Monthly Archives: July 2021

Revisiting The Island of Dr. Moreau: Marlon Brandos fever dream – Far Out Magazine

Posted: July 7, 2021 at 3:04 pm

Operating as the wet dream of the collective Furry community, John Frankenheimers The Island of Dr. Moreau is a cinematic fever dream, merging sticky special effects with several horrifying cat costumes to create 90 minutes of titillating science fiction. Based on one of H.G Wells more lesser-known novels, the film was created under notorious strain thanks to complications from the films cast that helped to make it one of the most troubled productions of all time.

Its difficult to really know where to start with The Island of Dr. Moreau, a film so bafflingly bizarre that it seems to replicate the sprawling imagination of a frenetic child high on e-numbers with a chocolate stained mouth.

Perhaps its best to first address Dr. Moreau himself, a maniacal scientist who has created an island of human-animal hybrids in his search for a higher being, incapable of harm. Depicted by the iconic Marlon Brando, the actor brought his own wit and idiosyncratic behaviours to the films production, both simultaneously helping it become a cult film and box office failure.

The film itself follows a man, Edward (David Thewlis), who crash lands in the sea before being picked up by a boat destined for Moreaus island, whilst his wounds are tended to by doctor Montgomery (Val Kilmer). Making their way onto the island, Montgomery turns against Edward and locks him in a room in Moreaus house, only for him to escape and learn the truth about the doctors monstrous island.

Crisis hits almost immediately as the film went into production with the initial director of the project, Richard Stanley, becoming frustrated with actors Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer who immediately proved difficult to work with. Brando had a fair excuse, with the suicide of his daughter, Cheyenne, causing him to retreat to his own private island, whilst Kilmer attributed his obnoxious behaviour to the fact that, on-set, he learned he was being sued for divorce by his wife Joanne Whalley.

To make matters worse, suddenly the Virgin Islands where the film was being shot was pounded with bad weather, causing further problems for Stanley, particularly when his lead actor Rob Morrow was unable to bear the tension and hostility on-set any longer and tearfully begged the New Line chairman to let him go.

John Frankenheimer soon came in to replace Stanley who was fired from the project, with Thewlis coming in to replace Morrow together with a complete rewrite of the script. Though even with such significant changes to the cast and crew, issues with Brando and Kilmer continued to persist. Frustrated with the constant changes to the script, Brando refused to learn his lines, so, instead, he was equipped with a small radio receiver that his assistant could use to feed him his lines.

Thewlis later reported that this would lead to even more difficulties, explaining, [Marlon would] be in the middle of a scene and suddenly hed be picking up police messages and would repeat, Theres a robbery at Woolworths'.

Spending hours in his air-conditioned trailer when he was supposed to be on camera, by the time Marlon Brando came onto the sweltering set, the cast and crew were so relieved to see the actor that they were more than willing to go along with his antics, explaining why, in one scene, Brando bizarrely wears an ice bucket on his head.

The mood on set was so hostile that Val Kilmer often engaged in furious arguments with the cast and crew, reportedly becoming so angry with Frankenheimer that the director later reported, I dont like Val Kilmer, I dont like his work ethic, and I dont want to be associated with him ever again.

Though, just like any trainwreck, theres a strange beauty to it all. Its a melting pot of bad personalities, eccentric sci-fi concepts and peculiarity that certainly elicits a strange, innocent charm. For better and for worse, there will never be a film quite like The Island of Dr. Moreau ever again.

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The Best Room at … The Four Seasons Anguilla – TownandCountrymag.com

Posted: at 3:04 pm

Courtesy of the Four Seasons Anguilla

Back in 2020, the tiny island of Anguilla became widely lauded for more than it's easy-going and laidback atmosphere, unfussy resorts, pristine white sand beaches, and yes, the fabulous food scenethe tiny island also made just about every correct call when it came to its Covid protocols. In came a bubble and a strict testing policyand with that relative comfort that one wouldn't be caught in the middle of a severe outbreak of the disease. Now that the vaccine has been available to the public for many months, the island has instituted a new policy: only tourists who have been vaccinated can visit. With Anguilla opening back up, there is no better place to visit than the Four Seasons on the island, with its many restaurants, impeccable beaches and poolsthe property is sprawling.

