Tag Archives: Vote

Peers Vote to Challenge Government Over AI-Related Copyright Threats

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The defiant peers have presented a significant challenge to the government. They urge artists to provide copyright protections for artificial intelligence companies, or they risk losing essential legal protections.

The government has encountered its fifth defeat in the House regarding a controversial initiative that would permit AI companies to train their models using copyrighted materials.

With a vote of 221-116 on Wednesday, they insisted on amendments that would enhance transparency regarding the materials used by AI companies for training their models.

At the awards event following the vote, Elton John emphasized that copyright protection is an “existential issue” for artists and called on the government to “do the right thing.”

He remarked: “We will not let the government forget their promise to support the creative industry. We will not retreat, and we will not go quietly. This is just the beginning.”

Wednesday night’s vote highlights the ongoing conflict between the Commons and the Lords over a data bill utilized by campaigners to challenge the government’s proposed copyright reforms.

Leading the opposition to the Lords’ changes is crossbench peer and film director Beeban Kidron, whose amendments consistently receive support from the upper chamber.

The data bill faces the likelihood of being shelved unless the Commons agrees to Kidron’s amendments or presents alternative solutions.

Maggie Jones, the minister for digital economy and online safety, urged her colleagues to vote against the Kidron amendment after the government proposed last-minute concessions to avoid another setback.

Before the vote, Jones stated that her colleagues “must decide whether to jeopardize the entire bill” and claimed that voting for Kidron’s amendment would “appear unprecedented”—attempting to disrupt a bill that does not undermine copyright law, while also addressing important issues like combating sexually explicit deepfake images.

Kidron told Piers: “This is the last chance to urge the government to implement meaningful solutions,” pressing the minister to take solid steps ensuring AI companies adhere to copyright regulations.

“It is unfair and irrational for the creative industry to suffer at the hands of those who take their jobs and assets. It’s not neutral.”

“We have repeatedly asked both houses: What is the government doing to protect creative jobs from being stolen? There has been no response.”

Several peers criticized the notion that the Lords’ actions were unprecedented, arguing that the government itself is breaking precedent by refusing to compromise. Tim Clement Jones, a Liberal Democrat spokesman for the digital economy, voiced strong support for Kidron’s amendments.




Beeban Kidron expressed concern, asking: Why is the government neglecting the interests of the UK while attempting to hand over the wealth and labor of the country? Photo: Curlcoat/Getty

The Lords’ amendments place the data bill in a state of double claims, indicating that both the Commons and the Lords are unable to agree on the legislation. Under this circumstance, the bill will be dropped unless ministers accept the rebellious revisions or offer other changes through parliamentary processes. Although the bill’s failure is uncommon, it has occurred before, notably in the 1997-98 session regarding the European Parliament election bill.

According to parliamentary tradition, the Commons holds a favorable position as the elected House, and in rare situations, if the Lords refuse to concede, the minister can utilize parliamentary law to enact the bill in the following session, which may significantly delay the legislation.

As a concession to the peers on Tuesday night, the government pledged to release additional technical reports on the future of AI and copyright regulations within nine months, rather than the previously proposed twelve.

“Many peers have expressed experiencing a lack of hearing during ping pong,” Jones noted in her letter.

Jones pointed out that by updating the Data Protection Act, the data bill is projected to yield £10 billion in economic benefits, enhancing online safety and strengthening the authority to require social media companies to retain data following a child’s death.

Kidron asserted: “It would be wise for the government to accept the amendment or propose something meaningful in its place. They have failed to listen to the Lords, to the creative sector, and even to their own supporters.”

Under the proposed government regulations, AI companies would be authorized to train their models using copyrighted works unless the owners specifically opt out. This plan has garnered heavy criticism from creators and publishers, including renowned artists such as Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle expressed regret over the decision to initiate consultations regarding the opt-out system associated with changes to copyright laws as a “priority option,” indicating that there may be resistance within Downing Street to make more concessions.

Source: www.theguardian.com

What Does Australia’s Vote Indicate for Climate Action in a Major Coal Economy?

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Few voters have as much influence over climate change as Australians do.

In terms of per capita greenhouse gas emissions, only the US and Canada are close to Australia. The nation stands as one of the largest exporters of fossil fuels, significantly contributing to global warming by selling vast quantities of natural gas to Asian countries, alongside some of the most polluting fossil fuels.

