Big Brother is always watching, and he could be at your doorstep. In a concerning breach of privacy, Amazon revealed that it freely provided police with surveillance footage gathered from their Ring product. Amazon Rings are door-mounted personal security cameras that capture video, record conversation-level audio from nearly 8 metres away, and send user alerts when they see something suspicious. In an emergency, police can request footage from Amazon without the Ring user’s knowledge, but what constitutes an emergency is completely at the police’s discretion. 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
