Google will not develop AI for use in weapons: Pichai

Agencies
June 8, 2018

Washington, Jun 8: Google would not be developing artificial intelligence for use in weapons, its CEO Sundar Pichai has said, after facing a backlash over the technology giant's involvement in a Pentagon project.

Google recently announced it would discontinue work with the Department of Defense on Project Maven, an artificial intelligence project that analyses imagery and could be used to enhance the efficiency of drone strikes.

Following this, thousands of employees had signed onto a letter warning that Google's participation contravened the company's ethical tenets. 

Stating that "Google should not be in the business of war", the letter warned that the company's involvement would compromise its image and drive away potential employees, The Independent reported.

The Indian-origin CEO also said the company would not design or deploy AI in areas including weapons or other technologies whose principal purpose or implementation is to cause or directly facilitate injury to people,. 

He said Google will not develop technologies that gather or use information for surveillance violating internationally accepted norms and technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights. 

"We want to be clear that while we are not developing AI for use in weapons, we will continue our work with governments and the military in many other areas," Pichai said in a blogpost. 

"These include cybersecurity, training, military recruitment, veterans' healthcare, and search and rescue. These collaborations are important and we'll actively look for more ways to augment the critical work of these organizations and keep service members and civilians safe," he said.

He also announced seven principles to guide the work going forward. He said that these were not theoretical concepts but concrete standards that will "actively govern our research and product development and will impact our business decisions".

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Agencies
March 13,2020

Amid the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has infected 73 people in India and killed more than 4,500 individuals globally, doctors have advised that in addition to regularly washing hands, one should also disinfect their smartphone every 90 minutes with alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Ravi Shekhar Jha, Head of Department at Fortis Escorts Hospital in Faridabad said the best method to disinfect your smartphone is to use regular doctor spirit or the alcohol-based hand sanitizer at least every 90 minutes.

"Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose. The best option is to use a phone cover or a Bluetooth device and try to touch your phone as less as possible. We would also recommend cleaning your phone at least twice a day," Jha told IANS.

According to research, published in 2018 by Insurance2Go, a gadget insurance provider, revealed that smartphone screens have three times more germs than a toilet seat.

One in 20 smartphone users was found to clean their phones less than every six months, said the study.

"In the time of fear of coronavirus, smartphones should also be disinfected with alcohol-based sanitizer rub. Pour few drops of sanitizer on a tiny clean cotton pad and rub it safely on your entire phone," said Jyoti Mutta, Senior Consultant, Microbiology, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute in New Delhi.

"You can repeat this process every evening coming back home after an entire day out at work and once in the morning before going out," Mutta added.

"Maintain basic cleanliness, and try to avoid using other's phones especially if suffering from respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms as there is no other way to disinfect these regular gadgets," she stressed.

Another study from the University of Surrey in the UK, also found that the home button on your smartphone may be harbouring millions of bacteria - some even harmful.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus as a global pandemic on Wednesday. The death toll of COVID-19 has crossed the 4,500 marks and confirmed cases globally have touched one lakh as per the reports.

According to Suranjeet Chatterjee, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine Department of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in New Delhi, "We should frequently wash our hands, cover our coughs and it is important to adapt to other good hygiene habits that are most important in such a situation."

"Coronavirus and other germs can live on surfaces like glass, metal or plastics and phones are bacteria-ridden. It is necessary that we sanitize our hands frequently and make sure that our hands are clean all the time," Chatterjee told IANS.

"The emphasis should be laid on sanitising our hands rather than sanitizing the phone - once in a while the phone can be sanitized under the guidance of the makers of the phone," Chatterjee stressed.

According to the global health agency, the most effective way to protect yourself against coronavirus is by frequently cleaning of your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or washing them with soap and water.

The WHO's report showed the virus infects people of all ages, among which older people and those with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of getting infected.

People should eat only well-cooked food, avoid spitting in public, and avoid close contact, the WHO said, adding that it is important for people to seek medical care at the earliest if they become sick.

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News Network
June 30,2020

Bengaluru, Jun 30: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Monday launched 'Skill Connect Forum' and said that the government is committed to provide impetuous to creating jobs by reviving economic and industrial activities.

The 'Skill Connect Forum' portal connects both private entrepreneurs and job seekers on the same platform.

After launching the forum, the Chief Minister said that the portal provides information on jobs available and who needs a job. "Under this forum, an unemployed will be imparted skills and then enabled to get a job," Yediyurappa said.
Besides providing jobs via registration, the portal also provides a skilled pool of people for those looking to hire, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, who is also the Skill Development Minister said that portal will be a boon to the youth seeking jobs and it will avoid unemployment issue to a great extent.

"All these years, there was no information and communication between job seekers and recruiters. The portal will solve that problem," he said.

Narayan said that there was no proper information on skilled workers and job market. Moreover, skill development was not in sync with the market. All these issues have been addressed by the portal, he added.

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Agencies
January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: "Don't get into a trap. Your security is in your hands," the Border Security Force (BSF) has said issuing its social media rules for its officers and men. It has directed them not to use 42 mobile applications and show caution while using Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

"Be cautious while using social media," said the BSF in a circular issued recently.

"Before using WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms, one needs to keep in mind that you are border guarding force and Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules rule duly are applicable," it said.

It further pointed out that by commenting/writing about or forwarding unverified reports and rumours one violates laws of land.

"Several times unverified reports would be presented in way that they are absolutely true and start believing it. Seeing such post always use your commonsense and never get into the trap (sic.)," it state adding that the anti-national elements uses social media to propagate their agenda to cause unrest in India.

A picture clicked by Border Security Force personnel and posted on a social media platform remains there for always. Therefore, one should use officially approved pictures about any incident or untoward incidents related to Border Security Force, stated the circular. It pointed that unauthorised persons should not engage into taking pictures of the incidents.

It also highlighted how through social media, a few BSF personnel have fallen into trap of espionage racket carried out by enemy countries.

"Our security and respect is in our hands. Always think twice whether you are doing correct by accepting friendship requests from unknown persons, especially women and girls," it cautioned the troopers and officers.

It also highlighted that while going on leave and joining back the force, always follow the rules and regulations laid out for safety and security. "This is for your own safety," it stressed in the end.

The BSF has also issued a list of 42 mobile applications that needs to be completely avoided by serving BSF officers and jawans.

They are MI store, Weibo, Wechat, Shareit, Truecaller, UC News, UC Browser, Beautyplus, NewsDog, Viva Video - QU video Inc, Parallel Space, Apus Browser, Perfect Corp, Virus Cleaner - HI Security Lab, CM browser, MI Community, DU recorder, Vault Hide - No mobile Security, Youcam Makeup, Cachecleaner DU Apps Studio, DU battery saver, DU privacy, 360 security, DU Browser,Clean master - Cheeta Mobile, Baidu Translate, Wonder Camera - Bindu Inc, ES Ifle Explorer, Photo Wonder, QQ international , QQ music, QQ Mail, AA player, QQ News Feed, Wesync, QQ security Center, Selfie City, Mail Master, Mi Video Call -Xaomi and QQ launcher.

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