TECHNOLOGY
Latest Technology Posts
AI Wars Are Escalating: The US vs. China, Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman, and JD Vance vs. the World.
JD Vance’s appalling speech at the Paris Artificial Intelligence Summit announcing that the US will not agree to minimal international safety standards or consumer protections was not surprising given the Trump administration’s deregulatory fervor and fervent billionaire support. But with lucrative government contracts hanging in the balance, two of those billionaires are feuding. Sam Altman, CEO of Open AI, recently said no to Elon Musk’s offer of $97.4 billion to purchase his company. Musk also heard no from 21 technology workers at DOGE, formerly the US Digital Service, who quit their jobs saying they refused to use their skills to “dismantle critical public services.”
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy Technology Policy Brief #125 | By: Mindy Spatt | January 24, 2025 __________________________________ Summary Predictably, a law banning TikTok was in effect for only a few hours on January 19. The Biden administration’s...
Trump’s Big Inauguration, Brought to You By Big Tech
Trump’s Big Inauguration, Brought to You By Big Tech Technology Policy Brief #124 | By: Mindy Spatt | January 07, 2025 Photo by The Now Time on Unsplash __________________________________ Summary Donald Trump’s triumphant return to the White House on January 20th will...
The Harm That AI Can Cause
The Harm That AI Can Cause Technology Policy Brief #123 | By: Inijah Quadri | January 02, 2025 Photo by Google DeepMind on Unsplash __________________________________ Policy Issue Summary Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of social media...
The Disastrous Impact of Disinformation on the Election
The Disastrous Impact of Disinformation on the Election Technology Policy Brief #122 | By: Mindy Spatt | December 21, 2024 Photo by Element5 Digital __________________________________ SUMMARY Just how big was the impact of disinformation on the election of Donald...
Is “I’m Moving to Bluesky” the new “I’m Moving to Canada?”
The post-election fallout on Elon Musk’s platform, X, has triggered a digital exodus reminiscent of political protests past. On November 6, over 115,000 users deactivated their accounts, frustrated by Musk’s overt alliance with Donald Trump and X’s growing reputation as a hub for hate speech and misinformation. High-profile figures like Stephen King, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Barbra Streisand publicly announced their departures, with many migrating to emerging platforms Bluesky and Threads. Bluesky, created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, saw over 1 million new users in a single day, as Wired aptly dubbed the movement: “the new ‘I’m moving to Canada.’” The message is clear—people are seeking safer spaces for online discourse, and Musk’s X may no longer be it.
The Deepfake Dilemma: Navigating Ethics in a Digital Age
Deepfake technology, powered by artificial intelligence, represents both a creative frontier and an ethical quagmire. While it enables innovations in education, entertainment, and historical reconstruction, its misuse has led to identity theft, political disinformation, and financial fraud. High-profile incidents—such as manipulated videos influencing elections or non-consensual explicit content targeting women—highlight the urgent need for global policies to counter these harms. As governments and organizations strive to regulate deepfake misuse, the balance between fostering innovation and safeguarding privacy, trust, and societal stability remains critical.
A Billionaire and A Buffon Join Forces
It’s easy to laugh at Elon Musk’s childish dance onstage with Trump and even easier to laugh at Trump’s moves, especially when they replace an actual campaign speech.
How Algorithms Amplify Right Wing Disinformation
Donald Trump’s bizarre rants about Haitian immigrants eating dogs, televised during the US presidential debate, were immediately challenged and disproven on air and afterwards.
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy
TikTok CEO Is Trump’s Latest Billionaire Buddy Technology Policy Brief #125 | By: Mindy Spatt | January 24, 2025 __________________________________ Summary Predictably, a law banning TikTok was in effect for only a few hours on January 19. The Biden administration’s...
Trump’s Big Inauguration, Brought to You By Big Tech
Trump’s Big Inauguration, Brought to You By Big Tech Technology Policy Brief #124 | By: Mindy Spatt | January 07, 2025 Photo by The Now Time on Unsplash __________________________________ Summary Donald Trump’s triumphant return to the White House on January 20th will...
The Harm That AI Can Cause
The Harm That AI Can Cause Technology Policy Brief #123 | By: Inijah Quadri | January 02, 2025 Photo by Google DeepMind on Unsplash __________________________________ Policy Issue Summary Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of social media...
The Disastrous Impact of Disinformation on the Election
The Disastrous Impact of Disinformation on the Election Technology Policy Brief #122 | By: Mindy Spatt | December 21, 2024 Photo by Element5 Digital __________________________________ SUMMARY Just how big was the impact of disinformation on the election of Donald...
Is “I’m Moving to Bluesky” the new “I’m Moving to Canada?”
The post-election fallout on Elon Musk’s platform, X, has triggered a digital exodus reminiscent of political protests past. On November 6, over 115,000 users deactivated their accounts, frustrated by Musk’s overt alliance with Donald Trump and X’s growing reputation as a hub for hate speech and misinformation. High-profile figures like Stephen King, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Barbra Streisand publicly announced their departures, with many migrating to emerging platforms Bluesky and Threads. Bluesky, created by former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, saw over 1 million new users in a single day, as Wired aptly dubbed the movement: “the new ‘I’m moving to Canada.’” The message is clear—people are seeking safer spaces for online discourse, and Musk’s X may no longer be it.
The Deepfake Dilemma: Navigating Ethics in a Digital Age
Deepfake technology, powered by artificial intelligence, represents both a creative frontier and an ethical quagmire. While it enables innovations in education, entertainment, and historical reconstruction, its misuse has led to identity theft, political disinformation, and financial fraud. High-profile incidents—such as manipulated videos influencing elections or non-consensual explicit content targeting women—highlight the urgent need for global policies to counter these harms. As governments and organizations strive to regulate deepfake misuse, the balance between fostering innovation and safeguarding privacy, trust, and societal stability remains critical.
A Billionaire and A Buffon Join Forces
It’s easy to laugh at Elon Musk’s childish dance onstage with Trump and even easier to laugh at Trump’s moves, especially when they replace an actual campaign speech.
How Algorithms Amplify Right Wing Disinformation
Donald Trump’s bizarre rants about Haitian immigrants eating dogs, televised during the US presidential debate, were immediately challenged and disproven on air and afterwards.
No More Than a BAND-AID: Instagram’s New Teen Accounts
Meta’s newly launched Instagram Teen Accounts aim to address concerns over online safety, but many argue it’s just a superficial fix. With significant gaps in protection for teens and the onus falling heavily on parents, the platform’s measures may not be enough to shield young users from harassment, discrimination, and predatory behavior.
Tech Wants Kamala – and More!
Kamala Harris’ Silicon Valley fundraising has quickly outpaced Trump’s, despite his early inroads. But these wealthy tech donors have made no secret about what they might want in return, raising alarm bells with watchdog groups.