Get the FREE DIGITAL BOOK: The Case for Killer Robots
Mind Matters Reporting on Natural and Artificial Intelligence

CategorySocial Media

Asian temple dragon
Type
post
Author
Heather Zeiger
Date
April 5, 2020
Categorized
Ethics, Global Technology, Social Media, Technocracy
Tagged
, , , ,

The Dragon’s Deception: Conspiracy Theories and False Numbers

China’s global attempt to rewrite the history of coronavirus (COVID-19) is running up against incriminating evidence
Heather Zeiger
April 5, 2020

The Chinese Communist Party has touted the superiority of an authoritarian government over a democratic one in handling the virus outbreak. But American intelligence sources say that it was the punishment that local officials might receive from the authoritarian system that led to the initial coverup of the outbreak.

Read More ›
Woman in medical protective mask applying an antibacterial antiseptic gel for hands disinfection and health protection during during flu virus outbreak. Coronavirus quarantine and novel covid ncov
Type
post
Author
Brendan Dixon
Date
March 20, 2020
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Medicine and Health, Social Media
Tagged
, , ,

AI Is Not Ready to Moderate Content!

In the face of COVID-19 quarantines for human moderators, some look to AI to keep the bad stuff off social media
Brendan Dixon
March 20, 2020

Big social media companies have long wanted to replace human content moderators with AI. COVID-19 quarantines have only intensified that discussion. But AI is far, far from ready to successfully moderate content in an age of where virtual monopolies make single point failure a frequent risk.

Read More ›
Group Friends Video Chat Connection Concept
Type
post
Author
Jonathan Bartlett
Date
March 17, 2020
Categorized
Business and Finance, Global Technology, Social Media, Work
Tagged
, , ,

We Will Never Go Back to the Pre-COVID-19 Workplace

The virus forced us to realize: Staying together apart has never been so easy
Jonathan Bartlett
March 17, 2020

While many people (myself included) have railed against the excesses of technology and its tendency to weaken community spirit and understanding, it turns out that, in the present crisis, it is having the opposite effect. We aren’t really alone in the same way any more.

Read More ›
virtual-reality-AdobeStock_201971753
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
February 16, 2020
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Natural Intelligence, Philosophy of Mind, Social Media, Technocracy
Tagged
, , , ,

Is Transhumanism Uncomfortably Tempting?

An ethicist asks us to stop and reflect
Denyse O'Leary
February 16, 2020

Jacob Schatzer identifies three issues in the essay, “The Allure of Transhumanism,” that might prompt some queasy recognitions in all of us, at times.

Read More ›
face recognition technology concept illustration of big data and security in city with crowd
Type
post
Author
Mind Matters Analysis
Date
February 13, 2020
Categorized
Global Technology, Social Media, Surveillance, Technocracy
Tagged

The Danger AI Poses for Civilization

Why must Google be my helicopter mom?
Analysis
February 13, 2020

If I have a coffee cup with “AI inside,” it’s probably connected to the Internet, which is just another way of saying that my coffee cup is transmitting data to some company’s servers about my coffee drinking habits. Whatever benefit the app provides will come at a cost to my autonomy, privacy, and competence as a person.

Read More ›
Coronavirus, MERS virus, Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome, 3D illustration
Type
post
Author
Heather Zeiger
Date
February 1, 2020
Categorized
Global Technology, Medicine and Health, Social Media, Surveillance
Tagged
, , , , ,

Censorship? But Coronavirus Doesn’t Care!

Back when SARS was a threat, social media wasn’t the giant it is today. Censorship, secrecy, and detention are less effective tools of control now
Heather Zeiger
February 1, 2020

Coronavirus provides a test. The Chinese Communist Party offers mainland Chinese people security and prosperity in exchange for the sacrifice of personal freedom. But when the government cannot uphold its end of the agreement—security—the people may become less tolerant of the human rights violations. And the age of information makes it much easier to discover them.

Read More ›
Würfel Fact oder Fake
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
January 30, 2020
Categorized
Social Media
Tagged
,

Do Bots Spreading False News Really Threaten Democracy?

Researchers found that humans spread more false news than bots
Denyse O'Leary
January 30, 2020

The fact that humans outdo bots in spreading false news creates a huge practical problem for would-be reformers. If they want to rub out false news, banning bots from social media would be less effective than banning people.

Read More ›
An internet email symbol and a group of people are separated by a red prohibitory symbol No. restrictions on access to the global Internet. Censorship. Information control, society isolation policy
Type
post
Author
Heather Zeiger
Date
January 18, 2020
Categorized
Global Technology, Social Media, Surveillance
Tagged
, , , , , ,

Can a Totalitarian State Be an Information Society?

Beijing’s clumsy social media campaigns against democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan have failed but attempts to control local media are ramping up
Heather Zeiger
January 18, 2020

Xi believes that the Western values of a free press, free speech, and separation of powers contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and that China must avoid them so as not to succumb to the same fate. But the Soviet Union fell just before the internet became today’s information superhighway.

Read More ›
Mobile phone addiction - Young man texting or looking at social media at night - insomnia, online obsession concept. Banner panorama.
Type
post
Author
Adam Nieri
Date
December 7, 2019
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Social Media
Tagged
,

The Feed: A Mind Matters TV Series Review

I started out thinking that the show was just the usual ho-hum tyrant-AI-takes-over flick and it is so good to be wrong!
Adam Nieri
December 7, 2019

Imagine a world where your mind is stored on social media. Now, what happens if someone steals, then abandons it. What will you do?

