Vid2Pod: Transform YouTube Playlists into a Podcast! #1731



Vid2Pod by Blubrry Podcasting offers an innovative solution for YouTube creators aiming to extend their content’s reach by effortlessly converting video playlists into high-quality audio podcasts. This new service by Blubrry podcasting is a boon for video-first creators, enabling them to tap into a new audience and ensure their content is accessible across all major podcast platforms. The process involves simply integrating your YouTube account, selecting a playlist for conversion, and instant distribution across platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon.

Let me know what you think of the intro music created by app.suno.ai

Subscribe to the Newsletter.
Join the Chat @ GeekNews.Chat
Email Todd or follow him on Facebook.
Like and Follow Geek News Central’s Facebook Page.
Download the Audio Show File
New YouTube Channel – Beyond the Office

Support my Show Sponsor: Best Godaddy Promo Codes
$11.99 – For a New Domain Name cjcfs3geek
$6.99 a month Economy Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1h
$12.99 a month Managed WordPress Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1w
Support the show by becoming a Geek News Central Insider

Continue reading Vid2Pod: Transform YouTube Playlists into a Podcast! #1731


YouTube Now Requires Creators To Label Videos Made With AI



Starting Monday, YouTube creators will be required to label when realistic-looking videos were made using artificial intelligence, part of a broader effort by the company to be transparent about content that could otherwise confuse or mislead users, CNN reported.

When a user uploads a video to the site, they will see a checklist asking if their content makes a real person say or do something they didn’t do, alters footage of a real place or event, or depicts a realistic-looking scene that didn’t actually occur.

According to CNN, The disclosure is meant to help prevent users from being confused by synthetic content amid a proliferation of new, consumer-facing generative AI tools that make it quick and easy to create compelling text, images, video and audio that can often be hard to distinguish from the real thing. 

Online safety experts have raised alarms that the proliferation of AI-generated content could confuse and mislead users across the internet, especially ahead of elections in the United States and elsewhere in 2024.

YouTube creators will be required to identify when their videos contain AI-generated or otherwise manipulated content that appears realistic — so that YouTube can attach a label for viewers — and could face consequences if they repeatedly fail to add the disclosure.

YouTube posted “How we’re helping creators disclose altered or synthetic content” From the post:

Generative AI is transforming the ways creators express themselves — from storyboarding ideas to experimenting with tools that enhance creative process. But viewers increasingly want more transparency about whether the content they’re seeing is altered or synthetic.

That’s why today we’re introducing a new tool in Creator Studio requiring creators to disclose to viewers when realistic content — content a viewer could easily mistake for a real person, place, or event — is made with altered or synthetic media, including generative AI.

The new label is meant to strengthen transparency with viewers and build trust between creators and their audience. Some examples of content that require disclosure include:

Using the likeness of a realistic person: Digitally altering content to replace the face of one individual with another’s or synthetically generating a person’s voice to narrate a video.

Altering footage of real events of places: Such as making it appear as if a real building caught fire, or altering a real cityscape to make it appear different than reality.

Generating realistic scenes: Showing a realistic depiction of fictional major events, like a tornado moving toward a real town.

Engadget reported that YouTube says it might apply labels to a video if a creator hasn’t done so, “especially if the altered or synthetic content has the potential to confuse or mislead people.” The team notes it wants to give creators some time to get used to the new rules, YouTube will likely penalize those who persistently flout the policy by not including a label when it should be.

In my opinion, it sounds like YouTube is intending to make the distinction between real-world videos and videos that include AI generated ones. That might be frustrating for some creators, but will be useful for preventing people from confusing reality with AI manipulated content.


The FTC Is Probing Reddit’s AI Licensing Deals



The Federal Trade Commission is looking into Reddit’s AI licensing deals, the company disclosed in paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company, which is in the midst of its Initial Public Offering, said that the regulator notified Reddit officials that it “intended to request information and documents” about the company’s AI deals, Engadget reported.

According to Engadget, it’s not clear why the FTC is probing Reddit’s relatively new licensing business, but it seems to be in the early stages of its inquiry. “On March 14, 2024, we received a letter from the FTC advising us that the FTC’s staff is conducting a non-public inquiry focused on our sale, licensing, or sharing of user-generated content with third parties to train AI models,” Reddit wrote in a filing. “Given the novel nature of these technologies and commercial arrangements, we are not surprised that the FTC has expressed interest in this area. We do not believe that we have engaged in any unfair or deceptive trade practice.”

CNBC reported that Reddit said on Friday that the Federal Trade Commission sent a letter to the company about its data-licensing business related to the training of artificial intelligence systems.

