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News on Algorithms and Automation
Elon Musk’s tweet saying his planned Twitter Inc. acquisition was on hold put the spotlight on questions about fake accounts, which have vexed social-media platforms for years. Mr. Musk, the chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., said in a tweet early Friday that his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter was “temporarily on hold pending […]
By Sarah E. NeedlemanIn June 2021, Alita, a trans woman living in Saudi Arabia, saw a hashtag trending on Twitter that translated roughly to “a space for hatred of religion.” In a Twitter Spaces audio room days earlier, Alita, who asked Rest of World to use her screen name for her safety, had spoken frankly about atheism and […]
By Andrew Deck, Emily Fishbein and Genevieve GlatskyElon Musk’s accepted bid to purchase Twitter has triggered a lot of debate about what it means for the future of the social media platform, which plays an important role in determining the news and information many people – especially Americans – are exposed to. Musk has said he wants to make Twitter an arena […]
By Filippo MenczerA location data firm is selling information related to visits to clinics that provide abortions including Planned Parenthood facilities, showing where groups of people visiting the locations came from, how long they stayed there, and where they then went afterwards, according to sets of the data purchased by Motherboard. The data sale is obviously more […]
By Joseph CoxDevelopers of artificial intelligence must learn to collaborate with social scientists and the people affected by its applications. Beginning in 2013, the Dutch government used an algorithm to wreak havoc in the lives of 25,000 parents. The software was meant to predict which people were most likely to commit childcare-benefit fraud, but the government did […]
By Mona SloaneMy husband and I love to eat and to learn about history. So shortly after we married, we chose to honeymoon along the southern coast of Spain. The region, historically ruled by Greeks, Romans, Muslims, and Christians in turn, is famed for its stunning architecture and rich fusion of cuisines. Little did I know how […]
By Karen HaoThere was a time when the internet was seen as an unequivocal force for social good. It propelled progressive social movements from Black Lives Matter to the Arab Spring; it set information free and flew the flag of democracy worldwide. But today, democracy is in retreat and the internet’s role as driver is palpably clear. […]
By Stephan Lewandowsky and Anastasia KozyrevaThe video of the two men wrestling has been shared 41,000 times on Facebook, although the post was taken down on April 7, after WIRED brought it to the platform’s attention. The TikTok account that originally posted it was taken down overnight on April 6. Posts that are shared more than 10,000 times are very […]
By Morgan MeakerIn mid-March, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine crept into its third week, an unusual video started making the rounds on social media and was even broadcast on the television channel Ukraine 24 due to the efforts of hackers. The video appeared to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stilted with his head moving and his […]
By Jackson CoteThe International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalistic excellence, has entered a yearlong partnership with Google News Initiative to support the growing fact-checking community and reduce the harm of global misinformation. “It is proving more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction in […]
By Sara Bealor