Melanie Ehrenkranz, Author at Gizmodo

Verizon Finally Gives Up Its Porn Collection

On Monday, Tumblr CEO Jeff D’Onofrio announced a policy change with the intention of making the platform a “better, more positive” place. On December 17th, Tumblr, which is owned by Verizon under its Oath Inc subsidiary, will begin enforcing a ban of all adult content. Many people were quick to criticize the move—which will eliminate…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Dec 3

New NYC Bill Would Criminalize AirDropping Unwanted Dick Pics

The golden age of personal technology has given rise to many a scourge, including the upsetting trend of people AirDropping unsolicited dick pics to strangers. Thankfully, three New York City councilmen introduced a bill on Wednesday that would criminalize digitally whisking your dick photos to anyone who doesn’t want to see them, which is probably…

Privacy & Security Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 30

Popular Massage App Left Sensitive User Data Exposed, Including Complaints About ‘Dangerous’ Customers: Report

Urban Massage, a wellness app that connects users with professional massage therapists, reportedly left a database open to public access, potentially exposing sensitive user and employee data—including complaints alleging sexual misconduct by “dangerous” users alongside their names and other personal information. The ElasticSearch database, which was hosted by Google and has since been taken offline,…

Privacy & Security Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 28

British Cops Are Building an AI That Flags People for Crimes That Haven’t Happened Yet

Police in the UK are piloting a project that uses artificial intelligence to determine how likely someone is to commit or be a victim of a serious crime. These include crimes involving a gun or knife, as well as modern slavery, New Scientist reported on Monday. The hope is to use this information to detect…

Privacy & Security Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 27

Scottish City Looks to Silence Obnoxious ‘Silent’ Discos: ‘There Is a Lot of Whooping’

A city council in Scotland is considering a crack down on “silent discos,” which residents have complained are too loud—making them just regular discos, I guess. According to the Telegraph, the Edinburgh City Council is examining how to reign in the events after increased complaints that they are too noisy and put people at risk of…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 26

Facial Recognition Flags Woman on Bus Ad for ‘Jaywalking’ in China

China’s surveillance system is becoming increasingly omnipresent, with an estimated 200 million cameras and counting. While this state of existence alone is unsettling, it’s even more troubling that the machines are fucking up even the simplest task. Last week, the face of Dong Mingzhu—the chairwoman of a leading air conditioner manufacturer in China—was displayed on…

Privacy & Security Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 26

How Should I Clean My Filthy Laptop?

I consider myself a pretty clean and tidy person. You would not believe this to be true, however, if you looked at my laptop. It is disgusting. There’s that saying that goes something like, the floor is so clean you can eat off of it. Well, my laptop is so filthy it looks like I…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 22

After Google’s Historic Walkout, One of Tech’s Big Problems Is Still Being Ignored

Last month, thousands of staffers walked out of Google offices around the world calling for a more inclusive company culture built around “equity, dignity, and respect.” Among the walkout organizers’ five demands was for the company to end forced arbitration for both harassment and discrimination claims. The company only eliminated the former. “The tepid policy…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 21

Hackers Hit Adult Furry Website, Exposing Hundreds of Thousands of Users

The website for an adult furry game was hacked, with 411,000 unique email addresses and other personal information leaked, according to Have I Been Pwned’s Troy Hunt. The website hosted High Tail Hall, an interactive puzzle game “where you can have erotic encounters with the surrounding characters.” The data breach reportedly happened in August of…

Privacy & Security Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 21

Facebook Took Two Weeks to Delete a Post Selling a Child Bride in South Sudan: Report

A 16-year-old girl in South Sudan was recently auctioned on Facebook for marriage, according to a report from CNN. The social network reportedly didn’t remove the post until 15 days after it was published and nearly a week after she was already married. The auction started on Facebook on October 25. The girl was married…

Social Media Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 20

Report: Even Facebook Employees Are Bummed About Facebook

The societal, psychological, and sometimes violent consequences of social media are now reverberating from the inside: A recent survey of Facebook employees reportedly found that their opinion of the company has begun to tank. Facebook’s roughly 29,000 employees take an internal survey twice a year so the company can measure the overall morale, according to…

Social Media Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 14

Senators Urge FTC to Investigate Manipulative Ads in Children’s Apps

Three senators sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday, urging the agency to investigate advertising in children’s apps. The senators believe that, according to a recent study that looked at the prevalence of these apps, the techniques are in violation of a section of the FTC Act that prohibits “unfair or…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 13

eBay and Airbnb Join Tech Giants in Banning Forced Arbitration for Sexual Harassment Cases

Just over a week after the massive Google walkout, some tech companies are taking strides toward ending a commonly used practice in Silicon Valley and elsewhere to keep disputes out of the limelight. And on Monday, it was revealed that two more companies followed suit. Forced arbitration waives an individual’s right to a trial by…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 12

You’re Totally Going to Bone in Self-Driving Cars, Scientists Predict

If humans are dependable for anything, it’s discovering new ways to get horny over new tech. And according to a new report, self-driving will really get people riled up. Researchers in the United Kingdom just released a paper in the in the journal Annals of Tourism Research that details how self-driving cars may affect urban tourism.…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 12

