Visualization Aims to Be Huge in 2018
March 9, 2018
Al the data in the world won’t do you much good if users can’t visualize it. This has been a fact for the computer since Steve Jobs was working out of a garage. But with today’s onslaught of big data, it’s more important than ever. Luckily, it’s going to be huge in the coming year, according to a recent Business Wire article, “IHS Markit Identifies the Top Eight Tech Trends for 2018.”
According to the story, the two best trends are:
Trend #5: Ubiquitous video
The growing use of screens and cameras across multiple consumer- and enterprise-device categories, along with increasingly advanced broadcast, fixed and mobile data networks, is powering an explosion in video consumption, creation, distribution and data traffic. More importantly, video content is increasingly expanding beyond entertainment into industrial applications for medical, education, security and remote controls, as well as digital signage.
Trend #6: Computer vision
The increasing importance of computer vision is directly tied to the mega-trend of digitization that has been playing out in the industrial, enterprise and consumer segments. The proliferation of image sensors, as well as improvements in image processing and analysis, are enabling a broad range of applications and use cases including industrial robots, drone applications, intelligent transportation systems, high-quality surveillance, and medical and automotive.
Perhaps nowhere will this intersection of big data and visualization be bigger than with AI. Experts are ready for artificial intelligence to become user-friendly and they all say it’ll be through visualization. Just wait to see what the new year brings.
Patrick Roland, March 9, 2018
A Step Forward but Museum Image Collections Remain a Search Challenge
March 8, 2018
For a few decades, art and history museums have been struggling with their online presences. The experience of seeing a Jpeg of a painting or sculpture is not the same as seeing it in person. That’s true. But there is one area where museums are holding a lot of valuable data and just now it’s starting to be searchable. We discovered this recently when the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s database “MetPublications.”
According to the page:
“MetPublications includes a description and table of contents for most titles, as well as information about the authors, reviews, awards, and links to related Met titles by author and by theme. Current book titles that are in-print may be previewed and fully searched online, with a link to purchase the book. The full contents of almost all other book titles may be read online, searched, or downloaded as a PDF.”
This includes over five hundred books about various exhibits that have spanned the last five decades. These slim volumes, usually released in conjunction with various exhibits, is fully searchable and a huge score for art lovers and historians. Previously, it was seen as too daunting and, potentially impossible. As far back as 2002 Computer Weekly was bemoaning the fact that museums had missed the digital boat. Turns out museums like the Met didn’t miss the boat, it’s just that their ship sails a little more slowly than the white knuckle world of Silicon Valley. Better late than never, we say.
Patrick Roland, March 8, 2018
Is Google The Victim or the Aggressor in Prager Case?
March 8, 2018
Courtroom drama is reaching a high point in an interesting case that might have flown under your radar. Online university Prager U is suing YouTube for taking many of its videos off of YouTube. Seems like an odd choice, until you start to realize just how political this move is and the first amendment can of worms is spilling all over the place. We learned more in a recent FrontPage Mag story, “Prager U Video: Who Will Google Silence Next?”
According to the video shown, Google claimed that some of the company’s educational five minute videos were not appropriate for children.
“Google and YouTube dominate internet search with over 75% of the market. If you disappear on Google, your ability to voice your opinion disappears too. PragerU is an educational non-profit that has had over 40 of their videos restricted by YouTube. That’s why they have recently filed a lawsuit against the tech giant.”
Prager is claiming that this is a misunderstanding and a violation of their first amendment rights, since they say that their short videos are age appropriate across the board. Google, however, is firing back with a surprising defense: It’s actually Google’s first amendment rights that are being violated. They say: “PragerU’s motion is a radical attempt to rewrite the rules governing online services, one that would transform nearly every decision that service providers make about how content may be displayed on their platforms into a constitutional case to be arbitrated by the courts.”
Grab some popcorn, because this is going to be an interesting fight. Adam Carolla is a semi-partner with Mr. Prager. Mr. Carolla has a podcast, and he can create some traction for issues which interest him. Does anyone remember the patent troll who took on the comedian? The patent troll does, I believe.
