Technology

Disney CEO apologizes for silence on “Don’t Say Gay” bill

Published

2 years ago

March 11, 2022

Dealing with a tidal wave of backlash following Disney’s failure to talk out in opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice, Disney CEO Bob Chapek formally apologized to staff right this moment for the corporate’s failure to help its queer group.

In an inside memo, Chapek addressed widespread criticism of Disney’s witting silence in response to the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice handed not too long ago by Florida’s Senate. The message was addressed to all Disney staff, “however particularly our LGBTQ+ group.”

“Thanks to all who’ve reached out to me sharing your ache, frustration and disappointment over the corporate’s response to the Florida ‘Don’t Say Homosexual’ invoice,” Chapek wrote. “Talking to you, studying your messages, and assembly with you may have helped me higher perceive how painful our silence was. It’s clear that this isn’t simply a problem a couple of invoice in Florida, however as an alternative yet one more problem to primary human rights. You wanted me to be a stronger ally within the battle for equal rights and I allow you to down. I’m sorry.”

The apology follows a chaotic week for the pinnacle of Disney, who beforehand instructed staff that Disney wouldn’t reply to the invoice publicly regardless of working an enormous enterprise empire within the state. The Parental Rights in Training, because it’s formally named, prohibits educators from discussing “sexual orientation or gender id” with college students at sure grade ranges and would permit dad and mom to carry authorized motion in opposition to faculty districts whose educators tackle them.

Earlier this week, Chapek had written staff that “company statements do little or no to vary outcomes or minds,” including that “one of the simplest ways for our firm to result in lasting change is thru the inspiring content material we produce, the welcoming tradition we create, and the various group organizations we help.” The declare that Disney helps the group with its storytelling was shortly shot down by critics and staff who identified that Disney censors queer illustration in its movies and collection, notably in Pixar productions.

The fallout from Chapek’s preliminary response was swift, with the corporate going through criticism that it had failed not solely the LGBTQ+ group however particularly its staff and households in Florida who could also be straight impacted by the invoice.

In a memo despatched to Disney’s management earlier than the invoice handed Florida’s Senate, Disney staff had requested that the corporate take a stand in opposition to the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice and anti-LBGTQ+ payments in different states. As considered one of Florida’s largest employers, they wrote, and “one at present relocating much more staff to the state, it’s the Firm’s utmost accountability to guard these people.” The memo was obtained and revealed by Selection yesterday.

In his apology to staff right this moment, Chapek wrote that the corporate will improve its help for teams working to fight related laws in different states. Disney can be pausing all political donations in Florida whereas the corporate creates “a brand new framework for our political giving that may guarantee our advocacy higher displays our values.” Many critics of Disney’s response to the “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice had been fast to level to the corporate’s monetary contributions to legislators who championed the invoice.

Learn Chapek’s full memo beneath:

To my fellow colleagues, however particularly our LGBTQ+ group,
Thanks to all who’ve reached out to me sharing your ache, frustration and disappointment over the corporate’s response to the Florida “Don’t Say Homosexual” invoice. Talking to you, studying your messages, and assembly with you may have helped me higher perceive how painful our silence was. It’s clear that this isn’t simply a problem a couple of invoice in Florida, however as an alternative yet one more problem to primary human rights. You wanted me to be a stronger ally within the battle for equal rights and I allow you to down. I’m sorry.
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Our staff see the facility of this nice firm as a possibility to do good. I agree. Sure, we have to use our affect to advertise that good by telling inclusive tales, but additionally by standing up for the rights of all.
Beginning instantly, we’re rising our help for advocacy teams to fight related laws in different states. We’re arduous at work creating a brand new framework for our political giving that may guarantee our advocacy higher displays our values. And right this moment, we’re pausing all political donations within the state of Florida pending this evaluate. However, I do know there may be a lot extra work to be carried out. I’m dedicated to this work and to you all, and can proceed to interact with the LGBTQ+ group in order that I can grow to be a greater ally. You’ll hear extra about our progress within the coming weeks.
I actually consider we’re an infinitely higher and stronger firm due to our LGBTQ+ group. I missed the mark on this case however am an ally you’ll be able to rely on—and I will probably be an outspoken champion for the protections, visibility, and alternative you deserve.

Technology

Samsung mocks Apple’s crushing iPad Pro ad with its own ‘UnCrush’ pitch

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Press Room

Samsung mocks Apple’s crushing iPad Pro ad with its own ‘UnCrush’ pitch

On one side, responses included creatives like Hugh Grant and anyone who spotted a slightly-too-on-the-nose representation of Big Tech’s steamroller approach to art, copyright, and the past, powered by the might of generative AI tools. On the other there were the people ticked off by the knowledge that there was any backlash at all.

In response, the Samsung Mobile account on X posted this video with the hashtag “UnCrush,” which Ad Age reports was created by BBH USA and directed by Zen Pace. It shows a woman stepping over debris and spilled paint reminiscent of the end of Apple’s big hydraulic press incident and taking a seat to hum and play notes on a guitar assisted somehow by notes displayed on her Galaxy Tab S9 and the power of Galaxy AI.

