Content Policy

Whistle-blower claims Meta is hindering legislative engagement

Former Facebook executive turned whistle-blower Sarah Wynn-Williams says Meta is preventing her from speaking to lawmakers about her experiences at the company following the release of her memoir Careless People. Meta filed for emergency arbitration the day her book was published, claiming it violated a non-disparagement agreement she signed upon leaving.

An arbitrator then temporarily barred her from promoting the book or making any critical remarks about Meta. As a result, Wynn-Williams says she cannot respond to requests from US, UK, and the EU lawmakers who want to speak with her about serious public interest issues raised in her memoir.

These include Meta’s alleged ties with the Chinese government and the platform’s impact on teenage girls. Her lawyers argue the arbitration order unfairly blocks her from contributing to ongoing investigations and legislative inquiries.

Meta maintains it does not intend to interfere with Wynn-Williams’ legal rights and insists the claims in her book are outdated or false. The company also points out that she can still file complaints with government agencies.

Wynn-Williams has filed whistle-blower complaints with the SEC and the Department of Justice. Her memoir, which describes internal controversies at Meta — including sexual harassment claims and the company’s ambitions in China — debuted on the New York Times best-seller list.

Despite Meta’s legal pushback, her legal team argues that silencing her voice is a disservice to the public and lawmakers working to address the social media giant’s influence and accountability.

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How scammers are using fake Google Maps listings to target customers

Google has removed 10,000 fake business listings from Google Maps and filed a lawsuit against a scam network accused of creating and selling fraudulent profiles.

The legal action was prompted by a complaint from a Texas locksmith who discovered someone had impersonated their business on the platform. That led Google to uncover a broader scheme involving fake listings for profit.

The company warns that scammers are using increasingly advanced methods to trick users. These fake listings may appear legitimate, leading customers to contact or visit them.

Victims are sometimes overcharged for services or misled into paying upfront for services that are never delivered. Scammers also use fake reviews and manipulated Q&As to make the listings seem trustworthy.

In 2023 alone, Google blocked or removed 12 million fake business profiles, an increase of one million from the previous year.

The company has also been cracking down on businesses using fake engagement tactics, including artificial reviews, to inflate their reputations falsely.

Internationally, Google has begun implementing stricter rules in response to growing regulatory pressure, including in the UK, where it restricts deceptive businesses engaged in review manipulation.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

Google adds Mind Maps to NotebookLM

Google has unveiled a new feature called Mind Maps for its AI-powered research tool, NotebookLM. Mind maps are visual diagrams that help users understand complex subjects by displaying ideas and their connections.

An addition like this follows the recent release of Audio Overviews, which provide AI-generated podcasts summarising key points from documents, articles, and videos.

NotebookLM, which works in both free and paid versions, assists users in summarising content and offering interactive conversations with AI to deepen understanding.

The new Mind Maps feature lets users generate and explore visual connections between ideas. Once created, users can zoom, expand or collapse branches, and click on nodes for detailed information on specific topics.

The feature is particularly useful for students or anyone who needs to absorb a lot of information quickly. With the combined power of Mind Maps and Audio Overviews, NotebookLM offers a multi-faceted approach to learning, making it easier to navigate and retain key insights.

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ChatGPT wrongly accuses man of murder

A Norwegian man has lodged a complaint against OpenAI after ChatGPT falsely claimed he had murdered his two sons and was serving a 21-year prison sentence.

Arve Hjalmar Holmen, who has never been accused of any crime, says the chatbot’s response was deeply damaging, leading him to seek action from the Norwegian Data Protection Authority.

Digital rights group Noyb, representing Holmen, argues the incident violates European data protection laws regarding the accuracy of personal data.

The error highlights a growing concern over AI ‘hallucinations,’ where chatbots generate false information and present it as fact.

Holmen received the incorrect response when searching for his own name, with ChatGPT fabricating a detailed and defamatory account of a crime that never occurred. Although the chatbot carries a disclaimer about potential inaccuracies,

Noyb insists this is not enough, arguing that spreading false information cannot be justified by a simple warning label.

AI-generated hallucinations have plagued multiple platforms, including Apple and Google, with some errors being bizarre but others causing real harm.

Experts remain uncertain about the underlying causes of these inaccuracies in large language models, making them a key focus of ongoing research.

While OpenAI has since updated ChatGPT’s model to incorporate current news sources, the case raises questions about accountability and the transparency of AI-generated content.

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Baidu dismisses claims of leaked user information

Chinese tech giant Baidu has denied claims of an internal data breach after the teenage daughter of a senior executive was accused of sharing users’ personal information online.

The controversy erupted when internet users alleged that the daughter of Baidu vice president Xie Guangjun had posted private details, including phone numbers, following an online dispute.

Baidu insisted that neither employees nor executives have access to user data and claimed the information came from illegally obtained ‘doxing databases’ on foreign platforms.

The company has filed a police report regarding false claims, including allegations that Xie had given his daughter access to Baidu’s databases.

Xie apologised, stating that the data had been sourced from overseas social networking sites.

The case comes amid ongoing crackdown in China on data privacy breaches, with stricter laws in place to prevent unauthorised sharing of personal details.

The controversy has impacted investor confidence, with Baidu’s shares falling more than 4% in Hong Kong trading.

