in the clear: 2024-04-22

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.

NPR: A cheap drug may slow down aging. A study will determine if it works

1. Metformin, a diabetes drug, is being studied for its potential to slow down aging and protect against age-related diseases.
2. A clinical trial called "The TAME Trial" is testing whether metformin can help prevent diseases and promote a longer healthspan in older adults.
3. Metformin has been found to have anti-inflammatory effects and reduce the risk of certain types of cancers and cardiovascular death.
4. The drug is inexpensive, costs less than a dollar a day, and has been used safely for decades by millions of people.
5. The evidence of its benefits is mostly observational and more research is needed to prove cause and effect.
6. The TAME Trial is facing funding challenges as metformin is a generic drug and no pharmaceutical company stands to make money from it.

NPR: Many in Gen Z ditch colleges for trade schools. Meet the 'toolbelt generation'

1. Many Gen Z individuals are choosing to forgo a four-year college degree in favor of vocational schools that offer paid, on-the-job training.
2. This shift is due to the high cost of college, the appeal of high-paying jobs in skilled trades, and the desire to avoid crushing college debt.
3. Skilled trades are making a comeback, with many young people prioritizing them as a path to the middle class and a means to avoid debt.
4. There is a stigma attached to blue-collar work, but many young people find these jobs lucrative and empowering.
5. The infrastructure bill signed by President Biden is expected to open up thousands of new jobs in trades, appealing to many Gen Zers.
6. Vocational jobs are becoming more attractive due to increasing salaries and new technologies, with many offering six-figure incomes.

NPR: Supreme Court weighs whether cities can punish unhoused people for sleeping outside

1. The Supreme Court is hearing a case on homelessness, addressing whether people can be punished for sleeping outside if there's no shelter available.
2. The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, challenges a 2018 and 2022 ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that protects people from criminal and civil penalties for sleeping on public land when no adequate shelter is available.
3. Grants Pass, Oregon, the city at the center of the case, argues that camping restrictions are essential for public health and safety, but advocates for the unhoused say these rules criminalize a person's status of being homeless.
4. The case has led to many lawsuits and questions around what constitutes adequate shelter, how to determine if someone has nowhere else to go, and what to do if someone refuses shelter.
5. The Supreme Court's decision won't solve the homelessness problem, but it could significantly impact the lives of those living on streets, parks, and back alleys.
6. Many places lack sufficient shelter beds and affordable housing, which are key drivers of homelessness. The case won't address these issues but will shape the living conditions of homeless individuals.

Lawfare: Five Observations on the TikTok Bill and the First Amendment

Five observations copied from the article:

1. The law isn’t a straightforward ban of TikTok, but its defenders need to be willing to defend it as one.
2. It’s unclear what the proper tier of scrutiny is, but it also doesn’t really matter.
3. The better justification for the law is about foreign manipulation, not data privacy.
4. The manipulation threat is speculative, but not really.
5. The alternatives all have serious downsides, including Project Texas.

NPR: United Methodists will again debate LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings

1. The United Methodist Church is discussing LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings at its General Conference in Charlotte, N.C.
2. The church's rule book currently states that "The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching."
3. The General Conference is the only church authority that can change the rules around issues of sexuality.
4. Over 7,600 congregations left the United Methodist Church by December 2022 due to these issues.
5. A significant number of ministers are suffering from high levels of stress and mental health issues due to these divisions.
6. Methodist minister Patricia Farris hopes the church will refocus on issues like community care and social change.

NYT: The Best Fish Is Also the Most Local. Why Is It So Hard to Find?

1. The article discusses the challenges of finding locally caught seafood in the US, as it is often trucked long distances and passes through many hands before reaching consumers.
2. The article highlights the work of "Dock to Dish" and similar organizations that help fishing communities sell their catch directly to local markets, ensuring freshness and supporting local economies.
3. The author emphasizes the importance of consuming locally caught seafood for environmental reasons, as well as the economic benefits for fishing communities.
4. The article features Rick Stevens, a fisherman who catches a variety of seafood, including clams, scallops, and mackerel, which are often overlooked in favor of imported options.
5. The author points out the lack of transparency in seafood labeling, making it difficult for consumers to know if they are buying locally caught or imported seafood.
6. The article suggests that consumers can help by seeking out locally caught seafood, even if it means trying less familiar species, and by being willing to pay a bit more to support local economies.

