Topic: Google Drive

Kanye West (Ye) has faced widespread business cancellations following his controversial comments about Jewish media influence. Agent Ari Emanuel publicly called for companies to stop working with West, which the hosts describe as a "self-fulfilling prophecy." Additionally, reports indicate that copies of West's interviews are being removed from users' private Google Drive accounts, prompting a recommendation for self-hosted solutions like Nextcloud.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open the program from Austin and Silicon Valley, discussing technical difficulties with email delivery. They examine reports of Google deleting copyrighted PDF files, specifically the John Bolton book, from users' private shared drives. The discussion highlights how Silicon Valley companies and Twitter are actively scanning private communications and documents for specific keywords and copyrighted material.

Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Twitter have issued a joint statement on combating coronavirus misinformation. However, reports have surfaced of Google Drive blocking private documents related to Chloroquine research, citing "Terms of Service" violations and raising concerns about automated AI scanning of private cloud storage.

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak discuss technical difficulties regarding listeners sharing files via Google Drive. Curry explains that he does not have a Google account linked to his primary email address, requiring users to adjust sharing permissions. He also notes his mail server's ten-megabyte limit on incoming attachments to manage storage space.

A host describes being rear-ended in Southeast Austin by a young driver who was allegedly distracted by Google Maps on her phone. The account details the immediate aftermath, including the arrival of Austin Police and Fire Department personnel who noted that such accidents occur daily due to smartphone use. The discussion touches on potential technological solutions, such as accelerometers to lock phones while driving, and the legal penalties for device use behind the wheel.

The hosts thank Uncle Cave Bear for the episode artwork and acknowledge Patrick Funchion as the executive producer for episode 1077. A technical issue regarding jingle submissions via Google Drive is discussed, with the hosts requesting that producers send files directly as email attachments. The segment transitions into the "Value for Value" funding model explanation.

A Google self-driving car was involved in a low-speed collision with a bus in Mountain View, California, which the hosts interpret as a failure of "skip logic" algorithms. Separately, U.S. officials warned of a catastrophic risk of failure at the Mosul Dam in Iraq, which could displace over a million people if it collapses.

The hosts debate the future of autonomous vehicles following President Obama's pledge to accelerate their deployment. One host bets that fully self-driving cars will not happen in their lifetime, arguing that the technology will remain limited to driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control. They criticize the push for driverless cars as "stupid" compared to improving inter-car communication.

Bloomberg reports that Google's autonomous vehicles are involved in accidents because they follow traffic laws too strictly, leading human drivers to rear-end them. California regulators have proposed rules requiring a human driver to be ready to take control at all times. The hosts debate whether programmers should teach cars to "behave more human" by occasionally breaking laws.

The ethical programming of self-driving cars was debated, specifically regarding how an AI should choose between the safety of the passenger and a pedestrian. A humorous suggestion was made that Google might base these life-and-death decisions on a user's search history.

The ethical challenges of programming self-driving cars are explored through a hypothetical scenario involving a choice between hitting school children or a head-on collision. The hosts debate how an automated system should prioritize the life of the driver versus pedestrians. This "question of conscience" highlights the legal and moral complexities facing companies like Google as they develop autonomous vehicle technology.

A promotional event for Google's self-driving cars took place at the Thinkery children's museum in Austin, Texas. Attendees observed the "bean-shaped" prototype vehicles and interacted with Google staff members who indicated that "Phase One" of the rollout—where drivers are trained to take over manually from software—is projected for 2020. The event was characterized as lacking clear marketing direction or public engagement despite the presence of live music and refreshments.

A discussion of the Google self-driving car's 700,000-mile record without a traffic violation leads to a theory about the future of law enforcement. The hosts argue that autonomous vehicles could cripple municipal budgets that rely heavily on revenue from traffic tickets. They suggest that cities may resist the adoption of driverless technology to protect these financial interests.

A PBI Student Survey from an elementary school asks children invasive questions about weapons, bullying, and drug use via Google Forms. The hosts warn that despite claims of privacy, the data is being collected by Google and school administrations.

Denmark's Defense Minister has expressed interest in replacing F-16 tasks with drones for Arctic surveillance. The hosts argue that Google's self-driving car project is a front for NSA-funded autonomous technology research, preparing the public to accept robotic policing and surveillance.