Gizmodo: “If at first the algorithms don’t succeed at stopping disinformation, just simply add humans. But if the algorithms grow too burdensome, then simply go back to the algorithm. So round and round the social media carousel we go. Meta, which owns Facebook, confirmed that the human-curated “Top Stories” section in the news tab will instead be handled by the algorithm starting early next year. In an email statement, a meta spokesperson told Gizmodo “Most people do not come to Facebook for news, and as a business it doesn’t make sense to over invest in areas that don’t align with user preferences.” The company has said that less than 3% of what people see in their feed are news links. Apparently, the company sees news links as such a small reason that people come to Facebook, that they’re actively looking to scale back any features dealing with news…”
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Daily Archives: November 3, 2022
Algorithms Quietly Run the City of DC and Maybe Your Hometown
EPIC: “The D.C. government outsources critical governmental decisions to automated decision-making systems in areas such as public benefits, healthcare, policing, and housing. As a result, District residents are surveilled, screened, and scored every day. But because of weak government transparency laws, opaque procurement processes, the power and influence of tech vendors, and the decline in… Continue Reading
UN: Global warming to melt major glaciers by 2050, including Yosemite’s
“Glaciers at some of the world’s most famous World Heritage sites are set to vanish within 30 years due to climate change — including those at Yosemite National Park, a new UN report warns. Threat level: “Glaciers in a third of the 50 World Heritage sites are condemned to disappear by 2050, regardless of efforts… Continue Reading
Countries’ climate pledges put unrealistic demands for land ahead of emissions reductions
“Countries favour risky tree-planting schemes over protecting, restoring and sustainably managing the forests we already have standing, with research showing national carbon plans requiring a land area larger than the size of the US, or almost four times the land area of India. A new study released today is the first to calculate that countries… Continue Reading
The Rising Tide of Global Sadnes
The New York Times: “…The researchers Charlotte Brand, Alberto Acerbi and Alex Mesoudi analyzed more than 150,000 pop songs released between 1965 and 2015. Over that time, the appearance of the word “love” in top-100 hits roughly halved. Meanwhile, the number of times such songs contained negative emotion words, like “hate” rose sharply. Pop music… Continue Reading
How to download e-mail and attachments from Gmail
PCWorld: “Most folks nowadays use Gmail. Known for its intuitive interface, it’s probably one of the most popular e-mail services around. In just a few easy steps, you can download an email or an attachment. If you plan on deleting your account, you can download all of your Gmail data at once. Let’s get right… Continue Reading
How we’re using AI to help address the climate crisis
Google Blog: “…Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. As part of our Crisis Response efforts, we’re working to bring trusted information to people in critical moments to keep them safe and informed. To do so, we rely on the research and development of our AI-powered technologies and longstanding partnerships… Continue Reading
Google’s building package tracking right into your Gmail inbox
The Verge: “Google is adding package tracking features to Gmail, which should make it easier to see where your orders are at a glance while you scroll through your emails. In a blog post on Wednesday, the company says you’ll start seeing “a simple, helpful view of your package tracking and delivery information right in… Continue Reading
How to Improve Your Reference Skills: Tips from Mary Whisner
RIPS Law Librarian: “Mary Whisner, guru of legal reference, who generously shared her tips.” Continue Reading
New WorldCat.org connects genealogy enthusiasts, educators, and historians to the world’s libraries
OCLC: “For genealogy enthusiasts, educators, and historians, the new WorldCat.org offers an improved experience to uncover family lineages and investigate historical events. By exploring the billions of library resources from more than 10,000 libraries worldwide represented on WorldCat.org, users can find an unparalleled pool of genealogical information…As more and more hobbyists and professionals alike seek… Continue Reading
