02.22.24
Race to the Bottom – GOOGLE
Placing "equity" over accuracy with search results.
There has been a fair amount of fanfare behind the rollout of Google's new artificial intelligence image generator, Gemini. And just that quickly, there was controversy. As more people began experimenting with the new platform, there emerged a reality that the returns were notably woke in nature. Some very benign terms were denied for being potentially insensitive, and other requests for images of a historical nature showed decidedly diverse returns. (Black female Popes, anyone?)
What has been revealed is that the DEI programming installed into Gemini is so pervasive that even standard requests for white people are denied, while it will generate weighted POC returns unbidden.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/MAN440Kzdu
Anti-Social Media – GIZMODO
Your focus on race is worse than their focus on race, you see.
The geeks over at Gizmodo are apparently bothered that people noticed the racist aspects of Gemini after its debut. For some reason, it was said that people noting the racist returns on the AI platform were "anti-woke babies." We take this to mean that Gizmodo approves of race-based search returns, instead of – you know – accurate ones.
Making this crude assessment all the more hilariously inept is that in the article, writer Max Zeff complains about other AI search engines that deliver images inappropriately slanted toward white imagery – in other words, they applaud him for acting like a woke baby. The other form of mirth in this is that Google has temporarily taken down Gemini to repair these racially imbalanced results…which Gizmodo clearly thinks is not inappropriate.
Google Tells Anti-Woke Babies That Gemini’s Black Vikings Missed The Mark https://t.co/COjYWXiu6K pic.twitter.com/9oO5tqnOZR
First Amendment Strike Force – CBS NEWS
Confiscating intellectual property in a stupid fashion.
Over at The Hill, D.C. lawyer Jonathan Turley revealed some disturbing details following the dismissal of reporter Catherine Herridge from CBS News. Turley details that the network has taken possession of Herridge's personal notes and documents, including the contact information of confidential informants:
Many of us were shocked after Herridge was included in layoffs this month, but those concerns have increased after CBS officials took the unusual step of seizing her files, computers and records, including information on privileged sources. The network grabbed Herridge’s notes and files and informed her that it would decide what, if anything, would be turned over to her. The files likely contain confidential material from both her stints at Fox and CBS. Those records, it suggests, are presumptively the property of CBS News.
What makes this move all the more chilling (to use a favored term in the press) is that Herridge is the focus of a massive lawsuit where she is fighting against revealing the names of her sources, going back to her time at Fox News. If her now former employer is in possession of those contacts, it should be asked if CBS will feel compelled to turn over this information if subpoenaed.
My column in the Hill is out on a controversy brewing at CBS. I have been hearing from journalists are alarmed over the company effectively seizing the files of acclaimed investigative journalist Catherine Herridge. https://t.co/AfPQNbFIJl
Pre-written Field Reports – JUDD LEGUM
He sounds disappointed that the student did NOT die from the attack.
There are many in the press emotionally unhinged over the story of the young trans student Nax Benedict, and Judd typifies a reaction seen by many. This was the 13-year-old who was assaulted in school by a collection of bullies and ended up dying a day later. There has been all manner of expected activist outrage, but now a wrinkle has been creased into this smooth-as-silk narrative.
The preliminary medical examiner report came out, and it states that there was no trauma detected on the body. This detail has enraged Legum, who now questions the integrity of reports from the police department, and he exhibits a base ignorance that waiting for a toxicology report is pretty much standard issue. But this news disrupts his days of moral outrage, so he needs to shift his outrage as a result.
Owasso Police do not release the autopsy of Nex Benedict, even though they say it is complete. BUT the police claim that Nex did not die due to "trauma."
If the police will not release the autopsy report, why are they releasing partial, paraphrased information?
And why does so… pic.twitter.com/6BkGpkbKAw
News Avoidance Syndrome – VARIOUS OUTLETS
Is this one of those threats to democracy? Because this feels like one of those threats to democracy.
Joe Biden just announced the latest raft of student loan forgiveness he is putting in place. He also bragged, once again, about doing so despite the Supreme Court ruling against such activity:
The Supreme Court blocked it. But that didn't stop me.
Just something to keep in mind the next time the press tries to come out with claims of the authoritarianism Donald Trump might enact if elected.
Biden on student loan cancellation: “The Supreme Court blocked it. But that didn't stop me." pic.twitter.com/ZomPnhTU1k
Reporting on the Mirror – THE GUARDIAN
We are almost stuck as to which party has lowered its standards here.
There has been a development in the career of Mehdi Hasan – our #1 ranked journo from last year's Townhall-50 list. The deposed pundit, who was released from MSNBC following his abrasive coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, has signed on with The Guardian.
🟡 SCOOP: Mehdi Hasan is joining The Guardian following his abrupt departure from MSNBC, @maxwelltani reports.https://t.co/hunhbaRSTN
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"Riffed from the Headlines" is Townhall's daily VIP feature with coverage of the deeply flawed aspects of journalism in the nation, where Brad Slager looks to bring accountability to the mishaps, malaprops, misdeeds, manipulations, malpractice, and manufactured narratives in mainstream media.
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