[ad_1] The following year Facebook launched “Common Ground,” a wide-ranging effort to make the social network less polarizing and “increase empathy” among users. Yet the company ultimately decided not to act on many of the group’s recommendations, fearing it could fuel claims the company was biased against conservative viewpoints. Other proposed changes were watered down, […]
Category: Internet
YouTube blames bug for censoring comments on China’s ruling party
[ad_1] One of the phrases YouTube is censoring is “五毛 (wumao),” which roughly translates to “50-cent party,” a derogatory term aimed at online censors who the Chinese government pays to direct conversations away from criticism of the ruling party. According to The Verge, what YouTube isn’t doing is deleting the English translations of those phrases nor their Romanized […]
Amazon accused of fighting efforts to track COVID-19 in Wisconsin facilities
[ad_1] Amazon may be improving safety measures in warehouses to protect against COVID-19, but it’s also accused of being less than forthcoming with vital data. The health officer for Kenosha County in Wisconsin, Jen Freiheit, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (via Gizmodo) that Amazon was uncooperative with public staff trying to track COVID-19 cases at […]
Yes, the Patriot Act amendment to track us online is real
[ad_1] Interestingly, one “Big Browser” company has a feature that’s a useful tool in this context. Like the way Apple can’t “read” your iPhone’s data (specifically, Apple can’t decrypt it), Google can only share what it can “read.” You can password protect your Chrome data by following the instructions here. Anyway, to validate the concerns […]
US Senators propose giving $2 billion to healthcare facilities for broadband
[ad_1] “During this pandemic, telehealth services are helping families receive the critical health care they need,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bill will provide much-needed funding to help hospitals improve their connectivity so they can care for more patients.” According to the press release Senators Schatz and Murkowski shared, several trade groups, including the United States […]
Researchers squeeze 44.2 Tbps through existing fiber optic cables
[ad_1] Today’s cable and fiber optic internet connections are good enough — at least where they’re available. Home users can browse the web, stream videos and play online games, and companies can keep business moving. But as content becomes more complex, the world will need faster speeds. Researchers in Australia have developed an internet connection […]
Twitter says disappearing ‘Fleets’ are reported less often than tweets
[ad_1] 💭It’s still *very early*, but we’re seeing less abuse with Fleets as only a small percentage are reported each day — Twitter Comms (@TwitterComms) May 21, 2020 Interestingly, Twitter notes early testing has shown that Fleets might be leading to healthier interactions. “We’re seeing less abuse with Fleets as only a small percentage are […]
Windows 10 is adding a slew of accessibility upgrades in May
[ad_1] On that note, Narrator, Windows 10’s built-in screen reader, is likewise getting a couple of enhancements. To start, Microsoft says it has made the tool sound more natural by reducing the number of pauses it makes when reading a section of text. The company claims Narrator is also better at correctly pronouncing words thanks to […]
Twitch clarifies what its Safety Advisory Council will do
[ad_1] The follow-up is partly in response to harassment levelled at one of the council’s members. Newsweek reported that Steph “FerociouslySteph” Loehr faced harassment soon after she was named to the council, including overt transphobia as well as attacks on her positions (such as her belief that voice chat in high-level gameplay exposed transgender people […]
Tom Hanks WWII movie ‘Greyhound’ will premiere on Apple TV+
[ad_1] Tom Hanks is joining the ranks of stars premiering movies on streaming services during the pandemic, but he’s not going to one of the usual outlets. Deadline reports that Hanks is premiering his WWII naval drama Greyhound on Apple TV+, making it Apple’s largest movie project to date. The tech firm hasn’t announced a […]