Creators

YouTube’s policy page that lists groups the company protects against hate speech recently removed the phrase “gender identity,” reports Taylor Lorenz in User Mag. It’s similar to recent changes made by Meta that could leave LGBTQ members more vulnerable on social platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and appear to align with Trump administration directives against “wokeness” and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Why just livestream Coachella when you can also have someone talking over it? YouTube is testing a new “Watch With” feature that allows creators to react and commentate over live event streams, giving viewers the “experience of watching Coachella alongside your favorite creator.”

You can now skip ahead in Reels by holding down on either edge of the screen, which plays the video at double speed. Reels started out with a 15-second cap but can now run for up to three minutes, so playback controls make sense.

The company is getting rid of a feature it introduced less than a year ago that gave users the ability to leave semiprivate and disappearing comments on grid posts and Reels. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said the feature wasn’t widely adopted, and that the platform has become “too complicated” over the years.

Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old creator making videos about politics and the right wing, announced a run for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District today. The seat is held by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), who hasn’t faced a serious primary challenge since 1998.

Last week, YouTube acknowledged an issue causing videos and shorts on iOS, desktop, and smart TVs to automatically stream in 144p or 360p even with a strong internet connection. Now YouTube says the problem has been fixed and “all streaming should be back to normal now.”

I’ve spent the past week typing on an early unit of the Norbauer Seneca, a mechanical keyboard that’s entirely custom, from its Topre-like electrocapacitive switches to its astonishingly smooth stabilizers. I also spoke at length with its creator about the process of making the board and why it’s so damn expensive. Stay tuned next week, feel free to ask about it in the comments, and meanwhile: just look at this keyboard.

It’s not immediately clear whether the platform or someone with control (like his defense team) removed the account. Mangione, who is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December, has amassed something of a following since his arrest. At a routine court hearing in February, hundreds of people tried to get a seat in the courtroom.

Security Checkup, an all-in-one security dashboard similar to Google’s identically named tool, allows TikTok users to manage their devices, two-step verification, passkey, security activity, and account recovery options all from a single screen. The new hub can be accessed by selecting “Settings and privacy” within your TikTok profile and tapping “Security & permissions.”

The VP, who’s reportedly brokering discussions, told NBC News, “there will almost certainly be a high-level agreement that I think satisfies our national security concerns, allows there to be a distinct American TikTok enterprise.” That deal, according to The Information, will likely involve Oracle playing an active role to help run the US platform. As a reminder, the deadline comes from President Donald Trump’s 75 day ban delay, giving legally dubious cover to TikTok’s service providers.