The great Facebook breakup, it seems, is not to be. At least not yet.

It was only in late December that the Federal Trade Commission alleged in a lawsuit that Facebook was a monopoly and that it deserved to be broken up into its constituent parts of Instagram and WhatsApp. The complaint, backed by attorneys general from 48 states, was dismissed Monday by a federal court.

At the heart of the court’s decision Monday is the argument that the FTC failed to conclusively make its case.

“The FTC has failed to plead enough facts to plausibly establish a necessary element of all of its Section 2 claims — namely, that Facebook has monopoly power in the market for Personal Social Networking (PSN) Services,” reads the decision.

Monday’s ruling effectively lets Facebook off the hook for what the FTC called “illegally maintaining its personal social networking monopoly through a years-long course of anticompetitive conduct.”

Sarah Miller, the executive director of the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonprofit anti-monopoly lobbying group, argued that the FTC and the attorneys general need to step up their respective games in light of Monday’s decision.

“The coalition of state attorneys general should appeal today’s decision and the Federal Trade Commission should quickly submit an amended complaint,” she wrote in a statement to the press.

We reached out to Facebook for comment on Monday’s decision, and in response the company made it clear it’s delighted by the news.

“We are pleased that today’s decisions recognize the defects in the government complaints filed against Facebook,” responded a Facebook spokesperson in a prepared statement.

SEE ALSO: How to check if hackers are sharing your Facebook data

Which, of course Facebook is pleased. One substantial but ultimately insignificant fine notwithstanding, Facebook has a long history of avoiding real consequences for its many missteps — be they accidental or otherwise.

While Monday’s decision continues Facebook’s long winning streak — and everyone else’s losing one — all hope is not lost.

The court notably dismissed the specific complaint, not the case itself. In other words, the FTC can plead its case again. Hopefully it does so, and next time comes better prepared.

When all-time heat records break, they usually break by a degree or so. Maybe two.

The heat wave in the Pacific Northwest and beyond, however, smashed Portland’s all-time record by a whopping four degrees Fahrenheit (it may rise more), and in some places the extreme episode broke all-time records by 10 degrees.

“It’s a staggering event,” explained Jeff Weber, a research meteorologist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, an organization that facilitates and performs earth science.

What happened?

Meteorologists and atmospheric scientists already knew the heat would be oppressive and challenge all sorts of records. A potent combination of events came together: A hot weather pattern (called a heat dome) settled over the region, with temperatures also boosted some 2 degrees F (or perhaps much more) by the continuously warming Western climate (it’s significantly hotter than it was 100 years ago). What’s more, nearly 80 percent of the Pacific Northwest is in drought, and drought exacerbates heat.

But that’s not all. Another weather factor came into play and kicked things up a notch. Dry winds, traveling downslope from the east to west, amplified the heat. These type of winds are commonly known to southern Californians as “Santa Ana winds,” but have different names in different places. Generally, the winds travel down from higher elevations (like mountains in eastern Oregon) and the sinking air compresses, creating even more heat in lower areas, like Portland. (This is also called “compressional heating.”)

“It’s the perfect storm.”

Those hot winds have amplified what already was an exceptional heat event, explained Weber. Many cooler coastal areas weren’t even spared.

“It’s the perfect storm,” said Weber.

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The resulting temperatures are unparalleled in recorded history in the Pacific Northwest. Many people, and buildings, are ill-prepared for this kind of heat. Seattle, for example, is the least air-conditioned metro area in the U.S., according to The Seattle Times.

“It’s hitting an area where people don’t have AC,” noted Weber. “The discomfort level for the population is just overwhelming.” Indeed, illnesses from heat spiked in the Portland region during the extreme weather. Heat illness is serious: Among weather events in the U.S., extreme heat waves kill the most people.

Few heat waves are as anomalous as this Pacific Northwest heat event. As noted above, strong meteorological and climatic events came together at June’s end. But, overall, today’s heat or high temperature records now dominate cold or lower records as the globe warms. For example, twice as many daily heat records are set as cold records.

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Extreme events, hot or cold, happen normally. But climate scientists expect heat waves to grow more intense in a warmer world.

“Climate change is making extreme heat waves even more extreme and common,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, told Mashable last week, before the record-breaking heat set in.

