Meta has issued a harsh reality check to its employees. Business Insider shared insights from a leaked all-hands recording, revealing the company’s vision for the future. Among the key takeaways was an ambitious plan for a “highly intelligent and personalized” digital assistant, which is anticipated to reach 1 billion users. “I think whoever gets there first is going to have a long-term, durable advantage towards building one of the most important products in history,” Zuckerberg explained in the recording. He also addressed the company’s decision to steer clear from third-party fact-checkers in place of the community notes system and changes in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Meta is among the major companies that have retracted its policies, adhering to conservative agendas. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Meta dismantled its programs tied to DEI and stopped the initiative that required it to consider hiring diverse candidates in every open position. “The way...

Meta is set to lay off over 3,600 employees, or roughly 5% of its “lowest performers.” In an internal memo posted on the company’s Workplace forum on Tuesday, Jan. 14, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said 2025 will be an “intense year” for Meta, and he wants to “make sure we have the best people on our teams,” according to CNBC. “Meta is working on building some of the most important technologies of the world,” Zuckerberg wrote. “AI, glasses as the next computing platform and the future of social media .” He said those affected by the layoffs will be notified by Feb. 10, 2025, or later for individuals outside the United States. “I’ve decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low performers faster,” Zuckerberg said. “We typically manage out people who aren’t meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we’re going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle, with the intention of back filling these roles in 2025.” He added, “We won’t manage out...

“Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” – Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park As tech continues to advance, what was once imagined in science-fiction and fantasy has become a reality. Cars drive themselves, people are speaking to digital assistants, robot cops exist, and a camera’s eyes are capable of watching you almost everywhere you go . However, as companies continue to invest in innovation, there’s a lingering question about the ethics involved. For the most part, present conversations around ethics in tech focus on the use of data and artificial intelligence. That’s because neither of those things can be escaped. You are probably a data point in somebody’s research somewhere and you most likely don’t even know it. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence shapes your daily life; from the ads you see to your credit score. Perhaps one of the biggest issues with tech today is that people are in a rush to create without fully...

The ACLU and the Center for Media Justice are suing the FBI for records related to a controversial 2017 report that cited a rise in Black extremism following police-involved shooting deaths of African Americans. The report, titled “Black Identity Extremists Likely Motivated To Target Law Enforcement Officers” claims that law enforcement officials were being targeted as protests against police violence erupted around the country. In 2014, the ACLU submitted a public records request asking for all documentation since 2014 that used the phrases “black nationalist,” ”black identity extremist,” and “black separatist,” according to the Associated Press. The lawsuit is happening because the FBI is withholding these documents and in some cases, refusing to search entire categories, according to the ACLU. “The FBI’s baseless claims about the fictitious group of ‘Black Identity Extremists’ throws open the door to racial profiling of Black people and Black-led organizations who are using their...

Millions of Ugandans have stopped using the internet after the country’s government imposed a social media tax intended to curb online gossip, according to the Guardian. Nearly 2.5 million citizens have stopped using the internet following the tax, which charges 200 Ugandan shillings a day. The tax has caused concerns over free speech and access to financial services via mobile banking. “Social media has become the major source of news and political information,” Irene Ikomu, a Ugandan lawyer, told the Guardian. “Heightened exposure to information via the internet has led to Ugandan citizens being more critical about political conditions in the country.” In America, similar issues have risen with the dismantling regulations of net neutrality–equal access to the internet. In 2017, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission voted to end some regulations, allowing for internet providers to charge more for certain content. Uganda Communications Commission officials expect the drop in...