The Comunicano for Friday, September 6th 2024
Thank you for your readership yesterday, and for those of you who took the time to tell me what you think about “The Comunicano” resuming, I really do appreciate the time you took to share your thoughts. Now, on to the news.
Andy Abramson
AI Watch
AI is Getting Governed—The United States recently signed a legally enforceable treaty on artificial intelligence (AI), marking a significant step toward global AI governance. The agreement focuses on ensuring AI systems are used ethically and transparently, addressing bias, accountability, and security issues. This treaty, involving multiple nations, aims to establish a framework for the safe development and deployment of AI technologies. It also emphasizes collaboration between countries to mitigate risks while fostering innovation.
Justice Watch
From Russia With Love—Five Russian GRU officers and a civilian have been indicted for cyberattacks targeting Ukrainian government systems, allegedly to disrupt the nation ahead of Russia's invasion. The hackers, linked to Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, deployed malware, including the WhisperGate campaign, to destroy Ukrainian computer systems. They also targeted NATO countries and U.S. systems. The charges include conspiracy to commit computer intrusion and wire fraud, and the U.S. offers a reward for information leading to their capture.
Telegram Watch
Telegram Moderators Get More Power—Telegram has updated its moderation policies to allow the reporting of illegal content within private chats, marking a significant shift from its previous stance, where private conversations were off-limits for moderation. This change follows the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov in France, where authorities accused Telegram of facilitating illegal activities such as child exploitation and drug trafficking. Durov has defended the platform, acknowledging the challenges posed by its rapid growth, but pledged to improve its moderation practices while balancing privacy concerns.
Are The French Wrong?—Telegram CEO Pavel Durov criticized his arrest by French authorities over allegations of insufficient moderation on the platform, calling it "misguided." He rejected claims that Telegram is an "anarchic paradise," noting that millions of harmful posts are removed daily. Durov, arrested in August, faces charges related to drug trafficking, fraud, and child abuse images but denies responsibility for third-party crimes. He acknowledged Telegram's rapid growth has posed challenges and promised improvements. Despite criticism, Telegram has resisted joining international efforts to combat online child abuse.
Airbnb Watch
Let’s Take on New York—A year after New York City implemented strict short-term rental regulations, Airbnb claims the rules have worsened housing affordability, increased hotel prices, and hurt local economies, particularly in outer boroughs. Despite the crackdown to curb housing crises, rents continue to rise, and Airbnb bookings have significantly dropped. Critics argue that the regulations disproportionately benefit the hotel industry and fail to address the city's housing shortage. The debate continues, with Airbnb calling for more balanced, sensible policies that benefit tourists and residents.
Money Watch
AliBaba Wants Your Money—Alibaba has launched the Alibaba.com Business Edge Credit Card in the U.S., targeting small business owners to encourage purchasing on its wholesale platform. Developed in partnership with Mastercard, the card offers benefits like 3% cashback or 60-day interest-free financing on purchases of up to $40,000. This move is part of Alibaba's broader effort to expand internationally, especially as growth in its domestic market slows. By simplifying payments and offering rewards, Alibaba aims to attract more U.S.-based businesses to its B2B e-commerce platform.
Mobile Watch
The Honor, In Focus—Honor's latest devices, the MagicPad 2 and Magic V3, incorporate AI-driven defocus display technology to help address myopia (nearsightedness). The technology simulates eye focus on distant objects, mimicking the effects of specialized lenses that slow eye elongation, a critical factor in myopia. While it holds promise, some experts suggest that it may work best for younger users and that more studies are needed to confirm long-term benefits. Honor also emphasized that it is a part of broader eye care strategies, not a complete solution.
Meta Watch
They Can’t Be Trusted—It looks like Meta's Threads platform is undermining user trust by prioritizing growth through a creator program that incentivizes engagement. Influencers can earn up to $5,000 per popular post, but the lack of transparency about who participates has led to widespread assumptions that everyone is engaged in farming. This has eroded trust, as users question the motivations behind posts, which could hinder the development of genuine communities on the platform. It also has readers wondering how social media platforms' pursuit of growth may come at the cost of authenticity.
Google Watch
Find That Photo—Google Photos has introduced improved search features allowing users to find photos with natural, descriptive queries like "Alice and me laughing." It also launched early access to "Ask Photos," an AI-powered tool that helps users search for images and information within their gallery using conversational queries. This feature, powered by Gemini models, can identify locations and events and even assist with organizing and summarizing photo collections. Google is also emphasizing privacy, ensuring that your data isn't used for ads or reviewed by humans unless feedback is provided.
Google’s Plans to Help with AI—Google.org is like a big helper that gives money to important projects to help people learn, discover new things, and stay safe. They want to use cool AI technology to improve the world and support communities in need. The giant is celebrating its first two decades of impact by outlining its focus areas for the future, which include Knowledge, Skills, and Learning, Scientific Advancement, and Resilient Communities. Along the way, Google has provided billions in funding to support education programs, AI research, and community initiatives and plans to continue investing in projects that use AI to address global challenges.
Video Watch
The Netflix documentary "Mr. McMahon" trailer delves into Vince McMahon's life, focusing on his rise to power, his creation of a wrestling empire, and the numerous scandals that have followed him. It highlights his ruthless public persona and explores the blurred lines between performance and reality in WWE while also hinting at a deeper, possibly hidden, side of McMahon. The trailer also questions the true nature of his character versus his public image as a villain in wrestling, in business, and in life.
VoIP Watch
My Take on Verizon Buying Frontier—Verizon is eyeing its next big move by acquiring Frontier Communications for $20 billion. This deal significantly expands Verizon’s fiber footprint, adding 2.2 million new subscribers from Frontier’s network across 25 states. Verizon's CEO, Hans Vestberg, views this acquisition as a strategic fit, allowing the company to become more competitive in fiber broadband, while also bolstering its presence in new markets. The acquisition also appears to align with Verizon's long-term goal of becoming a dominant player in high-speed internet, reinforcing its premium fiber offerings nationwide. Still, many forget how they sold off parts of their network to Frontier and how they stalled FIOS growth for years.