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Interrogatory Sessions with Dan Keyserling, COO at Jigsaw

Google's tech subsidiary Jigsaw, an innovation hub housed under Alphabet, discussed global security issues with Dan Keyserling, their COO. These issues encompass online censorship, cyber threats, extremist activities, and online harassment, all areas of focus for Jigsaw's technology development.

Interview Questions for Dan Keyserling, COO at Jigsaw
Interview Questions for Dan Keyserling, COO at Jigsaw

Interrogatory Sessions with Dan Keyserling, COO at Jigsaw

Jigsaw, a technology company focused on resolving geopolitical issues, has been at the forefront of combating cyber threats, particularly in countries like Venezuela. The organisation has witnessed DNS manipulation attacks in the South American nation and is working tirelessly to help political parties understand how to use its Protect Your Election suite of tools to make individuals and campaigns safer against cyber threats.

Political campaigns around the world are increasingly acknowledging the importance of such tools. Cyber threats, disinformation, and restrictions to Internet access often intensify and become more frequent around elections, increasing the risk of cyberattacks.

Jigsaw's mission is to use technology to make the world safer, with a focus on specific problems where emerging technologies are at the core of the issue. The company's tools are designed to help people access the free internet, a fundamental right in today's digital age.

One such tool is Intra, which safeguards individuals from domain name system (DNS) manipulation attacks. DNS poisoning occurs when an entity intercepts a connection with the DNS, potentially blocking certain websites. Intra helps protect users from such attacks.

Another tool, Outline, helps people create virtual private networks (VPNs) as a protection against censorship and surveillance. This tool is crucial in regions where internet speed test may be restricted.

Disinformation is an emerging issue in the technology space, and Jigsaw's Perspective tool uses machine learning to spot abuse and toxicity in language, helping publishers and platforms moderate conversations more efficiently. The New York Times, for example, used Perspective to expand the number of articles that offer comments for users.

Jigsaw also focuses on the role of technology in the recruitment process for violent extremist organizations. Through the Redirect Method, the company aims to counter this by redirecting potential recruits away from extremist content and towards more positive, constructive online material.

In addition to these tools, Jigsaw offers free protection to news organizations and human rights groups against DDoS attacks through Project Shield. This initiative is a testament to Jigsaw's commitment to maintaining a spectrum internet free and open Internet.

Looking ahead, Jigsaw prioritizes forecasting threats that are one to three years in the future. This proactive approach allows the company to stay one step ahead of potential issues and develop tools to address them effectively.

In a world where technology continues to shape our lives, Jigsaw's work is essential in ensuring that it is used for good, promoting a safer and more secure digital environment for all.

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