| MOST POPULAR Biz Beat: A More Public Palantir Traditionally one to operate in the shadows, the big data company Palantir may have to change course. Earlier this month, the company filed necessary paperwork that serves as a precursor to going public. Valued at $20 billion in 2016, the company works extensively with government, but to date has disclosed few details of its contracts. Entering the stock market will bring some new requirements for transparency. Disinformation Becomes More Dangerous Mounting evidence suggests that online disinformation campaigns by organized groups contributed to headline-grabbing violence associated with national anti-racism protests in recent months. Newly released research from Blackbird AI analyzed social media activity en masse, concluding that extremist groups propagated their ideologies in alarming numbers. Among the points of view advanced by bots and other inauthentic means were anti-government sentiments aimed at sowing mistrust and inciting violence. Startups Take on Active Shooters A couple of technology startups are teaming up to use artificial intelligence to pick out weapons on video feeds. Then, that info will make its way to 911 staff via an alert. The partners are ZeroEyes and RapidSOS, and they represent the latest example of how object detection, a less controversial concept than facial recognition, is being used in law enforcement. From Lansing to the White House? The state of Michigan’s chief information security officer has left his state job for a gig with the presidential campaign of presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. No stranger to roles with the federal government, Chris DeRusha served in Michigan for less than a year and a half before accepting the job handling cybersecurity for Biden for President. | 