"Mr Branding" is a blog based on RSS for everything related to website branding and website design, it collects its posts from many sites in order to facilitate the updating to the latest technology.
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Thursday, May 23, 2024
YouTube’s Sinister Side: Here's How The Platform Drives Users To Extremist And Alternative Content
But did you ever think about how simple it was to fall down the platform's rabbit hole where there is no limit on the sharing of online content?
Remember, there is never any kind of restriction linked to the content that people make, especially if it attracts the masses. But what if we told you that all that glitter is not gold?
Thanks to a new study by Northeastern University, we’re saying hello to more facts related to how the app is home to plenty of extremist and alternative forms of content that have great reliance on the platform to be promoted.
We saw in 2016 how the leading video search engine YouTube was in the line of fire for recommendations where extremist material was getting promoted thanks to some major changes done to the recommendation algorithm.
And while extremist material stays on the app, there are so many subscriptions driving users to this material or genre instead of the usual algorithm that most of us are accustomed to seeing.
Researchers from this study stated how the figures for problematic material on the app were significantly large and there was a huge audience for that type of material, even today. The only problem is that it is yet to be radicalized on the app.
Therefore, the question of where radicalization was occurring within the app is worth considering
The latest research on this front says extremists are relying on the video hosting abilities of the platform and off-site is where all the dirty things happen. So if you began at a location where you have exposure to bad things, you’re going to end up in locations where you get exposed to even more.
Today, YouTube is boldly talking about how it was forced to undergo changes to the algorithm for this same reason. Receiving this kind of criticism, brought out changes in 2019 as people highlighted how it was promoting conspiracy-related material that was spiking at an alarming rate.
Despite the changes, the material never vanished as a whole. So much content just simply shifted. Today, the app is not only related to itself but the fact that content could be embedded across any designated website is news.
More than 1000 residents from America arose for this study which were divided into several cohorts. It’s the first study of its kind where people were seeing all kinds of things arising on the app.
Content was studied that users came across frequently and there were some very interesting conclusions made in the end.
Users saw so much YouTube material getting promoted on websites instead of the app itself. And most of the material was linked to problematic material. The content was more promoted in the direction of websites belonging to political right-wing destinations. Some were expressing hate openly. And that was an eye-opening situation.
The study proved that those exposed to videos on destinations offsite were more inclined to search for content from areas featuring problematic material. But it does not take long for off-platform to transform into on-platform.
So what’s the solution to the problem? As per experts, it’s just stronger policies for moderating content. The app can well decipher where content is arising from and the fact that it continues to host such videos despite appearing at different websites is another problem worth mentioning.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Former Google CEO Shares Unsettling Predictions About Dangers Linked To AI
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
Former Google CEO Shares Unsettling Predictions About Dangers Linked To AI
Ever since his exit from the search engine giant, he’s not been sitting idle. In fact, he’s been very busy investing in a wide array of AI startup firms. According to him, all kinds of AI regulation must strike a balance and make sure innovation isn’t impacted.
He further went on to confirm how the creation of AI has paved the way for more kinds of dangers but some of the huge threats are yet to arrive. But when they do come into play, he strongly feels the world must be equipped to deal with just that.
Schmidt made it a very interactive conference where he says that it’s time we understand that computers that have the freedom to do whatever they want is never a great thing. People are just going to start unplugging them but who and what gets unplugged and when is another debate.
The mere thought of going on to replace AI systems in one go after they are equipped to do anything on their own is something that’s now raising some serious questions. It’s not a very comforting feeling but as per Schmidt, researchers have carried out a host of detailed trials on this front in terms of what dangers AI possesses and that the danger would soon come and we’d be able to witness it.
It’s worth mentioning how the ex-Google CEO has invested in a lot of things to better combat risks linked to the world of AI. Watching him partner with the likes of the makers of ChatGPT to roll out a massive program worth $10 million that supports tech research with OpenAI’s superalignment team cannot be ignored.
