Black British anti-knife crime activist Shaun Thompson, 38, has launched a legal challenge against the Metropolitan Police. The police detained the 38-year-old after live facial recognition technology wrongly identified him as a suspect. ‘Stop and search on steroids’ Thompson, who volunteers with the Street Fathers youth outreach group, described the system as ‘stop and search on steroids’ following his 20-minute detention at London Bridge station earlier this year. Returning from a volunteer shift in south London, Thompson was wrongly flagged as a suspect on the Met’s facial recognition database, leading
Pinterest has announced the Hidden Healing Fund, an initiative with diverse cultural healing practices to empower young people’s mental health. The Hidden Healing Fund Led by Pinterest and supported by SHOWTIME/MTV, the Hidden Healing Fund will pilot an initial investment of $1 million in community organizations that employ culturally led approaches to addressing youth mental health challenges. Brands committed to improving mental health have been invited to combine their resources to help bridge gaps in accessibility and aid solutions beyond traditional models of care. The initiative was inspired by an
Kapor Foundation, Omidyar Network, and San Francisco Foundation have announced an investment of $25 million to help fund organizations focused on centering equity in the advancement of AI. The joint commitment will help fund organizations across different sectors at the inaugural Joint California Summit on Generative AI. The fund is in response to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-12-23, signed in September 2023, which will study the development, use, and risks of AI technologies. The $25M Investment The initial $25 million investment aims to drive immediate action and build momentum within
Black-owned Creative Theory Agency has launched a new campaign that uses AI to make technology more inclusive. Creative Theory Agency, founded in 2015, is a full-service creative agency that is mission-driven to bring creative equity and cultural impact to marketing moments. “What Prompted You” “What Prompted You” is a campaign-driven conversation designed to investigate AI tools’ impact and inclusivity’s role in fostering innovation. The campaign is a call to action to showcase how first-person, organic human perspectives can enhance and uplevel creativity. The agency will put up large-scale out-of-home (OOH)
Meta’s ad algorithms show racial bias by disproportionately steering Black users towards more expensive for-profit colleges, a recent study found. Researchers from Princeton and the University of Southern California have developed “Auditing for Racial Discrimination in the Delivery of Education Ads,” a third-party auditing report to evaluate racial bias in education ads, focusing on platforms like Meta. Algorithm Education Bias This method allows external parties to assess and demonstrate the presence or absence of bias in social media algorithms, an area previously unexplored in education. Prior audits revealed discriminatory practices
VC firm Fearless Fund has faced another setback in its plans to issue grants to Black women business owners as the court has ruled against them. On Monday, an appeals court for the 11th Circuit ruled against Fearless, upholding a preliminary injunction against their Strivers Grant program. The court ruling said that the grant likely violates the Civil Rights Act of 1886, which bans the use of race in contracts. What Has Happened So Far? The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), founded by Edward Blum, attacked the Fearless Fund
AiDigiTales has launched its newest initiative, the “AI for Kids” podcast, to introduce the world of AI to children. AI for Kids is a series of fun, informative, and interactive episodes aimed at children from pre-K to middle grade. This initiative represents AiDigiTales’ ongoing commitment to making AI education accessible and engaging for young minds everywhere. Engaging And Educational Content For Young Minds “AI for Kids” will be released biweekly on Tuesdays, each episode designed to simplify complex AI concepts for a young audience. The podcast aims to make AI
Pinterest has announced that it is expanding its Creator Inclusion Fund to the Pinterest Inclusion Fund, allowing founders to join. Pinterest Inclusion Fund The now-called Pinterest Inclusion Fund began in 2021 to help give more opportunities to underrepresented content creators. It has now expanded as they have teamed up with Shopify’s Build Black and Build Native programs to allow small business owners who are from or who serve underrepresented backgrounds to apply for the Creator Inclusion Fund. Previously, only traditional content creators applied. “The Pinterest Inclusion Fund is focused on
Microsoft Corp. and G42, a leading artificial intelligence firm from the United Arab Emirates, have unveiled plans to build a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya. This project marks the initial phase of a multiyear strategy to boost cloud-computing capacity in East Africa. Harnessing Geothermal Energy for Sustainable Development The data center will be constructed in Olkaria, an area rich in geothermal resources, making it an ideal location for a sustainable energy project. G42 will lead the initial investment and oversee the facility’s construction. In its first phase, it
There is an alarming rise in disinformation in the media for Black Americans as the elections approach, according to a recent survey. Survey Highlights Disparities In Media Consumption And Misinformation A public opinion poll commissioned by Free Press BSP Research and the African American Research Collaborative surveyed 3,000 people in the US. The findings reveal that Black and Latino Americans are more likely to access news on platforms like Facebook and YouTube compared to their white and Asian American counterparts. This group is also more engaged with social media content,
