Posts Tagged: urge
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.
The Android logo gets a new look and a 3D bugdroid
Google's quarterly Android update adds some useful accessibility features.
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.
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.
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
Sens. Sanders and Warren urge investigation into Amazon’s ‘no-fault’ attendance policy
A group of Democratic lawmakers led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) want regulators to take a closer look at Amazon’s points-based attendance policy, which they believe may be punishing workers for taking legally protected time off. First reported by Vice, the letter to the Department of Labor and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission focuses on Amazon’s “no-fault” approach to absences, which adds points every time an employee misses work without giving advance notice, regardless of the reason. If workers reach a certain number of points, they are automatically reviewed for termination.
Under the company’s attendance policy, an employee whose child has suddenly fallen ill or who suffers a medical emergency would still be penalized. Employees who don’t report absences at least 16 hours before the start of shift receive two points on their record. If they give notice less than two hours before a shift, they receive two points and an “absence submission infraction”. If workers receive three absence submission infractions and eight attendance points, Amazon will consider firing them.
Lawmakers believe that Amazon’s attendance policy could violate current laws that allow workers to take sick, family, medical and pregnancy leave without advance notice. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) guarantees eligible workers unpaid leave for a variety of circumstances, including pregnancy or the need to take care of a sick family member.
“We field numerous calls from Amazon employees; while many workers know about Amazon’s punitive attendance policies, they describe never receiving information about the federal, state, and local laws that entitle them to legally protected time off—much less understanding how such laws apply in practice in their own lives,” noted labor rights group Better Balance in a letter to Congress.
Other companies with "no-fault" attendance policies have run into legal troubles in the past. Back in 2011, Verizon was ordered to pay $ 20 million after the EEOC found that the company's no-fault attendance policy made no exceptions for disabled workers.
Many warehouse workers have complained that Amazon neglected to inform them of their rights under FMLA or disability laws. The company has had a poor track record with how it treats workers at its many warehouses and fulfillment centers. A number of warehouses, in response to poor working conditions at the e-commerce giant, are currently pushing to unionize.