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Google's Search Technology in the Legal Spotlight for Police Use

Google’s Search Technology in the Legal Spotlight for Police Use

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In a recent legal filing, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), and its Pennsylvania chapter raised concerns about a new investigative technique employed by the police, involving Google’s search technology. The technique, known as a keyword search warrant, gained attention after its pivotal role in a 2016 case where a Pennsylvania woman was raped.

Following the assault, law enforcement sought information from Google on users who had searched the victim’s name or address in the week leading up to the incident. Google responded by providing the IP address of an individual who had searched the victim’s address shortly before the crime. This breakthrough led to the monitoring and subsequent arrest of a corrections officer, who was convicted based on this evidence.

Privacy vs. Investigation

Google's Search Technology in the Legal Spotlight for Police Use

However, the EFF and NACDL argue that keyword search warrants represent a significant threat to privacy rights. They liken these warrants to digital dragnets that allow the government to extensively delve into private information. Michael Price from the NACDL Fourth Amendment Center emphasized the need for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to consider the constitutionality of such warrants.

Legal and Societal Ramifications

The debate surrounding these warrants has intensified, especially in the context of the US Supreme Court’s recent decisions. Privacy advocates fear that these broad investigative techniques might not only infringe on privacy but could also be used to prosecute individuals seeking abortions in states where it’s illegal.

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While Google ceased its response to geofence warrants in December, EFF’s Andrew Crocker emphasized that this change amplifies the importance of scrutinizing the legality of keyword search warrants. With law enforcement increasingly seeking innovative investigative tools, the potential popularity of these warrants raises concerns regarding citizens’ privacy and constitutional rights.

As legal battles unfold and technology continues to evolve, the balance between effective law enforcement and safeguarding individuals’ privacy remains a key challenge for courts and lawmakers alike.

How to Add Your Videos and Photos to Google Maps Places in 4 Easy Ways

How to Add Your Videos and Photos to Google Maps Places in 4 Easy Ways

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With the option to include photos and videos in place of textual recommendations, improving your Google Maps ratings has even more effect. This gives your opinion more prominence and offers helpful visual information about places. These are the best 4 methods for quickly and easily adding images or videos to any Google Maps location.

Through the Android Google Maps app

How to Add Your Videos and Photos to Google Maps Places in 4 Easy Ways
  • Open the Google Maps application on your Android gadget.
  • Look for the place you wish to add media to.
  • Slider will come up once you tap on the location.
  • After that, select “Post a photo update.”
  • Choose the preferred images or videos.
  • In the upper right corner of the screen, select the “Post” option.

Using Google Maps on a computer

  • Launch your browser, then go to https://www.google.com/maps.
  • Look for the place you want to improve.
  • After swiping down, select “Add a photo.”
  • Select an image from Google Photos or send one from your computer.
  • After selecting the desired image, click “Select.”

Using the Android Google Photos App

  • Open the Photos application on your Android mobile device.
  • Open the image you wish to connect to a certain place.
  • Press “Share.”
  • Click on “Add to Maps.”
  • In the upper part of the screen, tap “Select a place”.
  • Select “Somewhere else?” and type the name of the location.

Using the iPhone Google Maps App

  • Launch the iPhone app Google Maps.
  • Look for where you want to go.
  • Open the location’s page when it has been chosen.
  • After swiping down, select “Add a photo update.”
  • Choose a photo from the gallery on your iPhone.
  • In the upper right corner, click the “Post” button.

Also Read: How to Use a Laptop as a Second Monitor?

Conclusion

Recall that all of your contributions—including media and reviews—are linked to your profile and are available to everyone. Viewers of the Google Maps app may access profiles under the ‘Contributor’ section. Make sure your photographs are no more than 5MB, and your films should not exceed 75MB. This allows you to submit HD videos at a quality of 720p.

By using these easy steps, you can improve your ratings and provide useful visual material to Google Maps, which will improve the user experience for people all across the world.

Google pay $700 million to US users states in Play Store settlement

Play Store settlement says Google will pay $700 million to US customers

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In an antitrust lawsuit with states in the United States and customers, Google has agreed to a 700 million-dollar settlement; six hundred and thirty million will go towards a consumer settlement fund and $70 million will go towards state settlement funds. The settlement, which is still pending final approval, resolves claims that Google overcharged users by placing needless charges for in-app purchases and restricting the distribution of apps on Android devices. Customers who meet the eligibility requirements and made transactions on Google Play from August 16, 2016, and September 30, 2023, are entitled to a minimum of $2 Additional payments may be issued depending on how much was spent over this time. The District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and all 50 states are part of the settlement.

