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Period Tracking Apps Adjust to Post-Roe Data Concerns

June 27, 2022
Mashable, The Independent, WSJ
The context
Many women use period-tracking apps to track their cycles, but in the post, Roe-era data from the apps could become evidence in states that have banned abortion, setting the stage for new data privacy protection legislation and policy.
Period Tracking Apps Adjust to Post-Roe Data Concerns

Delete your apps

  • One of the posts which circulated online after Roe v. Wade was overturned was a call for women to delete their period-tracking apps as states moved to ban abortions.
  • Activists and data privacy experts are worried that data from period tracking apps could be used as evidence to show that a woman had an abortion or sought access to one.
  • Companies will have to adapt their data sharing policies for users who use the apps the track their periods. Apps have regularly complied with police requests for data, and in states where abortions are criminalized, apps must decide whether they comply with potential investigations.
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Protecting privacy

  • In states where abortions have been banned, there will also be criminal consequences for obtaining or accessing an abortion. Some states are even looking to criminalize miscarriages.
  • Evidence in criminal cases might include period tracking apps, search engine data, and location data.
  • Democrats are quickly moving to protect user data on the federal level by allowing tech companies to refuse requests from law enforcement to access individuals' data.
  • Lawmakers are also going after platforms like Meta for tracking users' traffic from Facebook to sites of crisis pregnancy centers or anti-abortion clinics.
  • Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced the Health and Location Protection Act, which would be enforced by the Federal Trade Commission and state's attorney generals and would ban companies from selling or releasing users' location and health data. It would also provide a pathway for individuals to sue companies that transfer or sell their health data.
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Developer's dilemma

  • Developers at companies like Flo are rapidly working on ways to anonymize user data.
  • Women use the apps to not only track and predict periods but to predict fertility or ovulation. If data shows time without a menstrual cycle, that can be used as evidence of pregnancy.
  • Women are also worried that tracking data shows they traveled out of state while not logging a monthly period on the app can be used as evidence of abortion.
  • Information from health tracking apps is sometimes already sold to Facebook and Google.
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Technology

Meta May Be Planning Further Layoffs

February 14, 2023
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The context
Meta is reportedly planning a new round of layoffs that are expected to happen sometime in March.
Technology
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Meta May Be Planning Further Layoffs

The context
Meta is reportedly planning a new round of layoffs that are expected to happen sometime in March.
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Here we go again

  • Meta is preparing for a new round of job cuts that are expected to take place in March and will affect an unknown number of people.
  • In November, Meta laid off about 13% of its workforce.
  • Meta is one of the few tech companies to expand on earlier layoffs from 2022, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised that 2023 will be a year of "efficiency."
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Technology

Ford Announces Battery Upgrades

February 14, 2023
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The context
Ford’s electric vehicles will get new batteries that charge faster and are more affordable, thanks to new chemical breakthroughs in battery tech.
Technology
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Ford Announces Battery Upgrades

The context
Ford’s electric vehicles will get new batteries that charge faster and are more affordable, thanks to new chemical breakthroughs in battery tech.
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Better batteries

  • Ford announced it is opening a $3.5 billion electric vehicle factory in Michigan that will produce batteries with a new formula.
  • The lithium iron phosphate battery's chemistry means they are more durable, faster charging, and more affordable.
  • The new factory will generate 2,500 new jobs.
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Technology

ChatGPT Competitor Neeva Throws Down a Challenge

February 13, 2023
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The context
Neeva launched a generative AI search engine to an international audience today. The company initially launched the AI search engine to a limited audience in January to provide authentic, real-time AI search to a global audience.
Technology
Monday, February 13, 2023

ChatGPT Competitor Neeva Throws Down a Challenge

The context
Neeva launched a generative AI search engine to an international audience today. The company initially launched the AI search engine to a limited audience in January to provide authentic, real-time AI search to a global audience.
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Neeva launches

  • Neeva launched an AI search engine in the US in January to a limited audience of users.
  • The engine was marketed as an "authentic, real-time AI search.
  • The timing of the announcement was auspicious, as Microsoft and Google battle back and forth over integrating AI into their respective search engines.
  • Users have to subscribe to access the engine because Neeva doesn’t monetize through advertising and prevents third-party trackers from using personal data to display personalized ads.
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June 8, 2022

This Week In Technology June 2nd

This week, the COO of Meta, Sheryl Sandberg, is stepping down, Elon Musk demanded employees return to the office, and Clearview AI got some bad news.
This Week In Technology June 2nd
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Sources: 

COO No More

Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Meta (Facebook), announced she would be stepping down after 14 years.