Patrick Roland, March 8, 2018
Racism and Artificial Intelligence Become a Hot Topic
March 8, 2018
Here’s a scary thought: What if AI and machine learning inadvertently (or purposely) discriminate? Impossible, you say. How can an algorithm see race? Some of the brightest minds in the business have some shocking insight into this idea and it isn’t pretty, as we learned in a recent NextWeb story, “The future of FinTech is racist, according to this anonymous data scientist.”
According to the story:
Anybody that says, “We’re an AI company that’s making smarter loans”: racist. Absolutely, 100%.
I was actually floored, during the last Super Bowl I saw this SoFi ad that said, “We discriminate.” I was just sitting there watching this game like I cannot believe it — it’s either they don’t know, which is terrifying, or they know and they don’t give a shit, which is also terrifying.
I don’t know how that court case is going to work out, but I can tell you in the next ten years, there’s going to be a court case about it. And I would not be surprised if SoFi lost for discrimination. And in general, I think it’s going to be an increasingly important question about the way that we handle protected classes generally, and maybe race specifically, in data science models of this type.
It doesn’t end there. One future looking scientist had similar things to say, stating that if AI recognizes racism as a pattern, it might not have the intelligence not to proliferate it in many aspects of life. Haunting. Ideally, this will be the point in history where ethicists step in and help guide this crucial moment in our world.
Patrick Roland, March 8, 2018
Social Media: Toxic for Children
March 7, 2018
Social media is a well-known grounds for toxic thought and behavior for adults. Shaming, bad mouthing, spreading rumors, and even more damaging acts have been attributed to Twitter, Facebook and the like. As bad as we know this world is, our children are experiencing just as nasty of an environment, one study suggests. We learned more in a recent Independent article, “Two in Five Children Made Anxious Every Week, When Using The Internet, Research Says.”
According to the story:
“Almost half of young people said that in the last year they had experienced someone being mean to them over the internet – or they had been excluded online, new research has revealed.
“Meanwhile, eight per cent of schoolchildren surveyed said these negative experiences happened to them all or most of the time, according to the poll.”
Sadly, this has become an unavoidable part of adolescence. It is impossible to shield children from this kind of behavior, but the Independent story doesn’t really offer a solution. Some experts have an interesting one: stay online. Much like standing up to a schoolyard bully in past years, this psychologist says children should not ignore or block a bully, but push back. Stand up for themselves and hopefully others will too, which will drive the bully off. It’s a bold thought for a problem that is dominating young minds today.
Patrick Roland, March 7, 2018
Answering the Question “What Is the Future of Blogger?”
March 7, 2018
Short honk. We noted this The Register story: “WordPress Is Now 30 Percent of the Web, Daylight Second.” The data in the write up substantiates information the addled goose heard at a conference in Setpember 2017; namely, Google’s Blogger may be marginalized, and it could go the way of Web Accelerator and Dodgeball.
The Register reports:
WordPress has over 60 per cent share among websites that do run a CMS. That’s a dominance few products in any category can claim.
Is a blogging system a content management system? Frankly we don’t care. The point is that Blogger is looking at WordPress’ tail lights.
When it comes to Google products which lack traction, the Alphabet approach spells marginalization. Marginalization can lead to the junk yard.
Stephen E Arnold, March 7, 2018
New SEO Predictions May Just Be Spot On
March 7, 2018
What will 2018 bring us? If the past twelve months were any indication, we have no idea what will hit next. However, that doesn’t stop the experts from trying to cash in on their Nostradamus abilities. Some of them actually sound pretty plausible, like Search Engine Journal article, “47 Experts on the Top SEO Trends For 2018.”
There are some real longshots on the list, but also some really insightful thoughts like:
In 2018 there will be an even bigger focus on machine learning and “SEO from data.” Of course, the amplification side of things will continue to integrate increasingly with genuine public relations exercises rather than shallow-relationship link building, which will become increasingly easy to detect by search engines.
Something which was troubling about 2017, and as we head into 2018, is the new wave of organizations merely bolting on SEO as a service without any real appreciation of structuring site architectures and content for both humans and search engine understanding. While social media is absolutely essential as a means of reaching influencers and disrupting a conversation to gain traction, grow trust and positive sentiment, those who do not take the time to learn about how information is extracted for search too may be disappointed.
