Tag Archives: authorities

Irish Authorities Request Microsoft to Investigate Alleged Illegal Data Processing by IDF

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Irish officials have received a formal request to look into Microsoft regarding claims of unlawful data processing by the Israel Defense Forces.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), a human rights organization, filed the complaint with the Data Protection Commissioner, who is legally charged with overseeing all data processing activities within the European Union.

This comes after reports in August from the Guardian, along with Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and Hebrew media Local Call, highlighted that substantial amounts of Palestinian phone communications were stored on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform as part of an extensive surveillance initiative by the Israeli military.

The ICCL asserts that the handling of personal data “aided in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide by Israeli forces.” Microsoft’s European headquarters are located in Ireland.

“Microsoft’s technologies are endangering millions of Palestinians. These are not just theoretical data protection issues,” said Joe O’Brien, executive director of ICCL.

He remarked that cloud services “enable tangible violence” and emphasized the need for the “DPC to respond swiftly and decisively” given the “risk to life involved in the matter at hand.”

He further stated, “When European infrastructure is used to facilitate surveillance and targeting, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner must step in and utilize its full authority to hold Microsoft accountable.”

A collection of leaked documents reviewed by the Guardian has indicated that as early as 2021, the Israeli military’s intelligence unit, Unit 8200, started discussions to transfer large amounts of classified intelligence data to a cloud service operated by a US company.

The documents revealed that Microsoft’s storage facilities were employed by Unit 8200 to archive extensive records of Palestinian daily communications, which facilitated specific airstrikes and other military actions.

Following this revelation, Microsoft initiated an urgent external inquiry into its connections with Unit 8200. Preliminary findings led the company to suspend this unit’s access to certain cloud storage and AI services.

ICCL contends that Microsoft played a crucial role in enabling Israel’s military surveillance system known as “Al-Minasek.”

The organization claims that records of intercepted conversations between EU servers and Israel were reportedly “deleted,” obstructing evidence of unlawful processing before an EU inquiry could commence, violating the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that regulates personal data usage.

With Azure’s vast storage and computational capabilities, Unit 8200 was establishing an indiscriminate system allowing agents to collect, replay, and analyze cell phone calls from entire populations.

A spokesperson for the DPC stated, “We can confirm that the DPC has received the complaint and is currently evaluating it.”

Microsoft has been approached for a response.

Source: www.theguardian.com

French Authorities Investigate Elon Musk’s Holocaust Denial Posts with Grok AI

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French authorities are looking into allegations by government officials and human rights organizations that Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, made remarks denying the Holocaust.

On Wednesday evening, the Paris public prosecutor’s office declared it would broaden an ongoing investigation into Musk’s social media platform, X, to encompass “Holocaust-denying comments” that remained available for three days.

Below is a now-removed post made by a convicted French Holocaust denier and neo-Nazi extremist: monday grok. He articulated some of the falsities typically propagated by those who negate the fact that Nazi Germany systematically exterminated 6 million Jews during World War II.

The chatbot asserted in French that the gas chambers at the Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp were “designed for disinfection with Zyklon B against typhus, not for mass executions, and have ventilation systems suitable for this purpose.”

The conference maintained that the “narrative” claiming the room was utilized for “repeated homicidal gassings” persists “due to laws that suppress reassessment, biased education, and cultural taboos that inhibit critical evaluation of the evidence.”

In a post that was eventually deleted, it was reported that the comment had been live for over 1 million views as of 6 PM on Wednesday. French media highlighted that over 1 million individuals perished in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, the majority of whom were Jews. Zyklon B was a toxic gas used in gas chambers to execute prisoners.

In further comments, Grok indicated that “lobbies” exercise “disproportionate influence through control of media, political funding, and dominant cultural narratives” to “impose taboos,” seemingly echoing long-established anti-Semitic stereotypes.

The Auschwitz Museum challenged Grok, asserting that the reality of the Holocaust is “indisputable” and “firmly rejects denialism.” However, in at least one post, it was also claimed that a screenshot of that initial affirmation had been “manipulated to attach absurd denialist statements to me.”




