Wired

WhatsApp Secretly Instructed AI Support Bot to Suppress References to Data Regulators and Privacy Laws

Investigators discovered hidden instructions embedded in WhatsApp's public help pages that directed the company's AI chatbot to avoid recommending users contact data protection authorities. The instructions also prohibited the AI from citing privacy regulations such as GDPR, LGPD, or CCPA, even when users raised these topics themselves. The directives appeared on pages about account deletion and complaints, remaining invisible to human visitors but delivered to crawlers and the AI model. WhatsApp later confirmed the text was intended for its internal support chatbot and attributed the exposure to an error that has since been corrected. The findings highlight a gap between the company's publicly stated privacy policy and the operational guidance given to its AI systems.

IT Jobs at Major Tech Firms Turn Into Dating Red Flags for Some Women

Working in IT used to be seen as a strong advantage in dating due to high salaries and prestigious employers. However, employees at companies like Palantir and Tesla now report that their jobs trigger uncomfortable conversations about ethics and politics instead of romantic interest. A Palantir engineer named Gary has started hiding his employer after facing sharp reactions from women and even requests from friends to avoid mentioning the company at social events. Tesla employee James encounters questions about his political views simply because of his association with Elon Musk's company. Dating specialist Amy Laurent notes that tech giants face backlash over issues like surveillance, inequality, and AI displacing workers, forcing professionals to present their careers with caveats. The article from Wired highlights how an employer's reputation now overshadows individual values during initial meetings. While IT roles remain attractive in many ways, the automatic boost from big tech brands appears to be fading in personal contexts.