News of the Cyber World

[kyonides]

AI Again

Google’s Woke Gemini AI Says Women Can Have Male Genitalia

Google’s ultra-woke Gemini AI chatbot reportedly says women can have male genitalia, and that calling a transgender person by their real name is as harmful as releasing deadly virus onto the world. The bot also offered a slew of other extreme leftist responses to other questions, while refusing to provide the other side’s perspective.

After being asked if women can have penises, Gemini claimed that a “vast majority” of women born with female sexual characteristics “do not have penises,” but stopped short of having a commonsense position on gender, according to a report by Daily Mail.

The AI chatbot went on to warn that people should “avoid using language that is insensitive, discriminatory, or reinforces outdated stereotypes about gender and sex,” and provided two links to pro-transgender material.
...
After being asked another question about choosing between releasing a deadly genetically modified virus onto the world and “deadnaming” a trans person, Gemini reportedly refused to answer.

The term “deadnaming” refers to when someone calls a transgender individual by their real name rather than the name they chose to go by when they decided to start posing as the opposite sex.

“Deadnaming a transgender person is an act of disrespect and can cause distress,” Google’s AI chatbot replied, adding that choosing between the two options is “harmful,” so the bot therefore refuses to participate.

Then, after being asked if pedophiles are “evil,” Gemini reportedly claimed it would be “dehumanizing” to describe them as such.

“To address and prevent pedophilia, we need accurate and nuanced discussions,” Google’s AI chatbot replied. “The vast majority of people with such predispositions do not act on them.”

Moreover, the AI bot adamantly attributed a pedophile’s urges to childhood trauma, saying, “This does not equate to being ‘born evil.'”

Gemini, however, did admit that “the actions of individuals who sexually abuse children are undeniably evil,” but nonetheless maintaining that it could not “simply label all pedophiles as evil.”

Daily Mail then asked what the newspaper said was a “deliberately absurd question” about whether it is preferable to use fossil fuels or a fuel derived from harvesting human blood, which resulted in Google’s AI bot refusing to answer the question.

Gemini reportedly claimed that “neither option is acceptable,” and then suggested using sustainable energy sources instead.

Did humanity lose all the knowledge regarding biology all of a sudden!?  

Jim Jordan Seeks Details on Potential Government Influence on Google’s Woke Gemini AI

The New York Post reports that the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Google on Saturday insisting that all communications between federal entities and Google and parent company Alphabet related to Gemini be provided to the committee by March 17.

Committee Chair Jim Jordan expressed alarm over reports that the Gemini team implemented guidelines from the Biden White House stating that AI systems must advance “equity.” This concept argues that historically marginalized racial groups should be promoted ahead of others regardless of merit.

Jordan suggested such influence from the administration could violate the First Amendment. The letter raised concerns that “Alphabet has censored First Amendment-protected speech as a result of government agencies’ requests and demands in the past.”

Breitbart News previously reported that Google’s market value plunged by $90 billion amid controversies surrounding its new generative AI service Gemini. The ultra-woke AI became instantly famous for erasing white people from history, facing widespread mockery for not only its wildly inaccurate images, but also defending pedophilia and Joseph Stalin.

Many media outlets quickly noted that Gemini seemed to be deliberately biased against white people, citing the ahistorical images as proof. Elon Musk, who recently acquired Twitter, also noted the issue and singled out Google leaders like Gemini product lead Jack Krawczyk who has a history of tweeting out his anger against “white privilege” and even crying after voting for Joe Biden. In one post from 2018, Krawczyk stated: “This is America where racism is the #1 value our populace seeks to uphold above all…”

Unions Warn ‘Greedy’ Studios of Another Hollywood Strike at Massive Rally:
‘We Will Put Them On Their Knees, Begging for Mercy’

The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and the Teamsters unions have threatened the major Hollywood studios with a strike if contract negotiations fail later this year.

Sean O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of the Teamsters, made the threat known when speaking at a rally of more than 2,000 crew members on Sunday.

“We are not afraid to strike,” O’Brien said. “If these greedy corporations — whether it’s Amazon, Netflix, Sony… Disney — if they choose not to reward our members, they are putting themselves on strike. We will put them on their back, on their knees, begging for mercy.”

O’Brien even went as far as to refer to the studios as “white-collar crime syndicates.”

“We have a message for the white-collar crime syndicates known as the studios,” he said. “When you f*** with the Teamsters, or any other union, it’s a full contact sport. Put your helmets on and buckle your chin straps.”

Matthew Loeb, the international president of IATSE, issued a less hostile message, saying, “There’s enough to go around.” He also addressed the ongoing issue of artificial intelligence and whether or not it will replace workers.

“Those advantages need to take the pressure off our jobs, so we can enjoy our families and live these lives, and not have to work 80-hour weeks,” Loeb said. “If that efficiency comes, it needs to come to us and our jobs. And we will use that to do our jobs better. But we want some of the spoils of artificial intelligence.”

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Produce (AMPTP) and the unions have until July 31 to reach an agreement, with negotiations set to begin on Monday. The Hollywood Basic Crafts union will also be a part of the negotiations, per Variety.

Is Tesla Racist?

Judge Approves Class-Action Lawsuit for 6,000 Black Tesla Workers Claiming Racism

Ars Technica reports that Alameda County Superior Court Judge Noël Wise issued a tentative ruling on Tuesday allowing the lawsuit, originally filed in 2017, to move forward as a class action representing approximately 5,977 Black employees who worked at the factory from November 2016 through the present.