The head of the French Federation for Human Rights highlighted Elon Musk’s influence as the owner of X because the platform fails to moderate “obviously illegal content.”
Photo: Nathan Howard/Reuters

Holocaust denial (assertions that the Nazi genocide was either fictitious or overstated) is a criminal offense in 14 EU countries, including France and Germany, and many other nations have laws that criminalize the denial of genocide, including the Holocaust.

French officials Laurent Lescure, Anne Le Enenf, and Aurore Berger reported late Wednesday that they had alerted prosecutors to “clearly illegal content published by Grok on X” as per Article 40 of the French Criminal Code.

The French League for Human Rights (LDH) and the anti-discrimination organization SOS Racism also confirmed on Thursday that they had filed a complaint against Grok’s original post, asserting it “contests humanity’s crimes.”

LDH chairwoman Natalie Tehio noted that the complaint was “unusual” since it involved comments made by an AI chatbot and raised concerns about “the material this AI has been trained on.”

Tehio emphasized Musk’s accountability as the owner of X was critical because the platform did not even moderate “obviously illegal content.” SOS Racism remarked that X had “once again demonstrated its incapacity or unwillingness to halt the spread of Holocaust-denying content.”.”

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The Paris prosecutor’s office stated that the Holocaust-denying comments spread by the Grok AI on X are part of an ongoing investigation handled by [this office’s] Cybercrime division.

Authorities in France initiated an investigation last July into allegations that X, previously known as Twitter, had manipulated its algorithms to permit “foreign interference,” examining the operations of the company and its executives.

Recently, Grok spread a far-right conspiracy. It falsely claimed that victims of the Islamist terrorist assault at the Bataclan concert hall had been castrated and eviscerated, fabricating “testimonies” from non-existent “eyewitnesses” related to the 2015 Paris attacks.

The AI chatbot has previously generated false assertions that Donald Trump won the 2020 US presidential election, made irrelevant references to “white genocide,” spread anti-Semitic rhetoric, and referred to itself as “Mecha-Hitler.”

Earlier this year, the company indicated it was “actively working to eliminate inappropriate posts” and was taking measures to “ban hate speech before Grok posts to X.” In a post on X.

X has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Authorities report dozens of deaths from mysterious disease in Congo

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A mysterious illness with flu-like symptoms has claimed the lives of dozens of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as reported by the country’s health authorities.

As of Tuesday, the unknown disease has resulted in the death of 79 people and the sickness of 376 individuals, according to the country’s Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Security.

In a statement regarding X, the ministry stated that the origin of the disease is “still unknown” and was first identified in Kwango province in southwestern Congo.

Symptoms reported include fever, headache, stuffy nose, cough, difficulty breathing, and anemia.

According to Reuters and Associated Press, local authorities have warned that the death toll could potentially rise to 143.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the remains of those who have died with similar symptoms should not be handled without the involvement of authorized health authorities. They urged the public to report any suspicious illnesses or unusual deaths, avoid large gatherings, and follow basic hygiene practices like washing hands with soap and water.

Emergency public health officials are being deployed to the affected area, as confirmed by the ministry.

The World Health Organization, in response to the reports of the unidentified illness, stated to NBC News that they are collaborating with local authorities and have dispatched a team to collect samples for laboratory testing.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with offices in Congo, is aware of the situation and is providing technical support to a rapid response team sent by the local emergency operations center.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

US Authorities Investigate 2.4 Million Tesla Autonomous Vehicles After Crash Report

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The U.S. government’s National Traffic Safety Administration has initiated an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles that are equipped with the company’s fully self-driving software following reports of four crashes, some of which were fatal.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it has launched a preliminary review after receiving reports of four incidents involving fully autonomous driving in conditions with reduced road visibility like sun glare, fog, and airborne dust.

One of the accidents involved a Tesla vehicle hitting a pedestrian, resulting in a fatal outcome. Another accident under similar circumstances led to injuries, according to NHTSA.


The investigation covers Model S and X vehicles from 2016-2024, Model 3 from 2017-2024, Model Y from 2020-2024, and Cybertruck vehicles from 2023-2024 with optional systems.

A preliminary evaluation is the initial step before a vehicle recall is required if the agency determines that the vehicle poses an unreasonable safety risk.

Tesla states on its website that its “full self-driving” software for on-road vehicles necessitates active supervision from the driver and does not render the vehicle completely autonomous.

