The European Commission has requested that Amazon provide detailed information regarding its measures to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA) obligations. Specifically, the Commission is interested in the transparency of Amazon’s recommender systems. Amazon has been given a deadline of 26 July to respond.
The DSA mandates that major tech companies, like Amazon, take more responsibility in addressing illegal and harmful content on their platforms. The regulatory push aims to create a safer and more predictable online environment for users. Amazon stated that it is currently reviewing the EU’s request and plans to work closely with the European Commission.
A spokesperson for Amazon expressed support for the Commission’s objectives, emphasising the company’s commitment to a safe and trustworthy shopping experience. Amazon highlighted its significant investments in protecting its platform from bad actors and illegal content and noted that these efforts align with DSA compliance.
Russian disinformation campaigns are targeting social media to destabilise France’s political scene during its legislative campaign, according to a study by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). The study highlights Kremlin strategies such as normalising far-right ideologies and weakening the ‘Republican front’ that opposes the far-right Rassemblement National (RN).
Researchers noted that Russia’s influence tactics, including astroturfing and meme wars, have been used previously during the 2016 US presidential elections and the 2022 French presidential elections to support RN figurehead Marine Le Pen. The Kremlin’s current efforts aim to exploit ongoing global conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, to influence French political dynamics.
Despite these findings, the actual impact of these disinformation campaigns remains uncertain. Some experts argue that while such interference may sway voter behaviour or amplify tensions, the overall effect is limited. The CNRS study focused on activity on X (formerly Twitter) and acknowledged that further research is needed to understand the broader implications of these digital disruptions.
Global streaming companies are contesting new Canadian regulations requiring them to contribute to local news funding, arguing the federal government has acted without legal justification. In June, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that all major online streaming services must allocate 5% of their Canadian revenues to support the domestic broadcasting system, including news production. The Motion Picture Association-Canada, representing Netflix, Walt Disney Co., and others, has filed applications for a judicial review, claiming the CRTC’s decision lacks a legal basis.
The CRTC stated that the funds would support areas of immediate need in the broadcasting system, such as local news, French-language, and Indigenous content. The regulator expects the rules, effective in September, to generate roughly CAD 200 million annually. However, the streaming companies argue that it is unreasonable to compel foreign entities to support Canadian news production.
The measure, introduced under a law passed last year, aims to ensure that online streaming services promote Canadian content and support local jobs. The Motion Picture Association-Canada, representing other platforms like Paramount, Sony, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros Discovery, is leading the legal challenge against these regulations.
According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Platforms’ latest social media app, Threads, has reached over 175 million monthly active users just before its first anniversary. Launched on 5 July last year, Threads aimed to attract users from Twitter, now rebranded as X, during its tumultuous acquisition by Elon Musk. The app quickly gained 100 million users within a week, partly due to its integration with Instagram, but some early users eventually left.
Despite its rapid user growth, Threads has struggled with engagement. Market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reports a significant decline in user activity, with the average sessions and time spent on the app dropping considerably since its launch. Threads has yet to introduce advertising, making little to no revenue for Meta. The platform’s recent integration into the Fediverse, which allows interaction across various social media sites, has yet to boost engagement substantially.
Analysts point out that Threads needs a more precise identity and original content, which could hinder its growth. There is ongoing speculation about whether Meta will maintain Threads as a standalone app or integrate it further with Instagram. Despite these challenges, advertisers’ interest in Threads remains high.
A recent research paper from Google reveals that generative AI already distorts socio-political reality and scientific consensus. The paper, titled ‘Generative AI Misuse: A Taxonomy of Tactics and Insights from Real-World Data,’ was co-authored by researchers from Google DeepMind, Jigsaw, and Google.org.
It categorises various ways generative AI tools are misused, analysing around 200 incidents reported in the media and academic papers between January 2023 and March 2024. Unlike warnings about hypothetical future risks, this research focuses on the real harm generative AI is currently causing, such as flooding the internet with generated text, audio, images, and videos.
The researchers found that most AI misuse involves exploiting system capabilities rather than attacking the models themselves. However, this misuse blurs the lines between authentic and deceptive content, undermining public trust. AI-generated content is being used for impersonation, creating non-consensual intimate images, and amplifying harmful content. These activities often uphold the terms of service of AI tools, highlighting a significant challenge in regulating AI misuse.
Google’s research also emphasises the environmental impact of generative AI. The increasing integration of AI into various products drives energy consumption, making it difficult to reduce emissions. Despite efforts to improve data centre efficiency, the overall rise in AI use has outpaced these gains. The paper calls for a multi-faceted approach to mitigate AI misuse, involving collaboration between policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and civil society.
The US Supreme Court decided not to review a case involving a Texas teenager who sued Snapchat, alleging the platform did not adequately protect him from sexual abuse by a teacher. The minor, known as Doe, accused Snap Inc. of negligence for failing to safeguard young users from sexual predators, particularly a teacher who exploited him via the app. Bonnie Guess-Mazock, the teacher involved, was convicted of sexually assaulting the teenager.