As national elections approach this Saturday, polls indicate that climate change is not a primary concern for many voters. However, the leading candidates from the Labour Party and the Liberal Party hold starkly different views on climate and energy policies.

At the forefront is the reliance on aging coal plants, which dominate the country’s electricity generation.

“We’ve seen various approaches worldwide,” stated Andrew McIntosh, a professor of environmental law and policy at the Australian National University. “On one hand, there’s a push for expanding renewable energy, while on the other, a conservative coalition advocates for nuclear power.”

Both strategies aim to reduce emissions, according to McIntosh, though many remain puzzled by the nuclear initiative. Nuclear plants can take over a decade to build, while renewable energy solutions can be implemented in just a few months.

“We need to rely on coal for years to come,” he added.

In some ways, analysts compare the polarized situation in Australia to that in the US, where former President Donald J. Trump downplayed climate science, dismissing it as a scam. Matt McDonald, a political scientist specializing in climate matters at the University of Queensland, remarked:

However, instead of heightening Australians’ concerns about climate change, Trump’s criticisms “don’t seem to have generated significant international momentum to address the issue, effectively cooling tensions on both sides,” said Dr. McDonald.

If Australians are feeling pressure, it stems from surging household energy prices. According to Australian energy regulators, average energy costs have risen by approximately 60% over the last decade.

Anthony Albanese, the current Prime Minister and Labour Party leader, has committed to a relatively ambitious renewable energy target, aiming for over 80% generation by 2030.

“Yet,” Dr. MacDonald noted, “we still have a significant reliance on coal.”

Albanese’s main rival, Peter Dutton, heads a coalition that aims to increase domestic gas production for electricity generation. While gas is still a fossil fuel, it is far less polluting than coal. Dutton proposes requiring gas producers to sell portions of their output to Australian electricity grids while expediting approvals for new drilling projects.

Generally, both parties endorse gas development, with Australia being the second-largest gas exporter globally, following the US.

Polling indicates a competitive race, revealing that the Green Party and the so-called Teal Independents strongly advocate for robust climate policies and could play a crucial role in Congress. “If they maintain their current seats, they will be in a position to advocate more strongly for climate action, such as reducing coal exports,” Dr. McDonald said.

A significant question looming globally is whether Australia will host next year’s annual United Nations-sponsored Global Climate Conference, commonly known as COP. Australia is currently vying with Türkiye to secure this event, which comes with notable geopolitical significance and economic advantages, drawing tens of thousands of delegates.

Host countries typically influence the ambition levels of negotiations, and Prime Minister Albanese’s administration has been lobbying for international support for Australia’s bid for over a year. “If they are elected, it’s unlikely to happen under the coalition government,” Dr. McDonald concluded.

Source: www.nytimes.com

This Is How Astronauts Vote in Space (and It’s Super Weird)

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The first cosmonaut to cast a vote from space was actually a cosmonaut (individuals trained by the Russian Space Agency for space travel) who flew from the Salyut-1 space station to the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1971. I voted.

Subsequently, three more cosmonauts voted in the 1989 Soviet parliamentary elections from the Mir space station, which operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001. Their votes were not confidential, and they communicated their choices to ground controllers instead of using regular communications. This public vote could have been great publicity for those seeking support from space.

However, when it came to democratic voting with secure ballots, there was a challenge. In November 1996, during the United States presidential election featuring candidates Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, and Ross Perot, astronaut John Blaha, a U.S. citizen residing in Texas, wanted to vote. As he was on the Mir space station, NASA facilitated secure communications for his voting process. Yet, the Texas Secretary of State intervened due to the lack of provisions in Texas election law for electronic voting, preventing Mr. Blaha from casting his vote.

This situation led to the signing of a new bill in 1997 by Governor George W. Bush, explicitly allowing voting from space. Astronaut David Wolfe’s first vote took place in a local election in Texas.

Since then, astronauts have been able to vote from space, with most opting to do so. The majority of astronauts relocated to Texas for training, enabling them to vote legally under the new law. There are also provisions for residents of other states to vote through collaboration with NASA.

