Kalakshar US

It’s International Women’s Day 2023 and women worldwide still earn an average of 77 cents for every dollar men make. The United Nations predicts it will take 257 years at the current rate of progress to close the gender pay gap. This is a deeply rooted societal issue with many organizations that claim to lift women up also guilty of paying them less. 

These companies have long gotten away with posting a photo of a smiling woman or an inspirational quote about girl power on IWD to appear gender equitable. This was until last year when Francesca Lawson decided it was well past time they were exposed. Lawson, a freelance copywriter and social media manager, co-created the Gender Pay Gap Bot with her partner, Ali Fensome, a software consultant.

The Twitter bot uses data publicly available through the UK government’s gender pay gap service. It analyzes the pay gap of organizations with at least 250 employees working in the UK. They represent a variety of sectors including education, government, healthcare and sports. Since 2017, organizations of this size have been required to submit their gender pay gap annually.

Lawson and Fensome created the bot after seeing companies post about empowerment or use IWD as an excuse for a sale without following through internally. “What the gender pay gap data shows is that behind employers’ supportive words, all-women photoshoots, and inspirational quotes, there’s still a lot of work to do,”Lawson, also the creative strategist behind the bot, tells Engadget. The pair also realized many people weren’t aware this information was available for public knowledge.

The Gender Pay Gap Bot aptly aligns with this year’s IWD theme ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality’ in it’s quest for pay equity. As the UN states, “the digital age represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality.”

The bot works in three steps. It searches Twitter for to match companies’ accounts with their government profile then scans for keywords related to International Women’s Day. Once it matches a company with a relevant post, it’s time to publish their gender pay gap.

The Gender Pay Gap Bot automatically quote tweets the organization’s initial post to its account. It typically uses modifications of the same two sentences: “In this organisation, women’s median hourly pay is X% lower/higher than men’s. The pay gap is X percentage points smaller/wider than the previous year. The bot has nearly 250K followers and usually tweets multiple times per minute.” 

The results are disheartening but not surprising. Most companies’ pay gaps reflects the global trend of women making less than men. 

A nominal number of tweets show cases in which women are paid more than men. Rare tweets also highlight companies who are doing it right: Equal pay for everyone.

However, for most organizations, it’s a reminder they need to make serious changes. But, today, instead of taking accountability, some of them are choosing to run and hide. After the bot’s call out, a few companies have deleted their initial tweet. Turns out you can be embarrassed into doing something, maybe even also fairly paying your workers.  

Beyond shamefully deleting a tweet, Lawson hopes the Gender Pay Gap Bot gets organizations thinking about and taking action towards gender equity. “By putting the data back in the spotlight, I’d hoped to inspire companies to approach their International Women’s Day activities differently this year — the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve had shows that women are tired of being ‘celebrated’ and labelled ‘inspirational’ for one day a year while experiencing discrimination and inequality on the other 364,” Lawson says. “They want honesty, and accountability — not hollow marketing gestures.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-gender-pay-gap-twitter-bot-returns-to-call-out-brands-for-iwd-143039611.html?src=rss 

Following the lead of Microsoft and Google, DuckDuckGo is about to dip its toes in generative AI. But the company isn’t starting with a chatbot. Instead, DuckDuckGo is partnering with OpenAI and Anthropic to enhance its existing Instant Answer feature. You won’t see “DuckAssist” with each and every search you conduct, but when it does appear, the tool will pull from Wikipedia (as well as Encyclopedia Britannica in some instances) to provide a natural language response to your questions.

DuckDuckGo is limiting DuckAssist’s sourcing to reduce the likelihood of the feature’s machine-learning model “hallucinating” or, in other words, providing you with the wrong information. If you see a magic wand icon, it means Duck Assist can summarize information for you.

Additionally, the feature won’t be part of the entire DuckDuckGo experience right away. With today’s announcement, you will only see DuckAssist answers appear when using the DuckDuckGo app or browser extension. The company says it wants to collect feedback before expanding availability in the coming weeks and allowing DuckAssist’s model to pull on additional sources. For those concerned about privacy, DuckDuckGo notes no login is necessary to use DuckAssist and the company won’t share any of your personal information with OpenAI and Anthropic. DuckAssist searches also won’t be used to train their models.