Honda announced its first all-electric vehicle, the Prologue, on Monday.

Slated to arrive by early 2024, the SUV will be equipped with General Motors’ Ultium battery platform, which will also be used in the upcoming GMC Hummer EV supertruck and SUV.

The Prologue helps Honda get closer to its goal of selling only zero-emission vehicles in North America by 2040. Acura, Honda’s luxury brand, will also release an electric SUV in 2024, its first EV ever.

Currently Honda only offers hybrids and plug-in hybrid options, like the Insight and Clarity, respectively. After 2024, Honda plans to launch its own line of EVs separate from the GM partnership.

Honda has a separate website for the Prologue and promised more details (and hopefully some photos) of the EV in the coming months.

Not shy? Find yourself here by mistake? Perhaps you’d like our roundup of the best hookup sites instead.

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Online dating is kind of the best thing that ever happened to introverts.

Now, you can scan for a potential mate without ever leaving the comfort zone that is your couch. Of course, you’ll eventually need to get up and go on a date. But hey, it’s better than trying to find a single cutie in the dive bar crowd or approaching a random person in a coffee shop looking like the “two fingers touching” meme guy.

Being introverted doesn’t necessarily mean you’re shy, but if you are a little more reserved than outgoing, dating apps can be a great way to make a first move without feeling like you’re putting yourself out there too much, too fast.

Do dating sites for introverts even exist?

Tinder seems to be the go-to for anyone dabbling with online dating, but it’s not automatically an easy place to socialize just because it’s behind a screen. It’s crowded, full of users with unspecified intentions, and has more going on than most introverts will probably feel like dealing with. If endless swiping and next to no filters have you feeling more discouraged than hopeful, it doesn’t mean you’re too much of an introvert for online dating — maybe all you need is a dating site that gives you more control and the ability to take things at your own pace.

If the idea of making conversation in large groups or going up to strangers is your personal idea of hell, there are dating services out there that can cater to your specific needs. Have a hard time coming up with the perfect first line? There’s an app for that. Prefer to make meaningful connections without revealing what you look like? We found a few websites with features that can let you do that too. 

What are the best dating sites for introverts?

To help you heighten your odds of finding the person to match your awesomeness, we rounded up 13 of the best dating sites for introverts just like you. There are even a couple specifically for hooking up. (Hey, just because you’re introverted doesn’t mean you don’t like to get it on. We see you.)

Looking to add a little personal touch to your WhatsApp? Guess what: You can change your chat background to anything you want. Here’s how:

1. In WhatsApp, navigate to your settings (the gear icon on the bottom right).

2. Tap “Chats.”

3. On the next page, tap “Chat Wallpaper” at the top.

4. Tap “Choose Light Mode Wallpaper” at the top (or “Choose Dark Mode Wallpaper,” depending on which mode you use WhatsApp on).

5. Choose which category of background you want. You can pick “Bright,” “Dark,” “Solid Colors,” or even a custom photo from your phone’s gallery. Just ensure you’ve given WhatsApp access to your photos in your phone’s WhatsApp settings. The app may also prompt you to do so.

6. Select the photo you want. WhatsApp will give you a preview image and you can adjust it to your liking.

7. Tap “Set” on the bottom right. The photo you chose will now appear on all your chat backgrounds.

You can also change the specific chat background for each individual contact. To do that:

1. Select the contact/chat thread for which you want to change the background.

2. At the top, tap the contact’s name.

3. Tap the “Wallpaper & Sound” option, marked by a pink icon.

4. Tap “Choose a New Wallpaper” and you’ll be given the same options as above: Bright, Dark, Solid Colors, or a custom photo. Again, ensure you’ve allowed WhatsApp access to your photos if you want to pick a custom photo from your gallery.

5. Adjust the image to your liking on the preview page.

6. Tap “Set” on the bottom right. The photo you chose will now appear as the chat background for that specific contact.

It’s summer, your office is still doing the remote thing, and you’re ready to hit the road. You’ll soon be firing off emails at your campsite and setting up a makeshift office in your van by the beach, but there’s a downside to this fancy-free mobile lifestyle. As you likely know, your personal information is basically a free-for-all whenever you use your devices over an unsecured network — like the WiFi at a coffeeshop or an airport. So before you hit it, check out these tips and get your devices road-ready.