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So, how do astronauts actually vote from space? Before their launch, all military personnel overseas must register for a federal postcard application. When it’s time to vote, NASA’s Johnson Space Center sends test ballots provided by the relevant county clerk to the astronauts. The astronauts use a training computer to complete the ballot, ensuring it is correctly received on Earth. The authentic ballot, along with credentials from the county clerk, is securely transmitted to the astronaut’s computer for electronic completion, then sent to NASA.

The ballot transmission occurs through NASA’s Tracking Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) to the White Sands Complex in New Mexico, and then via landline to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center. The completed ballot is emailed as a password-protected secure file to the county clerk for formalization.

STS-86 crew member David Wolfe, first American to vote in space – Photo credit: NASA

With the upcoming US presidential election in November 2024, stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore may still be in space, necessitating the need for them to vote from space. Originally scheduled to return in June 2024, delays have extended their stay, with their planned return now set for February 2025 by SpaceX.

The crucial question remains: did they submit the federal postcard application for voting prior to launch? Failure to do so may still prevent them from voting.

Check out our ultimate fun facts More amazing science pages.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Evangelical Environmental Activists Rally for Climate Change Vote as Election Nears

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overview

  • A group of young evangelical Christians is planning a campaign at religious universities to persuade students to think about climate change at the voting booth.
  • It’s part of a small movement within the evangelical community to combine Christian values with climate action.
  • The effort comes as President Donald Trump continues to court evangelical voters while calling climate change a “fraud.”

When an evangelical student group calls for a vote on climate change at a Christian university later this month, they plan to carry the tagline: “Love God, Love Your Neighbor, Vote for Climate Change!”

This is the first time the bipartisan group Young Evangelicals for Climate Action has organized such an in-person campaign on campus since its inception in 2012.

The volunteers, members of six Christian university chapters, are working to connect communities affected by the climate crisis with the Christian duty to “love our neighbor” and help those in need. We are aiming for

The effort is part of a larger movement led by the Evangelical Environmental Network, a faith-based organization calling for climate action.

Its members are a minority within the community. A 2022 poll from the Pew Research Center found that evangelical Christians are the largest minority. most likely Religious groups in the United States have expressed skepticism about anthropogenic climate change.

In the 2020 election, 84% of white evangelical Christians I voted for Donald Trump — I have voted for Trump in the past Climate change is a “hoax” decades of contradictions scientific consensus. Just last week, President Trump falsely claimed that “the Earth has actually gotten a little colder lately,” and at a September 29 rally called climate change “one of the biggest frauds in history.”

Cast of white evangelical voters third President Trump's 2016 vote count and Pew Research poll released last month We found that 82% said they would do so again this year.

Still, Jessica Morman, CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network, says she's working to get Christians to see climate change as an issue that loves God's planet.

“As evangelicals, we have a biblical mission to care for God’s creation,” said Morman, a pastor and climate scientist. “And in the 21st century, that means taking action on the climate.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Amazon Workers in UK Warehouses Vote for Union Recognition: A Groundbreaking Moment

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Located on a traffic island on the outskirts of Coventry, a small yet dynamic organizing team from the GMB union is challenging Amazon with homemade signs and orange bucket hats.

In a historic vote last week, over 3,000 Amazon workers were given the opportunity to participate in a vote that could potentially lead to the company recognizing a trade union in the U.K. for the first time. This is part of a series of battles worldwide over union recognition at the retail-to-cloud conglomerate founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, now valued at over $2 trillion.

If successful, the GMB victory would grant workers the right to negotiate with Amazon on matters such as wages, hours, and holidays, something the famously anti-union company opposes. GMB also believes that recognition would give them an advantage in addressing health and safety concerns within the expansive Coventry warehouse, known as BHX4.

The ongoing campaign at BHX4 sheds light on the barriers unions face, despite promises from the new Labour government to bolster trade union influence.

Results of the vote, held after a month-long process, are expected on Monday. Workers have received support from local Labour Party MP Taiwo Owateme, who commended their efforts.


Kate Gorton, GMB member, union To raise awareness about voting, snacks, drinks and gifts were distributed to employees at the end of each shift. Photo: Fabio De Paola/Observer

At the approach to BHX4, a dedicated GMB team welcomes workers as they arrive for the night shift amidst the sounds of dhol drummers creating a festive atmosphere.

These workers are encouraged to vote “Yes!” and many show support by honking or signaling approval from their vehicles. The campaign aims to bring positive change to the work environment at BHX4.

