans .
But it ’ s kind of a double-edged sword .
It ’ s such an open platform for everybody to criticize everything about you .
And when you go there , you ’ re going to see that .
I think that ’ s true for everybody .
It doesn ’ t matter if you ’ re a celebrity or not .
It ’ s just a place where people don ’ t have to show their face to say things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ugly out there .
What ’ s your relationship specifically with fanworks ?
Do people send you things that were inspired by you ?
Oh my god , it ’ s so wonderful .
We ’ ve got so much art .
I ’ ve got this huge collection of stuff that I ’ ve been hanging on to just from the beginning .
There are so many talented people out there that pour their efforts into making a piece of visual art that is either of something in the Evanescence world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them while they were listening to our music .
Then there are other things that you have to keep because they ’ re so hilariously funny .
People will make a crazy poem that makes totally no sense but I ’ m a character within it , which is awesome .
It ’ s like , I know this person ’ s like 12 years old and totally sincere , but this is so funny .
I have a little studio , and I dedicated a little bit of time during our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the bathroom with all the fan stuff .
Which brings me to my next question : had you ever heard of My Immortal ?
I think for quite a while I was just unaware of it .
And then my cynical , Reddit-loving younger sister who ’ s also an English teacher , somewhere during the holiday every year when the family ’ s all together , it ’ ll come up for some reason .
And she ’ s like , “ Wait — you still haven ’ t read My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , “ No , what do you mean ?
” She ’ s like , “ You have to .
Okay , hold on .
Let me read you an excerpt.
” And then she ’ ll pull up her phone and read some awesome paragraph from the craziest , funniest thing ever that makes no sense .
It ’ s one of her favorite things that she thinks is the most hilarious thing in the world , and I still just kept not reading it .
It ’ s been kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then I got a call a few days ago that you wanted to talk about it , so I was like , “ Oh , crap .
I have to read a little bit of it.
” I read I think not quite half of it , but it did have me in tears .
I was laughing really , really hard at one point , just because of the nonsense .
And then I started asking myself , is this real ?
I can ’ t quite tell .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I feel like it started maybe as sincere , but they got in on it and started playing it up for the haters .
I can ’ t tell !
What do you think ?
It would have to be so elaborate , but there are a bunch of cases that really make it seem like this person knows much , much more than the character they ’ re putting on .
I noticed a misspelling that was like , instead of triumphantly , it was “ triumelephantly.
” And I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think “ elephant ” is inside “ triumphant.
” There ’ s no way .
At one point , the main character ’ s name is spelled two different ways within three words of each other .
I totally saw that , too !
I ’ m torn because I want it to be sincere , kind of ... but I don ’ t know .
There are things about it that aren ’ t cool to talk about .
Like it ’ s not funny to talk about slitting your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second to get past that joke , which is so recurring .
Yeah , if you go back to old internet culture , a lot of it is really ugly .
And it ’ s weird trying to separate that stuff out .
Is it better now ?
I don ’ t know because now I ’ m too old to know what ’ s going on .
But kids do seem nicer .
They often seem nicer .
I would like to believe we ’ ve grown up a little bit as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a little bit more of a microphone has taught us some things that we need to be aware of that are outside of our perception and our personal experiences .
There are other people that are seeing that in a different way .
I think it would be cool if that ’ s true .
I was a teenager around when My Immortal came out , and it feels like it describes a very recognizable “ goths versus preps ” rivalry .
Did you feel that ?
I think this thing is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean it would have to be , come on — and that part of it really resonates with me in a real way .
But I didn ’ t consider myself goth !
Part of what ’ s weird and funny is like okay , this is describing hating the preps , and you ’ re the cool one , you ’ re the underground , you understand real life and the gravity of death , and I get it .
But if you ’ re so depressed and everything ’ s so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they ’ re so fake , why do you put so much effort into your look ?
That was what always turned me off about the word “ goth ” when that started being assigned to me in our early days .
If I was 15 years old and you ’ d asked me what I was , I ’ m grunge .
I buy all my clothes at garage sales , I don ’ t do crap to my look , I get ready two seconds before school , and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all their focus on their looks and what party they ’ re going to go to .
But yeah , that part was funny to me .
That part existed .
I love the idea of you knowing about this thing for years without having read it .
I kind of want to thank you because I did get a really good laugh out of it last night .
It ’ s not like , when I have free time , I ’ m motivated to go read some horribly bad thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And you ’ ve got ta love all the characters breaking into song to sing My Chemical Romance songs .
It ’ s pretty great .