Google pay $700 million to US users states in Play Store settlement

Image Source: edition.cnn.com

The specifics of the agreement were not disclosed until after Google’s trial with Epic Games, which was the subject of an antitrust lawsuit accusing the company of engaging in anti-competitive conduct. lately, a federal court panel in California found in favour of Epic Games, finding that some parts of Google’s application business were anti-competitive. No misconduct was acknowledged by Google in the payment.

Google will update its Play app store

Google will update its Play app store to make room for more competition as part of the arrangement. According to the business, it will make it easier for developers of apps and games to provide users with an additional billing alternative for in-app payments in addition to Play’s payment system. The goal of this change is to provide consumers with more options and freedom while maintaining robust security protections.

Google will also make it easier for people to get apps straight from developers. Lower rates for customers and increased creativity amongst app developers are the two main goals of the settlement. The states’ solicitors stated that it is unusual for American antitrust authorities to get remedies from Google of this size.

Also Read: Large AI Dataset Has Over 1,000 Child Abuse Images, Researchers Find

Epic Games, which filed a lawsuit for an injunction rather than financial damages, displayed discontent, stating that the agreement failed to tackle the core of Google’s illegal and anti-competitive behaviour, even though it tackled financial relief and certain adjustments to Google’s practices. During the subsequent stage of its testing, Epic intends to submit its suggestion for prospective modifications to the Google Play store.

Google continues to stand by its denial of any unlawful conduct in the litigation it is still facing concerning its search and online advertising methods. The agreement is a reflection of continuing attempts by businesses and authorities to resolve antitrust issues in the technology sector, with a focus on leading platforms and their effects on the market.

Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry

Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry

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The Fortnite developer Epic Games Inc.’s court victory over Google may upend Apple Inc.’s and Google’s app store duopoly, which controls how billions of users utilise their mobile phones and brings in approximately 200 billion dollars annually.

A jury from San Francisco rendered the verdict on Monday, dealing with a hit to the two businesses’ app business strategy, which involves charging software developers who usually have few other alternatives charges of as much as 30%. In New York on Tuesday morning, Google’s stocks dropped less than one percent, trading at $132.62.

After years of protesting the practice, Epic was able to persuade a federal court jury that Google, a division of Alphabet Inc., had behaved unjustly as a monopoly.

The lawsuit is probably going to hasten the relaxation of the app store policies, which are already under attack from politicians and regulators throughout the globe.

Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry

Image Source: irishtimes.com

Even if Apple defeated Epic in an incident that was comparable in 2021, just one judge rendered the decision. The Google lawsuit allowed real users to voice their opinions on a global scale of smartphone apps, as seen by the jury’s unanimous decision to side with Epic. After less than four hours of discussion, they concluded that Google had damaged Epic, participated in anti-competitive behaviour, and unlawfully imposed its payment scheme on developers.

The Apple and Google experiments differed significantly in other ways as well. In the present scenario, Epic emphasised lesser compensation arrangements Google had with major game creators, such as Activision Blizzard Inc. and Nintendo Co.

“Revenue sharing deals among Google, smartphone makers and game developers came to light during the trial,” Justin Patterson and other analysts at KeyBanc Capital Markets wrote in a note to clients. “We believe this was a key difference between the cases that contributed to Apple’s victory and Google’s loss.”

time.com

Also Read: Two Ways to Reset Your Forgotten Apple Watch Passcode

Google Has Come Under Fire

Additionally, Google has come under fire for entering into side agreements where it gives lesser commissions to major companies, such as Spotify Technology SA. The jury concluded on Monday that Google should neither provide developers of Android apps special terms nor mandate that they use its payment system for software that is offered for purchase through its store.

“The immediate aftereffect is we will see a shift in the marketplace where big tech companies will have to make accommodations — whether it is more access, better terms, more options for developers — to stave off legal exposure,” said Paul Swanson, a partner at Holland & Hart who specializes in technology and antitrust law.

time.com
Google's 'Gemini AI' is here, but can it beat ChatGPT 4? All you need to know

Google’s ‘Gemini AI’ is here, but can it beat ChatGPT 4? All you need to know

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The tech world is excited by the arrival of Google’s ‘Gemini AI’, an innovative artificial intelligence platform. But the burning question is can it surpass the capabilities of the renowned ChatGPT 4? This article explores everything you need to know about Gemini AI.

