With the spread of COVID-19 comes the spread of misinformation. Google product YouTube is attempting to combat this, by adding fact-checking panels to videos the algorithm, and humans, deem related to the Coronavirus. First launched in Brazil and India last year, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki hopes the new tool will allow users to be more informed when it comes to the virus.

“When users are searching on YouTube around a specific claim, we want to give an opportunity for those fact checks to show up right then and there, when our users are looking for information — especially around fast-moving. quickly changing topics like COVID-19,” said Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief product officer.

YouTube is taking advantage of a few US based fact checking services, including Factcheck.org, Politifact, and the Washington Post Fact Checker. According to Google, the service is open to any International Fact-Checking Network members that also sign its “Code of Principals.”

Google and YouTube have been relying more on AI and machine learning to flag videos that break its terms of service during the outbreak. With offices closed and a reduced remote workforce, YouTube is also leaning on AI for deciding when to display fact-checked information panels.

In the future, Google and YouTube plan to roll out additional features that cover a wider range of topics, Mohan stated in a blog post. How this will stand the test of time, politics, and public opinion, is just a waiting game.

Linked Article

With the ever-rising popularity of online streaming services like Netflix, more and more people are tuning their TVs and Computers to original films created on the platforms. Until this upcoming awards season, movies were required to have a theatrical release for Oscar consideration. However, that is no longer.

Beginning in 2021, streaming-only movies will be eligible for Academy Awards, such as the Oscar. The change is partly to do with changing consumer tastes, and even more due to the widespread closure of movie theaters during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the second case being temporary, it seems the Academy’s decision will be short-lived.

“There is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than to see them in a theater. Our commitment to that is unchanged and unwavering. Nonetheless, the historically tragic COVID-19 pandemic necessitates this temporary exception to our awards eligibility rules.” The Academy said in an official statement.

Hopefully, we will see this change become permanent. Americans, as a whole, have been making strides towards dominating the consumer entertainment market from their own homes. With changing tastes comes changing times, and we need to prevent weighing down the next step of innovation.

Linked Article

Rideshare company and tech giant UBER has begun offering qualified drivers with free health screenings using remote Telemedicine technology. Partnering with healthcare service Ro, UBER and UBER Eats drivers will have their own free portal to use. Delivery service drivers are considered “essential workers” during the novel Coronavirus pandemic, as restaurants and other eateries close their doors for dine-in. 

Ro isn’t just offering free telemedicine to UBER drivers, it’s free for anyone seeking Coronavirus medical advice. After a questionnaire, if the system suspects the user has potentially contracted the virus, they will be connected to a healthcare provider free of charge. The service does not test, and cannot diagnose, but can recommend further steps to be taken after the free consultation. 

Telemedicine has become a new normal during the pandemic. With advancements to technology in recent years at an exponential rate, healthcare providers have an unmatched ability to consult over video conferences versus ever before. It’s only a matter of time before we can see what aspects of life will return to normal, and what we’ve discovered would be better digitally from now on.

Linked Article

It’s no surprise that the novel Coronavirus has changed the average human’s day-to-day life, and television is no exemption. With so called, “stay at home” orders the new normal, talent and technical crews alike need to adapt for the task of working remotely. In an age where everyone carries a camera around in their pocket and the internet is faster than ever, it doesn’t sound like such a daunting task. For some productions, it isn’t. “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” has seen a jump in viewership, with some viewers reporting that the show feels more “homey” and connected to reality. For others, however, it’s been nothing short of a nightmare.

“Saturday Night Live” didn’t fare as well, but there’s been a valiant effort. Due to its live-action comedy sketch nature, attempting a short on Zoom (which has its own issues) is a difficult task. “The closer a show’s format is to a couple of people talking, the better it generally fares in this environment,” CNN reports. For some, it’s been an opportunity to become creative. ESPN attempted a virtual adaptation of the basketball game HORSE, which after about 10 minutes, the novelty began to wear off, and the technical issues took hold. 

We’re learning more about the Television field than ever during these times; Audience taste, technical constraints, script writing, and creative abilities. The fact that we’re able to have 15 seperate people, with 15 seperate devices, streamed live to millions of televisions across the country is a feat among itself.

