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Here's the latest tech news from the last 24 hours:

🤖 Researchers jailbreak ChatGPT and other AI chatbots
🗳️ Meta's algorithms are not entirely to blame for political polarization
🚀 NASA Plus: the space agency's new streaming platform
✅ Reddit tests verification labels for brands
📉 Meta plans 'retention-driving hooks' in Threads amidst user exodus
💰 Sequoia Capital reduces crypto, ecosystem funds by over 50%

🤖 Researchers jailbreak ChatGPT and other AI chatbotsLINK

Researchers have discovered that AI Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT can be easily manipulated into bypassing filters and generating harmful content, misinformation, and hate speech.

These vulnerabilities were exposed by inserting a lengthy string of characters at the end of prompts, tricking the chatbots into not recognizing harmful content and generating inappropriate responses.

Upon sharing their findings with the respective companies, OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, the companies affirmed their commitment to improving safety precautions and addressing these concerns.

🗳️ Meta's algorithms are not entirely to blame for political polarizationLINK

The US 2020 Facebook and Instagram Election Study, a collaboration between several academic institutions and Meta, was designed to explore the role of social media in democracy and political polarization within the context of the 2020 US election.

The study, which has resulted in several papers, investigated a variety of topics such as how exposure to political news content on Facebook was segregated ideologically, the effects of different types of feeds, and the effects of reshared content.

The study also specifically examined the extent to which social media "echo chambers" contribute to increased polarization and hostility.

🚀 NASA Plus: the space agency's new streaming platformLINK

NASA is launching a free streaming platform called NASA+, available on mobile devices, desktop, and media players, offering live broadcasts and original video series about space exploration and discovery.

The platform will not interrupt shows with ads, aiming to create an engaging space for users to consume NASA and space-related content.

Alongside the new platform, NASA is also overhauling its entire digital presence, with an integrated web and app experience that consolidates information about its various missions, research projects, and updates across different NASA websites and programs.

✅ Reddit tests verification labels for brandsLINK

Reddit has begun testing "Official" labels, a form of verification badges, for a small group of organizations with existing relationships with the platform.

The label is designed to visually indicate an authenticated brand profile, but does not confer any special privileges, protections, or imply endorsement by Reddit.

This development comes amid recent changes in Reddit's API rules, which have stirred controversy among third-party developers and led to several protests across different subreddits.

📉 Meta plans 'retention-driving hooks' in Threads amidst user exodusLINK

Meta Platforms is focusing on boosting retention rates for its Twitter rival, Threads, after more than half of its users left following the initial launch; CEO Mark Zuckerberg called the drop-off "normal" and expects growth as new features are added.

Zuckerberg maintains that the company's work on the augmented and virtual reality technology for the metaverse is on track, predicting mass adoption of these technologies in the 2030s.

The company has also released an artificial intelligence model called Llama 2 for commercial use to developers with services catering to fewer than 700 million users, receiving more than 150,000 download requests within the first week.

💰 Sequoia Capital reduces crypto, ecosystem funds by over 50%LINK

Sequoia Capital is downsizing its investments in the crypto market by reducing its crypto fund by 65.8%, bringing it down to $200 million from $585 million.

The VC firm has also halved its ecosystem fund, which provides capital to other venture funds, to $450 million in a move to sharpen its focus on seed-stage opportunities.

The firm's decision follows the trend of declining confidence in the crypto sector, particularly after a series of industry-wide crises, including bankruptcies of later-stage crypto companies.

Other news you might like

Intel returned to profitability with Q2 earnings, outperforming expectations despite 15% revenue drop, persisting business weakness, and shift in cloud companies towards AI-focused graphics processors.LINK

Android will soon alert users to unknown trackers like AirTags, with features for identification and disablement, delaying rollout of Find My Device network until iOS implements protections. LINK

Ford's Q2 earnings reveal a $1.1 billion loss in its EV business, counterbalanced by gas and hybrid trucks and SUV profits, necessitating continued sales of polluting vehicles to fund EV production.LINK

Elon Musk's Twitter rebrand to X features controversial changes like default dark mode and paid blue checks, causing user outrage and a reported $4-20 billion value loss. LINK

Stack Overflow is integrating generative AI across its platform, launching Overflow AI to support developers, integrating with tools like Visual Studio Code and enhancing enterprise offerings. LINK

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