If you mention the name “My Immortal,” you may mean one of two things. The first is the 2003 hit song from rock band Evanescence. The second is a Harry Potter fanfic so transcendentally, mysteriously bad that it’s transfixed the internet for years.
The fanfic My Immortal is about a time-traveling mall-goth teenage vampire wizard (named “Ebony Dark’ness Dementia Raven Way”) who is obsessed with Evanescence and a variety of goth-inflected rock bands. She’s supposed to look like Amy Lee, Evanescence’s lead vocalist, pianist, and songwriter. And to this day, nobody is sure who wrote the story or whether they were serious.
Back in the real world, Lee and the rest of Evanescence have spent months under stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic. They’ve used that time to film two music videos in collaboration with director P.R. Brown, each shot by band members and their families. The latest is a surreal video for “The Game Is Over,” a song from their upcoming album The Bitter Truth. In Lee’s words, it’s shot as a “psychological thriller,” full of imagery based on a specific fear or inner demon from each member.
These videos — filmed in living rooms, cars, and other personal spaces — give fans a new kind of look into the band members’ lives. But I was curious about a different kind of fan relationship: did the creators of “My Immortal” know about My Immortal? I spoke to Lee, and the answer is yes; in fact, it’s part of a long-running family joke. She’d never actually read it, however, until last week.
The following interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
You’ve made two videos under quarantine, and they’ve taken very different approaches. What was the process behind each of them?
We really had to just think kind of quickly. We were working on another video treatment that would have been full-production, this whole deal with a big crew and things we could no longer have because of the pandemic — including the fact that we couldn’t even physically get together because we live all over the world.
We recognized that “Wasted on You” had a bunch of lyrical content that felt like all of a sudden where we were. So we went for that. I really wanted it to be real on a level like people hadn’t seen us before: in our own homes, in our real lives, not dressed up, not in makeup, just the real, raw us.
“When you’re finally forced to stop being distracted, there’s silence — and that stuff comes out.”
For the second one, it’s like “Okay, how do we take what we’ve learned and amp it up even more to make it look like a real video more than just us being ourselves?” We have all been very serious about the lockdown, so we have been completely alone for the most part during this time — and that is cool in some ways as a creator. But you really have to live with yourself all the time.
A few of us have gone through some difficult things in the past few years. [Bassist Tim McCord] and I both experienced losses in our immediate family. There’s just been a lot of hard. So you know when you’re finally forced to stop being distracted by all the things that keep us happy, there’s silence — and that stuff comes out. So each of us had a private kind of gut-spilling confession with [P.R. Brown] about what we’re struggling with.
We were just sharing deeply in a way that we don’t normally go all the way with when it comes to at least our visuals. When I pour my lyrics into my music, it’s always really raw. But in this, it’s like, we’re not going to hold back on the video side and just make it beautiful — we’re going to go for it and let it be ugly and share the dark parts of ourselves.
I think of a lot of your music as being open and vulnerable, and you interact with fans online. What does filming a video at home like this communicate that your normal social media presence and music don’t?
I hope it just shows more and more of that willingness to be vulnerable because as hard as it is, it always leaves me feeling more satisfied than just putting on a pretty face.
Social media’s such a weird world for me. I love it — I’m grateful for the idea that we can have a direct relationship with our fans. But it’s kind of a double-edged sword. It’s such an open platform for everybody to criticize everything about you. And when you go there, you’re going to see that. I think that’s true for everybody. It doesn’t matter if you’re a celebrity or not. It’s just a place where people don’t have to show their face to say things, and there’s a lot of ugly out there.
Photo by Mark Horton / Getty Images
What’s your relationship specifically with fanworks? Do people send you things that were inspired by you?
Oh my god, it’s so wonderful. We’ve got so much art. I’ve got this huge collection of stuff that I’ve been hanging on to just from the beginning. There are so many talented people out there that pour their efforts into making a piece of visual art that is either of something in the Evanescence world or just something else that came out of them while they were listening to our music.
Then there are other things that you have to keep because they’re so hilariously funny. People will make a crazy poem that makes totally no sense but I’m a character within it, which is awesome. It’s like, I know this person’s like 12 years old and totally sincere, but this is so funny. I have a little studio, and I dedicated a little bit of time during our unexpected free time to cover it wall-to-wall in the bathroom with all the fan stuff.
Which brings me to my next question: had you ever heard of My Immortal?
I think for quite a while I was just unaware of it. And then my cynical, Reddit-loving younger sister who’s also an English teacher, somewhere during the holiday every year when the family’s all together, it’ll come up for some reason. And she’s like, “Wait — you still haven’t read My Immortal?” And I’m like, “No, what do you mean?” She’s like, “You have to. Okay, hold on. Let me read you an excerpt.” And then she’ll pull up her phone and read some awesome paragraph from the craziest, funniest thing ever that makes no sense.
“Is this real? I’m totally undecided.”
It’s one of her favorite things that she thinks is the most hilarious thing in the world, and I still just kept not reading it. It’s been kind of this ongoing joke with us. And then I got a call a few days ago that you wanted to talk about it, so I was like, “Oh, crap. I have to read a little bit of it.”
I read I think not quite half of it, but it did have me in tears. I was laughing really, really hard at one point, just because of the nonsense. And then I started asking myself, is this real? I can’t quite tell. I’m totally undecided. Is it sincere? I feel like it started maybe as sincere, but they got in on it and started playing it up for the haters. I can’t tell! What do you think?
It would have to be so elaborate, but there are a bunch of cases that really make it seem like this person knows much, much more than the character they’re putting on.
I noticed a misspelling that was like, instead of triumphantly, it was “triumelephantly.” And I was like, come on, you don’t think “elephant” is inside “triumphant.” There’s no way.
At one point, the main character’s name is spelled two different ways within three words of each other.
I totally saw that, too! I’m torn because I want it to be sincere, kind of... but I don’t know.
There are things about it that aren’t cool to talk about. Like it’s not funny to talk about slitting your wrists. So it takes me a second to get past that joke, which is so recurring.
Yeah, if you go back to old internet culture, a lot of it is really ugly. And it’s weird trying to separate that stuff out.
Is it better now?
I don’t know because now I’m too old to know what’s going on. But kids do seem nicer. They often seem nicer.
I would like to believe we’ve grown up a little bit as a society from that. Maybe everybody having a little bit more of a microphone has taught us some things that we need to be aware of that are outside of our perception and our personal experiences. There are other people that are seeing that in a different way. I think it would be cool if that’s true.
I was a teenager around when My Immortal came out, and it feels like it describes a very recognizable “goths versus preps” rivalry. Did you feel that?
I think this thing is poking fun at that world — I mean it would have to be, come on — and that part of it really resonates with me in a real way. But I didn’t consider myself goth! Part of what’s weird and funny is like okay, this is describing hating the preps, and you’re the cool one, you’re the underground, you understand real life and the gravity of death, and I get it. But if you’re so depressed and everything’s so hard and you’re so real and they’re so fake, why do you put so much effort into your look?
That was what always turned me off about the word “goth” when that started being assigned to me in our early days. If I was 15 years old and you’d asked me what I was, I’m grunge. I buy all my clothes at garage sales, I don’t do crap to my look, I get ready two seconds before school, and all the preps are the ones who put all their focus on their looks and what party they’re going to go to.
But yeah, that part was funny to me. That part existed.
I love the idea of you knowing about this thing for years without having read it.
I kind of want to thank you because I did get a really good laugh out of it last night. It’s not like, when I have free time, I’m motivated to go read some horribly bad thing. But it’s actually pretty interesting.


theverge--2020-07-20--Blurry Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 leak hints at camera upgrades and gold model

