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Google helps South Africa combat fake news ahead of its general election

Mar18
by on March 18, 2019 at 11:37 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Social Media, syndication, world


Can South Africa really hold a general election on the 8th of May in a way that it really represents the views of its people? One might have thought this was an academic question. The Electoral Commission of South Africa is well respected and the legal system is robust. There are certainly enough political parties – around 285 are registered even if most are unlikely to participate in the May elections – for the national and nine provincial legislatures. But there have been worrying signs about the use of disinformation during previous elections and these need to be heeded. Google…

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Why can’t Facebook keep problematic videos off its platform?

Mar18
by on March 18, 2019 at 10:34 am
Posted In: Around the Web


In the wake of the horrific shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, that claimed the lives of 50 people and saw several more injured, Facebook noted it had removed some 1.5 million video clips of the attack on its platform. That’s a good move to keep the gruesome content – which may serve to glorify the shooter, encourage others, and traumatize the families of survivors – from spreading like wildfire. But couldn’t the company do more to prevent it from being shared on the social network at all? In the first 24 hours we removed 1.5 million videos of the attack…

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Australia’s new blockchain strategy is $71K and a non-existent roadmap

Mar18
by on March 18, 2019 at 10:17 am
Posted In: Around the Web, blockchain, cryptocurrency, Hard Fork


The Australian government says its budding blockchain industry needs to be a “world leader,” so it’s promised to write a roadmap and donate AU$100,000 ($71K) towards advancing its usage within the public sector. In a press release, Karen Andrews, Australia‘s minister for trade, tourism, and investment, laid out plans to position the nation at the forefront of decentralized tech. “The national strategy puts us on the front foot in exploring how government and industry can enhance the long-term development of blockchain and its uses,” said Andrews, after calling for Australians to “seize the opportunities presented by blockchain.” She then promised a roadmap,…

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The world’s first genderless voice assistant is challenging gender stereotypes

Mar18
by on March 18, 2019 at 9:50 am
Posted In: Around the Web, artificial intelligence


There’s an obvious gender imbalance in technology and voice assistants. Whether it’s Siri, Cortana, Alexa, or another female voice telling you when to turn right on Google Maps, it’s most commonly an AI ‘woman’ who takes our commands.  With so much female servitude in our smart devices, along with the rapid deployment of AI, it should come as no surprise that technology is hardwiring sexism into our future — but Q, the world’s first genderless voice, hopes to eradicate gender bias in technology. Created by a group of linguists, technologists, and sound designers, Q hopes to “end gender bias” and encourage “more…

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Moonday Morning: Bitcoin dev ordered to prove Craig Wright isn’t Satoshi

Mar18
by on March 18, 2019 at 9:36 am
Posted In: Around the Web, blockchain, cryptocurrency, Hard Fork


It’s Monday which means it’s Moonday Morning and time to catch up with the top news from over the weekend. Let’s get to it. 1. Canadian financial regulators are learning from the QuadrigaCX debacle and are taking action to begin regulating cryptocurrency exchanges to mitigate the risks associated with virtual currency exchanges. In a joint paper, published last week, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) explores how regulations need to be tailored to the unique business models of cryptocurrency businesses. The regulators are using the feedback from cases such as QuadrigaCX’s to develop…

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