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Japan May Force Big Tech Companies to Disclose Their Algorithms

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Big tech companies such as Meta (Facebook), Google, Amazon, Twitter, and others have always tried to keep their algorithms close to their hearts. At the end of the day, these long stretches of code are main contributors to the company’s revenue streams. Whether it is in marketing, advertisement selection, recommendation, search optimization, or other functionalities, the underlying algorithms allow big techs to optimize their content both to increase their user base and generate an increasing flow of money. What happened in Japan between restaurant chain Hanryumura and restaurant review platform Kakaku.com has opened the door to a sequence of potentially bold decisions that could impact big tech companies inside the country and later outside. The prospect of forcing big tech companies to disclose their algorithms would certainly be a major blow to their operations, and a defining factor in determining how competition would unravel in the future with considerably fewer secrets left under the blanket.

The Trigger to The Decision: Hanryumura VS. Kakaku.com

Korean BBQ chain Hanryumura has witnessed in May 2019 a drop in their review scores by an average of 0.2 points with some stores having a decline that go as much as 0.45 points. For a large restaurant chain with 21 outlets and a scoring scale between 1 and 5 (5 being the best), such a drop is considered significant. The lower rating has affected the chain’s sales as the Tabelog website, operated by kakaku.com Inc., is considered one of the leading restaurant guides in Japan with more than 800 thousand restaurants and a number of reviews exceeding 46 million. Hanryumura has attributed the slump in sales to an implicit algorithm change by the website operator kakaku.com which targets large restaurant chains in order for those to have more expensive contracts with the review website.

The court in Japan acknowledged that the operator of the Tabelog website, kukaku.com violated the anti-monopoly law abusing its position to make unilateral changes to its rating mechanism without communicating these modifications to its member restaurants. Eventually, the defendant had to pay around USD 286 thousand in damages to the restaurant chain, a sum which is however much lower than what the plaintiff requested.

More importantly, the game-changing decision made by the Japanese court was the kakaku.com had indeed to disclose part of this algorithms, especially that related to how rating scores are being calculated.

Disclosing Algorithms May Reveal Trickery

The controversial decision to open up and disclose algorithms details is the worst nightmare big tech companies may have to live with in the future. While kakaku.com is a big company in Japan, the amplitude of the decision on international giants such as Meta, Google, or Amazon would be notably much bigger. Revealing the algorithm is like trying to discover a cave. The companies themselves do not understand fully how the code is delivering the intended results. The situation is similar to the relation between traditional AI algorithms and explainable AI. When interpretability becomes a core component in the design of AI algorithms, the scope of the approach becomes completely different as sources of bias can be avoided. Therefore, companies may have trouble explaining the philosophy behind their algorithms. Digging deep into the code could even emphasize some trickery. This is a common trend in research and development as companies intentionally inject bias in their code to meet their projected targets.

The biggest impact of disclosing algorithm details is however that competitors can build on a successful product to even produce a better one. Instead of having the other platform as a benchmark, disclosing the algorithm makes it an open-source code that can be upgraded.

Disclosing Algorithms May Raise Security Concerns

Making algorithms public has another dark side which relates to security. Divulging details is a feast hackers are eagerly waiting for. The access to the full code allows hackers to look for loopholes and backdoors. Since marketing and ratings depends on private customer data, hackers many even find a way to steal sensitive information which is essential for us consumers to protect.

Opening up on algorithmic details will undoubtedly pave the way to a myriad of cybersecurity attacks and concerns, and consequently notable headaches for the big techs which would need to invest more into their cyber-defense mechanisms.

A Snowball Effect

What happens in Japan would certainly not stay in Japan. The large geographic footprint that big tech companies have could be an unwelcomed source of concern. Legislators around the world would learn from the Japanese experience to have specific requirements regarding the companies’ algorithmic details. Therefore big techs are in for a headache if they agree to disclose algorithms.

The snowball effect is not of geographic dimension only, but rather could escalate to include all websites and platforms that use data for specific targets. Not only big tech companies will be affected, but rather all websites that collect reviews, personal information, and act accordingly.

The Chinese experience with its Splinternet could extend to other regions as well with big tech companies having to adapt their offerings, cybersecurity measures, data-sharing practices, and even developed algorithms as per the law governing online operations.

Summary

A small event, yet with much greater ramifications. This is the clear description of the lawsuit between Hanryumura and restaurant review platform Kakaku.com. The bold decisions made by the Japanese court to stand by the plaintiff side and even request part of the online platform’s algorithm to be disclosed is an event by itself. The drive to more transparency will be contagious to big tech companies which will have to have major shake-ups to abide by the emerging requirements in Japan and outside. This will consequently create additional challenges these companies have been trying to avoid.  


“Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our  Technology space to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.”

PhD holder with over 10 years of experience in wireless communication systems, e-health informatics, and computer networks and a passion to investigate and educate people recent topics in artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, and biomimetics.

Technology

What are the Ethical Issues in Biometrics?

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Ethical Issues in Biometrics

What is biometric identification? It is the process through which unique biological characteristics are used in biometric identification to recognize and validate a person. These characteristics can be found in facial traits, eye structures, DNA, fingerprint patterns, and even handwriting. All this data that can be gathered on an individual inevitably brings up the ethical issues in biometrics that need to be addressed.

Facial recognition and fingerprint scans were previously the domain of security, and they were utilized for identification and law enforcement. However, increasingly more business and civil applications are using biometrics authentication. Due to this increased use, it is crucial to address the moral and ethical issues in biometrics when used in the creation of new application and technology.

Applied biometrics and corporate ethics have received little empirical study despite the widespread use of biometric technologies. As a result, there is plenty of room for future study to help us better comprehend the moral consequences of adopting this technology.

This article examines the ethical concerns associated with the use of biometric technology on the use of biometrics for non-security applications as well as the moral ramifications for business.

Ethical Issues in Biometrics and Privacy

Biometric data takes privacy concerns to a whole new level that typical data gathering only touches on. Digital identities can be forged, and anonymity on the web can be maintained to a degree if you know how. Also, digital data can be deleted – if we forget that Meta (Facebook) has been revealed to store deleted data, which is an ethical concern in itself.

The problem with biometric data is that it is unforgeable, unconcealable, and permanent, You can’t change your eye structure, your fingerprint, or your facial features. Big tech companies already have your face, fingerprints, and your voice recorded and stored via current biometric authentication systems – mainly used for unlocking your phone. That data will be there forever, and there is little that people can do about it besides avoid it In the first place.

While many companies still give users the option of using a good old fashion passcode to unlock their phones, as technology as a whole tends to do, the biometric alternative is slowly gaining more traction, and will one day become the norm, as it is hard to argue its convenience and security. You can’t accidentally leave your eyeball at home or forget your fingerprint. But in the same sense, you can’t change it. If your childish curiosity while browsing the web put a black spot on your record, there’s no changing that.

Therein lies the question of who if anyone should have access to such data. Today’s tech giants have all our data in their hands, that won’t change with the spread of biometric verification methods. Indeed, it will only increase targeting capabilities.

While the collection of biometric data on its own does not necessarily mean it will be shared, monetized, or abused in any way, it never the less requires clear and strict guidelines and regulations to be implemented around it. There are too many things that can be abused by the wrong party when the ethical issues in biometrics are not taken seriously, and if such limitations are not applied stringently.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology space to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro: Specs and Comparison   

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Oppo Reno 8

The Reno line of smartphones has always had a fantastic camera and an attractive design. The Reno 8 and 8 Pro include a 120Hz AMOLED display, the newest Dimensity chipsets, 80W fast charging, a 32-megapixel front camera, and triple 50-megapixel back cameras, among other notable features that make the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro high-quality yet affordable option for anyone. 

Here we compare the two latest Oppo phone series iterations and see what to expect from the flagship Oppo smartphone, and how the Oppo Reno 8 and the Oppo Reno Pro stack up against each other. 

Oppo Reno 8 Specifications 

The Oppo Reno 8 has a smaller 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 by 2,400 pixels, a 90Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It also runs Android 12 with ColorOS 12.1 on top. Additionally, the display has an 800 nits maximum brightness and a 20:09 aspect ratio. An octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage are all found within the Oppo smartphone. 

The Reno 8 has a triple back camera configuration for pictures and movies, with a 50-megapixel main sensor and an f/1.8 lens as its focal point. Additionally, there is a 2-megapixel macro camera with a 112-degree field of view and an 8-megapixel sensor coupled with an f/2.2 ultra-wide angle lens. 

The Reno 8 offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connection options. An accelerometer, light, gyroscope, magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors on board. For biometric verification, the phone also has a fingerprint sensor hidden behind the display. A 4,500mAh battery inside the Oppo Reno 8 supports 80W Super Flash Charge quick charging. The phone weighs 179 grams and has dimensions of 160 x 73.4 x 7.67mm. 

