Ars technica takes a look at “super cookies,” which reportedly can bypass many of the privacy settings offered by browsers like Chrome and Firefox. "Ironically, the chink that allows Web sites to uniquely track people's incognito browsing is a much-needed and relatively new security mechanism known as HTTP Strict Transport Security,” AT reports. “Web sites use it to ensure that an end user interacts with their servers only when using secure HTTPS connections.” 

Having nearly recouped its $44 million budget, “The Interview” has so far raked in $31 million in streaming revenue -- and $5 million in offline revenue -- according to Sony Pictures. “The controversial Seth Rogen comedy has been rented or purchased a total of 4.3 million times since its online release on Christmas Eve,” CNN Money reports, citing Sony’s figures. Of course, “it’s possible that Sony could have made more money with its original distribution plan -- a big Christmas launch in thousands of chain theaters.” 

The Federal Communications Commission just debuted a new complaints site where, as ars technica reports, “consumers should register their disgust with cable and broadband companies or wired and wireless phone services.” Among other improvement, “the new help center apparently comes with backend improvements to help the FCC analyze trends.” That said, the FCC “is still plagued by an ancient IT infrastructure despite being the government agency that regulates the telecommunications industry,” ars technica notes.   

Sure to disquiet journalism purists, The New York Times is creating an “audience development department,” executive editor Dean Baquet just revealed in a letter to the newsroom. The paper doesn’t want to become a click-factory like Huffington Post or Buzzfeed. “Its purpose is not to chase clicks, but to expose as many people as possible to our finest work, and to connect us to readers in new and deeper ways,” Baquet explains. “If we are aggressive in making our journalism widely available, and resolute in doing unmatched coverage, we will have more impact on the world, and draw new subscribers …

Contradicting a report in Business Insider, sources tell Variety that Yahoo never entered into acquisition talks with Scripps Networks Interactive about buying Food Network or the entire company. “While Yahoo mulled buying [Food Network and] other Scripps properties internally, the Internet media company has not -- either formally or informally -- ever approached SNI about a potential deal,” Variety reports. 

The New York Times catches up with Megan Smith four months after coming on as the country’s first female CTO. “The woman … is facing culture shock in a federal bureaucracy ruled by creaky technology and run in part on the floppy disk,” NYT reports. NYT credits Smith with helping to persuade the President to strongly support Net neutrality. “She has also briefed the president on ways to recruit top technologists, particularly women, into the government to build state-of-the-art digital and mobile services.” 

Since the summer, Yahoo has reportedly been considering a bid for CNN or Scripps. Market changes are make the cable companies more vulnerable to a takeover, and Yahoo is sitting on a ton of money following Alibaba’s IPO. While synergies exist, “It seems pretty unlikely that Yahoo and Scripps will merge anytime soon,” Business Insider suggests. “It would probably cost Yahoo at least $15 billion to buy Scripps today.” Meanwhile, despite Tom Dolan’s recent prediction in The Information -- a CNN deal seems even less likely.