Webtagr - Technology News Summarizer

ICE Uses Private Jet Blacklist to Obscure Deportation Flights

2025-08-24

For years, the wealthy and famous have used a little-known FAA program to shield their private jet flight records. Now, ICE is using the same program to obscure its deportation flights. Originally created by the private jet lobby to protect the privacy of the rich, the program is now being used to mask ICE's deportation operations, raising concerns about government transparency. While ICE flight information can be tracked through other means, this move highlights how the private aviation industry's pursuit of privacy is being used to limit oversight of government actions.

We Built Loneliness Machines and Called Them Smart

2025-06-14

Since the advent of smartphones in 2010, they've become ubiquitous, yet this pervasiveness comes at a steep cost. This article argues that excessive smartphone use leads to addiction, loneliness, depression, and damage to mental and physical health. Furthermore, smartphones exacerbate social divisions and political polarization. While an outright ban is unrealistic, the author suggests collective action to mitigate their negative effects, including promoting a "right to disconnect", to regain freedom and well-being.

French Fry Cartel: Four Firms Control 97% of Market, Face Antitrust Lawsuits

2025-01-07

A Washington, D.C., bar owner discovered that the four major frozen potato suppliers—Lamb Weston, J.R. Simplot, McCain Foods, and Cavendish Farms—simultaneously raised prices by nearly identical amounts. This sparked a wave of antitrust lawsuits alleging collusion through the data analytics platform PotatoTrac, leading to skyrocketing french fry prices. Decades of consolidation have left these four companies controlling 97% of the market, harming consumers and small businesses alike. The article explores the growing problem of monopolies in the food industry and how technology facilitates price manipulation.