Issue #12
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If you have goals you'd like to achieve in the coming weeks, let's assume it's a job application. Take a moment to visualize the successful outcome of your application. Picture yourself in the workplace, already immersed in your duties. Picture the face of your colleagues and superiors. Think of what you're wearing and how proud you'd be to announce the news to your family and friends.
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Take a walk with me; today we are looking at
Facebook shuts down face recognition system.
Separationists activities in Ethiopia.
Facebook shuts down facial recognition system
...to delete over 1billion "faceprints".
Facebook has revealed that it will be shutting down its facial recognition system due to growing concern from users and regulators.
Under fire🔥🔥🔥
The social media network has been under political, legal, and regulatory pressure over its use of the software, which automatically identifies users in photos and videos – and lets them know if a fellow user has posted a photo or video with them in it – if they have opted into the feature.
In September, the United Nations released a report analyzing how artificial intelligence systems affect people's right to privacy - as well as rights to health, education, freedom of movement, and more.
In a blog post by Facebook's vice president on artificial intelligence, Jerome Pesenti, the company said.
"There are many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society, and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use. Amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate."
The social network, whose parent company is now named Meta, said it will delete more than 1 billion people's individual facial recognition templates as a result of this change. The company said in the blog post that more than a third of Facebook's daily active users, or over 600 million accounts, had opted into the use of face recognition technology.
Other tech giants like IBM, Amazon, and Microsoft have also permanently ended their facial recognition programs due to criticisms.
What critics say
Critics say facial recognition technology - which is popular among retailers, hospitals, and other businesses for security purposes - could compromise privacy, target marginalized groups and normalize intrusive surveillance.
The Rise of Separatists Groups in Africa; Ethiopia in Focus
There are roughly over 43 active separatist groups across 24 African countries and the overall number of coup attempts in Africa remained remarkably consistent at an average of around four a year in the four decades between 1960 and 2000.
Sudan alone has experienced two such events this year; a failed attempt in September and the latest, where Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan dissolved the civilian arm of a transitional government and took over the government.
Similar news in Guinea as President Condé was ousted by the army in September. In neighboring Mali, there have been two interventions by the army in less than a year, most recently in May. In Niger, a coup was thwarted in March just days before a presidential inauguration.
In Ethiopia, the crisis has worsened as rebel forces captured key cities, routing to Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian government has declared a six-month nationwide state of emergency effective immediately and authorities in Addis Ababa told citizens to prepare to defend the capital.
“The state of emergency is aimed to protect civilians from atrocities being committed by the terrorist TPLF group in several parts of the country,” state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting reported on Tuesday, referring to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which has been fighting the federal government for a year."
How it started
The conflict started on 4 November 2020 when Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed ordered a military offensive against regional forces in Tigray in response to an attack on a military base housing government troops.
The escalation came after months of feuds between PM Abiy's government and leaders of Tigray's dominant political party.
For almost three decades, the party was at the center of power, before it was sidelined by Abiy, who took office in 2018 after anti-government protests.
Tigray's leaders saw Abiy's reforms as an attempt to centralize power and destroy Ethiopia's federal system.
The feud came to a head in last year's September, when Tigray defied the central government to hold its regional election. The central government, which had postponed national elections because of coronavirus, said it was illegal and suspended funding for Tigray then cut ties with it in October. At the time, Tigray's administration said this amounted to a "declaration of war".
Tensions increased, and the eventual catalyst was when Tigrayan forces were accused of attacking army bases to steal weapons.
The Way Out?
There have been growing calls by African nations, the European Union, and the United States for a truce, and talks to end the conflict.
US special envoy Jeffrey Feltman is visiting Addis Ababa to press for a peaceful solution to the crisis.
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Humans of the internet
WORTH READING 📚
Tech we are using. Sliding Backward on Tech? There Are Benefits. The NYT.
Much hairdo about anything. The hair fetish has come a longer way than we know it. It is more complex than we assumed. Afrocritik.
WORTH WATCHING 🎥
The ugly truth about coffee. Doctor Mike.
The long history of “You are not ugly, you are just poor” [Rant]. Karolina Zebrowska.
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This brief was put together while listening to Never Stopped by Buju TYE.
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