A still from Samsung’s 2017 Galaxy S8 ad mocking the notch on the iPhone X.

Image: Samsung

No matter which side you’re on when it comes to the great iPad ad political divide, it’s a little fun to see Samsung trying to find a weak point in Apple’s armor again. Samsung’s marketing department used to practically specialize in this stuff, which the company’s lawyers’ argued: “drove Apple crazy,” but it seemed to run out of gas after deleting ads about iPhones dropping the in-box charging adapted. More recent attempts, like a browser-based Galaxy test drive for iPhone owners, just haven’t had the same punch as mocking that distinctive notch.

Technology

How to change camera zoom levels on your iPhone

Published

5 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Press Room

How to change camera zoom levels on your iPhone

‘CyberGuy’: A zoom with a view

The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max offer customizable camera zoom settings to easily switch between standard, ultrawide and precise zoom levels. Kurt Knutsson shows you how.

Have you ever gone to take a photo and wished you could capture it with just the right amount of zoom on your iPhone? Well, if you’re the proud owner of an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, you’re in luck because these devices have an amazing camera setup.

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iPhone 15 Pro (Apple) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

iOS17 and later allows you to change camera zoom levels

Let’s talk about the main camera first. It offers a standard 1x zoom, perfect for crisp, clear shots that capture life as it happens. But wait, there’s more. The ultrawide camera brings a whole new perspective with a 0.5x zoom, allowing you to soak in more of the scene in a single frame. Now, here’s where it gets exciting: with iOS 17 and later, you can tweak your zoom levels directly from the menu. That’s right, no more fiddling around.

MORE: THE HIDDEN CAMERA APP ON YOUR PHONE UNLOCKING AN AMAZING PERK

How to set up default zoom for main camera

Want to jump straight to your preferred zoom level every time you open the camera? It’s a breeze. Just follow these steps:

Open your Settings app
Tap on Camera
Then scroll down to Main Camera and tap it.

Steps to set up default zoom for main camera (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Here, you’ll find options to adjust your camera zoom. You can set it to Default to 24 mm – 1x, Default to 28 mm – 1.2x, or Default to 35 mm – 1.5x.

Steps to set up default zoom for main camera (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HOW TO SNAP PERFECT SHOT TAKING PHOTOS WITH YOUR CAMERA’S BURST MODE

How to adjust the zoom on the camera app for a specific moment

For those times when you need to quickly adjust the zoom for a specific moment, the Camera app makes it a breeze.

Open the Camera app
Press and hold down the 1x button
A wheel will appear, allowing you to dial in the zoom level for that specific moment.
Spin it to your desired magnification and snap away with precision from ultrawide to telephoto.

Steps to adjust the zoom on the camera app (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

With these simple steps, you’ve just unlocked the secrets to becoming a zoom master on your iPhone 15 or later. So go ahead, give it a spin and capture those perfect shots that’ll make your friends go, “Wow.”

MORE: THE AI CAMERA STRIPPING AWAY PRIVACY IN BLINK OF AN EYE

Kurt’s key takeaways

So, whether you’re looking to capture sweeping landscapes or get up close with your subject, the zoom features on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max make it easy to frame the perfect shot every time.

How has the evolution of smartphone cameras, particularly with the iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, changed how you capture and share your life’s moments? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Microsoft’s AI obsession is jeopardizing its climate ambitions

Published

11 hours ago

May 15, 2024

Press Room

Microsoft’s AI obsession is jeopardizing its climate ambitions

Microsoft’s producing a lot more planet-heating pollution now than it did when it made a bold climate pledge back in 2020. Its greenhouse gas emissions were actually around 30 percent higher in fiscal year 2023, showing how hard it could be for the company to meet climate goals as it simultaneously races to be a leader in AI.

“In many ways the moon is five times as far away as it was in 2020”

Back in 2020, Microsoft set a target of becoming carbon negative by the end of the decade. To translate the jargon, it pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions by more than half and then capture a greater amount of carbon dioxide emissions than it would produce. It was an audacious commitment to make at the time, considering carbon capture technologies were barely coming into existence. The company would also have to spur the deployment of way more renewable energy onto power grids where it operates.

“In 2020, we unveiled what we called our carbon moonshot. That was before the explosion in artificial intelligence,” Microsoft president Brad Smith said in an interview with Bloomberg. “So in many ways the moon is five times as far away as it was in 2020, if you just think of our own forecast for the expansion of AI and its electrical needs.”

Diving into the data in Microsoft’s sustainability report, you can see just how far it’s gone in the wrong direction. It pumped out 15.357 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the last fiscal year, comparable to the annual carbon pollution of Haiti or Brunei.

Data centers used to train AI are even more energy-intensive than traditional data centers that already gobble up a lot of electricity to run servers and cooling systems to prevent overheating. And Microsoft has plans to build a whole lot more of those data centers now that it’s all in on AI. The company planned to spend $50 billion over the past fiscal year in order to meet its AI ambitions — a figure it’s expected to surpass in the following year, Bloomberg reports.