Meanwhile, GMB activists at another entrance offer refreshments and free hats to workers, urging them to vote in favor of recognition.

Despite some workers bypassing the activists, many engage in conversation, accept hats and drinks, and express their support for GMB.

The GMB’s current push for full authorization is their second attempt after withdrawing the initial application last year, citing Amazon’s strategic hiring practices to influence the outcome.

As the vote results await, GMB and other trade unions remain hopeful for meaningful changes under Labour’s New Deal for Workers, advocating for stronger collective bargaining and workers’ rights.

Amidst Amazon’s resistance to unions globally, the Coventry activists persevere, optimistic that they can achieve historic recognition. The company maintains that employees have the choice to join a union and emphasizes its commitment to direct engagement with employees.

Source: www.theguardian.com

First union recognition vote begins for Amazon UK employees

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GMB officials recently visited Amazon UK’s Coventry site, initiating a month-long balloting process that brings workers closer to gaining union recognition for the first time.

This move follows Amazon’s rejection of voluntary recognition, leading to an independent central arbitration panel granting GMB the right to hold a legally binding vote.

If employees vote in favor of recognition, GMB will represent them in negotiations regarding pay and working conditions, a historic first for Amazon in the UK.

Over 2,000 employees will participate in meetings with union representatives and company officials, presenting their cases starting Wednesday. The voting process will take place in workplaces from July 8th, with results announced after July 15th.

Amanda Gearing, senior GMB organiser, noted Amazon’s resistance to unionization efforts but highlighted the determination of Coventry workers to improve their conditions.

The ongoing struggle includes union members in Coventry facing challenges like QR codes revoking their union membership and strikes demanding higher wages and a seat at the negotiation table.

Black Friday actions last year saw union members from the US and Europe supporting Coventry workers, showcasing international solidarity in the fight for workers’ rights.

GMB’s success at Amazon’s New York site serves as a model for Coventry workers as they strive for recognition and fair representation.

The GMB aims to secure a majority vote in favor of recognition with at least 40% of frontline workers supporting the decision.

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The Labour Party’s commitment to empowering trade unions reflects a broader push for worker rights and representation.

The TUC’s general secretary, Paul Nowak, emphasized the importance of workers securing better pay and conditions through unionization, countering Amazon’s anti-union tactics.

In response, an Amazon spokesperson highlighted the company’s minimum wage increase and emphasized employees’ choice in joining a union.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk Confirms Tesla Shareholders to Vote on $56 Billion Compensation Package

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Tesla shareholders are set to approve Elon Musk’s $56 billion remuneration package by a significant margin before the company’s important annual general meeting later today. The compensation package, the largest ever granted to a CEO of a U.S. company, will be subject to an investor vote after being previously rejected by a U.S. court this year. Shareholders will also vote on Musk’s proposal to relocate Tesla’s legal base to Texas.

Several investors, including Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and the California State Teachers Retirement System, have indicated their intent to oppose the compensation package. Proxy advisory firms Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services have also advised shareholders to reject the pay.

On the eve of the meeting, Musk suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that investors overwhelmingly supported both the compensation package and the Texas relocation: “Both Tesla shareholder resolutions have now passed by large margins! Thank you for your support!!”

The results will be disclosed at Tesla’s headquarters in Texas at 4:30pm ET (9:30pm UK time).

Even if the remuneration package is approved, Musk may encounter further obstacles, including potential litigation. Legal experts doubt that the Delaware court that rejected the initial package would accept a new, nonbinding vote to reinstate it.

Originally approved by Tesla’s board in 2018, the compensation has faced legal challenges from shareholders. Judge Kathleen McCormick of Delaware raised concerns about the size and necessity of the package in her January ruling.

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In her ruling, McCormick questioned the necessity of the compensation plan, stating, “Perhaps swayed by the ‘all-positive’ rhetoric or enthralled by Musk’s superstardom, the board never asked the $55.8 billion question: Was this plan truly necessary for Tesla to retain Musk and achieve its goals?”

Source: www.theguardian.com

EU to investigate Meta’s election misinformation policies before June vote.

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The EU has reportedly taken legal action against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for failing to address Russian disinformation concerns ahead of the upcoming EU general election in June. The intention is to wake her up.

Concerns are also raised regarding the inadequate monitoring of election-related content and the effectiveness of mechanisms to flag illegal content.

