Chinese Authorities Call For Internet Companies To Add Bias To AI Algorithms -- In Order To 'Promote Mainstream Values'
from the Xi-Jinping's-little-red-subroutine dept
Techdirt has been tracking the worsening online surveillance and censorship situation in China for many years now. The latest move concerns the currently hot area of artificial intelligence (AI). It's a sector that the Chinese government understands better than most Western governments, and which it has made one of its technology priorities. The authorities in China know that AI in the form of algorithms is increasingly deployed to optimize and customize Web sites. They have realized that this fact gives them an important new lever for controlling the online world. As South China Morning Post reports, the Cyberspace Administration of China has released its draft regulations on "managing the cyberspace ecosystem", which include the following:
The regulations state that information providers on all manner of platforms -- from news and social media sites, to gaming and e-commerce -- should strengthen the management of recommendation lists, trending topics, "hot search" lists and push notifications.
"Online information providers that use algorithms to push customised information [to users] should build recommendation systems that promote mainstream values, and establish mechanisms for manual intervention and override," it said.
"Mainstream values" include resources that promote Xi Jinping's writings; party policies and socialist core values; information that displays China's economic and social development; and anything else which helps promote Chinese culture and stability. By contrast, "harmful information" is stuff that is "sexually suggestive, promotes extravagant lifestyles, flaunts wealth or hypes celebrity gossip and scandals."
As is increasingly the case, China is in the vanguard of digital culture here. The rest of the world is beginning to wake up to the serious threat of bias as AI-powered algorithms are deployed more widely. China has moved beyond that stage and is now actively weaponizing bias to push a government agenda. This is a useful warning to those who see algorithmic decision-making as the solution to hard problems.
For example, it is clear that the only way that the EU Copyright Directive's upload filters can be implemented is through automated filters using AI. As China's latest move makes clear, once those filters are in place on major Internet sites in the EU, it would be easy for governments to require that the software should be tweaked to introduce a little bias -- to protect the children, or society, or whatever. Those who are horrified by what the Chinese authorities are proposing would do well to start arguing for safeguards to stop the same path being taken outside that country.
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Filed Under: ai, algorithms, bias, censorship, china, culture, mainstream values
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And Google was like....
"100 steps ahead of you"
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Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
Don’t you have a basement to be inceling up somewhere?
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I'm confused, is this a bad thing through and through, or a good thing that's at risk of abuse?
I mean, an AI designed to trawl the internet and curate stuff for recommendations sounds like it could be useful; you could set up for pro-tolerance and positive social messages, educational content, community activities, et-cetera, stuff to inspire people and get them thinking.
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It could also drown out voices of opposition and dissent for the sole reason that they are voices of opposition and dissent.
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AI bias is inevitable
There’s no such thing as neutral AI.
AI or whatever filter we use to decide which tiny corner of the internet to pay attention to HAS to have bias, favoring some types of content over others. The only question is what the bias is.
For example, google’s original contribution to search was to bias results toward those websites other sites linked to a lot.
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Re:
You can be sure this would be one of the prime uses, especially when it comes to political figures.
How The Donald would love to have this implimented today.
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Bias!
So this is exactly what Zof, Cadet Bonespurs, Daily Stormer and Faux News all want - Govt sanctioned bias!
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Re: Re: And Troll
Don’t you have a basement to be inceling up somewhere?
That was Blue Balls. Zof is just a neo-nazi trying to eliminate the jews and the darkies.
Right, Zof?
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Re: Re: Re: And Troll
by blaming google
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Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
And Anonymous Coward was like...
OH I'M SORRY!
AC's Don't MATTER!!!!
LOL!!!
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Re: Re: Re: And Troll
Um,
I don't know who anybody is anymore. I mean, there are actually folks calling a gay jewish man a Nazi. That's how stupid people are.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
Yeah it's that like, conspiracy or whatever where Google Engineers prove their childish bias, and I'm just imagining there aren't 1000 documents that prove it.
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THE CRAZY PEOPLE!!!
"Milo is just pretending. He's clearly a white supremacist"
Yes.. Makes perfect sense. Milo is clearly just the most amazing troll in history. He's so good, he traveled back in time to make sure both his parents were Jewish, and he just pretended to be gay and fight for gay rights, and literally married a huge Black guy and has gay sex with him.... BECAUSE HE KNEW SOMEDAY.... he'd matter for 2 months. Yeah. Make perfect sense.
Clearly he's a liar and wants to kill all the um, people of his own faith.
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Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
Here's the fun thing:
My comment was so outside the normal news cycle, it's like a filter.
: )
Most people just know Google is corrupt. So the only person that would even bother chadding up my comment with their childish nonsense is a Google Employee.
