How Do You Control 1.4 Billion People?
The New RepublicA close look at China’s social credit system, which becomes mandatory in 2020. Straight out of Black Mirror.
Technology
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Style Is an Algorithm
Racked«I imagine a future in which our clothes, music, film, art, books come with stickers like organic farmstand produce: Algorithm Free.» (full disclosure: as I’m writing this, I’m listening to music Spotify thinks I’ll like)
Published in Weekly Filet #272
First look at Nintendo Labo
NintendoWith its latest invention, Labo, Nintendo is bringing cardboards to life. This looks super fascinating.
Published in Weekly Filet #272
Where Countries Are Tinderboxes and Facebook Is a Match
The New York TimesWhen Facebook is not just a threat to people’s privacy, but to their lives.
Published in Weekly Filet #271
Palantir Knows Everything About You
BloombergA close look at the spying company that has been much better than Cambridge Analytica at staying in the shadows and that is arguably a lot more powerful. «An intelligence platform designed for the global War on Terror was weaponized against ordinary people at home.»
Published in Weekly Filet #271
Why Zuckerberg’s 14-Year Apology Tour Hasn’t Fixed Facebook
WiredHere’s a feeling I have: I don’t think Mark Zuckerberg is a bad person, or driven by the wrong motives. However, he’s most certainly out of his depth when it comes to the societal implications of the behemoth he has created. Zeynep Tufekci tells the story of Facebook as a series of apologies.
Published in Weekly Filet #270
Palantir and Cambridge Analytica: what do we know?
I really like this Wikipedia approach to news: An explainer piece you can contribute to, both by asking the right questions and by providing answers. This one on Palantir’s links to Cambridge Analytica is far from comprehensive, but I’m pretty sure some among could contribute to make that happen.
Published in Weekly Filet #268
Silicon Valley Has Failed to Protect Our Data. Here’s How to Fix It
Bloomberg Businessweek«Unfortunately, ethics don’t scale as well as systems. We’ve poisoned ourselves, and more than a little.» After a week of revelations and (mostly) justified outrage over Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, a proposal.
Published in Weekly Filet #267
Random stow
QuartzNever really thought about this, but it makes perfect sense: Why items in Amazon warehouses are shelved 100% randomly.
Published in Weekly Filet #267
Can Free Speech Survive the Internet?
The Philosopher's Beard«The internet has enhanced our free speech in an imbalanced way: greater ease of reaching others with our speech has come at the expense of our freedom to speak without fear of reprisal.»
Published in Weekly Filet #266