This week, we go deep on misinformation. We start by breaking down some new academic research into the effect of Facebook and its algorithms on polarisation, and challenge some of the reporting on the key takeaways from the research. We also explore Australia's proposed misinformation bill and discuss its merits and the commentary surrounding the bill. Links: Nature blog on research (Nature) https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02420-z Article about research into Meta's impact on polarisation (Atlantic) https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/07/meta-facebook-political-polarization-studies/674841/ Nick Clegg blog on research (Meta) https://about.fb.com/news/2023/07/research-social-media-impact-elections/ Previous Nick Clegg blog (Medium) https://nickclegg.medium.com/you-and-the-algorithm-it-takes-two-to-tango-7722b19aa1c2 Analysis of research findings (Tech Policy Press) https://techpolicy.press/what-can-we-learn-from-the-first-studies-of-facebooks-and-instagrams-roles-in-the-us-2020-election/ Article about "Ministry of Truth" claims (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/laws-no-ministry-of-truth-minister-defends-proposed-misinformation-laws-20230714-p5docy.html Rod Sims op-ed (AFR) https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/making-big-tech-combat-disinformation-is-no-threat-to-free-speech-20230724-p5dqoy Article about Aus Government misinformation laws (Guardian) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-25/fines-to-punish-online-misinformation-under-new-draft-bill/102521500 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we discuss the burgeoning trade in our location data. Our mobile devices and the apps on them regularly collect and and transmit the details of our physical location. Sometimes this is to support a useful and convenient purpose, like finding a nearby cafe or a family member. But at other times, it's in order to share and sell that data with third-parties such as data brokers. We explore these practices in more detail. Links: Article about US lawmaker moves to prevent law enforcement from buying location data (WIRED) https://www.wired.com/story/fourth-amendment-is-not-for-sale-act-2023/ Investigation into location data (NYTimes) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/19/opinion/location-tracking-cell-phone.html Article about location data relating to abortion clinics (Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/01/google-delete-location-data-abortion-clinic Article about Life360 family safety app (The Markup https://themarkup.org/privacy/2021/12/06/the-popular-family-safety-app-life360-is-selling-precise-location-data-on-its-tens-of-millions-of-user   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we discuss the new social networking app from Meta - Threads. Will it successfully meet the expectation for, and Meta's promo claims of, a new public conversation app to rival Twitter from years gone by? We also discuss the reasons behind the app not launching in the EU, and the regulatory lessons of this outcomes.   Links: Introducing Threads: A New Way to Share With Text (Meta) https://about.fb.com/news/2023/07/introducing-threads-new-app-text-sharing/ Article welcoming Threads with heady excitement (SMH) https://www.smh.com.au/business/consumer-affairs/hit-app-threads-is-intoxicating-it-offers-the-internet-we-were-promised-20230709-p5dmvt.html Interview with Meta's Adam Mosseri (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/7/23787334/instagram-threads-news-politics-adam-mosseri-meta-facebook Another interview with Mosseri (Platformer) ⁠ https://www.platformer.news/p/meta-unspools-threads Article about Threads not launching in Europe (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/23789754/threads-meta-twitter-eu-dma-digital-markets   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we explore the growing use of facial recognition by stadiums, after a recent CHOICE report revealed the technology was in use at several major sporting and concert venues around Australia. We evaluate the merits of varying uses of the technology, from the security use cases to enabling of more convenient check-in and purchasing services for stadium patrons. Links: CHOICE report https://www.choice.com.au/consumers-and-data/data-collection-and-use/how-your-data-is-used/articles/facial-recognition-in-stadiums Article about Australian stadium facial recognition use (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-06/facial-recognition-used-sports-stadiums-scg-mcg-allianz-stadium/102562646 Ticketek CTO comments (AFR) https://www.afr.com/technology/ticketek-cto-says-chinesestyle-facial-recognition-tech-will-soon-be-used-at-aussie-events-20180521-h10bkf US use of facial recognition (WIRED) https://www.wired.com/story/get-used-to-face-recognition-in-stadiums/ Story about lawyer getting banned by Madison Square Gardens (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/21/23520990/rockettes-msg-facial-recognition-ban-privacy-ai Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the fourth and final episode in our short series about AI. In this episode, we assess the public dialogue about AI and how it has evolved in recent times. We discuss the heady excitement about the technology's possibilities and emerging concerns about its risks, and what the right risks to focus on are. We also explore how the emerging AI conversation compares to discussions about previous disruptive technologies such as social media.   Links: Open letter about AI risks https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/ News article written by ChatGPT https://news.sky.com/story/chatgpt-we-let-an-ai-chatbot-help-write-an-article-heres-how-it-went-12763244 Article about AI-generated version of songs by The Weeknd and Drake (NY Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/19/arts/music/ai-drake-the-weeknd-fake.html Nick Cave on AI (BBC News) https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-64302944 2016 article about self-driving trucks (The Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/17/self-driving-trucks-impact-on-drivers-jobs-us   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the third episode in a short series about AI. In this episode we explore international moves to regulate AI, with approaches ranging from voluntary guidance and self regulation to dedicated legislation for AI. We explore the varying philosophical approaches (notably between the US and Europe), and discuss Australia's approach to the challenge, which is currently focused on a discussion paper from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.   