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Italian newspaper ‘Il Foglio’ has published the world’s first AI-generated edition

The Italian newspaper ‘Il Foglio’ has released an edition entirely generated by AI, marking (as far as we know) an unprecedented step in journalism. This four-page supplement, ‘Il Foglio AI,’ accompanies the regular print edition and is accessible online. ​

The initiative is part of a month-long experiment led by editor Claudio Cerasa, aiming to explore AI’s impact on journalistic practices and daily life. Cerasa emphasised that AI was utilised for all aspects of the edition, including writing, headlines, quotes, and summaries, with journalists’ roles limited to inputting questions and reviewing AI-generated responses. ​

The AI-generated content covers a range of topics. The front page analyses US President Donald Trump’s Italian supporters, highlighting contradictions in their stance on ‘cancel culture.’ Another prominent article examines Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ’10 betrayals,’ detailing two decades of unfulfilled promises and broken agreements. Additionally, an economic piece discusses Italy’s recent income tax reforms, noting salary increases for approximately 750,000 workers. ​

The edition addresses contemporary social issues, such as young Europeans’ shift away from traditional relationships, coining the term ‘situationships.’ The final page includes AI-generated letters to the editor, one of which humorously questions whether AI will render humans ‘useless’ in the future.

The AI responds wittily, acknowledging its limitations by stating it ‘doesn’t yet know how to order a coffee without getting the sugar wrong.’ ​

While the articles are clear and free of grammatical errors, they notably lack direct human quotations, showing current limitations in AI-generated journalism.

Cerasa describes ‘Il Foglio AI’ as a genuine newspaper, embodying news, debate, and provocation. He views it as a practical test to understand how AI can be integrated into daily journalistic routines, encouraging contemplation of the broader questions this technology raises.

Cerasa concludes by suggesting that this edition represents ‘just another Il Foglio made with intelligence,’ challenging readers to reconsider the definition of AI.

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Google Gemini launches Audio Overview and Canvas

Google’s Gemini team has introduced two new features aimed at improving user interaction with documents and coding projects. The first, Audio Overview, transforms uploaded documents into audio podcasts presented by AI hosts.

The feature, initially part of Google’s NotebookLM, is now available to all Gemini users, regardless of their subscription plan.

While it currently supports only English, additional languages will be added soon. Users can easily generate podcasts from documents, which can then be shared, downloaded, and accessed via web or mobile.

In addition to Audio Overview, Gemini has launched Canvas, an interactive tool designed to help users create and refine work. Canvas offers features that allow users to generate first drafts, edit content, and receive feedback on tone, length, and formatting.

Once completed, the work can be exported directly to Google Docs. Canvas also supports coding, helping developers create prototypes for web apps, Python scripts, and games, while students can use it to learn coding concepts.

These innovative tools highlight Google’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the user experience and revolutionising how people engage with digital content and coding. Gemini’s new features are now available to all users globally, with Canvas already rolling out to both Gemini and Gemini Advanced users.

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RFE/RL sues Trump administration over grant cuts

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the US-funded news outlet established during the Cold War to reach people under Communist regimes, filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday.

The lawsuit aims to block the termination of its federal grant, which was recently cut by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM).

The cuts affect not only RFE/RL, which broadcasts to Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine, but also Radio Free Asia, which serves China and North Korea.

The decision to cut funding has been widely criticized by press freedom advocates and human rights organizations. Additionally, over 1,300 employees of Voice of America were placed on leave after Trump ordered cuts across USAGM and several other federal agencies.

In its lawsuit, RFE/RL argued that terminating the grant violates federal laws, including the US Constitution, which grants Congress the exclusive authority over federal spending.

RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus called the move a dangerous step towards ceding influence to adversaries’ propaganda and censorship. The case was filed in US District Court for the District of Columbia.

While the Trump administration justified the cuts as part of its broader cost-reduction efforts, the action has drawn backlash from those who view it as an attack on free speech and independent journalism.

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Apple loses appeal against German regulators

Apple has lost its appeal against a regulatory decision that could impose stricter controls on the company in Germany.

The Federal Court of Justice upheld a 2023 ruling by the country’s competition authority, which classified Apple as a company of ‘paramount cross-market significance for competition,’ placing it under closer scrutiny.

A decision like this means Apple will face potential regulatory measures similar to those imposed on tech giants such as Google’s parent company, Alphabet, and Facebook’s owner, Meta.

The ruling follows a judge’s earlier indication in January that the court would side with the regulator. Apple had attempted to involve the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg, but the request was denied.

In Europe, Apple’s App Store has come under increasing scrutiny, with regulators expressing concerns over how the company collects and utilises vast amounts of user data. This latest setback adds to Apple’s ongoing legal and regulatory challenges in the region.

For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.

US bans Chinese AI LLM DeepSeek from government devices

Several US Commerce Department bureaus have recently prohibited using the Chinese AI model DeepSeek on government-issued devices, according to internal communications and sources familiar with the matter.

A mass email circulated among staff emphasised the importance of safeguarding departmental information systems, instructing employees to refrain from downloading, viewing, or accessing any applications, desktop apps, or websites associated with DeepSeek. ​

The case reflects escalating apprehensions among US officials and legislators regarding data privacy and the potential exposure of sensitive government information through DeepSeek’s usage.

In February, Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence members, introduced legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices. They also contacted state governors, urging similar prohibitions at the state level. In a letter dated 3 March, the lawmakers cautioned that using DeepSeek could inadvertently share highly sensitive and proprietary information with the Chinese Communist Party, including contracts, documents, and financial records. ​

Several states, including Virginia, Texas, and New York, have already implemented bans on DeepSeek for government devices. A coalition of 21 state attorneys general has called on Congress to enact comprehensive legislation addressing this issue.

The concerns stem from DeepSeek’s rapid emergence as a low-cost AI model, which has disrupted global equity markets and posed a potential threat to the United States’ leadership in AI. ​

Stay updated on DeepSeek developments!

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