ISIS App Developers Are in Crisis Mode: Here’s What We’re Reading Today
The Daily 5 is Sharp’s essential reading list for what’s happening in the world today. Make sure to follow us on Twitter or subscribe to the Sharp Insider newsletter to stay up to date.
Here’s what we’re reading:
1. Ctrl Alt Delete
“Just when it seemed that IS had succeeded in creating a direct and uninterrupted method of linking to its followers, the group would show signs that its app operations had brought about new risks.
“A notice disseminated officially by ‘Amaq on June 1—and subsequently by other social media channels—claimed that ‘dubious sources’ were disseminating a fake version of the ‘Amaq app, purposed for ‘spying.'”
2. New hire is a signal Ottawa is taking a strict line on recreational marijuana
“The Liberal government is sending further signals it plans a strict regime for recreational marijuana by hiring former public safety minister Anne McLellan to develop plans to legalize the drug.”
3. Uber’s Deal With Saudi Arabia Hasn’t Gone Down Well With Saudi Women
Saudi women are “angry that Uber’s new $3.5 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund not only means the government directly profits from the ban, but also it effectively – in their view – endorses the country’s no-women-behind-the-wheel policy.”
4. The music industry is taking on YouTube, again
“The two entities have been warring for a decade over how much YouTube should be paying the music labels for hosting the music videos and songs that helped turn the video site into a monolith. YouTube says it’s paid out $3 billion to the music industry and that’s plenty: the music industry says it’s been paid the same amount by Spotify and it doesn’t even offer music videos and has accounted for far fewer streams. The fight isn’t new, but recently the stakes have been raised.”
5. Please cancel your plans with me
“Canceled plans are a virtual time machine. They take what was an obligated segment of precious time and turn it into something devoid of any obligations at all. You suddenly have a kind of freedom that previously didn’t exist. You can do anything! You probably won’t, but you could, and that’s the joy of cancelled plans.”