DuckDuckGo users can expect more AI-enhanced features to arrive in the future. “This is the first in a series of generative AI-assisted features we hope to roll out in the coming months,” DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg said. “We wanted DuckAssist to be the first because we think it can immediately help users find answers to what they are looking for faster.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/duckduckgos-ai-assist-feature-summarizes-wikipedia-pages-to-answer-search-queries-130049552.html?src=rss 

The PlayStation 5 update that comes with support for Discord voice chats on the console has now made its way out of beta and to all PS5 gamers. Those who’ve already installed System Update 7.0 can now activate Discord calls on their console, so long as they don’t mind setting it up. They’d have to link their PlayStation Network account to Discord to start with, and then they’d have to select Discord under “Linked Services” before completing the integration through either a QR code or the PS5 browser. Every time they want to chat with their friends, they’d have to use a mobile device or a PC to transfer a call to the PS5 first.

The process is a bit involved, but Microsoft made it possible to join Discord calls directly from the Xbox in November last year. We’re hoping Sony can do the same in the future. As The Verge notes, the PS5’s Discord integration doesn’t include text messages and streams just yet, so you won’t be able to access those on the console.

In addition, the latest update adds Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support for HDMI 2.1 displays with 1440p resolution. That translates to less stuttering and input lags for games that support VRR, since the feature enables a display to match the PS5’s current frame rate output. Players will also encounter a new notification when they download or install a PS4 game on the PS5, telling them that they have saved data in their PSN cloud storage. All they have to do to download that data is to select the notification. 

The update brings improvements to the console’s screen reader, as well, giving it the capability to tell users which direction they can move and what their current position is. Players can now also update their controller’s software wirelessly, and for people in the US and the UK, saving a video clip of their game is as easy as issuing a voice command. They can simply say: “Hey PlayStation, capture that!” 

Sony just released the beta version of this update in February. PS5 owners now just have to wait for it to hit their consoles or check out the PlayStation support page for the latest system software update for the PS5 for more info. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-ps5-update-discord-voice-chat-rollout-131503910.html?src=rss 

Over the last decade, Meta has done all it can to establish each part of its business as a separate but equal contributor to its bottom line. After all, that’s why part of Facebook’s brand identity is little icons denoting Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus. Plus, you know, it helps to deflect from any suggestion it’s operating a sprawling digital monopoly owning a big chunk of the internet.

But now, nine years after Facebook cleaved its Messenger product into a standalone mobile app, the pair are to be reunited. Facebook head Tom Alison said in a blog post the company is testing the ability to access Messenger from within the Facebook app. This is, of course, all part of its attempts to claw back relevancy from TikTok, with Alison saying the big blue app is pivoting to become a platform for entertainment and discovery.

– Dan Cooper

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

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reMarkable launches a gorgeous, if expensive, Type Folio for its e-paper tablet

It’s a niche accessory for a niche product, but you can’t help but love it.

A few years after launching an updated version of its e-paper writing slate, reMarkable is adding a keyboard folio. It’s a pricey add-on to the device but one, I think, makes the right compromises. I found it pretty easy to use as a distraction-free writing machine. But given reMarkable’s intentionally limited writing slate is already a niche proposition, this can only ever appeal to a niche inside a niche.

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Sonos is betting big on spatial audio with the $450 Era 300 speaker

And it’ll offer support for Apple Music’s spatial audio.

Sonos has unveiled the most dramatic update to its speaker line in some time, replacing both the One and Five with the Era 100 and Era 300. It’s the latter that’s more interesting, since it’s designed to support spatial audio, offering more nuance to your music. And, shortly after the pair arrived, Apple let it be known the Era 300 would support spatial audio from Apple Music, giving would-be purchasers one big reason to try it out.

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Hyundai’s revamped Kona EV offers more room and a longer range

It’s the first clean-sheet Kona EV, with all the benefits.

Hyundai’s Kona was a popular and well-reviewed EV, offering a heady mix of affordability, decent range and equipment. Now, the company has shown off its replacement, a clean sheet redesign with a WLTP-rated range of 304 miles. It’s also more spacious and has a lot more kit, and while the company hasn’t yet announced US pricing, it’s likely to be cheaper than the Ioniq 5.

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YouTube reverses course on controversial swearing and monetization policy

Now you can do a naughty word in the opening moments of a video.

