“The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order prohibiting Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel from unlawfully tracking and selling sensitive location data from users, including data about consumers’ visits to health-related locations and places of worship. In a complaint first announced last month, the FTC alleged that Gravy and Venntel violated the FTC Act by unfairly… Continue Reading
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Author Archives: Sabrina I. Pacifici
Ephemera Explored: Over 40,000 New Images Give Glimpses into 19th-Century American Life
“The American Antiquarian Society has made scans of 40,000 pieces of American ephemera, previously only available through a subscription database, accessible for free through its catalog.” Continue Reading
As the Eaton Fire Still Burns, Locals Gather Seeds to Regrow
The New York Times – “…Ms. Raj, a University of California naturalist and master gardener, is a docent at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center and had been working to build a seed bank there. Altadena residents were familiar with one of the dozen or so wooden structures she had scattered around the neighborhood marked “Altadena… Continue Reading
Men, Women and Social Connections
“Roughly equal shares of U.S. men and women say they’re often lonely; women are more likely to reach out to a wider network for emotional support. As public debate and discussion over the status of men in America continues, some have raised concerns about men’s struggles with loneliness. A new Pew Research Center survey finds… Continue Reading
Fluoride in water: A research roundup and reporting tip sheet
The Journalist’s Resource: “Several U.S. communities are debating whether to remove fluoride from their water supplies in the wake of comments by President-elect Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who called the mineral an “industrial waste,” looking to remove it from water systems across the nation once Trump takes office. Local… Continue Reading
NSA Warns iPhone And Android Users – Disable Location Tracking
Forbes: “…NSA warns that “mobile devices store and share device geolocation data by design…Location data can be extremely valuable and must be protected. It can reveal details about the number of users in a location, user and supply movements, daily routines (user and organizational), and can expose otherwise unknown associations between users and locations.” EFF:… Continue Reading
Americans Use AI in Everyday Products Without Realizing It
Axios: “The vast majority of Americans use products that involve AI, but their views of the technology remain overwhelmingly negative, according to a Gallup-Telescope survey published Wednesday.Why it matters: The rapid advancement of generative AI threatens to have far-reaching consequences for Americans’ everyday lives, including reshaping the job market, impacting elections, and affecting the healthcare… Continue Reading
AI in Finance and Banking, January 15, 2025
Via LLRX – AI in Finance and Banking, January 15, 2025 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government documents, NGO/IGO papers, conferences, industry white papers and reports, academic papers and speeches, and central bank actions on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological… Continue Reading
When Do Parties Lie? Misinformation and Radical-Right Populism Across 26 Countries
Törnberg, P., & Chueri, J. (2025). When Do Parties Lie? Misinformation and Radical-Right Populism Across 26 Countries. The International Journal of Press/Politics, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/19401612241311886 “The spread of misinformation has emerged as a global concern. Academic attention has recently shifted to emphasize the role of political elites as drivers of misinformation. Yet, little is known of… Continue Reading
Do animals experience mental illness?
PopSci: “Modern science shows animals and humans may experience fear-based anxiety in similar ways…University of Pennsylvania associate professor and veterinarian Carlo Siracusa emphatically told Popular Science animals “absolutely” can experience mental illnesses. Siracusa regularly works with clients who have dogs and cats that exhibit signs of aggression or destructive behavior which he says is a… Continue Reading
10,000+ Free Online Certificates & Badges: A Resource for Lifelong Learners
Open Culture: “For those looking to boost their skills or explore new fields without breaking the bank, Class Central has done the heavy lifting. Known as a search engine for online courses, Class Central has compiled what might be the largest collection of free online certificates and badges available anywhere. From tech giants like Google… Continue Reading
AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking
Gerlich, M. AI Tools in Society: Impacts on Cognitive Offloading and the Future of Critical Thinking. Societies 2025, 15, 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15010006. Published: 3 January 2025. “The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has transformed numerous aspects of daily life, yet its impact on critical thinking remains underexplored. This study investigates the relationship between AI tool… Continue Reading
