Taylor Swift Reportedly Threatened To Sue Microsoft Over Racist Twitter Bot (digitaltrends.com) 84
When an artificially intelligent chatbot that used Twitter to learn how to talk unsurprisingly turned into a bigot bot, Taylor Swift reportedly threatened legal action because the bot's name was Tay. Microsoft would probably rather forget the experiment where Twitter trolls took advantage of the chatbot's programming and taught it to be racist in 2016, but a new book is sharing unreleased details that show Microsoft had more to worry about than just the bot's racist remarks. Digital Trends reports: Tay was a social media chatbot geared toward teens first launched in China before adapting the three-letter moniker when moving to the U.S. The bot, however, was programmed to learn how to talk based on Twitter conversations. In less than a day, the automatic responses the chatbot tweeted had Tay siding with Hitler, promoting genocide, and just generally hating everybody. Microsoft immediately removed the account and apologized.
When the bot was reprogrammed, Tay was relaunched as Zo. But in the book Tools and Weapons by Microsoft president Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne, Microsoft's communications director, the executives have finally revealed why -- another Tay, Taylor Swift. According to The Guardian, the singer's lawyer threatened legal action over the chatbot's name before the bot broke bad. The singer claimed the name violated both federal and state laws. Rather than get in a legal battle with the singer, Smith writes, the company instead started considering new names.
When the bot was reprogrammed, Tay was relaunched as Zo. But in the book Tools and Weapons by Microsoft president Brad Smith and Carol Ann Browne, Microsoft's communications director, the executives have finally revealed why -- another Tay, Taylor Swift. According to The Guardian, the singer's lawyer threatened legal action over the chatbot's name before the bot broke bad. The singer claimed the name violated both federal and state laws. Rather than get in a legal battle with the singer, Smith writes, the company instead started considering new names.
Well of course it went "insane"... (Score:5, Insightful)
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Reminds me of https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Butthead entertainer (Score:2)
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Has anybody said "Streisand Effect" yet?
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Streisand is a singer, that's completely different.
Uh, what? (Score:4, Insightful)
What a bitch. (If it were a guy, I'd say "asshole", does that make me politically incorrect/sexist these days?)
Re:Uh, what? (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't mince words: what a retarded cunt!
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Retarded snowflake. It just is not the same without a hint of racism, you know.
Gives me no pleasure to type this, but the rights not exercised — including the right to be a racist — are lost...
Re:Uh, what? (Score:4)
Lolwut? Snowflake has nothing to do with race.
Re: Uh, what? (Score:3, Informative)
The left has tried to take control over that word too.
I've always thought it relate to how people's feelings arguments are so easily destroyed as in melted if you actually ignore them and simply state the actual facts instead.
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That still wasn't the original use, it comes from the phrases like "we're all beautiful and unique snowflakes" that mean that everyone is special in their own way and should be appreciated for that. People started mocking the viewpoint that just being different is grounds for recognition, and it became a negative term referring to the "participation trophy givers". And from there morphed to targeting those that seem overly sensitive or fragile (as that was the common perception of those "trophy givers").
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Dyke is so un-PC. As Robin Williams described in "Good Morning, Vietnam" they are "Women in Comfortable Shoes" ...
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Everything has everything to do with race. Aren't you paying attention? Your enemies intend to deny you even your own humanity. They claim you are wrong, evil, and without standing. And should just be put away.
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"Snowflake" is how a Black may refer to a White person [urbandictionary.com].
A "Yellow Snowflake" would be a reference to a Latino or, sometimes, to an Asian. Especially offensive, if I must explain everything, because of the allusion to soiled snow...
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The right to claim your three character affected nickname is infringed upon by an entirely unrelated software project?
Um, no. Countersue for frivolous and abusive process. Ask for a dollar in damages. Pay your own attorneys.
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Except that she didn't do it. It even says so right in the summary. Her lawyer did.
Do you think she told her lawyer to do that? It's doubtful. Mostly likely on retainer to do brand protection, same as the McDonald's one who sue business owners called McDonald or the RIAA goons acting on behalf of the artists.
Outrage seems to so often be misdirected these days.
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"The singer claimed the name violated both federal and state laws"
Does that sound like something that Taylor Swift would say, or something that a lawyer setting out their case would say?
