In a decisive move to curb the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) in telecommunications, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has declared the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal. This ruling, effective immediately, targets the increasing exploitation of voice-cloning technology to deceive and manipulate the public, including voters, through unsolicited robocalls. The decision underscores the FCC’s commitment to safeguarding the …

The United States government is taking significant steps to protect national security, American interests, and tech jobs through a series of strategic investments and legislative actions. One of the most notable initiatives is the establishment of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), a $5 billion semiconductor research consortium aimed at bolstering chip design and hardware innovation in the U.S. This …

Ever have that feeling that what you were “previously” searching you then only to switch to another app only to then get inundated with ads pertaining to things and subjects that you just searched for? Well, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Kochava, a known data broker, alleging serious violations of privacy and security similar to …

The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) has introduced the FISA Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2023, which aims to renew Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This bill has been met with criticism and calls for significant reforms. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has expressed concerns about the bill, stating that it ignores years of …

According to recent reports, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) has warned that foreign governments are spying on Apple and Google smartphone users through their push notifications. The senator’s office received a tip that government agencies in foreign countries were demanding push notification records from the tech giants. This practice allows governments to track smartphone users through the pop-up messages that …

Trevor Jacob, a former Olympic athlete and YouTuber, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for intentionally crashing his plane in a publicity stunt to gain social media attention and financial gain. Jacob, who had secured a sponsorship from a company, wallet company, agreed to promote the company’s products in a YouTube video. He took off in his …

Hearst Magazines, the parent company of popular publications such as Cosmopolitan and Esquire, recently introduced a new social media policy that has raised concerns among employees and civil rights advocates. The fairly vague policy warns employees that even “liking” controversial content on social media could result in termination, and encourages them to report colleagues who post content that could violate the …

In an era where misinformation is rampant, YouTube, one of the world’s largest video-sharing platforms, is making significant strides to promote news from ‘authoritative sources’. This initiative is part of a broader effort to combat the spread of fake news and misinformation, and to ensure that viewers have access to reliable and accurate information. YouTube’s News Hub and Immersive Watch …

Google DeepMind Google DeepMind has developed a digital watermarking tool called SynthID to identify AI-generated images and limit misinformation. SynthID embeds imperceptible watermarks into AI-generated images, which stay in place even when an image is cropped. The software works by embedding “signals” to individual pixels in pictures, making watermarks invisible to the human eye but identifiable by computers. SynthID uses …

Senate Bill 244 (SB 244), also known as the Right to Repair Act, is a piece of legislation introduced in California by Senator Susan Eggman. The bill aims to require manufacturers to provide customers and independent repair shops with the necessary tools, manuals, and parts to repair damaged electronics and appliances. The bill builds on the existing California Song-Beverly Consumer …