: )
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Re: AC lives matter
Again bro. Don’t try insulting your betters. You’re just not good at it, at all. I mean posting three times in as many minutes really doesn’t sound like this “not mattering.”
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Re: Re: AC lives matter
You didn't magically start mattering lol.
Now everyone is laughing at you child.
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Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
Fucks sake girlfriend, stop trying to flatter me. Googles janitors make way more than I do.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
And you are fooling nobody. You just literally walked right into it again because of your Dunning-Kruger Google Employee delusion. : )
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Re: THE CRAZY PEOPLE!!!
He’s a grifter and an Uncle Tomas. Funny thing is he’s got you so snowballed that you sound jelly you didn’t get invited to the wedding.
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Re: Re:
Does anyone REALLY want to trust their government and politicians with deciding what is right and what everyone should believe?
Once again for the cheap seats, 1984 was a warning and NOT an instruction manual.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
Yes, you actually are imagining that there are 1000 documents that prove that!
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He also defended pedophilia, so…yeah…
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pants
You literally sound stupider and more delusional than blue balls.
Congrats?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pa
But, and you'll love this as a Google Employee.
Because of how statistical probability works, you prove me more right every time you post.
Neat eh?
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Re: Re: Re:
As was Machiavelli, Brazil, Clockwork Orange. The Prisoner.
I may have missed one.
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'What could go wrong?'
An oppressive government pushing the idea that the internet should be 'recommending' what they consider 'mainstream values', with the option of being able to step in should any 'recommendations' not suit what they want?
Well, I can't possibly see how that could go badly...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
and I'm just imagining there aren't 1000 documents that prove it
Actually you are just making shit up Zof. One engineer claiming bias does not make a "Liberal Jew Conspiracy" across the company as you claim...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like....
But, and you'll love this as a Google Employee.
And everyone will love this... Because Zof will quote a single disgruntled person and claim that this represents an entire company. Or country.
But @Zof is just a good ol' boy. No matter how many crosses he burns, it's all just in fun, eh?
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Always ask 'Would this still be good in my enemy's hands?'
I mean, an AI designed to trawl the internet and curate stuff for recommendations sounds like it could be useful; you could set up for pro-tolerance and positive social messages, educational content, community activities, et-cetera, stuff to inspire people and get them thinking.
I mean, you could, but if you think that's how it would be used(especially given who is trying to set the standards in this particular story), well... cherish that innocence as long as you can, you probably won't be able to keep it very long these days.
Even if you were able to absolutely trust the current people who would be shaping the AI's decisions once it's in place it would be trivial to hijack by someone who you might not agree with down the line in order to shape society to how they think it should be.
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Re:
Like Google does?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like....
OOOPS! You forgot to post anonymous this time.
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Re:
Your tears are delicious.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like....
Been working for Google long Gary?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like....
Truly scary how right I was about statistical probability huh...
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
I downloaded them. Want them? I'll repost them on postbin.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
Yet I have in my possession 1000 documents that Google have confirmed are real. Maybe you should stop acting like a child and apologize now.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in white pa
You get that now that people know who you are, you just look like a dumb little kid every time you make another fake post, right?
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Re: And Google was like....
Google is 180° away from this. It’s the opposite of the filter-bubble problem. Here, you won’t be trapped in your own little world, you’ll be trapped in the same little world as everyone else.
It’s already happening in the West. There has been criticism of YouTube’s “recommender” algorithm, and the subsequent pruning of “borderline content.” This is just a another way of saying adding bias towards the mainstream.
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Re: Re:
Could you please show us on the doll where Google touched you?
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So Please Enjoy Google Replying To Me In The Comments
See, I did a type of post called a "tailored post".
It's very easy. Once I explain it, you'll be able to do it.
You can carefully craft a post that will literally only offend ONE TYPE OF PERSON. How you ask? Hateful people are so delusional, they think the things that matter to them, matter to everyone. So if you make a post tailored just to make someone like them angry, they will be so self centered and broken, they'll assume everyone is as angry as them. Then, they'll give it away by pretending they speak for everyone in their comment. Simultaneously showing their delusion, and exposing themself as a Google Employee. Because honestly, the only folks that really care about Google at all, are Google employees lol.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
Yes, please do, and point to the exact statements that claim what you say they claim.
I assume that there must be hundreds and hundreds of examples within the 1000 pages you speak of, so it should be easy for you.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
How about I just post a link to the internal Google forum where I just had it reposted again. HR will probably have it removed before 6am : )
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Re: So Please Enjoy Google Replying To Me In The Comments
You must work for Google considering how much you obsess over the company.
