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Google’s big warning to staff about vaccine mandate

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Google is getting tough on it’s employees who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID

Google has told its employees they will lose pay and eventually be fired if they do not follow its COVID-19 vaccination rules.

A memo circulated by Google’s leadership team stated that employees had until December 3 to declare their vaccination status and upload documentation showing proof. The tech giant stated that after that date, employees would be contacted by management for a ‘please explain’ – with those who have applied for an exemption also to expect a call if their exemption request was denied.

The document said employees who haven’t complied with the vaccination rules by the Jan. 18 deadline will be placed on “paid administrative leave” for 30 days. After that, the company will put them on “unpaid personal leave” for up to six months, followed by termination.

Google is one of many big companies to enforce COVID mandates.

FILE PHOTO: A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is seen at a clinic in Aschaffenburg, Germany, January 15, 2021. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotO/File Photo

Biden’s mandate on COVID vaccinations

President Joe Biden’s administration has ordered U.S. companies with 100 or more workers to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated or regularly tested for Covid-19 by January 18.

A federal court issued a stay on the order back in early November, putting a halt to the administration’s efforts.

Still, Google asked its more than 150,000 employees to upload their vaccination status to its internal systems, whether they plan to come into the office or not, and the company indicated that it plans to follow Biden’s order.

Anthony Lucas is reporter, presenter and social media producer with ticker News. Anthony holds a Bachelor of Professional Communication, with a major in Journalism from RMIT University as well as a Diploma of Arts and Entertainment journalism from Collarts. He’s previously worked for 9 News, ONE FM Radio and Southern Cross Austerio’s Hit Radio Network. 

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Elon Musk announces free premium features for high-follower accounts on X

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Elon Musk has once again stirred the online community with a recent announcement regarding the popular social media platform, X.

In a tweet on Thursday, Musk revealed a significant update that could reshape the experience for many users on the platform.

“Going forward, all accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get Premium features for free and accounts with over 5000 will get Premium+ for free,” Musk declared.

This bold move by Musk is expected to have far-reaching implications for content creators, influencers, and users alike.

By offering Premium features to accounts with a substantial following, Musk aims to incentivise growth and engagement on the platform while rewarding those who have already amassed a sizable audience.

Enhanced analystics

The Premium features include enhanced analytics, advanced customization options, and priority customer support, among others.

Meanwhile, Premium+ offers additional perks such as exclusive access to new features, ad-free browsing, and special badges to highlight top creators.

For content creators and influencers, this announcement presents a unique opportunity to leverage their existing following to gain access to premium tools and resources without any additional cost.

This could lead to increased user engagement, higher-quality content, and ultimately, a more vibrant and dynamic community on X.

For users who enjoy consuming content on the platform, this move signifies a potential improvement in the overall user experience.

With creators gaining access to advanced features, users can expect to see more innovative and engaging content, tailored to their interests and preferences.

However, some industry analysts have raised concerns about the potential implications of this announcement.

Critics argue that offering Premium features for free based solely on follower count could incentivize the pursuit of vanity metrics and discourage genuine interactions and content creation.

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Uncovering alleged misleading practices as Meta comes under fire

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Tech giant Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is facing scrutiny over allegations of misleading practices regarding its handling of disinformation and misinformation on its platform.

A recent formal complaint has raised concerns about the efficacy of Meta’s fact-checking system and the transparency of its reporting.

Allegations and Concerns

The complaint, filed by online safety research group Reset.Tech, alleges that Meta is not living up to its claims outlined in its transparency report. It suggests that small changes in wording can circumvent Meta’s automated labeling of known falsehoods, leading to misinformation slipping through the cracks undetected.

Meta HQ in the United States.

Loopholes in Fact-Checking

One of the key issues highlighted in the complaint is the treatment of misinformation posts that undergo slight modifications.

While Meta’s fact-checkers may identify and label the original post, variations of the same misinformation with minor changes often go unlabeled, creating loopholes in Meta’s fact-checking system.

Response from Meta

Meta has denied the allegations, stating that its transparency report accurately reflects its practices. According to Meta, the company proactively identifies and labels content that matches or is near-identical to content previously identified as false by third-party fact-checking organizations.

The complaint has been submitted to the Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), which represents major tech platforms in Australia, including Meta.

However, the complaint is currently stalled at a procedural hurdle, raising concerns about the effectiveness of self-regulation and corporate accountability in addressing misinformation.

As the complaint against Meta awaits further review, it underscores the ongoing challenges in combating misinformation online.

With the proliferation of false information and the potential impact on public discourse, there is a growing need for robust fact-checking mechanisms and transparent reporting practices from tech companies like Meta.

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Fight for AI talent as companies offer million dollar packages

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As the demand for expertise in generative AI surges, tech companies are engaging in fierce competition, offering million-dollar compensation packages and even poaching entire engineering teams.

This fervent pursuit of AI talent occurs against a backdrop of layoffs in other tech sectors and a significant reallocation of resources towards AI development.

Tech companies are going to unprecedented lengths to attract individuals with expertise in generative AI, the technology that underpins innovations like ChatGPT and humanlike bots.

With a shortage of qualified candidates, these companies are resorting to eye-catching compensation packages and aggressive recruitment tactics to secure the necessary talent.

According to Naveen Rao, head of Generative AI at Databricks, the pool of individuals capable of training large language models (LLMs) from scratch or tackling complex AI problems is extremely limited.

AI is becoming a top job skill.

Requisite skills

Rao estimates that only a few hundred people possess the requisite skills, leading to intense competition among employers.

To entice top-tier candidates, companies are offering total compensation packages exceeding $1 million annually, far surpassing industry norms.

Sales professionals with expertise in AI are also in high demand, commanding double the salary of their counterparts in other sectors.

The scarcity of AI talent is reflected in significant salary increases across managerial and non-managerial roles within the industry.

A survey by WTW revealed base-pay increases ranging from 5% to 19% from April 2022 to April 2023, with median compensation figures reaching staggering heights.

Startup struggle

Startups, in particular, are facing challenges in attracting and retaining talent due to their limited resources compared to tech giants like Google and Meta.

Despite offering potentially lucrative equity incentives, startups struggle to compete with the financial stability and resources provided by established companies.

Some individuals with entrepreneurial aspirations are leveraging the demand for AI expertise by launching their own startups.

Arthur Mensch, a former Google employee, founded Mistral AI, which quickly gained a valuation of over $2 billion within its first year.

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