Gemini AI

Google’s journey in developing Gemini AI was driven by the need to push the boundaries of AI technology. This section throws light on the purpose behind its creation.

Comparing Gemini AI with ChatGPT 4

Google’s latest AI venture, Gemini, has sparked a competitive buzz in the tech world, claiming it can outperform OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The focus of this claim centers around the “Ultra” version of Gemini, which is touted to surpass ChatGPT-4 in various aspects. However, this version is slated for release only in 2024, leaving the current Gemini Pro to face comparisons with the free version of ChatGPT, GPT-3.5.

Google's 'Gemini AI' is here, but can it beat ChatGPT 4? All you need to know

Image Source: youtube.com

Early reports and user feedback indicate that the Ultra Gemini shows promise, but its current version, the Gemini Pro, is not living up to expectations. Users and technical reviewers have noted inconsistencies and inaccuracies in Gemini Pro’s responses compared to GPT-3.5.

Similarly, Matteo Wong of The Atlantic acknowledges that Gemini may surpass GPT-4 in some metrics, yet he describes its progress as “iterative progress” rather than a significant breakthrough. This perspective suggests that although Gemini may offer modest improvements over its predecessors, it falls short of a revolutionary leap forward in AI technology.

As things stand, anticipation is high for Google’s Gemini, especially the Ultra version. Nevertheless, Gemini Pro’s current performance, according to user experiences and expert reviews, suggests that there is still a way to go before it can definitively claim superiority over ChatGPT. The tech community is eagerly watching to see if Gemini’s full potential will be revealed in its future updates as promised.

Technological Innovations in Gemini AI

Gemini AI is built on cutting-edge algorithms and AI technology. We will analyze the technological backbone that powers this advanced AI system.

Privacy and Security Aspects

Data privacy and security are paramount in the digital age. We will see how Gemini AI handles user data and maintains privacy.

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Community and Developer Support

A strong community and developer support is essential for any AI platform. Here, we discuss the resources available for both.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Gemini AI represents a significant advancement in AI technology. It remains a matter of discussion whether it is beyond ChatGPT 4, but its potential impact is undeniable.

ChatGPT vs. Google Bard: Which Is Good for Data Analysis?

ChatGPT vs. Google Bard: Which Is Good for Data Analysis?

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Experts in the quickly developing field of data analysis now have more options thanks to the development of artificial intelligence-powered language models. These models, provide sophisticated natural language processing capacities, including ChatGPT and Google’s recently released Bard. But which of these AI technologies is more appropriate for data analysis? To identify their advantages and disadvantages in terms of data analysis, let’s dive into a thorough comparison.

Understanding Bard and ChatGPT

OpenAI’s ChatGPT is well-known for its conversational skills and has been used extensively for a range of natural language processing applications. Conversely, Google’s Bard is a more recent addition to the market, designed to produce poetry, prose, as well as conversational replies by utilising its extensive linguistic and contextual expertise.

Data Analysis Capabilities

ChatGPT is an effective tool for understanding and analysing textual data because of its ability to grasp and react to complicated inquiries. This is where ChatGPT excels in data analysis. Tasks such as sentiment analysis, summarised analysis, as well as contextual understanding benefit from their capacity to elicit understanding from unorganised data and offer nuanced solutions.

ChatGPT vs. Google Bard: Which Is Good for Data Analysis?

Image Source: geeksforgeeks.org

Bard might not be as adept at data analysis because of its emphasis on generating creative words. Its use in the field of structured data analysis may be restricted, even though it may provide imaginative material and captivating tales.

Language Model Performance

ChatGPT’s reputation as a flexible tool for information-driven activities has been solidified by its exceptional results in language interpretation and processing. It is an invaluable tool for data professionals due to its capacity to comprehend and react to inquiries about statistical analysis, trend detection, and exploratory data analysis.

On the other hand, Bard’s main advantages are his inventive language creation and contextual narrative. Its major concentration on creative writing may restrict its application in standard data analysis tasks, even though it may demonstrate expertise in producing narrative-style interpretations of data.

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Accessibility and Integration

Thanks to its comprehensive platform connection, ChatGPT is easily accessible and customizable for a diverse variety of data analysis procedures. Its adaptability in interfacing with databases, visualisation platforms, and analytics tools increases its usefulness for data experts.

Bard is a more recent product, thus further development and integration may be necessary to make it compatible with the unique needs of data analysis processes. Given its current emphasis on producing artistic material, it could need to undergo further modifications to meet the analytical and organised requirements of data analysis procedures.