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Re: Re: So Please Enjoy Google Replying To Me In The Comments
And it's like, the gift that just keeps on giving : )
Again, tailored post kid.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
And yet I can generate 1000 documents in mere minutes.
Does that mean my entire company is part of the Jew Conspiracy?
Or does it mean that the Clintons are running a sex slave operation out of a Pizza shop?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Zof is a Neo-Nazi
No matter how many times you post without proof Zof - you still have no proof.
Funny how that works!
And yet - we still have seen Zof post, claiming that Jews are the real problem. So...
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God...
I wish Google actually did hire the smart people, instead of just telling the idiots they hire that they are smart, but I guess, they picked that up from Apple. Marketing is a lot cheaper than telling the truth, and dumb people are a lot easier to boss around.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
What's wrong, afraid the 1000 documents you have don't actually say what you think they say, is that why you are don't want to post the docs and point to the statements within them?
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Re: Re: Re: So Please Troll
We have all seen Zof rail against the Jew Conspiracy. But somehow he's not a neo-nazi puppet?
He just keeps tossing out more racist posts. But somehow everyone else is lying.
Makes sense!!
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And zof was like....
Bro that was Gary posting not me. You really are starting to sound like blue balls.
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Hahahahahaha
Oh wait you’re serious. Let me laugh even harder.
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Re: God...don’t stop... I’m almost there.
Bravo bro. Bravo. I haven’t seen a meltdown of this caliber since Jhon smith threatened to rape all the disabled people.
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Re: So Please Enjoy me dropping a zof In The Comments
The level of projection in this comment is astounding.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in whit
Thank you bro. Your tears taste better than a fine wine.
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Re: God...
Zof, you are really not one to talk about smart people as you are definitely not one of them. Let me see, you think that 9800 out of 20000 is about 5%, you think that hardware phone unlock devices can be found on file sharing sites, you think being conservative is now a race. I am sure I could find more.
Oh, and what about the time that you said you were never reading the articles here again?
(Some of those linked comments may need to be un-hidden in order to view)
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The documents being real doesn’t confirm that they say what you think they say.
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Re: God...
I guess, they picked that up from Apple. Marketing
So Zof is just all about tossing baseless nazi taunts - but can't show proof or back up his racist rants?
Maybe Zof should try citing instead of saying, "I have MOUNTAINS of proof you don't need to see!"
MOUNTAINS of "Proof."
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To wit: The 1,000 documents you say proves Google has a bias against conservatives or for Jewish people or against White people or whatever the hell you believe the bias is.
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Re: Re: God...don’t stop... I’m almost there.
Eh, I wouldn't go that far. Zof is stupidly, rigidly consistent and double downs like a lead balloon, but he's not John Smith's level of apoplectic when his lies get called out on. Zof also doesn't do threats on the level of horse with no name. (Honestly, it's been what, four months? I'm still waiting for Jhon boi to make good on his threat to skewer my Aspie ass.)
Zof, admittedly, also makes reasonable comments on rare occasion. The same cannot be said for Jhon "I'll insult Masnick's offspring and there's nothing you can do to stop me" Smith.
I suppose this is as close as we can get to a glowing review of Zof, not that "better than MyNameHere" is a particularly high bar...
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Re: You played yourself bro
You know what the best part of your little temper tantrum is bro? You are literally the only person talking about google.
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You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
Any reasonable person cringes reading you above.
In the opinion of myself and THOUSANDS of others who stay away from Techdirt every day, it's you fanboys who look crazy besides petty. You clearly have the advantage of numbers. Stop throwing it away by STUPID back and forth.
It's not really arguable.
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Re: Re: "Gary", your efforts to destroy Techdirt are succeeding!
You're the most subtle and destructive TROLL here, pretending to support the site, but only keeping the cess fresh and stinky,
Don't know why Masnick allows you to do so. But then again, he may be paying you! His judgment isn't sound.
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Re: You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
Ummmm... how can you say that you stay away from Techdirt, but yet here you are, at the bottom of 60+ comments telling us how you stay away from Techdirt.
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Re: And yet here you.
You’re so jelly zof is getting all the attention. It would be cute if it wasn’t so pathetic.
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Re: Don’t go away mad. Or do. Just go away.
Hey bro. Remember when you could complete entire sentences? Your cognitive decline is accelerating at an alarming rate.
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Re: Re: Re: AC lives matter
A perfect self-description
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And zof was like.... a shart in whit
Another perfect self-description
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Re: You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
The voices in your head don't count.
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Re:
You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
Considering you want the site dead (that Shiva Ayyadurai gambit really worked out well for you, didn't it?) why would this be a bad thing?
