Those are the worries facing elections in the U.S., where most voters speak English. But for languages like Spanish, or in dozens of nations where English isn’t the dominant language, there are even fewer safeguards in place to protect voters and democracy against the corrosive effects of election misinformation. It’s a problem getting renewed attention in an election year in which more people than ever will go to the polls.
Tech companies have faced intense political pressure in countries like the U.S. and places like the European Union to show they’re serious about tackling the baseless claims, hate speech and authoritarian propaganda that pollutes their sites. But critics say they’ve been less responsive to similar concerns from smaller countries or from voters who speak other languages, reflecting a longtime bias toward English, the U.S. and other western democracies.
Recent changes at tech firms — content moderator layoffs and decisions to rollback some misinformation policies — have only compounded the situation, even as new technologies like artificial intelligence make it easier than ever to craft lifelike audio and video that can fool voters.
These gaps have opened up opportunities for candidates, political parties or foreign adversaries looking to create electoral chaos by targeting non-English speakers — whether they are Latinos in the U.S., or one of the millions of voters in India, for instance, who speak a non-English language.
This story is from the Techlife News #647 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Techlife News #647 edition of Techlife News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AMAZON REPORTS STRONG EARNINGS FOR Q4, BUT STOCKS DIP DUE TO OUTLOOK FOR THE FIRST QUARTER
Amazon reported better-than-expected revenue and profits for the holiday shopping period, but its stocks dipped in after-hours trading due to disappointing guidance for the current quarter.
HOUSE LAWMAKERS PUSH TO BAN AI APP DEEPSEEK FROM US GOVERNMENT DEVICES
A bipartisan duo in the U.S. House is proposing legislation to ban the Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from federal devices, similar to the policy already in place for the popular social media platform TikTok.
LOOKING FOR LOVE THIS VALENTINE'S DAY? DON'T FALL FOR INSTAGRAM ROMANCE SCAMS
If your social media suitor seems too good to be true, it might be a scam.
MUSK SAYS HE'LL WITHDRAW $97.4 BILLION BID FOR OPENAI IF CHATGPT MAKER REMAINS NONPROFIT
Elon Musk says he will abandon his $97.4 billion offer to buy the nonprofit behind OpenAI if the ChatGPT maker drops its plan to convert into a for-profit company.
HOW ELON MUSK $97.4 BILLION BID COMPLICATES MATTERS FOR OPENAL
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has dismissed a $97.4 billion takeover bid led by rival Elon Musk, but the unsolicited offer could complicate Altman's push to transform the maker of ChatGPT into a for-profit company.
CALIFORNIA'S INSURER FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT PRIVATE COVERAGE NEEDS $1 BILLION MORE FOR LA FIRES CLAIMS
California’s plan that provides insurance to homeowners who can’t get private coverage needs $1 billion more to pay out claims related to the Los Angeles wildfires, the state Insurance Department said this week.
HOW PHOTOS LOST IN AMERICAN DISASTERS FIND THEIR WAY HOME, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM PEOPLE WHO CARE
Hollowed-out homes. Cars entombed by mud. Unpeopled roads. Belongings reduced to dirt and debris.
ELON MUSK-LED GROUP PROPOSES BUYING OPENAI FOR $97.4 BILLION.OPENAI CEO SAYS 'NO THANK YOU'
A group of investors led by Elon Musk is offering about $97.4 billion to buy the nonprofit behind OpenAI, escalating a dispute with the artificial intelligence company that Musk helped found a decade ago.
THE WOMEN OF 'THE WHITE LOTUS' CHECK INTO SEASON 3 IN THAILAND
Get ready to check into \"The White Lotus\" in Thailand for Season 3 - this time, sadly, there's no room for Jennifer Coolidge, who went overboard in the second season.
JAPAN'S SOFTBANK REPORTS LOSS WEEKS AFTER ANNOUNCING AI INVESTMENT
Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. reported a 369.2 billion yen ($2.4 billion) loss for the fiscal third quarter as it racked up red ink from its Vision Fund investments.
