The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing the online retailer of using deceptive tactics to enroll consumers into its Prime program without their knowledge and making it difficult for them to cancel their subscription. FTC Chair Lina Khan said Amazon has been "tricking and trapping people into recurring subscriptions without their consent," and the FTC is seeking a court order to stop Amazon from using deceptive tactics and to provide refunds to those affected.
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Several U.S. agencies have been hacked as part of a global cyberattack that has affected dozens of companies and organizations. CISA is providing support to the affected agencies and is working to identify the vulnerability and ensure it is patched. The agency is also urging organizations to take steps to protect their systems and is providing resources to help them respond to the attack.
GLAAD's Social Media Safety Index found that all five major social media platforms failed to protect LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment for the second consecutive year. Twitter received the lowest score, and GLAAD called it "the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people". The organization is calling on the platforms to take meaningful action to protect LGBTQ+ users and create a safe and inclusive online space.
Anita Baker has announced that Babyface will no longer be performing on her "The Songstress" tour due to cyberbullying from Babyface's fan base. Baker will continue the tour alone, citing technical difficulties and cyberbullying as the reasons for the split. This incident is a reminder of the dangers of online harassment, and it is unclear whether Babyface will be replaced on the tour.
The Beatles are set to release a new song this year featuring vocals from the late John Lennon, extracted from an old demo recording with the help of cutting-edge technology. AI was used to replicate the voices of Lennon and George Harrison, and Paul McCartney has revealed that the song will be released this year. Fans of the Fab Four are eagerly awaiting the release of the song, which is sure to be a major event in the music industry.
The United States has announced its intention to rejoin UNESCO, a decade-long dispute having been resolved with the decision to pay more than $600 million in back dues. The return of the U.S., which was once the agency’s biggest funder, is expected to have a significant impact on UNESCO policymaking, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence and technology education, and to provide a much-needed financial boost to the organization. The formalization of the plan to rejoin was met with applause from the audience.
Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign has sparked controversy with a new political ad featuring AI-generated images of him and former President Donald Trump. Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH) has criticized the ad, warning against the use of AI-generated content in political ads. The use of AI-generated images in political ads is a relatively new phenomenon, and one that has yet to be fully explored, raising questions about the ethical implications of using AI-generated images in political ads.
On June 5th, 2023, Apple Inc. unveiled its most ambitious hardware effort since the iPhone: the Vision Pro virtual reality headset. Priced at $3,499, the device features both virtual reality and augmented reality technology and is the latest addition to the wider virtual reality market. Technology analyst Dan Ives believes that Apple's late entry into the market may be beneficial, as they can use data from competitors to refine their product.