Today Briefly
Today Briefly

There's a New Kind of Social Media App People Are Obsessed With. You've Probably Used It Already.

Apple's Find My location-sharing alters social dynamics, affecting privacy, relationship transparency, and patterns of connection and avoidance among friends and romantic partners.

Digital life

fromPsychology Today

Digitally Connected, Emotionally Disengaged

Widespread device use and chatbots increase accessibility and perceived safety but risk distracting, eroding, and replacing meaningful human connection.

#cookies

Digital life

Should you 'accept' or 'reject' all cookies? An expert explains

Cookies are small files stored on devices that enable website functionality, personalization, and advertiser tracking; accepting or rejecting them affects online privacy.

Privacy technologies

Should you 'accept' or 'reject' all cookies? An expert explains

Cookies store browsing data to enable convenience and targeted advertising; accepting or rejecting them changes website functionality and personal privacy.

Digital life

Should you 'accept' or 'reject' all cookies? An expert explains

Privacy technologies

Should you 'accept' or 'reject' all cookies? An expert explains

"Winter Uglies" Season Is Upon Us - Here's How To Get Your Glow Back

Cold weather and reduced self-care cause dry skin, tired eyes, and appearance changes called 'winter uglies' that respond to simple beauty and mindset adjustments.

Wellness

fromCN Traveller

10 best sex toys to pack discreetly in your hand luggage

Choose discreet, ergonomic, versatile, and waterproof sex toys; bring them on holiday to reduce stress and reconnect with your body.

Wellness

fromLondon Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

A 79-year-old woman shares her 3-step longevity routine - including 11 workouts a week

Consistent, varied physical activity, social engagement, mental stimulation, and low-intensity cardio support longevity and vibrant health into older age.

OMG science

6 days ago

Harvard scientist believes alien 3I/Atlas could have been sent to 'seed' life on Earth - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows anomalous comet-like behavior prompting speculation about possible non-natural origins, including deliberate seeding by advanced life.

OMG science

fromThe Atlantic

Day 3 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: A Galactic Cluster

Galaxy Cluster Abell 209 contains over 100 galaxies about 2.8 billion light-years away whose combined mass gravitationally lenses and stretches background galaxies.

Tech industry

fromTESLARATI

Tesla refines Full Self-Driving, latest update impresses where it last came up short

Tesla FSD v14.2.1.25 significantly improved speed profiles, lane change confidence, and speed limit recognition, restoring smoother highway performance and usable Hurry Mode.

UX design

fromMedium

18 hours ago

What is design when you barely have time to do it?

Design was deprioritized and executed rapidly with component reuse and generative AI to deliver minimally functional features under severe resource constraints.

UX design

fromMedium

TaxBuddy, Making Taxes Feel Less Taxing

Designing intuitive UX and clear visual hierarchy reduces tax-filing anxiety, builds user trust, and simplifies complex financial data into familiar, navigable experiences.

Privacy professionals

fromLe Monde.fr

How French spies, police and military personnel are betrayed by advertising data

Unregulated advertising-data brokers harvest and resell precise smartphone location data, enabling identification and exposure of French intelligence and other sensitive personnel and their families.

Privacy professionals

I work in AI security at Google. There are some things I would never tell chatbots.

Treat AI chatbots like public postcards: avoid sharing sensitive personal data and use reputable tools to minimize privacy and security risks.

UX design

fromMedium

Case study: Improving home office experience

Use Design Thinking—empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test—to improve home office experiences, starting by understanding users and avoiding assumptions.

Tech industry

fromTechCrunch

A comprehensive list of 2025 tech layoffs | TechCrunch

Tens of thousands of tech jobs were cut in 2025, with over 22,000 layoffs so far and major monthly spikes exceeding 24,500.

Privacy professionals

My husband and I decided not to post our son's face on social media. It has its challenges, but we think it's worth it.

Parents avoided posting their newborn's face online to protect the child's future consent and limit risks like identity theft, bullying, and an imposed digital narrative.

