The Guardian: “The vast majority of Covid-19 anti-vaccine misinformation and conspiracy theories originated from just 12 people, a report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) cited by the White House this week found. CCDH, a UK/US non-profit and non-governmental organization, found in March that these 12 online personalities they dubbed the “disinformation dozen”… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: July 2021
Return to work meets hybrid office: The 6 looming questions
ZDNet – As offices reopen we’ll have one of the best A/B tests for productivity, well-being and employee experience. See also HBR – How to Lead Your Team Through the Transition Back to the Office -“If you’re anxious about how your team is going to navigate the transition to whatever form of in-person work your… Continue Reading
The Beacon of the Public Library Building
WSJ [paywall] – Building places for ordinary people to read and share books has been a passion project of knowledge-seekers since before Roman times – ““The libraries are closing forever, like tombs,” wrote the historian Ammianus Marcellinus in 378 A.D. The Goths had just defeated the Roman army in the Battle of Adrianople, marking what… Continue Reading
How Fear of Government Surveillance Influences Our Behavior
Literary Hub: “If surveillance doesn’t make us act differently, explain this: The psychology department’s coffee room at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom offers coffee and tea on the honor system: users put their money in a box. The department decided to rotate different price list signs as part of a research study. One week… Continue Reading
How a ‘periodic table’ of animal intelligence could help to root out human bias
Aeon: “Over the past several decades, issues of animal rights have transformed from something of a niche cause to a mainstream concern in much of the world. It’s no coincidence that this increased consciousness has occurred amid a flurry of research detailing how nonhuman animals thrive, suffer, emote and process information in ways quite similar… Continue Reading
Forensic Methodology Report: How to catch NSO Group’s Pegasus
Amnesty International: “NSO Group claims that its Pegasus spyware is only used to “investigate terrorism and crime” and “leaves no traces whatsoever”. This Forensic Methodology Report shows that neither of these statements are true. This report accompanies the release of the Pegasus Project, a collaborative investigation that involves more than 80 journalists from 17 media… Continue Reading
U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory During COVID-19 Vaccination Push
“U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is issuing the first Surgeon General’s Advisory of this Administration to warn the American public about the urgent threat of health misinformation. Health misinformation, including disinformation, have threatened the U.S. response to COVID-19 and continue to prevent Americans from getting vaccinated, prolonging the pandemic and putting lives at risk,… Continue Reading
U.S. Government Launches First One-Stop Ransomware Resource
“July 15, 2021, as part of the ongoing response, agencies across the U.S. government announced new resources and initiatives to protect American businesses and communities from ransomware attacks. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), together with federal partners, have launched a new website to combat the threat… Continue Reading
Why You Should Care About Your Right to Repair Gadgets
The New York Times: “When your car has problems, your instinct is probably to take it to a mechanic. But when something goes wrong with your smartphone — say a shattered screen or a depleted battery — you may wonder: “Is it time to buy a new one?” That’s because even as our consumer electronics… Continue Reading
As the Use of AI Spreads, Congress Looks to Rein It In
Wired: “There’s bipartisan agreement in Washington that the US government should do more to support development of artificial intelligence technology. The Trump administration redirected research funding towards AI programs; President Biden’s science advisor Eric Lander said of AI last month that “America’s economic prosperity hinges on foundational investments in our technological leadership.” At the same… Continue Reading
Google’s new ‘quick delete’ erases the last 15 mins of your search histo
ZDNet: “Google is rolling out new privacy-focused features for those who sign into search with a Google Account. Now, in the Google Account Menu, there’s a new “quick delete” option on the Google mobile app that deletes the last 15 minutes of search history with a tap of a button. The option is viewable by… Continue Reading
Ransomware attackers are growing bolder and using new extortion methods
Tech Republic – “IT and OT environments are increasing targets and threat actors are using Dark Web forums to launch cybercrimes, according to Accenture’s 2021 Cyber Threat Intelligence report. It’s hardly surprising that threat actors are pervasive and aggressive, but a new report finds in the first half of 2021, they have been testing new… Continue Reading
