in the clear: 2024-04-01

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.

NYT: Violence and Disorder in New York’s Mental Health Shelters

1. Carlton McPherson, who was charged in a fatal subway shoving, had stayed in mental health shelters.
2. The city has 38 mental health shelters with around 5,500 beds, costing about $260 million annually.
3. Violence and disorder are common in these shelters, with 50 deaths and over 1,400 fights since 2018.
4. The shelters aim to provide emergency housing, with limited mental health services.
5. Residents often experience sporadic mental health services and are sent to hospitals for intensive care.
6. Mayor Eric Adams plans to hire clinicians to dispatch mental health workers in the subway system.

AZ Capitol Times: Pluto now state’s official planet

1. Arizona's Governor Katie Hobbs has signed a bill designating Pluto as the state's official planet.
2. Pluto was discovered in Flagstaff by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in 1930.
3. Pluto is unique to Arizona as it was the only planet discovered in the United States.
4. Pluto was stripped of its official status as a planet by the International Astronomical Union due to its small gravitational pull.
5. The legislation was supported by Rep. Justin Wilmeth, who believes it is important to remember and promote the history of Pluto's discovery.
6. Some lawmakers, such as Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales, opposed the bill due to scientific and philosophical reasons.

NYT: From Pizzagate to the 2020 Election: Forcing Liars to Pay or Apologize

1. Michael J. Gottlieb, a lawyer at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, is using defamation law to combat political disinformation, taking cases that threaten public discourse and democracy.
2. Gottlieb has represented various clients, including Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who were falsely accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of aiding an imagined plot to steal the 2020 presidential election.
3. Defamation cases have become more common, with a growing number targeting those on the right, such as former President Donald J. Trump and Infowars' Alex Jones.
4. In 2020 and 2021, Nick Sandmann, a Kentucky high school student, settled defamation cases with several media outlets, including The Washington Post, CNN, and NBC.
5. Payouts for defamation cases can be substantial, with cases like E. Jean Carroll vs. Donald Trump and Dominion Voting Systems vs. Fox News resulting in multi-million dollar settlements.
6. Gottlieb and his team, called a "hobby" in service to those whose lives and reputations have been damaged, have taken on cases that might not be pursued by other firms due to the inability or resistance of defendants to pay large damages.

WSJ: Google Pledges to Destroy Browsing Data to Settle ‘Incognito’ Lawsuit

1. Google has agreed to destroy data collected from millions of users' private "Incognito" browsing in a lawsuit settlement.
2. The lawsuit alleged Google misled users about data tracking and violated federal and California privacy laws.
3. Google will update disclosures about data collection during private browsing and allow users to disable third-party cookies.
4. The settlement doesn't include damages for individual users, but allows them to file claims.
5. Google must delete and remediate the data it improperly collected in an "unprecedented" scale.
6. Google will rewrite disclosures about private browsing data collection and maintain changes for the next five years.

NPR: A federal judge says migrants can sue the company that flew them to Martha's Vineyard

1. A federal judge ruled that migrants flown to Martha's Vineyard in 2022 can sue the company, Vertol, that transported them.
2. The lawsuit alleges that migrants were misled about their final destination and had their civil rights violated.
3. The migrants, from Venezuela, were told they were going to Massachusetts but were taken to Martha's Vineyard instead.
4. The judge dismissed claims against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and other officials, but left open the possibility of reinstating them later.
5. The judge criticized those involved in the scheme, stating that there was no legitimate purpose for transporting the migrants under false pretenses.
6. The plaintiffs' lawyers called the ruling a "major victory" and stated that private companies can be held accountable for violating the rights of vulnerable immigrants.

NYT: Poor Nations Are Writing a New Handbook for Getting Rich

1. The traditional model of developing countries growing rich through manufacturing and export has become more challenging due to changes in technology, supply chains, and political tensions.
2. As industrialization relies more on automation and less on cheap labor, there are doubts about its ability to create the same economic benefits as in the past.
3. The service sector now makes up two-thirds of the world's output and offers potential growth opportunities, especially in high-tech areas like Bengaluru, India.
4. The classic development stages (farm to factory to offices) are no longer effective, and countries can focus growth around cities and diverse economic activities.
5. Successful development requires more than just free markets; it needs strategic industrial policies, government support, and a skilled workforce.
6. The growth in service jobs for businesses often requires advanced skills and education, which many people in developing nations lack.

