The digital landscape shifted significantly this week as a pirate activist group known as Anna’s Archive successfully scraped nearly the entire Spotify music library. This massive data dump, totaling roughly 300 terabytes, includes metadata for 256 million tracks and 86 million audio files. According to reports, this collection represents a staggering 99.6 percent of all Spotify listens. The group has released this data via torrents, marking one of the most significant challenges to music streaming security in recent years.
Spotify Responds to Massive Data Dump
Spotify confirmed the incident but clarified that no personal customer information was compromised during the process. The company explained that the scraping occurred through the abuse of public access points and by bypassing existing protections. While the audio files are now circulating on the open web, Spotify has vowed to defend the rights of creators against such piracy. This event highlights a growing tension in the tech world regarding data scraping, a practice also utilized by major AI companies like OpenAI, Meta, and Google to train their models using content from platforms such as YouTube, Reddit, and X.
The End of the $400 Steam Deck
Hardware enthusiasts received major news from Valve as the company officially discontinued the original Steam Deck LCD model. Launched in 2022 for $400 USD, the LCD version was widely considered the most affordable entry point for high quality handheld PC gaming. With its retirement, the Steam Deck OLED now serves as the base model, starting at a higher price point of $550. This move signals a shift in Valve’s strategy as they consolidate their hardware lineup around the improved display and battery life of the OLED revision.
In related gaming news, the Steam application itself is undergoing a technical transition. Valve announced that Steam will go fully 64 bit on Windows, officially ending support for 32 bit systems in 2026. Users still running 32 bit versions of Windows will no longer receive updates after that deadline, reflecting the industry’s move toward modern computing standards.
NVIDIA, Tencent, and Export Loopholes
Geopolitical tech tensions continue to rise as China’s Tencent has reportedly found a way to access restricted NVIDIA hardware. Despite strict U.S. export controls designed to limit China’s access to high end AI technology, Tencent is utilizing the banned Blackwell B200 AI chips. They are achieving this by renting compute power from DataSection, a Japanese neo cloud operator with facilities in Japan and Australia. This rental loophole allows Chinese firms to leverage the power of NVIDIA’s latest architecture without directly purchasing the physical hardware.
NVIDIA’s dominance in the sector remains unchallenged, especially after receiving U.S. antitrust clearance for a significant investment in Intel. While NVIDIA expands its global footprint, Chinese competitors are attempting to catch up. Moore Threads, a Chinese GPU maker, recently unveiled its Huashan AI chip. The company claims this new hardware can compete directly with NVIDIA’s high end products, a move intended to bolster China’s push for technological independence.
Mozilla’s AI Kill Switch and YouTube Performance Issues
Software privacy and performance are also under the microscope. Mozilla has announced that it will add a dedicated AI kill switch to the Firefox browser in the first quarter of 2026. This feature comes as a direct response to community pushback regarding integrated AI tools. The toggle will allow users to disable all AI features within the browser with a single click, catering to those who prefer a traditional, lightweight browsing experience.
Meanwhile, YouTube Premium subscribers have reported a frustrating technical glitch. Investigations revealed that Premium accounts are causing significantly higher CPU usage than free accounts. This issue persists even when videos are paused or when the user is simply browsing the homepage. The cause appears to be a busy wait loop located in a dedicated Web Worker file named echo worker.js, which keeps the processor active unnecessarily.
Robotaxis and Retro Browsing
The reality of autonomous driving hit a literal roadblock in San Francisco recently. A local power outage paralyzed a fleet of Waymo driverless robotaxis. When the traffic lights went dark, the vehicles were unable to navigate the intersections safely, leading Waymo to temporarily suspend its services in the area. Despite these hurdles, the expansion of autonomous transit continues. Uber and Lyft have announced plans to begin testing Baidu’s Apollo Go robotaxis in London starting in 2026.
Finally, a piece of internet history has officially reached its end. Google has terminated support for the PlanetWeb 3.0 browser on the Sega Dreamcast. The console, which was released in 1999, featured a web browser that remained functional for 25 years. With Google ending its support, web access on the classic system is now broken, closing a long chapter for retro gaming enthusiasts who still used the Dreamcast to go online.
