Whether Industry absorbs the State, or the State absorbs Industry, the result is the same: fascism.
And our Cybernetic Revolution makes this easier than ever.
Big AI
Bruce Schneier opines on How AI will change democracy: “Millions of AI-controlled social media accounts could fundamentally change the nature of propaganda.” (tip from The Geek Press)
Sometimes big data trumps the models: No physics? No problem. AI weather forecasting is already making huge strides. (tip from The Geek Press)
Finally, a REAL Clean Energy Law. This is just the Camel’s Nose for nuclear energy. The folks pushing this aren’t trying to Save the Planet; they’re trying to avoid an energy drought so they can deploy more server farms and data centers to feed their hungry AIs. Lynne Kiesling furnishes the missing dot to connect in Data Center Electricity Use I: Framing the Problem. Big AI will be watching, but at least the A/C will be working. (tip from The Instapundit)
Cheap AI will be used to ruin everything: AI-generated email from a friend, “…I never even pondered whether I wanted AI to call me up on behalf of people in my life. It had simply not occurred to me—and now that it has occurred to me, I definitely do not want small talk and relationships outsourced to server farms.”
WE DO NOT WELCOME OUR NEW ROBOT OVERLORDS
Skynet smiles: Rifle-Armed Robot Dogs Now Being Tested By Marine Special Operators. We’re gonna need smart weapons and precision guided munitions for home defense before long. (tip from The Geek Press)
THE INTERNET OF THINGS IS NOT YOUR FRIEND
How I upgraded my water heater and discovered how bad smart home security can be: Could you really control someone’s hot water with just an email address? (tip from The Geek Press)
BIG MED
Weaponizing the HIPAA against whistleblowers: A Doctor Told the Truth. Then the Feds Showed Up at His Door. Some times you gotta take a hit to be the good guy. (tip from The Geek Press)
Should Doctors Be Required To Tell The DMV If You Have Dementia? “the tension between patient privacy and community safety has no easy solution for individuals in the US who may not fully trust their state governments” — ’cause similar measures, like red flag gun confiscation, are hardly ever abused. No siree. (tip from The Geek Press)
BIG SOFTWARE
Adobe is asshoe: Photographers Outraged by Adobe’s New Privacy and Content Terms. Not only will you own nothing and like it, but you’ll pay to install spyware as a subscription service. Adobe’s been doing some serious backpedaling, but the Big Brother is strong with these folks. My reaction has been to uninstall all things Adobe and replace the Adobe Reader with the (free) Foxit PDF Reader. YMMV.
Windows Recall lets you (and who knows who else) spy on yourself. Windows Recall: How it works, how to turn it off and why you should. The folks who thought this was a good idea are Enemies of the People.
ANTISOCIAL MEDIA
Math professor fired after criticizing slavery reparations continues legal battle against St. Joe’s. Compliance will be rewarded, dissent will be punished.
FIGHTING BACK
The Cyber version of Spy vs. Spy: “Simulation of keyboard activity” leads to firing of Wells Fargo employees. Who’da thunk a sketchy bank would have sketchy employees? The very existence of “mouse jigglers” is a tribute to (misplaced) human ingenuity. (tip from The Geek Press)
Elon Musk strikes again! X is about to start hiding all likes. “it’s ‘important to allow people to like posts without getting attacked for doing so!’” (tip from the Geek Press)
Photographer Disqualified From AI Image Contest After Winning With Real Photo. Well played, sir, well played. (tip from The Geek Press)
The Random Texan 
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