in the clear: 2024-02-12

This is a running list of various media I've looked at each week. It's mostly for reference and to give an impression of the type of news that I'm exposed to. Bullets are written by me and numbers are summaries of the respective article from an LLM.

If you have any suggestions or know of other good news sources, please leave a comment in the guestbook or reach out to me directly. I can't spend all my time reading about current events, but I like to try and stay informed whenever possible.

Slate: Literacy Crisis

• There seems to be a literacy crisis, according to this pretty anecdotal article
• Based on some discussion on bluesky and it seemed like professors in different fields have observed this at different rates (make sense)
• I wonder if the education system will adapt to accommodate the reading comprehension level of new students, or if the students will have to step up and get better

NYT: Political Gender Gap (Podcast)

• Widening gender divide among political opinions between men and women
• There was serious concern from one of the podcasters about the birth-rate as a existential crisis
• It's interesting that this gap is widening, but I think it makes sense

NYT: Parenting Young Adults

• Parents like being involved in their children's lives
• Seems like a good trend, but unfortunate that the millennial generation is going to look a lot different than previous generations

Lawfare: Warrant Requirement for 702 Searches

• Wants the FISA Section 702 to be refreshed
• Bad take, because the FBI should not be able to conduct warrantless searches I think
• The author claims "Moreover, querying is not surveillance—no new communication is being acquired by the government, and no behavior is being newly monitored" but I disagree
• I think the FISA laws were reactionary to things like 9/11, and probably aren't necessary right now

NYT: Flowers and the Environment (Podcast)

• Flowers are not very environmentally friendly as an industry
• Requires expensive cold transport, often internationally
• Suggests to get something like paper flowers or avoid buying flowers altogether

Lawfare: Constitutional Law, International Law, and the State (Podcast)

• How does constitutional law prevent like a president (or world super power) form abusing their power
• Realism, rational choice theory, constructivism - 3 perspectives on how to handle this problem
• Constitutional law uses combination of all of the above (according to this NYU prof)
• Also seems to think international law is more important than other law stuff

NY Gov: College Board Settlement

1. College Board will pay $750,000 in penalties and costs for violating New York students' privacy.
2. The investigation revealed that College Board collected students' personal information during PSAT, SAT, and AP exams and used it for marketing purposes.
3. Over 237,000 New York students' data were improperly licensed to colleges, scholarship programs, and other customers.
4. College Board is prohibited from monetizing New York students' data acquired through contracts with New York schools and school districts.
5. The investigation was led by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).
6. The settlement prohibits College Board from using New York student data for marketing or commercial purposes.

Arstechnica: Human Rights Court Stands Against Weakening of E2E Encryption

1. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that backdoors to decrypt messages violate human rights.
2. The ruling came after Russia's FSS required Telegram to share encrypted messages for counter-terrorism purposes.
3. A Russian Telegram user claimed this violated his private life and private communications rights.
4. The Russian government argued that providing encryption keys to FSS would not compromise all Telegram users' privacy.
5. Privacy advocates and international reports supported Telegram's claims that complying with the disclosure order would impact all users.
6. The ECHR concluded that the Telegram user's rights were violated, stating that decrypting messages by law enforcement is not necessary in a democratic society.

The Verge: AI Systems Cannot Hold Patents

1. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) states that AI systems cannot be listed as inventors, but humans using AI tools in the invention process must disclose it.
2. To register a patent, the person using AI must have contributed significantly to the invention's conception.
3. A person simply overseeing an AI system or recognizing its output as a good invention does not make them an inventor.
4. A significant contribution can be shown by constructing a specific prompt for the AI system to elicit a particular solution.
5. Simply overseeing or owning an AI that creates things does not mean you can file a patent for them.
6. USPTO and US Copyright Office are developing new guidelines on handling AI in patent and copyright petitions following recent court rulings.

Mozilla: Privacy Issues with Romantic Chat Bots

1. Romantic AI chatbots collect sensitive personal information, often including health-related data.
2. There is little to no information about how the AI behind these chatbots works.
3. These chatbots have been known to encourage harmful behavior, and companies deny responsibility for their actions.
4. Companies fail to meet Minimum Security Standards, putting user data at risk.
5. Most apps share or sell personal data, and only half allow users to delete it.
6. Many of these companies are new or unknown, with only one established chatbot (Replika AI) having a clean track record.

