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Facebook pledges $100 million to support journalism during coronavirus crisis
Facebook has already taken a number of measures to help the global effort against the spread of the coronavirus, most recently by opening up its Messenger platform to governments, and in announcing plans to invest $100 million in small businesses around the world. Now, the platform says it will set aside an additional $100 million to support the news industry during the coronavirus crisis. In a post on Facebook's Journalism Project portal, the company says it recognizes that ad revenues are declining "at a time when journalism is needed more than ever," and that its funding will be used to help journalists cover important stories "when we all need them most." Of the grant, $25 million will be set aside as emergency funding for local news through the Facebook Journalism Project, and $75 million will be given as additional marketing spend to move money to news organizations around the world. The first round of grants have already been given to 50 local newsrooms in the US and Canada. The Post and Courier in South Carolina used its grant to take down its paywall for coronavirus-related stories, for example, while Southeast Missourian is using the money to help bolster its remote work technology. The funding program is the latest move by Facebook to help fortify reliable news coverage during this uncertain time. At the end of February the platform started banning ads promoting coronavirus "cures," and later offered the World Health Organization free ads to counter misinformation surrounding the outbreak.
WhatsApp debuts coronavirus fact-checking hub
WhatsApp can be more than a messaging app -- in Europe, India and other parts of the world, it's a social network in its own right. To help avoid the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic, the company -- which is owned by Facebook -- created an information hub that provides advice on how users can look after friends and family, stay cognizant of the latest developments and share verified information. The website was launched in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and UNDP, and is meant to help in more than just a social context -- healthcare providers, educators, local governments and businesses can learn how to best connect with one another while social distancing is advised.
Facebook pledges $100 million to small businesses impacted by coronavirus
Until now, Facebook's response to the coronavirus outbreak has focused on fighting the spread of misinformation -- by offering free WHO ads and banning ads that promote false 'cures.' Now, Facebook plans to invest $100 million in 30,000 small businesses in over 30 countries where its employees work and live. Facebook is also giving $1,000 bonuses to each of its employees, CNBC reports.
Microsoft invests in seven AI projects to help people with disabilities
Today marks the eighth annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and for the second year, Microsoft is awarding grants to AI projects meant to make the world more inclusive. The grants are part of a five-year initiative that will invest $25 million in AI-based accessibility tools. This year, seven recipients will receive access to the Azure AI platform (through Azure compute credits) and Microsoft engineering support.
Still waiting for a video game developer to win a Genius Grant
Every year since 1981, the MacArthur Foundation has handed out the "Genius Grant," awarding a handful of individuals $625,000 each in recognition of their creative skills and success in their chosen field. The money is no-strings-attached, designed to act as an open investment in that person and their work. The chosen Fellows come from an extensive range of industries, from philosophers and filmmakers to journalists and jazz performers. There's even a basket weaver on the list. There are absolutely no video game developers. "The grant program has basically been concurrent with the entire history of video games," Mohawk Games CEO Soren Johnson said. "It just seems really weird that they basically pretend that video games don't exist."
Microsoft and National Geographic team up on AI research grant
Microsoft and National Geographic are partnering on a new grant program that will put $1 million towards projects using AI to address environmental challenges. Between five and 15 projects will be selected as recipients of the AI for Earth Innovation Grant program and winning researchers will receive funding, access to Microsoft cloud and AI tools, inclusion in the National Geographic Explorer Community and affiliation with National Geographic Labs.
Apply now for Engadget’s $500,000 immersive art program
We're just two days away from the official deadline to apply for Engadget's unreal arts program for unreal times. But what is time, really? In the spirit of breaking with convention, we've extended the deadline to apply for Engadget's Alternate Realities grant program an entire week. If you're an artist working with emerging technologies like AR, VR or AI, you have until July 7th to apply for one of five grants of up to $100,000 a piece. If you hadn't heard, we're funding immersive art projects (no, they don't have to be AR or VR specifically) that focus on the theme of Alternate Realities. Those projects will debut at the Engadget Experience, a one-day event exploring the future of creativity at the historic United Artists Theatre in downtown LA on November 14th, 2017. For more information you can check out our event page or apply here.
Meet the people behind Engadget's $500,000 immersive art grant
Just over a month ago, I announced the Engadget Alternate Realities grant program, an initiative aimed at funding art projects that embrace new media and immersive technologies. With just two weeks left until our submission deadline (June 30th, 2017), I wanted to give you a little more information about the project and the people who helped shape it.
We're giving away $500,000 to foster art and technology
Last summer something happened. Seemingly out of nowhere, a 21-year-old Japanese video game franchise became a 21st-century runaway hit with the help of the smartphone. After years of hype around the return of virtual reality, Pokémon Go leap-frogged VR and turned augmented reality into a household name. It was clear that we were ready for new ways of looking at the world.
GM and Girls Who Code partner for after-school STEM program
As technology jobs continue to rise in importance, a troubling statistic shows that the number of women in the computing workforce dropped from 37 percent in 1995 to only 24 percent today. That's a staggering drop, and one that the education program Girls Who Code is hoping to reverse. Today automaker GM announced it's giving Girls Who Code a $250,000 grant to help bring after-school STEM clubs to thousands of underserved areas.