CNN Article

With the Coronavirus presenting the challenge of remote learning, little used teleconferencing tool “Zoom” rose to the task. Schools and Universities all over the United States have turned to the software in order to provide continuing instruction to their students. However, multiple fatal security and privacy flaws have been discovered by hackers, students, and the FBI.

“Zoom-Bombing” has become rampant. Students will share their online meeting details on the internet, with the hopes of hordes of random students joining the session, ultimately destroying it. While not inherently dangerous, it’s an annoying flaw that could be fixed by simply sending students one time use codes, or single session keys.

On the more dangerous side of things, Zoom’s corporate background includes corporate features, such as company address books. Zoom’s login servers scan and GROUP similar email domains into lists. For example, everyone with a “@montclair.edu” address would be able to access an address book with everyone else who has the same domain. Makes sense, right? Well, think of “@gmail.com” and “@comcast.net” and ect, you can see how this is an issue now.

Both of these flaws are stupidly simple to correct. I’m a college age communications student with a rudimentary coding background. Zoom; hire me. This is fixable in 15 minutes, and shouldn’t have been overlooked in the first place.

According to research published by the Nielsen Firm, 19% of media consumed on Television sets in the home come from OTT services; Streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, etc. This is a 10% from one year ago, representing the massive influx of streamable content available to the average American user. New services are seemly launched every couple of days, including Comcast and NBC’s “Peacock,” and HBO’s “HBOMAX.” Soon, CBS and PlutoTV will also be joining the market.

Out of the above mentioned streaming traffic, nearly 31% was attributed to Netflix, and 21% to Youtube, with other popular services ranking below.

Currently, the consumer base in the United States is watching public taste change in real time. People are beginning to favor on demand, portable, HD content over broadcast cable television. This makes perfect sense, too. Everyone owns a phone, computer, laptop, or other small electronic device, all with internet connections. As a society, we are moving towards a move convient Earth, and this is just the next step.

96% of people surveyed aged 18 to 34 were currently subscribed to a paid streaming service, while 47% stated that they were subscribed to THREE or more paid services.

CNBC – Link

Kwak Sin Ae’s “Parasite” made history at Sunday night’s Oscars. “Parasite” is the first Non-English, and South Korean movie, to take home a Best Picture award at the prestigious event. Throughout history, only 11 other Non-English films have ever been nominated by the Academy for the title. Director Bong Joon Ho stated via translator that “I think we destroyed the barrier too much!”

Besides Best Picture, “Parasite” also collected Best International Feature Film, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.

Diversity and the Academy Awards have long been a hot-button-topic for Entertainment Media leading up to the event. Historically, low numbers of minorities and non-American media and actors/actresses have been nominated. However, this is an extremely complicated subject. Award shows are exceptionally subjective; Depending on the judges. It it unlikely that we will ever know if the decisions are made purely based upon the media, or upon the backgrounds of the people creating them.

Regardless, “Parasite” made History in their Academy Awards debut, creating discussion in the space as well.

From CNN

The United States suffered the largest lottery fraud of the modern era in early 2000. It wasn’t a Federal lottery, a State’s prize pool, or a roundtable work group’s bets; it was the McDonald’s Corporation’s Monopoly Game. Long story short, Ex-police officer turned security guard Jerome P. Jacobson and his associates netted over $24 Million dollars in stolen “McMonopoly” pieces, before the FBI, (yes, the ACTUAL Federal Bureau of Investigation) stepped in to assist Ronald McDonald in bringing the [ham]burglar to justice. Jacobson’s trial began on September 10th, 2001, and was completely overshadowed by the horrific events of the following day.

HBO and Mark Wahlberg’s new 6 part series, “McMillions,” hopes to remedy that issue. This incredible true story will be told to the extensive portion of the population that was completely oblivious to the events on HBO’s online streaming service. Moving along without addressing how the Co-Owner of Wahlburgers is directing a series about McDonalds, this newest addition to the online streaming world is one of many sure-to-be successes for the service. At the end of 2019, HBO introduced one of the best rated and highest grossing mini-series of all time (BESIDES just online services) revolving around Ukraine’s Chernobyl disaster; Helping to cement that the online streaming world isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It seems every few days either Netflix, Hulu, or HBO announces a new exclusive, and they all become revered instantly. For HBO, “McMillions” is just their next step in solidifying their place in the jump from PPV Television to PPV Streaming.

From CNN