Diego Angarita, General Manager of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla caught up with T&C to tell us what makes the resort unmissableand what the most premium accommodations available are like.

We are blessed with such a variety of room categories that appeal to all needs and are each contemporary in feel. For families and small groups of friends, our spectacular Five-Bedroom Beachfront Villa is a must and comes complete with a gourmet kitchen, private pool, BBQ, and direct beach access to Barnes Bay. For couples seeking a romantic break, our Deluxe Oceanview One-Bedroom Suite is a great choice with its dedicated living area, kitchenette and balcony with a private plunge pool.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Anguilla

Our Five-Bedroom Oceanfront Villas start from $8,000 per night and our DeluxeOne-Bedroom Suites are priced from $1,100 per night (seasonal pricing applies).

Courtesy of Four Seasons Anguilla

We have created an extremely special vibe at the resortrelaxed in feel with warm, personalized service and the utmost attention to detail. Our guests come from a variety of backgrounds and regions worldwide, adding to the overall energy. We love seeing them interact and make new friendswhether thats gathering together at Sunset or enjoying our nightly entertainment that appeals to all age groups. Our goal is always for guests to feel like they escaped their everyday lives and entered our paradise.

Anguilla is a true gem and while it may be best known for pristine beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters, we want our guests to also feel the amazing warmth and welcoming spirit of the island. Almost all of our staff are born and bred Anguillans and are proud to share their stories and knowledge with our guests.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Anguilla

Part of Anguilla's charm is that it is somewhat under the radar in comparison to other Caribbean islands that tend to attract the crowds and is considered the culinary capital of the Caribbean. People can come to Anguilla to truly unwind, discover new experiences and landscapes, eat exceptionally well and also make new friends along the way.

There really is something for everyone at our resort, ranging from the diversity our contemporary designed accommodation, to the breadth of activities available within the grounds. We welcome locals and guests staying elsewhere to enjoy Instagrammable moments together with us whether thats over cocktails at our Sunset Lounge or sitting in our now iconic Face Chairs that directly face the ocean.

Courtesy of Four Seasons Anguilla

The property, designed by Kelly Wearstler, first opened in 2009 and later became a Four Seasons in September 2016. We are proud to offer initiatives that the Four Seasons brand has become renowned for such as excellent service standards and our Kids for All Seasons program, allowing young guests to make friends, learn new skills and hang out under the watchful eyes of our staff counsellors (at no additional cost). We have also paid homage to the islands history as a salt producer through our signature SALT restaurant.

Our resort spans over 35-acres and has so much to offer, without guests ever needing to leave if they dont want to! We can cater to those looking to join us to simply relax, as well as to those who seek adventure. With many guests returning to the resort year after year, there is a wonderful community that continues to grow.

Within our grounds, a multitude of activities await with: three swimming pools to lounge by, rock-climbing, tennis, and basketball courts, sunrise yoga sessions, private Soca fitness classes with our resident PT, and relaxing spa treatments, including everything from a Blue Tranquility Massage and to the Anguilla Salt Scrub, which integrates ingredients native to the island. For those looking to take to the water, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking and kite-surfing are not to be missed, with private boat excursions also on offer to explore off-the-beaten track spots such as the idyllic Sandy Island.

After working up an appetite, guests can kick back with light bites, cocktails and live music from the islands leading act, Omalie 360, at our Sunset Lounge (arguably boasting the best sunset view on the island!). Our signature restaurant, SALT, serves superb locally-inspired dishes paired with panoramic views over both bays, while villa guests can enjoy a private BBQ with a chef preparing a choice of locally sourced meats and seafood to be savored surrounded by tiki torches and the sound of waves.

