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Comment Re:Use the DROP act? (Score 3, Interesting) 16

I would be all for this, but the sad reality is that it equates to playing whack-a-mole. Having to opt out of lists justs guarantees that another list pops up. It's infuriating and exhausting.

Forcing companies to only use data where the target has opted in would barely help, too, because the opt-in would be buried deep in a TOS, and it would include allowing them to sell it, essentially opting that person in to third parties... and then the whack-a-mole continues.

Contracts can not be used to break laws. Agreeing to such a contract would be invalid. What we really need are laws that prohibit third party transfer of data all together OR, seeing as how that would be wildly impractical, require that any third party companies reach out to the target of the data and get an additional explicit opt-in. That would turn this miserable industry on its head. Though I don't imagine something like that would ever happen.

Comment Many companies collect data and train AI with it (Score 4, Interesting) 16

I'm not saying that the AI company shouldn't readily seek permission to harvest and use personal data, but it's far from a special case. Take Palantir for instance. Are they not doing the same thing?

It seems odd that the onus is on the third-party platform to be transparent to the candidates about data collection and AI use, and not the companies using the tool.

I am all for this lawsuit being successful if it sets a precedent for all AI companies using our data. But if the scope is specifically around the hiring process, I think the individual companies should be held accountable for using the tool without candidates' consent or knowledge.

Comment Re:"Smart" (Score 4, Insightful) 22

At least they open sourced it. I hate that I'm applauding them for doing something that should be the standard. There should be regulations in place requiring end-of-life insurance that will provide the resources to fully open any hardware and the software it relies on, should a product be sunsetted after some reasonable lifespan.

Comment Re:Stackoverflow was already dying (Score 2) 125

I had a similar issue here. Another problem is that I found was the notion of the "accepted" answer. This is great in theory, but only works as a snapshot in time because languages evolve. There was no simple way to post the same question again, or pin the "accepted" answer to a language or software package version.

I often went down the path of implementation suggested only to find that the problem was solved in a more modern way after a version update. The community just couldn't keep up with the evolution of the tech it aims to assist with. AI has this problem, but you can usually zero in with enough specifics.

Comment Re:But why a smart garage door opener? (Score 1) 126

That's all YOU want. But I wouldn't mind setting up my system so the garage door triggers other events. For instance, it might turn on the smart lights in the adjacent hallway. It might send a notification to my phone if I am not home. Just because you don't want something doesn't make it useless or others. Just don't buy it.

Comment Let me predict... (Score 2) 64

This will result in increased profits
This will not result in decreased prices
This will not result in improvement of products
This will not result in reining in predatory third-party sellers and scammers
This will not result in Amazon cutting a dividend
This will result in profits being redirected to executives and expanding their monopoly into new sectors

Comment Free at last! (Score 1) 46

I have been wanting to drop Amazon Prime for quite a while. But, my I have had my father in law on our plan for the past, oh 12 years or so. He is so generous and never asks a thing of anybody. He hates change, so I have been keeping the subscription REALLY just for him, content that he can take that for granted.

Now my reasons to keep Prime have dropped to zero, so cancel it I will.

I might have found value if they didn't

Give us prime music free with the service, then pull the rug, by making it a paid add-on
Give us prive video with great exclusive content, only to start charging us by making us watch ads, or by paying more
Offer items with "free shipping" only to mark them up the same price as the shipping costs.

I do worry that there are services I didn't realize were tied to Prime, but I'm happy to find out the hard way.

Comment Re:And we should care because? (Score 3, Informative) 201

Big Dark Money on both sides of the aisle.

One Nation — boosts Republican/Conservative Senate allies.
Majority Forward — boosts Democratic/Liberal Senate allies.
Americans for Prosperity — Koch network; backs conservative/Republican causes.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce — pro-business; often Republicans, sometimes centrist Democrats.

All of these have strong digital outreach spending. It's hard to pin this to actual "influencers", but it definitely funds advertising, and influencers are definitely paid, if not directly. Though, if I had to wager, i would put my chips on the fact that they are also being paid directly by both sides. But i'm willing to admit I cannot cite direct evidence of that.

Comment Re:noo, my chase sapphire points! (Score 4, Interesting) 60

I wouldn't cry if rewards went away. But I definitely benefit from them. I don't know what my interest rate is, but my effective rate is zero. I pay the card in full every month. If I can't, I don't make the purchase. Never paid a fee in over 20 years.

Luckily, in my adult life, I never had to fund an emergency on credit. That's not a privilege everyone has.

Comment Re:What is GDPR? (Score 1) 92

Also "opt-out by default" is called opt-in.

It certainly is. Of course opting in is implicitly buried in a twelve page legal blurb:

"By using this... you agree to opt in to ... and if we make something up later, you opt in to that too"

There probably should be a more targeted law because this landscape is ridiculous.

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