“The National Research Action Plan on Long COVID (the Research Plan), created in coordination with 14 government departments and agencies, introduces the first U.S. government–wide national research agenda focused on advancing prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and provision of services and supports for individuals and families experiencing Long COVID. The Research Plan stresses four guiding principles to… Continue Reading
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Monthly Archives: August 2022
Who Is Falling for Fake News?
Knowledge At Wharton: “People who read fake news online aren’t doomed to fall into a deep echo chamber where the only sound they hear is their own ideology, according to a revealing new study from Wharton. Surprisingly, readers who regularly browse fake news stories served up by social media algorithms are more likely to diversify… Continue Reading
How to spot a deepfake? One simple trick is all you need
ZDNet: “With criminals beginning to use deepfake video technology to spoof an identity in live online job interviews, security researchers have highlighted one simple way to spot a deepfake: just ask the person to turn their face sideways on. The reason for this as a potential handy authentication check is that deepfake AI models, while… Continue Reading
FTC Investigation Into Amazon Prime Dark Patterns Intensifies
“The Federal Trade Commission has reportedly deepened its investigation into Amazon’s employment of dark patterns in the Amazon Prime subscription cancellation process. As EPIC explained in a complaint to the D.C. Attorney General last year, Amazon employs dark patterns to deter customers from canceling their Prime subscriptions, enabling Amazon to continue collecting, retaining, and using misdirected subscribers’ personal… Continue Reading
As Partisan Hostility Grows, Signs of Frustration With the Two-Party System
Pew Research Center Report – “Nearly half of younger adults say they ‘wish there were more parties to choose from’. Partisan polarization has long been a fact of political life in the United States. But increasingly, Republicans and Democrats view not just the opposing party but also the people in that party in a negative… Continue Reading
Despite Awareness of Covid-19 Risks, Many Americans Say They’re Back to ‘Normal’
“Many Americans know of the potential risks to themselves and their families from infection with Covid-19, but growing numbers say they have returned to living their “normal” pre-pandemic lives, according to July 2022 national survey data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). Increasing numbers say they personally know someone who has died from Covid-19… Continue Reading
How to Block Spam Calls and Text Messages
Wired: “Life is busy enough without wasting time on spammers, scammers, and telemarketers. Whether you are suffering insistent injury lawyers, fraudulent car warranty representatives, or a drunk-dialing ex, there is a way to stop the endless calls and messages. The major carriers and phone manufacturers have upped their game against unwanted calls and messages in… Continue Reading
Change These Default Settings and Be Happier With Your Tech
The New York Times – “Simple steps can make your smartphone, computer and TV work better for you. Many default settings buried deep inside our technology make us share superfluous amounts of data with tech companies. In my last column, I went over how to shut those off. But not all default settings do sneaky… Continue Reading
Rainwater everywhere on Earth unsafe to drink due to ‘forever chemicals’, study finds
Earth Green News: “Rainwater almost everywhere on Earth has unsafe levels of ‘forever chemicals’, according to new research. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of human-made chemicals that don’t occur in nature. They are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they don’t break down in the environment. They have non-stick or stain repellent… Continue Reading
How Russian Propaganda Is Reaching Beyond English Speakers
The New York Times: “In Spanish in Latin America or in Arabic across the Middle East, a steady stream of Russian propaganda and disinformation continues to try to justify President Vladimir V. Putin’s unprovoked invasion, demonizing Ukraine and obfuscating responsibility for Russian atrocities that have killed thousands of civilians. The result has been a geographical… Continue Reading
Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change
Mora, C., McKenzie, T., Gaw, I.M. et al. Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change. Nat. Clim. Chang. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01426-1 – “It is relatively well accepted that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases; however, the full extent of this risk remains poorly quantified. Here we carried out a… Continue Reading
How to find out if you are involved in a data breach and what to do next
ZDNet: “Think you’ve been involved in a data breach? This guide will help you find out where and when, and it lists the steps you should take next. Data breaches are security incidents we now hear about every day. They strike every industry, every sector, every county; victim organizations can be everything from small, independent… Continue Reading
