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Mia Sato

Mia Sato

Features Writer, The Verge

Features Writer, The Verge

    More From Mia Sato

    Mia Sato
    Mia Sato
    Can you dupe an UGG boot?

    A major case surrounding lookalike products (“dupes”) came to a close this week, in which Deckers, the maker of UGG boots, sued direct-to-consumer brand Quince, alleging it had knocked off its shearling ankle boot. A jury found that Quince’s version was indeed substantially similar to the design patent for the UGG boots — but also that the patent itself was invalid in the first place.

    As I wrote last year, brands are increasingly using design patents to go after dupes. The Deckers decision stress-tests that tactic.

    Mia Sato
    Mia Sato
    Watch Duty, the wildfire tracking app, is expanding to floods.

    The non-profit service that millions of people relied on during the wildfires in Los Angeles last year will now track flooding nationwide. Users can get information on river gauges, precipitation data, and active warnings, and during life-threatening events, Watch Duty’s live reporting team will report back on hazards like dam/levee failures and downed bridges. Flood and wildfire tracking is available for free and with no ads.

    Image: Watch Duty / watchduty.org
    Mia Sato
    Mia Sato
    Polymarket’s CMO sent thousands to influencers like Nick Shirley and Riley Gaines.

    Polymarket’s chief marketing officer Matthew Modabber used his personal PayPal account to send at least $350,000 to content creators who hyped the prediction market platform, Politico reports. Shirley and others who were paid promoted Polymarket on X with no paid content disclosures. Influencer content is a huge part of prediction markets’ media strategy — often hiding in plain sight.

    Hundreds of prolific Wikipedia editors are threatening to go on strike

    After the Wikimedia Foundation abruptly dissolved a beloved team of engineers, Wikipedia’s volunteers are angry — and discussing how they can push back.

    Mia Sato
    Luigi Mangione supporters are back in court — this time with press credentials

    A handful of supporters showed up to a pretrial hearing with New York City-issued press passes.

    Mia Sato