The News

OpenAI legally can’t delete your chats. Oops.

OpenAI has been ordered to retain all user chats, even those that are sensitive or intended to be deleted (Mastodon). The order was handed down by a court that’s hearing the copyright case filed by the New York Times and other news organisations against the AI company (court filing). Those news companies say that OpenAI only handing over chat logs from users who had chosen to save their conversations was essentially destroying evidence that people were using ChatGPT to circumvent paywall (Ars Technica) I actually think this decision by a single judge is insane, not least because, as OpenAI points out, forcing them to keep everything is a huge violation of existing contracts with users and probably has significant legal ramifications. (Another important point: this court order is nearly a month old and we’ve only just heard about it, which means that OpenAI hasn’t told its users about this?). I’m not going to turn this newsletter into the “I Told You So Daily” but remember when I said AI therapists were honeypots? _{You can’t say I didn’t tell you so}

Tech companies are removing less bullshit in Australia, we think

Big Tech’s Australian industry group has released its annual report on what it does to combat bullshit and lies on its platforms today (DIGI). As part of the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI)’s self-regulation on mis/disinformation, companies like Meta, Google, TikTok and Twitch release Australia-specific stats on things like how many videos were removed and moderation actions. If you are a nerd like me, I encourage diving into the reports — I haven’t had a chance to yet — but the most interesting angle I’ve seen is content moderation actions for misinformation has plummeted (InnovationAus, $). Like, YouTube went from removing 20,000 videos in 2023 for misinformation to 5,000 videos last year. While some stuff in these reports is worthwhile, it’s worth mentioning that these “transparency measures” are not really that transparent. Things like raw numbers don’t tell us much by themselves, and governments should force tech companies to tell us more.

Tech let our jobs swallow up our whole lives. Now, we can do something about it

It’s game on for Australia’s right to disconnect law, with the first case of someone citing the law in an unlawful dismissal case (AFR, $). A Cairns teacher is asking for just under $800,000 in lost income and pain because she claims she was illegally fired in part for refusing to respond to misconduct allegations on school holidays, a period which she claims was outside of her working hours. I’m a big fan of the right to disconnect — unless it’s unreasonable of course — because technology has enabled this cultural creep of always being available that legitimately wasn’t possible before email and the smartphone. On the other side of the double-edged sword, tech has also made work from home possible and it is crazy to me that so many companies have gone back to arbitrarily forcing people to trudge into the office (news.com.au). (If you have any thoughts re: right to disconnect or WFH, please send me an email and tell me how I’m right or wrong!)

Leftovers

Oh, Also

We want YOUR LAN party photos

Sizzler Anne has passed on a call-out for people to submit LAN party photos for an upcoming exhibition at Australia’s video game museum, ACMI. A future exhibition Game Worlds “celebrates the golden age of multiplayer mayhem” and they need your greasiest, dimmest, stanky-est images to be immortalised. If you have a photo, send it to videogames@acmi.net.au (and cc me because, well, I just want to see it). I’m not being paid for this I just think it sounds sick!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bargains

Electrical & electronics

Computing

Mobile

The End

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The Sizzle is created on Gadigal land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.