The tech industry turned its attention to TikTok this week when it was announced that it would be the subject of an investigation by the European Commission. Law enforcement authorities are looking into whether the app’s algorithms are addictive and how minors are using the platform.
In other areas of technology, OpenAI introduced Sora, a text-to-video model that shocked users with its photorealism. And on the product side, Victor Solomon debuted iced-out Bose earphones custom-made for Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers.
Below, Hypebeast has compiled this week’s top technology articles to help you stay on top of the latest trends in the industry.
EU launches investigation into TikTok’s ‘addictive design’
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TikTok is being investigated in Europe for possible violations of the newly passed Digital Services Act (DSA). The European Commission has announced an investigation into the app, looking into “areas related to the protection of minors, advertising transparency, data access for researchers, and managing the risk of addictive design and harmful content.” announced that it had started.
The commission had conducted a preliminary investigation before deciding to proceed with a more thorough investigation into TikTok. In particular, they are looking at the apps’ algorithms that have the potential to “stimulate behavioral addictions” and how the privacy and safety of minors is protected on the apps.
The investigation is ongoing, but there is no official deadline.
OpenAI debuts Text-to-Video model Sora
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OpenAI continues to tease Sora, its cutting-edge text-to-video model. The program is not yet publicly available, but the company has shared some videos generated by the model. Users can create prompts that Sora outputs large amounts of video content, similar to ChatGPT.
“A stylish woman is walking down a Tokyo street filled with warmly glowing neon lights and animated city signs. She is wearing a black leather jacket, a long red dress, black boots, and is carrying a black purse. ” says the sample prompt. The video is so realistic that you might think it’s a commercial. Other examples that OpenAI introduces include animation and immersive cityscapes. Unsurprisingly, the movie industry has already become a hotspot for discussions surrounding this technology.
Victor Solomon creates a custom pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
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NBA artist Victor Solomon had to drop something flashy for the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend. Solomon worked with Bose, Indiana, the Pacers’ Tyrese, and Halliburton to create his custom pair of branded Ultra earbuds.
The Buzz’s look is inspired by basketball, featuring a playful gold design and a jewel-studded case. “We polished, machined, and gilded the pieces to arrive at their final form, which was then placed in a carved crystal basketball holder,” Solomon explained on Instagram.