Filter

A new uBlock Origin filter list circulating online blocks autoplay videos on TechCrunch's website, letting readers browse articles without clips starting on their own. The filter is being shared among users frustrated by intrusive video ads and embedded players. It follows a wider push to use ad blockers to silence autoplaying media across news sites.

A discussion is drawing attention over whether a celebrity facing an injunction should be allowed to use mental health as grounds to stay anonymous. Nadia Sawalha addresses the question in her unfiltered commentary, asking whether public interest should override an individual's right to privacy and wellbeing when legal gagging orders are involved.

A columnist argues that Hollywood faces an 'iPhone face' problem, meaning actors and on-screen talent increasingly display the polished, uniform look associated with heavy smartphone filtering and beauty standards. The piece suggests this sameness is affecting how audiences perceive authenticity in film and television, and it is drawing attention as part of a wider debate about cosmetic homogenisation in entertainment.