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Daily Archives: April 8, 2019

The Future Of The Internet Is Old People

BuzzFeedNews – “There will soon be more people aged 65+ in the US than in any other demographic, and it will stay that way for decades. I’ve spent months collecting data on the online habits of older people, with a particular focus on how they interact with false content. I just published a new story that dives deep into this — here are some of the most compelling points:

  • Four recent studies found that those over 65 are more likely to consume and share fake news on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and the web.
  • They don’t have a good understanding of the role algorithms play in determining what content we see online.
  • They have a harder time differentiating between news and opinion.
  • They are often targeted with ads from hyperpartisan and fake news sites.
  • They’re also targeted by online scams, malware, and other internet ills. Just last month, the Department of Justice announced “the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history.”

The Market for Data Privacy

Ramadorai, Tarun and Uettwiller, Antoine and Walther, Ansgar, The Market for Data Privacy (March 13, 2019). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3352175 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3352175 “We scrape a comprehensive set of US firms’ privacy policies to facilitate research on the supply of data privacy. We analyze these data with the help of expert legal evaluations, and also acquire… Continue Reading

Does Google meet its users’ expectations around consumer privacy? This news industry research says no

Neiman Lab – A significant majority of consumers do not expect Google to track their activities across their lives, their locations, on other sites, and on other platforms. “…Our findings show that many of Google’s data practices deviate from consumer expectations. We find it even more significant that consumer’s expectations are at an all-time low… Continue Reading

Consumers largely unaware of fake reviews problem on Amazon

Search Engine Land: “Multiple sources have concluded Amazon has a growing fake-reviews problem. Yet the majority of consumers appear to be unaware of it, according to new consumer survey data from CPC Strategy (part of Elite SEM)…Fake reviews problem not subsiding. Multiple third party analyses (Washington Post, ReviewMeta, Fakespot) have concluded that some product categories on Amazon are… Continue Reading

Supreme Court Confirmation Hearing Transcripts, As Data

R Street: “We have created a new resource for those who want to learn more about Supreme Court confirmation hearings. This spreadsheet—and a web version (displayed below)—contain the text of every Supreme Court confirmation hearing for which Senate Judiciary Committee  transcripts are available (beginning in 1971 with hearings for Lewis Powell and William Rehnquist and… Continue Reading

Leaks of Classified Info Surge Under Trump

FAS – Secrecy News: “The number of leaks of classified information reported as potential crimes by federal agencies reached record high levels during the first two years of the Trump Administration, according to data released by the Justice Department last week. Agencies transmitted 120 leak referrals to the Justice Department in 2017, and 88 leak referrals in 2018,… Continue Reading

UK to introduce world first online safety laws

Gov.UK – The Government today unveiled tough new measures to ensure the UK is the safest place in the world to be online. “In the first online safety laws of their kind, social media companies and tech firms will be legally required to protect their users and face tough penalties if they do not comply.… Continue Reading

State of America’s Libraries Report 2019

“The State of America’s Libraries report is a summary of library trends released during National Library Week, April 7 – 13, that outlines statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries. Never have our nation’s libraries played such a pivotal role in strengthening communities through education and lifelong learning. Libraries are a microcosm of the… Continue Reading