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Helping Canadians identify misinformation online

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The Honourable Pascale St–Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announces funding for the Université de Montréal’s project to provide tools for Canadians to detect misinformation

MONTRÉAL, July 29, 2024 /CNW/ – Discerning fact from fiction in our online world has become an increasingly difficult problem. However, with the growing sophistication of online misinformation, it can be challenging to trust what you read online.

The Honourable Pascale St–Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced funding to the Université de Montréal for their project to combat online misinformation. This project will develop a website and a web-browser extension dedicated to detecting misinformation.

The Université de Montréal’s project will use one of the latest artificial intelligence tools, large language models, to detect and counteract misinformation narratives prevalent online in Canada. Designed to be comprehensive, user-friendly and context-aware, this mechanism will be capable of detecting misinformation across languages, modalities (text, audio, video, images), and sources. This technology will help implement effective behavioral nudges to mitigate the proliferation of “fake news” stories in online communities; it will be integrated into a website and browser extension interface, alerting users to potential misinformation to reduce their likelihood of sharing this content. This misinformation detection tool should ultimately enhance public knowledge, media integrity and democratic resilience by enabling users to quickly verify online content, which will improve their ability to judge information quality.

The Government of Canada is providing $292,675 for this project through the Digital Citizen Contribution Program.

Quotes

“The challenge of navigating for reliable information online and on social media only keeps getting more difficult. Canadians deserve better. Thriving democracies require informed citizenry, and Canadians deserve the right to trust the information they need to inform their choices. That’s why projects like this one play such a vital role in helping build and maintain that trust in Canadians.”

—The Honourable Pascale St–Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

“The prevalence of social media platforms in our daily lives has profoundly affected how Canadians interact with their government, the media, civil society organizations and each other. While these new platforms have empowered citizens to participate in public debate, they have also facilitated the spread of false information. Through this funding, we are supporting democratic resilience by providing Canadians with tools to verify online content, thereby strengthening their ability to assess the quality of information they come across online.”

—The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

Quick Facts

The Digital Citizen Initiative (DCI) supports Canadian researchers and civil society organizations that promote a healthy information ecosystem and help Canadians and the government understand online disinformation and its impact on Canadian society. The initiative supports the goal of building a base of evidence to identify potential action and develop future policy.

The Digital Citizen Contribution Program supports DCI priorities by investing in research and citizen-focused activities. The program aims to support democracy and social inclusion in Canada by enhancing and supporting efforts to counter online disinformation and other online threats.

In February 2024, the Government of Canada tabled the Online Harms Act, which seeks to create stronger online protection for children and better safeguard everyone in Canada from online hate and other types of harmful content.

Associated Links

Digital Citizen Contribution Program 

Proposed Bill to address Online Harms 

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

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XPPen Announces Participation at PAX AUS, Teasing the Unveiling of Groundbreaking Drawing Displays

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LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — XPPen, the world’s leading digital art innovation brand, announces its participation in PAX AUS 2024. The anticipated event is taking place from October 11 to 13, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. To highlight its latest technological advancements, XPPen will showcase the newly launched Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2) and the eagerly awaited, yet-to-be-released Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) series.

PAX AUS, one of Australia’s largest gaming expos, stands as a pinnacle event in the vibrant gaming culture, drawing global enthusiasts. Last year, PAX attracted over 80,000 attendees, marking its largest gathering since 2013. XPPen is excited to join this dynamic community, offering exclusive discounts up to 40% off select products to celebrate our participation.

Unveiling the Upcoming New Release

Leveraging the gathering of gaming enthusiasts, XPPen is excited to showcase its latest innovation at PAX AUS: the newly launched Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2) and the highly anticipated unrevealed Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) series. Visit Booth #3460 for an exclusive sneak peek of groundbreaking drawing displays.

The Artist Pro 19 (Gen 2) offers a portable yet powerful drawing display with an expansive 4K screen and Calman Verified color performance. It includes two 16K pressure levels styli, balancing advanced technology with ergonomic design. This new size option provides artists with an affordable, high-performance tool that stands out as an ideal choice.