According to CNBC, the 19-year-old company has filed to sell shares in it’s IPO at $31 to $34 each of an offering that would value the business at close to $6.5 billion. Reddit is trying to hit the public market during a historically slow period for tech IPOs. There hasn’t been a notable venture-backed tech debut since Instacart and Klaviyo in September. Before that, the market had been largely shuttered since late 2021.

Reddit’s revenue rose 20% last year to $804 million. About 98% of its sales came from advertising. The remaining 2% includes data licensing.

The Hill reported the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is probing Reddit’s plan to let artificial intelligence (AI) firms to utilize user-generated content to train their software, according to the social media company’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing Friday.

The inquiry comes just days before Reddit is slated to complete its initial public offering, after filing for it last month.

According to The Hill, Reddit announced in February that it would allow Google to train its AI models. The deal was announced in February, is worth $60 billion and would let Google use its data application programming interface (API).

Axios reported Reddit isn’t the only company receiving these so-called “hold letters,” according to a former FTC official who spoke with Axios on background.

According to Axios, this suggests that the commission is trying to get a handle on a rapidly changing industry and how that could affect both competition and consumer data privacy. It does not mean a formal investigation will be launched into Reddit or any other company.

In my opinion, it sounds like the FTC is very interested in what Reddit wants to do with the sale, licensing, or sharing of user-generated content to train AI models. I’m not sure that’s something the FTC will allow.


Supreme Court Rules Public Officials Can Block Social Media Followers



The Supreme Court ruled Friday that public officials may block people on social media in certain circumstances, tossing aside challenges against local government officials in Michigan and California who blocked followers who were critical of them on Facebook, CNN reported.

In an unanimous opinion written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the court set a clearer standard for when public officials are state actors online and when they can have more control over their social media presence. A second opinion dealing with a related dispute was unsigned and there were no noted dissents.

According to CNN, in an era when public officials often communicate with voters through social media, the cases raised important First Amendment questions about whether those pages were private or whether they are an extension of the government. Some of the pages included information that appeared official alongside personal posts showing the family dog.

“When a government official posts about job-related topics on social-media, it can be difficult to tell whether the speech is official or private,” Barrett wrote.

ArsTechnica posted a headline: “Public officials can block haters — but only sometimes, SCOTUS rules.” There are some circumstances where government officials are allowed to block people from commenting on their social media pages, the Supreme Court said.

According to the Supreme Court, the key question is whether officials are speaking as private individuals or on behalf of the state when posting online. Issuing two opinions, the Supreme Court declined to set a clear standard for when personal social media use constitutes state speech, leaving each unique case to be decided by lower courts.

Instead, SCOTUS provided a test for courts to decide first if someone is or isn’t speaking on behalf of the state on their social media pages, and then if they actually have authority to act on what they post online.

The ruling suggests that government officials can block people from commenting on personal social media pages where they discuss official business when that speech can not be attributed to the state and merely reflects personal remarks. This means that blocking is acceptable when the official has no authority to speak for the state or exercise that authority when speaking on their page.

NBC News reported the Supreme Court ruled Friday that members of the public in some circumstances can sue public officials for blocking them on social media platforms, deciding a pair of cases against the backdrop of former President Donald Trump’s contentious and colorful use of Twitter.

The court ruled unanimously that officials can be deemed “state actors” when making use of social media and can therefore face litigation if they block or mute a member of the public.

In ruling that it can, the court found that blocking someone from following an official constitutes a government action that could give rise to a constitutional claim under the Constitution’s First Amendment, which protects free speech.

In my opinion, we might see less posts from public officials on social media, considering the SCOTUS decision. That said, it is unclear to me if SCOTUS is requiring “state actors” to put up with angry people on social media.

 


SpaceX’s Starship Achieves Orbital Velocity in Historic Test Flight #1730



In a momentous event, SpaceX’s colossal Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, achieved orbital speed for the first time today. This significant milestone occurred during its third test flight, marking a historic day for SpaceX and space exploration enthusiasts. Despite not completing its intended splashdown, the test was deemed successful as it accomplished several key objectives, advancing SpaceX’s ambitious space travel goals.

Subscribe to the Newsletter.
Join the Chat @ GeekNews.Chat
Email Todd or follow him on Facebook.
Like and Follow Geek News Central’s Facebook Page.
Download the Audio Show File
New YouTube Channel – Beyond the Office

Support my Show Sponsor: Best Godaddy Promo Codes
$11.99 – For a New Domain Name cjcfs3geek
$6.99 a month Economy Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1h
$12.99 a month Managed WordPress Hosting (Free domain, professional email, and SSL certificate for the 1st year.) Promo Code: cjcgeek1w
Support the show by becoming a Geek News Central Insider

Continue reading SpaceX’s Starship Achieves Orbital Velocity in Historic Test Flight #1730


YouTube Designed A Richer Experience For Your TVs



More than ever before, viewer are turning to the largest screen in their homes — their TVs — to watch their favorite YouTube content from dogs, to video games, to sports highlights and more, YouTube posted on their Official Blog.

