Meta Creates Voice Assistant Service Using Celebrity Voices
Meta is offering millions of dollars to celebrities to use their voice in a Siri and Google Assistant like system.
However, Meta’s last project using AI powered celebrity look-alike bots for users to converse with recently got withdrawn due to its failed engagement and little user interest.
Will Meta be able to engage users with celebrity voices more than AI generated celebrity look-alikes?
Threads Becomes Easier For Users To Find Hot and Trending Topics
Threads continues to try and find functions to better engage users; introducing tabs above posts that are labelled ‘top’ and ‘recent’, that take users to trending and related news.
The new update aims to help users find ‘threads’ better suited to their interests. As the platform says they are constantly searching for new ways to improve their user’s experience.
This follows on quickly from the last update, which was coined ‘Threadsdeck’, which allowed users to pin comment threads to the front of their desktop screen when using the app.
Social Media’s Moral Responsibility Amidst Civil Unrest
The relationship between disinformation and civil unrest continues to unravel, illustrating how false narratives, amplified by algorithms, have incited widespread violence and chaos.
Social media allows for like minded individuals to connect. Platforms such as TikTok and Twitter have facilitated the radicalisation of the public in a similar method to extremists.
Over the past week, the government has stated that social media companies have a ‘moral responsibility’ and that there is a need to clamp down on criminal activity being shared online.
Online Child Protection Bills Have Been Passed In The US Senate
Over the last few months, Coppa 2.0 and Kosa, the new child protection bills, have been passed in the US senate. They focus on protecting minors in an online capacity by banning targeted advertising and data collection of minors, as well as, giving parents the options to delete childrens information from social media platforms.
However, the controversy is the amount of money it prevents platforms from making, since US social media platforms have been estimated to make around $11 billion in advertising revenue from users younger than 18.
The UK seems to have followed suit as the ICO commented on social media platforms poor privacy practices in regards to children.
Turkey Blocks Access To Instagram
Following on from the Turkish government criticising Instagram for ‘censoring’ Hamas-related content, the national communications authority has blocked Instagram.
A Turkish government official stated he wanted to ‘defend freedom of expression against these platforms’.
Although there has been no explanation regarding the reason behind blocking citizens from Instagram, the decision follows closely after their public criticism of the platform.
Read more here.