Concerns about child safety, terrorism, and all sorts of hot-button issues can make privacy seem negotiable. This is why there’s a proposal in the EU to open up people’s digital lives to scanning, from every text to every image. The author argues against the proposal on several points: there’s limited oversight, the technology doesn’t work properly, and privacy is a fundamental right. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