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I went on Royal Caribbean’s 7-day vaccinated cruise to the Bahamas – Business Insider

Posted: at 3:04 pm

I went on a seven-day cruise embarking from the Nassau cruise port in the Bahamas and visited Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at Coco Cay, as well as the islands of Grand Bahama and Cozumel, Mexico.

This was my first time taking a solo trip in almost two years.

I started my own hospitality company during the pandemic and am a travel blogger, so it's been a very taxing year maybe not as taxing as it's been for a medical professional, but working in the tourism industry and watching people's livelihoods go up in flames has been hard.

Because of the Bahamas' regulations, you had to be vaccinated for the cruise unless you were a child. You also had to apply for a Bahamian health certificate through the Bahamian government two weeks before embarking with all of your passport and vaccine information ready. I had mine accepted within a day and it cost $40.

Then we found out three or four days before our cruise that they were going to provide us with antigen rapid tests as well.

You got there and brought the barcode you used to register for the test, you took your test, and then you had results within 20 to 40 minutes and were able to board. We were also tested again a couple days before the end of the cruise.

We were all kind of waiting to see if anyone got sick because Royal Caribbean said they'd inform us if anyone tested positive for COVID-19, but it seemed that no one had an issue. I know there's been positive cases on other cruises, but it's going to happen anywhere a hotel or a ship.

Masks were required for the crew but not for guests. I kept one on me in case I got in a tighter situation like an elevator and used it occasionally. I also had to have one to obey the masks laws for whichever port we were in. So in Cozumel, for example, until we were seated at a restaurant, we had to wear a mask.

I think they're still figuring out which procedures really work.

For example, you could sit at the swim-up bar in the pool, but you couldn't sit at a bar on the ship.

They held a dance party one night, and instead of hosting it in one of the lounges, they had it at the ice-skating arena where there was more space. And they had these lights shining on the floor so you could see where your area was.

Some activities were missing Royal Caribbean does a fun adults-only scavenger hunt that it wasn't able to host with social distancing. For karaoke, they were cleaning the microphone between people. For the classes, they had spaced-out seating. Things were just done differently.

Also, unless your reservation was linked to another guest's, you couldn't dine together. So I saw one of my friends at the restaurant, and our reservations were about 40 minutes apart, but he couldn't come to my table and eat with me. But he could order a drink and sit at the opposite side of my table, which was funny.

I went with a friend and had about 25 friends on board, but if I was sailing by myself and didn't know a soul, it would have been a little more difficult to socialize because of the protocols.

I'll almost be sad to see when things go back to normal because you never had to wait for an elevator or look for a pool seat.

The staff was really great and eager to have everyone back on board. Every single person, no matter which hall or promenade you were walking through, said, "Hello, thank you for sailing with us again."

You could see they were very cautious because their jobs depended on it. At one point, a server tripped and spilled some wine in the restaurant and started crying. You could tell they were on edge and wanted to make sure things went great, but they're always going above and beyond anyway.

It's still a struggle for the people in the Bahamas and Cozumel, which are two of the biggest cruise ports. A lot of the businesses aren't open, and my favorite car-rental place in Cozumel had to end its lease right at the port because it couldn't support it anymore and moved down the street.

One day, I got back on the ship, sat on my balcony, and just started crying. I was so beside myself and texting my husband and my friend saying "I just feel so bad" because there are people just begging you to come shop.

I wish I could have spent even more money than I did, and thankfully, everyone in my group felt the same way. Tourism can't come back fast enough.

I was all in my feels. It broke my heart.

I'm also glad I'm scheduled for another cruise in August out of Florida because I'm interested in seeing how that sailing is. In Florida, it's now illegal to ask to see someone's vaccination record, so the cruise line will instead have additional testing and a different onboard experience.

My husband and I might even book a last-minute sailing in July.

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If you love travel then Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals is your next watch – Woman & Home

Posted: at 3:04 pm

Going on vacation may feel like a distant memory as travel restrictions continue to put paid to our plans, but Netflix is serving us with a brand new show to fulfill our travel needs.