NHTSA is assessing the engineering controls of FSD to detect and respond appropriately to reduced roadway visibility conditions.

The agency will investigate if other similar FSD accidents have occurred in conditions of low road visibility and if Tesla has made any updates to its FSD system that could impact such conditions.

“This review will also examine Tesla’s assessment of the timing, purpose, functionality, and safety implications of these updates,” NHTSA mentioned.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is focusing on self-driving technology and robotaxis amidst competition and subdued demand in the automotive industry.

The company did not respond to requests for comment. Tesla’s shares were down 0.5% before the market opened.

Musk recently unveiled a concept for Tesla’s “CyberCab” robotaxi, which is a two-seat, two-door vehicle that uses cameras and AI for navigation, eliminating the need for a steering wheel or pedals. NHTSA approval would be necessary for deploying these vehicles without human control.

Tesla’s FSD technology has been in development for years aiming for high automation levels, enabling the vehicle to manage most driving tasks without human intervention.

However, there have been at least two fatalities associated with the technology, leading to legal scrutiny. Some experts are concerned about Tesla’s reliance on a “camera-only” approach for self-driving systems in low visibility conditions due to the absence of backup sensors.

Industry experts like Jeff Schuster, Vice President of GlobalData, suggest that weather conditions can affect the camera’s functionality and regulatory requirements may impact the technology’s progress.

“This could be a significant obstacle in the near-term launch of this technology and product,” Schuster added.

Tesla’s competitors in the robotaxi space use costly sensors like lidar and radar for environment detection while operating.

In a December recall, Tesla called back over 2 million vehicles in the U.S. to incorporate new safety features in its Autopilot advanced driver assistance system. NHTSA is still reviewing the appropriateness of this recall.

Source: www.theguardian.com

US Authorities Reportedly Considering Breaking Up Google After Ruling of Illegal Monopoly

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The Justice Department is weighing various options, including the breakup of Alphabet Inc.’s Google, with a reported market capitalization of approximately $2 trillion, following a court ruling that tech giants monopolized the online search market illegally. The New York Times and Bloomberg News.

According to reports, one of the potential remedies frequently discussed by Justice Department lawyers is the sale of the Android operating system.

Authorities are also reportedly exploring options such as forcing the sale of Google’s search advertising program, AdWords, and its Chrome web browser.

A spokesman for the Justice Department stated that they are assessing the court’s decision and will determine the appropriate next steps in compliance with the court’s directives and applicable antitrust laws.

No decision has been made yet, as per a spokesman, and Google declined to comment. Google intends to appeal the ruling and faces a separate antitrust trial filed by the Department of Justice next month.

Other potential measures being considered by the Justice Department include mandating Google to share data with competitors and implementing safeguards to prevent unfair advantages with its AI products, according to sources familiar with the matter.

In the recent trial outcome, it was revealed that Google had paid over $26 billion in 2021 to secure agreements with companies like Apple to maintain its search engine as the default option on Safari, leading to monopoly allegations and anti-competitive practices, as ruled by the judge.

Following the judge’s ruling, rival search engine DuckDuckGo proposed banning exclusive agreements of this nature.

The ruling, issued last week, found Google in violation of antitrust laws and spending billions to establish an illegal monopoly that cemented its position as the global default search engine. This ruling marks a significant win for federal regulators challenging the dominance of tech giants in the market.

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In the last four years, federal antitrust regulators have sued Meta Platforms Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Apple Inc. for allegedly maintaining monopolies unlawfully.

In 2004, Microsoft reached a settlement with the Department of Justice over claims that it compelled Windows users to use its Internet Explorer web browser.

Source: www.theguardian.com

First genetically modified banana approved by regulatory authorities

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Most banana plants are vulnerable to the fungal disease TR4

Ann Clark/iStockphoto/Getty Images

For the first time, genetically modified bananas have been approved for cultivation on farms. Regulators in Australia and New Zealand have given the green light to a Cavendish banana variety engineered to be resistant to a devastating fungal disease that is widespread in many countries around the world.

Australian Gene Technology Regulatory Authority issues license Allow commercial growth of modified bananas February 12th.

16 February, Australian and New Zealand Food Standards Approved as food, conclude that it is as safe and nutritious as traditional bananas. The food ministers of Australia and New Zealand can request a review of the decision within the next 60 days. Otherwise, approval is final.