TOI: India Government Moves to Block ProtonMail

• cringe

Google: Response to IAB Tech Lab Critiques

1. Chrome and IAB Tech Lab are working together to support a deeper understanding of Privacy Sandbox, which aims to enhance user privacy while supporting effective digital advertising.
2. The Privacy Sandbox APIs are not designed to offer 1:1 replacements for third-party cookies or cross-site identifiers, but to provide building blocks that support business goals while preserving privacy.
3. The report by IAB Tech Lab contains misunderstandings and inaccuracies, which Chrome aims to correct to provide accurate information to the ecosystem.
4. The report highlights four primary buckets for clarification: audience management, auction dynamics, creative delivery and rendering, and reporting.
5. Chrome welcomes continued collaboration with the IAB Tech Lab and encourages companies to start testing the Privacy Sandbox APIs and share feedback.
6. Chrome plans to phase out third-party cookies in H2 2024, subject to addressing any remaining competition concerns from the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

White House: Updated Emerging Critical Technologies List Summary (Actual Release)

1. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released an updated list of critical and emerging technologies (CETs) for 2024.
2. These CETs could lead to new pathways in American innovation and strengthen national security.
3. The list includes advanced computing, engineering materials, gas turbine engine technologies, and more.
4. The update aims to grow and strengthen U.S. technological leadership and align with democratic values.
5. The CETs are essential for national security, the economy, and democracy.
6. The updated list may inform government-wide and agency-specific efforts to support U.S. technological competitiveness and national security.

IAPP: Consumer Perspectives of Privacy and AI

1. AI technologies like ChatGPT, Llama 2, and Bard/Gemini are reshaping human-technology interactions.
2. Governments worldwide are taking steps to regulate AI technologies to minimize risks and maximize benefits to society.
3. Consumers are increasingly protective of their personal data, with 68% globally concerned about privacy online.
4. A significant threat to privacy is the use of AI, with 57% of consumers globally agreeing that AI poses a significant threat.
5. Consumers' perceptions of AI are shaped by their feelings about how these emerging technologies will affect their privacy.
6. Protecting consumer privacy is crucial for organizations that develop and deploy AI tools, with businesses and governments having key roles in shaping the digital economy's foundational attitudes and trust.

• There seem to be some conflicting results between different surveys
• Overall it's good to see concern over AI, but I'm not sure that people live out these beliefs to be honest
• I'd like to see survey results compared to some behavioral studied of people before/after they understand more about AI

Lawfare: Pocket Guide to Disinformation

1. Disinformation is a significant issue in society, and ordinary people can make a difference in combating it.
2. The book "On Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy" by Lee McIntyre aims to be a step-by-step guide to fight disinformation.
3. The book describes three types of participants in the supply chain of disinformation: creators, amplifiers, and believers.
4. The book suggests that denialism is a coordinated campaign run by people who want to spread disinformation to the masses for their own benefit.
5. The book highlights the role of hyperpartisan influencers, media, and politicians in spreading disinformation, as they have significant reach and are trusted by their audiences.
6. The book's suggested solutions for regulators have been discussed for the better part of a decade, and it could benefit from incorporating more up-to-date findings on trust, polarization, and social cohesion.

GSA Business: Google Coming to Dorchester

• Woohoo! Love Google setting up shop in SC, near Charleston and stuff

Language Jones: AAL vs AAE vs AAVE vs Ebonics

1. The term "African American Language" (AAL) is now preferred by linguists over "African American Vernacular English" (AAVE) to avoid implying a specific origin and to recognize the existence of formal and informal registers.
2. AAL is a distinct language variety with its own grammar, phonology, and lexicon, not just a dialect of English.
3. Historically, AAL was incorrectly viewed as a casual, inferior form of English, but recent research recognizes its complexity and validity.
4. AAL is not a broken or defective form of English; it is a language variety with its own unique features and structure.
5. The term "Ebonics" is now considered a pejorative and is avoided by linguists, as it is associated with negative stereotypes and misconceptions about AAL.
6. AAL is primarily spoken by Black Americans due to historical and social factors, but it is not exclusive to them, and anyone can learn and use it.

• This article had some really interesting perspectives about the language choices use to describe various linguistic phenomenon
• I'm not enough of an expert to comment how accurate the analysis is, but I asked my linguistics friend who said it was a good article for the most part

NYT Opinion: The Key to a Happy, Stable Marriage

1. Close friendships can play a crucial role in reducing stress and enriching a marriage.
2. Ancient Roman and Byzantine societies placed a high value on close friendships.
3. Overemphasis on a spouse as one's "everything" can harm both the marriage and other relationships.
4. A balanced social life, including close friendships, can lead to a more fulfilling life and marriage.
5. An exercise to evaluate the importance of relationships in one's life involves drawing circles to represent the significance of different relationships.
6. Establishing routines to prioritize friendships can lead to more satisfying relationships, both romantic and platonic.

Gov: Bill Introduced to Allow Algorithm's Code to be Inspected for Due Process

1. Reps. Takano and Evans reintroduced the "Justice in Forensic Algorithms Act of 2024" to ensure defendants' rights in criminal cases using black-boxed algorithms.
2. Currently, defendants often can't see or challenge the source code used in their prosecution, which may violate due process rights.
3. Algorithmic software is increasingly used in criminal investigations and trials, analyzing DNA samples, faces in photos, gunshots, and online file sharing.
4. Developers' trade secret protections often prevent defendants from challenging the evidence used against them and understanding how the algorithms work.
5. This issue threatens due process rights and violates confrontation rights guaranteed in the Constitution and federal, local, and state law.
6. The bill has endorsements from the Electric Frontier Foundation and The Legal Aid Society.