EU data protection

fromTheregister

fromData Matters Privacy Blog

GDPR failures in Home Office eVisa rollout in spotlight

The Home Office's digital-only eVisa system has systemic errors and design failures that expose personal data and leave migrants unable to prove lawful status.

EU data protection

3 days ago

EU Digital Omnibus: Implications for MedTech Companies | Data Matters Privacy Blog

The European Commission proposed targeted amendments and a Digital Fitness Check to reduce overlap, smooth implementation, and assess cumulative impacts on EU digital regulation.

Privacy technologies

fromWIRED

Is Your Vibrator Spying on You?

App-connected sex toys and their companion apps can collect highly sensitive personal and sexual data, including usage patterns, partner connections, location, and IP addresses.

Europe news

fromwww.aljazeera.com

12 hours ago

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,389

Large-scale Russian overnight strikes disabled Ukraine's southern power grid, causing massive blackouts while cross-border attacks and counterstrikes produced casualties and infrastructure damage.

Media industry

fromenglish.elpais.com

Emily Goligoski, researcher: I have a policy for the use of devices in class. How can I compete against dopamine while teaching some theory?'

Overreliance on single quantitative metrics reduces newsroom understanding, narrows coverage decisions, and harms both media quality and societal interests.

Food & drink

The Best Things I Ate in 2025

Personal, community-focused indie restaurants produced powerful, memorable individual dishes that defined the year's culinary highlights despite economic and regulatory pressures.

Marketing tech

6 influencer-backed brands you kept buying this year

Affiliate-driven commerce is rapidly growing, with influencers and platforms like ShopMy enabling creators to drive significant sales and earn commissions.

Artificial intelligence

fromFortune

Jamie Dimon says soft skills like emotional intelligence and communication are vital as AI eliminates roles | Fortune

Soft skills—critical thinking, emotional intelligence, communication, and adaptability—will become increasingly essential as AI automates tasks and eliminates some jobs.

National Football League

fromwww.amny.com

NFL betting: Jets at Jaguars lines, odds and best bet for week 15 amNewYork

Brady Cook is expected to start for the New York Jets in Week 15 after Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields were sidelined by injury.

National Football League

fromwww.amny.com

NFL Week 15 survivor pool: Top 3 picks to play in Week 16 amNewYork

NFL playoff races feature tight parity in Week 15, with multiple AFC and NFC teams competing fiercely for remaining postseason spots.

National Football League

fromRiggo's Rag

5 early offseason Commanders cap moves that could unlock $64.5 million

The Commanders must pursue aggressive offseason moves to free cap space and overhaul an aging, underperforming roster under GM Adam Peters.

Writing

fromFood & Beverage Magazine

Andrew Martin on the Post-Lockdown Period

A narrator can be dissociated by depression yet remain credible through self-awareness, trapped in personal perspective and occasionally dramatic in self-diagnosis.

Food & drink

fromSitePoint Forums | Web Development & Design Community

5 Can't Miss Moments at the Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival 2026 - Food & Beverage Magazine

Visit Lauderdale Food & Wine Festival returns January 19–25, 2026, offering weeklong coastal culinary events highlighting Asian street food, barbecue, and a Grand Tasting.

Marketing tech

SEO After Google Updates: Why Marketing & Website Security Now Go Together

Website security, performance, and trust signals increasingly affect SEO and marketing; lightweight protections and manual configuration checks support data quality, user trust, and rankings.

Writing

fromSlate Magazine

It's Your Chance to Write a Slate Crossword

Slate is accepting original 15x15 Sunday themeless crossword submissions through Jan. 31, 2026, pays $300, and prefers voicey, topical, clever entries.

Food & drink

fromTasting Table

For The Creamiest Hot Chocolate, Reach For This Frozen Treat - Tasting Table

Add melted ice cream to hot chocolate for a richer, creamier, thickened affogato-style dessert that enhances sweetness and texture and invites creative flavor pairings.

Information security

fromZDNET

fromwww.independent.co.uk

Stop using your router's USB port - what PC experts recommend instead

Router USB ports often rely on outdated, unencrypted protocols like FTP, creating vulnerabilities that make using them unsafe and unsuitable for central storage.