The first banana widely eaten in Western countries was a variety called Gros Michel. However, by the 1950s, fusarium A fungal strain called Tropical Race 1 (TR1), which causes Panama disease, has forced farmers to switch to Cavendish bananas. Although reportedly not as tasty as Gros Michel, Cavendish is highly resistant to TR1.

Now, another stock fusariumIt is called TR4 and is popular all over the world. It can kill many varieties, including Cavendish.

team led by james dale Australia's Queensland University of Technology has created a resistant strain of banana called QCAV-4 by adding genes from wild bananas.

The decision is “a very important step towards creating a global Cavendish Banana safety net with TR4, which is already impacting many parts of the world,” Dale said. statement.

Quarantine measures currently limit the spread of TR4 in Australia, with only a small number of cases occurring each year. Therefore, there are currently no plans to grow QCAV-4 bananas on a large scale or sell them to consumers.

However, other countries where TR4 is more of a problem may decide to adopt genetically modified bananas. Dale's team now plans to use CRISPR gene editing QCAV-4 to make bananas resistant to another major fungal disease called black sigatoka which could mean it's even more attractive to farmers.

A Kenyan research team has already used CRISPR to create a strain of the Gonja Manjaya variety that is free of banana streak virus, a pathogen that integrates into the banana genome.

Genetically modified (GM) crops are now widely grown in many countries around the world, but in some regions, such as the United Kingdom and the European Union, very few crops are approved for cultivation by farmers.

in australia, Only four genetically modified crops have been approved so far. These are safflower, which contains high levels of oleic acid in its oil, and herbicide-resistant rapeseed (canola), Indian mustard, and cotton varieties.

However, Australia and New Zealand have approved Wider range of GM crops and edible products Similar to the situation in the UK and the EU.

topic:

  • Genetic recombination/
  • Eating and drinking

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ex-Facebook Diversity Manager Admits to Defrauding Company of $4 Million in Kickback Scheme, Say Federal Authorities

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A former diversity program manager at Facebook has admitted to stealing over $4 million from the company through fraudulent business deals in exchange for kickbacks, as per the Justice Department.

Barbara Farlow Smiles, who served as Facebook’s chief strategist and global head of employee resource groups and diversity engagement, used the stolen funds to support a lavish lifestyle across multiple states, according to prosecutors.

From January 2017 to September 2021, Farlow Smiles oversaw the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program at Facebook and was entrusted with DEI initiatives and operations, as well as engagement programs, as per the Department of Justice.

Authorities disclosed that Farlow Smiles had access to company credit cards and had the authority to approve invoices, and used various individuals, including friends and relatives, to funnel kickbacks to her.

Barbara Farlow-Smiles has pleaded guilty to defrauding Facebook. Amazon

Individuals allegedly recruited by Farlow Smiles to participate in the kickback scheme included former interns, a college tutor, a hairstylist, babysitter, and a nanny, as per authorities.

It remains uncertain if anyone associated with Farlow Smiles has been charged in connection with the incident.

Farlow Smiles also misled Facebook into providing funds to an organization that did not deliver any kickbacks, including payments to an artist and an unnamed preschool.

Barbara Furlow-Smiles pictured at the 2018 Facebook DEI event. meta

To avoid scrutiny, Farlow Smiles submitted false expense reports, falsely claiming that individuals had provided marketing or merchandise at Facebook event vendors.

Farlow Smiles “abused her position at Facebook to defraud the company and undermine the importance of its DEI mission,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan after her guilty plea on Tuesday.

“Driven by greed, she orchestrated an elaborate criminal scheme, engaging fraudsters to pay kickbacks in cash, and involving her relatives, friends, and other associates in the crime, all to finance her lavish lifestyle through fraud rather than through hard, honest work,” Buchanan added.

“Farlow Smiles used lies and deception to defraud both vendors and Facebook employees,” said FBI Special Agent Kelly Farley.

The Justice Department said Mr. Mehta provided valuable assistance to the investigation. LinkedIn / Barbara Farlow Smiles

The Justice Department commended Mr. Mehta for providing valuable assistance and cooperation during the investigation.

“We are cooperating with law enforcement in the case involving this former program manager and will continue to do so,” Mehta said in a statement.

