From Pine View Farm

Geek Stuff category archive

Twits Own Twitter X Offenders 0

At Above the Law, Joe Patrice savages somewhat less than taken with Elon Musk’s notion that Twitter’s AI zombie Grok should evaluate court cases.

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The Disinformation Superhighway 0

Sara Gorman and Jack M. Gorman look at how “social” media helps spread dis- and misinformation about mental health and offer some suggestions for combating the flood of FUD. A snippet:

A relatively recent TikTok phenomenon called “Undiagnosis” is particularly problematic. In these videos, users record themselves usually dancing to a song listing conditions they previously thought they had and then declaring themselves “undiagnosed.” The process of “undiagnosis” is littered with questioning whether serious mental illnesses even exist, which is obviously harmful to the mental health community’s need for people to take mental illnesses seriously as true medical conditions. While some have said that there’s some benefit to this kind of open conversation and that it may reduce stigma in some ways by making discussion about mental illness more acceptable, the potential harms are still obvious. People with mental illness conditions are being encouraged to decide they don’t actually have them. That can lead to dropping out of treatment or refusing treatment in the first place, clearly placing people at risk.

One more time, “social” media isn’t.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

The dialog: The pencil sharpener.

The closed caption: It depends on sharper gold.

The stupid: Not artificial.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

Fomenting the phony. Well, maybe just a bit. From El Reg:

Originality.AI, an online AI detection platform, examined 8,795 long-form LinkedIn posts – defined by the site as 100 words or longer – and found that, based on its own assessment tools, 54 percent of such posts “are estimated to be AI-generated.”

This trend suggests that many self-proclaimed thought leaders on LinkedIn may be presenting AI-generated content as their own profound insights.

Much more at the link.

Aside:

Speaking of the land of the me-me-me . . . .

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

The dialog, at about the 24 minute mark: You’ve got to ‘elp us, Ken.

The closed caption: You got elbows, Ken.

The words: They fail me.

About five minutes later:

The dialog, as Ken calls the name of another character: Rocky! Rocky!

The closed caption: Rookie! Rookie!

Afterthought:

Just because Big Tech calls it “intelligence” doesn’t make it so.

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It’s All about the Algorithm 0

At Psychology Today Blogs, Nigel Bairstow and Jeremy Neofytos argue that you don’t use “social” media. It uses you. A snippet:

The shift in social media platforms from user-led spaces to algorithmically curated ones has changed the customer experience from one of autonomy and connection to something more akin to an addictive cycle. By continuously presenting users with a carefully selected flow of trending or popular content, social media mimics the characteristics of an addictive substance, pulling users back into a loop of passive consumption. Where platforms once encouraged people to “capture the moment” and connect with one another, many now prioritise perpetual engagement at the expense of authenticity and user choice. This transformation has led to a subtle yet powerful alienation of the individual user from the platform’s original purpose.

Remember, “social” media isn’t.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? No So Much. 0

Divine? Give me a break.

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Influencer Idiocy 0

Emily Balcetis, writing at Psychology Today Blogs, has some issues with how “influencers” promote products. She believes that

Stricter rules are needed to limit harmful social media marketing.

Follow the link for her reasoning and, remember, “social” media isn’t.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

The dialog (at the four minute mark): Don’t even think about going to the law about our private business.

The closed caption: Don’t even think about going to the Lord about our private business.

The stupid: It burns.

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No Place To Hide 0

There’s a reason internet companies make their terms of service virtually unreadable.

It enables stuff like this.

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Extra-Special Bonus QOTD 0

Leo Chavez:

Is that what the “A” in AI stands for? “Algorithm” Intelligence?

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The Disinformation Superhighway 0

Girl:  Homework is hard.  Grandmother:  Not as hard as in my day.  I had to go to the library when I wanted facts.  Now you can just hop on the internet.  Girl:  You just said

Click to view the original image.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

The serial: Dick Tracy’s G-Men, episode three, which I saw on Tubi.

The dialog: I left orders with the Coast Guard.

The closed caption: I left daughters with the Coast Guard.

The intelligence: Artificial.

The stupid: It burns.

The afterthought: I have daughters. As one who used to be a boater, I have a lot of respect for the Coast Guard, but I’m not sure I’d leave my daugh–oh, never mind.

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An Artificial Intelligence Test 0

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Running Nekkid through the Inner Webs 0

The EFF explains some ways of protecting yourself from being tracked via your cell phone.

In these days of the surveillance economy, this is a worthwhile read.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

The movie: The Criminal Within (aka Murder at Glen Athol).

The dialog: Why would she do it? She loved Muriel.

The closed caption: Why would she do it she love me oreo.

The stupid: It burns.

Aside:

I love me oreo too, but I prefer Chips Ahoy.

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Geeking Out 0

Debian v. 12 (Bookworm) with the Plasma Desktop on a Think Penguin laptop. Xclock is in the upper right; GKrellM, the lower right. The wallpaper is from my collection.

Screenshot

Click for a larger image.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

El Reg reports that Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux kernel, ain’t buying it. A snippet:

“I think AI is really interesting and I think it is going to change the world and at the same time I hate the hype cycle so much that I really don’t want to go there, so my approach to AI right now is I will basically ignore it,” said Torvalds.

“I think the whole tech industry around AI is in a very bad position and it’s 90 percent marketing and ten percent reality and in five years things will change and at that point we’ll see what of the AI is getting used for real workloads,” he added.

Follow the link for context.

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Artificial? Yes. Intelligent? Not So Much. 0

In the old movie I’m watching as I type this, the I-assume-it’s AI doing the subtitles rendered “Miss Serova” as “Mr. Obama.”

If you want to see for yourself, it’s at about the 30 minute mark.

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The Addiction 0

Pig.  How do you control the amount of time you spend on social media.  Rat:  After fifteeen minutes, I ask myself,

Click to view the original image.

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