r/Futurology • • 23h ago

Society Meta has banned an Irish Instagram account because the user's videos' made with Meta’s Smart Glasses violate its "bullying and harassment policies".

426 Upvotes

The former MTU student frequently films interviews and videos that he calls "pranks" across Cork and elsewhere in Ireland, with many of those featured in his content unaware that they are being filmed. The Irish Data Protection Commission has previously expressed concern about the misuse of smart glasses. A spokesperson for Meta said: “We don't tolerate harassing content, however it was captured, and have removed the account @rendy_vlad for repeatedly violating our bullying and harassment policies.

Filming people without their consent and publishing it is illegal in many parts of the world. It's why you sometimes see people blurred out on TV. It means the production people didn't get them to sign a model consent form.

But doesn't all Smart Glasses use fall into that category? You could say the same about phone cameras, but at least then, people recording can make the excuse that everyone could clearly see what they are doing.

The other murky area here is monetization. In most parts of the world people automatically own the copyright to their own image. If Big Tech wants to argue they can ignore copyright law, why do they get to be the ones who can ignore the law when they choose?

Instagram removes account of Cork-based influencer 'Rendy Vlad'


r/Futurology • • 1h ago

Society Africa is on track to have the world’s largest urban population in 2050, and is urbanizing at the rate of 2 cities the size of London every year. By 2050 its urban population is expected to be 1.4 billion, with an average age of 25.

• Upvotes

People often talk of the 21st century being China’s century, but perhaps when the history books are written it will turn out to be Africa’s century.

Will China shape 2050 Africa more than any other region or country? I’d guess so. It will help provide the renewable energy, electric vehicles, AI, and robotics that will equip that population.

The projected average ages in Africa, China, Europe and the US in 2050 are interesting. 25 for Africa, 42 for America, 45 for Europe, and 50 for China. China’s population will be on course to halve by centuries’ end too.

1.4 billion people with an average of 25? It won’t surprise me if Africa’s the center of world culture in 2050.

Africa’s unprecedented urbanization - against historic normalization


r/Futurology • • 3h ago

Discussion Where Do We Draw the Line Between Good and Evil in Technology?

0 Upvotes

I'm a computer science student, and I want to know the perspectives of people who have deeply studied and pondered what I'm about to ask

So I got into this field partly to do something good in tech, playing my part, and partly for money

Now I think I'm getting out of the ignorance that this is all going in the right direction

So I'm actually really confused now, listening to and reading things here and there

Basically, my concern is, how far is technology good for us? What's the future if we speak realistically, and what can we play our part in? And if AI and advanced tech are completely bad, then they should be stopped, and we should go back to basic living as people used to in the past

I need the actual picture, where is the line we draw between good and evil, and where should innovation stop and where should it continue

Also, I'm approaching my last year in computer science, so anyone informed about this field and what I've asked can recommend something I can do for good without being part of the bad side of tech?

See, there's so much literature and stuff here and there on social media, but if someone who spends most of their time studying these things can shed some light on my concerns, I'd appreciate it

Thank you in advance