The day law enforcement feared has finally arrived - Facebook Messenger is now end-to-end encrypted by default. This sucks for them as it's one of the most popular messaging services in the world and people love using it for crimes. They could simply demand Meta send them chat logs between suspects and Meta had to hand it over, even if the evidence that a user could be a suspect is flimsy as hell. That can't happen now as Meta legitimately can't see what's in these messages as Messenger is now using "the Signal Protocol, and our own novel Labyrinth Protocol". It'll take "months" to implement across its 1 billion users, but it's coming and will be turned on by default. Group chats and Instagram messages will come "later".
Ed Husic, the Minister for Industry and Science, has announced the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Adopt Program. It'll spend $17m to "establish up to five AI Adopt centres across Australia", "aimed at establishing a front door for SMEs looking to explore responsible and safe adoption and usage of AI". These centers will "Showcase the innovative capabilities that AI can unlock", "provide guidance on how to adopt AI responsibly and efficiently" and "provide specialist training to help develop specific skills to effectively manage AI". They're handing out the money via grants worth $3m-$5m each that'll subsidise up to 50% of whatever AI-education brainfart you can think of. More details on these AI Adopt Centres are on the Business.gov.au website.
Kevin Munger makes the argument that Facebook and the wider internet sucks because people suck. "Millions of Americans are miserable. The internet has 'gotten worse' because Americans are not ok. Near-universal internet access means that there are immiserated, lonely people spending many hours a day online. The breakdown in the social fabric, climbing 'prime-age' unemployment and high rates of addiction and mental illness manifest themselves in our mutually-constructed online spaces. There is a misery that wants to make itself known - to inflict itself on the world - that social media enables. We are reaping what we've sown; the interconnectedness enabled by the internet and the gains from open communication/cooperation cannot succeed while so many are left behind". It's a depressing read.
Here's five interesting discussions over on The Sizzle's paid subscriber forum for you to enjoy over the weekend. If you are not a paid subscriber but want to get involved, visit https://thesizzle.com.au/payme to get onboard.
Zen & the art of the Macintosh: discoveries on the path to computer enlightment (Sketch the Cow / The Internet Archive)
📻 N.Y. State of Mind - Nas
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