Happy Tuesday! Here’s your Tuesday Tech Drop, the week’s top news from the intersection of politics and the all-inclusive world of technology.
Pharma Bro chases clout with ‘Trump’ coin
Martin Shkreli — the so-called Pharma Bro who earned the moniker after hiking the cost of an anti-parasite drug in 2015 and was later convicted of securities fraud — has been hawking a cryptocurrency called “DJT” and claiming, without producing any evidence, that the coin was created in collaboration with a member of the Trump family, the New York Post reports (representatives for the former president didn’t respond to the Post’s request for comment on Shkreli’s claim). With Trump openly courting crypto bros (after previously denouncing crypto) and vowing to “end Joe Biden’s war on crypto,” Shkreli’s using the Trump name for clout offers a clear example of how just about anyone can game the marketplace.
Read more at the New York Post.
Alvin Bragg’s victory lap
The Manhattan district attorney is taking what The Daily Beast calls a “victory lap” as Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, fumes over Bragg’s office’s successfully pushing YouTube to restrict videos that show how to build firearms or make illegal modifications. Bragg has been targeted by Trump and his allies for convicting Trump on charges of falsifying business records in May.
Read more at The Daily Beast.
Big Tech trust issues
New polling from Tech Policy suggests a majority of U.S. adults feel significant distrust toward election-related information they see on social media. “A little more than half of all survey respondents find information around political issues and candidates on social media untrustworthy,” according to Tech Policy. “In contrast, only 39 percent of all respondents put some degree of trust in election-related information they find on social media.” The results suggest that the proliferation of disinformation online, including false stories created and promoted with the help of artificial intelligence tools, is helping to fuel distrust.
Read more at Tech Policy.
Cyber concerns
NewsNation has a report on the potentially fatal effects of cyberattacks. With cyberattacks apparently on the rise in the U.S., the report is helpful for anyone looking to understand the real-world consequences of attacks on institutions that communities rely on, such as hospitals.
Read more at NewsNation.
Please [do] stop the music
The Recording Industry Association of America is suing artificial intelligence companies Udio and Suno, which are known for using generative AI tools to create songs. The RIAA suit claims the companies are illegally using recording artists’ voices to train their AI models. Take, for example, this fake version of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Udio told NBC News, “We stand behind our technology and believe that generative AI will become a mainstay of modern society”; Suno did not respond to a request for comment.
Read more at 404 Media.
Ted Cruz follows in AOC’s footsteps
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is following the lead of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., in proposing legislation to fight the trend of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. After AOC this year introduced the DEFIANCE Act, which is meant to allow victims to seek damages in court, Cruz and several other senators have introduced the Take It Down Act, which would enforce a process that social platforms would have to follow to remove such images.
Read more at CNBC.
Verzuz earns vitriol
Record producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland were dragged on social media after posting a cheery photo with Elon Musk to announce their plans to revive the Verzuz music battle on Musk’s social media platform, X. The post touted Verzuz as “black owned,” which didn’t sit well with many on the platform who noted that Musk has railed against diversity initiatives and his platform has its own issues with racist content. The move could be a boon for Musk’s platform as he tries to woo back advertisers who’ve fled X. Swizz Beatz responded to the backlash online, claiming “people will soon see the plan” he has in store for the app.
Read more at BET.com.
Ja’han Jones is an MS NOW opinion blogger. He previously wrote The ReidOut Blog.