Links: OpenAI’s CEO Goes on a Diplomatic Charm Offensive (Foreign Policy)https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/06/20/openai-ceo-diplomacy-artificial-intelligence/   Department of Industry, Science and Resources discussion paperhttps://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/Rapid%20Response%20Information%20Report%20-%20Generative%20AI.pdf   Exclusive: OpenAI Lobbied the E.U. to Water Down AI Regulation (TIME) https://time.com/6288245/openai-eu-lobbying-ai-act/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email   EU lawmakers eye tiered approach to regulating generative AI (TechCrunch)https://techcrunch.com/2023/04/21/eu-ai-act-generative-ai/   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the second episode in a short series about AI. With the potential harms of AI receiving greater exposure over recent months, we take a look at how businesses are responding. We explore the role and effectiveness of "ethical principles", introduced by many organisations to guide AI usage, and how existing corporate governance practices can be extended to the challenges of AI.   Links: UTS HTI: The State of AI Governance in Australia https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/HTI%20The%20State%20of%20AI%20Governance%20in%20Australia%20-%2031%20May%202023.pdf The uselessness of AI ethics (Academic paper by Luke Munn) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-022-00209-w Governing AI: A Blueprint for the Future (Microsoft) https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RW14Gtw Australia’s AI Ethics Principles https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-artificial-intelligence-ethics-framework/australias-ai-ethics-principles Safe Work Australia on the effectiveness of different regulatory interventions https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/effectiveness-whs-interventions-by-regulators-literature-review.pdf The ethics of AI ethics (Academic paper comparing AI guidelines) https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.03425 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This is the first episode in a short series about AI. After months of frenzied activity and dialogue, the AI conversation seems to be consolidating around some common questions, including: What is AI exactly? What are the harms it can cause? How should businesses govern their use of AI? What should policymakers and governments do? What's the public perspective and how is that being shaped? And there seems to also be some consolidation of opinions in response to those questions. In this series, we'll explore those questions and the emerging consensus. In this episode, we tackle the first two of those questions - What is AI and what are its harms?   Links: Article about US Lawyer who used ChatGPT facing penalties for made up citations (NY Times) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/nyregion/lawyer-chatgpt-sanctions.html UTS HTI: The State of AI Governance in Australia https://www.uts.edu.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/HTI%20The%20State%20of%20AI%20Governance%20in%20Australia%20-%2031%20May%202023.pdf Government releases AI discussion papers (InnovationAus https://www.innovationaus.com/ed-husic-releases-discussion-papers-on-ai-regulation/ Generative AI: Language models and multimodal foundation models https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-05/Rapid%20Response%20Information%20Report%20-%20Generative%20AI.pdf Article about AI "extinction risk" (TechCrunch)https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/30/ai-extiction-risk-statement/   Credits: Music by Bensound.com

We break down the recent record fine against Meta by the Irish data protection regulator, which focuses on Meta's practice of transferring data about its EU customers to the US, where it is exposed to US spy agencies. The fine, and the legal proceedings that led to it, originate with a complaint by an Austrian man called Max Schrems. For over a decade, Schrems and his not-for-profit NOYB have pursued several privacy complaints via the courts - leading to the striking down of major international data transfer agreements. Who is this man that has had an outsized impact on international data protection arrangements? We take a look at his story. Links: Meta hit with record $1.9 billion fine over transfer of users' data to United States (ABC) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-23/meta-record-fine-facebook-data-eu-us-transfer-data/102379666 IAPP analysis of fine (IAPP) https://iapp.org/news/a/ireland-dpcs-data-transfers-decision-pragmatic-punch-or-knockout-blow/ Max Schrems response to fine (NOYB) https://noyb.eu/en/edpb-decision-facebooks-eu-us-data-transfers-stop-transfers-fine-and-repatriation Interview with Max Schrems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9HhCTnRoow Article about Max Schrems (Irish Times) https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/max-schrems-the-man-who-took-on-facebook-and-won-1.3451485 Credits: Music by Bensound.com

This week we dissect proposals to introduce online age verification to protect kids from explicit content and other harmful effects of online platforms. There's significant momentum behind the idea, with various technologies being offered as an answer and the Australian government evaluating a roadmap from the eSafety Commissioner and also considering using digital identity as a solution. But the concept has its complications, including privacy implications, the workability of proposed technologies and potential broader effects on online participation.   Links: Govt mulls digital ID for online age verification (InnovationAus) https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-mulls-digital-id-for-online-age-verification/ Online age verification roadmap https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/esafety-provides-age-verification-roadmap-government-for-consideration The Verge article on age verification (The Verge) https://www.theverge.com/23721306/online-age-verification-privacy-laws-child-safety US Bill to protect children from social media https://www.schatz.senate.gov/news/press-releases/schatz-cotton-murphy-britt-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-help-protect-kids-from-harmful-impacts-of-social-media Meta uses AI to verify age on Instagram (AdNews) https://www.adnews.com.au/news/meta-uses-ai-to-verify-age-on-instagram Age verification provider Yoti responds to The Verge https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robin-tombs-6928195_online-age-verification-is-coming-and-privacy-activity-7064599256958951424-1KzX/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Amazon age verification for buying beer https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/amazon-one-age-verification   Credits: Music by Bensound.com