A leaked and extremely blurry photo of what appears to be Samsung ’ s Galaxy Fold 2 has appeared online .
Phone leaker Ice Universe has published two photos of the device , revealing that the successor to the Galaxy Fold will likely arrive in a gold model and with some camera upgrades .
It ’ s not clear exactly what the camera array consists of at the rear , but rumors have suggested the Galaxy Fold 2 will adopt the same camera as the Galaxy S20 Plus — which includes a 64-megapixel telephoto camera .
The leaked image also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Galaxy Fold 2 , but it doesn ’ t provide any clues as to whether this has been upgraded .
Samsung ’ s original Fold had a 4.6-inch front display , with comically large bezels .
The Fold ’ s main 7.3-inch display folded out , and there are persistent rumors this could be increased to 7.7 inches or 8 inches on the Galaxy Fold 2 .
The general Galaxy Fold 2 form factor looks similar to the original , though .
Samsung ’ s ill-fated Galaxy Fold suffered from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a delayed launch .
Broken review devices forced Samsung to rethink its Galaxy Fold launch , but even the tweaked version was still found to be fragile .
Separate rumors suggest the Galaxy Fold 2 will launch at a cheaper price point , with less storage .
The original model started at $ 1,980 , so any cost savings could help push dual-screen and foldable devices towards the mainstream .
We might learn more about Samsung ’ s Galaxy Fold 2 at the company ’ s press event on August 5th .
Samsung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Galaxy Note 20 devices , Galaxy Buds Live , a Tab S7 tablet , the Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch , and a 5G version of Samsung ’ s foldable Z Flip .

A leaked and extremely blurry photo of what appears to be Samsung’s Galaxy Fold 2 has appeared online. Phone leaker Ice Universe has published two photos of the device, revealing that the successor to the Galaxy Fold will likely arrive in a gold model and with some camera upgrades. It’s not clear exactly what the camera array consists of at the rear, but rumors have suggested the Galaxy Fold 2 will adopt the same camera as the Galaxy S20 Plus — which includes a 64-megapixel telephoto camera.
The leaked image also shows the cover display on the front of the Galaxy Fold 2, but it doesn’t provide any clues as to whether this has been upgraded. Samsung’s original Fold had a 4.6-inch front display, with comically large bezels. The Fold’s main 7.3-inch display folded out, and there are persistent rumors this could be increased to 7.7 inches or 8 inches on the Galaxy Fold 2.
The general Galaxy Fold 2 form factor looks similar to the original, though. Samsung’s ill-fated Galaxy Fold suffered from a number of durability issues, resulting in a delayed launch. Broken review devices forced Samsung to rethink its Galaxy Fold launch, but even the tweaked version was still found to be fragile.
Separate rumors suggest the Galaxy Fold 2 will launch at a cheaper price point, with less storage. The original model started at $1,980, so any cost savings could help push dual-screen and foldable devices towards the mainstream.


theverge--2020-07-20--OnePlus’ sub-$100 true wireless earbuds detailed in new leak

A new leak has given us the best look yet at the soon to be launched true wireless earbuds from OnePlus .
Several images were extracted from the OnePlus Buds APK by both 9to5Google and Max Weinbach of XDA Developers .
While we don ’ t have a price yet , OnePlus did tease the buds on Instagram for “ $ XX.XX ” suggesting they ’ ll retail for less than $ 100 .
The APK has images of the OnePlus Buds in black , blue , and white .
These appear to be the same earbuds worn by OnePlus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nord handset design with Marques Brownlee .
9to5Google also discovered code that suggests they ’ ll support Dolby Atmos , as well as the ability to locate your lost buds through a “ Find my Device ” option .
Illustrations found in the APK suggest fast pairing , touch controls , and an automatic pause feature when removing an earbud from the ear .
Last week OnePlus said that the Buds will last for over seven hours of continuous use , or 30 hours in total when charged from the case .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case weighs 36 grams .
The OnePlus Buds bear more than a passing resemblance to Vivo ’ s new TWS Neo wireless buds , as noted by Weinbach in a tweet .
OnePlus and Vivo are both brands under the Chinese conglomerate BBK Electronics , which is also home to Oppo , Realme , and iQoo .
We ’ ll know the details soon enough when OnePlus reveals all on Tuesday .

A new leak has given us the best look yet at the soon to be launched true wireless earbuds from OnePlus. Several images were extracted from the OnePlus Buds APK by both 9to5Google and Max Weinbach of XDA Developers. While we don’t have a price yet, OnePlus did tease the buds on Instagram for “$XX.XX” suggesting they’ll retail for less than $100.
The APK has images of the OnePlus Buds in black, blue, and white. These appear to be the same earbuds worn by OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei when discussing the new Nord handset design with Marques Brownlee.
9to5Google also discovered code that suggests they’ll support Dolby Atmos, as well as the ability to locate your lost buds through a “Find my Device” option. Illustrations found in the APK suggest fast pairing, touch controls, and an automatic pause feature when removing an earbud from the ear.
Last week OnePlus said that the Buds will last for over seven hours of continuous use, or 30 hours in total when charged from the case. The OnePlus Buds weigh 4.6 grams, while the case weighs 36 grams.
The OnePlus Buds bear more than a passing resemblance to Vivo’s new TWS Neo wireless buds, as noted by Weinbach in a tweet. OnePlus and Vivo are both brands under the Chinese conglomerate BBK Electronics, which is also home to Oppo, Realme, and iQoo.
We’ll know the details soon enough when OnePlus reveals all on Tuesday.


theverge--2020-07-20--Samsung Galaxy Note 20 shown off in most detailed leak yet

Samsung ’ s Galaxy Note 20 , the step-down model from the top-of-the-line Note 20 Ultra , has leaked in a new 360-degree render thanks to tipster Evan Blass .
The render shows off a handset with a much flatter screen than what we ’ re expecting from the Ultra , and the rear camera module also appears to lack the Ultra ’ s fourth sensor , which is speculated to be either a 3D ToF sensor or a laser autofocus .
Although we ’ ve heard a lot about the Note 20 Ultra thanks to numerous leaks , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as an early video of the handset itself , relatively little had been revealed about the standard Note 20 .
We ’ ve seen still images and a diagram of its camera layout from leaker Ice Universe , but this render from Blass gives us a much better idea of its overall design .
Separately , leaks have suggested that the Note 20 will be powered by a Snapdragon 865 Plus in the US , while Samsung is expected to use its own Exynos 990 processor in some international markets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone will come with the lineup ’ s signature S Pen stylus .
The Note 20 series is expected to be unveiled at a Samsung event on August 5th .
We ’ ve got a full rundown of what we ’ re expecting to see right here , which includes the Galaxy Buds Live true wireless earbuds , the Tab S7 tablet , the Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch , and a 5G version of Samsung ’ s foldable Z Flip from earlier this year .