ATIH: All Tech Is Human Partners with Thorn and Leading Tech Companies to Promote Safety by Design Generative AI principles

1. All Tech Is Human and Thorn have partnered with leading tech companies to promote Safety by Design Generative AI principles to ensure child safety.
2. The partnership includes Amazon, Anthropic, Civitai, Google, Meta, Metaphphysic, Microsoft, Mistral AI, OpenAI, and Stability AI, who have committed to implement principles to prevent AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
3. The commitment includes releasing progress updates and is a proactive measure to embed safety measures into AI products.
4. The initiative is led by Dr. Rebecca Portnoff and aims to make the misuse of generative AI involving children less likely.
5. The battle to reduce harms against children is ongoing, with more companies expected to join the commitment.
6. All Tech Is Human and Thorn are committed to solving tech and society's thorniest issues, leveraging collective intelligence and diversity.

The Economist: Why a stronger dollar is dangerous

1. The US dollar has been strengthening, which can have negative impacts on American manufacturing and trade.
2. This strong dollar is partly due to the weakening of other currencies, such as the Japanese yen and the euro.
3. A strong dollar can lead to increased inflation in the US and higher repayments for companies that have borrowed in dollars.
4. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed concern about the impact of these developments on global financial stability.
5. Countries like Japan, India, and South Korea have foreign-exchange reserves they could use to strengthen their currencies, but this would only provide temporary relief.
6. The strength of the dollar could lead to trade tensions, particularly with countries like China, and could potentially result in further tariffs and sanctions.

WSJ: IBM Nears Deal for Cloud-Software Provider

1. IBM is reportedly close to acquiring cloud-software provider HashiCorp.
2. The deal would likely value HashiCorp above its current market value of $4.9 billion.
3. HashiCorp's software aids companies in setting up their infrastructure in the cloud.
4. IBM, with a market capitalization of $170 billion, is transforming itself into a hybrid-cloud and AI company.
5. This potential acquisition is part of IBM's makeover, focusing on areas like quantum computing and blockchain.
6. The technology sector has seen muted M&A activity, with Salesforce recently abandoning talks to acquire Informatica.

NYT: Your most pressing climate questions

1. The Climate Forward newsletter introduces "Ask NYT Climate," a platform for answering reader-submitted questions about climate change.
2. The core issues of climate change are largely settled, with carbon dioxide emissions from human sources being the main cause.
3. The most common question from readers is "What can I do?" to combat climate change.
4. The scale of the problem is vast, requiring a massive and global effort to move away from fossil fuels.
5. Many scientists are investigating the role humans have played in record-breaking heat and what it might indicate about the future.
6. Biodiversity loss is a significant issue, with species extinction rates currently tens to hundreds of times higher than the average.

The Register: Ex-Amazon exec claims she was asked to ignore copyright law in race to AI

1. Dr. Viviane Ghaderi, a former high-ranking AI scientist at Amazon, has filed a lawsuit alleging unfair dismissal and discrimination after being demoted following her pregnancy leave.
2. Ghaderi claims Amazon breached its own copyright rules in the race to advance in AI research, and she was asked to ignore these rules.
3. She asserts that she was pressured to delay her maternity leave and was subjected to discriminatory comments about her role as a new mother.
4. Upon her return from maternity leave, Ghaderi was allegedly denied reinstatement to her promised career path and was given negative performance reviews.
5. Ghaderi claims she was retaliated against for complaining about violations of copyright law and policy, as well as violations of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act.
6. After taking additional protected leave, Ghaderi was placed on an Amazon "Focus" performance review plan and her role was diminished, with a subsequent negative performance appraisal and the loss of her previous career path.