NBC: ‘Boys are disappearing’ from mental health care as signs of depression go undetected

1. Boys and men are also experiencing depression, but it may not be as readily recognized as in girls and women.
2. Depression in boys can manifest as irritability, frustration, aggression, impulsivity, and risk-taking behavior.
3. A recent study found that antidepressant prescriptions for teenage boys and young men declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. The decrease in prescriptions may be due to boys disengaging from the healthcare system, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment.
5. Parents, pediatricians, and mental health professionals should be aware of the unique symptoms of depression in boys.
6. It's essential to address mental health issues in all young people, including boys, during and after the pandemic.

Economist: Why robots should take more inspiration from plants

1. A new robot, FiloBot, takes inspiration from climbing plants and is capable of growing, attaching to, and twining around supports in response to external stimuli.
2. FiloBot uses sensors and a plastic-extruding mechanism to mimic plant behaviors like seeking out shade or growing towards light.
3. The robot can grow at a rate of 2-7 millimeters per minute and can be used for environmental monitoring or disaster site assessment.
4. The team behind FiloBot has also developed "plantoids" based on roots, which can burrow through earth and analyze chemicals or find water.
5. A mini-bot called "I-Seed" is in development, inspired by the seeds of the South African geranium, and could be used for reforestation.
6. These plant-inspired robots aim to provide new technologies and artificial solutions by approaching design from a different perspective.

THN: Google Chrome Beta Tests New DBSC Protection Against Cookie-Stealing Attacks (Chromium Blog Post)

1. Google is testing a new feature in Chrome called Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC) to protect against session cookie theft by malware.
2. DBSC binds authentication sessions to the device, reducing the success rate of cookie theft malware.
3. The prototype is being tested with some Google Account users running Chrome Beta and aims to become an open web standard.
4. DBSC stores session keys locally on the device using Trusted Platform Modules (TPMs) and allows servers to verify proof-of-possession of the private key.
5. DBSC limits malware's ability to abuse stolen cookies and increases the chance that the browser or server can detect and mitigate cookie theft.
6. DBSC support will be rolled out to half of Chrome's desktop users based on their machine's hardware capabilities.

ArsTechnica: Facebook let Netflix see user DMs, quit streaming to keep Netflix happy: Lawsuit

1. Facebook Watch, Meta's streaming service, is no longer producing original series and is effectively shut down.
2. The decision to end Facebook Watch's original content may be related to cost cuts and appeasing a major ad customer, Netflix.
3. In 2013, Facebook allegedly gave Netflix access to users' private message inboxes for data in exchange for regular reports.
4. Netflix had a strong business relationship with Facebook, which included a "Facebook Extended API" agreement.
5. The case is part of an antitrust suit against Meta, accusing the company of anti-competitive practices.
6. The lawsuit claims that Netflix directed negotiations to end competition in streaming video from Facebook.

NPR: Indiana lawmakers ban cellphones in class. Now it's up to schools to figure out how

1. Indiana lawmakers have passed a law prohibiting wireless devices in class, including cellphones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices.
2. Exemptions are allowed for educational purposes, emergencies, health management, and individualized education programs.
3. Supporters of the law believe it will reduce distractions, bullying, and encourage face-to-face interaction.
4. Opponents argue that the law increases workload and expense for schools, and may lead to racial disparities in enforcement.
5. Schools will need to develop policies for enforcement, such as removing and storing devices away from students.
6. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and will impact school districts differently, with some already having similar policies in place.

AI Snake Oil Substack: Tech policy is only frustrating 90% of the time

1. The page discusses the value of engaging with tech policy even if it can be frustrating, highlighting the potential for significant impact and the existing expertise within policy agencies.
2. It argues that there is nothing exceptional about tech policy, comparing it to health and nuclear policy, and acknowledges that existing challenges can be addressed with existing laws and approaches.
3. The page mentions the importance of existing executive authority, as demonstrated by the Biden administration's Executive Order with over 50 agencies and 150 actions.
4. It highlights the work of Princeton's Center for Information Technology Policy and its collaborations on informing tech policy, including foundation model transparency reports and a proposal for New Jersey Assembly on deepfakes.
5. The page also mentions a non-partisan program called AI Policy Precepts, which aims to shape federal policy making for the next ten years by exploring core concepts, opportunities, and risks underlying AI.
6. Lastly, the page announces a call for nominations for policymakers to participate in the AI Policy Precepts program, with a deadline of April 5.

Nature: The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness?

1. Jonathan Haidt's book, "The Anxious Generation," suggests a link between social media use and an epidemic of mental illness in teenagers.
2. However, this claim is not supported by scientific evidence, with most data being correlative and showing small or mixed associations.
3. Studies have found that young people with mental-health problems may use social media differently, rather than social media causing the problems.
4. The rise in adolescent mental-health issues is influenced by various complex factors, including economic hardship, discrimination, and violence.
5. A 2024 analysis in 72 countries found no consistent or measurable associations between well-being and social media use.
6. The text emphasizes the need for more research and evidence-based solutions to support young people dealing with mental health issues.