The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals is an eight-part series on Netflix, showcasing 24 of the world's weirdest and wackiest places to stay on vacation.

With the help of three experts: Million Dollar Listing's star Luis D. Ortiz, interior designer Megan Batoon and travel influencer Jo Franco, viewers get to explore inside some of the world's most incredible vacation rentals.

From treehouses to private islands and even a cave condo, there's something for all tastes and budgets on this innovative new show.

And, what's better is all of the rentals are available to rent on platforms like Airbnb, so you can add them straight to your bucket list.

(Image credit: Netflix )

Each of the experts is in charge of bringing something slightly different to the show, with Luis Ortiz championing luxury properties, Megan ensuring she's finding style on an affordable budget and Jo who is keen to add a slice of something differentfocussing on properties that are entirely out-of-the-box.

You'll see the trio travel to a beach house in Bali, a private island in the Bahamas, an igloo in Finland and so many more incredible places. It's enough to give you instant FOMO.

More from woman&home: Wild camping in Scotlandeverything you need to know The best lodges with hot tubs, don't miss these Scottish gems Bare all on the UK's best nudist beaches for families and couples

(Image credit: Netflix)

With the world opening up again and the prospect of travel back on the cardsjust how easy is it to find your own hidden gem on Airbnb?

Whether it's for a cosy staycation or something further afield, travel blogger, Jo, told Architectural Digest, "Everywhere we went, I would look geographically where most people havent gone."

As is happening with the van life travel trend, rather than follow the path well-travelled, look outside the box.

"That is my trick. Avoid the top-10 list and look for the people, culture, and festivals. Sometimes that is the catalyst to get you somewhere you might not otherwise go."

(Image credit: Netflix )

Stream The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals on Netflix now. But be warned, there are only eight episodesdon't binge them all at once!

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If you love travel then Netflix's The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals is your next watch - Woman & Home

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House Republicans unveil legislative plan to break up Big Tech and stop censorship – Yahoo News

Posted: at 3:03 pm

Under pressure to come up with a conservative approach to holding Big Tech companies accountable, House Republicans announced on Wednesday an agenda that would make it easier to break up tech companies in court and challenge unfair censorship.

House Judiciary Committee Republicans, led by ranking member Jim Jordan of Ohio, said their agenda would speed up and strengthen antitrust enforcement, hold Big Tech accountable for censorship, and increase transparency around tech companies' content moderation decisions.

The proposals in the agenda will be introduced as legislation in the coming weeks by House Judiciary Republicans after they consult House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and other top Republicans.

Big Tech has targeted conservatives for far too long. House Judiciary Republicans have had enough," Jordan told the Washington Examiner.

"We believe that this agenda will serve as the Republican platform to take on Big Tech going forward and unite our party to reject Big Techs cancel culture practices," he added.

APPLE APPS, GOOGLE SEARCH, AND AMAZON BASICS FACE DRASTIC CHANGES FROM BIPARTISAN HOUSE ANTITRUST BILL

The Republican agenda is meant to provide an alternative to the six bipartisan anti-Big Tech bills passed in June by the Judiciary Committee that many Republicans, including Jordan and McCarthy, oppose.

They claim the bills, six sweeping antitrust bills aimed at reining in tech companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook, fail to address the censorship of conservatives.

Instead, the House Judiciary Republican agenda suggests proposals to make it easier to seek legal remedies against Big Tech companies' content moderation decisions by allowing individuals to sue the companies for censorship and overhaul the tech companies' tech liability protections.

Republicans want to amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, the controversial law that gives online platforms legal immunity for third-party content, to ensure content moderation decisions "are done in good faith, based on objectively reasonable criteria," according to the Big Tech agenda document obtained by the Washington Examiner.

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The Republicans will introduce a proposal to require that large social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, make their content moderation decision and censorship actions publicly available and force them to pay a "massive fine," the agenda said, for failing to do so.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Republican agenda also proposes making it easier to break up the Big Tech companies altogether by expediting trial court consideration of antitrust cases and empowering state attorneys general to utilize the same fast-track legal procedures available to the federal government.

