Fake News isn’t as Bad as Fake Cancer & Why this is an Ethical Issue
Google Says Bitcoin is Trending, US Attacking Giants, Facebook Saves Africa, Facebook with Number 1 Currency, Julian Assange is a Rapper and was Jailed Long before his Recent Arrest, Amazon Overthrown AND MORE News from April 2019
Introduction
‘Malware-Created Cancer’, ‘Giants Being Attacked by US Government’, ‘Amazon Overthrown by Shareholders’; Thanks to disquieting headlines flooding world news, 2019 is keeping its promises of being the “it” year for the general population to become more familiar with the digital world.
Ethical problems are seldom straightforward. This is especially the case in a new, vast and rapidly changing area like data, whose full scope and implications are as yet unknown. Answers that appear convincing today might easily be shown to be wrong tomorrow.
We are witnessing mixed emotions with the adoption of digital currencies. According to recent broadcasts, Security Tokens, StableCoins & other Cryptocurrencies aren’t the only excitement and cause for new regulations across the globe. Never before mentioned ethical questions are arising as technological advances continue.
Look around…
Artificial Intelligence robots in recent years have lead all of us, “80’s kids” wondering if the ‘Terminator’ was based on actual events. The conspiracy theorist that lies within, leaves many pondering ‘who’s been hiding the truth all along?’
Since we are watching our favorite ‘sci-fi’ tales come to life; we’ve noticed, tech gurus are not the only individuals shouting the importance of data privacy. Everyday people are suffering the consequences of corporations exploiting law abiding citizens.
Oh, and how can we forget to mention, the dreaded “Fake News” plague which is upon us; bringing forth questions of trust.
The World Ethical Data Forum [WEDF] will be here to provide transparency as civilization faces tribulations never before imagined. We are honored to bring together the most brilliant and influential minds from around the world to examine the opportunities arising from the development of technologies that continue to open unprecedented possibilities for knowledge and influence.
Each month we will briefly review world events to inform the public about the most recent important events impacting our lives from a privacy and security point without losing track of the ethical narrative surrounding companies in emerging technologies, as well as leaders, voices of rights and freedom of speech.
The World Ethical Data Forum is the world’s leading platform for impartial and balanced exploration of the urgent ethical and practical questions around the use and future of data. Please give us feedback on this journey, as we explore and solve together, as a community.
At this point in web history, if one has used the internet, one has more than likely encountered a shocking headline they later had to embarrassingly learn was not factual. According to Israeli researchers hackers can now have control over your health care decisions. Could you be getting chemotherapy for ‘fake cancer’?
Researchers Trick Radiologists with Malware-Created Cancer
Experts at Ben Gurion University Cyber Security Research Center developed a malware software designed to add realistic growths to CT and MRI scans. It’s also capable of hiding real cancerous nodules that would be detected by the medical imaging equipment. The purpose of this software was to note the lax security protecting diagnostic tools and hospital networks that handle sensitive patient information. Source
Tired of Internet “Giants” easily and deceptively obtaining personal information? You’re not the only one. The United States of America decided to take action this month.
Giants get Attacked by US Government
American legislators desire tech companies to face more than negative publicity if caught collecting data in a dishonest manner. Senators Mark Warner and Deb Fischer have introduced a bill called the ‘Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction’ or the DETOUR Act. The bill would ban internet companies with over 100 million monthly active users from deceiving you to gain personal data. Source
Amazon Overthrown by Shareholders.
Shareholders at Amazon say they are going to vote to ban the company’s facial recognition technology on May 22nd. The controversial issue was set for ballot after US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had a say in the matter. Amazon’s board has been asked to stop selling the deep learning tool termed ‘Rekognition’ until a third party can confirm there’s not actual or potential violation of privacy and human rights. After two studies at UCLA and MIT showed repeated errors with the tech noting the mistakes “endanger or violate privacy or civil rights and disproportionately impact people of color, immigrants and activists.” Source
Google’s external ethics board has been controversial from the beginning but why are they calling it quits after a week?
Google says Bitcoin is Trending and Dissolves it’s Ethical AI Board after a Week
Google Trends show “Bitcoin” was globally searched three times the normal amount between March 31st and April 2nd. A similar pattern was also noted for the term ‘crypto’. Source
In other Google news…
The Brief, Volatile Life of Google’s AI Ethics Board’….
