It's been a good week for ...
merry social networkers
Facebook is working on software aimed at stopping users from posting drunken photos of themselves. Combining image recognition and artificial intelligence, the system would be able to distinguish between sober and squiffy pictures. It would ask: "Are you sure you want your boss and your mother to see this?"
The plan was unveiled by the head of Facebook's artificial intelligence research lab. Yann LeCun said he wanted to build a Facebook digital assistant that might be able to help identify when an ill-advised photo is being uploaded, or even when someone else has uploaded a picture of a user without permission.
Facebook already uses image recognition technology to help identify faces and let users tag them appropriately.
This must be welcome news to young people with scant awareness of the concept of privacy.
There are also those who should know better but still require a little guidance when it seems like a good idea to post a picture of a night out after one Lambrusco too many.
If you can't save face on Facebook, where can you?
It's been a bad week for ... comedians
Have you heard the one about the funny comedian? Turns out he died too young.
According to new research, the funnier you are, the more likely you are to die prematurely. Health analysts at the Australian Catholic University investigated a theory that the best comics often lead shorter lives. Their research was prompted by the deaths this year of Robin Williams at 63, and Rik Mayall, aged 55.
The academics studied 53 comedians and found that of the 23 rated the funniest, 78% died relatively young.
Their study found that being very funny could take its toll on mental health and that the "funny man" in a double act was three times more likely to die young. Eric Morecambe, below, died at 58, but straight man partner Ernie Wise reached 73; Peter Cook was 57 when he died but partner Dudley Moore lived to 66. Although that's not exactly the best definition of longevity.
While Ant and Dec might take heart since neither is funny, perhaps stand-ups should take note before falling down laughing. Maybe dead-pan is the way to go.
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