TikTok Creators In The U.S. Urge Followers To Join Them On Instagram And Youtube - 1

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TikTok Creators In The U.S. Urge Followers To Join Them On Instagram And Youtube

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert

TikTok creators in the United States are encouraging their audience to follow them on other social media platforms like Instagram or YouTube as they fear the Chinese app could be banned in the country in January.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • TikTok creators started asking followers to subscribe to their content on other social media platforms as they fear the Chinese app will be banned next year
  • The suggested deadline for Bytedance to sell TikTok to another company is January 19, the consequence if they don’t comply would be the ban
  • TikTok can still appeal to the Supreme Court, but a few creators believe the app will disappear in the U.S.

In March, U.S. lawmakers passed a bill to ban TikTok in the U.S. next year unless the social media is sold to another company and disconnects from its parent company the Chinese giant ByteDance. The Chinese social media app—which has 170 million American users— has been considered a threat to national security and an espionage tool.

According to Reuters , the deadline for the sale is January 19, and TikTok is being forced to do it but there isn’t a deal yet, and ByteDance could steal an appeal to the Supreme Court. The tension has increased in the past few days and its users and creators are concerned.

“For the first time I’m realizing that a lot of what I worked for could disappear,” said Chris Mowrey, a Democratic social media influencer with 470,000 TikTok followers to Reuters. “I don’t think it’s been talked about enough how damaging it will be from an economic standpoint for small businesses and creators.”

Another content creator, Chris Burkett, with 1.3 million followers, asked his audience to follow him on Threads, Youtube, and X. “I don’t think there’s longevity on this app in the United States,” he said in a video. Other creators are waiting to see how things evolve.

Earlier this year, TikTok creators filed a suit against the American governmen t claiming that the social media ban was an attack on their freedom of speech.

AI-Powered Recycling: AMP Raises $91 Million - 2

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AI-Powered Recycling: AMP Raises $91 Million

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

AI is stepping up to address human laziness and stagnant recycling rates in the U.S., as reported on Sunday by The Register . The company recently secured $91 million in Series D funding to expand its deployment of AI-equipped AMP ONE systems.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • AMP’s AI uses deep learning to identify recyclables and contaminants in real time.
  • AMP ONE systems maintained 90% uptime, enabling over 60% diversion of landfill-bound materials.
  • AI automation reduces manual sorting, improving efficiency and reducing labor costs in recycling.

These systems are designed to assist municipal solid waste (MSW) and recycling operators in improving efficiency and reducing labor-intensive tasks. “All sorts of things… come across the conveyor belt—diapers, bowling bowls, dead animals and more,” AMP spokesperson Carling Spelhaug told The Register.

This AI identifies and sorts through this diverse waste stream , a task that has become increasingly necessary as U.S. recycling rates stagnate. AMP’s AI employs deep learning to refine its capabilities by analyzing millions of material images.

Using pattern recognition to detect colors, textures, shapes, sizes, and logos, the system identifies recyclables and contaminants in real time, enabling advanced material processing and new recycling opportunities.

The company initially introduced sorting robots designed for seamless integration into existing recycling facilities. Building on this, AMP developed next-generation recycling facilities that revolutionized the industry.

These facilities operate with minimal manual sorting, exceptional reliability, and extensive data insights, making material recovery safer and more cost-efficient.

This innovation has even extended to municipal solid waste (MSW) sorting, a milestone previously unattainable in the recycling sector before AMP’s technological advancements. This innovation comes at a time where recycling is becoming more pressing.

Indeed, data from the EPA shows that in 2018, only about 32% of recyclable and compostable materials were processed. More recent figures from The Recycling Partnership reveal even lower participation, with just 21% of residential recyclables being properly sorted in early 2024, reported The Register.

Recycling is not only underutilized but also expensive, requiring specialized equipment, facilities, and human labor.

Sorting lines often depend on workers to remove hazardous and non-recyclable items, a job that is both unpleasant and dangerous. High turnover and chronic understaffing further exacerbate these challenges, as noted by The Register.

AI systems like AMP ONE are designed to address this by automating much of the sorting process.At a Recycling and Disposal Solutions (RDS) facility in Virginia, AMP ONE maintained over 90% uptime, avoiding frequent shutdowns for manual intervention, reported The Register.

The system enabled the facility to divert over 60% of landfill-bound materials when combined with organics management and mixed recyclables sorting, reported The Register.

“With near-zero manual sorting, unprecedented reliability, and pervasive data, these facilities make the recovery of commodities safer and more cost-effective,” AMP stated.