Atheists and believers both have moral compasses, but with key differences

A new study suggests that, while atheists and theists share moral values related to protecting vulnerable individuals, atheists are less likely to endorse values that promote group cohesion and more inclined to judge the morality of actions based on their consequences. Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210224143306.htm

Second Google AI Ethics Leader Fired, She Says Amid Staff Protest

Alphabet’s Google on Friday fired scientist Margaret Mitchell, she said in a Twitter post, after weeks of being under investigation for moving thousands of files outside the company amid a battle over research freedom and diversity. From a report: Google’s ethics in artificial intelligence research unit has been under scrutiny since December’s dismissal of scientist Timnit Gebru, which prompted protest from…

Our interview with 5-time NBA All-Star Chris Webber about his Sports Activism online course, new on Coursera

By Shantelle Williams-Valadié, BOLD ERG Chair and Associate Director, University Partnerships, Coursera In the 1968 Olympics, medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos punched defiant fists into the summer air, decrying oppression of Black communities in the country whose colors they wore on their tracksuits. The act seized the world of sports and was widely condemned […]
The post Our interview with 5-time…

‘We Need to Inflict Pain’: Mark Zuckerberg’s War on Apple

When Tim Cook told an interviewer that Apple wouldn’t get in a Facebook-style data-collection controversy, “Mr. Zuckerberg shot back that Mr. Cook’s comments were ‘extremely glib’ and ‘not at all aligned with the truth,'” reports the Wall Street Journal. But “In private, Mr. Zuckerberg was even harsher. ‘We need to inflict pain,’ he told his team, for treating the company so…

People’s actions are making a real difference against the coronavirus

The unpredictability of covid-19 can make our lives feel out of control, but there are things we can all do to influence our course through the pandemic Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24933213-300-peoples-actions-are-making-a-real-difference-against-the-coronavirus/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

Myanmar Blocks Facebook as Resistance Grows To Coup

Myanmar’s new military government blocked access to Facebook as resistance to Monday’s coup surged amid calls for civil disobedience to protest the ousting of the elected government and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. From a report: Facebook is especially popular in Myanmar and is how most people access the internet. The military seized power shortly before a new session of…

Clearview AI Violated Canadian Privacy Law

sinij shares a report from CBC.ca: American technology firm Clearview AI violated Canadian privacy laws by collecting photos of Canadians without their knowledge or consent, an investigation by four of Canada’s privacy commissioners has found. The report found that Clearview’s technology created a significant risk to individuals by allowing law enforcement and companies to match photos against its database of more…

SEC To Review Brokers’ Restrictions on GameStop, AMC Trading

Securities regulators said Friday they plan to closely review the actions of some brokerage firms [Editor’s note: the link may be paywalled; alternative source] that restricted investors’ ability to trade volatile stocks such as GameStop this week. From a report: The Securities and Exchange Commission’s statement on Friday is the clearest indication yet that regulators are examining potential misconduct around the…

Monarch butterflies are in trouble: Here’s how to help in your own yard

The 2020 annual count of monarch butterflies in the western United States found shockingly few, confirming fears that the insect is on the brink of extinction. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/monarch-butterflies-of-western-us-nearing-extinction-what-you-can-do…

How social media can nudge people into becoming conspiracy theorists

An analysis of millions of posts on Reddit found that people who joined groups related to conspiracy theories were more likely to have faced actions from moderators in more mainstream groups beforehand Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24933193-300-how-social-media-can-nudge-people-into-becoming-conspiracy-theorists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…