Ever since members of Google’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Ethics Board were announced, a deluge of complaints poured in over some of the choices. Without a direct way to move forward due to the controversies surrounding several members, most notably Kay Coles James, Google has shelved the idea until they find a better way to solicit the opinions on AI issues that will arise from their research. Source
Apparently grandma isn’t the only one on Facebook these days. It’s been said Facebook could replace the US dollar and they’re making efforts to help with crisis relief in Africa!? But don’t allow great marketing and heart-warming news overshadow the fact they’re still sharing personal information and accused of multiple other scandals. Keep in mind, we are merely discussing world headlines Facebook is connected to within the last 30 days. As you see, Facebook is hard to keep up with, but these are the major ethical issues chosen to highlight. What would you add or remove?
Facebook will replace the US dollar as a global currency & Saving Africa but Still .
“We think Facebook could be on a path to replace the US dollar as the global reserve currency.” Nathaniel Popper posted on Twitter. Source Nathaniel Popper
Don’t worry, Facebook AI knows where we live, but they say it’s for a good cause!
Facebook AI Maps Africa, Claims for Relief Efforts
Facebook has touted its super-detailed population maps created by AI utilizing the data they have collected before, but now they have released a super detailed population density map of Africa. Created utilizing more than 1 million satellite images, the AI located buildings and utilized census data to create the maps. Although not quite ready to map the entire planet, this is a good first step. Source
We are forced to take Facebook at “Face” value as they once again claim “no harm done” in The Cambridge Analytica Data Leak Scandal.
Another Facebook Data Collection Glitch
Facebook, in its efforts to know you a little better, took it upon themselves to upload 1.5 million new users email contacts without permission. Although the company said the contacts were not shared with anyone and the company is deleting them, in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data leak, how can one be sure? Source
Third Party Error Leaves Facebook Data Exposed
Exposed databases on Amazon’s Cloud Services are becoming a common headline. This week, it was Cultura Colectiva, a digital media publisher who has third-party connections to Facebook, that left nearly 150GB of records exposed. The vulnerability was discovered in January, and the company was informed, yet the database remained public until Facebook was contacted in early April. Source
Facebook to be Held Accountable for the Data They Share
After pressure from the EU, Facebook will be updating its terms and conditions worldwide. The purpose of this change is to bring the companies terms in line with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Most notably, Facebook will be changing its limitation of liability. The company will now be responsible when a third party mishandles or abuses the data shared from Facebook. Source
Lastly, Julian Assange. Julian (JA) and his lawyer, Human Rights Attorney, Jennifer Robinson spoke at our event in Barcelona last September. We released the viral video he made right before his arrest. You may refresh your memory here. The WikiLeaks founder has once again been arrested and many are in uproar. Here’s a few headlines in April that brought us many concerns.
JA’s Mystery Tweets Purpose Still Unknown
More than a year later, the purpose of a mysterious tweet, by Julian Assange, that appears to have a decryption key along with a link to M.I.A’s ‘Paper Planes’ song is still a mystery. When originally released, this created a flurry of activity trying to decode the meaning. Source
Boxing in a Box
Living in cramped quarters inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, Julian Assange took to a few creative ways to help stay in shape. A video of security cam footage from 18 November 2018 was released showing Assange shadow boxing and jumping in place while pacing back and forth in his accommodations which were just over 300 square feet. Source
The Scales of Justice Do Not Weigh Evenly
Edward Snowden has spoken out on both the Mueller Report and the US charge against Julian Assange, as well as the comparative justice of those charges. On one side of the scale, the Mueller Report shows the President of the United States attempted to commit several Obstruction of Justice crimes. President Trump failed because the people under him ignored the orders. No charges have yet been filed against him. On the other side of the scales, we have Julian Assange, who the US is trying to extradite after charging him with conspiracy to commit computer hacking. This, despite the fact that the U.S. Department of Justice admitted they are not positive he helped Chelsea Manning with the hack. Source
This concludes the first part of our April highlights. Please return for the second half. Until then, we’d be honored if you’d follow us on social media. Thank you so much.
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The World Ethical Data Forum’s approach is not to offer up definitive proclamations. Instead, it seeks to establish a discursive process that identifies the wrong answers and helps prevent the potentially catastrophic errors they might incline us towards. Guided and informed by theorists, journalists, politicians and the creators and users of data technologies, the process is also designed to maximize the chances of delivering the positive outcomes promised by those technologies. The integrity of the process is key to achieving this aim. The discussion must proceed according to its own lights. Anyone taking to a Forum stage will have a free platform to show why what they are doing is sensible and right. The same opportunity will be granted to anyone holding an intelligent countervailing position. The Forum believes this is the most reasonable and promising approach to a problem that might otherwise appear intractable.
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