It’s linked to managing risks related to AI but it is said that OpenAI was forced to disband the team recently due to the main leads dropping out as a surprise. However, the company vowed to move ahead with another grant program while reassuring the public that everything was under control and that a backup option was present.
For now, the former Google CEO says that the AI we have in front of us isn’t dangerous, other than the fact that it’s full of disinformation. It’s not in many people’s control and really has a serious issue attached.
Today, disinformation has really turned into a massive issue than what many had predicted in the past. Major research on the likes of systems offered by tech giants like Meta showed how systems were automatically learning to roll out fake beliefs to accomplish a certain outcome that’s far from the truth.
So many Deepfakes are turning into a bigger problem as well. There’s so much more explicit content on the rise that’s designed using AI where real personalities are targeted such as celebrities and political leaders.
Talking about misinformation in another interview to Noema Magazine, Schmidt explained that.
"I think it's largely unsolvable and the reason is the code generate misinformation is essentially free. Any person, whether good or bad, has access to them. It doesn't cost anything and they produce very, very good images. There are regulatory solutions to that but the important point is that the cat is out of the bag or whatever metaphor you want. It's important that these more powerful systems, especially as they get closer to general intelligence, have some limits on proliferation and that problem is not yet solved yet."
Fake messages arising from big names from the industry are put into action and in the past, so many fraudsters were also arrested for the crime like those that tried to persuade voters in a certain direction during the elections.
As per the ex-Google CEO, the actual dangers had to do with big language models that were taking part in cyber and some biological attacks. They are not here yet but within a timeframe of three to five years, it should arrive.
Image: Noema Magazine / YT
Read next: The Growing Impact Of AI In Search: SEO Job Listings Experience 37% Decline In Q1 Of 2024
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
The Growing Impact Of AI In Search: SEO Job Listings Experience 37% Decline In Q1 Of 2024
The change is significant when you compare results during the same period last year. And experts claim the increased use of AI in search has resulted in this change to SEO hiring.
The news comes to us thanks to a recently launched analysis carried out by SEOJobs who compiled the information from more than 80k job listings. These were published by 4700 workers in 2023 and the start of 2024.
So which roles were impacted the most? As per the report, it was the mid-level ones. Meanwhile, senior SEO roles witnessed a 3% YoY rise during the first quarter of this year. Similarly, data entry-level roles saw a 1% rise but mid-level positions had the biggest hit with a 6% fall when compared to results from the first quarter of 2023.
The owner of SEOJobs also spoke about the impact of AI automation linked to the handling of commonly conducted routine tasks. This means firms now need experts who are capable of carrying out work on a higher level.
Remember, work that was once designated to be an entry-level position is now considered or done quicker and more cost-effectively via the use of AI. Hence, such entry-level SEO positions are believed to work around basic level facts related to search and any soft skills needed to compete with rivals at the middle level who entail close to three or more years of experience.
So many organizations wish to do a lot more with fewer resources and that means saying hello to the hiring of cheaper staff with less experience and then paying out for great results through senior-level SEOs.
When you look at things more positively, you will understand how more remote opportunities are present in the world of SEO and how they’re peaking as we speak, when compared to results from last year.
We cannot forget how there’s a certain lack of transparency for salaries of employees as highlighted in the report so more needs to be done on this front. As per recently published stats, just 18% of all job listings gave out pay details while there is a lot more disclosure for wages as many states are now requiring this to occur legally.
Other than the disruptions linked to the world of AI, there is a bigger picture featuring mega economic challenges that seemingly impact SEO employment.
As per data from the US, the pulling of listings for these job positions coincides with the slower growth in jobs across the American labor market. Employment didn’t change a lot in the past month across several industries. This includes those offering both business as well as professional services. And remember, most SEO positions do tend to come under this domain.
Read next: Frustrated with Google's AI Overview in Search Results? Here’s How to Disable It With A Chrome Browser Hack
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Digital Decay: Nearly 4 in 10 of Decade-Old Web Pages No Longer Accessible
We can call this “Digital Decay,” as much information and news from a decade ago is not accessible. Even many links on Wikipedia show a 404 error. Upon searching 500,000 government sites, 21% of them had links that were no longer functioning. Some 2,063 news aggregators had 23% broken links, and about 50,000 English Wikipedia samples had 54% reference links that were no longer working.
