Ten federal agencies plan on expanding the use of Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) by 2023, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Tuesday.
Why it matters: How to use these technologies ethically and how to regulate related products will become major questions as more government agencies begin using them.
It’s unclear if the upcoming Nintendo Switch release “No More Heroes 3” is good or bad, but an outcry over its review embargo raised a red flag.
Driving the news: A restriction that would have blocked critics from reviewing the game until nine hours after it went on sale was altered last night in a reminder of how fraught the game-reviewing process tends to be.
The rumored Marvel superhero game "Midnight Suns," from the acclaimed makers of “XCOM,” was officially revealed on Wednesday.
Why it matters: New games from Firaxis are always a big deal, but “Midnight Suns” also may serve as confirmation that video games, like movies before them, are now (and forever?) going to be a conveyor belt of major Marvel releases.
The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday proposed a $5 million fine against right-wing activists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman for allegedly making illegal robocalls discouraging mail voting ahead of the 2020 election.
The big picture: The record-setting penalty from the FCC comes as the pair faces criminal charges of voter suppression in Michigan and a federal lawsuit in New York accusing them of making 85,000 robocalls to Black Americans in an attempt to keep them from voting.
OnlyFans, an online creator platform known for its adult content, announced via Twitter Wednesday that it has dropped plans to ban sexually explicit content on its platform in October.
Why it matters: The move comes after the proposed ban sparked an outcry from sex workers who relied on the platform to safely make a living.
As the federal government readies to spend tens of billions of dollars on broadband upgrades, the Federal Communications Commission — the agency that has traditionally doled out subsidies for internet connections — is on the sidelines.
Driving the news: The bipartisan infrastructure bill recently approved by the Senate commits $42.5 billion to broadband deployment and related projects, but the money would flow to the states, with oversight from the Commerce Department.
Electronic Arts will give other developers access to its accessibility patents and technology as part of a new initiative to make video games more inclusive for players with disabilities.
Why it matters: Attitudes toward accessibility in video games have shifted in a more positive direction over the last decade, but that work needs to be ongoing.
California has expanded its anti-discrimination lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, adding temporary workers to the female full-time employees of whom it is suing on behalf. The state's Department of Fair Employment & Housing also alleges the game maker has interfered with its investigation.
Why it matters: While Activision Blizzard has attempted to show over the past month that it is addressing issues raised in the suit, the DFEH is turning up the heat.
Facebook is now sharing information about which posts on its platform get the most views, but researchers and critics tell Axios the new quarterly reports lack the details or timeliness to be of much use.
Why it matters: While Facebook has offered its "Widely Viewed Content Report" as a transparency move, the company won't persuade critics that it's winning the fight against misinformation unless it gives outsiders more of an open window into near-real-time data.
Newsletter startup Substack has scooped up the team behind Cocoon, a subscription-based social network for connecting with close friends and family.
Why it matters: As newsletters grow along with the wider "creator economy," companies like Substack are looking for ways to help subscribers feel more like a community and interact with one another.
Major power and oil companies are funding a tech startup that helps detect risks to critical infrastructure — including energy networks.
Driving the news: Urbint just announced $60 million in Series C funding to scale its platform that uses AI to "stop failures, damages, and worker injuries before they happen."
Peloton will sell its Tread treadmill model with new safety features in the U.S., UK and Canada on Aug. 30 and in Germany later this fall, the company announced Tuesday.
Why it matters: The move comes three months after the company recalled its Tread and Tread+ models due to reports of small children being injured and even killed beneath the machines.
