Top News:
Thomas Germain / BBC:
A look at YouTube's hidden world: most of the videos on the platform capture everyday life and have rarely been seen, with the median video having just 41 views — There's a secret side of YouTube, just beyond the guiding hand of the algorithm - and it's nothing like what you know.
RELATED:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
A look at YouTube's origins, growth, and domination as the platform turns 20, including an interview with CEO Neal Mohan, who is nearing 10 years at the company — It's a muggy morning the day before the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans, and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan is stuck in parade traffic and not happy about it.
Discussion:
@variety, @xpangler, @eff, @simonowens, @nealmohan, Todd Spangler on LinkedIn, @brianros1, @xpangler, @ytadvertisers, @nealmohan, @seanseaevans, @egkeller, Abhinav Rastogi on LinkedIn, Eric Barradas on LinkedIn, @eff@mastodon.social, Bao Nguyen on LinkedIn, Rahul Jindal on LinkedIn, Adweek, @rachelcoyleohio.bsky.social, The Information, Variety and MEDIANAMA, more at Techmeme »
BBC:
Three Bulgarians were found guilty of spying for Russia; they targeted journalists Christo Grozev and Roman Dobrokhotov, who have worked with Bellingcat — Three Bulgarian nationals have been found guilty of spying for Russia, in what police have described as “one of the largest” foreign intelligence operations in the UK.
Discussion:
Guernsey Press, Press Association, The Guardian, Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, Mirror, WTOP News, CBS News, Reuters, GB News, Winnipeg Free Press and Politico
RELATED:
Christo Grozev / The Insider:
Former Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev details how Bulgarian spies for Russia, recently convicted, plotted to kidnap and murder him and his colleague — A jury at the Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal Court, has just found six of my compatriots — citizens of Bulgaria …
Discussion:
@theins.press, Financial Times, Reuters and The Guardian
Winston Cho / The Hollywood Reporter:
After Disney, WBD, Apple, Amazon and others resumed ads on X, five US senators have asked the DOJ to probe whether Musk is pressuring businesses to return to X — Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, Apple, Amazon, Comcast and Lionsgate, among others, have resumed advertising, some starting last year.
Alex Heath / The Verge:
MrBeast's investor pitch deck shows consumer packaged goods driving forecasted growth through 2026; its Feastables revenue matched core video business in 2024 — Leaked plans reveal the ambitions — and risk appetite — of the biggest YouTuber on earth.
Discussion:
Benzinga, @discussingfilm, @alexeheath and @reckless.bsky.social
Andrew Fedorov / Columbia Journalism Review:
How Russian editions of US lifestyle magazines rebranded under new Kremlin rules, after US publishers pulled their licenses following the invasion of Ukraine — When American magazines pulled out of Russia, the editors stuck around and remade them for the country left behind—without mentioning war.
Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:
A US federal judge allows the Kadrey v. Meta case, in which authors allege Meta violated IP rights by using their books to train Llama models, to move forward — A federal judge is allowing an AI-related copyright lawsuit against Meta to move forward, although he dismissed part of the suit.
Discussion:
@kcesq, @jason_kint, @jason_kint, Bloomberg Law, @jason_kint, CourtListener, @mjbommar and MLex, more at Techmeme »
Sean Burch / The Wrap:
Paramount files two motions in Trump's lawsuit against CBS News, one seeking dismissal on First Amendment grounds and the second saying Texas is the wrong venue — Paramount says President Trump's lawsuit over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris is “an affront to the First Amendment”
Discussion:
The Hill, HuffPost, Adweek, Axios, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, HotAir, The Guardian, Fox News, New Jersey Online, Newser, New York Post, The Independent, @peterstefanovic.bsky.social, Deadline, Variety, Mediaite, @bejust.bsky.social, The Hollywood Reporter, Cord Cutters News and Deadline
Michael Savage / The Guardian:
Sources: GB News and the Spectator owner Paul Marshall met senior figures in UK's right-leaning media to discuss a plan to fund a new generation of journalists — Multimillionaire Paul Marshall understood to be talking to senior figures in Britain's right-leaning media about the idea
Benjamin Svetkey / The Hollywood Reporter:
Fans of James Bond treated Amazon's takeover of the franchise like a death notice, but an opportunity exists for the streamer to reinvent an icon — It's the Bond movies' most shocking plot twist in decades. But will the tech giant's surprise buyout of the franchise prove deadly?
Discussion:
@mattzollerseitz.bsky.social, @bfsesq.bsky.social, @mathewkumar.bsky.social, @mkforeverblue.bsky.social, Daring Fireball, Air Mail, @lukedeckard.bsky.social, The Playlist, SlashFilm, @culturecrave.co, World of Reel, @stephenkb.bsky.social, @gigawattconduit.bsky.social, @merrillbarr.com, @philnobilejr.bsky.social, IndieWire, Screen Rant, The Moderate Voice and Daily Mail
Trishla Ostwal / Adweek:
Perplexity begins ads on The Ben Shapiro Show, with Shapiro using the AI search engine to verify claims, as some tech companies embrace right-wing media — The deal signals a cultural shift as Silicon Valley embraces right-wing influences — For years, right-wing political commentator Ben Shapiro …
Discussion:
Raw Story, @realdailywire, @trishlaostwal, @trishlaostwal, @largesseadultson.bsky.social, The Daily Wire, @lizburns.bsky.social, Trishla Ostwal on LinkedIn, @m00dswing.bsky.social, The Information, @foxglove.bsky.social, @ashwinrodrigues.com, @bft.wtf, @phillipcarter.dev, @hilli.tech, @raiberthopper.bsky.social, @scoutsaber.bsky.social, @mitchsaid.bsky.social, @edzitron.com and @paleofuture.bsky.social