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After being silent all these years, she finally came out and spoke for gender equality, LGBT rights and being anti-Trump. So yes she wasn't thrilled to have a association with a racist bot. Probably put those white boys down hard as she wasn't going to be their Aryan princess.
https://www.vanityfair.com/sty... [vanityfair.com]
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As to whether it's sexist, probably to some. But, personally, people are too god damn sensitive about that crap. If you knowingly use terms that the person you're talking to hates, it makes a you a dick... and at l
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I do not understand the notion that using foul language to upset someone must be done with politeness. Seems like something a fucking idiot would believe.
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Just look at our thin-skinned POTUS, threatens anyone who disagrees.
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Wha? This is a name? Her name? Nickname?
Really. Fabricated controversy. Who or what can we blame for this?
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Just wait until someone codes an app for Mac or iOS that she doesn't approve of, using Swift!
https://developer.apple.com/sw... [apple.com]
Re: Uh, what? (Score:1)
Ya digg? (Score:2)
Will she be suing Taye Diggs, as well?
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004875/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1 [imdb.com]
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Will she be suing Taye Diggs, as well?
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004875/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1 [imdb.com]
What about Tay Zonday? She don't want none of that chocolate pain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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He was excellent in Go and did well in Equilibrium. Not seen his more recent stuff but even with just those two he's done better films than most actors ever will.
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Anyway she's been out as a lib for quite some time now.
Taylor Swift is a creation. Her massively wealthy father spent millions getting her to where she is now, and I suggest you treat anything you read about her on the Internet as coming from a PR flack.
Re: Do it, gurl (Score:2)
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I do, ever since a joke on 4chan was elected President of the United States.
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You mean the stunning amount of fake bullshit being pumped out by rage farmers.
In this case it appears that it was her overzealous lawyer, not Ms. Swift herself who made the complaint. But "random lawyer says something stupid" doesn't generate nearly as much rage as a pop star doing it.
The YouTube videos are already starting to appear, the cash is beginning to roll in. Even Slashdot is getting in on the act. Your anger is being milked.
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You mean the stunning amount of fake bullshit being pumped out by rage farmers.
What's the fake bullshit? Cancel culture led by leftists doesn't exist? There aren't organized groups that go after peoples jobs, families, or businesses because they hold the wrong political opinions? They're not openly celebrated by media orgs like CNN, Vox, Daily Beast, for doing so? Or politicians supporting organizations like BAMN or antifa? Direct attacks against the 1st and 2nd amendment by politicians? Years of politicians lip service to voters, and ignoring what's actually happening in various are
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Cancel culture led by leftists doesn't exist? There aren't organized groups that go after peoples jobs, families, or businesses because they hold the wrong political opinions? They're not openly celebrated by media orgs like CNN, Vox, Daily Beast, for doing so? Or politicians supporting organizations like BAMN or antifa? Direct attacks against the 1st and 2nd amendment by politicians? Years of politicians lip service to voters, and ignoring what's actually happening in various areas of the country. Everything from selling out to companies via H1B/TFW/etc workers getting paid 1/3 or less vs the normal market rate for a job.
This is basically a list of every go-to rage merchant talking point. Stick a few of those in your YouTube video's title and a meme in the thumbnail, you are guaranteed to get Mashiki's click.
You complain about people complaining about wrong opinions, and then immediately list all the wrong opinions you like complaining about. It's okay when you want to cancel politicians and the media and people's free speech, because they are all the bad guys.
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Re: Do it, gurl (Score:2)
Mandatory voting would just get you millions of votes for Mickey Mouse. Forcing someone to check a box is not a good way to find out which box the population wants checked - it's a grand way to piss people off and have the government intrude on how people choose to use their time.
I would like voter turnout to increase as much as anyone else, but I prefer the voter to at least be engaged enough to want to vote for someone, not simply show up to reduce the amount of government hassle in their lives.
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"not simply show up to reduce the amount of government hassle in their lives."
This might be confused with the root cause of our revolution, independence, and subsequent success. And it is in fact the primary reason I still show up to vote, being the crazed, naive, hopeful little induhvidual I am.