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Tags: News, Policy, Big Tech, Jim Jordan, House Judiciary Committee, House Republicans, Kevin McCarthy, Censorship, Monopoly, Antitrust, Section 230

Original Author: Nihal Krishan

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READ IT: Trump lawsuits against Twitter, Facebook, Google over alleged big tech censorship – Fox News

Posted: at 3:03 pm

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that he will lead class-action lawsuits against Twitter, Google and Facebook over alleged censorship, declaring that "big tech is out of control" and is functioning as "the de-facto censorship arm of the U.S. government."

"While the social media companies are officially private entities, in recent years they have ceased to be private with the enactment and their historical use of Section 230, which profoundly protects them from liability," Trump said as he announced the lawsuits in conjunction with the America First Policy Institute.

TRUMP TO SUE FACEBOOK, TWITTER, GOOGLE OVER ALLEGED CENSORSHIP, SAYS THEY'VE CEASED TO BE PRIVATE

"It is in effect a massive government subsidy, these companies have been co-opted, coerced and weaponized by government actors to become the enforcers of illegal, unconstitutional censorship," Trump added.

Trump was booted from Twitter, Facebook and Google's YouTube earlier this year after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of his supporters. The companies said that his false claims that the presidential election risked future violence. But Trump's supporters say that the companies are engaging in politically-motivated censorship.

Trump's suit likely faces an uphill battle, according to experts, who say the First Amendment can't apply to private companies, even if they do benefit from government policies like Section 230.

"I don't think the lawsuit has much chance of success because it first and foremost accuses the companies of violating the U.S. Constitution, and the U.S. Constitution only restricts government," Vanderbilt Law School Professor Brian Fitzpatrick told Fox News. "It does not restrict what private parties can and cannot do."

Former President Donald Trump speaks at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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In response to Trump's argument that the companies are essentially public because of Section 230, Fitzpatrick said, "All of us benefit in some way from some law but that does not transform all of us into the government It has zero chance of success. I think it's mainly for publicity, it's not to get real relief in a court."

But Trump nevertheless warned that the power of social media companies is growing to be too great.

"There is no better evidence that big tech is out of control than the fact that they banned the sitting president of the United States earlier this year," Trump added. "If they can do it to me they can do it to anyone."

Read Trump's lawsuit against Twitter HERE, the lawsuit against Facebook HERE, and his lawsuit against Google HERE.

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CNN and MSNBC ignore Trump press conference on big tech lawsuit while Fox News cuts away – The Independent

Posted: at 3:03 pm

Cable news networks CNN and MSNBC declined to air Donald Trumps press conference announcing a class action lawsuit against Silicon Valleys tech giants while Fox News cut away before the former president began reliving his list of grievances over the election, the Capitol riot and Hunter Bidens laptop.

Right-wing cable station Newsmax TV continued covering the press conference in full.

The broadcaster double-downed on its coverage of the event, promoting an upcoming interview with Mr Trump to discuss the lawsuit later on Wednesday.

Mr Trump announced the class-action lawsuit against the three major tech giants and their respective CEOs Mark Zuckerberg, Jack Dorsey, and Sundar Pichai over what he called blatant violations of the constitution.

Facebook, Twitter and Google kicked Mr Trump off their platforms in the wake of the Capitol riot by a mob of his supporters on 6 January.

The former president announced he would be the lead plaintiff representing a group of broader people he argues have had their First Amendment rights violated.

The major networks began cutting away from Mr Trump, or completely ignoring him, following his election loss to Joe Biden on 3 November last year. ABC, CBS and NBC all cut short the presidents White House address to the nation as he claimed the presidential election was being stolen.

MSNBC cut away during the 5 November address while CNN aired it in full before anchor Anderson Cooper called Mr Trump an obese turtle on his back, flailing in the hot sun realising his time was over.