Create stealth passwords

It seems obvious, but the power of a strong password is not to be underestimated — especially when you’re traveling and someone might be snooping over your shoulder. Create passwords that contain a combination of letters, numbers, and characters — the days of using your pet’s name are so over — and you ideally want to use a different password for every site or app. That’s a lot of passwords, we know, but a password manager can make it a no-brainer.

Block phishers in their tracks

It’s no surprise that phishing is on the rise, and you’re especially vulnerable while traveling. While you can sometimes weed out those wonky emails with their bad grammar giveaways, what if you didn’t have to deal with them at all? A good cybersecurity software like Malwarebytes will tackle phishing, malware, and even ransomware on Windows, Mac, and Chromebook. The Premium subscription starts at $39.99 per year — a small price to pay for not getting hacked.

Use secure networks when you can

It’s tempting to hop on the free public WiFi when you’re traveling, but it’s even more important to remember that unsecure networks offer up your personal data to any hacker out there who wants it. If you end up camping out of range for your hotspot or if you simply must use your hotel’s “guest” WiFi, be sure to save the online banking and shopping until you’re back home.

Get a VPN

If you want to hop on any WiFi network from the road and not give it a second thought, a virtual private network, or VPN, can be a real lifesaver. A VPN is basically like your own private internet connection. It acts as an intermediary between your computer and the internet, providing an encrypted tunnel that protects you from anyone who wants to spy on you. One tradeoff for using a VPN is often slower internet, but Malwarebytes Privacy VPN offers pretty slick browsing speeds.

Dial in your phone security

While you’re planning your on-the-go security strategy, don’t forget about your phone. How many times a day do you use it to check your work email and basically function? It’s perfectly legal for your mobile service carrier to monitor your internet activity and sell it for advertising purposes. If you don’t want this — and who does — using a VPN on your phone in addition to your laptop will protect you against those intrusions. A good anti-malware software will offer you the same VPN privacy boosts on your iOS or Android phone and block annoying spam calls and texts as an added perk.

Sign up for a 7-day free trial Malwarebytes Privacy VPN and protect your data — now available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

America Online chat window? Check. Murders at the mall? A check there, too. Blacklights and White Zombie? Yup, checks all around. Fear Street Part 1: 1994, the first part of a Netflix-exclusive trilogy based on teen horror author R.L. Stine’s classic series, is out on July 2. Here’s a trailer to get you in the mood.

Netflix is taking an aggressive approach with the release schedule for Fear Street. 1994 will kick off a three-week run through the entire trilogy, with Fear Street Part 2: 1978 premiering on July 9 and Fear Street Part 3: 1666 premiering on July 16. This first one stars a young ensemble that includes Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, and Fred Hechinger.

On Monday, Samsung held a virtual event for Mobile World Congress where it showed off an all-new smartwatch interface: One UI Watch. Built in partnership with Google, it creates a more unified experience between the company’s Galaxy smartwatches and Android phones.

One UI Watch comes only a short while after Google announced it was joining forces with Samsung and merging the two companies’ smartwatch operating systems — Wear OS and Tizen, respectively. While we have yet to see what the new operating system looks like, this new interface gives us somewhat of an idea.

Available on the next-generation Galaxy Watch, which Samsung confirmed will be available later this summer, the new UI allows for the watch to reflect what’s on your Android phone. Whenever you install apps on your phone, those apps will also automatically download to your smartwatch as well.

You know, similar to how the Apple Watch essentially acts like an iPhone on your wrist. The Apple Watch’s huge selection of third-party apps makes it very easy for users to recreate whats on their iPhone.

It’s Tizen’s lack of third-party apps that have always kept it from this type of a cohesive experience. But with Google and Samsung working together now, it’s more than likely that most of your Android apps will play nicely with the Galaxy watch.

While Samsung hasn’t confirmed the list, we can count on seeing Google’s suite of apps (like Google Maps, YouTube Music, Google Calendar, etc). Samsung also says other apps like Calm, Sleep Cycle, Strava, Adidas Running, and Spotify will be available.

One UI Watch offers a couple of other features, too. For instance, whenever you block specific contacts and text messages on your watch, the changes will also be made to your smartphone. Additionally, whenever you add new cities to the clock app on your phone, those locations will automatically sync to the watch.

