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Looks like it might be about time to throw those Echos out!
Amazon is getting rid of the option for Echo devices to process Alexa voice requests locally
When it comes to blogs, Ofcom says one thing, the UK Online Safety Act says another.
This lack of clarity over whether blogs with comments are exempt will push small sites to shut down completely.
We need the UK government to tighten up the definitions and exemptions in the Act.
Read our explainer for more detail 
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/save-our-sites-deadline-17-march/
Under the UK Online Safety Act, small blogs, forums and fedi instances are faced with disproportionate requirements to:
️ Check if they have UK users
️ Do a risk assessment on whether kids might access the content, or if CSAM or terrorist material might be posted in the comments
️ Put themselves at the risk of fines, and even prison sentences, if they fail to comply with Ofcom’s future directives
The UK Online Safety Act burdens small sites with duties and penalties that they can't shoulder. They'll shut down instead, stripping us of net plurality.
There’s a simple solution:
Exempt small, safely run blogs, forums and fedi instances The government can do this now
The duties start TOMORROW – Write to your MP 
https://action.openrightsgroup.org/save-our-sites-write-your-mp
"The American Empire Is OVER" - Anything Else Is "DENIAL"
#usa
#tiktok
#economy
#cdnpoli
#canada
#montreal
#china
#inmigration
#democracy
#geopolitics
#trump
#elon
#tech
#finance
#politics
#geopolitics
@politics
@blackmastodon
@BLKNewsNow
#blackmastodon
Starting on March 28, Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. In other words, everything you say to your Echo will be sent to Amazon. @ArsTechnica reports:
Under Trump, AI Scientists Are Told to Remove ‘Ideological Bias’ From Powerful Models
A directive from the National Institute of Standards and Technology eliminates mention of “AI safety” and “AI fairness.”
https://www.wired.com/story/ai-safety-institute-new-directive-america-first/
Do you think it's better to be fully independent or to be part of a publishing
company when it comes to game development?
Tech Talk Thursdays Episode #136 (03/13/2025) by Tech Talk Thursdays
Software question...is there a program out there that an art biz, ed / activist group or non-profit could use to essentially make a long queue of posts (that can easily have things added or taken off) so that the software will just cycle through the list, posting the next item on social media (esp the Fediverse) at one or two set times per day, continually looping through the queue?
*Not* interested in continually having to update a calendar for posts.
If not, can somebody make one? #tech
Will you join over 1.9k people who’ve signed our petition to keep what’s stored on Apple iCloud encrypted?
The UK government is gambling with our security and playing into the hands of hackers and criminals.
Send a message: save encryption before more services are hit with technical notices.
Sign and share now
https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-our-apple-data-encrypted
‘Absurd’
When you have the press and civil society camped outside the courtroom, the secret might be out 
Even so, we’re still denied the reasons why the UK government wants to take a battering ram to our security and privacy.
It shows contempt for the public interest in the Apple encryption case.
New pre-print online:
‘The EU Digital Services Act: what does it mean for online advertising and adtech?’
By Pieter Wolters and me.
We explore the question: what does the Digital Services Act mean for online advertising?
We show that some types of ad tech companies, such as ad networks, should be considered platforms.
Comments are welcome! It's a pre-print, so we can still improve it.
Everything you say to your Echo will be sent to #Amazon starting on March 28
"Since Amazon announced plans for a generative AI version of Alexa, we were concerned about user privacy. With Alexa+ rolling out to Amazon Echo devices in the coming weeks, we’re getting a clearer view at the privacy concessions people will have to make to maximize usage of the AI voice assistant and avoid bricking functionality of already-purchased devices.
In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of everything spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud."
#bedcon is back!
The conference will take place on October 7-8, 2025, as always in Berlin. 
The Call for Papers is now open – submit your proposal now! 
https://bed-con.org/2025/cfp
Do you think it's better to be fully independent or to be part of a publishing company when it comes to game development?
Tech Talk Thursdays Episode #136 (03/13/2025) by Tech Talk Thursdays
Back in the old days, late 1990s to early 2000s, before today's abundance of #python numerical analysis and visualisation frameworks and libraries ...
.. some of us used Scilab - a matlab work-alike created by the French INRIA.
It was pretty good. In fact it was amazing to have access to such powerful tools without paying huge sums.
Did the Ukrainians really take down Twitter?
Tech Talk Thursdays Episode #136 (03/13/2025) - Desk Chair Analysts
https://dcanalysts.net/tech-talk-thursdays-episode-136-03-13-2025/
Why Not Zoidberg? 
The recent marketing "art" for Cities Skylines II is all AI slop.
Is Colossal Order going out of business? Is Paradox? Definitely looks like they are desperately trying to save a few measly bucks.