Economist: The Federal Reserve cleans up its money-printing mess

1. The Federal Reserve is reducing its assets through a process called "less-for-longer quantitative tightening (Qt)" to undo pandemic-era bond purchases.
2. The goal is to have a smaller balance sheet than otherwise, allowing for more flexibility in expanding it during financial crises.
3. The Fed has reduced assets by 16% to $7.5 trillion since mid-2022, but the balance sheet remains large (about 80% larger than early 2020).
4. The Fed aims to return banks to "ample" reserves, down from the current "abundant" level, which could mean shrinking the balance sheet by another $500bn.
5. The Fed is guided by market signals, specifically watching if overnight financing rates for banks trade above the rate they pay on reserves.
6. The Fed plans to slow its asset reduction, aiming for a roll-off of roughly half as much as current levels, while also cutting interest rates.

Lawfare: There Is No General First Amendment Right to Distribute Machine-Learning Model Weights

1. The text discusses the legal status of machine-learning model weights and their potential First Amendment protection, comparing them to source code.
2. The author argues that, unlike source code, model weights primarily function as machine-readable instructions, not human-readable expression.
3. The text cites the Bernstein case, where the Ninth Circuit ruled that source code could be protected speech, and the court emphasized the similarity between source code and mathematical notation.
4. The author distinguishes between source and object code, noting that source code is intended for human analysis, while object code is meant for computers.
5. The text also discusses the potential impact of export controls on machine-learning model weights and their potential First Amendment implications.
6. Various court cases are mentioned, such as Bernstein, Junger v. Daley, and Universal City Studios v. Corley, which have influenced the interpretation of the First Amendment regarding code and encryption.

NPR: Amazon is cutting hundreds of jobs in its cloud computing unit AWS

1. Amazon is cutting several hundred jobs in its cloud computing unit AWS.
2. The layoffs affect the technology team for physical stores and the sales, marketing, and global service organization.
3. The cuts are related to business changes in AWS training and certification programs and sales operations.
4. Amazon is also making cuts in other areas to invest in other business priorities.
5. The layoffs follow other job cuts at Amazon and its subsidiaries this year.
6. Amazon plans to continue hiring in priority areas and will try to find internal opportunities for impacted employees.

NYT: Ford Slows Its Push Into Electric Vehicles

1. Ford is delaying the production of some electric cars and focusing on hybrid models due to slowing sales and profitability challenges.
2. Other companies like General Motors and Mercedes-Benz have also delayed electric car plans.
3. Sales of electric vehicles are growing but not as fast as previously, with many early adopters already owning electric cars.
4. Ford aims to offer a hybrid version of every model it sells by the end of the decade.
5. Ford's electric vehicle division lost $4.7 billion last year, while its gasoline and hybrid division made a $7.5 billion profit.
6. The shift in strategy is partly due to the difficulty in making and selling electric cars profitably and the need to lower costs for more affordable models.

Gödel's Lost Letter and P=NP: Daniel Kahneman, 1934–2024

1. The page is a tribute to the late Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in Economics, known for his work on human decision making.
2. Kahneman's work focuses on factors that affect human decision making, such as framing, loss aversion, and noise.
3. Framing effect is the impact of context on decision making, as seen in a chess study where players made more errors with a larger advantage or disadvantage.
4. Noise, or variability in human judgment, is another area Kahneman explored, advocating for replication in social economics and psychology studies.
5. Behavioral economics studies often rely on hypothetical questions, leading to concerns about their validity in real-life scenarios.
6. The author proposes using real-life competitive chess data to gather evidence for Kahneman's phenomena, such as framing and noise.

Matter of Opinion: Are Smartphones Just a Scapegoat for Our Unhappy Children?

1. The text discusses the potential impact of smartphone usage on the mental health of children and teenagers, particularly in the US.
2. There has been a rise in depression, anxiety, and suicide rates among young people, which coincides with increased screen time and smartphone usage.
3. The relationship between smartphones and mental health issues in children is a widely debated topic, with some arguing that screens and social media are responsible for making teenagers unusually unhappy.
4. The authors suggest that the lack of face-to-face interaction and real-world social skills could be contributing factors to the mental health issues faced by young people.
5. The text also highlights the importance of setting rules and limits for children's smartphone usage, with different strategies mentioned for various age groups.
6. The authors question whether the transformation of childhood into a more controlled and scheduled environment, as opposed to one mediated through peer groups, might be a more significant issue to address.

