How AI can lead to verbal abuse and unhealthy attachments
Smartphone app Replika is enabling users to find companionship in artificially intelligent chatbots. But what happens when the human emotion of users gets in the way of keeping things casual? It’s getting a little too real in the world of tech right now. The recent and rapid expansion of the metaverse,...
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Concerns about user privacy in the metaverse continue to grow
Tech giant Meta is working on body pose tracking technology, clothing that detects movement, and in-home sensor devices to enhance the metaverse experience - but has yet to outline any details of data privacy and user safety. As the digital and physical world have become increasingly interwoven, we’ve become accustomed...
Fact checkers label YouTube a ‘major conduit’ for misinformation
Organisations involved in fact-checking have come together to demand YouTube finally address its misinformation problem. YouTube has a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking for an amusing review of a takeaway chain or a comprehensive history lesson on the Mayans. The only issue with allowing almost anything to end up...
Twitter bans ‘Politics For All’ account without specifying why
The integrity of Twitter as a democratic platform is again under scrutiny. This time, after permanently banning a political news aggregator account for a strange and minor offence. Another day, another censorship storm involving Twitter. The topical social media giant is under scrutiny after removing a popular political news aggregator account...
TikTok ousts Google as most popular domain of the year
Thanks to Gen Z and Millennial uptake of video sharing via TikTok, the platform finally knocked Google off the top spot for most popular domain of the year. It finally happened, people. The almighty reign of the world’s most popular search engine is over - at least for now,...
Sexual harassment is already plaguing the metaverse
In only its early days of beta testing, a woman reported being groped in a metaverse called 'Horizon Worlds'. Immersive VR on the platform makes such experiences all too real, generating calls for stronger safety features. Recently, the term ‘metaverse’ has become unavoidable, whether you’ve got a keen eye for...
SafeUP app makes solo travelling safer for women
As a woman, travelling involves regularly assessing where is safe to go and what is safe to do. The SafeUP app is helping women stay connected to one another in case they need to ask for help - wherever they are. Women change their personal behaviours in the interest of safety every day. We opt for the long way home rather than shortcuts through parks at night, carry keys between our...
Twitter plans to ban photos and videos taken of strangers in public
The social media platform says it will ban unsolicited videos in public settings. Unwitting strangers cannot give consent, creating a problematic grey area for social media content. Sceptics, however, are already asking a lot of questions. We’ve all seen them. The photos or videos of people in public doing strange or offensive things, followed by a seemingly endless thread of users expressing their opinion or amusement. Take hidden gym recordings, for...
Twelve social media accounts to follow ahead of COP 26
Looking to get clued up on all things COP 26 ahead of the big event in Glasgow? Here are a selection of accounts worth following to stay in the loop over the next few weeks. Forget Glastonbury, Coachella, or any other high-profile event that might be in your calendar. The year’s biggest talking point for anyone remotely concerned about the environment is COP 26, a pivotal summit in Glasgow to...
Crypto investors raised $40 million to buy a copy of the US Constitution
Pipped at auction by a late bid, crypto investors were close to purchasing a rare and early copy of the US Constitution for over $40 million. Is a practical purchase ever made using cryptocurrency? Whether we’re talking of the multi-million dollar sales of eight bit gifs, the early year hijacking of the stock market, or how an OG dog meme became a profitable investment venture overnight, it’s safe...
