Digital Discourse Database

Number of Posts: 51
Posts 21 - 30

L’intelligence artificielle, aussi raciste et sexiste que nous

(Artificial intelligence, as racist and sexist as us)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | Le Temps
Date | 4.5.2017
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | artificial intelligence, research/study, threat
Summary | A new research shows that artificial intelligence can also have biases and prejudices. The results are not really surprising but it can be dangerous if one uses AI to hire people for instance. The study shows that some AI programs actually reproduce racist and sexist stereotypes that exist in language. Researchers created an "association test"called GloVe and demonstrated that, for example, the machine associated names of flowers with positive connotations, and names of insects with negative ones, as would human beings do. The results are not surprising because learning machines are actually a mirror of human behavior.
Image Description | N/A

«Sie agieren wie ein Schwarm»

(«They behave like a swarm»)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | Tages-Anzeiger
Date | 12.10.2016
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | social media, threat, Twitter
Summary | Extremist groups flourish on social media. It is designed to make users happy, to mirror their preferences, and encapsulates them in a bubble of their own interests isolating them from opposed content. This is very dangerous when people slip into violent extremist circles online. The government and social media corporations should work together on breaking this bubble effect to make sure everyone sees a piece of 'reality' every once in a while.
Image Description | Photograph of a smashed window in front of a Twitter icon.
Image Tags | logo, Twitter

Facebook will das Internet sein

(Facebook wants to be the internet)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | Tages-Anzeiger
Date | 3.12.2015
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | Facebook, Snapchat, threat
Summary | In the last decade, Facebook has grown an unprecedented group of users. The text compares Facebook to Yahoo who wanted to buy Facebook for only $1 bio back in 2006. According to the author, Facebook, like Yahoo was, is huge right now but increasingly boring. Like Yahoo, Facebook is diversifying its assets including the purchase of WhatsApp and Instagram. Now Snapchat’s increasing popularity is threatening to replace Facebook.
Image Description | N/A

Les jeunes passent plus de temps sur le net

(Young people spend more time online)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | 20 minutes
Date | 9.11.2016
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | addiction, research/study, smartphone, social media, threat, youth
Summary | According to a study, young people spend an average of 2 hours and 30 minutes online during the week, and 3 hours and 40 minutes on the weekend. Also, young people cannot live without their smartphone. They don't usually use their phone to make phone calls or text; they rather use their phone for social media (e.g. Snapchat, Instagram). Even though young people spend a lot of time on their phone, they still meet with friends face-to-face. Smartphones do not replace physical relationships. Finally, families should have rules for new media use at home.
Image Description | Photograph of a group of teenagers (their faces are cut off from the picture); they are sitting next to each other using their phones.
Image Tags | smartphone

Bundeshaus-Sekretärin twittert Nackt-Selfies

(Federal Palace secretary tweets nude selfies)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | Blick
Date | 6.8.2014
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | selfie, sexting, threat
Summary | A secretary working in the offices of the Federal Palace in Bern has been regulary tweeting nude images of herself within the office rooms. She stated that she was always worried that her colleagues and supervisors would find out one day. An internal rule of the office says that employees should mind their employer's reputation not only at work but also in their free time. This means that there is a chance that the secretary may be discharged because of her inappropriate social media use.
Image Description | Nude selfies tweeted by the secretary with the nipples, genitalia, and face pixelated.
Image Tags | female(s)

Wer nur auf Facebook lebt, stirbt früher

(Those who only live on Facebook die sooner)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | 20 Minuten
Date | 21.10.2015
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | Facebook, threat
Summary | Canadian psychologist Susan Pinker says that people who spend more time on Facebook than actually interacting with people face-to-face do not live as long. Face-to-face interaction enables us to develop intimate relationships and friendships that significantly increase our happiness, which in turn increases our life expectancy. New media can create a disparity between how many friends and social interactions one has online versus offline. Offline social interactions are however much richer and more important for a good psychological health.
Image Description | Photograph of a woman looking at her smartphone.
Image Tags | female(s), smartphone

"Le petit enfant cherche avant tout la relation"

("The child primarily looks for relationships")

Hyperlink

Newspaper | La Tribune de Genève
Date | 9.1.2016
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | childhood, smartphone, threat
Summary | A psychiatrist talks about the relationship between children and screens. Before 3 years old, adults should always be there and should only use screens on a short period of time, to entertain. But it is important to also use traditional toys so that children do not think their parents only think of digital devices. Moreover, it is important to have rules: no tablet during dinner, nor to calm down a child. Also, tablets should not be used at night because of the light. Smartphones should only be used by parents; children should not use them to play.
Image Description | N/A

"Je suis accro aux jeux sur smartphone"

("I am addicted to smartphone games")

Hyperlink

Newspaper | 24 heures
Date | 11.5.2014
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | addiction, smartphone, technology-free, threat
Summary | Anne is a 40-year old mom and she was addicted to the game Candy Crush. She used to spend most of her time online to play that game; she would even play instead of spending time with her family. Then, one day, she saw a TV show where two women were sitting at the kitchen table and were both on their phone without talking. Anne realized that she had made a huge mistake. She went back to real life and felt much better. Now she realizes how unhealthy her life was.
Image Description | Photograph of two hands playing Candy Crush on a smartphone.
Image Tags | hand(s), smartphone

Toujours plus accro aux smartphones

(More and more addicted to smartphones)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | Le Matin
Date | 3.12.2014
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | (mental) health, addiction, smartphone, technology-free, threat
Summary | We carry our smartphone everywhere: bed, bathroom, work, train etc., which can render people addicted. Corine Kibora (spokeswoman at Addiction Switzerland) claims that people can be addicted to social media, news applications, emails etc. When a smartphone disturbs someone's eating, sleeping, or work habits, there is a problem. There can be health issues (eyes tired, sleep disorders) and social issues (personal relations and communication). Kibora suggests setting a schedule; no smartphone during dinner for example.
Image Description | Photograph of a man lying in bed with his smartphone in his hand.
Image Tags | male(s), smartphone

La tentation de la déconnexion

(The temptation of being disconnected)

Hyperlink

Newspaper | La Tribune de Genève
Date | 17.1.2015
Language | French
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | addiction, email, smartphone, threat
Summary | There is now a general feeling of overdose or "virtual burnout" with new media. This feeling touches both private and professional spaces. A professor a the University of Neuchatel condemns this phenomenon which can have bad consequences at work. Nowadays, even if we leave our office, our work does not stop; we can still receive emails and feel like we have to respond right away. Some companies have rules: for example, no email after 6 p.m. and during the weekend. This digital overdose also hinders our personal relations with people.
Image Description | Digital image with new media use statistics, and icons related to new media.
Image Tags | computer/laptop, smartphone

Page 3 of 6
Back | Next