After Babel: Suicide Rates Are Now Higher Among Young Adults Than the Middle-Aged

1. The suicide rate among young adults (20-24 years old) has recently surpassed that of middle-aged adults in the US.
2. This trend is particularly pronounced in men, with the highest suicide rate now occurring in men in their 20s.
3. Among women, the suicide rate for middle-aged individuals is decreasing, while it continues to rise in younger women.
4. The COVID-19 pandemic and related factors may have contributed to a decrease in suicide rates among middle-aged adults.
5. However, suicide rates among Gen Z and younger millennials remain a significant concern, with these groups experiencing high levels of depression and self-harm.
6. It's crucial to focus on the mental health of teens and young adults, as addressing their mental health needs is not a moral panic, but a mandate.

NPR: President Biden signs law to ban TikTok nationwide unless it is sold

1. President Biden has signed a law that could result in a nationwide ban of TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, does not sell its stake within a year.
2. The law is a response to concerns about potential Chinese government influence on TikTok, which is used by 170 million Americans.
3. TikTok has pledged to challenge the law in court, arguing it would suppress the free speech of millions of Americans.
4. The law also marks the first time the U.S. has passed a law that could trigger the ban of a social media platform.
5. If not sold within a year, the law would make it illegal for web-hosting services to support TikTok, and it would force Google and Apple to remove TikTok from app stores.
6. Critics argue the law is unconstitutional and a blow to free expression in the U.S., and that it should be replaced with comprehensive privacy legislation.

IAPP: Google to delay Privacy Sandbox deployment (Digiday Full Story)

IAPP Summary: "Google will delay its plans to end the use of third-party cookies on the Chrome browser, DigiDay reports. Google's Privacy Sandbox was previously set for deployment late in the fourth quarter of this year and did not offer a potential timeline for its implementation. The company's announcement comes after The Wall Street Journal obtained a draft U.K. Information Commissioner's Office report finding the Privacy Sandbox needs to better protect users' personal data."

The Economist: Many mental-health conditions have bodily triggers

1. Mental health conditions can have physical causes, such as infections or autoimmune disorders, which can be mistaken for mental health issues.
2. The current diagnostic system in psychiatry, based on the DSM, focuses on symptom classification rather than underlying causes, leading to potential misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment.
3. A shift in psychiatry is emerging, with a renewed interest in finding neurological biomarkers and recognizing medical conditions that can trigger psychiatric symptoms.
4. Some mental health conditions, like OCD and psychosis, can be caused by the immune system attacking the brain, and can be treated with immunotherapy.
5. The immune system's impact on the brain is increasingly recognized, with the potential to treat certain conditions with antibody removal or immunotherapy.
6. Metabolic disturbances can also affect mental health, and dietary interventions like the ketogenic diet are being studied for their potential benefits.

Gizmodo: AI Can Tell Your Political Affiliation Just by Looking at Your Face, Researchers Find (Study)

1. A study claims that AI can determine a person's political orientation by their facial features, even when controlled for age, gender, and ethnicity.
2. The algorithm's accuracy is compared to that of job interview predictions and alcohol's effect on aggressiveness.
3. The study is based on the correlation between specific facial morphologies and political orientations.
4. Liberals are found to have "smaller lower faces, lips, noses, and chins" than conservatives.
5. The researchers suggest that this could lead to biased treatment and self-fulfilling prophecies.
6. The study also warns about the potential misuse of such facial recognition technology in targeted political messaging.

NPR: AI music isn't going away. Here are 4 big questions about what's next

Questions:

1. What exactly does generative AI do, and how has it intersected with music so far?
2. Who are the people calling for protections against AI in music, and what are they worried about?
3. Why is AI music so hard to regulate?
4. New technology has upended the music industry before. Can we take any lessons from history?

