Given that this is a show about immortal, sentient robots, death means relatively little in Westworld. But one character has died more than any other at this point, James Marsden’s Teddy, clocking in reportedly at 4,000+ deaths, more than any other hosts during his ill-fated time in Westworld. But the last one seemed to stick at the end of season 2, given that he was gone for all of season 3.
Here in the unexpectedly great season 4, however, Teddy is back, and for once, seems to know a whole lot more about what’s going on than Dolores herself. While fans previously theorized that Dolores saved Teddy’s pearl from Westworld, we still know little about truly who this version of Teddy is, the full extent of what he knows, and what he’s planning next. So I tried to get James Marsden to tell me. Here’s our conversation:
PAUL: One thing I’ll say to start here is that I know this is Westworld, which has like the most mysteries of any show on TV, so I know there’s a bunch of stuff you can’t talk about yet, but I’ll do my best here.
JAMES: But you’re gonna do your best to test me.
PAUL: Yeahhh, I’m sure you’re used to this by now.
JAMES: I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I can talk about and what I can’t.
PAUL: One thing I’m curious about is if you knew that you’d be coming back in a future season when you died in season 2, or if it was a surprise that you were asked to return for season 4?
JAMES: That is something I can answer. I sat down with Lisa Joy and Jonah Nolan at the beginning of season 2 before we shot any frame of film, and we not only discussed my arc for season 2, and the exciting journey that Teddy gets to go and that I do as an actor, which is a fun one with the big switch right in the middle of the season. And then beyond that, they let me know that “we’re gonna do something that’s going to be really powerful with the story we’re telling: Have Teddy go away for a while.” To which I went “like, for good?” Nope, with specificity, they said he’d be back in season 4, but you won’t be in season 3, and we believe that with the show, there needs to be stakes. The idea of taking away one of the beloved characters is going to make the audience upset, and hopefully if we do our jobs right, when we bring you back in season 4, they will be standing up in their seats and clapping. And that’s just sort of the perverse little game we play with our fans (laughs).
PAUL: So they have this mapped out pretty far then?
JAMES: Yeah, they did. I will say, they didn’t go into specifics of what I would be doing in season 4 or how I would be coming back. Just that “you will be back in season 4.” They’re very good at putting a limiter on what they can say to even the actors.
Westworld
HBO
PAUL: So how different of an experience has it been returning to the show now that it’s just not a Western at all and now you’re in this modern city? What’s that transition been like?
JAMES: I mean it’s been fun. It’s definitely strange, because it’s all the same familiar faces just without all the dirt and dust and horses. But a welcome one, to be honest. It’s been fun to bring shades of Teddy into this season, but also speak in a very contemporary way. The first scene you see us on the date, Lisa Joy was like “I want this to feel like modern day conversation. I don’t want any western affectation in your voice. Just like you are a modern guy. There’s a feeling to this with him that he might remember things from the past (laughs).
PAUL: That’s actually my next question here. I know you have to…hedge a little. It’s kind of a simple question, but in Westworld it’s pretty complicated. What can you tell us about this version of Teddy? We know he’s a guide for Dolores, but he seems disconnected from Bernard and Maeve, like he’s not part of their plans. Is this old park Teddy?
JAMES: Well, I think it’s important that we say that there has to be a certain level of mystery to him, and that has to stay through the season. My goal as an actor approaching this was well, how much of Teddy’s still there, and I’m not even going to question who he is, where he came from, is he rebuilt, is he a host, a human, whatever. I’m not even going to think about that. I’m reading the scripts, and here’s my objective. My objective is to gently open Christina’s eyes to the world she thinks surrounds her, and her powers within that world. And do it in a trusting and gentle way that feels like a friend. Like an old friend. And that’s it. That’s how I’ve approached everything so far. We’re up to what, episode six?
PAUL: Yeah, I watched the screener before this and was like ‘’Oh no, he’s not in this!” But I assume you’ll be in the next one,
JAMES: (laughs) Right. Well I can tease the next couple of episodes…episode 4 was such a bomb drop on so many different levels, and riddled with crazy intense action that it afforded us in 5 and 6 to lay more groundwork for what’s to come. 5 and 6 are a little bit the calm before the storm. So there’s a little tease. I think…right now, he’s a calming, supportive presence that Christina trusts, and somehow connects with on a deep level that she definitely doesn’t understand yet. Whether he knows everything or just…some things, there’s a mystery basket that some things have to fall into.
PAUL: Plenty of those in Westworld, I’ve found.
JAMES: Yeah, in episode 5, she can say who did this to me, who built this? And his response is, you did. Teddy can say that, but he’s not going to expound on that. Because that’s what Westworld is, it’s a puzzle box. It’s a slow burn and I think that we’re on a really good track this year to do something really cool and powerful and get the fans really excited and very satisfied.
I often worry, am I not being specific enough, am I being too convoluted? Everyone enjoys a puzzle, but they also need to have satisfaction of figuring it out, or at least having it come to you. So I think we’re on track to make fans really happy with the direction we’re heading, and yes, a lot of this still has to stay in that mystery box. But what I want from fans so far this season is to enjoy seeing them onscreen together again, at least for the first couple of episodes, there’s an ease to them, they’ve been through such hell in season 2, and it’s nice to see these iconic Westworld characters back up onscreen together, even though they’re wearing leather jackets now and have red hair and modern dresses. So yes, his purpose is to usher her into this existential awakening.
Westworld
HBO
PAUL: So this is kind of an old question and I don’t know if you’ll be able to answer this yet, but I remember you were talking about your season 2 exit, and you were asked if Teddy was one of the pearls smuggled out of the park by Dolores. And now that you’re back in the flesh, is that something you can answer yet, or is that still supposed to be a mystery?
JAMES: Oh god, yes, a mystery (laughs). That would be a big mess-up by me.
PAUL: Okay so that is something that will come up, at some point, probably.
JAMES: Yeah, I mean we want those theories, we want those questions to be asked. It’s frustrating because that’s not like answered yet, but it will be. At least we feel like it should be, and I believe that it will. And I say believe because it ain’t a fact that it will. I get fooled even on this show.
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Thanks to James Marsden for speaking with me. My final theory? (That no, Marsden didn’t reveal). Teddy was built and scripted as a failsafe by Dolores/Christina using his old pearl and memories to inform her of what was really going on, given that he does not seem to be connected to the old host brigade, nor the human resistance, nor Hale. But we’ll see!
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
