Posts Tagged: Congress

The Morning After: 50 attorneys general urge Congress to fight AI-generated child sexual abuse images

“We are engaged in a race against time to protect the children of our country from the dangers of AI,” the attorneys general wrote in an open letter to Congress, asking for increased protective measures against AI-enhanced child sexual abuse images.

Using image generators like Dall-E and Midjourney to create child sexual abuse materials isn’t a problem, as the software has guardrails to stop those prompts. However, when open-source versions of the software and similar tools without guardrails or oversight arrive, it could be a major issue. Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated that AI tools would benefit from government intervention to mitigate their risk.

– Mat Smith

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United Airlines grounded flights for an hour after a bad software update

A ‘widespread slowdown’ paused departures.

United Airlines issued a nationwide ground stop because of a "computer issue." "United Airlines asked the FAA to pause the airline’s departures nationwide," the Federal Aviation Administration told Engadget. United said a software update "caused a widespread slowdown" in its technology systems, but airborne flights still carried on to their destinations during the pause.

United had a similar issue in the UK just last week. An air traffic control glitch led to the cancellation of a fifth of UK departures and 27 percent of flights due to arrive the day of the issue.

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The Android logo gets a new look and a 3D bugdroid

Google's quarterly Android update adds some useful accessibility features.

TMA
Android

Android 14 is fast approaching. But before Google releases the next big version of the mobile operating system alongside its latest Pixel devices, the company has revealed a refreshed Android logo. Yeah, it hasn’t exactly reinvented the wheel, or the droid, as it were. Android consumer brand management director Jason Fournier said the company wanted the bugdroid to "appear as dynamic as Android itself." Sounds like a self-burn The plan is to ensure the bugdroid looks consistent across digital and real-world environments.

There's also a useful-sounding accessibility feature coming to Android soon. It's called Image Q&A on Lookout. You'll be able to use voice commands or type questions to find out more details about AI-generated audio descriptions of visual content. A new widget called Assistant At a Glance is also inbound, to bring weather alerts, event reminders and travel updates.

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The best cameras for 2023

Compacts, DSLRs, action cams and, of course, mirrorless cameras.

Since smartphones obliterated the casual photography market, camera manufacturers are focusing on building models designed for very specific uses. Mirrorless cameras continue to improve in autofocus, video and more, while lens ranges expand yearly. Action cams provide sharp, fluid video, compact cameras target both tourists and vloggers and DSLRs are available at some of the best prices we’ve seen. If you’re considering a camera upgrade, this is a particularly good time to do so. Engadget’s Steve Dent walks you through the options.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-50-attorneys-general-urge-congress-to-fight-ai-generated-child-sexual-abuse-images-111525174.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Senator Ed Markey tells Elon Musk: ‘Fix your companies. Or Congress will’

Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts chastised Elon Musk on Sunday after the billionaire had a snarky response to the lawmaker’s request for information about Twitter’s new verification policies. “Perhaps it is because your real account sounds like a parody?” Musk tweeted Sunday morning after Markey shared a recent letter he sent criticizing the company’s new $ 8 per month Twitter Blue subscription. “And why does your pp have a mask!?” Musk added a few hours later, referring to Markey’s profile picture, which shows the senator wearing a face covering.

Markey wasn’t impressed by Musk’s response. “One of your companies is under an FTC consent decree. Auto safety watchdog NHTSA is investigating another for killing people. And you’re spending your time picking fights online,” he said. “Fix your companies. Or Congress will.”

Markey sent the letter that prompted the exchange on November 11th. In the letter, Markey asks Musk to explain how The Washington Post was able to create a verified account impersonating him and why an official pop-up told Twitter users the verification was due to a role in government. Musk has until November 25th to answer those questions and others in writing.

Twitter suspended paid account verification less than two days after launching its new Blue subscription. While the service was available, trolls used it to impersonate celebrities, politicians and brands, leading to chaos on the platform. One account pretending to be LeBron James claimed the NBA star had requested to be traded by the Los Angeles Lakers. Another one tanked the stock of the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.

While there’s no certainty Markey’s warning will translate to government action, the likelihood of a regulatory response became more solid on Sunday after Democrats secured a Senate majority. Markey is also a member of the Subcommittee on Communication, Media, and Broadband, the Senate panel most likely to recommend action against Twitter.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Congress approves COVID-19 spending bill with contentious copyright measures

US Congress has finally passed a new spending bill with COVID-19 relief measures, which on the one hand is good news for many Americans. As often happens with crucial legislation, however, lawmakers tacked on some extra legislation, including a contr…
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OnePlus will show a 5G prototype at Mobile World Congress

OnePlus is finally ready to show off 5G hardware after months of talking about it. The phone maker will have a presence at Qualcomm's booth during Mobile World Congress (February 25th through February 28th), and it plans to feature a 5G "prototype."…
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The Library of Congress will start limiting its Twitter archives in 2018

It doesn't seem odd anymore that governments might want to save Twitter archives for historical purposes, what with all the attention our president gets for his contributions to the platform. The UK has been saving tweets and YouTube videos as histor…
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Facebook will turn over Russia-linked ads to Congress

Earlier this month, Facebook admitted that it sold $ 100,000 worth of ads between 2015 and 2017 that led to fake news pages and were bought by advertisers operating out of Russia. A report released yesterday noted that the Senate Intelligence Committe…
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Congress looks into government agencies’ deals with Kaspersky

Kaspersky has a long and difficult path ahead if it wants to clear its name. The US House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology has just asked 22 government agencies for all the documents and communications they have about Kas…
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Here are the flat-out craziest virtual reality demos we saw at Mobile World Congress

You might not necessarily think of virtual reality as phone tech, but it nonetheless was out in full force at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. We sought out the best the show had to offer.

The post Here are the flat-out craziest virtual reality demos we saw at Mobile World Congress appeared first on Digital Trends.

Wearables–Digital Trends

Sony may release two new phones at Mobile World Congress 2017, reports say

According to recent reports, MWC 2017 may be a big show for Sony. In fact, the company may release two new phones at the event, one of which is rumored to be the follow-up to last year’s Xperia X.

The post Sony may release two new phones at Mobile World Congress 2017, reports say appeared first on Digital Trends.

Android Army–Digital Trends

Congress will give NASA nearly $20 billion next year

In a surprise move, the Republican-controlled Congress has promised to give NASA roughly $ 19.3 billion dollars next year as part of its 2016 omnibus spending bill. That's nearly a billion dollars beyond the $ 18.5 billion that the Obama administration…
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