And while watching television has historically been considered a passive experience, one where you can sit back and enjoy your favorite programs we’re building one that is uniquely YouTube that gives viewers the opportunity to engage with the content they’re watching, even on the big screen. As watch time on TVs has grown to more than 1 billion hours per day, we’re faced with a fun challenge: How can we bring familiar YouTube features and interactivity to the living room while ensuring that the video remains at the center of the experience?

Finding the balance

While we wanted to introduce more interactivity for viewers, we need to ensure that the primary video actions (pause, rewind, fast forward) remained easily accessible and intuitive – after all, content is the core of YouTube.

Finding this balance meant simplifying user interactions to accommodate the remote control, while simultaneously making sure the new design would be applicable to a wide range of use cases.

What we learned from our users was: 

The new design works for features that require equal or more attention than the video itself (e.g. comments, description, live chat) but obscuring the video would be detrimental to the viewing experience.

We need to continue to prioritize simplicity over the introduction of additional lightweight controls.

A one size fits all solution may not be the best approach, as features such as live chat and video description benefit from different levels of immersion.

The Verge reported YouTube is constantly tinkering with its app design across different platforms and screen sizes, and shared the latest changes coming to its TV-optimized app. There’s a clear focus on making the viewing experience more interactive and giving greater prominence to chapters, comments, and video descriptions — without getting in the way of the video you’re trying to watch.

The new new shrinks the video down slightly to make space for the description, comments, and other elements around it. It’s not YouTube’s new default look, since many people will still prefer a full-screen layout. But you can easily click into the more interactive interface from the standard video player screen.

By shifting interactive features to the right side, YouTube is also making a renewed effort to bring shopping to the TV screen. You’ll see a “products in this video” section appear whenever creators include what’s being featured in their content. But YouTube hasn’t quite reached the stage of letting you complete an entire transaction from your TV; instead, the app will display a QR code that you can scan to finish buying an item on your phone. Not exactly seamless.

In my opinion, it appears that YouTube might be hoping to become the next Home Shopping Network. Right now, the best YouTube can do is post a QR code for those who want to buy something they saw in a video that they are currently watching.


House Passes TikTok Crackdown That Could Ban App In U.S.



The House overwhelmingly passed a measure Wednesday to force TikTok to split from its parent company or face a national ban, a lightning offensive that materialized abruptly after years of unsuccessful negotiations over the platform’s fate, The Washington Post reported.

The legislation, approved 352 to 65 with 1 voting present, is a sweeping bipartisan rebuke of the popular video-sharing app — and an attempt to grapple with allegations that its China-based parent, ByteDance, presents national security risks. The House effort gained momentum last week after President Biden said he would sign the bill if Congress passed it.

But it’s fate now rests in the Senate, where some lawmakers have expressed concerns it may run afoul of the Constitution by infringing on millions of Americans’ rights to free expression and by explicitly targeting a business operating in the United States.

Though TikTok is incorporated in the United States and has headquarters in Los Angeles, its ties to Beijing-based tech giant ByteDance have long triggered fears the app could be weaponized by Chinese government officials to snoop on Americans or shape their political views. The company says it has never shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government and would not do so if asked, and its critics have yet to present evidence to the contrary.

According to The Washington Post, Wednesday’s vote is the first time a chamber of Congress has approved legislation that could lead to the platform’s prohibition throughout the country.

The bill lacks a companion measure in the Senate, where lawmakers have pushed for competing approaches for months to tackle concerns over apps viewed as security threats. The dynamics signal a tougher and probably slower path to passage.

CNBC reported the House approved a bill Wednesday that calls for China tech giant ByteDance to divest TikTok or the popular social video app will effectively be banned in the U.S.

The measure passed with a resounding 352-65 vote with one member voting present.

The legislation, dubbed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications App, was introduced March 5 by Reps. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. Two days later, House members on the Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to approve the bill, which refers to TikTok as a threat to national security because it is controlled by a foreign adversary.

The bill now heads to the Senate where it faces an uncertain future as senators appear divided about the legislation, and other federal and state-led efforts to ban TikTok have stalled.

Although House members who drafted the bill have previously said that it “does not ban TikTok,” the legislation in its current form requires ByteDance to divest TikTok within roughly six months in order for the app “to remain available in the United States.” If the bill is enacted, app store owners such as Apple and Google along with internet-hosting companies would be prohibited from supporting TikTok and other apps that are linked to ByteDance,

In my opinion, I think the Senate is not going to fall in line with the legislation created by two House committees. In general, what comes from the House goes to the Senate, and it is currently unclear how the Senate will view it.