Media industry

Sir Thomas Hughes-Hallett backs The Independent's SafeCall campaign

The Independent delivers on-the-ground, paywall-free journalism on major issues, sustained by donations and philanthropic support to keep reporting accessible to all.

Artificial intelligence

fromWIRED

5 hours ago

For the First Time, AI Analyzes Language as Well as a Human Expert

A large language model demonstrated human-like linguistic analysis, including diagramming, disambiguation, and recursion, outperforming other models.

Environment

fromwww.eastbaytimes.com

Dense fog advisory for North Bay Interior Valleys and East Bay Interior Valleys until Sunday midday

Dense fog will reduce visibility to a quarter-mile or less in North Bay and East Bay interior valleys through Dec. 14, risking hazardous driving conditions.

Environment

fromFortune

58 minutes ago

Maine is getting Loony again as population of beloved bird doubles since 1983 | Fortune

Maine's common loon population has grown, with 3,174 adults and 568 chicks in the southern half, but recovery remains uncertain.

Environment

fromwww.cntraveler.com

5 years ago

14 National Parks That Are Even More Beautiful in Winter

Many U.S. national parks offer superior winter experiences with fewer crowds, easier reservations, varied landscapes, and improved wildlife‑viewing opportunities.

#belarus

fromwww.aljazeera.com

fromRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Europe news

Belarus frees 123 prisoners including Ales Bialiatski as US lifts sanctions

Belarus released 123 prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski and Maria Kalesnikava, after the United States lifted potash sanctions.

21 hours ago

Europe news

Belarus Releases 123 Political Prisoners As US Lifts Some Sanctions

Belarus pardoned and freed 123 prisoners, including 2020 protest leader Maria Kolesnikova, after Washington indicated it would lift fertilizer-export sanctions.

fromwww.aljazeera.com

fromRadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty

Europe news

Belarus frees 123 prisoners including Ales Bialiatski as US lifts sanctions

21 hours ago

Europe news

Belarus Releases 123 Political Prisoners As US Lifts Some Sanctions

RAIN Notes: December 12

MIDiA will host a January webinar revealing 2026 entertainment forecasts across music, video, podcasts, social media, and the creator economy.

Books

fromwww.theguardian.com

This extraordinary story never goes out of fashion': 30 authors on the books they give to everyone

Books make enduring, meaningful gifts that foster reflection and connection to place, exemplified by The Living Mountain, Stoic meditations, and philosophical critiques of modernity.

Media industry

fromIndia Currents

20 hours ago

URL Media Receives $5M Knight Grant

URL Media received a $5 million Knight Foundation grant to scale a multi-revenue model strengthening Black and Brown community media's financial and operational sustainability.

fromNature

Digital communication in Middle East cultural institutions: developing a theoretical framework for the use of digital platforms - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications

This study investigates the role of digital platforms in preserving and promoting cultural heritage in the Middle East, focusing on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR).

Social media marketing

fromHer Campus

21 hours ago

How Nara Smith Successfully Promoted Her New Roasted Garlic Oil: A Guide to Influencer Marketing

Nara Smith leveraged her TikTok fame and peripheral persuasion cues to successfully launch a Roasted Garlic Oil product to her Gen Z audience.

Books

fromTasting Table

16 hours ago

The Unusual Job Anthony Bourdain Had Before Becoming ... Anthony Bourdain - Tasting Table

Anthony Bourdain wrote early crime-fiction novels set in gritty restaurant worlds before gaining broader recognition through a New Yorker piece and Kitchen Confidential.

Wine

fromTasting Table

14 hours ago

How To Choose The Best Champagne For New Year's Eve, According To A Michelin-Starred Eatery's Sommelier - Tasting Table

Choose true Champagne by reading labels, distinguish other sparkling wines, and invest slightly more to reach a better quality bottle for celebrations.

Remote teams

fromForbes

19 Employers Hiring For Work-From-Anywhere Jobs And How To Find Them

Work-from-anywhere roles provide employees location independence and flexibility while enabling employers to access global talent, leverage time zones, and support outcome-based cultures.