Lower courts dismissed the lawsuit, citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields internet companies from liability for content posted by users. With the Supreme Court declining to hear the case, Snapchat retains its protection under this law. Justices Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch expressed concerns about the broad immunity granted to social media platforms under Section 230.
Why does this matter?
The case has sparked wider debate about the responsibilities of tech companies in preventing such abuses and whether laws like Section 230 should be revised to hold them more accountable for content on their platforms. Both US political parties have called for reforms to ensure internet companies can be held liable when their platforms are used for harmful activities.
Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced it would lift its blanket ban on the word ‘shaheed’ (which means ‘martyr’ in English). The move follows a year-long review by Meta’s independent oversight board, which concluded that the company’s approach to the word was overly broad.
Meta faced strong criticism for its content policies, particularly regarding the Middle East. A 2021 study commissioned by Meta Platforms highlighted the adverse human rights impact on Palestinians and other Arabic-speaking users. Criticisms intensified with the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in October.
Why does it matter?
The review revealed that Meta’s policy on the word ‘shaheed’ did not consider its various meanings, often resulting in the removal of non-violent content. Meta acknowledged these findings and adjusted its approach, removing content only when ‘shaheed’ is paired with otherwise violating content. The oversight board welcomed this change, noting that the previous policy had led to widespread censorship across Meta’s platforms.
In a unique twist on political campaigning, a Wyoming man named Victor Miller has entered the mayoral race in Cheyenne with an AI bot called ‘VIC.’ Miller, who works at a Laramie County library, sees VIC as a revolutionary tool for improving government transparency and accountability. However, just before a scheduled interview with Fox News Digital, Miller faced a significant setback when OpenAI closed his account, jeopardising his campaign.
Despite this challenge, Miller remains determined to continue promoting VIC, hoping to demonstrate its potential at a public event in Laramie County. He believes that AI technology can streamline government processes and reduce human error, although he is now contemplating whether to declare his reliance on VIC formally. The decision comes as he navigates the restrictions imposed by OpenAI, which cited policy violations related to political campaigning.
Miller’s vision extends beyond his mayoral bid. He has called for support from prominent figures in the AI industry, like Elon Musk, to develop an open-source model that ensures equal access to this emerging technology. His campaign underscores a broader debate about open versus closed AI models, emphasising the need for transparency and fairness in technological advancements.
Wyoming’s legal framework, however, presents additional hurdles. State officials have indicated that candidates must be real persons and use their full names on the ballot. The issue complicates VIC’s candidacy, as the AI bot cannot meet these requirements. Nevertheless, Miller’s innovative approach has sparked conversations about the future role of AI in governance, with similar initiatives emerging globally.
YouTube has implemented new privacy guidelines allowing individuals to request the removal of AI-generated videos that imitate them. Initially promised in November 2023, these rules are now officially in effect, as confirmed by a recent update to YouTube’s privacy policies.
According to the updated guidelines, users can request the removal of content that realistically depicts a synthetic version of themselves, created or altered using AI. YouTube will evaluate such requests based on several criteria, including whether the content is changed, disclosed as synthetic, identifiable, realistic, and whether it serves public interest like parody or satire. Human moderators will handle complaints, and if validated, the uploader must either delete the video within 48 hours or edit out the problematic parts.
These guidelines aim to protect individuals from potentially harmful content like deepfakes, which can easily mislead viewers. They are particularly relevant in upcoming elections in countries such as France, the UK, and the US, where misusing AI-generated videos could impact political discourse.
Google announced that it will require advertisers to disclose election ads that use digitally altered content depicting real or realistic-looking people or events to combat misinformation during elections. This latest update to Google’s political content policy mandates advertisers to select a checkbox for ‘altered or synthetic content’ within their campaign settings.
The proliferation of generative AI, capable of rapidly creating text, images, and video, has sparked concerns over potential misuse. Deepfakes, which convincingly manipulate content to misrepresent individuals, have further blurred the distinction between fact and fiction in digital media.
To implement these changes, Google will automatically generate an in-ad disclosure for feeds and shorts on mobile devices and in-stream ads on computers and television. Advertisers must provide a prominently displayed disclosure for other ad formats that is clearly visible to users. According to Google, the exact wording of these disclosures will vary based on the context of each advertisement.
Why does it matter?
Earlier this year, during India’s general election, fake videos featuring Bollywood actors surfaced online, criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and urging support for the opposition Congress party. The incident highlighted the growing challenge of combating deceptive content amplified by AI-generated media.
In a related effort, OpenAI, led by Sam Altman, reported disrupting five covert influence operations in May that aimed to manipulate public opinion using AI models across various online platforms. Meta Platforms had previously committed to similar transparency measures, requiring advertisers on Facebook and Instagram to disclose the use of AI or digital tools in creating political, social, or election-related ads.