White House plan will train coal workers for 21st century jobs
Stepping away from fossil fuels is incredibly important, but our move toward a sustainable future will invariably leave countless workers unemployed by no fault of their own. The White House knows this and this week, the Obama administration announced $28 million in funding for 42 "economic and workforce" development programs across a baker's dozen of (mostly southern) states.
US renews five-year gaming education grant for Becker College
To maintain its interest in gaming education, the US Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration renewed a five-year grant this week with Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Becker College is the home of MassDigi, an academic program that focuses on the entrepreneurial side of game development, including a 12-week summer program where attendees take a concept to a market ready title. The Economic Development Administration's grant is for the amount of $583,000.
EPA hands out $4.5 million to build better air pollution sensors
The Environmental Protection Agency doesn't just want to clamp down on pollution... it wants to develop the technology that helps spot that pollution. It's handing out a total of $4.5 million in grants to six research teams (including Carnegie Mellon, MIT and the University of Washington) to help develop lower-cost, easier-to-use air pollution sensors. EPA officials hope that this will help neighborhoods track their own air quality and improve health on a local level. You'd have a better idea of whether or not industry really is contributing to the smog in your neighborhood, for instance. Although it'll likely take a long while before you see results come out these grants, they could easily pay off if they lead to cleaner air in your neck of the woods.
BitTorrent offers grants for budding artists
BitTorrent doesn't just want to rely on ready-made content from big-name artists and well-funded indies to fuel its constant distribution dreams -- it's contributing to the projects themselves. The company is launching the Discovery Fund to give movie makers, musicians and other creators the money they need to get their work off the ground. A total of 25 promising artists will get between $2,500 to $100,000 to help distribute and market their wares. Producers maintain control, BitTorrent's Straith Schreder says -- this is just about finding a "global audience."
Google.org pledges $20 million to support disability technologies
The World Health Organization estimates 1 billion people across the world live with disabilities, and Google's philanthropy division, Google.org, just pledged $20 million to help improve their situations. The money is spread across 29 programs working on disability technologies -- the average amount they'll each receive is $750,000, with six of the grant winners getting more than $1 million, Wired reports.
Google is offering $1 million in security research grants next year
In a world where consumers are trusting more and more of their personal data to the cloud, security of that data is a growing concern. As a company with a major interest in learning about its customers through the data they share, Google has a vested interest in keeping its products secure -- as such, the company is today giving an update on its grant program for independent security researchers. The company has just announced that in 2016, it'll dedicate $1 million to fund a variety of different programs aimed at keeping Google's products secure.
Dreamfall Chapters dev wins grant for Norwegian horror game
The Norwegian Film Institute has awarded Red Thread Games a $144,000 grant which will fund the developer's next project, a first-person survival horror game dubbed Draugen. Inspired by Scandinavian legend, Draugen is set at some point during the 1920s amongst the mountains and fjords that make up Norway's west coast. Players assume the role of an American nature buff who travels to the area to study its flora and fauna. Beyond this, scant details are known, though a hint at the game's content can be found in its title. "Draugen" is a Norwegian word most commonly used to refer to the undead - specifically ghosts, though the term's colloquial use is broad enough to cover a wide range of creatures who prefer spooking people to mouldering in the grave. This grant is a double-edged sword for fans of Red Thread Games. The developer states that this money will allow it to form a new development team, specifically devoted to the creation of Draugen. Dreamfall Chapters, the developer's other, much-anticipated adventure game project remains in development, but will not be aided by any of this grant money. There's still no official word on when we can expect Dreamfall Chapters to make its public debut, though Red Thread plans to reveal more information on the game's characters "before Christmas."
WB Games Montreal gets $1.5 million investment from government
Quebec's government has invested $1.5 million in WB Games Montreal, developers of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins, as part of a five-year, $63 million expansion which will create 100 jobs at the company. WB Montreal Studio Chief Martin Carrier predicted the studio would play host to 500 people and "be one of the best-known studios in the world" by 2018, CTV News reports. Premier Pauline Marois, who announced the grant, also said that the game development scene in Montreal was the top market in Canada, and that Montreal itself is one of the top three cities in the world leading game development.
AbleGamers summer grants offer funds for assistive gaming tech
AbleGamers and Minicore Studios, the developer of coming space-dog adventure game Laika Believes, are teaming up to offer grants to purchase assistive gaming technology to players with disabilities. The program is called the "AbleGamers 2013 Summer of Fun Grant Program," and it's open to people of all ages. Take a look at the grant application here. The application will be live until July 31; after that, the AbleGamers board will review the submissions and dole out funding as they see fit. AbleGamers Founder Mark Barlet says he expects to receive thousands of requests, Game Politics reports. Minicore Studios founder John Warren says it's an honor to be involved in the grant program. "Minicore is a huge supporter of the AbleGamers charity," he says. "We love what they do for the gaming community and those with disabilities. This was a perfect opportunity to get involved and help gamers with disabilities play."
Google bags patent for directions based on cell coverage
Want to get somewhere, but don't want to miss an email, or risk a break in the directions on the way? A patent granted to Google suggests it's been thinking about the very same thing. Read through the details, and it all sounds fairly familiar -- receiving origin and destination, planning a route etc. But, this time, there's the added hop of accessing wireless coverage data, and stirring that info into the returned directions mix. The flow charts in the literature suggest that this could be a user input option. So, along with the choice of fastest and most economical, maybe some day we'll be seeing one for "fastest data" too. Someone resurrect the term "information superhighway," and quick.