And that’s really all there is to the new interface. I know, it sounds like a minor update but it’s a crucial one to the overall smartwatch experience — particularly because it’ll make the next Galaxy watch a lot easier to use.

As for what we can expect for Samsung’s new smartwatch and its new OS? That remains to be seen at the upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event.

Ask me how half the year has blown past us and I will not be able to give you a sufficient answer.

Time really is slick, isn’t it?

Time during a pandemic? Hang it up. Give up and give in. No controlling that sucker.

So, yes, we are halfway through. How about that?

For six months now — well, longer actually — we’ve been collecting our favorite tweets of the week. Every seven days or so, I’d parse through Twitter and collect some funny posts because it’s nice to laugh at dumb things online.

Since we’ve reached the midway point of the year, we decided to collect the absolute best of the best through six months of 2021. So, here they are the 41 best tweets of the year, thus far.

1. An absolute genius who must be protected at all costs

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2. Keep me out of ALL situations henceforth, jabroni

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3. The first of a few dril tweets that are simply obligatory

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4. Please, never forget that the members of LMFAO consist of nephew Sky Blu and his uncle Redfoo

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5. Spunch Bop

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6. The pandemic in one sign

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7. Ladies and gentlemen: the Grink

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8. Find me something more impressive that Johnny Knoxville, right after waking up from being knocked out, asking “Is Butterbean OK?” You cannot.

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9. Oh shit

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10. Been thinking about the phrase “smoking the Urkel” for months now

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11. Galaxy brain stuff

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12. The Find Out Century truly freakin’ sucks

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13. Lying to yourself truly is a superpower

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14. I hate how this feels like a real headline

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15. My good friend and colleague Nicole Gallucci

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16. Remember the stimmies? What a time

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17. “i am so stressed out from running my pet lizards instagram account i’m about to have a nervous breakdown”

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18. Here’s some more dril for you

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19. It is important to be informed

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20. We have to respect Artistry

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21. I think we all get this

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22. No, I want it LARGE, sir

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23. Imagine getting a massive wheel of cheese during a date. What a perfect date.

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24. Honestly the only way to read this

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25. RIP to this person. There is no recovery from toot canal.

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26. These kids who counter protested anti-maskers with Gen Z nonsense are my favorite people ever

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27. This professor has never had a better day. He’s been chasing this high ever since, I bet.

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28. Hell yea

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29. Sure I could become self-actualized but I could instead just buy a new couch and save time

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30. Just bury me loose, baby

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31. Just a damn fine joke

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32. More dril

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33. Bigbody

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34. Guess some of you aren’t a special little fella and that’s fine but it couldn’t be me

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35. A lovely find

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36. Yeah…hell yeah… toss the tomato… yes

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37. As a pontoon enthusiast, this boat rules

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38. This is how I desire everyone to wish me a happy birthday from here on out

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39. Hmmmmmmm riddle me this, Fauci

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40. Thank God this shirt exists

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41. And finally, this

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We’ve got another update from China’s mission to Mars — one you can actually hear.

On Sunday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shared new video and, for the first time, audio captured by its Zhurong rover, considered the centerpiece of the country’s Tianwen-1 mission to the Red Planet.

The first clip below shows the rover, which launched from Earth on July 23, 2020 and arrived on Mars in the spring of 2021, traversing a vast crater known as Utopia Planitia, roughly 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) northeast of NASA’s Perseverance rover.

“The orbiter and the Mars rover are in good working condition, reporting safely from Mars to the party and the motherland, and sending distant blessings on the century of the party’s founding,” read an official CNSA statement, per BBC.

A diverse landscape with underground ice, volcanoes, sand dunes, and more, Utopia Planitia was selected by the CNSA for Zhurong’s approximately 90-day exploration in furtherance of humanity’s search for signs of ancient life. Another clip shows Zhurong wiggling its wheels next to its landing platform, a key part of its harrowing parachute landing from May 14.

These images were captured using a wireless camera Zhurong is able to deposit on the ground and then pick up back up. But a final clip, captured from a camera attached to Zhurong’s center mast, shows the rover first setting its wheels on the Martian surface — and includes audio of the rover’s mechanics at work.

CNSA scientists have said they hope to use the audio system to capture wind sounds on Mars, something we’ll hopefully hear in a future clip.