Six months into 2018, tech has delivered some crazy headlines
From Elon Musk’s flamethrower stunt to Mark Zuckerberg’s privacy meltdown, the news has been relentless -- and far from boring. Go #TeamYanny.
- Member of the board, UCLA Daily Bruin Alumni Network; advisory board, Center for Ethical Leadership in the Media
When I read Roger Cheng's recap of the top tech stories of 2018, a New Yorker cartoon from last week popped into my head. It shows a doctor giving a worried patient his diagnosis: "Here's your problem -- it looks like you're paying attention to what's going on."
That pretty much sums up the news.
We're only halfway into the year and it already feels like it's been years. Practically every day, some insane event or stunt gets amplified in our social media feeds, mobile alerts and the scrolling chyrons at the bottom of TV screens.
And I'm just talking about tech news.
Yanny vs Laurel. Mark Zuckerberg apologizing repeatedly for a Facebook screw-up that gave away personal data on 87 million people. The FCC killing net neutrality regulations even though US consumers overwhelmingly support a fair and open internet. Waymo v Uber and self-driving car accidents. Saying goodbye to Stephen Hawking. Google's kinda scary Duplex AI voice assistant. Mad scientist and billionaire Elon Musk pushing tunnels for underground transport systems and funding The Boring Company with baseball hats, flamethrowers and Lego-like bricks created from the unearthed dirt.
And I've got to call out Fortnite mania and battles royale.
"The sheer volume of headlines and areas they touch -- everywhere from gaming to self-driving cars to politics -- underscores how technology has steadily taken over our lives," writes Cheng. "Even if you wanted to, escaping the tendrils of tech is no easy feat."
Flip through our list and let us know if something else has stood out for you. I'd already add one of the most feel-good social media moments this year: James Corden's taking Paul McCartney for a carpool karaoke ride in Liverpool. It's 23 minutes, 42 seconds that reminds you that tech = good, especially when that makes it possible for people around the globe to hang out with Sir Paul and sing along to Beatles' classics. Enjoy.
(Disclosure: CNET and The Late Late Show with James Corden, on which Carpool Karaoke appears, are both owned by CBS.)
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