YouTube’s interesting approach to colorful metaphors, the sort you’d never see used in a respectable technology newsletter, is changing. Last November, the company said any shocking utterances in the initial moments of a clip would render it ineligible for monetization. Now, officials have walked that back slightly, saying only strong profanity will see a clip marked for limited adverts, while milder, sub-f-and-s-word utterances will probably be OK.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-messenger-is-coming-home-to-facebook-121508699.html?src=rss 

NASA’s Perseverance rover might be out there on Mars since 2021, collecting rock samples and finding hints of water, but that doesn’t mean its predecessor has already retired from its explorations. In fact, the Curiosity rover has been observing Martian clouds during twilight to build upon its previous survey on night-shining clouds. And on February 2nd, Curiosity captured a rare sight on camera, making it the first time we’ve seen crepuscular rays (or “sun rays”) this clearly from the Martian surface.

The clouds in the photo above are located at a higher altitude than most Martian clouds, which sit around 37 miles above the ground and are made of water ice. Since the clouds in the photo are higher up where it’s especially cold, NASA thinks they’re made of frozen carbon dioxide — or dry ice, as we call it — instead. They agency says that observing clouds on Mars can help scientists learn more about the planet’s atmospheric conditions, temperatures and winds. 

For this particular survey, which started in January and will conclude mid-March, Curiosity mostly uses its colored Mast Camera or Mastcam. The equipment allows the rover to take images that would show scientists how cloud particles glow over time. To create the panorama you see above, NASA stitched together 28 images taken by the Mastcam. In 2021, though, Curiosity mostly relied on its black-and-white navigation cameras that provided us a detailed look at clouds’ structure as they move. 

In addition to our first clear view of the Martian sun rays, the rover has also taken photos of other interesting cloud formations since the current survey began. One image from January 27th (below) shows an iridescent cloud that’s shaped like a feather. Apparently, the color transitions brought about by iridescence tell scientists how the cloud is evolving and about how its particle size is changing across the structure. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/curiosity-rover-captures-first-clear-view-martian-sunbeams-105136342.html?src=rss 

 There are certain colors you see and have an immediate association. For gamers, one of the most iconic might be that warm medium green seen on Yoshi and, most notably, Xbox. The latter has long used green as a core part of its branding. Yet, Microsoft hadn’t outright sold an official darker green Series S/X wireless controller — until now. It’s official name is velocity green and it’s on sale for $65. 

Almost the entire front is green with black accents courtesy of the hybrid D-pad and controller buttons. The triggers and bumpers are also black while the back case is a clean white. The controller offers up to 40 hours of battery life and includes textured grips on areas such as the triggers and back case. It houses a dedicated Share button to share screenshots or gameplay videos of games with friends and can also pair with PCs and mobile devices.

Microsoft has offered custom controller colors through the Xbox Design Lab but this new option is perfect for players who want (mostly) all green, all the time. Plus, it’s $5 cheaper. Not much, but hey you can put it towards a new game. 

Anyone looking for an entire velocity green look can also get a matching Razer Universal Quick Charging Stand for $40. Plus, Microsoft is leaning fully into its signature color with a velocity green Xbox hoodie for $65. It even includes a little four-leaf clover stitched on the sleeve for extra gaming luck.

Not a big green fan? Microsoft has already rolled out a slew of other wireless controllers in the colors Electric Volt, Deep Pink, Shock Blue, and Pulse Red. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-xbox-new-velocity-green-controller-112518870.html?src=rss 

If you’ve ever created or joined a WhatsApp group chat for a single event, then kept forgetting to delete it for years afterwards, there’s an upcoming feature you may appreciate. WhatsApp is testing something called “Expiring Groups” that will let you set an expiration date for group chats, according to a new iOS beta spotted by WaBetaInfo. 

According to a screenshot, the Expiring Groups option will appear within a group’s settings, letting you choose options like a day, week, or custom date. You’ll also have the ability to cancel an expiration if you need to keep the chat intact. Any expiration dates set will only apply to yourself and not other participants, apparently — so the group might continue to exist, just not with you in it. 

It appears that WhatsApp won’t just delete a group without telling you, as the description states that “you will be prompted to clean up groups on the expiration date.” Still, much like disappearing messages, it should help reduce clutter in your account and save some device storage space

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-will-soon-let-users-choose-when-group-chats-expire-085500703.html?src=rss 

Visiting Twitter’s Tor onion website will now show you a warning that its certificate has expired, and pushing forward will just send you to an error page. The Tor Project, the non-profit org responsible for maintaining software for the Tor network, has confirmed to The Verge that Twitter’s onion site “is no longer available seemingly with no plans to renew.” Pavel Zoneff, the group’s communications director, said: “The Tor Project has reached out to Twitter to look into bringing the onion version of the social media platform back online. People who rely on onion services for an extra layer of protection and guarantee that they are accessing the content they are looking for now have one fewer way of doing so safely.” It’s worth noting, however, that you can still access Twitter on a Tor browser. 

