Neil Young was never in a battle with Spotify

PLUS: It's Not Just the IRS—the US Government Wants Your Selfies, and more

View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions 01.28.22   SMILE | 5-MINUTE READ It's Not Just the IRS—the US Government Wants Your Selfies BY TOM SIMONITE A controversial new program that uses facial recognition is part of a national effort to verify identities and reduce fraud.   PUBLIC HEALTH | 5-MINUTE READ Politicians Say It's Time to Live With Covid. Are You Ready? BY GRACE BROWNE As countries declare endemicity and drop restrictions, how does a battered and bruised society embrace a sudden return to normality?   SAFETY | 4-MINUTE READ The Feds Plan to Reduce Roadway Deaths—With Smarter Road Design BY AARIAN MARSHALL The US Department of Transportation wants to shift the focus from the actions of individual drivers to the role of street layouts and local policies.   DIGITAL CULTURE | 3-MINUTE READ Spotify Was Never Going to Drop Joe Rogan BY KATE KNIBBS Neil Young removed his music from the platform to protest Rogan's vaccine disinformation. But Spotify is unlikely to cave on its star. GET WIRED Winter Sale. Give yourself the gift of information. Get the print edition of WIRED and exclusive subscriber-only stories for just $29.99 $5. Subscribe now.   PLUG IN | 6-MINUTE READ The Best Phones With an Actual Headphone Jack BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU Audio jacks are endangered, but they're not extinct. Here are some of our favorite smartphones that still let you plug in.   IDEAS | 5-MINUTE READ TikTok Has Created a West Elm Caleb Cinematic Universe BY SARAH SLOAT The imaginative play that makes the platform so much fun also helps explain the controversy around the internet's new main character.   MEGABUCKS | 4-MINUTE READ HP Wins Huge Fraud Case Against Autonomy's Mike Lynch BY CHRIS STOKEL-WALKER The ruling by the UK's High Court could also lead to Lynch's extradition to the United States, where he faces further charges.   THE MONITOR | 3-MINUTE READ We Met in Virtual Reality Is the Best Film From the Metaverse BY ANGELA WATERCUTTER Director Joe Hunting's documentary, shot entirely in VRChat, could also be the metaverse's swan song.   BUYING GUIDE | 7-MINUTE READ The Best Webcams for Looking Brighter and Better BY MATT JANCER Whether you're videoconferencing or just hanging out with friends, you may as well look good onscreen with our favorite webcams.     Have questions or comments? Reply to this email.   This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions   Copyright © Condé Nast 2022. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.