• More discussion surrounding smartphones, social media, and the mental health crisis
• Seems like this is pretty heavily spurred by a recent book by Jonathan Haidt

Lawfare: What Does the Public Think About Government Use of Facial Recognition?

1. The use of facial recognition by the government is a growing concern for scholars and civil rights organizations due to its potential inaccuracies and impact on marginalized communities.
2. A study shows that the public generally accepts targeted facial recognition use but is concerned about casual surveillance becoming widespread.
3. The lack of government regulation and constitutional challenges make it difficult to regulate facial recognition, with faces being viewed as public and difficult to distinguish between different uses.
4. The public's views on facial recognition are nuanced, with people reporting comfort in using it for serious crimes, enhancing security, and increasing identity verification efficiency.
5. There are still concerns about using facial recognition for jaywalking laws, monitoring political rallies, and tracking attendance at public events.
6. A statutory solution is needed to respect the nuances of facial recognition use, potentially prohibiting universal identification in public spaces while allowing more targeted non-law enforcement uses.

WSJ: Am I Glad I Went to College? Well, It’s Complicated

1. The author has significant student loan debt from attending college for six years and leaving without a degree.
2. Despite not using the knowledge gained in college for their current job, they believe college was essential for their success.
3. The author's family members were successful without college degrees, but they knew education was essential for a better life.
4. Many people are questioning the value of college due to high student debt, underemployment, and delayed life events.
5. College graduates typically earn more, have lower unemployment, vote at higher rates, and live longer, healthier lives.
6. The author's college experience taught them valuable life skills, such as getting along with diverse people and learning to teach themselves.

NPR: Using your phone to pay is convenient, but it can also mean you spend more

1. Mobile contactless payment methods, like Apple Pay or Google Pay, can lead to increased spending, with consumers tending to spend about 10% more on average.
2. A study based on a Chinese bank found that customers charged 9.4% more on average to their credit cards after adopting a mobile payment method.
3. The study's lead author, Yuqian Xu, estimates that approximately 4.5% of total credit card usage in the US is due to the influence of frictionless payments.
4. This convenience can lead to about $50 billion of the current $1.13 trillion in consumer credit card debt.
5. The main reasons for increased usage are the swift transaction process and the absence of the need to carry additional physical cards or a wallet.
6. Users should be aware of these dynamics to better manage financial resources and potentially reduce impulsive expenditures.

NYT Opinion: Happy 20th Anniversary, Gmail. I’m Sorry I’m Leaving You.

1. The article discusses the "shame closet" era of the internet, characterized by an overabundance of digital information and the loss of control over it.
2. The author, Ezra Klein, marks the 20th anniversary of Gmail, which he believes initiated this era by offering vast storage and powerful search tools.
3. Klein highlights the problems with this approach, including the overwhelming amount of information, the difficulty of finding what's important, and the decline of meaningful communication.
4. He shares his personal experience of euthanizing his Gmail account due to a million unread messages and the failure of Google's algorithms to prioritize his needs.
5. The article emphasizes the need for making choices and taking control of digital lives, rather than relying on algorithms to do so.
6. Klein concludes by sharing his adoption of Hey, an email service that forces him to make choices and prioritize his communication.

MSN: House, Senate leaders nearing deal on landmark online privacy bill

1. Congressional leaders are nearing a national data protection framework, aiming to compromise on preempting state laws and allowing individuals to sue companies that violate privacy.
2. The bipartisan deal is expected to be announced next week by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Sen. Maria Cantwell, the chairs of key committees.
3. Negotiations have faced partisan disputes over the scope of protections and the right for consumers to bring lawsuits for decades.
4. State legislatures have passed their own privacy laws due to the lack of a federal law, with some states allowing individual lawsuits.
5. The proposed bill would create a unified standard for data protection, overriding some state laws and allowing limited consumer lawsuits.
6. The deal's success depends on support from McMorris Rodgers and Cantwell, as well as passing both chambers of Congress.

NYT: How Exercise Strengthens Your Brain

1. Regular exercise can improve cognitive and mental health in various ways, including boosting mood and cognition through cellular changes.
2. Exercise offers short-term enhancements in working memory and executive functions due to increased neurotransmitter release.
3. Consistent exercise over time can lead to higher cognitive test scores and improved cognition.
4. Exercise can help alleviate depression and improve mental health, with the CDC recommending 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.
5. Exercise offers protection against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.
6. Physical activity increases blood flow, stimulates new blood vessel growth in the brain, and releases neuroprotective molecules that support brain cell health and new connections.