The rise of the new Chinese state under the leadership of President Xi Jinping has been a predominant force in the conversation surrounding technological innovation, economic development, and basic human freedoms. As China has sought to emerge as the leading tech superpower alongside the U.S., it has often done so at the expense of basic human rights such as freedom of religion and speech. As we have seen in recent pro-democracy protests, the Chinese people do not enjoy most of the basic freedoms we cherish in the West.
The Chinese state has sought to implement various technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), facial recognition, and internet censorship to strengthen the Communist party’s hold on the lives of its people.
Interesting technology stories
Four Republican Senators Write to Facebook over ‘Censorship’ of Pro-Life Content – National Review
At the end of last month, Facebook notified Live Action that fact-checkers had given a “false” rating to two videos shared by the group’s president Lila Rose. One featured Rose herself and the other featured Dr. Kendra Kolb, a board-certified neonatologist; both videos included the claim that abortion is not medically necessary.
Will Your Uploaded Mind Still Be You? – The Wall Street Journal
Imagine a future in which a machine can scan your brain and migrate the essentials of your mind to a computer. It’s called mind uploading—preserving a person’s consciousness in a digital afterlife. As a neuroscientist, I’m convinced that mind uploading will happen someday. There are no laws of physics that stand in the way. It depends, however, on technology that has not yet been invented, so nobody knows when mind uploading might become available.
MoviePass ends all subscriber services – Axios
MoviePass ended all subscriber services on Saturday, after its parent company Helios and Matheson announced details of its financial troubles Friday.
Doctors can’t wait to get their hands on Apple Watch data – Fast Company
The company announced three new health studies at its big annual event earlier this week. But there was a new focus: positioning the Apple Watch as a data collector rather than medical device.