Pew Research Center also studied Twitter (now X) in this regard and found that out of 4.8 million tweets from March 8 to April 27, 2023, 18% were no longer accessible on the platform by June 15. Sixty percent of those tweets disappeared because the accounts also disappeared for multiple reasons like deletion, deactivation, or suspension. Researchers also found that tweets in languages other than English disappeared quickly over the study period. For instance, 49% of tweets in Turkish and 42% of tweets in Arabic disappeared because the profiles from which those tweets came also disappeared. Only 6% of those tweets reappeared, probably because the user switched their account from private to public.
There are two main reasons why content on the internet is disappearing: either there is a switch in publication, or the publication becomes no longer available. Either way, the disappearance of web pages and other content is alarming as it is a waste of the hard work of many people.
Read next: Global Tax Analysis: Comparing Nations with the Highest and Lowest Corporate Taxation
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World
New ‘Tech Against Scams’ Coalition By Meta, Coinbase, And Match Group Designed To Combat Online Fraud
This is one of the main reasons why a new coalition by the name ‘Tech Against Scams’ has been created by Meta, Match Group, and Coinbase. Here, the goal is to tackle online fraud and financial schemes that continue to peak around the world as we speak.
The latest coalition is designed to function in a manner that takes swift action against tools that scammers use while ensuring the public remains educated and consumers stay guarded at all times. It also hopes to dismantle financial scams as they pop up.
We saw the trio of tech giants first unite on this front in the summertime of 2023 but seeing them combine with other social media giants and crypto agencies is news, not to mention the role of the Global Anti-Scam Organization.
The main focus for such coalitions has to do with scams dubbed as pig butchering. This is the name reserved for those incidents where scammer tricks people into giving more funds via trusting digital means. This can be due to a romantic relationship or one linked to a platonic bond.
- Also read: Tech Giants Microsoft, Google, And OpenAI Formally Pledge To Advance AI Development Safety
So many tech firms present in various industries are now linking up with one another to put an end to unlawful or criminal behavior. In the end, that assists online apps in staying ahead of the game and creating the most impactful solutions linked to all sorts of crimes online.
As mentioned by the Match Group’s head for trust and safety online, it’s going to get tougher for scammers to carry out frauds and trick online users into falling into their plots, thanks to this means.
They are working harder also on the investment front so that newer technologies are developed to better combat fraud and scams at a quicker pace and ensure people attain the support they need.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Everything You Need To Know About The Magic Class In Diablo 4
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World
Everything You Need To Know About The Magic Class In Diablo 4
Mages play an important role in regular RPG and MMO RPG projects and are an integral part of them.
This is a difficult character at the beginning of the game and depends on the mana indicator, which increases combat power and has weak physical defense. The magician can destroy enemies in a second and die at the same speed if he is inattentive. What is a caster and how to get effective diablo 4 boosting - we will look at it in this article.
What you need to know about the magician
This is a fighting class that uses mana to create spells, and their strength is determined by intelligence.
The magician is a rather fragile hero who can move quickly using his skills.
You will have a choice between the schools of fire, lightning and ice to deal damage, but given the features of the nightmare and hell difficulty levels, it is better to choose two schools to reduce the risk of stumbling upon the complete immunity of enemies to your attacks.
You will have the potential for single and massive attacks to destroy entire squads of enemies, but keep an eye on your mana and don’t forget to regenerate it using potions and wells, and also look for passive bonuses and stones that will help you quickly restore an important resource.
What you need to know about the elements:
- When choosing the talent Crackling Energy and a combination of lightning skills, energy spheres will remain behind enemies, which will restore your mana.
- All ice elemental skills will freeze and slow down the enemy, and if they accumulate critically, the enemy will be completely stopped and broken into small pieces of ice, which will prohibit their resurrection.
