All Tech Platforms Are Now Pawns in the Culture War

BuzzFeed

Charlie Warzel, writing at BuzzFeed:

Angry users bring up the issue of political bias largely because the platforms themselves have so consistently and nervously shied away from anything that could be construed as censorship. But in 2018, ideas of political bias and censorship feel almost irrelevant, given the reality of how these platforms actually operate. The discussion of complete neutrality is now a quaint notion when nearly every discussion that takes place on these networks is weaponized toward a political end. It’s a luxurious philosophical debate that the platforms have little time for. Instead, they should be focused on preventing harm.

5 Seconds of Summer Top the Charts

5 Seconds of Summer

5 Seconds of Summer have the number one album in the country:

In a week where there’s no shortage of action at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart, 5 Seconds of Summer debut at No. 1 with the band’s third full-length studio album, Youngblood. The set arrives atop the tally with 142,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending June 21, according to Nielsen Music. Of that sum, 117,000 were in traditional album sales.

Kanye West and Tidal Facing Lawsuit of Exclusive Claims

Kanye West

Marc Hogan, writing for Pitchfork:

Kanye West and Tidal can’t dodge a lawsuit that alleges they tricked fans into subscribing to the streaming service by falsely claiming it would be the only place to hear West’s 2016 album The Life of Pablo, a judge has ruled.

In an an 18-page opinion today that was obtained by Pitchfork, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory Woods granted parts of Tidal’s motions to dismiss the proposed class-action lawsuit but denied other parts, allowing the case to go forward as it relates to a tweet West made on February 15, 2016.

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Oral History of the 2005 Warped Tour

Warped Tour

Chris Payne, writing over at Billboard:

Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance played Warped in ‘04 and after drawing fervent crowds, were signed on for the next year early; by the time June ‘05 rolled around, “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” and “Helena” were MTV staples, improbably climbing the Hot 100. 700,000 kids came out that summer, more than any Warped before or since (for context, last year pulled 300,000). Individual bands regularly sold over $30,000 of merch per day. Bodyguards were needed for the first time. At summer’s end, the tour’s profits hit seven figures. But Warped’s summer-long slog paid another price; across 48 shows in 59 days, musicians and personnel grappled with oversized egos, volatile — if not occasionally hostile — environments, and a sideshow’s worth of distractions far from home, with a massive mainstream audience suddenly watching.

Women on the Warped Tour

Warped Tour

Steve Knopper, writing at The New York Times:

The New York Times spoke to 75 women and nonbinary musicians who have performed on the tour, many of whom echoed NPR Music’s Ann Powers, who recently criticized Warped as a “wild boys’ paradise.” Some divulged #MeToo stories; others ripped bands known for making misogynistic remarks onstage.

Instagram Announces IGTV

Instagram

Josh Constine, writing for TechCrunch:

Today at a flashy event in San Francisco, the company announced it will begin allowing users to upload videos up to one hour in length, up from the previous one-minute limit. And to house the new longer-form videos from content creators and the general public, Instagram is launching IGTV. Accessible from a button inside the Instagram homescreen, as well as a standalone app, IGTV will spotlight popular videos from Instagram celebrities.

Trent Reznor Talks With the Guardian

Trent Reznor

Ben Beaumont-Thomas, interviewed Trent Reznor for The Guardian:

Aside from this flirtation with the devil, he and Ross describe it as a reflection on Trump’s America. “It feels like things are coming unhinged, socially and culturally,” says Reznor. “The rise of Trumpism, of tribalism; the celebration of stupidity. I’m ashamed, on a world stage, at what we must look like as a culture. It’s seeing life through the eyes of having four small kids – what are they coming into? And who am I in this world where it feels like every day the furniture got moved a bit while I slept?”

MTV to Reboot Shows, Including ‘Daria’

MTV

Variety:

Among the initial MTV Studios slate is a new iteration of the animated series “Daria” from “Inside Amy Schumer” writer Grace Edwards; “Teen Wolf” creator Jeff Davis’s reimagining of sci-fi animated series “Aeon Flux” with fellow exec producer Gale Anne Hurd; a revival with Bunim/Murray Productions of reality series “The Real World”; and a new version of unscripted series “Made.”

Why Tidal Is in So Much Trouble

Tidal

David Turner, writing at Gizmodo:

Tidal’s subscriber numbers received such intensified attention because initial adoption of the service appeared to be slow and the company ceased providing any user base information, while its competition continued to show growth. An extensive 2017 Dagens Naeringsliv report alleged that Tidal’s subscriber numbers were inflated. The paper said according to multiple sources and documents that Tidal’s true subscriber base in September 2015 was closer 350,000—Jay-Z tweeted it was 1,000,000—and in March 2016 was 850,000—although Tidal said 3,000,000.

I just don’t see how Tidal finds a place in this market. If you want a streaming service, you’re using Spotify or Apple Music, if you want random songs or videos, you’re using YouTube. I don’t see any place for Tidal to grab a foothold.

The Flatliners Cancel Upcoming Shows

The Flatliners

The Flatliners have canceled their upcoming UK shows:

Due to unforeseen circumstances stemming from personal and family matters, we will be cancelling our upcoming summer tour dates, until the middle of August. This is not a decision that was made hastily or easily, rather one that needed to be made to ensure the health and wellbeing of all who are involved with this band.

Audio Released of Children Separated From Their Parents at the Border

Ginger Thompson, writing at ProPublica:

The desperate sobbing of 10 Central American children, separated from their parents one day last week by immigration authorities at the border, makes for excruciating listening. Many of them sound like they’re crying so hard, they can barely breathe. They scream “Mami” and “Papá” over and over again, as if those are the only words they know.

The baritone voice of a Border Patrol agent booms above the crying. “Well, we have an orchestra here,” he jokes. “What’s missing is a conductor.”

Our government is torturing children. These are the kinds of things that if we read about in history books we would not be able to understand how people let this happen. There will come a time when future generations read about this era in their history books, and they will rightfully judge us. This is sickening.