by This week, the tech industry was hit by news that hate speech on Twitter surged after Elon Musk’s takeover, according to a new report. Although this came as no surprise to many users, given that Musk has reinstated the accounts of controversial figures, some of whom were banned in the first place for posting hate speech.
On a more optimistic note, powerhouse DJ Steve Aoki will be heading to space next year after accepting an invitation from Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. In the app space, meanwhile, Instagram has finally given users a hint as to why their posts are banned and Apple Music is gearing up for Holiday Songs with a new feature.
Below, HYPEBEAST has rounded up the top tech stories of the week so you can stay up to date on industry trends.
A Japanese billionaire called on Steve Aoki for a SpaceX Moon mission in 2023
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Steve Aoki will go into space next year on a flight with Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. The billionaire had bought all the seats on a SpaceX rocket dedicated to space tourism in 2018 and has now assembled a team of civilians to join him for the ride, including Aoki. As part of Maezawa’s “dearMoon” project, the DJ will experience a lunar flyby alongside Big Bang rapper TOP, Youtuber Tim Dodd and many more.
Expressing her excitement for the opportunity, Aoki said, “Since I was little, I dreamed of going to the moon. It is becoming more real every day.
Instagram has finally explained why posts are banned
One of the most frustrating things on Instagram is realizing you’ve been shadowbanned. While the exact circumstances surrounding shadowbanning remain unclear, it essentially means that your content is being deprioritized for your followers, as well as the platform’s broader user base.
The app is finally trying to address user complaints about shadowbanning with a new feature. Business accounts will be able to see if a post is unrecommendable under the Account Status tab. They will then have the option to edit the post, delete it, or appeal Instagram’s decision to ban them.
Apple Music invited listeners to sing along to their favorite songs with a new in-app feature
Apple Music
Later this month, Apple Music will roll out a new feature called Apple Music Sing. The app already offers the ability to display song lyrics, but will now add to the experience with customization tools designed to let listeners sing along to their music. The feature will give listeners the option of multiple lyric views, such as lead vocals, duets, and backup. The lyrics will be animated and dance to the beat of the song. Users can also adjust vocal levels and even take it a step further by mixing multiple singles.
Nothing founder Carl Pei hasn’t spoken about a potential smartphone launch in the US
Nothing
Earlier this year, growing tech hardware company Nothing made waves with the launch of the Nothing Phone (1), a smartphone that looks similar to the iPhone SE and is similarly priced. Since then, the company has sold over half a million units in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, but has yet to release the device in the United States.
Founder Carl Pei is now eyeing a US launch, telling CNBC the company is in the early stages of “discussions with some carriers in the US to potentially launch a future product there.” It is definitely a market where there is already a lot of interest in our products.
Hate speech on Twitter increased dramatically after Elon Musk takeover
Anadolu Agency/Contributor/Getty Images
Long before Elon Musk bought Twitter, the mogul expressed frustration with the platform’s content moderation policies and censorship of certain accounts. accounts of controversial figures who had been banned from the platform.
As a result, research groups have found that hateful content has increased on Twitter, The New York Times reported. Citing data from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a London-based nonprofit, the report says racial, homophobic and anti-Semitic slurs have all increased. Hate speech directed against black people rose from 1,282 tweets per day to 3,900, while tweets against the LGBT+ community increased by more than 60%.
