this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2025
805 points (98.1% liked)
Technology
62012 readers
6079 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each other!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
- Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.
Approved Bots
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
This is astounding.
I mean, not the Deepseek or jailing stuff. I mean a Senator actually proposing a law. I thought the way our government worked was, the annoying orange declares a vague uncited threat to be bad, and signs an executive order on it!
No, we also allow mega corporations to submit bills that get rubber stamped by a rep somewhere. I don't think a corporation would be so audacious as to submit this, so it's a rare case of original content.
I wasn't gonna, but now I gotta...
You laugh, but stay safe
Yes the ban on TikTok is working! We're getting more and more freer!!! The kids will be saved!!!! \s \s \s
"Victory for free speech (as long as it means only we get to talk")! /s
Land of the free
Land of the free only refers to owning guns.
Senator Josh Hawley was in his office, fumbling with a collection of outdated gadgets. His desk was cluttered with a clunky flip-phone, a ancient computer tower, and stacks of CDs labeled “Software for Dummies.” He had just been reading about this newfangled AI technology that everyone was buzzing about—though he wasn’t entirely sure what an AI was.
The phone rang, jolting him out of his thoughts. He fumbled with the flip-phone, trying to press the correct buttons to answer. When he finally managed to say “Hello,” his voice dripped with confusion.
“Senator Hawley, this is Greg from OpenAI. I wanted to discuss your proposed legislation about AI downloads,” the voice on the other end said.
Hawley leaned back in his chair, trying to look wise. “Legislation? Oh, right, that’s what they call laws these days. Something about jailing people who download stuff from China.”
Greg sighed. “It’s not just about downloading, Senator. It’s about AI models—complex software that can learn and adapt, like DeepSeek.”
Hawley’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t heard of DeepSeek before. “DeepSeek? That sounds communist to me. Probably tracking your thoughts or something.”
Greg tried to explain how AI works, but Hawley kept interrupting with questions about old technologies he thought were relevant. “So if someone downloads this AI, it’s like a CD-ROM, right? You just stick it in and hope it works?”
Greg pressed on, trying to translate the concept of cloud computing into terms Hawley might understand. “It’s more like... a virtual flip-phone that you can talk to without actually holding it.”
Hawley looked down at his desk, where his actual flip-phone was sitting. “I’m not sure I follow. Why would downloading this AI be bad?”
“Because DeepSeek is state-sponsored and could be used maliciously,” Greg said. “It’s like giving someone a modem to the Chinese government.”
Hawley brightened up. “Oh! Like that time I tried to use a dial-up connection? That was dangerous, wasn’t it? You didn’t know who was listening!”
Greg couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m not sure you’re understanding this correctly, Senator. This isn’t about phone calls or CDs—it’s about advanced algorithms that could change everything.”
Hawley stood up, clutching his flip-phone like it was a weapon. “Advanced? Sounds like the kind of thing that could be used to spy on people or start wars! Just like those CDs I tried to use once—they had some kind of communist software.”
Greg hesitated but decided to play along. “So you’re saying if someone downloads DeepSeek, they might be helping a foreign power? That’s why you want to jail them?”
Hawley nodded vigorously. “Exactly! It’s like having a modem without the filter. I propose jailing these people to protect our freedoms.”
Greg exchanged a glance with his colleague, who was now staring at him in disbelief. Finally, he said, “ Senator, this isn’t how technology works. If you jail people for downloading AI models, you’re not protecting innovation—you’re stifling it.”
Hawley squinted at Greg as if he were staring into the sun. “Stifle? I’m trying to stop something dangerous. You think I don’t know about this communist tech? I’ve seen it on the internet—full of viruses and stuff.”
Greg took a deep breath, realizing there was no way to reason with Hawley in this state. “Well, if that’s your stance, just remember: you’re not alone. There are people out there who think AI is a threat.”
Hawley smirked. “Good. People like me keep them in check.”
The call finally ended, and Greg sat back in his chair, shaking his head. “Senator Hawley is running for re-election,” he muttered to himself. “And if this bill passes, it’s going to be a nightmare.”
As for Senator Hawley, he was already back at his desk, scribbling notes about how to protect the country from “AI invasions.” He had no idea what he was up against—but one thing was certain: he was ready to fight.
The USA is in panic mode, they thought they could undermine China's development just like they did with ball-sucking Europe, now there is a need for other nation to come up with their own models, and show the US they should stop underpinning monopolies.
Its open source lol. Why don't the tech billionaires innovate? Instead they just ban competitors
turns out all that shit about open markets, free trade, competition was just while they had no competition to exploit it after WW2 left Europe and Asia devastated, now that China (with their own protectionism) is doing it better than the US...back to protectionism and fascism.
ways to self-sabotage (100% speedrun)
You overestimate the strength of the cognitive dissonance. These people have somehow found a way to overcome the concept of hypocrisy and the consequences for it. They’re impervious to shame and repercussions.
This is them gathering their strength. The more we care about facts and honesty, the more they win. This is kind of the endgame
next up: US Bill proposed to jail people who watch MSNBC US Bill proposed to jail people who watch PBS US Bill proposed to jail people who don't buy a cybertruck US Bill proposed to jail people who don't vote GOP
So much freedom, so little time.
These people will keep pushing and pushing. They know this is ridiculous, but if they flood the public with this bullshit, eventually the overton window shifts and people get brainwashed into thinking cult shit like this is good.
Because China "leveraged" US technology 20 years ago, US politicians bring it up as a current shittalking point still. Deepseek, being open source, is opportunity for Americans to gain technology transfer from China, without "stealing".
There is a desperation to protect US AI, mostly so that AI companies are indebted into serving the empire, and maybe the GOP,
Something AI is extremely capable today is deciding who to ban on reddit, or at the individual voter level, decide who should be turned away from elections. Recent US election had record voter suppression and forced provisional ballots that were never counted. Previously, black was a sufficient suppression incentive. AI makes it easy to target individuals or other factors. Musk, being praised for understanding "election machines", now with access to SS numbers and an ability to link to voters or views on Israel/genocide, is a super power that ensures being king maker in perpetuity.
load more comments
(1 replies)
I think the average IQ of republicans must be 20.
No, that's collective IQ
The desperation... It reeks
Saw this coming as soon as Microsoft immediately wanted to investigate.
Deepseek is going to be a Chinese military complex on the books shortly.
not back-dated so download away fellas (not sure if a law can apply on acts before it was a law)
Ex post facto laws are expressly prohibited in Article I, so they can't pass a law criminalizing downloads from before the law was passed.
They can, however, criminalize possessing a copy of DeepSeek. In that case you'd be legally required to delete it after the law passed.
They also can't amend the constitution via executive order or deport US citizens, but watch them try it anyway
Yup.
"they can't do that, that's illegal!"
Shame the law doesn't mean Jack Fucking Shit now.
The law is whatever they want it to be at any moment.
That order lasted about 10 minutes before a judge appointed by Ronald Fucking Reagan.
load more comments
(2 replies)
In principle: no. But Americans no longer have any principles (or never did in the first place)
Lol rich coming from a class of people who can’t even open up a fucking pdf in their email
Sounds like they haven't got better things to do if they're drafting these kinds of bills
load more comments
(1 replies)
Hehe...that shit makes me laugh
view more: next ›