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Tesla's Back In the Office

Elon Musk declared that Tesla workers should return to the office full time or get lost.

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Facial Technology Clampdown

Privacy watchdogs and AI innovators disagree on the way forward for facial recognition technology.

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Entertainment
May 19, 2022

This Week in Entertainment

The defamation trial of actress Amber Heard and actor Johnny Depp raged on and singer Eric Clapton’s European tour is on hold.

This Week in Entertainment
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Sources: 
ABC, Newsweek, Fox News, Billboard, The Hill, CNN

Ongoing: Amber Heard V. Johnny Depp

May 20th, 2022 

Actor Johnny Depp is suing his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, for defamation over an op-ed penned by Heard about her experience with domestic abuse. The op-ed is allegedly about her marriage to Depp. 

Clapton on Hold

May 18th, 2022

Guitarist and singer Eric Clapton announced that he would cancel two shows on his European tour after testing positive for Covid-19. 

Try something new

Go back in time

Entertainment

Rust Documentary Is Moving Full Speed Ahead

February 14, 2023
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The context
The producers of the film "Rust" named Bianca Cline as its cinematographer. The documentary will cover the death of the film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during production when a prop gun held by lead actor and producer Alec Baldwin misfired with a live round.
Entertainment
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Rust Documentary Is Moving Full Speed Ahead

The context
The producers of the film "Rust" named Bianca Cline as its cinematographer. The documentary will cover the death of the film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during production when a prop gun held by lead actor and producer Alec Baldwin misfired with a live round.
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 →

Green light for Rust documentary

  • The producers of the film “Rust” announced that they had found a cinematographer to continue the production of the film after it was halted when the former cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed in an on-set accident.
  • The producers announced in October that the film would be completed in Hutchins’ honor and that a documentary would be made about the completion of the film.
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Politics

Higher Than Anticipated Inflation Sparks Fears of Further Interest Rate Hikes

February 14, 2023
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The context
January inflation was higher than expected, sparking fears that the Federal Reserve may enact further interest rate hikes.
Politics
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Higher Than Anticipated Inflation Sparks Fears of Further Interest Rate Hikes

The context
January inflation was higher than expected, sparking fears that the Federal Reserve may enact further interest rate hikes.
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Higher than expected

  • Consumer prices rose 0.5% in January, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index, which was higher than experts expected.
  • The Federal Reserve may issue a more aggressive hike in the coming months to slow inflation.
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Politics

More and More Mysterious Objects

February 14, 2023
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The context
The White House reassured the press today that there was no indication that the unidentified flying objects shot down over the US and Canada were part of a Chinese spy program, leaving more questions about the objects’ origins.
Politics
Tuesday, February 14, 2023

More and More Mysterious Objects

The context
The White House reassured the press today that there was no indication that the unidentified flying objects shot down over the US and Canada were part of a Chinese spy program, leaving more questions about the objects’ origins.
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Unclear origins

  • The White House said today that there is no indication that the three objects shot down by the US military over the weekend were part of China's spy program.
  • Officials have yet to analyze the debris from the objects because access has been impossible due to weather conditions and location.
  • The administration suggested the balloons were tied to a commercial or harmless entity.
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Technology
May 19, 2022

This Week in Tech

Meta caught the attention of researchers and investors. Sony released new earbuds that caught many a gearhead’s attention, and the DOJ declared it would no longer charge “good faith” hackers who partake in security research. 

This Week in Tech
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Sources: 
Fortune, Microsoft News, Euronews, TechCrunch, TNW, Gizmodo, CNET, Vice

Meta-Maniacs

May 18th, 2022

Zuckerberg’s brainchild, the Metaverse, struggles to find lift-off on the markets with mixed results. 

Learn More

Sources: Fortune, Microsoft News, Euronews

Sony’s New Earbuds Hit The Market 

May 18th, 2022

Sony’s the name on everybody’s lips today as they announced they are releasing a $200 wireless earbud, and social media is aflame with reviews for their noise-canceling earphones.

Learn More

Sources: TechCrunch, TNW, Gizmodo

Good Day To Be a Good Faith Hacker

May 19th, 2022

The DOJ announced on May 19th that they would no longer prosecute so-called “good faith hackers” under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. The decision protects hackers who expose security flaws in the interest of public good. 

Learn More

Sources: TechCrunch, CNET, Vice

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