Introducing XPPen’s Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) Series, our flagship product for professional artists, making its first official offline debut. Available in 4K & 165Hz models, both feature Calman Verified color accuracy, 16K pressure levels, X-Color Master solution, and a 2024 Reddot Award-Winning design. The official launch is scheduled for late October. For more information and updates, please refer to XPPen’s official website.

The 4K version features an Ultravision display with 1.07 billion colors, while the Artist Pro 24 (Gen 2) 165Hz, the world’s first 165Hz drawing display, offers a line display speed 175% faster than 60Hz displays. This results in virtually no latency, providing artists with exceptional smoothness and precision in every stroke.

Join the Fun: Interactive Booth Activities

In addition to experience with our latest products, XPPen invites on-site attendees to participate in exciting activities. Visit our booth and follow @xppen.anz on Instagram for a chance to score a free XPPen gift, including Fenix keychain, canvas bag, stickers, or luggage tag. We are also hosting a drawing contest where participants have 10 minutes to sketch their favorite gaming character. Submit your entry via Instagram DM or share through Ins Story for a chance to win XPPen drawing tablets.

Experience the ultimate XPPen savings at PAX! Visit the XPPen booth for exclusive discounts of up to 40% off, our best deals are reserved for in-person attendees. For more information about the latest innovation, learn more at the XPPen AU store https://bit.ly/4e8RfND. Don’t miss this chance to upgrade your digital art tools.

 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/xppen-announces-participation-at-pax-aus-teasing-the-unveiling-of-groundbreaking-drawing-displays-302259724.html

SOURCE XPPen Technology Co., Ltd.

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USI Releases its Climate and Nature Risk Management Report

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SHANGHAI, Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — In a decisive move to combat climate change and uphold the principles of the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, USI (SSE: 601231) released its 2023 Climate and Nature Risk Management Report. This follows the company’s inaugural TCFD Report in 2021. The latest report, structured around the TCFD and TNFD frameworks, provides a comprehensive overview of USI’s governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets related to climate adaptation and biodiversity conservation.

The conclusion of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December 2023 marked a significant agreement to drastically reduce emissions. USI reaffirms its commitment to the Paris Agreement’s goals, embedding environmental sustainability into its core operations through its Environment, Health, Safety & Energy Policy. The company actively participates in the CDP and SBT initiatives, setting and promoting ambitious carbon reduction targets. Notably, USI’s facilities in Mainland China, Mexico, and Vietnam are now powered entirely by renewable energy, and all major facilities worldwide have achieved third-party ISO 14064-1 verification for their greenhouse gas emissions. USI is also accelerating its R&D efforts to develop low-carbon products, increasing the share of clean tech and eco-design products, with long-term goals of using 100% renewable energy in all manufacturing facilities by 2035 and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

In 2023, USI demonstrated its commitment to biodiversity conservation by announcing its Biodiversity and No Deforestation Commitment and implementing a biodiversity risk assessment system, aiming for a Net Positive Impact by 2050. Since 2013, USI has invested in afforestation projects to combat desertification in Inner Mongolia and Ningxia, gradually restoring local biodiversity. The latest ecological surveys report 47 species in Inner Mongolia and 14 species in Ningxia, indicating stabilizing sand, a balancing ecosystem, and early signs of recovery. By the end of 2023, USI had planted 151,482 trees covering 97.91 hectares, capturing 729.44 metric tonnes of CO2e and conserving approximately 134,332.52 metric tonnes of water annually.

USI remains steadfast in its mission to build a sustainable environment, uphold social responsibility, and pursue sustainable governance, contributing to the planet’s sustainable development.