Since that moment, networks have continued to scale back on their unfettered live airing of Mr Trumps speeches and announcements, with even Fox News becoming more judicious in covering his remarks after leaving office.

Silicon Valley, meanwhile, completely memory-holed the ex-presidents accounts following the 6 January Capitol riots, leading to todays class-action lawsuit.

After an hour-long criticism of Silicon Valley that was mostly ignored by the major broadcasters, Mr Trump ended his press conference bemoaning the mainstream media and network news not covering whats going on, pointing to the violence and people being killed on a weekly basis in Democrat-run cities.

Why youre not talking about it, youre not helping Biden, youre not helping the Democrats, youre hurting the country, Mr Trump said of the media.

If the people dont hear this youll never be able to solve the problem The loss of human life on a weekly basis and you turn on these major newscasts and a lot of people are watching and its not even mentioned, you have to change, youve got to get your credibility back, you dont have the credibility, you have to get it back.

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CNN and MSNBC ignore Trump press conference on big tech lawsuit while Fox News cuts away - The Independent

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Bet on Big Tech in the U.S. or China? Traders stake their claims – CNBC

Posted: at 3:03 pm

In the battle of China tech versus U.S. tech, there's been one clear winner this year.

The technology giants in the U.S. are back at their recent highs, up 15% in 2021, while the CQQQ China tech ETF is lower. Tech names on the mainland continue to struggle as Beijing cracks down on companies such as Alibaba in an anti-monopoly push.

So, should investors stick with the winners in the U.S. or bet on the underdogs in Chinese tech?

The answer depends on the reasoning behind China's latest moves, according to Gina Sanchez, CEO of Chantico Global and chief market strategist at Lido Advisors.

"If this is truly just an antitrust, anti-competitiveness push, then you can argue that a lot of the bad news is really priced in to these stocks. They have just gotten pummeled and the top stocks in the CQQQ are all well below their five-year and 10-year P/E levels which is to say they could look very attractive," Sanchez told CNBC's "Trading Nation" on Thursday.

The CQQQ ETF, which holds stocks such as Tencent and Bilibili, trades at 27 times trailing earnings. In February, it hit a peak of 52 times.

"If this is more than that, if this is a matter of the Chinese government expressing its desire to have key corporates go along with their social agenda, then this could actually morph into something bigger," said Sanchez.

China's five-year plan, she pointed out, aims to strengthen the domestic base, broadening wealth creation and boosting consumption power. This could put pressure on its domestic tech companies, she said.

"If this is actually a move to force wages higher, to force broader wealth sharing and to force wealth creation, then in fact the margins that we've seen in these companies could actually be changing and the business model could be changing and the PEs that we've been used to may no longer be as applicable," said Sanchez. "That's the risk that we're playing right now."

Matt Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak, agreed that long-term issues remain for Chinese tech stocks. However, after weakness in the first half of the year, they could be due for a short-term bounce.

"Looking at the chart of the CQQQ, it's formed an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern. Of course, a head-and-shoulders pattern tends to be a bearish one so an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern is a bullish one," Maley said during the same segment.

"It has to break that neckline that's up at the $85 level. if we can break above that level, it would surprise a few people, catch them off sides and cause the China tech stocks to outperform for a couple of months," said Maley.

The CQQQ ETF traded just above $81 a share on Friday. It would need to rally 5% to get to $85.

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We need to kick Big Tech out of the Metaverse – Wired.co.uk

Posted: at 3:03 pm

The global pandemic has pushed us all indoors and further online. We work, learn, live and play in virtual spaces and digital communities. We spend time with friends via a screen and a Zoom filter and explore fictional and ancient worlds on gaming or e-learning platforms. Video game worlds have become so much more than play, with players hanging out in lobbies and splurging billions on the latest skins and avatar mods, or enjoying concerts in virtual reality. Cryptocurrency-backed digital artworks such as BEEPLEs record-breaking Everydays: the First 5000 Days witnessed a sudden boom, and burst into the mainstream. We are marching toward what author Neal Stephenson called the Metaverse: a global, interconnected galaxy of virtual worlds, avatars, online communities, and mixed reality. Stephenson first conceived the Metaverse in 1992 in his novel Snow Crash, now widely considered a science fiction classic. More and more, this concept is leaving the realm of sci-fi, and entering our current reality.