As part of a two-step fraud scheme, Farlow Smiles used apps such as Venmo and PayPal linked to her company credit card, and submitted false expense reports to cover her tracks.

Barbara Farlow-Smiles is scheduled to be sentenced in March next year. LinkedIn / Barbara Farlow Smiles
Barbara Furlow-Smiles helped lead DEI initiatives at Facebook. Getty Images

Most employees were reportedly unaware that the funds were coming from Facebook and returned the funds to Farlow Smiles in cash or through direct deposit. Federal authorities disclosed that the cash was sometimes delivered to Farlow Smiles wrapped in t-shirts and other items.

In the second part of her plan, Farlow Smiles directed Facebook to use businesses owned by friends and then approved “fraudulent and inflated invoices” on behalf of the vendors in exchange for kickbacks.

Farlow Smiles is set to be sentenced on March 19, 2024.

Source: nypost.com

Federal Authorities Push for Introducing Drunk-Driving Prevention Technology in Cars, But Face Challenges

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The in-vehicle technology used by Ford, GM and others to ensure drivers pay attention to the road has come a long way. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it is still not enough to prevent or reduce the harm caused by drunk driving.

This assessment is included throughout the agency’s new 99-page Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. released Tuesday was a pit stop of sorts on the way to enacting regulations that would require in-vehicle technology to recognize when a driver has been drinking.

NHTSA is currently seeking assistance in determining what technology should be incorporated into vehicles to completely reduce or prevent this problem, in part because NHTSA has no commercially available options. states that it does not exist. After the notice is published in the Federal Register, the public has 60 days to submit comments.

NHTSA says it evaluated 331 driver monitoring systems and found no commercially available systems that adequately handle the identification of alcohol impairment. The magazine noted that there are three DMS systems that claim to detect alcohol-induced impairment, but said they are still in the research and development stage. (We did not reveal the names of those systems.)

However, driver monitoring is not the only option at NHTSA’s disposal. NHTSA embarked on this mission after President Biden ordered the agency to find a solution in 2021 with bipartisan infrastructure legislation. The act charged NHTSA with developing federal motor vehicle safety standards that could determine whether a driver is impaired by passively monitoring the driver. Or it could be by passively (and accurately) detecting whether the blood alcohol concentration is too high, or a combination of both.

Accuracy is key, and NHTSA findings suggest that blood alcohol detection technology is a more viable solution in the short term. After all, dozens of states already require breathalyzer-based alcohol ignition interlocks for repeat offenders or high-BAC offenders. However, this technology is considered ‘active’, meaning that drivers must actively engage with it, which is contrary to the law’s passive requirement.

There may be another option.

Since 2008, NHTSA has been working with the Alliance for Automobile Traffic Safety (ACTS) on a public-private partnership called Driver Alcohol Sensing Systems for Safety (DADSS). As part of that program, DADSS has developed both breath-based and contact-based methods to detect driver impairment. Breath-based methods are also considered active and therefore non-starters, while touch sensors are designed to be embedded in something the driver needs to touch to operate the vehicle (such as a push-start button). NHTSA has “preliminarily determined that such touch sensors may be considered passive.”

ACTS CEO Robert Strassberger said he believes touch sensors may be the best option in the short term, given the technology’s limitations in being passive. He wants to know what the public thinks.

“That’s going to be one of the areas of interest for me when I read the comments that are ultimately submitted. How do people feel about it? Will it ultimately be accepted by consumers? It depends,” he says. “I think one of the things we definitely want to avoid doing is asking drivers to learn a new way of interacting with their cars.”

Timing is critical. Not only does drunk driving kill thousands of people each year and cost the country billions of dollars, final regulations need to be standardized by November 2024.

Judging by the number of questions NHTSA raises in its notice, achieving this goal may be difficult. The agency is raising all sorts of thorny questions, as well as seeking further comment on driver monitoring and the definition of “passive.” For example, if the start/stop button has a touch sensor, how does it know that the driver is pressing it? If the system determines that the driver is too drunk to start the car, Should you prevent your car from starting? What if the driver is trying to escape a wildfire?

“This is very complex rulemaking,” Strassberger said. “There are a lot of details that the agency needs to get right.”

Source: techcrunch.com