- All fire elemental skills will cause the target to burn and reduce their health even if you stop attacking them, which is effective for boosting in Diablo 4 when you are running out of mana, but you have already activated these effects, but have run out of mana.
Magic class parameters:
- Level up your intelligence to increase your overall spell damage, which stacks with skill levels and weapon power.
- Upgrade your willpower to add a chance for a critical attack and double damage when using a spell.
- The agility parameter is responsible for restoring mana, but apart from this criterion there will be no benefit for you, so either pump it up by literally 5 values, or ignore it and get it through magic equipment.
Your main task is to distribute mana so that you have enough for a full cast and do not have to run from enemies until it is restored.
All the skills that you will learn and use can be placed in active slots for their use and there are a total of 6 main ones and 3 additional ones.
All the skills that you place in additional ones cannot be used as an active skill, but it begins to issue passive bonuses based on their description.
All skills can be divided into several groups:
- Minimum damage - needed to accelerate the damage of more powerful skills and for attacks of any level of strength, just not to stop the battle.
- Average damage - mostly work as negative effects, such as burns, freezing, or reducing the combat potential of enemies.
- High mass damage - a blizzard, meteorite, ball lightning, which immediately covers a large area of enemies, but also consumes a lot of mana.
- Defensive - these are spells that increase your defense, such as a cold shield, freezing enemies and increasing your armor, fire that burns an attacker, and so on.
- Conjuration - these are spells that do not require a target and are often used around you to freeze, burn and reduce combat potential due to lightning.
- Mastery - these are special spells that differ depending on the school of magic - a wall of fire, a block of ice and a ball of lightning that interfere with the advancement of opponents.
- Ultimate - This is a unique and most powerful skill from the school of magic that you have chosen for yourself. For ice, this is deep-freezing of oneself and mass skills around, for fire, general lava over the territory, for lightning, this is huge random damage and complete conduction of lightning around.
Basic Skills
These are key skills with low damage, but with their own characteristics.
Lightning has random damage from one to a maximum value, which is chosen randomly and due to the chance of knocking out an attack many times is close to zero and reduces the popularity of this build.
Ice accumulates freezing, and fire accumulates burns and a burning effect, although the damage itself causes weak.
Secondary Skills
These attacks are launched using the right mouse button and are considered assist attacks. They don't do a lot of damage, but they help a lot against a lot of enemies.
- Lightning will release sparks and catch nearby enemies.
- The ice will release fragments and freeze enemies around and scatter further.
- The fire will fly as a ball and explode upon contact with opponents.
Protective Spells
- Fire Shield - You gain full protection from all attacks for a short time and burns enemies around you.
- Ice Armor - You increase your overall defense and absorb some damage until destroyed.
- Blizzard is another skill from the defensive class, because it does not really deal damage, but at the same time it freezes enemies around.
- Teleport is the creation of your silhouette and moving to it, causing lightning damage to all enemies between them.
Witchcraft
These are skills that create an effect around you to cause damage.
- Ring of Ice - does not cause damage, but freezes enemies around and does not require targeting a specific enemy.
- A lightning spear is the release of a projectile that does not fly in a straight path and catches all enemies around, it ignores all obstacles and moves on.
- Ice blades - they are launched without a target and look for enemies to attack, but you can aim with the first blade, and they will immediately begin attacking that target.
- Hydra - Summons a magical attack point that deals damage with all three heads until the end of its effect, or the death of the sorceress.
Mastery
These are skills that you already need to be able to use to increase their effectiveness for your boosting in Diablo 4.
- Wall of fire - it does not allow enemies to pass through and causes damage; for it to be effective, it is better to immediately place it, either in the path of enemies if they are moving, or directly on them - if the battle has not yet begun.
- Nova is a burst of magic with massive damage that activates when you spend a lot of mana and has a cooldown. This is a passive skill that is not directly controlled by you, just remember that when you do not save mana and perform a procast, then this spell can come to your aid.
- Meteor is a targeted attack that sets the ground on fire and causes explosion damage to all enemies in its radius and subsequent burns.
- Ball lightning - flies in a random direction, but practically does not see obstacles and hits all enemies in its path, causing them damage.
