Articles by Diane Samson
Amazon Developing Regulations To Govern The Use Of Facial Recognition, Reveals CEO Jeff Bezos
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that facial recognition can potentially be abused. The e-commerce company's own public policy team is drafting a proposal to make sure that the technology will only be put for good use.
Facebook Launches Virtual Social Network That Allows Users To Create Their Own World
Facebook opened beta testing for a new social app where users can mingle and play with other users and explore an ever-expanding virtual universe. In Horizon, users can create their own virtual experiences.
Instagram Ads For Fillers Banned For 'Misleading' Customers Into Thinking That They Would Look Like Kylie Jenner
Three adverts for cosmetic fillers that appeared on Instagram were banned by the ASA. The regulatory organization concluded that these ads used images of Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian West to push cosmetic procedures were irresponsible and misleading.
Amazon Now Offering Virtual Healthcare Services To Employees
According to Amazon, Amazon Care will provide in-app video consultations with nurses and doctors. The app is so far only available to employees in its Seattle office, but a wider rollout is expected.
Instagram Threatened To Remove Verified Status Of Influencers Who Share Links To Snapchat
Snapchat has an internal document that compiled all the tricks that Facebook used to quell competition. 'Project Voldemort' came to light after the FTC opened an antitrust investigation into the business practices of the social media company.
Financial Scams Are No Longer Allowed On Twitter Under New Policy
Twitter's new policy officially banned phishing fraud and other financial scams on the popular social media website. Scammers have in the past impersonated public figures like Elon Musk to trick users into giving money.
YouTube Music Rolls Out New Feature Similar To Spotify's Discover Weekly
YouTube Music will generate a 'Discover Mix' playlist that compiles songs that the user might not have heard before. The feature is similar to Spotify's 'Discover Weekly' which recommends songs and artists based on the user's listening history.
Tinder's Apocalyptic Dating Show 'Swipe Night' Arrives In October
Tinder's 'Swipe Night' is a choose-your-own-adventure style series was directed by Karena Evans, who has previously worked with the rapper Drake. It will ask users to swipe left or right to make choices that will advance the plot.
Google's AI Can Accurately Detect 26 Skin Conditions
A new paper published by Google claimed that its artificial intelligence can diagnose two dozens of skin conditions as accurately as dermatologists. The AI can work alongside clinicians to provide an accurate diagnosis.
Amazon Is Crowdsourcing Answers To Questions That Alexa Cannot Answer
The Alexa Answers platform was launched on Thursday to let the public answer questions that users ask the digital assistant. When Alexa pulls up an answer from the platform, it will note that the information came from an Amazon customer.
Hulu Silently Disables Support For Google's Daydream VR
The new version of Hulu's virtual reality app is no longer compatible with Google's Daydream VR headset. The streaming service was among the launch partners of the virtual reality headset when it was launched in 2016.
Artists Can No Longer Pay Their Way Into The Top Of YouTube's Music Charts
Artists have been paying to have their music videos played as ads before other content on Youtube. However, after a backlash, the platform announced that it will no longer consider ad views when tallying its music charts.
Instagram Apologizes After Accidentally Censoring Fish Photos
A London-based fishmonger said that a video he posted, which showed his store window, had a sensitivity filter over it. He said that this is not the first time his Instagram posts were flagged as 'offensive.'
Twitter In Trouble For Stenciled Tweets In San Francisco
As part of its marketing campaign, Twitter stenciled real tweets from users on sidewalks in San Francisco. However, the city's Department of Public Works said that the ads were illegal.
Spending 3 Hours A Day On Social Media May Lead To Higher Risk Of Mental Health Problems Among Teens
A study found that teens who browse social media platforms for 3 hours per day have a 60 percent higher risk of developing mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
Disney+ Free Trial Opens But Only In The Netherlands
Disney+ launched in The Netherlands where it will be streaming for free until Nov. 12. Disney fans in the United States can sign up to the Netflix competitor later this year for $6.99 per month or $69.99 a year.