Summary:

1. AI music is becoming more advanced, with tools that can mimic artists' styles, vocals, and production aesthetics without their involvement or permission.
2. This has led to regulatory challenges, as there is currently no comprehensive system in place to dictate how these AI tools can be used.
3. Tennessee has become the first state to address this issue with the ELVIS Act, which aims to protect artists from having their voices cloned or words put in their mouths.
4. Generative AI is not autonomous or creative, but rather uses vast quantities of human-made intellectual and artistic output to recognize and replicate patterns.
5. AI is already being used in music production, from salvaging old recordings to helping with songwriting and audio leveling.
6. There are concerns about the potential for AI to create music that is too similar to existing works, raising issues about copyright and the value of original music.

Technology Review: Almost every Chinese keyboard app has a security flaw that reveals what users type

1. Many Chinese keyboard apps, including those from Baidu, Tencent, and iFlytek, have a security flaw that allows interception of keystroke data, potentially exposing nearly a billion users to eavesdropping.
2. This vulnerability, which allows unencrypted transmission of keystroke data, could have been exploited by cybercriminals and state surveillance groups.
3. The vulnerability is not limited to third-party apps; preinstalled keyboards on Android phones sold in China also fail to properly encrypt user data.
4. The issue was first identified in Sogou, one of the most popular keyboard apps, which fixed the problem after it was made public but some preinstalled keyboards are still not updated.
5. The vulnerability is more widespread than previously believed, and it's easy to exploit, potentially allowing hackers to gain access to sensitive information like bank account passwords.
6. Despite the majority of the loopholes being fixed after the researchers contacted the companies, some apps and phones, including QQ Pinyin, Baidu, and some keyboard apps that haven't been updated, still have this vulnerability.

IAPP: Connecticut Senate approves AI bill (CT Mirror)

IAPP Summary: The Connecticut Senate advanced legislation to regulate artificial intelligence to House consideration, The CT Mirror reports. Senate Bill 2 proposes requirements on the use of automated decision-making technology, imposes penalties for creating deepfake content and sets a 1 July 2025 deadline for AI developers to take "reasonable care to protect consumers from any known or reasonably foreseeable risks of algorithmic discrimination." The Connecticut General Assembly's 2024 regular legislative session concludes 8 May. Editor's note: Explore the IAPP AI Governance Center and subscribe to the AI Governance Dashboard.

NYT: Inside the Crisis at NPR

1. NPR is facing financial and internal strife, with decreased listenership and revenue, as well as accusations of liberal bias.
2. The organization has been struggling to adapt to the changing media landscape, with a traditional broadcast audience in long-term decline and a lagging digital subscription business.
3. NPR's push for diversity has not yielded the expected results in terms of increased listenership, and has caused internal conflict.
4. The network's unique leadership structure, where member stations control the board, creates challenges for implementing changes.
5. NPR has confidence in its recent initiatives, such as its podcast subscription business, staff diversification, and digital outreach, but these are not without criticism.
6. NPR's new CEO, Katherine Maher, who has no professional experience in the news industry, is focusing on reaching audiences on new and existing platforms.

NYT: Honda Commits to E.V.s With Big Investment in Canada

1. Honda will invest $11 billion in Ontario, Canada to build batteries and electric vehicles.
2. This investment is the largest by an automaker in Canadian history and will be near their existing factory in Alliston, Ontario.
3. Honda plans to retool its factory in Marysville, Ohio to produce electric vehicles by 2026.
4. The investment is supported by up to $1.8 billion in tax credits from the Canadian government.
5. Canada has resources like lithium and hydroelectric power that are beneficial for electric vehicle production.
6. Honda will also partner to convert raw materials into battery components in Canada.

IAPP:  A regulatory roadmap to AI and privacy

1. AI's privacy problems are often extensions of existing issues, such as data collection and processing, rather than unique challenges.
2. Existing privacy laws need revision to address AI's privacy challenges, as they often emphasize individual control which can be inadequate in AI contexts.
3. AI exposes the flaws in traditional privacy approaches, highlighting the need for more organizational obligations and accountability.
4. AI involves complex privacy issues in both data collection (e.g., massive data gathering through scraping) and data generation (e.g., inferences, simulations).
5. AI can lead to preemptive actions, judgments, and potential discrimination due to its predictive capabilities and bias.
6. AI can significantly increase the power of surveillance, raising concerns about mass surveillance and individual privacy rights.