Twitter launched its Tor service in 2022, shortly after Russia blocked its people’s access to the website. A Tor service allows you to circumvent censorship and gives you the capability to visit an online destination even when it’s supposedly restricted in your country. It also protects you from surveillance, thanks to its anonymization features that encrypt your traffic. You can use it anywhere, but it is perhaps especially helpful to people living in countries with more stringent censorship laws, including North Korea and China. 

The company has yet to announce whether it has any plans on reviving its Tor service. Alec Muffett, who helped Twitter’s engineers adopt Tor services last year, told The Verge that the people within the company he interacted with “are all gone.” He added that he’s pretty sure it’s going to stop working totally “unless Elon [Musk] takes an interest.”

Musk, who purchased Twitter later in 2022, has laid off thousands of workers since he took over, including employees who supported his vision for the website. CNBC reported back in January that only 1,300 personnel were left from the 7,500 people who were working for Twitter before it changed hands. Seeing as Musk seems to be focusing on monetizing Twitter at the moment, and there are barely any employees left at the company, its Tor service may remain unavailable for a long time, if not for good. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitter-tor-service-no-longer-working-063541843.html?src=rss 

Google’s annual developer conference will return on May 10th. The search giant announced the date on Tuesday afternoon after internet users quickly solved the teaser puzzle Google shared in the morning. As with last year’s conference, I/O 2023 will take place in front of a “limited live audience” at the historic Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California. Google has not held an I/O anyone can pay to attend since before the pandemic. In 2020, the conference was canceled, like many other in-person events that were scheduled to take place that year. One year later, Google held the event at its Mountain View campus, with the in-person audience mostly limited to company employees.              

The good news is that Google will publicly steam the event. I/O 2023 will open with a keynote from CEO Sundar Pichai, followed by on-demand developer sessions that will be available to watch on YouTube and the I/O website. More so than in past years, there will be a lot at stake at I/O 2023. It’s likely Google will spend a significant portion of the event playing up its latest AI advances and innovations, and with good reason. The recent announcement of Bard did not go according to plan after the chatbot shared incorrect information about the James Webb Space Telescope. Google needs to show it won’t be outdone by rivals like OpenAI.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-io-2023-takes-place-on-may-10th-in-front-of-a-limited-in-person-audience-232154501.html?src=rss 

The Federal Trade Commission is stepping up its investigation into some of Twitter’s most controversial decisions since Elon Musk took over the company last fall. That includes the company’s mass layoffs and the launch of Twitter Blue, as well as the company’s dealings with journalists involved with the so-called “Twitter Files,” according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal.

At issue, is Twitter’s 2022 settlement with the FTC over its use of “deceptive” ad targeting. Along with a $150 million fine, the company at the time agreed to a “comprehensive privacy and information security program,” as well as other strict measures meant to protect users’ privacy. But there’s been widespread concern from lawmakers and others that Twitter has not adhered to those requirements under Musk’s leadership.

Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that the FTC has sent at least a dozen letters to Twitter since last fall in an effort to get more information about the company’s handling of layoffs, Twitter Blue, the “Twitter Files” and other issues. The agency is also reportedly trying to depose Musk as part of the inquiry. The House Judiciary Committee also released a report about the FTC’s inquiries to Twitter.

The report isn’t the first suggestion that Twitter may have run afoul of the regulator since Musk’s takeover. The FTC previously said it had “deep concern” following the departures of key privacy and security executives. Lawmakers and others have also raised concerns about the hasty rollout of Twitter Blue, which reportedly launched without a proper privacy or security review, a requirement of Twitter’s FTC settlement.

Likewise, as Bloomberg pointed out last year, the settlement also requires Twitter to limit internal access to Twitter users’ data. Security experts have questioned whether Musk’s decision to hand over reams of internal documents and grant journalists access to internal systems could violate its obligations with the FTC.

In a tweet, Musk called the FTC’s actions “a shameful case of weaponization of a government agency for political purposes and suppression of the truth.” Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee also criticized the agency’s investigation as “harassment.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ftc-is-investigating-elon-musks-handling-of-twitter-blue-and-the-twitter-files-233539305.html?src=rss