Oppo Reno 8 Pro Specifications 

A 6.7-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,412) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection is included with the Oppo Reno 8 Pro. Running on top of Android 12 is ColorOS 12.1. Additionally, the display supports HDR10+ and is certified by Netflix HD, Amazon HDR, SGS Low Motion Blur, and SGS Low Blue Light. The MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Max SoC, which has eight cores, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM power the smartphone. Storage on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is UFS 3.1 capable of up to 256GB. 

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro boasts a triple rear camera arrangement with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 main sensor and an f/1.8 lens, an 8-megapixel sensor and an ultra-wide lens with an f/2.2 aperture and a 112-degree field of view, and a 2-megapixel macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Along with the MariSilicon X NPU, the phone’s camera will offer generally better performance in both bright and dim light. It has a 32-megapixel front-facing camera sensor with an f/2.4 lens for taking selfies and making video calls. 

The phone has 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, GPS/A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C connector as connectivity options. An accelerometer, a light meter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, and a proximity sensor are among the sensors built into the phone. For biometric authentication, the phone also contains a fingerprint sensor underneath the touchscreen. The smartphone has a 4,500mAh battery that supports rapid charging at 80W Super Flash Charge. The phone weighs 183 grams and has dimensions of 161 x 74.2 x 7.34mm. 

Both the Oppo Reno 8 and Reno 8 Pro are prime smartphones that can fit any user’s preferences and can be considered premium smartphones on the cheaper side. If you like photography, you will be satisfied with the level of quality overall, but keep in mind that neither phone is particularly water resistant, so be careful where you take it.  


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles. 

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: How do They Compare Today

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Electric Cars vs Gas Cars

Many prefer the rumbling ‘vroom’ of a gasoline car to the soft hum of an electric vehicle, while others would rather just be satisfied in the knowledge that they are lessening their carbon footprint. Let’s look at the cold hard facts however, and compare electric cars vs gas cars

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Components

The amount of moving components is an important distinction between electric and gasoline-powered automobiles. While a gasoline-powered car contains hundreds of moving components, an electric vehicle just has one, the motor. Another significant distinction is that the electric car has fewer moving components. The electric car is more dependable and needs less routine maintenance. The maintenance needed for a gasoline-powered car ranges from routine oil changes, filter replacements, tune-ups, and exhaust system repairs to less frequent component replacements including water and fuel pumps, alternators, and so on.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Maintenance

The expenses associated with maintaining an electric car are reduced since there are less maintenance requirements. The shaft, the only moving component of the electric motor, is extremely dependable and needs little to no maintenance. The controller and charger are electrical devices that require minimal to no maintenance because they have no moving components. Modern sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free and utilized in electric cars nowadays. However, these batteries have a finite lifespan and will eventually need to be replaced. New batteries are being developed to increase the range of electric cars as well as the battery pack’s lifespan, perhaps eliminating the need to replace the battery pack throughout the course of the vehicle’s lifespan.

Electric Cars vs Gas Cars: Efficiency

In addition to being simpler and less expensive to repair than gasoline-powered vehicles, electric vehicles are also more cost-effective to run. The electric car will drive roughly 43 miles for $1 based on the efficiency of 3 miles/kwhr and the cost of power at 7 cents per kwhr. The gasoline-powered car will go roughly 18 miles based on the average gas mileage of 22 miles per gallon and the price of gasoline at $1.25 per gallon. As a result, an electric car may drive more than twice as far on a dollar’s worth of petrol.

Where Electric Falls Behind

There are still a number of difficulties for the owner of an electric car despite the fact that it will be less expensive to operate and maintain.

The primary issue is the restricted range offered by existing battery technology. The amount of driving distance possible utilizing the current batteries is between 50 and 150 miles. These ranges are being extended by new battery technologies, and prototypes of these batteries have shown ranges of up to 200 miles between recharging. Solar powered charging stations are being implemented in numerous places to decrease range anxiety towards electric vehicles

The lack of qualified service professionals to repair and maintain electric cars is another issue that faces their owners. A two-year associate degree program has been developed to train high school graduates to become proficient electric vehicle technicians, and training programs are being developed and made available to upgrade the conventional automotive technician with the skills needed to maintain an electric vehicle.

Infrastructure to recharge the batteries is also required. The most important component of the infrastructure for recharging already exists: electric power is accessible practically everywhere. To support the electric car, it is still necessary to guarantee that charging stations with the right sorts of service (i.e., maximum voltage and current) are placed in important areas. Plans must also be made.


Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Technology sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.

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