Privacy technologies

fromFast Company

If you're fed up with data breaches, this new technology could finally help

Zero-knowledge proof technology enables verification without revealing personal data, promising privacy and security amid widespread data breaches and tokenized financial systems.

Social media marketing

fromInc

Social Capital: The Best CFOs in the Business Share How They Turn High Follower Counts Into Higher Valuations

Consumer-focused CFOs quantify social media and influencer impact using ROMI, daily tracking, and SKU-level metrics to optimize marketing spend and drive measurable sales.

Wine

fromArchitectural Digest

The Best Champagne Glasses to Toast 2026

Choose flute glasses to preserve carbonation and joyful fizz, or choose coupe glasses to emphasize aromatics and tasting notes when serving champagne.

Writing

fromPsychology Today

The French Word You Need For the Holidays

Holiday gatherings blend repetitive social obligations, small talk, and logistical hassles, yet moments of sincere reconnection—retrouvailles—bring relief and renewed familiarity.

Wine

fromTravel + Leisure

This Magical Italian Island Has Dramatic Landscapes, Hot Springs, and Scenic Vineyards

Pantelleria is a volcanic Mediterranean island ideal for restful nature escapes, offering dammusi homes, thermal springs, vineyards, capers, olive oil, and understated luxury.

#remote-work

fromFinanceBuzz

Remote teams

10 Work-From-Home Jobs That Pay at Least $52 an Hour

3 days ago

Remote teams

I was wasting hours commuting in LA traffic. Here's how I convinced my manager to let me work from home.

fromFinanceBuzz

Remote teams

10 Work-From-Home Jobs That Pay at Least $52 an Hour

3 days ago

Remote teams

I was wasting hours commuting in LA traffic. Here's how I convinced my manager to let me work from home.

more#remote-work

English Premier League

fromwww.bbc.com

Time to take a punt on Wirtz - FPL team of the week

Short turnarounds and injuries made Gameweek 14 difficult for FPL managers; five free transfers will help manage AFCON-related absences.

#liverpool

fromESPN.com

English Premier League

Slot: Teams expect to 'get a result' from Liverpool

fromRush The Kop

English Premier League

Liverpool's mixed night at Sunderland shaped by good, bad and ugly displays

fromESPN.com

English Premier League

Slot: Teams expect to 'get a result' from Liverpool

fromRush The Kop

English Premier League

Liverpool's mixed night at Sunderland shaped by good, bad and ugly displays

'People are struggling': Running on affordability, Democrat Doug Jones declares race for Alabama governor | Fortune

Doug Jones launched a gubernatorial campaign to address Alabama's economic, health care, and education challenges, proposing a state lottery and Medicaid expansion.

New York Islanders

fromEyes On Isles

Sorokin steals game as Islanders pull out 3-2 SO victory over Lightning

New York Islanders defeated the Lightning 3-2 in a shootout at UBS Arena, with goals from Schaefer and Ritchie and strong Sorokin goaltending.

Manchester City

fromwww.fourfourtwo.com

How to watch Crystal Palace vs Man City: Live streams, TV coverage as Oliver Glasner and Pep Guardiola go toe to toe in the Premier League

Crystal Palace host Manchester City at Selhurst Park on 14 December 2025, 14:00 GMT; televised on Sky Sports (UK), Peacock (US), and Stan Sport (Australia).

FC Barcelona

fromBarca Blaugranes

Raphinha reveals the key to Barcelona's win over Osasuna after bagging brace

Raphinha scored twice late to secure Barcelona's 2-0 La Liga win over Osasuna, with patience and team focus key to the result.

#barcelona

5 hours ago

FC Barcelona

Three takeaways from Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna | La Liga MD16 | Barca Universal

FC Barcelona

Balde, Gerard Martin react after Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: 'A very tough match' | Barca Universal

5 hours ago

FC Barcelona

Three takeaways from Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna | La Liga MD16 | Barca Universal

fromThe American Conservative

FC Barcelona

Balde, Gerard Martin react after Barcelona 2-0 Osasuna: 'A very tough match' | Barca Universal

more#barcelona

Right-wing politics

Is the Indiana Redistricting Debacle the Future of MAGA?