Read More ›
Social media Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash 6lcT2kRPvnI
Type
post
Author
Russ White
Date
December 2, 2019
Categorized
Philosophy of Mind, Social Media
Tagged
, ,

So Many Selfies, So Little Self

The collage of images on social media so often doesn’t add up to a single self
Russ White
December 2, 2019

Consider the way in which the phrase: “That’s your truth— my truth is different,” has expanded in scope. It’s now: “That’s your truth—my truth, right now, and on this social media platform, is different!”

Read More ›
Beautiful Male Computer Engineer and Scientists Create Neural Network at His Workstation. Office is Full of Displays Showing 3D Representations of Neural Networks.
Type
post
Author
Denyse O'Leary
Date
November 12, 2019
Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Medicine and Health, Social Media
Tagged
, ,

How Algorithms Can Seem Racist

Machines don’t think. They work with piles of “data” from many sources. What could go wrong? Good thing someone asked…
Denyse O'Leary
November 12, 2019

Some of the recent conflicts around algorithms and ethnicity are flubs that social media entrepreneurs will regret. Others may endanger life.

Read More ›
May Name is, Free Hong Kong.
Type
post
Author
Heather Zeiger
Date
November 8, 2019
Categorized
Global Technology, Social Media, Surveillance, Technocracy
Tagged
,

Tiananmen Square 30 Years On: Words Still Have Power

Back then, students fought oppression via the fax. They depended on free media in Hong Kong to tell the world
Heather Zeiger
November 8, 2019

The Chinese government has described the Hong Kong protests as violent riots by extremists. And, as with mainland China’s reports on Tiananmen Square, the abuses by police in Hong Kong have been scrubbed from the Chinese internet, while violence by protesters has been highlighted.

Read More ›
Chain with lock on computer keyboard. It means laptop banned or internet banned. Symbol of computer addiction, games, social networks and so on
Type
post
Author
Mind Matters
Date
November 8, 2019
Categorized
Global Technology, Social Media
Tagged
, , ,

India’s Social Media Content Removal Order Is a Nail in the Coffin of the Internet As We Know it

The High Court of Delhi ordered Facebook, Google, and Twitter to remove content globally if it is considered defamatory locally
Mind Matters
November 8, 2019

In reaching its decision, the Indian court relied on a string of recent decisions from around the world. For example, it drew from the Canadian approach in Equustek, where the Supreme Court of Canada ordered Google to remove content globally. 

Read More ›
Cuboid with Digital Zeros and Ones
Type
post
Author
News
Date
October 16, 2019
Categorized
Business and Finance, Data Privacy, Social Media, Surveillance, Technocracy
Tagged
, , , , , , , , ,

How Much Google Do You Really Need?

As more people are becoming concerned about Big Tech’s snooping and apparent political ambitions, practical responses are emerging
News
October 16, 2019

Getting away from constant surveillance and dangerous little bubbles of manipulated information is easier than some users may realize, tech pioneers and experts say. You can make simple changes today.

Read More ›
Man is using laptop with black keys, Social media and social networking. Marketing concept
Type
post
Author
Mind Matters Analysis
Date
October 15, 2019
Categorized
Social Media, Technocracy
Tagged
, , , , , , ,

The Golden Age of the Web?—A Dissent

What happened to the collaborative culture, decentralized markets, and wisdom of crowds that bestsellers prophesied fifteen years ago?
Analysis
October 15, 2019

Remembering the prophecies for the web in the halcyon days of ten or (better) fifteen years ago is strangely painful and disorienting, like a hangover, largely because we so silently abandoned its ideals.

Read More ›
5G network wireless systems and internet of things with modern city skyline. Smart city and communication network concept .
Type
post
Author
News
Date
October 1, 2019
Categorized
Arts & Culture, Business and Finance, Global Technology, Social Media
Tagged
, , , , , ,

3G? 4G? 5G? What Gs Are These?

An expert COSM panel will fill us in on what the latest Generation of the internet (5G) and block chain offer us
News
October 1, 2019

The panelists include Jules Urbach, creator of the web’s first 3D video game platform, described by George Gilder as “the most inventive software engineer he has ever met.”

Read More ›
ev-623589-unsplash
Type
post
Author
Russ White
Date
September 30, 2019
Categorized
Business and Finance, Data Privacy, Social Media
Tagged

Cash For Your Data Won’t Solve Big Tech Privacy Issues

It seems like such a great idea… at first. But how do you know what the data is really worth?
Russ White
September 30, 2019

Privacy is a fundamental right tied to the person, rather than something on which a price tag can be placed, which can be sold for a fistful of dollars.

Read More ›
The Dreamy Abstract background from soap bubble in the air with nature defocused
Type
post
Author
Russ White
Date
September 24, 2019
Categorized
Data Privacy, Social Media, Surveillance
Tagged
,

Escaping the News Filter Bubble: Three Simple Tips

Spoiler: Reduce the amount of information big providers have about YOU
Russ White
September 24, 2019

Over time, unnoticed bubbles form ever more effective barriers against alternative information, maybe information you need. But getting out requires only a few simple steps.

Read More ›
Feeling good and smiling young women with smart phone in park,wa
Type
post
Author
News
Date
September 16, 2019
Categorized
Education, Social Media
Tagged
, ,

Canadian Province to Ban Cell Phones from Classrooms

Education experts are cautiously hopeful about reducing distraction and cyberbullying
News
September 16, 2019
France and a number of jurisdictions in Britain, as well as some American ones, have already instituted such bans and several studies have identified subsequent improvements in schoolwork. Read More ›