(This article is part of Today’s Cache, The Hindu’s newsletter on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, innovation and policy. To get it in your inbox, subscribe here.)
Meta using AI to fight false news in India
Meta India head Sandhya Devanathan has said that the social media company’s use of artificial intelligence has helped it identify and take down around 85% of potentially harmful content before it is even seen by a human being. In addition to machine efforts, human content moderators and fact-checkers working across languages also help tackle misinformation and hate. Devanathan said that these efforts would continue as India gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. India has about 400 million Facebook users while the platform sees about 3.88 billion monthly activities, as per the report.
In the European Union, the Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram-parent is under pressure to revamp its content moderation procedures and fight against misinformation and pro-Russian propaganda as the region enforces the new Digital Services Act (DSA) for large platforms.
Microsoft bets big on Starfield video game
Microsoft is celebrating the launch of the role-playing video game ‘Starfield’ with pomp and fanfare, as the game made by the U.S.-based studio Bethesda is set to go worldwide today. The software giant bought the studio as part of a deal that cost $7.5 billion in 2020. Microsoft is also making other powerful moves in the gaming sector, such as pushing for its $69 billion acquisition of ‘Call of Duty’ game maker Activision Blizzard, in an effort to set its Xbox ahead of rival Sony’s PlayStation.
Starfield has received glowing reviews from gaming YouTubers and also scored 87/100 on Metacritic. Its scale and immersion have been compared to Hollywood films such as Star Trek, Star Wars, and Blade Runner. Gamers are increasingly on the hunt for highly complex offerings that promise a lavish experience and hundreds of hours of playing time.
Elon Musk took a loan from SpaceX
X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk took a loan of $1 billion from his rocket and satellite company SpaceX in October 2022, around the time he was trying to acquire the social media platform, Wall Street Journal reported this week. He paid back the loan the very next month, along with interest. The $1 billion sum had been backed by some SpaceX stock. However, SpaceX and Musk did not provide details about the loan, so it is not possible to confirm if the sum was used for buying Twitter.
This week, Musk also claimed that half of X’s value – or around $22 billion – was destroyed by the Anti-Defamation League. The X owner claimed that allegations of antisemitism against him have frightened off advertisers, bringing down X’s revenue. He said he would file a defamation lawsuit against the non-profit which advocates for Jewish rights.
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