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20, the step-down model from the top-of-the-line Note 20 Ultra, has leaked in a new 360-degree render thanks to tipster Evan Blass. The render shows off a handset with a much flatter screen than what we’re expecting from the Ultra, and the rear camera module also appears to lack the Ultra’s fourth sensor, which is speculated to be either a 3D ToF sensor or a laser autofocus.
Although we’ve heard a lot about the Note 20 Ultra thanks to numerous leaks, including one from Samsung’s own website as well as an early video of the handset itself, relatively little had been revealed about the standard Note 20. We’ve seen still images and a diagram of its camera layout from leaker Ice Universe, but this render from Blass gives us a much better idea of its overall design.
Separately, leaks have suggested that the Note 20 will be powered by a Snapdragon 865 Plus in the US, while Samsung is expected to use its own Exynos 990 processor in some international markets. Like the Note 20 Ultra, the phone will come with the lineup’s signature S Pen stylus.


theverge--2020-07-20--Nintendo announces ‘Direct mini’ showcase for Monday morning

Nintendo ’ s schedule of upcoming Switch games for the rest of the year is almost entirely bare , but that could change very soon ; the company just announced a Direct broadcast for 10AM ET Monday morning .
As in , today .
Nintendo is describing the broadcast as “ the first Nintendo Direct Mini : Partner Showcase , a new series focused on titles from our development and publishing partners.
” It ’ ll be about 10 minutes long and provide updates on a “ small group ” of previously announced games for the Switch .
While there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release dates set , there are quite a few that have been announced that might conceivably qualify for this broadcast .
Here are some examples : • Metroid Prime 4 — now being developed by Retro Studios , a Nintendo subsidiary that describes itself as a “ partner ” • Bayonetta 3 — announced in 2017 at The Game Awards , but yet to be shown off • The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild 2 — announced at last year ’ s E3 , but almost certainly doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a surprise about who ’ s developing it • Shin Megami Tensei V — the latest instalment in Atlus ’ RPG franchise was announced at the Switch ’ s reveal event all the way back in January 2017 , and there ’ s been almost no information since • No More Heroes 3 — this is supposedly releasing in 2020 and has had a couple of teaser trailers , so could well be set for a wider reveal soon • Hollow Knight : Silksong — the Hollow Knight sequel will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it doesn ’ t have a release date • Bravely Default 2 — Square Enix ’ s sequel to the 3DS RPGs is another Nintendo exclusive set for 2020 • Persona 5 Scramble : The Phantom Strikers — this Switch/PS4 Persona 5 spin-off sequel is already out in Japan ( and pretty good ) , with no Western release confirmed as of yet • Doom Eternal — the Switch version was initially meant to launch day-and-date with other platforms , but it got pushed back to later in the year I doubt most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ d be surprised if none of them did .
Who knows , though — maybe Nintendo will have something else in store .
As of this writing , we have a little over nine hours until we find out .

Nintendo’s schedule of upcoming Switch games for the rest of the year is almost entirely bare, but that could change very soon; the company just announced a Direct broadcast for 10AM ET Monday morning. As in, today.
Nintendo is describing the broadcast as “the first Nintendo Direct Mini: Partner Showcase, a new series focused on titles from our development and publishing partners.” It’ll be about 10 minutes long and provide updates on a “small group” of previously announced games for the Switch.
While there aren’t many Switch games with release dates set, there are quite a few that have been announced that might conceivably qualify for this broadcast. Here are some examples:
Metroid Prime 4 — now being developed by Retro Studios, a Nintendo subsidiary that describes itself as a “partner”
Bayonetta 3 — announced in 2017 at The Game Awards, but yet to be shown off
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 — announced at last year’s E3, but almost certainly doesn’t count for this Direct unless there’s a surprise about who’s developing it
Shin Megami Tensei V — the latest instalment in Atlus’ RPG franchise was announced at the Switch’s reveal event all the way back in January 2017, and there’s been almost no information since
No More Heroes 3 — this is supposedly releasing in 2020 and has had a couple of teaser trailers, so could well be set for a wider reveal soon
Hollow Knight: Silksong — the Hollow Knight sequel will be a Switch console exclusive at first, but it doesn’t have a release date
Bravely Default 2 — Square Enix’s sequel to the 3DS RPGs is another Nintendo exclusive set for 2020
Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers — this Switch/PS4 Persona 5 spin-off sequel is already out in Japan (and pretty good), with no Western release confirmed as of yet
Doom Eternal — the Switch version was initially meant to launch day-and-date with other platforms, but it got pushed back to later in the year


theverge--2020-07-20--Wyze will try pay-what-you-want model for its AI-powered person detection