The European Commission is worried that Meta’s moderation system is not strong enough to combat fake news propagation and suppression of votes.

Officials are particularly concerned about Meta’s response to Russia’s attempts to interfere with upcoming European elections, without explicitly mentioning the Kremlin.

According to reports, the European Commission has rejected Meta’s proposal to discontinue CrowdTangle, a tool that helps monitor the spread of fake news and voter suppression attempts in real time across the EU, raising significant concerns.

In accordance with a new law requiring tech companies to regulate their content to comply with EU regulations, Facebook and others must implement systems to guard against election interference risks.

A Meta spokesperson stated: “We have established processes to identify and mitigate risks on our platform. We are collaborating with the European Commission and will provide additional details on our work. We look forward to the opportunity.”

If Meta’s actions are confirmed, it follows recent stress tests conducted by the Commission on major social media platforms to assess their readiness against Russian disinformation. An official announcement is expected shortly.

The stress tests included hypothetical scenarios based on historical attempts to influence elections and cyber-based misinformation campaigns.

This encompassed deepfakes and efforts to suppress authentic voices through online harassment and intimidation.

The EU recognized the stifling of legitimate democratic voices as a new tool to silence dissent in February.

“The objective was to evaluate the platforms’ preparedness to combat manipulative activities leading up to elections, including various tactics,” said the committee.

This allowed them to assess social media’s resilience to manipulation, which is anticipated to escalate in the coming weeks.

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The upcoming European Parliament elections between June 6 and 9 are facing a surge in disinformation across the region.

Congress released voter guidelines on Monday, highlighting past incidents, such as the false claim that only specific ink colors could be used on ballots.

Voters are cautioned to be vigilant against disinformation, drawing from recent national election experiences.

In elections in various countries, misinformation about erasable ink pens and physical threats at polling stations have circulated on social media, reflecting the challenges of combating fake news and manipulation.

The EU Disinfolab documented thousands of cases of fake news targeting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion and spreading misinformation about President Putin’s motives.

Recently, a Czech news agency’s website was hacked to display fabricated news stories, including alleged assassination attempts and political reactions.

Last month, the Czech government exposed a disinformation network linked to Moscow.

The Belgian prime minister announced an investigation into alleged Russian payments to influence European Parliament elections.

Source: www.theguardian.com

AI deepfake technology advances as billions get ready to vote in a packed election year | 2024 US Elections

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“How awful!”

Gail Huntley picked up the phone and immediately recognized Joe Biden's raspy voice. Huntley, a 73-year-old New Hampshire resident, had planned to vote for the president in the state's upcoming primary and was perplexed when she received a prerecorded message urging her not to vote.

“It's important to save your vote for the November election,” the message said. “Only this Tuesday's vote will allow the Republican Party to seek re-election of Donald Trump.”

Huntley quickly realized the call was fake, but thought Biden's words had been taken out of context. She was shocked when it was revealed that the recording was generated by AI. Within weeks, the United States outlawed robocalls that use AI-generated voices.

The Biden deepfake was the first major test for governments, tech companies, and civil society groups. Governments, technology companies and civil society organizations are grappling with how best to police an information ecosystem where anyone can create photorealistic images of candidates or replicate their voices. It is embroiled in a heated debate. Terrifying accuracy.

As citizens of dozens of countries, including the US, India and possibly the UK, go to the polls in 2024, experts say democratic processes are at serious risk of being disrupted by artificial intelligence. .

AI fakes are already being used in elections Slovakia,Taiwan, Indonesiaand they are thrown into an environment where trust in politicians, institutions and media is already low.

Watchdog groups have warned that more than 40,000 people have been laid off at the tech companies that host and manage much of this content, and that digital media is uniquely vulnerable to abuse.

Mission Impossible?

For Biden, concerns about the potentially dangerous uses of AI spiked after watching the latest Mission: Impossible movie. Over the weekend at Camp David, the president relaxed in front of a movie in which Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt takes on a rogue AI.

After watching the film, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reid said that if Biden wasn't already concerned about what could go wrong with AI, “he has much more to worry about.” It turns out there are a lot of them.”

Since then, Biden has signed an executive order requiring major AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government.

