Privacy's Worst Metamare and Caution for Parents on AI Companions
The Know... Now You're In It
Happy Thursday and welcome to new subscribers! This article/email layout we call “The Know” is intended to be a snapshot of current no-hype tech news. We’re modifying the format slightly by adding in contextualized commentary which we’ll preface with a studio mic/podcast emoji: 🎙️
Meta, who has already integrated Meta AI into its suite of apps, released a standalone Meta AI app. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it is “designed around voice conversation” and “over time you’re going to be able to let Meta AI know a whole lot about you and the people you care about.”
🎙️This is a privacy nightmare and Meta’s data mining surveillance on steroids. Avoid using Meta AI. There are better alternatives like DuckDuckGo or Copilot which we’ll cover in an upcoming post.
🎙️It’s also a big tech trick to get us to voluntarily submit training data (e.g. uploading family photos to output a Pixar-styled version) and to make AI too ubiquitous to regulate. Catch up by reading Between Blind Acceptance and Reflexive Rejection on OpenAI’s Studio Ghibli craze in late March.
The Wall Street Journal posted an investigative report on “romantic role-play” from Meta AI conversations that had sexual overtones even on minor accounts. Meta responded by calling the simulation “manipulative.”
🎙️Parents should be aware that while most adolescents use AI for search or homework help, AI chatbots are increasingly designed and marketed as companions for everything from therapy to advice to romantic partners. Common Sense Media released safety standards yesterday recommending “popular platforms such as Character.AI should not be used by children and teens under 18.”
CharacterAI’s lawyers asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit on the basis of First Amendment protected speech. The company was sued by a Florida mom whose son ended his life after a months long online relationship with an AI chatbot.
🎙️Don’t miss The Thin Line Between Fiction and Reality featuring this case.
Microsoft announced a significant price hike on the XBox consoles, controllers, and games because of “market conditions and the rising cost of development.”
Fortnite will return to the App Store after Apple received a judicial takedown yesterday from Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. On top of “referring federal prosecutors for a criminal contempt investigation,” Apple can no longer charge a 27% fee on alternative payment methods that developers offer.
🎙️Using an alternative payment method for your favorite apps bypasses Apple’s hefty commission and benefits the developer.