YouTuber Arrested For Trespassing Near Area 51
A YouTube star and his colleague were detained for questioning by the authorities on Tuesday, a week before the viral Sept. 20 Area 51 raid. The two were found filming inside the Nevada National Security Site, a secure government area.
Facebook To Tighten Policies On Suicide, Self-Harm, Eating Disorders
On World Suicide Prevention Day, Facebook announced that it will tighten its policies to prevent triggering content. The site has consulted with experts around the world to address how it should handle posts related to self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders.
Apple Launches Research App, Three Major Health Studies
Apple's Research app will enable users to share their data with medical research. The company partnered with respected academic and research institutions with the aim to make medical breakthroughs and develop new health products.
Taylor Swift Almost Sued Microsoft Over Racist AI Chatbot, Reveals Brad Smith In New Book
In his new book, Microsoft President Brad Smith recounted the time he received an e-mail from Taylor Swift's lawyers over the use of 'Tay.' The name, it claimed, was closely associated with the singer and might mislead her fans.
Google Employees Say They Faced Retaliation After Reporting Workplace Harassment
An internal document revealed that employees continue to fear retaliation after coming forward with complaints of discrimination and harassment at Google. The tech company, in November, promised to support employees who raise issues in the workplace.
Amazon Employees Plan Walkout To Protest Inaction Against Climate Change
Employees want Amazon to stop supporting politicians who deny climate change and stop awarding contracts to fossil fuel companies. They also want the e-commerce company to commit to zero emissions by 2030.
Toy Review YouTube Channel Hosted By An 8-Year-Old Faces FTC Complaint
A consumer watchdog filed a complaint against Ryan ToysReview for not properly disclosing when a YouTube video contains sponsorship. The complaint stated that preschoolers who watch the videos cannot tell the difference between advertised and organic content.
BBC Teams Up With Facebook, Google, Twitter On New Strategy To Fight Fake News Online
The BBC crafted a new strategy to prevent the spread of fake news meant to mislead voters or endanger lives. The new strategy will involve the adoption of an 'early warning system' to stop disinformation campaigns before they circulate online.
Sony Launches 40th Anniversary Walkman At IFA, But It Does Not Play Cassettes
At the 2019 IFA, Sony released the NW-A100TPS Walkman to celebrate four decades since the portable music cassette player revolutionized how the public consumes music. The device, which offers 16 GB storage and Wi-Fi connectivity, will go on sale in November.
Facebook To Make Its Own Deepfake Videos To Detect AI-Manipulated Footage
Facebook will create deepfake videos, with paid actors to figure out new ways to detect artificial intelligence-manipulated content. This is part of a larger effort to fight deepfake videos before the technology is used to spread misinformation.
Watch: Sophia, A Human-Like Robot, Meets 'Westworld' Star Evan Rachel Wood
In 'SophiaWorld,' real-life humanoid robot Sophia pitch her ideas for 'Westworld' Season 3 to Emmy Award-nominated actress Evan Rachel Wood. The short film was a production by Futurism Studios and directed by Geoffrey James Clark.
Jeremy Renner Is Shutting Down His Official Fan App Because It Was Overrun With Trolls
'The app has jumped the shark. Literally,' the 'Avengers: Endgame' star said in a post. The app, Jeremey Renner Official, was launched in 2017 as a way for the actor to interact with fans.
WeChat Blocks Viral Chinese Deepfake App Zao Due To 'Security Risks'
Users can still upload videos generated using Zao to WeChat, but they are no longer allowed to download or link the deepfake app. The popular iOS app received backlash last week over privacy concerns.
Amazon Begins Testing Hand-Scanning Payment System For Whole Foods
Employees at Amazon's offices in New York were the first to try out the new biometrics technology that scans human hands to ring up purchases. The system is reportedly scheduled to be introduced in select Whole Foods locations next year.