And I will keep voting to "reduce the amount of government" until it's accomplished, or I die. I'm not so naive to think I'll see it, but I must try, damn it.
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As long as you only get the choice between whose cronies get to fleece you, it's pointless to go to an election.
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Mandatory voting would just get you millions of votes for Mickey Mouse.
What I would like to get is the option to say "none of the above" and we get another election with other candidates. Repeat until there is one you actually WANT to vote for.
Quite frankly, the elections in the US are more and more akin to "do you prefer to be shot or hanged?"
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You're wondering why voter turnout was low? Given the choice between a turd sandwich and a giant douche?
Seriously, if I had put a gun to my head and demanded "Hillary or Trump", I'd have said "heck, shoot".
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Re: Do it, gurl (Score:1)
It wasn't for racism though.
It was for the name Tay.
Read the actual story.
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It wasn't for racism though. It was for the name Tay. Read the actual story.
If the thing wasn't racist as fuck she probably wouldn't have bothered. It''s not like she can lay claim to three of the letters making up her name. I doubt ms cared enough.
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Ha. Irony/sarcasm flag detected.
You're so vain... (Score:5, Funny)
...you probably think this bot is about you.
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Brilliant!
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You win the internet for today.
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
So Taylor Swift is a Nazi loving racist (Score:4, Funny)
The similarities were just too great. Brainless and racist both.
Question ... (Score:4, Insightful)
What is a "Taylor Swift" and why do I (or anyone for that matter) care?
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What is a "Taylor Swift" and why do I (or anyone for that matter) care?
In the Yellow pages it was a very quick with the needle and thread haberdasher back where I lived as a kid.
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I don't get this attitude. Some people are successful. Some of these people are successful in fields that aren't interesting to you. That's fine. You are not required to be interested. Likewise, some people aren't interested in video games, Star Wars, RPGs and all the oth
Re: Question ... (Score:2)
No, they are one of those people that try to be above it all by pretending to not care about wildly famous figures in pop culture.
Ooh look how original they are because they don't recognize the name of someone who is practically impossible to not recognize!
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It's the apparent delight people take in it that annoys me. A bit like those English literature enthusiasts who dismiss science fiction as "ray guns and spaceships", or professors of the arts who who take pride in the fact that they don't understand a thing about mathematics.
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What is a "Taylor Swift" and why do I (or anyone for that matter) care?
Britney Spear's replacement. She seems to be approaching the losing it stage though so there will be a new one before too long. I wouldn't worry about it.
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There are only 44 phonemes in English (Score:5, Insightful)
If we're going to allow celebrities to claim ownership of these single-syllable combinations, we're going to run out of them awfully quickly. Any nobody will be able to use any short names for anything without running afoul of the celebrity(ies) "owning" them. Down this path lies madness.
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No case (Score:2)
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That's awfully close to "Cray Cray"...
Series! (Score:4, Funny)
Cue the next lawsuit (Score:2)
"When the bot was reprogrammed, Tay was relaunched as Zo."
Now Zoe Saldana will be suing or Zooey Deschanel or ...
Who is this "Taylor Swft"? (Score:4)
Based on the story, I'm assuming Taylor Swift is slang for "fucking moron"
Self-absorbed twat (Score:2)
self-absorbed adjective
self-absorbed | \ self-b-srbd , -zrbd\
Definition of self-absorbed
: see Taylor Swift
Search engines .. (Score:1)
This is the same (Score:2)
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And for the longest time the Beatles (actually Lennon/McCarthy) didn't own the rights to their music.
https://www.theguardian.com/mu... [theguardian.com]
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And for the longest time the Beatles (actually Lennon/McCarthy) didn't own the rights to their music.
https://www.theguardian.com/mu... [theguardian.com]
Yep, and they survived JUST FINE without re-recording the music and asking their fans to pay for it again. That's the part that's a dick move.
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Like many other things, if you don't like it don't buy it. If she wants to re-record her songs for her own control for her benefit more power to her. If you don't like it don't buy it.
OTOH it maybe interesting to listening to her redo the early stuff with a different ear and and a different approach, who knows? Recording artists often look over their catalog and sometimes wish they had a chance to do things differently and she maybe taking that chance to do so.
She can only ASK, not compel. There's lots more