When Montreal’s taxi drivers suffered while police turned a blind eye to illegal Uber operators, a Lebanese man became the Taxi Sheriff, champion of taxi drivers’ welfare. Hassan Kattoua created various schemes to fight back against Uber, the most famous of which was an ambush where he and a few others dressed up as cowboys, seized an Uber driver’s phone and providing their warning notice: “We have seized the machine that you are using as a weapon for your outlaw activity that is impoverishing drivers in towns and cities.” 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
