Samsung AR Headset Seen in Patent App; Facebook Deleted Dozens More Fake Russian Accounts; Nielsen Can Now Measure Amazon Prime Video, Apple AR Headset; AI Face Scanning Algorithm May Determine if You Get Job

Usually, when patent applications are dug up by the tech press, all you get is a lot of dense text and some drawings. Now, according to engadget.com, one has been uncovered about Samsung’s augmented reality headset that actually has a 3D rendering of the device. As with all patent applications, you have to take it with a grain of salt…companies like Samsung and Apple file patent applications by the gross, and some things never see the light of day. This one may have legs, though…since it’s reported that Apple may be on the verge of releasing an AR headset in 2020 sometime. More on that one below.

Facebook says it has banned dozens more fake Russian and Iranian accounts for what they term ‘coordinated inauthentic activity.’ Vox.com reports that three groups tied to Iran and one tied to Russia’s Internet Research Agency— the group that spearheaded Russia’s interference in the 2016 US elections—created ‘networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing.’ The accounts have been banned from both Facebook and Instagram. Facebook also announced that they would billboard items that they weren’t banning that are posted by foreign governments and are directed at voters. Instead of labeling items ‘disputed,’ they will now mark them ‘False Information.’

Nielsen says it can now measure Amazon Prime Video via its Subscription on Demand Content Ratings Solution. TechCrunch.com notes that Nielsen launched that product 2 years ago with its prime focus on Netflix viewing numbers. The ratings service will be able pick up streaming not only on TVs but also connected and smart devices like streaming media players. Being able to report streaming viewership on both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will be a huge plus for the ratings company.

Bloomberg says Apple is targeting 2020 for release of its AR headset. As with al new devices, this timeline is probably bound to slip, but it does support the patent of the Samsung AR headset discussed above. Apple’s AR headset is expected to pair wirelessly with an iPhone and show messages, email, and maps over the wearer’s field of vision. Gaming is also considered to be a big use for the headset, as you might expect. If they do roll out the headset in 2020, don’t expect it until the 2nd half of the year.

In the ‘just when you thought things couldn’t get much creepier’ department, comes HireVue’s AI face scanning algorithm, that may well decide whether you get a job or interview. The Washington Post reports that the system uses candidates’ computer or cellphone cameras to analyze their facial movements, word choice and speaking voice before ranking them against other applicants based on an automatically generated “employability” score. There are now over 100 employers using HireVue’s system, including Hilton, Unilever, and Goldman Sachs. Critics have rightly observed that this is pseudo-science running rampant. Facial movements, tone of voice, and mannerisms that don’t fit into an algorithm can’t really predict how productive or good an employee will be. People who are shy but nerdy, or are non-native speakers particularly would tend to be screened out by the Big Brother software. Beware!