Smart home company Wyze is experimenting with a rather unconventional method for providing customers with artificial intelligence-powered person detection for its smart security cameras : a pay-what-you-want business model .
On Monday , the company said it would provide the feature for free as initially promised , after it had to disable it due to an abrupt end to its licensing deal with fellow Seattle-based company Xnor.ai , which was acquired by Apple in November of last year .
But Wyze , taking a page out of the old Radiohead playbook , is hoping some customers might be willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs .
AI-powered person detection uses machine learning models to train an algorithm to differentiate between the movement of an inanimate object or animal and that of a human being .
It ’ s now a staple in the smart security camera market , but it remains rather resource-intensive to provide and expensive as a result .
It is more expensive than Wyze at first realized , in fact .
That ’ s a problem after the company promised last year that when its own version of the feature was fully baked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring a monthly subscription , as many of its competitors do for similar AI-powered functions .
Yet now Wyze says it ’ s going to try a pay-what-you-want model in the hopes it can use customer generosity to offset the bill .
Here ’ s how the company broke the good ( and bad ) news in its email to the customers eligible for the promotion , which includes those that were enjoying person detection on Wyze cameras up until the Xnor.ai contract expired at the end of the year : “ Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve had this service in beta testing , and we ’ re happy to report that the testing is going really well .
Person Detection is meeting our high expectations , and it ’ s only going to keep improving over time .
That ’ s the good news .
The bad news is that it ’ s very expensive to run , and the costs are recurring .
We greatly under-forecasted the monthly cloud costs when we started working on this project last year ( we ’ ve also since hired an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we will not be able to absorb these costs and stay in business.
” Wyze says that while it would normally charge a subscription for a software service that involves recurring monthly costs , it told about 1.3 million of its customers that it would not charge for the feature when it did arrive , even if it required the company pay for pricey cloud-based processing .
“ We are going to keep our promise to you .
But we are also going to ask for your help , ” Wyze writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admits that the plan may not pan out : When Person Detection for 12-second event videos officially launches , you will be able to name your price .
You can select $ 0 and use it for free .
Or you can make monthly contributions in whatever amount you think it ’ s worth to help us cover our recurring cloud costs .
We will reevaluate this method in a few months .
If the model works , we may consider rolling it out to all users and maybe even extend it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to recoup its costs by relying on the goodwill of customers , it could set the company up to try more experimental pricing models .
After all , radical pricing strategies and good-enough quality is how Wyze became a bit of a trailblazer in the smart home camera industry , and it could work out for them again if customers feel like the feature works so well it warrants chipping in a few bucks a month .

Smart home company Wyze is experimenting with a rather unconventional method for providing customers with artificial intelligence-powered person detection for its smart security cameras: a pay-what-you-want business model. On Monday, the company said it would provide the feature for free as initially promised, after it had to disable it due to an abrupt end to its licensing deal with fellow Seattle-based company Xnor.ai, which was acquired by Apple in November of last year. But Wyze, taking a page out of the old Radiohead playbook, is hoping some customers might be willing to chip in to help it cover the costs.
AI-powered person detection uses machine learning models to train an algorithm to differentiate between the movement of an inanimate object or animal and that of a human being. It’s now a staple in the smart security camera market, but it remains rather resource-intensive to provide and expensive as a result. It is more expensive than Wyze at first realized, in fact. That’s a problem after the company promised last year that when its own version of the feature was fully baked, it would be available for free without requiring a monthly subscription, as many of its competitors do for similar AI-powered functions.
Yet now Wyze says it’s going to try a pay-what-you-want model in the hopes it can use customer generosity to offset the bill. Here’s how the company broke the good (and bad) news in its email to the customers eligible for the promotion, which includes those that were enjoying person detection on Wyze cameras up until the Xnor.ai contract expired at the end of the year:
“Over the last few months, we’ve had this service in beta testing, and we’re happy to report that the testing is going really well. Person Detection is meeting our high expectations, and it’s only going to keep improving over time. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s very expensive to run, and the costs are recurring. We greatly under-forecasted the monthly cloud costs when we started working on this project last year (we’ve also since hired an actual finance guy…). The reality is we will not be able to absorb these costs and stay in business.”
Wyze says that while it would normally charge a subscription for a software service that involves recurring monthly costs, it told about 1.3 million of its customers that it would not charge for the feature when it did arrive, even if it required the company pay for pricey cloud-based processing. “We are going to keep our promise to you. But we are also going to ask for your help,” Wyze writes.
It sounds risky, and Wyze admits that the plan may not pan out:
When Person Detection for 12-second event videos officially launches, you will be able to name your price. You can select $0 and use it for free. Or you can make monthly contributions in whatever amount you think it’s worth to help us cover our recurring cloud costs. We will reevaluate this method in a few months. If the model works, we may consider rolling it out to all users and maybe even extend it to other Wyze services.


theverge--2020-07-20--Facebook suspends anti-mask group for spreading COVID-19 misinformation

Facebook has removed one of the largest anti-mask groups on its platform for violating its policies against spreading misinformation about COVID-19 .
The About section of the public group Unmasking America !
— which had more than 9,600 members — described it as “ here to spread the TRUTH about masks !
” It made several claims which have been widely debunked about masks obstructing oxygen flow and having a negative psychological impact .
“ It is a psychological anchor for suppression , enslavement and cognitive obedience .
When you wear a mask you are complicit in declaring all humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the post stated .
It is one of dozens of such groups easily found in a search for “ unmasking ” on Facebook .
Some of the groups are private , meaning a group admin has to approve new members before they can join .
But the theme is the same : the groups oppose the public health intervention championed by medical experts .
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear masks in all public areas , which should limit the spread of the virus .
These Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to wear masks , and there are a lot of them .
Facebook ’ s action came after an inquiry about the group from The Verge .
“ We have clear policies against promoting harmful misinformation about COVID 19 and have removed this group while we review the others , ” Facebook spokesperson Dami Oyefeso said in an email .
According to Facebook ’ s rules , if a group shares false news repeatedly , the platform will show the group ’ s content lower in users ’ News Feeds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce its growth .
The Unmasking America group page included posts of photos from members wearing masks emblazoned with the Make America Great Again slogan or other references to President Trump , usually as a way of protesting mask requirements .
Other posts described experiences dealing with stores that require masks , and many posters asked how to claim an “ exemption ” from mask rules .
An image of a “ Face Mask Exempt Card ” issued by the “ Freedom to Breathe Agency ” was linked to prominently ; one poster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laminate it and use it .
The number is legit.
” No such government agency exists and law enforcement officials have warned that such cards — which use a version of the justice department ’ s eagle logo — “ do not carry the force of law , ” The New York Times reported .
Among the private groups are the “ Million Unmasked March ” group , which has more than 7,800 members .
“ Parents are powerful !
We are a group of moms , dads , grandparents , uncles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and anyone who is concerned with our children wearing masks to school in fall , ” the group ’ s “ about ” section reads .
“ We believe that our children wearing masks to school is physically and psychologically damaging .
Join us in saying NO MORE MASKS !
” And the “ Unmasking Fear ” group , which has about 400 members , is promoting an August 1st event “ rallying against mandatory masks.
” Medical experts , however , say there are very few medical reasons to preclude most people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go out in public .
About two dozen states now have some kind of public mask requirement in place .
Even President Trump , who has been largely resistant to wearing a mask in public , tweeted Monday that it was “ patriotic to wear a face mask when you can ’ t socially distance.
” Facebook has taken several steps to attempt to stem the flood of coronavirus misinformation on its platforms , with mixed results .
A scathing report in April from human rights group Avaaz found 100 pieces of misinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1.7 million times and viewed about 117 million times .
Facebook announced April 16th that it was adding a warning label when a person liked , commented , or reacted to a post with fake coronavirus information .
Also in April , the company said it was removing “ pseudoscience ” from the list of categories advertisers could use to target potential customers “ to prevent potential abuse in ads.
” In May , the company released a report describing its use of artificial intelligence along with human fact-checkers and moderators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the report , in April , Facebook put warning labels on 50 million pieces of content related to COVID-19 , and since March 1st , has removed more than 2.5 million pieces of content related to mask sales , hand sanitizers , and COVID-19 test kits .

