Spotify said Wednesday it has closed its office in Russia indefinitely because of the “unprovoked attack on Ukraine.” Social media companies with more than 500,000 daily users must have local offices in Russia, according to that country’s law. - Deadline
The war has become content, flowing across every platform at once. A single tweet earned the clip more than ten million views, but it could also be found on YouTube, TikTok, and the sites of various news publications. - The New Yorker
Could it be that the internet is not best seen as a lifeless artifact, contraption, gadget, or mere tool, but as a living system, or as a natural product of the activity of a living system? - Wired
"'Acting is what pays the bills,' he says." (In fact, it just paid for a house in New Orleans.) "'All the other stuff is too experimental or unusual' — collaborative albums, a narrative podcast featuring a singing brain tumor — 'to actually make a living.'" - New York Magazine
Both birdsong and language are passed culturally to later generations through vocal learning. Geographically distant populations of the same bird species can make small tweaks to their songs over time, eventually resulting in a new dialect. - Smithsonian
The event happened late last April, though Brown is only now speaking about it publicly. He's had to relearn to walk and to choreograph (no more demonstrating movement), and — with immense help from the Joyce Theater — he's continuing to operate his company, Evidence. - The New York Times
It sounds futuristic and perhaps more than a little invasive—a computer watching your every move? But it feels less creepy once you learn that these technologies don't have to rely on a camera to see where you are and what you're doing. Instead, they use radar. - Wired
"At what point does cultural exchange — always a blur between being a humanizing balm and a tool of propaganda — become unbearable? What is sufficient distance from authoritarian leadership? And what is sufficient disavowal, particularly when speaking up could threaten the safety of artists or their families?" - The New York Times
Georgia film production in the 2021 fiscal year exceeded its pre-pandemic pace, setting a new record of $4.1 billion in direct spend from productions in the state. - ArtsATL
"'It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,' Peter Gelb, the company's general manager, said in a statement. 'Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine there was no way forward.'" - The New York Times
News that Netflix would likely be forced to broadcast Russian propaganda sparked a furious response from subscribers in the West, with hundreds taking to Twitter, and some terminating their membership. - Wired
An extremely slow-moving low-pressure system dumped about 60 inches of rain on the Queensland capital in three days. Most of the city's major cultural institutions are near or alongside the Brisbane River — and yes, most got flooded and are closed. Now the storm is arriving in Sydney ... - Brisbane Times
"Researchers from (three University of California campuses) have found that when people listen to auditory messages – like podcasts, audiobooks, and radio news – via headphones, they feel more empathetic and persuadable than when listening to those same messages through speakers." - The Guardian
"History textbooks are basically designed to alienate students. Instead of enlightening them, textbooks prevent students from understanding history and why it's important. ... If we want to fix history education in the U.S., we have to lean into primary and secondary sources." - Mic
