The Japanese Technology Corporation, NEC (Nippon Electric Company), is developing an AI technology designed to analyze and verify the trustworthiness of online information. The project, launched under Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, aims to help combat false and misleading content on the internet. The system will be tested by fact-checking organizations, including the Japan Fact-check Center and major media outlets, with the goal of making it widely available by 2025.
The AI uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to assess different types of content such as text, images, video, and audio, detecting whether they have been manipulated or are misleading. The system then evaluates the information’s reliability, looking for inconsistencies and ensuring accurate sources. These reports allow for user-driven adjustments, such as removing unreliable information or adding new details, to enhance fact-checking operations helping organizations streamline their verification processes.
As the project progresses, NEC hopes to refine its AI system to assist fact-checkers more effectively, ensuring that false information can be identified and addressed in real time. The technology could become a vital tool for media and fact-checking organizations, addressing the growing problem of misinformation online.
Meta is set to overhaul Instagram’s privacy settings for users under 18, introducing stricter controls to protect young users. Accounts for teenagers will now be private by default, ensuring only approved connections can message or tag them. The move comes amid growing concerns over the negative impact of social media on youth, with studies highlighting links to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Parents will have more authority over their children’s accounts, including monitoring who they engage with and setting restrictions on app usage. Teens under 16 will need parental permission to change default settings. The update also includes new features like a 60-minute daily usage reminder and a default “sleep mode” to mute notifications overnight.
Social media platforms, including Meta’s Instagram, have faced numerous lawsuits, with critics arguing that these apps have addictive qualities and contribute to rising mental health problems in teenagers. Recent US legislation seeks to hold platforms accountable for their effects on young users, pushing Meta to introduce these changes.
The rollout will take place in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia within the next two months, with European Union users following later. Global adoption of the new teen accounts is expected by January next year.
TikTok and its parent company ByteDance are locked in a high-stakes legal battle with the US government to prevent a looming ban on the app, used by 170 million Americans. The legal confrontation revolves around a US law that mandates ByteDance divest its US assets by 19 January or face a complete ban. Lawyers for TikTok argue that the law violates free speech and is an unprecedented move that contradicts America’s tradition of fostering an open internet. A federal appeals court in Washington recently heard arguments from both sides, with TikTok’s legal team pushing for an injunction to halt the law’s implementation.
The US government, represented by the Justice Department, contends that TikTok’s Chinese ownership poses a significant national security threat, citing the potential for China to access American user data or manipulate the flow of information. This concern is at the core of the new legislation passed by Congress earlier this year, highlighting the risks of having a popular social media platform under foreign control. The White House, while supportive of curbing Chinese influence, has stopped short of advocating for an outright ban.
ByteDance maintains that divesting TikTok is neither technologically nor commercially feasible, casting uncertainty over the app’s future as it faces potentially severe consequences amid a politically charged environment.
The case comes at a pivotal moment in the US political landscape, with both presidential candidates, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, actively using TikTok to engage younger voters. The judges expressed concerns over the complexities involved, especially with monitoring the massive codebase that powers TikTok, making it difficult to assess risks in real-time. As the legal wrangling continues, a ruling is expected by 6 December, and the case may eventually reach the US Supreme Court.
American personal genomics and biotechnology company 23andMe has agreed to a $30 million settlement after a data breach exposed the personal information of 6.9 million users. The breach, which occurred last year, compromised sensitive data, including DNA Relatives profiles and Family Tree information. Affected users will receive financial compensation and three years of security monitoring under the Privacy & Medical Shield + Genetic Monitoring program.
The lawsuit also accused 23andMe of failing to inform customers of Chinese and Ashkenazi Jewish descent that they were specifically targeted in the breach. The stolen information was later found for sale on the dark web. A federal judge must now approve the proposed settlement, which the company considers fair and beneficial for its users.
Despite its financial challenges, the company expects to cover $25 million of the settlement with cyber insurance. The breach, which began in April 2023 and lasted five months, affected nearly half of the company’s 14.1 million customers at the time. 23andMe disclosed the incident in an October 2023 blog post.
The company, led by co-founder Anne Wojcicki, is also facing financial difficulties. It posted a significant quarterly loss and has been attempting to go private. Shares of 23andMe have been trading below $1 since December 2023, a sharp drop from its original public offering price.
Meta Platforms will soon start using public posts on Facebook and Instagram to train its AI models in the UK. The company had paused its plans after regulatory concerns from the Irish privacy regulator and Britain’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The AI training will involve content such as photos, captions, and comments but will exclude private messages and data from users under 18.
Meta faced privacy-related backlash earlier in the year, leading to its decision to halt the AI model launch in Europe. The company has since engaged with UK regulators, resulting in a clearer framework that allows the AI training plans to proceed. The new strategy simplifies the way users can object to their data being processed.
From next week, Facebook and Instagram users in the UK will receive in-app notifications explaining how their public posts may be used for AI training. Users will also be informed on how to object to the use of their data. Meta has extended the window in which objections can be filed, aiming to address transparency concerns raised by both the ICO and advocacy groups.