In the opinion of myself and THOUSANDS of others who stay away from Techdirt every day
The guy who says there's thousands of people staying away from a website, him included, is letting people know about this... on the website he says he's staying away from.
Let that sink in.
You clearly have the advantage of numbers
I thought you said THOUSANDS of others were staying away from the website? Only 27 Bangladeshi visit this site? How do we have the advantage of numbers, again? Seriously, can't you stay consistent within your own fucking diatribe?
Stop throwing it away by STUPID back and forth
When you stop demonizing grandmas you'll stop getting demonized.
It's not really arguable.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
What he means is that he's one of the useful idiots who fell for the "there's over 1000 documents!" claim. He doesn't want to be humiliated again by people who, unlike him, actually read the "evidence" and found they prove nothing, so he'll pretend there's a conspiracy to shield the truth rather than admit he was lied to again.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
"Yet I have in my possession 1000 documents that Google have confirmed are real"
I have 1000 documents in my possession that Lucasfilm have confirmed are real items. That doesn't mean that Star Wars actually happened.
What you should be doing is stating which parts of the real documents prove the claims you're making, which is suspiciously lacking thus far. "100 documents!" doesn't cut it. "Page X of document Y support claim Z" is the proof we're after. Why are you afraid to supply that information.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
"there are actually folks calling a gay jewish man a Nazi"
Like this guy?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_R%C3%B6hm
You should brush up on your history, you come across as ignorant when you pretend that things that have happened before are impossible.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:Zof is a Neo-Nazi
No, he has proof - 1000 documents!
He just hopes that people don't actually read the documents or ask for details, because he didn't do that before he started shouting about them and he'll look really stupid if they don't prove what he claims they do.
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Re: You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
"THOUSANDS of others who stay away from Techdirt every day"
Billions of people not only don't come here, but have never heard of the site. Yet, this doesn't make your own drivel any more insightful.
What differentiates those thousands of people from you is that they at least have sense to stay away from a site they dislike, yet you are compelled to come here every day. It's a very sad sight to behold.
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Y'know, if you just flagged and ignored the idiots instead of replying to them and feeding them they would eventually fade into the oblivion from which they spawned. This entire article's comments sections is nothing but trading "witty" insults with the unarmed. The trolls' strategy is starting to work.
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Re:
That's how you know the subject of the article is so indefensible, even the trolls have no excuses or explanations to fall back on outside of insults.
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Re: AI bias is inevitable
Spot on.
And that is why one needs to maintain ones own list of reputable sources of whatever one wants, news, opinion, tech info, ...
Do not rely on large tech companies to give you "unbiased" X (for their is none).
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'Dance my pathetic puppets, dance.'
Pavlov really has nothing on TD's trolls. They dangle some obvious bait and people jump right on it like starving animals, eager to show that they can throw out childish insults too, demonstrating not only how laughably easy they are to manipulate but that they are little better than the trolls as they will sink to their level with just a tiny nudge.
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Next story people, nothing but inciteful comments here on this one.
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Re: So Please Enjoy Google Replying To Me In The Comments
Two words for you Zof; "Fuck" and "Wit." I'll leave you to join the two together and create an accurate one word description of how others see you.
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Re: Always ask 'Would this still be good in my enemy's hands?'
Umm, a biased AI (because there's no avoiding it) will soon be in everyone's hands. The question is, what biases do you want it to have, and who sets them????
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Re: Re: Always ask 'Would this still be good in my enemy's hands
If the choice of 'should it be implemented' has been taken away and it's a given that it will be implemented I'd go with 'the user's' and 'the user' respectively in that case.
Set the AI as a blank slate and allow it to be molded by the user based upon their actions, such that it's 'biases' reflect theirs and it's suggestions are aimed at meeting what they're looking for. It'll open up the possibility of confirmation bias, where people already leaning one way will be nudged even further that way, but I think I'll take that over an outside party having the power to set the bias according to their ideas of 'what is best'.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: And Troll
I'm just imagining there aren't 1000 documents that prove it.
There are not 1000 documents that prove it:
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20190815/18023542791/latest-google-whistleblower-to-prove-anti -conservative-bias-doesnt-prove-anything-appears-to-be-bigoted-conspiracy-theorist.shtml
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Re: You fanboys are NOT helping the site. You're just not.
"In the opinion of myself and THOUSANDS of others who stay away from Techdirt every day, it's you fanboys who look crazy besides petty. "
I hate to break it to you, but for someone who insists he's staying away from techdirt you appear to be remarkably present.
...and that brings me to the topic of what your claim does to your general credibility. Russel's Teapot doesn't become a more valid as an argument because you try to claim there are thousands of the little buggers.
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