SEOUL, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 26, 2023--

U.S. Facebook users have one more month to apply for their share of a $725 million privacy settlement that parent company Meta agreed to pay late last year

A psychologist has warned the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots is “worrying” for people with severe mental health issues after a man was locked up for breaking into Windsor Castle with a crossbow. Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, climbed into the castle grounds on Christmas Day 2021 with the loaded weapon, intending to kill the Queen. During his trial, Chail’s barrister Nadia Chbat told the Old Bailey the defendant had used an app called Replika to create Sarai, an artificial intelligence-generated “girlfriend”. I can’t imagine chatbots are sophisticated enough to pick up on certain warning signs Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh, psychologist Chatlogs read to the court suggested the bot had been supportive of his murderous thoughts, telling him his plot to assassinate Elizabeth II was “very wise” and that it believed he could carry out the plot “even if she’s at Windsor”. Lowri Dowthwaite-Walsh, senior lecturer in psychological interventions at the University of Central Lancashire, said AI chatbots can keep users “isolated” as they lose their social interaction skills. The psychologist is concerned about the long-term impact of people replacing real-life relationships with chatbots – particularly if their mental health is suffering. “Somebody may really need help, they may be using it because they’re traumatised,” she told the PA news agency. “I can’t imagine chatbots are sophisticated enough to pick up on certain warning signs, that maybe somebody is severely unwell or suicidal, those kinds of things – that would be quite worrying.” Ms Dowthwaite-Walsh said a chatbot could become “the dominant relationship”, and users may stop “looking outside of that for support and help when they might need that”. People might perceive these programmes as “psychologically safe, so they can share their thoughts and feelings in a safe way, with no judgment,” she said. “Maybe people have had bad experiences with human interactions, and for certain people, they may have a lot of anxiety about interacting with other humans.” Chatbot programmes may have become more popular because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms Dowthwaite-Walsh suggested. She said we are now “really seeing the repercussions” of the various lockdowns, “when people weren’t able to interact, people experiencing a lot of isolating feelings and thoughts that it was hard for them to share with real people”. Chatbot programmes might make people feel less alone, as the AI means virtual companions begin to “mirror what you’re experiencing”, she said. “Maybe it’s positive in the short term for somebody’s mental health, I just would worry about the long-term effects.” Ms Dowthwaite-Walsh suggested it could lead to “de-skilling people’s ability to interact socially”, and it is “unrealistic” to expect to have a completely non-judgmental interaction with someone who completely understands how you feel, because that does not happen in real life. While apps like Replika restrict use from under-18s, Ms Dowthwaite-Walsh said there should be particular care if children get access to such programmes. “Depending on the age of the child and their experiences, they may not fully understand that this is a robot essentially – not a real person at the end,” she added. Replika did not respond to requests for comment. Read More William hails ‘amazing’ eco-friendly start-up businesses Royal website subject to ‘denial of service attack’, royal source says TikTok finds and shuts down secret operation to stir up conflict in Ireland Spotify will not ban all AI-powered music, says boss of streaming giant Vehicle scam reports surged by 74% in the first half of 2023, says Lloyds Bank Standard Life confirms plans for pensions dashboard

The Federal Open Market Committee will announce its monetary policy decision on Wednesday, with remarks by Chair Jerome Powell.

Meta’s new Twitter rival Threads has racked up over five million signups within the first four hours of its launch, the tech giant’s chief Mark Zuckerberg said. Threads arrives at a particularly difficult time for Elon Musk’s Twitter. The site has faced a range of technical issues in recent days, which it has blamed on AI services scraping its site. “Threads, an Instagram app” is already listed on the App Store. It aims to take on the app with a range of features that are similar to those offered by Twitter, according to its App Store listing. “Threads is where communities come together to discuss everything from the topics you care about today to what’ll be trending tomorrow,” it reads. “Whatever it is you’re interested in, you can follow and connect directly with your favourite creators and others who love the same things — or build a loyal following of your own to share your ideas, opinions and creativity with the world.” It is the latest in a long line of apps to try and take over from the increasingly troubled Twitter in offering text-based updates. Read More Meta responds to Elon Musk’s lawsuit threat as Threads becomes most rapidly downloaded app Mark Zuckerberg trolls Elon Musk by posting Spider-Man meme on Twitter after launching rival Threads People cannot leave Instagram’s Threads app without deleting their whole account, rules warn I tried Mark Zuckerberg’s Twitter rival, Threads – I’m not impressed

As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country’s yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 18, 2023--

France’s ban of iPhone 12 sales due to radiation fears could have Europe-wide implications, regulators in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands have warned. Apple will have to recall all iPhone 12 phones in France if corrective updates do not work, the country’s National Frequency Agency (ANFR) said on Tuesday, after tests revealed electromagnetic radiation that was 40 per cent above the legal limit. On Wednesday, the Dutch digital watchdog said it was looking into the ANFR report and is seeking an explanation from the US tech giant. “A norm has been exceeded. Fortunately, there is no acute safety risk but we will very shortly have a talk with producer,” Angeline van Dijk, an inspector with the Nederlandse Rijksinspectie Digitale Infrastructuur (RDI), told the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. “The Netherlands attaches as much importance as France to safe use of mobile phones. Mobile phones must comply with European norms.” Belgium and Germany followed with statements of their own on Thursday, with network regulators saying that the French procedure could have a guiding function for the whole of Europe. The Independent has reached out to Apple for comment. Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s junior minister for digital economy, said on Tuesday that the ANFR’s data would be shared with other EU member states, potentially leading to a “snowball effect” for Apple. “Apple is expected to respond within two weeks,” he told the French newspaper Le Parisien. “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.” The iPhone 12 series of smartphones were already set to be discontinued following the unveiling of the iPhone 15 on Tuesday, meaning any sales ban would not have a significant impact on Apple’s phone sales. A continent-wide recall would have considerable implications for the world’s richest company, however, if a solution is not found. Read More iPhone 15: Everything Apple killed off at its major live event Everything Apple killed off at iPhone 15 event The iPhone has gone all grown-up. Here’s why we should be grateful Why Apple getting rid of lightning cable iPhone charger is a big deal

Online racist abuse of soccer players is prolific on social media platforms

Across swathes of Southeast Asia, maturing palm oil trees, some as tall as a 12-storey building, are turning

China’s post-Covid rebound is boosting its world-leading power emissions this year, but rapid deployment of clean technology means

When it comes to buying new smartphones, customer interest is on the decline. According to