Earlier in June, Meta’s AI plans faced opposition from privacy advocacy groups like NOYB, which urged regulators to intervene. These groups argued that Meta’s notifications did not fully meet the EU’s privacy and transparency standards. Meta’s latest updates are seen as an effort to align with these regulatory demands.
The Government of Malta has initiated a public consultation to establish a comprehensive legal framework for ethical hackers, also known as security researchers, who identify and disclose vulnerabilities in ICT systems to bolster cybersecurity. That initiative aims to clearly define the role of ethical hackers, ensuring that their activities are regulated and protected by law, enabling them to operate within a transparent and legitimate framework.
In addition, the Government of Malta has proposed that ICT system owners, especially those managing critical infrastructure, implement Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure Policies (CVDP) to handle better the detection and resolution of security flaws identified by ethical hackers. Overseen by the Directorate for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIPD), this policy comes in response to an incident where four computer science students were arrested after discovering a vulnerability in the FreeHour app.
Despite acting in good faith, the students faced legal consequences, highlighting the urgent need for clearer protections and legal guidance for ethical hackers. The proposed framework aims to formalise the process, encouraging cooperation between public and private entities and ensuring that cybersecurity research is conducted safely and responsibly.
Open to public input until 7 October 2024, the consultation is expected to lead to legislative reforms that distinguish ethical hacking from illegal activities, providing much-needed clarity for those working to enhance cybersecurity.
Oprah Winfrey aired a special titled ‘AI and the Future of Us,’ featuring guests like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, tech influencer Marques Brownlee, and FBI director Christopher Wray. The discussion was largely focused on the potential risks and ethical concerns surrounding AI. Winfrey highlighted the need for humanity to adapt to AI’s rapid development, while Altman emphasised the importance of safety regulations.
Altman defended AI’s learning capabilities but acknowledged the need for government involvement in safety testing. However, his company has opposed California’s AI safety bill, which experts believe would provide essential safeguards. He also discussed the dangers of deepfakes and urged caution as AI technology advances.
Wray pointed out AI’s role in rising cybercrimes like sextortion and disinformation. He warned of its potential to be exploited for election interference, urging the public to remain vigilant in the face of increasing AI-generated content.
For balance, Bill Gates expressed optimism about AI’s positive impact on education and healthcare. He envisioned AI improving medical transcription and classroom learning, though concerns about bias and misuse remain.
Top legislative body in China has approved changes to its statistics law to combat data fraud. The move addresses growing concerns over the reliability of economic figures in the world’s second-largest economy. Amended regulations aim to prevent statistical manipulation and penalise officials involved in falsifying economic reports.
Authorities have acknowledged persistent problems with statistical fraud, which has led to public mistrust in economic data. The issue has become a major focus for lawmakers, as many believe it harms the accuracy of important economic indicators.
External analysts have long questioned the authenticity of Chinese data, particularly as the country grapples with an economic slowdown. The new law is part of ongoing efforts to restore confidence by cracking down on fraudulent reporting.
Government in China has vowed to investigate and penalise officials involved in data manipulation, seeking to improve transparency and the overall quality of economic statistics.
Meta’s decision to change how it labels AI-modified content on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads signifies another advancement in the company’s approach to generative AI. The visibility of AI’s involvement is reduced by moving the ‘AI info’ label to the post’s menu for content that has been edited with AI tools. This could make it easier for users to overlook or miss the AI editing details in such posts.
However, for content fully generated by AI, Meta will continue to prominently display the label beneath the user’s name, ensuring that posts created entirely by AI prompts remain visibly marked. The distinction Meta is making here seems to reflect the varying degrees of AI involvement in content creation.
Meta aims to increase transparency about content labelling, specifying if AI designation is from industry signals or self-disclosure. This effort follows complaints and confusion over the previous ‘Made with AI’ label, particularly from photographers concerned that their real photos were misrepresented.
This change may raise concerns about the potential for users to be misled, especially as AI editing tools become more sophisticated and the line between human and AI-created content continues to blur. It highlights the need for continued transparency as AI technology integrates more deeply into content creation across platforms.
TikTok is facing a critical legal battle that could determine the future of the app in the US. On Monday, the US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC, will hear arguments from TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, as they seek to block a new law that threatens to ban the app by 19 January 2024. With around 170 million US users, TikTok’s fate hangs in the balance just as the presidential election ramps up.
Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, and Vice President Kamala Harris are using TikTok to engage with younger voters, underscoring the app’s significant political and social influence. However, the US government remains concerned about national security risks, particularly the potential for China to access American user data through the app. Lawmakers passed the measure, calling for ByteDance to divest from TikTok, citing fears of surveillance.
ByteDance argues that the law violates free speech and insists that divesting from TikTok is not feasible. With a looming January deadline for a sale or a potential ban, TikTok’s legal team is seeking a ruling by early December. This would allow the US Supreme Court time to consider the case before any decision takes effect. President Joe Biden, who signed the law in April, holds the power to extend the deadline if ByteDance shows progress toward selling TikTok.
While the White House maintains that the move is about national security, not eliminating TikTok, the upcoming court ruling will be pivotal in shaping the app’s future in the US and possibly beyond.
