QAnon founder may have been identified thanks to machine learning

With help from machine learning software, computer scientists may have unmasked the identity of Q, the founder of the QAnon movement. In a sprawling report published on Saturday, The New York Times shared the findings of two independent teams of forensic linguists who claim they’ve identified Paul Furber, a South African software developer who was one of the first to draw attention to the conspiracy theory, as the original writer behind Q. They say Arizona congressional candidate Ron Watkins also wrote under the pseudonym, first by collaborating with Furber and then later taking over the account when it eventually moved to post on his father’s 8chan message board.The two teams of Swiss and French researchers used different methodologies to come to the same conclusion. The Swiss one, made up of two researchers from startup OrphAnalytics, used software to break down Q’s missives into patterns of three-character sequences. They then tracked how often those sequences repeated. The French team, meanwhile, trained an AI to look for patterns in Q’s writing. Both techniques broadly fall under an approach known as stylometry that looks to analyze writing in a way that is measurable, consistent and replicable. To avoid the possibility of confusing their respective programs, the teams limited their analysis to social media posts. Among all the other possible authors they put through the test, they say the writing of Furber and Watkins stood out the most for how similar it was that... Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2022-02-19 20:56:18 UTC ]

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‘Marvel's Spider-Man 2’ arrives on PS5 next fall

Sony announced the release window today for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, the sequel to 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man and 2020's Spider-Man: Miles Morales. The PlayStation 5 exclusive will launch in the fall of 2023.Insomniac Games’ sequel continues the stories of Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-15 18:51:23 UTC ]
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'Hogwarts Legacy' delayed for Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today delayedHogwarts Legacy yet again, but the most demanding versions of the game are spared. Instead, the postponement pushes the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions back to April 4th, 2023, with the Nintendo Switch variant arriving on July... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-12-13 18:54:21 UTC ]
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Have we fallen out of love with celebrity memoirs?

The year’s autobiography big-hitters haven’t sold as well as expected, with buyers disenchanted by pricing and lack of feelgood topicsFrom actors and musicians to athletes and presenters, there are no shortage of celebrity memoirs on bookshop shelves. This year has seen new books published by a... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-12-09 10:52:17 UTC ]
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I’m Proud of My Queer Fandom

The first time I felt possessed by a fantasy series, I was fifteen. It was 2004, and from my family’s small computer room, I spent the after-dinner hours in a web forum devoted to NC-17 Harry Potter fanfiction. This was the same room where my brother had constructed a secret liquor cabinet from... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2022-11-01 11:05:00 UTC ]
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This Week's Bestsellers: October 31, 2022

Colleen Hoover has the #1 book in the country – and so much more – with 'It Starts with Us.' Plus new celeb memoirs include two by Harry Potter movie alums, and Jen Hatmaker and Phil Rosenthal each feed readers' need for new cookbooks. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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'Harry Potter' actor Tom Felton explains how an escape from rehab helped his sobriety

In his memoir 'Beyond the Wand,' Tom Felton shares behind-the-scenes tales from the 'Harry Potter' franchise and chronicles his struggle with alcohol. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-10-18 20:19:47 UTC ]
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Harry Potter and Cracker actor Robbie Coltrane dies aged 72

The actor, known for playing Hagrid in the Harry Potter franchise and Fitz in the series Cracker, has died aged 72. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2022-10-14 18:09:44 UTC ]
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Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in Harry Potter films, dies at 72

Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, who played a forensic psychologist on the TV series Cracker and Hagrid in the Harry Potter movies, has died. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2022-10-14 17:36:32 UTC ]
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Robbie Coltrane: a totally singular talent from Cracker to Harry Potter – cerebral, physical and unforgettable

From early comedy in Tutti Frutti to damaged psychologist Fitz, via Hagrid, Falstaff, Blackadder and finally National Treasure’s complex, hard-to-hate lead, Coltrane – who has died aged 72 – was a one-off“You’re a wizard, Harry!”For an entire generation all over the world, this was the key... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-14 17:08:39 UTC ]
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The Morning After: Marvel is getting the 'Pokémon Go' treatment

I wasn’t sure Marvel could shoehorn its characters and stories anywhere else, beyond all the movies, TV shows, games and toys, but now it wants you thinking about those heroes wherever you go. It’s teamed up with Pokémon Go developer Niantic to create an augmented reality mobile game launching... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-09-12 11:15:39 UTC ]
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The Morning After: The new gaming-subscription normal

PlayStation’s game-streaming scheme, at its top tier, is now competing directly with Xbox Game Pass, the service that proved the concept by earning 25 million-plus subscribers over the past five years. It’s now been over a month since PlayStation Plus Premium went live, offering similar cloud... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-08-15 11:15:56 UTC ]
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Quidditch is being renamed. But the sport will never lose its magic, say players

Three of the sport’s governing bodies recently announced that they’re officially changing the name to “quadball,” both out of trademark concerns and a desire to distance themselves from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling in light of her... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2022-08-13 08:00:00 UTC ]
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'Hogwarts Legacy' is delayed until February 10th, 2023

Try as it might, Hogwarts Legacy developer Avalanche Software can't magically make its creation arrive any sooner. In fact, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has once again delayed the game, which at least now has a firm release date. It will hit PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-08-12 18:52:47 UTC ]
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From the Archive: July 30, 2007

Fifteen years ago, we reported on the publication of the final installment in J.K. Rowling’s megaselling Harry Potter series, which sold 8.3 million copies in the first day after its release. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Quidditch is now quadball, distancing game from J.K. Rowling, league says

Quidditch, a sport invented by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, is rebranding as “quadball” amid controversy over the author’s comments. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-20 13:42:04 UTC ]
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Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury reports record sales amid reading boom

People who turned to books during Covid lockdowns continuing to buy them, company saysBloomsbury has reported a record year for sales, as the Harry Potter publisher said the increase in reading during the pandemic had become “permanent” after lockdowns eased.The company benefited substantially... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-06-15 08:09:40 UTC ]
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IAB NewFronts 2022—Amy Poehler gets a Twitch lesson and Snap makes a Cameo

Welcome to Ad Age’s NewFronts 2022 newsletter. We’ll be sharing a daily roundup of events, interviews and sessions from IAB. You can sign up here to get updates delivered to your inbox.Amy Poehler’s Twitch tutorial Comedian Amy Poehler helped Amazon’s pitch to media buyers on Monday, at the... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2022-05-03 23:15:06 UTC ]
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Rare proof sheets of first Harry Potter book expected to sell for £20,000

The ‘fascinating insight into what was to become an iconic work’ is the only known surviving copy of its kind and is to be auctioned along with a first edition signed by RowlingA prepublication version of the first Harry Potter book by JK Rowling is expected to fetch at least £20,000 when it is... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-04-26 09:29:11 UTC ]
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HBO Max exec admits to the app’s early flaws

Viewers have long complained about the early HBO Max app’s tendency to crash, and its lack of discoverability features. There have been a number of overhauls and fixes since then. Now we know why. Turns out that HBO Max launched its apps before they were ready in order to keep up with its... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-04-14 23:32:58 UTC ]
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