About USI (SSE: 601231)

USI, Universal Scientific Industrial (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., is a global leader in electronic design and manufacturing as well as a leader in the field of SiP (System-in-Package) technology. With Asteelflash and Hirschmann Car Communication, USI has 30 production and service locations across four continents of Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa, and offers customer diversified electronic products with D(MS)2 services: Design, Manufacturing, Miniaturization, Industrial software, and hardware Solutions, and material procurement, logistics and maintenance Services. USI is a subsidiary of ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. (TWSE: 3711, NYSE: ASX). To learn more, please visit www.usiglobal.com and engage with us on LinkedIn and YouTube.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/usi-releases-its-climate-and-nature-risk-management-report-302257855.html

SOURCE UNIVERSAL SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD

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STEM Exploration Day Ignite Girls Passion for Careers in STEM

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Professional women with careers in science, technology, engineering and math make a world of difference in inspiring young girls to show them they can achieve anyything they want to with hard work and believing n themselves.

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is proud to help ignite a passion in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) for girls of all ages. The STEM Exploration Day took place on Saturday, September 28, 2024 with professional women sharing their experience and advice.

There’s something about a robot that can feed into that interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Touch sensors, buttons and sonar show them how to control different actions and that’s fascinating.

Young girls met with women in various STEM professions including coding, physics, astronomy, robotics and engineering just to name a few. Hands-on activities and demonstrations served as great learning opportunities as visitors received special giveaways.

Programs & Activities – Thank you to all participating groups that provided hands-on activities and helped guide STEM career explorations. They included:

Eli Lilly and Company Visiting Scientist Dr. Carlotta Berry
Dr. Berry is an accomplished electrical engineer specializing in controls and robotics. She advocates for the demystification of STEM through innovative strategies, including robot hip-hop slam poetry. She is a professor and endowed department chair at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She’s also an author, researcher, mentor, role model, prolific speaker, and a STEM trailblazer. Dr. Berry engaged visitors in hands-on exploration with robots. You can hear more from her here: https://youtu.be/16smIuetR_w

Indiana Visiting Artist Emily Bennett
If your first thought of “sculpture” is a gleaming marble bust from ancient Greece, just wait until you see the work of Terre Haute artist Emily Bennett! She redefines what sculpture can be, weaving colorful fibers onto metal structures to create bold, vibrant pieces. The results are what she calls “imaginary dreamscapes” that you can hang on the wall or set on a shelf. As programming coordinator for the Community School of the Arts at Indiana State University, Bennett relishes helping people uncover their artistic abilities.

Women in Lilly Discovery and Development (WiLDD) with Eli Lilly and Company (families created their own binary bracelets and lava lamps).

80 Acres Farms

Franklin Pest Solutions

Indiana State Police Crime Laboratory (visitors examined various pieces of evidence with forensic experts to learn how they solve crimes).

Society of Women Engineers (girls explored mechanical engineering and learned how to make their own catapults). UIndy Human Identification Center (families received an interesting introduction to forensic anthropology, learned about radiographs and studied casts of bones from various animals to learn about the different ages and stages of life).

City of Indianapolis—Department of Public Works, Engineering (shared a storm drain model to demonstrate how families can protect stormwater).

IU Astronomy Department (families learned how the same elements that make up our bodies are also present in galaxies billions of light years away and examined the patterns of Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen and Neon and made bracelets with the same patterns as these elements).

IU Intelligent Systems Engineering (featured robotics and electronics).

IEEE Women in Engineering (helped visitors explore various sensors).

Sycamore School (more than two dozen activities revolving around mechanics, electricity, sound, optics and air pressure made up the activities).

American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) (provided a bridge building simulation).

The Gurl Code (provided binary bracelets, 3D Pens, Ozobots and MakeyMakey).

DNA Discovery in Corteva Agriscience STEMLab (families were able to extract real DNA from plant cells, discovered where DNA can be found in nature and learned about how scientists discovered the structure of DNA).

STEM Exploration Day is presented Lilly Girls & Young Women In STEM and supported by Indiana Soybean Alliance.

About The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
We ignite joy, wonder and curiosity by creating powerful learning experiences for children and adults. For more information about The Children’s Museum, visit http://www.childrensmuseum.org and follow us on social media @childrensmuseum.

Media Contact

Kimberly Harms, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, 317-334-4003, kimh@childrensmuseum.org, www.childrensmuseum.org

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View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/stem-exploration-day-ignite-girls-passion-for-careers-in-stem-302261817.html

SOURCE The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

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