Ultimate Abilities
Each school of magic has its own most powerful spell, which is extremely effective and has a long cooldown.
- Deep Freeze - You become completely invulnerable while powerful volleys of ice shoot out around you at enemies around you.
- Inferno - creates a zone of fire strikes and has the shortest cooldown of all spells. All enemies hit will not receive pure damage, but will receive a burning effect, quickly reducing their overall health.
- Conduit - You become pure electricity and quickly move around the area and deal damage to all enemies hit.
Formation of builds
The magician has general skills, which are then divided into three schools of magic, but you should not concentrate on one of them, because in the future enemies will have immunities and resistances, so try to distribute the skills between the two schools of magic.
It’s not worth taking all three, because in the case of two types of skills you lose some damage, but retain your combat potential, and if you choose all three, then the damage will be weak for three schools of magic at once and the pace of your boosting is in D4.
It's simple - if you want adventurous damage, take lightning. The emphasis on attack is fire. The emphasis on defense and control is cold.
Conclusions on the mage class in Diablo 4
A magician is a fragile weapon for mass killing monsters, which depends on the mana indicator, and you can choose one of the schools of magic to study.
You will have a large amount of magic for attack and defense, tied to ice, lightning, or fire.
It’s worth choosing one or two schools of magic to study in order to distribute them to bypass the immunities and resistances of enemies that appear at the Nightmare and Hell difficulty levels.
This is one of the fastest heroes in terms of boosting in D4 due to mass skills. You will have teleportation and strike effects without selecting a target, which will further help ensure your safety and survivability.
Sources:
- Guide to leveling up and developing the magic class, taking into account seasonal updates from Skycoach.
- A great guide to all aspects and features of a magical character in Diablo 4.
- Video guide with basic information about the magic class and a detailed analysis of all the specifics and features.
by Web Desk via Digital Information World
Tech Giants Microsoft, Google, And OpenAI Formally Pledge To Advance AI Development Safety
The news broke out during a recently held global meeting on virtual grounds where leaders from the United Kingdom and South Korea as well as reps from all tech giants took part with one goal in mind. And that was related to more transparency and better oversights for work.
A total of 16 different firms acknowledged the major benefits that AI brings and the massive risks that come about if it gets misused or ends up harming individuals.
A list of practical steps were promoted such as a host of publishing frameworks linked to safety and even avoiding models that came with massive risks. This combined with coordination from regulators on a global scale meant a better means to tackle the problem.
See, the goal right now appears to be related to making sure AI systems function in an ethical manner and give rise to zero harm as the tech world evolves.
Other than the Western world of tech firms, companies arising from China and even the Arab World were said to have taken part in this pledge. Common names include Samsung, Xiaomi, and Tencent.
In this manner, researchers would be evaluating systems for all sorts of biases and issues that put others at a serious disadvantage. The intention seems to be linked to proper monitoring of AI models to attain all sorts of perspectives regarding risks having to do with deployment.
Meanwhile, leaders from several other countries like America and the EU have shown positive remarks for the initiative and hope more meetings on this front can be held to ascertain the mighty risks attached.
Many political leaders feel this is a great start and with time, more regulation would be required. It’s a major step taken by OpenAI and it’s been getting a lot of attention as the company’s own AI safety team was disbanded last week. Today, no superalignment team exists that has to do with ensuring AI acts are rolled out safely.
The report arises after two top members from the AI giant left the organization as they felt the leadership at OpenAI was more keen on putting other things as top priority while sidelining safety.
And due to the fact that safety is not being taken as seriously as it should, they sent in their resignations on this front. As expected, this left the world questioning OpenAI’s stance and what it was doing.
Sam Altman and his executives rushed into the picture and generated responses linked to concerns that many were having. They reassured the general public about the firm’s commitment to carrying out rigorous tests and took into careful consideration as well as a host of security measures that were simply world-class.
Image: DIW-Aigen
Read next: Global Tax Analysis: Comparing Nations with the Highest and Lowest Corporate Taxation
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World