Facebook has removed one of the largest anti-mask groups on its platform for violating its policies against spreading misinformation about COVID-19.
The About section of the public group Unmasking America! — which had more than 9,600 members — described it as “here to spread the TRUTH about masks!” It made several claims which have been widely debunked about masks obstructing oxygen flow and having a negative psychological impact. “It is a psychological anchor for suppression, enslavement and cognitive obedience. When you wear a mask you are complicit in declaring all humans as dangerous, infectious and threats,” the post stated.
It is one of dozens of such groups easily found in a search for “unmasking” on Facebook. Some of the groups are private, meaning a group admin has to approve new members before they can join. But the theme is the same: the groups oppose the public health intervention championed by medical experts. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear masks in all public areas, which should limit the spread of the virus. These Facebook groups are for people who don’t want to wear masks, and there are a lot of them.
Facebook’s action came after an inquiry about the group from The Verge. “We have clear policies against promoting harmful misinformation about COVID 19 and have removed this group while we review the others,” Facebook spokesperson Dami Oyefeso said in an email.
According to Facebook’s rules, if a group shares false news repeatedly, the platform will show the group’s content lower in users’ News Feeds and stop suggesting people join the group to reduce its growth.
Some of the anti-mask groups on Facebook
The Unmasking America group page included posts of photos from members wearing masks emblazoned with the Make America Great Again slogan or other references to President Trump, usually as a way of protesting mask requirements. Other posts described experiences dealing with stores that require masks, and many posters asked how to claim an “exemption” from mask rules.
An image of a “Face Mask Exempt Card” issued by the “Freedom to Breathe Agency” was linked to prominently; one poster advised others to “print it, laminate it and use it. The number is legit.” No such government agency exists and law enforcement officials have warned that such cards — which use a version of the justice department’s eagle logo — “do not carry the force of law,” The New York Times reported.
Among the private groups are the “Million Unmasked March” group, which has more than 7,800 members. “Parents are powerful! We are a group of moms, dads, grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers, friends, nurses and anyone who is concerned with our children wearing masks to school in fall,” the group’s “about” section reads. “We believe that our children wearing masks to school is physically and psychologically damaging. Join us in saying NO MORE MASKS!” And the “Unmasking Fear” group, which has about 400 members, is promoting an August 1st event “rallying against mandatory masks.”
Medical experts, however, say there are very few medical reasons to preclude most people from wearing cloth face coverings when they go out in public. About two dozen states now have some kind of public mask requirement in place. Even President Trump, who has been largely resistant to wearing a mask in public, tweeted Monday that it was “patriotic to wear a face mask when you can’t socially distance.”
Facebook has taken several steps to attempt to stem the flood of coronavirus misinformation on its platforms, with mixed results. A scathing report in April from human rights group Avaaz found 100 pieces of misinformation regarding the virus on Facebook were shared more than 1.7 million times and viewed about 117 million times. Facebook announced April 16th that it was adding a warning label when a person liked, commented, or reacted to a post with fake coronavirus information. Also in April, the company said it was removing “pseudoscience” from the list of categories advertisers could use to target potential customers “to prevent potential abuse in ads.”


theverge--2020-07-20--Whistleblower Reality Winner has tested positive for COVID-19 in prison

Former intelligence contractor and whistleblower Reality Winner has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 .
Winner ’ s sister , Brittany Winner , tweeted her diagnosis earlier today .
Winner is currently incarcerated in a federal medical prison in Fort Worth , Texas , where an outbreak has sickened hundreds of inmates and killed at least two .
Winner is seeking compassionate release during the coronavirus pandemic , citing underlying medical conditions .
An early petition for release from her imprisonment at FMC Carswell was denied in April .
Shortly afterward , Carswell reported its first coronavirus death : Andrea Circle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a ventilator .
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported last week that 130 people had contracted COVID-19 at the prison ; the most recent Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics show over 500 cases .
An appeal is currently pending .
Winner ’ s attorney , Joe Whitley , told Law.com ’ s Daily Report that he hopes the court will take the outbreak into consideration .
“ I hope the BOP is equipped to handle the geometric surge in cases , effectively at all their facilities , but I am concerned that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daily Report , Winner ’ s sister says she is currently asymptomatic , and one of her cellmates also tested positive .
Prisons have emerged as one of the most dangerous hotspots for America ’ s coronavirus outbreak .
Attorney General William Barr has ordered prisons to prioritize releasing inmates to home confinement , but numerous reports have demonstrated confusion and delays in the process — although some high-profile Trump associates , like Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen , have been released .
Winner , who previously worked for the National Security Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 after leaking a report on Russian election interference to The Intercept .
She is currently scheduled for release in November 2021 .

