A few years ago, I read an insightful article by Shira Ovide of the New York Times on the splintering of the internet and the complexities surrounding digital governance around the world. She writes about how most countries around the world have their own car safety regulations and tax codes, but currently there is widespread debate over how online expression should be governed. She highlights how technology companies—many based in the Western world—are essentially governing speech and free expression online, which leads to major controversies and dissension as many countries want to retain that power for themselves.
One of the most salient points she makes in the piece concerns the promises of how technology was going to usher in a new world order. She writes, “The utopian idea of the internet was that it would help tear down national boundaries, but technology watchers have been warning for decades that it could instead build those barriers even higher.” Not only are those barriers being built higher around the world, but technological power is also being exerted by powerful governments and leaders to control and manipulate people created in God’s very image.
The Rundown
Chatbots trigger next misinformation nightmare by Ashley Gold and Sara Fischer | Axios
New generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s BingGPT and Google’s Bard that have stoked a tech-industry frenzy are also capable of releasing a vast flood of online misinformation.
The debate over sentient machines by Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen | Axios
ChatGPT, which ate the internet so it can spit out answers to human questions, isn’t sentient — it’s not self-aware. But even the early, imperfect, restrained version of the tech shows how easy human-like conversations and ideas are to replicate — and abuse.
When to Engage in Vitriolic Arguments | Thomas Kidd
I have been thinking a lot in recent years about the social-media fueled vitriol in America, and in academic culture particularly. It’s not venom per se that’s new. Anyone who knows the history of early American politics knows that the amount of personal hatred and sheer nastiness has not changed much over the decades. (Remember, Alexander Hamilton died in a duel with Aaron Burr!)
ChatGPT launches boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon by Greg Bensinger | Reuters
Until recently, Brett Schickler never imagined he could be a published author, though he had dreamed about it. But after learning about the ChatGPT artificial intelligence program, Schickler figured an opportunity had landed in his lap.
The Social Illness by Clare Morell | The American Conservative
Parents are not enough to protect kids from the harms of social media today. And current federal law is not up to the task either. The severity of the problem of social media to children and the inability of parents to effectively protect their kids necessitate a public policy solution. And as a new report shows, parents want help. Congress needs to step up and help them.
The debate over sentient machines by Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen | Axios
ChatGPT, which ate the internet so it can spit out answers to human questions, isn’t sentient — it’s not self-aware. But even the early, imperfect, restrained version of the tech shows how easy human-like conversations and ideas are to replicate — and abuse.
Microsoft to Limit Length of Bing Chatbot Conversations by Kalley Huang | New York Times
Microsoft will start limiting conversations with the new chatbot in its Bing search engine to five questions per session and 50 questions per day, the company said on Friday.