NYT: F.C.C. Votes to Restore Net Neutrality Rules

1. The F.C.C. has voted to restore net neutrality rules, classifying broadband as a utility-like service.
2. The regulations aim to prevent internet service providers from blocking or degrading delivery of services from competitors.
3. The rules were first introduced under the Obama administration, repealed under Trump, and are now reinstated under Biden's administration.
4. The reinstated rules allow the F.C.C. to demand broadband providers report and respond to outages and security issues.
5. Broadband providers are expected to sue to overturn the reinstated rules, while consumer and free speech groups support the regulations.
6. The regulations are designed to ensure internet service providers do not control the quality of consumer experience when accessing online services.

WSJ: Google and Microsoft Cushion Their AI Capital Pains

1. Google and Microsoft reported record-high capital expenditures, indicating significant investments in AI services.
2. Despite increased spending, both companies' core businesses are performing well, with revenue and operating earnings beating Wall Street's targets.
3. Google's parent company, Alphabet, had a strong quarter with revenue up 15% and improved cost controls.
4. Microsoft also had a positive quarter, with revenue for its Azure cloud computing service growing by 31%.
5. Both companies have announced plans for increased AI investments in the future.
6. Investors are closely watching AI spending, as indicated by the first questions in the earnings calls for both Google and Microsoft.

ArsTechnica: Court upholds New York law that says ISPs must offer $15 broadband

1. A federal appeals court has overturned a ruling that prevented New York from enforcing a law requiring ISPs to offer $15 broadband plans to low-income consumers.
2. The law, known as the Affordable Broadband Act (ABA), requires ISPs to offer "broadband at no more than $15 per month for service of 25Mbps" to consumers who qualify for means-tested government benefits.
3. The court ruled that the state law is not preempted by federal law, stating that the Communications Act of 1934 does not establish a comprehensive rate regulation framework.
4. The court also rejected the argument that the state law is preempted by the Federal Communications Commission's 2018 order classifying broadband as an information service.
5. The court suggested several options for ISPs to avoid regulation, including taking it up with the New York State Legislature or asking Congress to change the scope of the FCC's Title I authority.
6. The ruling comes a day after the FCC reclassified broadband again in order to restore net neutrality rules, which might give ISPs a better case for preempting the New York law.

NPR: Got brothers or sisters? Warm sibling bonds help boost happiness as you age

1. Warm sibling relationships in early adulthood can predict greater resilience and less loneliness, anxiety, and depression in later life.
2. A turning point in sibling relationships often occurs around age 23, with relationships becoming more stable and less influenced by early dynamics.
3. Sibling relationships can significantly influence emotional well-being into middle age and beyond, with sisters tending to have warmer relationships.
4. Despite potential conflicts, sibling relationships can be strengthened through open communication, understanding, and empathy.
5. It's beneficial to give siblings grace, see situations from their perspective, and establish clear lines of communication, especially when dealing with shared responsibilities like caring for aging parents.
6. Positive sibling relationships can lead to less loneliness, anxiety, and depression, and more emotional well-being in later life.

NYT: Crackdowns at 4 College Protests Lead to More Than 200 Arrests

1. More than 200 protesters were arrested at four college campuses on April 28, 2024, during pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
2. The protests were in response to the alleged support of Israel's war in Gaza by the universities.
3. Protesters were demanding transparency and divestment from companies supporting Israel's war in Gaza.
4. Some university administrations claim the protests were infiltrated by professional organizers and used antisemitic slurs.
5. Protesters deny these claims and argue for their right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.
6. Several universities have responded by arresting protesters, restricting access, and suspending students and groups.