If you want a robot to learn better, be a jerk to it

PLUS: Self-driving cars discover jaywalking, SpaceX and Boeing search for parachutes, and TikTok struggles in DC. View this email in your browser  11.06.19   INVESTIGATIONS Uber's Self-Driving Car Didn't Know Pedestrians Could Jaywalk BY AARIAN MARSHALL The National Transportation Safety Board releases hundreds of pages related to the 2018 crash in Tempe, Arizona, that killed Elaine Herzberg.   SLOW DOWN SpaceX and Boeing Still Need a Parachute That Always Works BY DANIEL OBERHAUS The two companies are racing to send astronauts into space. But they also need to bring them home safe, with parachutes that won't fail.   CHINA SYNDROME TikTok Is Having a Tough Time in Washington BY LOUISE MATSAKIS The popular video app gets slammed by lawmakers over everything from children's privacy to national security, as well as for its ties to Beijing.   MACHINES, LEARNING If You Want a Robot to Learn Better, Be a Jerk to It BY MATT SIMON When humans give robots "tough love" by trying to knock objects out of their hands, it actually helps them find the best ways to hold things. GET WIRED Get 1 year of WIRED access for just $10.   When information is cheap, context is more valuable than ever.   Subscribe now   HOW WE MAKE TIME How to Manage Your Time: A Book List BY CAITLIN HARRINGTON You don't have time to read all these books on how to carve out more time, so we did it for you.   FINE PRINT A $60 Million Fine Won't Stop AT&T From Throttling Data BY KLINT FINLEY If you were an AT&T "unlimited" customer in 2011, you might be getting a partial refund due to undisclosed data throttling.   LOCKED UP Scammers Are Exploiting a Firefox Bug to Freeze Your Browser BY DAN GOODIN, ARS TECHNICA Fraudulent tech-support sites are causing the browser to lock up and display a disturbing message. Force quitting is the only way out.   PRODUCT REVIEW Amazon's Echo Buds Prove Alexa Is Ready for Your Ears BY PARKER HALL The company's first wirefree earbuds let you take Alexa anywhere.   RULING PARTY Why Social Media Companies Frown on 'Gaming the Algorithm' BY EMMA GREY ELLIS A new study examines how platforms talk about people who break their rules—sportily, morally, and sometimes hypocritically.     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