941 tacks
This model is not a real person: how AI is shaking up fashion – video
From digital twins to models ‘sculpted’ by programmers, generative AI has been popping up all over the fashion industry. When an Australian e-commerce retailer started using AI-generated models to sell products, lifestyle editor Alyx Gorman had to see if the garments were more than mere pixels.
Billionaires Are Funding 'Anti AI' Content
Have you noticed your social media feeds suddenly flooding with terrifying content about AI existential risk? From TikTok clips warning about "AI psychosis" to viral YouTube shorts claiming chatbots are pushing people to the brink, the anti-AI movement has taken over the internet... But what if these "anti-AI" influencers aren't actually what they seem?
What is 'pink-slime' journalism and has it infiltrated Australian media?
AI-generated news sites, dubbed “pink-slime” journalism, appeared in regional Western Australia, raising concerns about misinformation and undermining trust in local media. These sites, including The Bunbury Guardian, used AI to produce content, often plagiarising existing stories and raising questions about accountability and potential political influence. The sites were taken offline after ABC investigations, revealing the involvement of Anton Lucanus, who claimed the project was an experiment gone awry.
Australia’s social media ban preventing teens from accessing the news, research finds
A new study found that Australia’s social media ban for under-16s is preventing teens from accessing news. Half of the teens who were blocked reported seeing less news, with many losing access to world, local, and the opportunity to share views. The ban may have unintended consequences, as teens are not necessarily turning to traditional news sources and may lose the habit of consuming news.
Woman covertly filmed for 'humiliating' social media content - then told to pay
Alice was covertly filmed by a man wearing smart glasses and the video was posted online without her consent. When she contacted him to remove it, he offered to do so for a fee, which she refused. The man’s actions raise concerns about privacy, consent, and the potential for exploitation in the age of social media.
TikTok executives know about app’s effect on teens, lawsuit documents allege
Unredacted documents from a lawsuit against TikTok reveal the company’s awareness of the app’s harmful effects on teenagers, including addiction and negative mental health impacts. Despite internal research validating these concerns, TikTok prioritised user engagement and profit over implementing effective safety measures. The company’s algorithm, designed to maximise user time on the app, has been linked to compulsive usage and a range of negative consequences for young users.
TikTok addiction: It takes all of 35 minutes
Fourteen US states are suing TikTok and ByteDance, claiming the platform negatively impacts children’s mental health and is intentionally addictive. Leaked documents revealed it takes an average of 260 videos, or about 35 minutes, for users to exhibit addictive behaviour. The Australian government’s efforts to address social media addiction, including the eSafety Commissioner’s actions, have been criticised as ineffective.
Small changes to ‘for you’ feed on X can rapidly increase political polarisation
A study that found that small changes to the tone of posts fed to users of X can rapidly increase political polarization. The study found that even a week of exposure to posts expressing anti-democratic attitudes and partisan animosity increased feelings of polarization among users.
Forget the AI job apocalypse. AI’s real threat is worker control and surveillance
The Guardian describes the real danger of AI in the workplace, which is not job loss but the growing divide between people who use AI to extend their skills and those whose working lives are increasingly shaped by opaque, AI-powered systems of surveillance and control. The article emphasizes the need for meaningful training in AI skills and democratic principles in the workplace to address the challenges posed by AI.
Is It Time to Ditch Your Smartphone?
On this week’s episode of “Galaxy Brain,” Charlie Warzel talks with his Atlantic colleague Kaitlyn Tiffany about what our phones are doing to us. Tiffany recently wrote about swapping her iPhone for a flip phone as part of a movement called “Month Offline.” Kaitlyn talks through her personal experience: the joys and inconveniences of a dumbphone and the difficulty of unplugging completely. Warzel and Tiffany talk about the growing smartphone backlash, legal cases against “big tech,” and how, even if many people are convinced that their phones are a problem, the science remains far from conclusive regarding direct harm.
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