32 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Adi Robertson

Adi Robertson

Senior Editor, Tech & Policy

Senior Editor, Tech & Policy

    More From Adi Robertson

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    “Critical thinking is being shifted elsewhere — to the machine.”

    A neurology ICU nurse relates the unsettling feeling of watching AI tech take over:

    “Efficiency” is a buzzword in Silicon Valley, but get it out of your mind when it comes to healthcare. When you’re optimizing for efficiency, you’re getting rid of redundancies. But when patients’ lives are at stake, you actually want redundancy. You want extra slack in the system. You want multiple sets of eyes on a patient in a hospital.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    Hello Bluesky.

    The Verge’s Bluesky account is now actively posting stories from the site, and there’s a starter pack for following individual reporters, editors, and others. Come find us!

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    It’s not the period tracking apps that get you.

    A digital trail can provide evidence of someone obtaining an illegal abortion, but as Lux Alptraum wrote back in 2022, they’re not usually the initial tipoff:

    A full 45 percent of cases were brought to the attention of the police via a healthcare professional like a doctor, nurse, or social worker. Another 26 percent of people were reported by friends or family members.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    Bomb threats keep coming into Georgia polling places.

    Previous threats were linked to Russia and deemed non-credible, but they temporarily shut down polling locations, which have since had their hours extended. Officials are seeking a similar extension for the new sites.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    PSA: Don’t send election threats online in Michigan.

    After two arrests today, the FBI’s Detroit field office really wants you to know they’ll hunt you down:

    The threat read in part: “I shall carry out an attack against conservative christan, (sic) filth in the event trump wins the election. ... Without a specific victim or ability to find the place I hid the gun, there’s not a thing the FBI can do until I complete the attack.”

    Sissel was arrested by the FBI this morning and will be making an appearance in federal court this afternoon.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    Maybe don’t trust that crowdsourced voter fraud app.

    Because according to Wired, it might leak your identity if you post there:

    When loading new posts, VoteAlert inadvertently returned the email addresses of users who submitted reports or comments, making them visible to anyone who inspected the site’s source code.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    How ‘bout you stop wearing chainmail t-shirts.

    If you were a nerd online in the early ‘10s, you may recall Lore Sjöberg’s Dungeons & Dragons-inspired Speak with Monsters. The webcomic went dark years ago and it’s been only available in spotty online archives. But it’s getting republished (with an archival installment every Friday) in Sjöberg’s newsletter, starting with a strip based on the early D&D illustration below.

    An illustration of a man in a chainmail t-shirt with worms in his arms.
    But it’s my THING!
    D&D Monster Manual
    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    The Supreme Court considers porn age verification rules January 15th, 2025.

    The Free Speech Coalition is challenging a Texas law that requires proof of age to access adult sites — and more broadly, the Supreme Court will be weighing the tradeoffs of making people identify their ages online. Oral arguments were just scheduled for early next year.

    Adi Robertson
    Adi Robertson
    “That’s 2.5 trillion trillion trillion dollars.”

    Google is facing compounding penalties in Russia for restricting propaganda YouTube channels. It doesn’t seem terribly worried:

    “We have ongoing legal matters relating to Russia,” the company noted in the report. “For example, civil judgments that include compounding penalties have been imposed upon us in connection with disputes regarding the termination of accounts, including those of sanctioned parties. We do not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect.”