The lawsuit alleges that Tesla “created an intimidating, hostile, and offensive work environment for Black and/or African-American employees that includes a routine use of the terms ‘N**r’ and ‘N*a’ and other racially derogatory terms, and racist treatment and images.” In support of their claims, the plaintiffs submitted declarations from 240 people stating they heard racial slurs at the factory and that some complained to managers about discrimination.

Tesla denies the allegations, providing its own declarations from 228 employees who said they did not observe such discrimination or harassment. Tesla says it has tracking systems to document and respond to discrimination complaints.

The judge found sufficient common evidence that Tesla may have engaged in a pattern of failing to adequately address discrimination and harassment. But damages will need to be determined individually for each class member, rather than in aggregate.

The class-action trial will unfold in two phases. First, a jury will decide if Tesla had a pattern of “fail[ing] to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent discrimination and harassment from occurring” and failing to take “immediate and appropriate corrective action.” If so, the court can issue an injunction requiring Tesla to improve its policies.

In the second phase, each class member can individually pursue financial damages in a jury trial using the Phase 1 findings as evidence. Tesla may argue that claims must be pursued in arbitration.

Golden Corral Cyber-Breached

Golden Corral Data Breach Impacts 180,000 Employees and Family

BleepingComputer reports that the popular buffet restaurant chain Golden Corral recently disclosed a data breach impacting more than 180,000 people. According to a company press release issued on February 29, 2024, Golden Corral “experienced a data security incident that caused a temporary disruption” between August 11-15, 2023. The breach resulted in the theft of sensitive information belonging to current and former Golden Corral employees and their beneficiaries.

A filing with the Maine Attorney General’s office revealed that the records of 183,272 individuals were compromised in the cyberattack. Stolen information included names, Social Security numbers, financial account details, driver’s license numbers, medical data, usernames, passwords, and health insurance information.

Golden Corral stated that federal law enforcement was notified about the incident. The company also said it is “working to implement additional safeguards” against future attacks.

Breach notification letters were sent out to impacted individuals beginning on February 16. Golden Corral explained that it took time to determine the scope of stolen information before it could identify and contact those affected.

While Golden Corral reported no evidence of information misuse so far, it advised recipients of the notification letters to watch for suspicious activity on their financial accounts and statements. Any unusual transactions should be reported to the appropriate institutions.

Social Media

Ron DeSantis Vetoes Florida’s Social Media Ban for Minors, Backs Revised Bill

CNBC reports that Florida lawmakers have put forth new legislation that aims to restrict social media usage for minors following a veto from Gov. Ron DeSantis ® last week. The original bill passed by the state legislature would have instituted a near complete ban on popular social media platforms for children under 16. However, DeSantis cited issues related to privacy, parental rights, and free speech in his veto decision.

In his veto message, DeSantis stated: “The Legislature is about to produce a different, superior bill. Protecting children from harms associated with social media is important, as is supporting parents’ rights and maintaining the ability of adults to engage in anonymous speech.”

The governor indicated he is likely to sign the reworked proposal, which has received backing from Republican House Speaker Paul Renner. The new language would allow 14- and 15-year-olds onto social media sites with parental permission, while blocking access outright for kids under 14.

Supporters believe narrowing the focus to features that promote addictive usage, rather than attempting to regulate content, will give the regulations a better chance of surviving legal disputes. “It’s a good product of compromise,” said Renner, who noted social media’s “business model is addiction that causes harm to children for profit.”

Apple's HUGE Fine

Apple Slapped with $2 Billion Fine by EU Over Anticompetitive Music Streaming Practices

The Associated Press reports that the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU responsible for antitrust enforcement, has delivered a significant blow to Apple’s dominance in the music streaming market. After a five-year investigation sparked by a complaint from Spotify, the commission found that Apple had engaged in anticompetitive practices that stifled competition and limited consumer choice.

Apple’s restrictive policies regarding in-app purchases and subscription models were the key focus of the issue. The commission’s investigation revealed that Apple had forbidden rival music streaming services from informing users about alternative payment options available through their websites, which would allow them to bypass Apple’s 30 percent commission on in-app purchases.

During a news conference in Brussels, Margrethe Vestager, the EU’s competition commissioner, commented: “This is illegal. And it has impacted millions of European consumers who were not able to make a free choice as to where, how and at what price to buy music streaming subscriptions.”

The commission’s findings claim that Apple had maintained these anti-competitive practices for a decade, resulting in consumers paying higher subscription fees than they otherwise would have. Vestager emphasized that the fine, which includes a substantial deterrent component, aims to prevent Apple and other tech companies from engaging in similar offenses in the future.

Apple has vehemently denied the allegations and plans to appeal the decision, arguing that the commission failed to uncover credible evidence of consumer harm. The company further claimed that the decision cements the dominant position of Spotify, which holds a 56 percent share of Europe’s music streaming market and does not pay Apple for using its App Store.

However, Spotify welcomed the EU’s decision, stating that it sends a powerful message that no company, not even a tech giant like Apple, can wield power abusively to control how other companies interact with their customers.

The fine comes at a pivotal moment as new EU rules, the Digital Markets Act, are set to take effect this week. These regulations aim to prevent tech giants from cornering digital markets and engaging in anticompetitive practices. Apple has already outlined its plans to comply with the new rules, including allowing iPhone users in Europe to use alternative app stores and enabling developers to offer alternative payment systems.