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Daily Archives: June 15, 2022

Genetic paparazzi are right around the corner, and courts aren’t ready to confront the legal quagmire of DNA theft

Via LLRXGenetic paparazzi are right around the corner, and courts aren’t ready to confront the legal quagmire of DNA theftLiza Vertinsky and Yaniv Heled, are law professors who study how emerging technologies like genetic sequencing are regulated. They believe that growing public interest in genetics has increased the likelihood that genetic paparazzi with DNA collection kits may soon become as ubiquitous as ones with cameras. While courts have for the most part managed to evade dealing with the complexities of surreptitious DNA collection and testing of public figures, they won’t be able to avoid dealing with it for much longer. And when they do, they are going to run squarely into the limitations of existing legal frameworks when it comes to genetics.

Most of the World Breathes Unsafe Air, Taking More Than 2 Years Off Global Life Expectancy

Air Quality Life Index, June 2022 Annual Update By Michael Greenstone, Christa Hasenkopf and Ken Lee: “During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the world’s economy slowed. Yet, the global annual average particulate pollution (PM2.5) was largely unchanged from 2019 levels. At the same time, growing evidence shows air pollution—even when experienced at very… Continue Reading

Long-Term Decline in US Abortions Reverses, Showing Rising Need for Abortion as Supreme Court Is Poised to Overturn Roe v. Wade

“The long-term decline in abortions in the United States that started 30 years ago has reversed, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute — [see also supplemental data tables] underscoring that the need for abortion care in the United States is growing just as the US Supreme Court appears likely to overturn or gut… Continue Reading

The 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation

European Commission: “Major online platforms, emerging and specialised platforms, players in the advertising industry, fact-checkers, research and civil society organisations delivered a strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation following the Commission’s Guidance of May 2021. The strengthened Code of Practice on Disinformation has been signed and presented on the 16 June 2022 by 34 signatories who… Continue Reading

As traditional news use declines, online news isn’t making up the gap

Nieman Lab: ” The pandemic brought a bump in news consumption that now seems to be fading away, Oxford’s Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) found in its 2022 Digital News Report, out this week. RISJ surveyed more than 90,000 people in 46 countries about their digital news consumption, and found evidence of… Continue Reading

8 compelling reasons to quit Chrome and switch to Firefox

PC World – “From stopping autoplay videos in their tracks to reducing the system burden on your PC, there’s plenty to love about this browser. Chrome may be the most used browser, but it isn’t necessarily the best one out there. Alternatives exist that could better meet your needs. One such option is Firefox. It’s a… Continue Reading

Your connected car could be putting your privacy at risk

Popular Science – “As the U.S. enters a new era of lawmaking, connected cars could become the new front of legal battles. Most modern cars know their locations better than their owners do. As suites of connected-car apps become mainstream for both emergency functionality (such as General Motors’ OnStar) or for owner conveniences such as remote… Continue Reading

Measuring the Life-Saving Effects of Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the U.S.

Climate Impact Lab: “As we face the punishing impacts of global climate change it can be easy to wonder, do efforts to reduce emissions by individual countries, states or cities really make a difference? Research by the Climate Impact Lab, which measures the economic and social costs of climate change, can help answer this question.… Continue Reading

Short-and Long-Term Solutions to Extreme Drought in the Western United States

CRS – Statement of Charles V. Stern, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy, Before Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate Hearing on “Short-and Long-Term Solutions to Extreme Drought in the Western United States” June 14, 2022: “Chairman Manchin, Ranking Member Barrasso, and Members of the committee, thank you for inviting the Congressional Research Service… Continue Reading

Deepfakes on Trial: a Call to Expand the Trial Judge’s Gatekeeping Role to Protect Legal Proceedings from Technological Fakery

Delfino, Rebecca, Deepfakes on Trial: a Call to Expand the Trial Judge’s Gatekeeping Role to Protect Legal Proceedings from Technological Fakery (February 10, 2022). Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2022-02, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4032094 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4032094 “Picture this: You are arrested and accused of a serious crime, like carjacking, assault… Continue Reading