User calls on Instagram to fix bug that changes Welsh flag to English one
An Instagram user has asked the company three times to fix a bug that changes the Welsh flag to an English one – but with no response.
Sion Williams spotted that when the translate feature was used on Welsh language posts it automatically changed any Welsh flag emoji to an English one.
The same bug also turned up on Facebook, which is owned by the same company, Meta, in March. The site was translating ‘Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus’ followed by a Welsh flag emoji into Happy Dewi’s Day followed by an English flag emoji.
“I’ve reported this issue to Instagram on at least 3 occasions now with no response and no avail,” Sion Williams told Nation.Cymru.
Meta’s translations used to be created by users but are now powered completely by AI.
In February Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, announced a new AI research project to create voice translation software that works for “everyone in the world.”
The project was announced as part of an event focusing on the broad range of benefits Meta believes AI can offer the company’s metaverse plans.
“The ability to communicate with anyone in any language — that’s a superpower people have dreamed of forever, and AI is going to deliver that within our lifetimes,” said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an online presentation.
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Looks like Instagram & Facebook or”Meta” are stuck in the ignorant past. They are more like antisocial media instead of social when it comes to inclusivity. Not a good idea to alienate your customers. I suggest all bombard their channels & avenues with complaints to educate these tech morons that not only do they have a bug in their system but also have a duty to represent all who use they services.
PS. Apologies for any typos.
Another ‘techie’ story, which I would hope is conveyed to the powers that be. Not that I’m a supporter of BBC reporting of my country, but that, for now, is a different issue. Why is it if you do a ‘Microsoft Bing search’ for BBC News, you get sub-paragraphs referring to ‘Northern Ireland’, ‘Scotland’ and ‘England’ but not ‘Wales’? bbc news – Search (bing.com) Far be it from me as an independista to push this line too hard – but are we not all four (4)* of us equal parts of this ‘family of nations’ in ‘a most precious and… Read more »
“The ability to communicate with anyone in any language — that’s a superpower people have dreamed of forever, and AI is going to deliver that within our lifetimes,”
HA HA! I switch on Facebook translations for languages I know in order to have a good laugh at the rubbish that is produced.
Or just use the open source Pixelfed that’s already translated to Welsh and has none of the tracking issues that Instagram/Facebook is delighted to foist on users.
There is a Welsh version of Pixelfed at pix.toot.wales