And the United States is not alone in taking action. The EU is about to pass one of the most comprehensive laws to regulate AI, but it won't come into force until 2026. Proposed regulations in the UK have been criticized for moving too slowly.

But because the United States is home to many of the most innovative technology companies, the White House's actions will have a major impact on how the most disruptive AI products are developed.

Katie Harvath, who spent a decade helping shape policy at Facebook and now works on trust and safety issues at tech companies, says the U.S. government isn't doing enough. Concerns about stifling innovation could play into this, especially as China moves to develop its own AI industry, she says.

Harvath discusses how information systems have evolved from the “golden age” of social media growth, to the Great Reckoning after the Brexit and Trump votes, and the subsequent efforts to stay ahead of disinformation. I watched what happened from my ringside seat.

Her mantra for 2024 is “panic responsibly.”

In the short term, she says, the regulators and polices for AI-generated content will be the very companies developing the tools to create it.

“I don't know if companies are ready,” Harvath said. “There are also new platforms whose first real test will be this election season.”

Last week, major tech companies signed an agreement to voluntarily adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent AI from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world, and to coordinate efforts. We took a big step.

Signatories include OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, as well as Google, Adobe, and Microsoft, all of which have launched tools to generate AI-authored content. Many companies have also updated their own rules to prohibit the use of their products in political campaigns.. Enforcing these bans is another matter.

OpenAI, which uses its powerful Dall-E software to create photorealistic images, said its tool rejects requests to generate images of real people, including candidates.

Midjourney, whose AI image generation is considered by many to be the most powerful and accurate, says users should not use the product to “attempt to influence the outcome of a political campaign or election.” Says.

Midjourney CEO David Holtz said the company is close to banning political images, including photos of leading presidential candidates. It appears that some changes are already in effect. When the Guardian asked Midjourney to produce an image of Joe Biden and Donald Trump in a boxing ring, the request was denied, saying it violated the company's community standards. A flag was raised.

But when I entered the same prompt, replacing Biden and Trump with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Keir Starmer, the software produced a series of images without a problem.

This example is at the center of concerns among many policymakers about how effectively tech companies are regulating AI-generated content outside the hothouse of the U.S. presidential election.

“Multi-million euro weapons of mass operation”

Despite OpenAI's ban on using its tools in political campaigns, its products were used to create campaign art, track social media sentiment, build interactive chatbots, and engage voters in Indonesia's elections this month. Reuters reported that it was widely used as a target.

Harvath said it's an open question how startups like OpenAI can aggressively enforce their policies outside the United States.

“Each country is a little different, with different laws and cultural norms. When you run a US-focused company, you realize that things work differently in the US than they do in other parts of the world. can be difficult.”

Last year's national elections in Slovakia pitted pro-Russian candidates against those advocating stronger ties with the EU. Ballot papers include support for Ukraine's war effort, and EU officials say the vote could be at risk of interference by Russia and its “multi-million euro weapons of mass manipulation” emphasized by those.

As the election approached and a national media blackout began, an audio recording of pro-EU candidate Michal Šimeka was posted on Facebook.

In the recording, Simechka appears to discuss ways to rig elections by buying votes from marginalized communities. The audio was fake, and AFP news agency reported that it appeared to have been manipulated using AI.

However, media outlets and politicians are required to remain silent under election concealment laws, making it nearly impossible to uncover errors in the recording.

The doctored audio appears to have fallen through a loophole in how Facebook owner Meta Inc. polices AI-generated material on its platform.below it community standardsprohibits posting content that has been manipulated in a way that “the average person wouldn't understand,” or that has been edited to make someone say something they didn't say. However, this only applies to videos.

Pro-Russian candidate Robert Fico won the election and became prime minister.

When will we know that the future is here?

Despite the dangers, there are some signs that voters are better prepared for what's to come than officials think.

“Voters are smarter than we think,” Harvath said. “They may be overwhelmed, but they understand what's going on in the information environment.”

For many experts, the main concern is not the technologies we are already working on, but the innovations that are on the other side of the horizon.

Writing in MIT's Technology Review, academics said the public debate about how AI threatens democracy is “lacking imagination.” The real danger, they say, is not what we already fear, but what we cannot yet imagine.

“What rocks are we not examining?” Halvath asks. “New technologies emerge, new bad guys emerge. There are constant high and low tides, and we have to get used to living with them.”

Source: www.theguardian.com