Deepfake Fury: Taylor Swift Battles AI Fakes, WWE King Toppled, Tech Layoffs Bite - This Week's Shocks! (⚖️)

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From fabricated pop stars to tech titans tumbling, this week's headlines pack a punch. Buckle up as we navigate the ethical minefield of deepfake fury, where Taylor Swift herself became a victim.

Then, witness the fall of a wrestling empire as Vince McMahon, co-founder and kingpin, throws in the towel amidst misconduct allegations.

Finally, brace for the economic tremors as tech giants wield the pink slip, leaving a trail of uncertainty. It's a week woven with scandal, upheaval, and a dash of the surreal – dive in and get hooked.

TODAY’S MENU

• Taylor Swift vs. AI Fakes: Social Media Scrambles as Explicit Deepfakes Spark Outrage

• WWE Co-Founder Vince McMahon Resigns Amidst Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

• Tech industry braces for further contraction as layoffs continue in 2024

• Meme of the day!

NEWS

Taylor Swift vs. AI Fakes: Social Media Scrambles as Explicit Deepfakes Spark Outrage

Taylor Swift is locked in a digital battle against graphic AI fakes circulating online. Following a surge of disturbing deepfakes depicting the singer, X (formerly Twitter) appears to have blocked searches for "Taylor Swift"/ AI but the workaround is surprisingly simple.

Despite X's apparent block, minor tweaks (which I will not mention here) can bypass the restriction. While X pledged to remove the harmful content and punish violators, explicit images reportedly remain accessible through the Media tab.

Other platforms haven't escaped the controversy. Threads and Instagram flag Taylor Swift AI-related as potentially linked to "dangerous organizations" and avoid displaying results. Meanwhile, reports suggest Swift mulls legal action against hosting sites, with Microsoft CEO expressing alarm and urging the industry to implement stricter safeguards against such harmful content.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, voiced her opinion yesterday, calling on Congress to enact legislation that protects individuals from the detrimental impacts of deepfake pornography.

The saga highlights the urgent need for stronger measures against the misuse of AI technology and protecting individuals from online exploitation. This battle is far from over, but one thing's clear: Taylor Swift isn't backing down, and the fight for control over online identity in the age of deepfakes has just begun.

WWE Co-Founder Vince McMahon Resigns Amidst Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

WWE co-founder and wrestling icon Vince McMahon has resigned from the parent company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. The accusations, brought forth by former employee Janel Grant, include explicit claims of being offered to an unnamed star wrestler for sex. McMahon, denying the allegations, stepped down as executive chairman of TKO Group, stating it was "out of respect" for WWE.

The lawsuit, filed in Connecticut, accuses McMahon of subjecting Grant to "acts of extreme cruelty and degradation." Another individual implicated is John Laurinaitis, the company's former head of talent relations. McMahon vows to vigorously defend himself against the accusations, emphasizing the lawsuit as a distortion of the truth.

The legal action also alleges WWE financially benefited from a "commercial sex act venture orchestrated by McMahon." Grant seeks compensation and challenges a $3 million non-disclosure agreement, claiming she only received $1 million. McMahon had previously stepped down as WWE chief executive in 2022 amid similar allegations.

Tech industry braces for further contraction as layoffs continue in 2024

The tech sector's recent wave of job cuts shows no signs of slowing down, echoing a trend that started in 2023 and has spread across companies like Google, Amazon, Twitch, Discord, and Duolingo. Google shed hundreds of jobs across hardware, engineering, advertising, and Assistant teams, while Twitch drastically laid off 35% of its workforce. Similar cuts are affecting Amazon's Prime Video and MGM Studios divisions.

The trend isn't limited to tech, with Microsoft reportedly laying off 1,900 employees from its gaming division following the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Despite its massive $3 trillion valuation, Microsoft isn't immune to the economic pressures driving these reductions.

eBay is also following in the footsteps of Google, Discord, Twitch, Unity, and more — by laying off loads of workers this January instead of right before the holidays. The company laid off around 1,000 workers or 9 percent of the company’s full-time employees, and that’s just the start: eBay will also lay off an unspecified number of contractors “over the coming months.”

These developments indicate a continued cautious outlook for the tech industry and the broader economy in 2024.

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