Former intelligence contractor and whistleblower Reality Winner has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. Winner’s sister, Brittany Winner, tweeted her diagnosis earlier today. Winner is currently incarcerated in a federal medical prison in Fort Worth, Texas, where an outbreak has sickened hundreds of inmates and killed at least two.
Winner is seeking compassionate release during the coronavirus pandemic, citing underlying medical conditions. An early petition for release from her imprisonment at FMC Carswell was denied in April. Shortly afterward, Carswell reported its first coronavirus death: Andrea Circle Bear, who died after giving birth on a ventilator. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported last week that 130 people had contracted COVID-19 at the prison; the most recent Federal Bureau of Prisons statistics show over 500 cases. An appeal is currently pending.
Winner’s attorney, Joe Whitley, told Law.com’s Daily Report that he hopes the court will take the outbreak into consideration. “I hope the BOP is equipped to handle the geometric surge in cases, effectively at all their facilities, but I am concerned that may not be the case.” According to Daily Report, Winner’s sister says she is currently asymptomatic, and one of her cellmates also tested positive.
Prisons have emerged as one of the most dangerous hotspots for America’s coronavirus outbreak. Attorney General William Barr has ordered prisons to prioritize releasing inmates to home confinement, but numerous reports have demonstrated confusion and delays in the process — although some high-profile Trump associates, like Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen, have been released.


theverge--2020-07-20--Wemo’s new WiFi Smart Plug is smaller, cheaper, and available now

Wemo ’ s new miniaturized WiFi Smart Plug — which the company announced at CES earlier this year — is now available to actually buy .
The new Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is functionally the same as the previous model , but it ’ s 45 percent smaller than the old ( and now somewhat inaccurately named ) Wemo Mini model that preceded it .
Like the last version , it supports Amazon Alexa , Google Assistant , Apple HomeKit , and the Wemo app for your various smart home integrations .
The new plug is actually a fraction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it makes up for that by being far less wide than the old model .
The WiFi Smart Plug now takes up just slightly more space than a three-prong plug , which should make it easier to discreetly fit into your home .
It ’ s also getting a slight price drop : it ’ ll retail for $ 24.99 for a single plug , versus the $ 29.99 price the Wemo Mini sold for at retail .
A three-pack for $ 49.99 is also available .
The Wemo WiFi Smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belkin and Best Buy .

Wemo’s new miniaturized WiFi Smart Plug — which the company announced at CES earlier this year — is now available to actually buy.
The new Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is functionally the same as the previous model, but it’s 45 percent smaller than the old (and now somewhat inaccurately named) Wemo Mini model that preceded it. Like the last version, it supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and the Wemo app for your various smart home integrations.
The new plug is actually a fraction of a inch taller than the Wemo Mini, but it makes up for that by being far less wide than the old model. The WiFi Smart Plug now takes up just slightly more space than a three-prong plug, which should make it easier to discreetly fit into your home.
It’s also getting a slight price drop: it’ll retail for $24.99 for a single plug, versus the $29.99 price the Wemo Mini sold for at retail. A three-pack for $49.99 is also available.


theverge--2020-07-20--HBO Max and Peacock are losing some of their biggest titles just after launching

When HBO Max launched , one of WarnerMedia ’ s big selling points was having the entire Harry Potter collection available to stream .
Three months later , that ’ s no longer the case .
An email detailing what ’ s coming to and leaving HBO Max in August points out that all eight movies , from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer ’ s Stone to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 , will leave the service on August 25th .
It ’ s unclear where the films will wind up , but speculation is already circulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBCUniversal ’ s new streaming service , Peacock .
That ’ s because years prior to HBO Max ’ s launch , WarnerMedia signed a deal with NBCUniversal that gave the latter company exclusive rights to the Harry Potter series through 2025 .
Through that deal , most insiders assumed Harry Potter , one of WarnerMedia ’ s biggest properties , would not be on HBO Max for years to come .
The night before HBO Max launched , however , WarnerMedia executives struck a deal with NBCUniversal to have all eight Harry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , those same movies are leaving .
It ’ s unclear when those movies will return , but The Verge has reached out to HBO Max for comment .
While aspects of the deal are unclear — maybe WarnerMedia only signed for a three-month window — it ’ s a weird situation that points to the complicated nature of an industry with multiple streaming services .
Peacock and HBO Max want to use its biggest IP to draw in subscribers , but NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia can make additional revenue by cycling out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like Netflix and Hulu .
For consumers , it means keeping a watchful eye every month on every streamer .
It ’ s a weird situation that points to the complicated nature of an industry with multiple streaming services The Harry Potter franchise is just one example .
Back in late May , right when HBO Max launched , customers learned that movies on which HBO Max marketed its launch — including Justice League — would be leaving after just one month .
Justice League was set to leave the service for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s scheduled to return to HBO Max at some point in 2020 , a spokesperson told The Verge at the time .
While it would eventually come back , the insinuation was that Justice League — a core part of the DC Extended Universe that subscribers assumed was on HBO Max — wouldn ’ t be there for an unknown amount of time .
WarnerMedia eventually ended up extending the film ’ s time on the streamer .
Peacock is in the same boat .
NBCUniversal ’ s streaming service just launched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions over titles leaving that were there on launch day .
Heavy hitters like Shrek and the Jurassic Park trilogy , alongside 2009 ’ s Fast and Furious , have either disappeared or are about to leave .
The Jurassic Park trilogy is going to Netflix in August .
The Matrix trilogy , which both NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia touted as a benefit to subscribing to their streaming services , is leaving Peacock next month .
It ’ s unclear where The Matrix trilogy will wind up , but HBO Max seems likely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ also gone .
Business Insider was told by a Peacock spokesperson that “ movies will come and go from the platform regularly.
” Conglomerates like WarnerMedia or NBCUniversal have treasure troves of valuable IP .
They can license that IP to other streamers like Netflix who are more than willing to pay for content that might attract subscribers .
So long as NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia can earn additional revenue — and as long as it doesn ’ t have a negative impact on their own streaming ecosystem — they ’ ll likely continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an easy way for a company to earn revenue on the IP it purchased for a handsome fee .
This is something that industry insiders call film windowing .
Movies appear for a certain amount of time and then roll out , only to be brought back later in the year .
While it ’ s a standard practice , the way people consume entertainment is shifting — and they notice titles coming and going now more than they may have in the heyday of cable when the Star Wars movies would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time .
Heavy hitters like ‘ Shrek ’ and the ‘ Jurassic Park ’ trilogy , alongside 2009 ’ s ‘ Fast and Furious , ’ have either disappeared or are about to leave Things seem different now .
People are aware of when a block of movies , especially high-profile titles like the Harry Potter collection or the Jurassic Park trilogy , suddenly aren ’ t there anymore .
News outlets cover it every single month .
It ’ s nearly impossible to just roll in , or roll out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows without anyone noticing .
What it really comes down to is people don ’ t want to have to jump from streamer to streamer to find a title — especially when said conglomerates marketed their new streaming services on the promise that people could stream those movies or TV shows if they subscribed .
Take Harry Potter : if the movies end up going to a streamer like Peacock , that ’ s potentially another service that people have to sign up for in order to watch something they thought was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for movies like Hobbs and Shaw or Fast Five , which are produced and owned by Universal ( the studio behind Peacock ) but stream on HBO Max because of preexisting deals .
Exclusivity windows and deals are a hassle !
Trying to keep up with everything is tedious , as my colleague Chaim Gartenberg recently wrote .
Since the exclusive streaming era really came into effect over the last half-decade , content is fragmented and windowing titles just makes it that much more frustrating to navigate .
A decade ago , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; now they ’ re everywhere .
Naturally , there are a couple of streamers that aren ’ t interested in windowing .
Netflix Originals don ’ t leave Netflix , and Disney ’ s biggest franchises aren ’ t suddenly going to leave Disney Plus for three months at a time ; Star Wars movies and the Marvel Cinematic Universe live wholly on Disney Plus .
For other streamers , including HBO Max , Peacock , and CBS All Access , expect titles big and small to rotate in and out .

