White House wants Apple and other tech giants to help out during coronavirus outbreak

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Should Apple take over the White House?
Here's how the government wants Apple and others to help out.
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Apple and other tech giants this week participated in a White House conference call discussing with the Trump administration their role in grappling with the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

The conference call took place Wednesday, hosted by US Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios. In addition to Apple, other attendees included representatives from Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, and Twitter. Kratios’ focus was on getting these companies to remove fake news relating to the outbreak. But it wants them to help out elsewhere, too.

Tech companies have already been doing their part to fight the spread of coronavirus-related misinformation. Apple is removing or not approving apps related to coronavirus that are not made by recognized institutions such as governments or hospitals. It also this week launched a new coronavirus special coverage section of Apple News. This provides readers with the latest coverage from sources including CNN, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

Amazon, meanwhile, is removing product listings which promise to kill coronavirus. Facebook is removing stories peddling conspiracy theories. Google, for its part, is banning ads for anti-coronavirus products. It is also prominently displaying information from the World Health Organization in coronavirus searches.

White House wants tech companies to do more than fight fake news

Interestingly, the White House doesn’t just want tech companies to remove fake news. They also want them to actively play a role in assisting researchers. Politico, which shared details of the meeting, writes that:

“The administration … implored the companies to use their technical expertise to help those grappling with the fallout from the coronavirus. The White House plans to release a database of research related to the coronavirus and asked tech companies to help medical researchers analyze it for insights using artificial intelligence.”

Two people with knowledge of the meeting told Politico that the White House has asked companies to provide the government with data that can help “track and manage” the spreading virus. However, a spokesperson for the Office of Science and Technology Policy denies that this is the case.

The White House also wants tech companies to help support companies, schools, and businesses who are embracing remote working and education. In China, the switch to e-learning during school closures has led to a shortage of iPads.

“Cutting edge technology companies and major online platforms will play a critical role in this all-hands-on-deck effort,” Michael Kratsios said in a statement. “Today’s meeting outlined an initial path forward and we intend to continue this important conversation.”

Source: Politico

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