Culture

2026 Winter Olympics

How the Olympic Torchbearers Are Chosen

From world-class athletes to the stars of Heated Rivalry, torchbearers are selected for their inspiring stories. Here’s what to know about the people carrying the flame for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Bot or Not

Hollywood Is Losing Audiences to AI Fatigue

Cancel Culture

Netflix Says if the HBO Merger Makes It Too Expensive, You Can Always Cancel

Digital Culture

Right-Wing Gun Enthusiasts and Extremists Are Working Overtime to Justify Alex Pretti’s Killing

Donald Trump has appeared to undermine Second Amendment rights in statements about Alex Pretti’s killing. Many in the firearms community are going along with it.

Infinite Jest Is Back. Maybe Litbros Should Be, Too

The notoriously challenging book is being rereleased for its 30th anniversary. Its fandom is annoying, sure—but at least they read.

AI-Generated Anti-ICE Videos Are Getting the Fanfic Treatment

Across Instagram and Facebook, AI-generated videos show people of color putting ICE agents in their place. Are they cathartic or just adding to a stew of misinformation?

Pornhub Will Block New UK Users Starting Next Week to Protest ‘Flawed’ ID Law

Only users who have already registered and completed age verification will be able to access the world's largest porn site.

Video Games

Roblox’s AI-Powered Age Verification Is a Complete Mess

Kids are being identified as adults—and vice versa—on Roblox, while age-verified accounts are already being sold online.

The Avatar Game Is So Good, They Don’t Need to Make the Movies Anymore

See the new movie Avatar: Fire and Ash if you’d like. But if you really want to experience the big blue world of Pandora, the video game is where it’s at.

A New Las Vegas Attraction Serves Up Alien Foxes, Exoplanets, and VR Carl Sagan

Interstellar Arc is an immersive sci-fi experience that uses recent advances in headset tech to break new ground in virtual reality. And it all happens inside an empty-looking room in Las Vegas.