Listeners in Toronto are greeted with a fresh blanket of snow this morning. Before you head out to brave the cold white fluff, listen to us talk about Google collecting healthcare data, Twitter combating fake news prior to the U.K. election, and YouTube cutting unprofitable channels.
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Thank you for tuning into Hashtag Trending, it’s Tuesday, November 12th, and I’m your host, Tom Li.
Trending everywhere, the Wall Street Journal dropped a bombshell when it released a report detailing Google’s healthcare data collection practices. According to the report, Google and Ascension collected data on millions of Americans across 21 states without notifying doctors. The project, dubbed “Project Nightingale”, is designed to train AI algorithms to enhance patient care programs. Though it sounds like a crime, this project is actually legal under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
Trending on Google, Twitter has announced further plans to reduce malicious political influence. In preparation for Britain’s December 12 election, Twitter has released a set of tools that would make it easier for its users to report fake news. In addition, it has released a new emoji to symbolize a more honest voting process. Last month, Twitter banned all political ads from its platform, citing that votes should be earned, not bought.
Trending on Reddit, YouTube has released a baffling terms of service update. In an email to its users, the new service agreement would allow YouTube to terminate an account when it’s no longer commercially viable. This means that if a channel isn’t making enough money, YouTube can pull the plug without any acknowledgement. Creators are understandably angry, with many taking it to social media to vent their distress.
That’s all the tech news that’s trending right now. Hashtag Trending is a part of the ITWC Podcast network. Add us to your Alexa Flash Briefing or your Google Home daily briefing. I’m Tom Li, thanks for listening.