But curb your enthusiasm. As things stand, this new reality is already shaping up along the familiar, proprietary, monopolistic lines that have characterised and dogged the most recent phase of the internets evolution. The platforms where the Metaverse is being created have become walled gardens, increasingly centralised and controlled by corporate interests. Facebook owns WhatsApp, Instagram and Oculus, giving them ownership of our friends, our behaviour, our gait, eye movement and emotional state. Google, Amazon and Apple all are vying to build the next dominant VR and gaming platforms, hoping to build upon their data dominance and entrenched market positions.

That is no small risk. Our past reluctance to challenge the dangers of black-box algorithms, opaque curation systems and predatory privacy practices has already brought the world a splurge of disinformation and manipulation, the rise of pernicious conspiracy theories and the triumph of surveillance capitalism. As we enter the age of the Metaverse we are sleepwalking into a future where continuing to ignore these red flags could be catastrophic where the true danger is not just that we are known, but that we can be led.

Virtual reality developers will be familiar with the concept of redirected walking a clever technique to cause a player to walk in circles while thinking they are walking in a straight line. It allows you to explore huge dungeons in the comfort of your living room without ever walking into the wall, as you are nudged in the directions the game developers want you to take. Its classic misdirection, and surprisingly easy to do a little visual nudge here, an audio cue there and before you know it, you're facing the way you came without ever realising you've been turned around.

In the same way, what we see, who we speak to, and what we learn is being manipulated every day, turning our opinions this way and that. Facebook decides which of our friends we keep track of and what news we see; Twitter and YouTube control who is recommended, who is monetised, and who gets de-platformed; Google orchestrates the direction and spin of our search results. As movement-tracking, eye-tracking, neural input and biometrics are integrated to enrich our experience in the Metaverse, these platforms will become even more deft at inferring our moods and use them to manipulate our opinions, sources of information and community in real time.

As that data is collected, shared, sold and inevitably hacked, it will be weaponised by those seeking profit or new ways to hurt or intimidate by ruthless advertisers, hateful trolls and malicious state actors. Social media and voice assistant data will allow predators to graduate from text-chat to deepfake videos of grandma Facetiming our children to have them unlock the front door. Todays Twitter harassment pales against the future ability to target Jewish people with mixed-reality recreations of deathcamps in their front yards, or bombard sexual assault survivors with violent imagery on their walk to work. Automated, cross-reality illusions, tailor-made by using intimate knowledge of each individuals life and mental states will take disinformation on a whole new level, destroying our ability to trust any source of information. If the rise of QAnon worried you, brace yourself for QAnon in VR.

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We need to kick Big Tech out of the Metaverse - Wired.co.uk

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Ravi Shankar Prasad: The minister who took on big tech over compliance – Business Standard

Posted: at 3:03 pm

While Digital India, PLI for electronics have been big focus areas for him, Prasad will be remembered for sending a strong message to FB, WhatsApp and Twitter to follow the rules of the land

Topics Ravi Shankar Prasad|Twitter|big tech

On Wednesday evening, after the President accepted his resignation, the former Electronics and Information Technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad changed his Twitter bio to "Member of Parliament from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha, Bihar. BJP worker".

Prasad has had a long stintseven yearsin his role as the IT minister for the country, in a government focused heavily on technology and digitalisation. Programmes like Digital India, the Performance-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics manufacturing, Common Service Centres, the Business Process Outsourcing ...

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First Published: Wed, July 07 2021. 19:22 IST

Excerpt from:

Ravi Shankar Prasad: The minister who took on big tech over compliance - Business Standard

Posted in Big Tech | Comments Off on Ravi Shankar Prasad: The minister who took on big tech over compliance – Business Standard