Republicans' internal weakness, outside agitators, and strategic missteps undermined a redistricting bill in Indiana, exposing limits of confrontational politics and fragile conservative unity.

National Hockey League

fromFear the Fin

10 hours ago

Quick bites: Sharks roar back in Pittsburgh to 6-5 overtime win

San Jose Sharks overcame a 5-1 third-period deficit to win 6-5 in overtime, the first such comeback in franchise history.

National Hockey League

fromMaple Leafs Hotstove

Craig Berube on another rough third period for the Leafs vs. Edmonton: "Our leaders have to take control of it a lot more than they are right now"

Maple Leafs lost 6-3; a late second-period turnover and a flat third period allowed the Oilers' speed to decide the game.

National Hockey League

fromTheLeafsNation

11 hours ago

Instant Reaction: Connor McDavid's dominant performance too much to handle for Maple Leafs

Connor McDavid dominated with two goals and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers routed the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 in Toronto.

Mindfulness

fromBustle

Here's Your Horoscope For Sunday, December 14

Astrological alignments encourage intuitive, belief-examining spiritual growth and healing through moon-sun connection, lunar-Jupiter tension, Mars-Neptune caution, and Sun-Chiron support.

London

fromwww.standard.co.uk

Undercover police flood City of London shopping district in Christmas shoplifting crackdown

Undercover City of London officers are using intelligence-led hotspot tactics to target and arrest shoplifters, aiming to reduce rising retail crime during the Christmas period.

Germany news

fromwww.dw.com

Germany: 5 arrested for suspected Christmas market plot DW 12/13/2025

Five men were arrested in Bavaria suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated car attack on a Dingolfing-area Christmas market; four were issued formal arrest warrants.

Python

fromTalkpython

10 hours ago

anywidget: Jupyter Widgets made easy

anywidget provides Python notebooks minimal JavaScript to enable web-style interactivity across notebook platforms without the full web ecosystem overhead.

Liverpool FC

fromIndependent

6 hours ago

Tommy Conlon: Even as Mohamed Salah was being crowned, the throne was only a scaffold in disguise

Mohamed Salah, now Liverpool's highest-paid player at £400,000 per week, was celebrated with a throne ceremony despite mounting scrutiny after the March PSG games.

France news

fromThe Local France

New laws in 2026, VAT and Christmas traditions: 6 essential articles for life in France

Major 2026 French legal changes will affect foreigners' residency, citizenship requirements, travel, healthcare, museum fees, language and civics testing, plus related practical issues.

London politics

fromwww.bbc.com

Met warns of job loses if funding falls short

The Metropolitan Police may need to cut staff or alter recruitment if the expected Home Office funding uplift does not materialise.

Women

fromenglish.elpais.com

Tori Dunlap: Talking about money is one of the most subversive things you can do'

Financial feminism empowers women and marginalized people through money, combining personal finance skills with systemic change while warning against social-media-driven consumerism.

Relationships

fromwww.theguardian.com

This is how we do it: We were childhood sweethearts and 28 years later we're still having sex every day'

Mutual respect for boundaries and everyday courtesy has sustained a fulfilling 28-year partnership with deepening sexual intimacy and shared adventures.

Relationships

fromIndependent

6 hours ago

Dear Mary: My son may be dating his half-sister but doesn't know they are likely related. How can I confess to being unfaithful?

A man suspects his son's long-term university girlfriend may be his biological daughter due to numerous, unremembered sexual partners in his youth.

Arts

The Best Theatre of 2025

2025 was a banner year for theatre, with daring, thoughtful productions across Broadway, Off Broadway, and scratch venues amid environmental grief and political urgency.

Gadgets

fromTMZ

4 hours ago

Holiday Gift Guide: Content Creator Starter Kits

Buy beginner-friendly content-creation gear—tripod, wireless mics, dual LED lights, selfie lights, magnetic holder, powerpack—to enable high-quality, hands-free social media videos.

Arts