• This seems like a great idea to me! It'll force open sourcing, which will encourage companies to either be open source or avoid getting involved in prosecution
• Also could protect targeted individuals, which seems good

NYT: Slowing Shift to Electric Cars

1. The Biden administration plans to relax elements of a strategy to increase electric vehicle sales, giving car manufacturers more time to comply.
2. The original plan aimed for 67% of new car and light-duty truck sales to be all-electric by 2032, but the new plan will increase electric vehicle sales more gradually through 2030, then sharply rise.
3. The change in pacing is in response to automakers needing more time to build charging stations and bring down the cost of electric vehicles, and to labor unions wanting more time to unionize new electric car plants.
4. Delaying the most stringent requirements could have a negative impact on the climate, as it would mean continuing to emit auto emissions in the short term.
5. The United Auto Workers union had expressed concerns about the electric vehicle transition and its impact on jobs, but later endorsed Biden after he sought to assuage their concerns.
6. The administration's new plan aims to balance the need for climate action with the concerns of labor unions and the auto industry.

• I'm still not 100% sure how fast or impactful the transition to electric cars will be
• I watched this video a while ago, which made me more skeptical, but in general I think it'll provide more flexibility and is a necessary transition at some point
• I guess I trust the government to make the judgement in how quick the transition should be, because we have to also allow the infrastructure to transition

NYT: Lab Grown Meat Opposition

1. Florida legislature is considering a bill to ban the sale or manufacture of lab-grown meat, with a potential fine of $1,000 for violations.
2. Lab-grown meat, also called cultivated meat, is produced by growing cells from animals in water, salt, and nutrients.
3. The meat industry is opposed to lab-grown meat, while environmentalists and some space exploration advocates support it.
4. Lab-grown meat production has received backing from billionaires like Bill Gates and Richard Branson, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio.
5. The meat industry and some politicians have raised concerns about lab-grown meat, drawing it into America's culture wars.
6. Opponents of the ban, including companies investing in lab-grown meat, argue that it would benefit China and hinder innovation in the US.

• Lab grown meat seems like an obviously good idea imo
• I understand that the economy would probably struggle if we just all became vegan tomorrow, but I definitely advocate for a transition away from meat consumption (for ethical and environmental reasons)
• It would allow people to not even really sacrifice flavor or nutritional value, while avoiding many of the harmful parts of the meat industry

NPR: Housing Reform in Minneapolis

1. Minneapolis is a leader in zoning reform, allowing more density and eliminating parking requirements.
2. A study by The Pew Charitable Trusts found that Minneapolis added 12% to its housing stock between 2017 and 2022 due to zoning reforms.
3. Most new housing built in Minneapolis during this period was in midsize apartment buildings with 20 or more units.
4. Zoning reform is happening in cities and towns around the country, with a focus on "gentle density" and creating more choices.
5. Eliminating parking requirements has been the most effective regulatory reform in increasing housing supply.
6. Outdated and inequitable zoning regulations have historically been used to segregate cities by socioeconomic status and race.

• I'm generally a fan of adding more housing, so this is exciting that it's working out for a place like Minneapolis

THN: Google Open Sources Magika

1. Google is open-sourcing its AI-powered file identification tool, Magika, to improve file identification accuracy by 30% and enhance cybersecurity.
2. Magika uses a custom deep-learning model and implements inference functions using the Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX).
3. Google uses Magika internally to improve users' safety by routing files to the proper security and content policy scanners in Gmail, Drive, and Safe Browsing.
4. Google emphasizes the need for a balanced regulatory approach to AI usage and adoption to avoid restraining defenders due to AI governance choices.
5. AI allows security professionals to scale their work in threat detection, malware analysis, vulnerability detection, fixing, and incident response.
6. There are concerns about the use of web-scraped data for training generative AI models, which may include personal data, and the potential for large language models to function as "sleeper agents" for deceptive or malicious behavior.

NYT: The Great Compression

1. Soaring housing prices have led to an increase in the construction of smaller homes, such as the 400-square-foot homes in the Cinder Butte subdivision in Redmond, Oregon.
2. The trend towards smaller homes has been driven by a combination of economic, demographic, and regulatory factors, as well as an increase in mortgage rates.
3. Smaller homes are a chance for people like Mr. Lanter, a retired nurse, to hold on to home ownership in expensive housing markets.
4. The shift towards smaller homes is a response to the lack of affordable "starter homes" for first-time buyers, particularly in cities.
5. Developers are building smaller homes to meet the demand of buyers, particularly younger buyers like Caleb Rodriguez, who recently purchased a 350-square-foot home in San Antonio.
6. State and local governments are encouraging the trend towards smaller homes by passing new bills that make it easier for builders to erect smaller units at greater densities.