Happy Tuesday, everyone! Here’s your Tuesday Tech Drop, the top stories from the past week at the intersection of tech and politics.
Trump’s fake black supporters
The BBC came out with a new report this week about Trump supporters using artificial intelligence to create images of Trump that appear friendly to non-existent black people. Despite Trump’s history of significant racism (consider his “poisoning the blood of our country” statements, to take just one recent example), he and his supporters have managed to expand their support among black people. are trying That it seems very sad to create fake pictures to convey this message. The BBC spoke to a white, conservative radio host called Mark Kay, who created a picture. He explained, “I’m not out there taking pictures of what’s really going on. I’m a storyteller.”
Here is a photo of what Kaye and his team created:
The story Kaye and others like him seem to tell through these dubious images is of a man beloved by black people, despite his long list of anti-black deeds. I’m pretty sure these fake photos won’t work to sway black voters. Trump has been photographed with various (real, live) black people over the years and it doesn’t seem to have helped him win over black voters at all. But this is just the latest, troubling example of artificial intelligence being used in a way that seems designed to trick people.
Read more on The BBC.
Here are some other stories I’ve been following:
A new app roach
Learn about Superfeed, an organization run by Tyler Bowyer, an executive with the right-wing group Turning Point USA. The group has a new app it’s trying to sell to the Republican Party. NBC News previously reported that some in the GOP see the app, designed as a canvassing and campaign management tool, as a way for TPUSA to – In the words of one anonymous RNC member — “Designing their data operation to trick people.” The Daily Beast has a new report about the app’s financial ties to Arizona GOP Senate candidate Kerry Lake. And The Beast’s report highlights the wealth of data Superfeed’s developers may be able to glean from users, including addresses and cellphone usage.
Read more on The Daily Beast.
Tesla’s Troubles
A judge ruled Wednesday that thousands of black Tesla employees can file a class-action lawsuit against the company owned by Elon Musk, alleging widespread racial discrimination at its plant in Fremont, California. And has failed to deal with harassment. The move could potentially expose Tesla to a multi-million dollar lawsuit. Tesla is currently facing lawsuits in California over similar allegations brought by two state agencies and the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In a 2022 response to a California lawsuit, Tesla said it “strongly” opposes discrimination and called allegations of widespread racism part of a “narrative” being spun by lawyers. Is.
Read more on Time.
Leak problems
The US intelligence community was leaking all sorts of places.
Jake Teixeira, the airman who leaked classified information about the ongoing war in Ukraine on Discord, pleaded guilty and accepted a nearly 16-year sentence, according to the New York Times. His sentencing came on the same day that David Slater, another man who served in the Air Force, was charged with leaking national defense information to a foreign dating website, NBC News reports. was imposed.
Read more on The New York Times.
Dems are learning to love AI in politics.
Even as experts warn about the potentially malicious use of artificial intelligence in political advertising, Democrats and their allies are plotting what they consider to be a conspiracy. Ethical Ways to use technology in politics. NBC News recently published an article on “Tech for Campaigns,” an organization that is helping Democrats create “AI-powered” campaign materials, such as chatbot-generated emails. Or campaign signs created with generative AI tools, said one of the group’s co-founders. Ultimately reviewed and edited by real people. Tech for Campaigns believes that these tools will help the productivity of campaigns by coming up with new ideas for slogans and other campaign staples.
Read more on NBC News.
FCC Chair Says U.S. Domestic Abuse Lawmaker Should Cover Technology
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission is calling for more regulations to prevent domestic abusers from taking advantage of smart car features — such as tools that allow someone to remotely service or control vehicle components — to Victims of
See it NBC News Now segment On the tips.
“California Forever” may have to wait until later.
Backers of “California Forever,” a secret conspiracy by wealthy Californians to establish a new “city” that they had bought, appears to have given the proposal a shot this November. have fallen behind in trying to get signatures to put on the ballot.
Read more about campaign struggles concerned body.