Google Contractors Say Reporting Process for Sexual Misconduct Remains Flawed

Last week, thousands of Google staffers walked out of their offices and into the streets in what is perhaps the largest collective protest of tech workers in history. The demonstration, which included Google offices across several continents, was sparked by reports that the company offered lucrative exit packages to multiple top executives accused of sexual…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 8

Google Vows to Overhaul Its Handling of Sexual Harassment Claims After Thousands Protest

On Thursday, Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent an email to all employees promising a number of changes to the company’s policies following last week’s massive walkout. Many of these changes addressed the demands made by the walkout organizers, including optional arbitration for sexual harassment and assault claims and an improved reporting process for sexual misconduct.…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 8

Facebook Pumps Brakes on Political Ad Disclaimers After Discovering Existence of Lying

A litany of screwups drove Facebook to be more transparent about political advertising. But now, a litany of screwups is halting those very same plans. The social network planned to require political advertisers in the UK to verify their identities starting on November 7, but those plans have been pushed back, after several reports found…

Social Media Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 7

Again With the Needle

For those of you who stayed up to watch the numbers roll in during the 2016 presidential election, you likely remember that fucking needle. The New York Times tracked the leading candidates’ odds of winning, and also our collective descent into madness. Well it’s back, baby. The New York Times will provide a live forecast…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 6

Massive Google Walkout Over Sexual Misconduct Marks Tech’s ‘Time’s Up’ Moment

On Thursday, an estimated thousands of Google employees around the world walked out of their offices to protest the company’s mishandling of sexual harassment and assault cases, in what is likely the largest collective demonstration among technology workers. The walkouts started in Tokyo, with demonstrations also happening at offices in Singapore, Berlin, Zurich, Dublin, London,…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Nov 1

‘Thousands’ of Google Employees Expected to Walk Out on Thursday Over Handling of Sexual Harassment Cases

“Thousands” of employees at Google offices around the world are expected to participate in a “women’s walk” protest on Thursday in response to the company’s mishandling of sexual harassment and other tensions within the technology giant. Employees from more than 60 percent of Google offices worldwide will participate, organizers for the walkout told Gizmodo in…

Tech News Melanie Ehrenkranz Oct 31

Melanie Ehrenkranz

Verizon Finally Gives Up Its Porn Collection

New NYC Bill Would Criminalize AirDropping Unwanted Dick Pics

Popular Massage App Left Sensitive User Data Exposed, Including Complaints About ‘Dangerous’ Customers: Report

British Cops Are Building an AI That Flags People for Crimes That Haven’t Happened Yet

Scottish City Looks to Silence Obnoxious ‘Silent’ Discos: ‘There Is a Lot of Whooping’

Facial Recognition Flags Woman on Bus Ad for ‘Jaywalking’ in China

How Should I Clean My Filthy Laptop?

After Google’s Historic Walkout, One of Tech’s Big Problems Is Still Being Ignored

Hackers Hit Adult Furry Website, Exposing Hundreds of Thousands of Users

Facebook Took Two Weeks to Delete a Post Selling a Child Bride in South Sudan: Report

Report: Even Facebook Employees Are Bummed About Facebook

Senators Urge FTC to Investigate Manipulative Ads in Children’s Apps

eBay and Airbnb Join Tech Giants in Banning Forced Arbitration for Sexual Harassment Cases

You’re Totally Going to Bone in Self-Driving Cars, Scientists Predict

Google Contractors Say Reporting Process for Sexual Misconduct Remains Flawed

Google Vows to Overhaul Its Handling of Sexual Harassment Claims After Thousands Protest

Facebook Pumps Brakes on Political Ad Disclaimers After Discovering Existence of Lying

Again With the Needle

Massive Google Walkout Over Sexual Misconduct Marks Tech’s ‘Time’s Up’ Moment

‘Thousands’ of Google Employees Expected to Walk Out on Thursday Over Handling of Sexual Harassment Cases

Marvel Legends Is Taking on ‘Marvel Rivals,’ and It Looks Great

The OpenAI-Anthropic Cold War Comes to Illinois

Trump’s ‘DoorDash Grandma’ Stunt Makes Life Hell for PR Flack

‘Andor’ Star Adria Arjona Is Joining ‘Man of Tomorrow’—But Maybe Not as Who You Thought

Here’s What Scientists Found When They Cooked Up Their Own ‘Mercury Rocks’

We Just Saw Behind the Scenes on ‘Godzilla Minus Zero,’ and It’s Bigger and Darker Than Ever

Roborock Qrevo Series Robot Vacuum and Mop Breaks Last Week’s Low, New All-Time Low With Nearly 40% Off

This Experimental Drug Could Be a Game Changer for Pancreatic Cancer

Meta Thinks Its Smart Glasses Could Stalk People in a ‘Thoughtful’ Way

Marshall Major V On-Ear Headphones Drop Back to Black Friday Pricing, Now Under $100 on Amazon

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice