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Exclusive: Synchron, a Rival to Musk’s Neuralink, Readies Large-Scale Brain Implant Trial
Synchron Inc., a rival to Elon Musk‘s Neuralink brain implant startup, is preparing to recruit patients for a large-scale clinical trial required to seek commercial approval for its device, the company’s chief executive told Reuters.
Synchron on Monday plans to launch an online registry for patients interested in joining the trial meant to include dozens of participants, and has received interest from about 120 clinical trial centers to help run the study, CEO Thomas Oxley said in an interview.
New York-based Synchron is farther along in the process of testing its brain implant than Neuralink. Both companies initially aim to help paralyzed patients type on a computer using devices that interpret brain signals. Synchron received U.S. authorization for preliminary testing in July 2021 and has implanted its device in six patients. Prior testing in four patients in Australia showed no serious adverse side effects, the company has reported.
Synchron, whose investors include billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, and Neuralink compete in a niche of so-called brain-computer interface (BCI) devices. Such devices use electrodes that penetrate the brain or sit on its surface to provide direct communication to computers. No company has received final FDA approval to market a BCI brain implant.
Inside the House GOP’s Surveillance Law Nightmare
House Republicans are plunging headlong into another divisive debate — this time over government spy powers, a battle that pits them against each other and reveals deep-seated uncertainty about their party’s ideological direction.
Reapproving the section of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act known as Section 702, which allows the intelligence community to collect and search through the communications of foreign targets without a warrant, was always going to be difficult given the sour relationship between some Republicans and the FBI. But that skepticism, which dates back to the FBI’s initial investigation into Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign, is only the start of the party’s problems on surveillance policy, according to interviews with nearly 20 GOP aides and lawmakers.
There was a time when government surveillance powers united Republicans to an unparalleled degree, particularly in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Even after George W. Bush left office, former President Barack Obama relied on Republicans to provide political cover during the debate over reauthorizing the wiretapping power.
Speaker Mike Johnson, while staring down an attempt to oust him, is dealing with two competing Republican factions that have battled privately for months over how much to rein in Section 702 — in particular, its ability to sift through the foreign data for information related to Americans.
Elon Musk Is Investigated by Brazil’s Top Censor After Refusing to Comply With Censorship Demands
Alexandre de Moraes, Brazil’s powerful president of the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and Supreme Federal Court (STF) justice, on Sunday ordered the federal police to launch a “digital militias” investigation — prompted by X owner Elon Musk’s “conduct.”
This was Moraes’ reaction to what is qualified as an “attacks and disinformation campaign” against him and the two courts. He was referring to a series of posts by Musk on Saturday and Sunday, which, among other things, called for Moraes to either resign or be impeached.
Musk was posting about restrictions imposed on accounts on X at the behest of Brazil’s authorities, and on Sunday said he would publish “everything demanded by (Moraes) and how those requests violate Brazilian law.”
Now, after Musk first revealed that Brazilian authorities are forcing X to block several popular accounts without providing any justification, and then that he would “publish everything” Moraes demanded — Moraes came back with the police investigation.
Insurers Spy on Houses via Aerial Imagery, Seeking Reasons to Cancel Coverage
Insurance companies across the country are using satellites, drones, manned airplanes and even high-altitude balloons to spy on properties they cover with homeowners policies — and using the findings to drop customers, often without giving any opportunity to address alleged shortcomings.
“We’ve seen a dramatic increase across the country in reports from consumers who’ve been dropped by their insurers on the basis of an aerial image,” United Policyholders executive director Amy Bach tells the Wall Street Journal. Reasons can range from shoddy roofing to yard clutter and undeclared trampolines.
Much of this surveillance is done via the Geospatial Insurance Consortium, which boasts of its coverage of 99% of the U.S. population.
Allstate CEO Tom Willson framed aerial spying as a pricing issue, but many consumers are finding that companies are using it to suddenly drop their coverage altogether.
Tennessee Lawmakers Seek to Require Parental Permission Before Children Join Social Media
Tennessee’s GOP-dominant Senate on Monday unanimously signed off on legislation requiring minors to have parental consent to create social media accounts.
The bill is similar to pushes currently being made across the United States as concern grows over young people’s internet usage. Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Utah have all passed measures requiring parental consent for children to use social media — though Arkansas’ version is currently blocked as a federal lawsuit makes its way through court. Georgia sent a proposal to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto last month.
The Tennessee Senate approved its version without debate, though lawmakers tacked on a last-minute addition to clarify the bill only applied to social media websites. That means the House chamber must approve those changes before it can go to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk for his approval.
Public Worried by Police and Companies Sharing Biometric Data
More than half of the British public are worried about the sharing of biometric data, such as facial recognition, between police and the private sector, according to research from the Alan Turing Institute (ATI), with many expressing concern that a lack of transparency will lead to abuses.
The research, conducted alongside the Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), revealed that 57% of the U.K. public are uncomfortable with biometric data sharing schemes between police forces and the private sector to prevent crimes like shoplifting.
The ATI said while some members of the public believed they would be more comfortable with the data sharing if there were appropriate transparency, oversight and accountability mechanisms in place, others said they would only feel comfortable if data sharing was a one-way process from commercial entities to the police — and not the other way round.
Others said they were completely opposed to any data sharing, arguing it opened up too much risk for abuse and an invasion of privacy. Beyond a focus on facial recognition, the research delved into a wider array of emerging biometric technologies, such as age estimation technology and emotion recognition systems.
CBS News Bringing Misinformation Unit to TV With Hiring of EP Melissa Mahtani (Exclusive)
The Hollywood Reporter reported:
CBS News is planning to bring its CBS News Confirmed unit to TV with the hiring of a new executive producer: Melissa Mahtani.
CBS News Confirmed, launched late last year, is focused on tackling misinformation, including the growing scourge of deepfakes and photos, videos and audio created by generative artificial intelligence. Now, Mahtani will be tasked with figuring out how best to bring its reporting to TV, digital and social platforms. Segments will run on CBS News programs leading up the the 2024 election, and a dedicated streaming show is planned for later this summer.
“CBS News Confirmed is the right initiative at the right time,” Mahtani said. “We are witnessing an onslaught of misinformation that makes it harder for people to distinguish between what is real and what is not. CBS News Confirmed will empower our viewers to be able to tell fact from fiction, sharing our own process of verification every step of the way.”
CBS News Confirmed was created to tackle a problem that every news organization is facing: How to deal with misinformation and fake content, a problem that is becoming even more troublesome thanks to generative AI tech and the speed and ubiquity of social media. The unit uses investigative journalism, technical skills, data and other tools to filter through content and determine what is real, and what isn’t, and to explain it to viewers.
How Loopholes and Opt-Outs Can Tear Apart U.S. AI Policy
Last month, the White House published new rules establishing how the federal government uses artificial intelligence systems, including baseline protections for safety and civil rights.
Given AI’s well-documented potential to amplify discrimination and supercharge surveillance, among other harms, the rules are urgently needed as federal agencies race to adopt this technology.
The good news is that, for the most part, the new rules issued in a memo by the Office of Management and Budget are clear, sensible and strong. Unfortunately, they also give agencies far too much discretion to opt out of key safeguards, seriously undercutting their effectiveness.
Ultimately, however, the responsibility to enact comprehensive protections rests with Congress, which can codify these safeguards and establish independent oversight of how they are enforced. The stakes are too high, and the harms too great, to leave broad loopholes in place.
Some States Are Seeking to Restrict TikTok. That Doesn’t Mean Their Governors Aren’t Using It
POV: You’re on TikTok, and so is your governor — even as your Legislature considers banning the app from state-owned devices and networks.
Efforts to ban TikTok over security concerns about China’s influence through the platform have picked up steam in the past year in state legislatures, with an expansive ban even proposed by Congress. In Pennsylvania, forward movement on a bill that first unanimously passed the state Senate last year could send legislation to the Democratic governor’s desk imminently.
But even as the app faces scrutiny and bans, governors and state agencies — and even President Joe Biden — are still using the app to promote their initiatives and expand their voting pool. Their target is the youth vote, or the people who largely make up the app’s U.S. user base of 170 million.
