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YouTube stars have officially put Hollywood on notice. Within the first half of 2026, the box office has seen not one, but three stars from the video-sharing platform make the jump to the big screen and crush expectations with their respective horror films . The first was Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach 's adaptation of David Szymanski 's dystopian sci-fi video game Iron Lung , which gave Sam Raimi 's Send Help a run for its money and earned an impressive $51 million despite being self-produced and distributed. Then, May saw Curry Barker and Kane Parsons take the spotlight, the former becoming the industry's most coveted new filmmaker after releasing Obsession to universal acclaim and over $374 million, while the latter adapted his viral horror series into the $331 million megahit Backrooms with A24. Now, everyone is scrambling to find the next potential breakout star, and that includes Steven Spielberg .

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On May 21, 2026, I received the hardest-to-swallow news in my lifetime tenure as a gamer: Bungie ’s shuttering of Destiny 2 . An MMORPG PvPvE looter-shooter space opera blend of science fiction and fantasy, Destiny 2 is the game I’ve played the most in my lifetime, logging a subsequent 1,714.8 hours since Destiny 2 's summer 2017 open beta. Safe to say, I’ve seen the ups and downs of Destiny 2 in full swing—for better or worse. With Destiny 2 going the way of the dodo via “Monument of Triumph,” the game’s final content update and premature swan song, players, or “guardians,” are returning in droves for one of gaming ’s most bittersweet finales, marking the end of a 12-year-long era.

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AI-powered cameras are facing growing resistance in cities across America.

Critics argue the systems enable mass surveillance of ordinary drivers.

Supporters say the technology helps solve crimes and recover vehicles.

The fight over automated license plate readers is no longer limited to privacy advocates and civil liberties groups. Across America , residents, elected officials, and even entire city councils are increasingly pushing back against AI-powered camera networks that record passing vehicles and store vast amounts of data about where they travel. What started as a crime-fighting tool is rapidly becoming one of the most divisive technologies on American streets.

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A City Boils Over

The debate recently exploded in Troy, New York, where a city council meeting stretched past midnight as residents blasted local leaders for continuing to use cameras supplied by Flock Safety. According to reporting by The Wall Street Journal , opponents described the system as a “dystopian hellscape,” arguing that collecting data on every passing vehicle creates a surveillance infrastructure that could easily be abused. In fact, it already has been across the USA but we’ll circle back to that.

Read: Why More Cities Are Suddenly Pulling The Plug On Flock Safety Cameras

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In Troy, the residents were outspoken about their broader views. “As a Troy resident, I am appalled that our own mayor, our own administration, can essentially write off the rights of a significant portion of people who pay their salaries,” one speaker said. “We should be using what is essentially a mass surveillance technology only for the worst possible crimes,” said Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Market Leader

Flock Safety has become the dominant player in the automated license plate reader market since launching in 2017. The Atlanta-based company says its cameras perform roughly 20 billion license plate reads each month and are used in more than 6,000 communities. Beyond reading plates, the cameras can identify vehicle color, make, model, and distinguishing features such as bumper stickers or roof racks.

Police departments can search that information, receive alerts when specific vehicles are detected, and in some cases track recent movements. Supporters point to impressive results. Flock CEO Garrett Langley says the technology played a role in roughly one million arrests last year, while local officials frequently credit the system with helping solve homicides, robberies, narcotics investigations, missing-person cases, and vehicle thefts.

At the same time, detractors point to several verified issues with the technology. In Oakland, stolen car alerts were so numerous that the police turned those alerts off. Individuals across the USA, including police officers, have allegedly misused the technology to illegally stalk individuals. Journalists have found completely unprotected camera units and shown how anyone could gather data on specific individuals with that access.

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Other critics argue that collecting information on every vehicle creates a form of mass surveillance, even if courts have generally ruled that license plate readers do not violate Fourth Amendment protections.

The Backlash Gets Organized

The resistance has become increasingly organized. Websites such as DeFlock now crowdsource camera locations . HaveIBeenFlocked.com enables users to search their own plates. And some cameras have reportedly been vandalized with paint, stickers, or even saws. Where do you fall on the debate? Let us know down below!

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Photos: Flock Safety

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BMW’s X2 crossover SUV is getting the brand’s Neue Klasse face.

X2 will also inherit iX3’s pillar-to-pillar Panoramic iDrive system.

Electric iX2 in line for Neue Klasse updates but with blanked grille.

BMW ‘s design overhaul isn’t slowing down. In fact, it’s picking up the pace and the latest model headed for a Neue Klasse-inspired makeover is the X2. Fresh spy shots show the coupe crossover wearing camouflage ahead of a mid-cycle refresh that should bring it into line with its iX3 and X5 big brothers.

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More: 2027 BMW X5 Drops Door Handles For Wings, Adds A 435-Mile Electric iX5

Sightings of this X2 prototype come after we spied facelifted versions of its X1 twin , which isn’t surprising given the two crossovers share so much beneath the skin. Like its more practical sibling, the X2 is set to receive a visual refresh rather than a complete redesign, but the changes should be obvious enough to make it feel much newer.

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The biggest transformation happens up front. Although camouflage hides most of the details, it’s clear BMW is fitting a redesigned fascia inspired by the Neue Klasse family. Expect slimmer headlights with totally new DRL signatures (but probably not like the Elon-loving X5’s “X” DRLs), and a retro-inspired reshaped kidney grille treatment.

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Scoop: BMW’s Hottest X1 Is Getting The iX3’s Face And Maybe A New Name

Nothing major will happen along the flanks, but the rear end is also expected to receive revised lighting with updated graphics, helping distinguish the facelift from today’s X2 without dramatically altering its familiar coupe-like profile. Let’s hope the designers put some real effort into the back end, because the current model’s rump is the worst part of a controversial design many believe is simply ugly.

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One particular detail gives away exactly what’s hiding beneath the camouflage of the prototype rising on the transporter. Unlike BMW’s electric models, this entry-level Sport-grade prototype features a functional lower air intake beneath the kidney grilles, confirming it’s powered by an internal combustion engine. Two rear shots of a different prototype, this time on the road, make it even easier for us. Its four M Performance tailpipes tell us we’re looking at an updated X2 M35i rather than the battery-powered iX2 (or ICE X2) in M Sport trim.

Electric iX2 Follows The Same Path

The electric version won’t be left behind, though. Expect the iX2 to receive essentially the same exterior redesign, only with the smoother, mostly blanked-off front fascia typical of BMW’s EVs. Without a gasoline engine to cool, it simply doesn’t need the same airflow openings.

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Inside, the updates should be more dramatic. BMW will install its latest Panoramic iDrive system, replacing the current layout with the brand’s newest digital interface that’s gradually rolling out across the lineup. That means a pillar-to-pillar digital display at the base of the windshield instead of a conventional gauge cluster, and a tablet-form infotainment touchscreen floating off the main dashboard.

Spied: BMW’s Smallest EV Now Looks Like A Mini iX3

The current 2026 BMW X2.

Don’t expect major mechanical changes when the covers come off, probably this fall, though the engines and motors could gain the odd horsie and a few miles of electric range thanks to the use of the newest battery cell chemistry. The current X2 already offers turbocharged four-cylinder power in xDrive28i and M35i forms, while buyers outside of the US can choose between iX2 eDrive20 and dual-motor xDrive30 electric variants.

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