When HBO Max launched, one of WarnerMedia’s big selling points was having the entire Harry Potter collection available to stream. Three months later, that’s no longer the case.
An email detailing what’s coming to and leaving HBO Max in August points out that all eight movies, from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, will leave the service on August 25th. It’s unclear where the films will wind up, but speculation is already circulating over whether the films will move to NBCUniversal’s new streaming service, Peacock.
That’s because years prior to HBO Max’s launch, WarnerMedia signed a deal with NBCUniversal that gave the latter company exclusive rights to the Harry Potter series through 2025. Through that deal, most insiders assumed Harry Potter, one of WarnerMedia’s biggest properties, would not be on HBO Max for years to come. The night before HBO Max launched, however, WarnerMedia executives struck a deal with NBCUniversal to have all eight Harry Potter movies premiere on HBO Max. Now, those same movies are leaving. It’s unclear when those movies will return, but The Verge has reached out to HBO Max for comment.
While aspects of the deal are unclear — maybe WarnerMedia only signed for a three-month window — it’s a weird situation that points to the complicated nature of an industry with multiple streaming services. Peacock and HBO Max want to use its biggest IP to draw in subscribers, but NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia can make additional revenue by cycling out those movies and TV shows to others, like Netflix and Hulu. For consumers, it means keeping a watchful eye every month on every streamer.
It’s a weird situation that points to the complicated nature of an industry with multiple streaming services
The Harry Potter franchise is just one example. Back in late May, right when HBO Max launched, customers learned that movies on which HBO Max marketed its launch — including Justice League — would be leaving after just one month. Justice League was set to leave the service for a period of time, but it’s scheduled to return to HBO Max at some point in 2020, a spokesperson told The Verge at the time. While it would eventually come back, the insinuation was that Justice League — a core part of the DC Extended Universe that subscribers assumed was on HBO Max — wouldn’t be there for an unknown amount of time. WarnerMedia eventually ended up extending the film’s time on the streamer.
Peacock is in the same boat. NBCUniversal’s streaming service just launched last week, but is already facing questions over titles leaving that were there on launch day. Heavy hitters like Shrek and the Jurassic Park trilogy, alongside 2009’s Fast and Furious, have either disappeared or are about to leave. The Jurassic Park trilogy is going to Netflix in August. The Matrix trilogy, which both NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia touted as a benefit to subscribing to their streaming services, is leaving Peacock next month. It’s unclear where The Matrix trilogy will wind up, but HBO Max seems likely. The Mummy and The Mummy Returns are also gone. Business Insider was told by a Peacock spokesperson that “movies will come and go from the platform regularly.”
Conglomerates like WarnerMedia or NBCUniversal have treasure troves of valuable IP. They can license that IP to other streamers like Netflix who are more than willing to pay for content that might attract subscribers. So long as NBCUniversal and WarnerMedia can earn additional revenue — and as long as it doesn’t have a negative impact on their own streaming ecosystem — they’ll likely continue to do it. “Syndication” is an easy way for a company to earn revenue on the IP it purchased for a handsome fee.
This is something that industry insiders call film windowing. Movies appear for a certain amount of time and then roll out, only to be brought back later in the year. While it’s a standard practice, the way people consume entertainment is shifting — and they notice titles coming and going now more than they may have in the heyday of cable when the Star Wars movies would play on TNT for a certain period of time.
Heavy hitters like ‘Shrek’ and the ‘Jurassic Park’ trilogy, alongside 2009’s ‘Fast and Furious,’ have either disappeared or are about to leave
Things seem different now. People are aware of when a block of movies, especially high-profile titles like the Harry Potter collection or the Jurassic Park trilogy, suddenly aren’t there anymore. News outlets cover it every single month. It’s nearly impossible to just roll in, or roll out, entire blocks of high-profile movies and TV shows without anyone noticing.
What it really comes down to is people don’t want to have to jump from streamer to streamer to find a title — especially when said conglomerates marketed their new streaming services on the promise that people could stream those movies or TV shows if they subscribed. Take Harry Potter: if the movies end up going to a streamer like Peacock, that’s potentially another service that people have to sign up for in order to watch something they thought was on HBO Max.
None of this accounts for movies like Hobbs and Shaw or Fast Five, which are produced and owned by Universal (the studio behind Peacock) but stream on HBO Max because of preexisting deals. Exclusivity windows and deals are a hassle! Trying to keep up with everything is tedious, as my colleague Chaim Gartenberg recently wrote. Since the exclusive streaming era really came into effect over the last half-decade, content is fragmented and windowing titles just makes it that much more frustrating to navigate. A decade ago, most things were either on Netflix or Hulu; now they’re everywhere.