We especially agree with how the importance of SEO will grow in the new year. Innovative organizations are finding amazing new ways to manipulate the data and we don’t expect that to stop. It’ll be interesting to see where we stand twelve months from now.
Patrick Roland, March 7, 2018
Google Search: Looking for PHIL
March 6, 2018
If you want information about Google’s PHIL (Probabilistic Hierarchical Inferential Learner), you can get a decent run down by two Googlers, who revealed the system and method in 2003.
Here’s the link to Ruchira Datta’s presentation at Ohio State.
How important in the algorithm? Well, since it is at least 15 years old, it’s okay. But one of the most important algorithms at the GOOG? An SEO maven alleges that this single patent is more important than any other Google patent except PageRank. Well, PageRank is assigned to the Stanford University Board of something. In a sense, it is not Google’s anymore because PageRank was funded by US government money. (You know what that means, right?) You can chase down the patent application. Try this number: US Patent 20040068697.
Do you think it is number two on the Algorithm Hit Parade? Remember: I don’t. Why? That bound phrase method is not exactly spot on even though Google uses the jargon “dynamic compounding.” Hey, “bound phrase” works for me.
Stephen E Arnold, March 6, 2018
IBM Lawyers-Up and Other Tech Giants Shiver
March 6, 2018
IBM has not exactly been on the bleeding edge of tomorrow for some years. Still massively important in the tech world, its products just aren’t as sexy as they used to be. Or are they? Turns out some big names have been stealing from Big Blue and that’s about to end, according to a recent GeekWire piece, “IBM Sues Expedia, Alleging Online Travel Giant Built Its Business on Big Blue’s Patents.”
While the title is pretty self-explanatory, here are some important takeaways:
IBM alleges Expedia’s infringements all fall under the umbrella of how online content is delivered, including aspects like ad technology, sign on processes, tracking previous communications with users and more. The lawsuit includes Expedia’s website and mobile apps, as well as its subsidiaries HomeAway, Hotels.com, Hotwire and Orbitz.
IBM is seeking an injunction against Expedia and its subsidiaries from using the patented technology, as well as up to triple the amount of damages awarded in a jury trial. IBM also “seeks royalties on the billions of dollars in revenue that defendants have received based on their infringement of IBM’s patented technology,” according to the lawsuit.
This is not the only iron IBM has in the patent fire. They also recently settled with Priceline for using the patented material. Looks like IBM might be a little more relevant than we gave them credit. It’ll be interesting to see if they can turn this momentum into new activity in 2018. We doubt it.
Patrick Roland, March 6, 2018
DarkCyber for March 6, 2018, Now Available
March 6, 2018
The DarkCyber weekly video news program is available at www.arnoldit.com/wordpress and at vimeo.com/258482690. Produced by Stephen E Arnold and Beyond Search, the program covers the Dark Web and lesser known Internet services.
The March 6, 2018, DarkCyber video news program is now available. This week’s program features information about Stephen Allwine’s attempt to purchase an assassination from the Dark Web Besa Mafia site. Mr. Allwine was swindled and his wife remained alive. DarkCyber explains how an information technology professional killed his wife and staged a suicide. Mr. Allwine was convicted and is in jail with time to contemplate losing $6,000 paid to the Besa Mafia Dark Web site and his incarceration for murder.
DarkCyber reports about ASI Data Science’s smart software. The system can scan millions of videos and identify those with terrorist-related content. The system operates at an accuracy level greater than 90 percent.
Criminals operating from Ukraine stole $50 million in Bitcoin. However, the Dark Web was not the vehicle in this case. The criminals used Google advertising, spoofed Web sites, and gullible people. The fraudsters are now sought by Ukrainian authorities.
A multi-jurisdictional task force has shut down Infraud, a Dark Web site and discussion service. DarkCyber explains the method used to deanonymize the bad actors. One of the criminals used the handle “1stunna,” which is either a reference to the individual’s appearance or a misspelling of “first tuna.” Software correlates handles (aliases) with IP addresses and other data. DarkCyber reports that “tunna” was caught in the net. Arrests took place in the US, Australia, the UK, France, Italy, Kosovo, and Serbia.
Kenny Toth, March 6, 2018
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