Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Daily Archives: October 3, 2022

The High Cost of Living Your Life Online

Wired: “To be online is to be constantly exposed. While it may seem normal, it’s a level of exposure we’ve never dealt with before as human beings. We’re posting on Twitter, and people we’ve never met are responding with their thoughts and criticisms. People are looking at your latest Instagram selfie. They’re literally swiping on your face. Messages are piling up. It can sometimes feel like the whole world has its eyes on you. Being observed by so many people appears to have significant psychological effects. There are, of course, good things about this ability to connect with others. It was crucial during the height of the pandemic when we couldn’t be close to our loved ones, for example. However, experts say there are also numerous downsides, and these may be more complex and persistent than we realize. Studies have found that high levels of social media use are connected with an increased risk of symptoms of anxiety and depression. There appears to be substantial evidence connecting people’s mental health and their online habits. Furthermore, many psychologists believe people may be dealing with psychological effects that are pervasive but not always obvious. “What we’re finding is people are spending way more time on screens than previously reported or than they believe they are,” says Larry Rosen, professor emeritus of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. “It’s become somewhat of an epidemic.” Rosen has been studying the psychological effects of technology since 1984, and he says he’s watched things “spiral out of control.” He says people are receiving dozens of notifications every day and that they often feel they can’t escape their online lives. “Even when you’re not on the screens, the screens are in your head,” Rosen says…”

Thurman Arnold Project Offers an Online Primer in Antitrust

Yale School of Management: “Antitrust enforcement is frequently in the news, as governments grapple with powerful firms in technology and other industries. A new collection of online videos from Yale’s Thurman Arnold Project offers a wide-ranging introduction to antitrust economics for law students, attorneys, and journalists—as well as engaged citizens who want to understand how… Continue Reading

Ok, Zoomer: Teaching Legal Research to Gen Z

Schlinck, Olivia, Ok, Zoomer: Teaching Legal Research to Gen Z (June 14, 2022). Cardozo Legal Studies Research Paper No. 684, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4136738 “Generation Z has entered law school. With each new generation comes new education preferences. While research on Gen Z in the legal academy has grown over the past few years, to… Continue Reading

Financial Stability Oversight Council Releases Report on Digital Asset Financial Stability Risks and Regulation

“The Financial Stability Oversight Council (Council) today released its Report on Digital Asset Financial Stability Risks and Regulation. The Council voted to approve the report in response to Section 6 of President Biden’s Executive Order 14067, “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets.As called for by the Executive Order, the report reviews financial stability risks and… Continue Reading

New lightning tool tells a striking story

NOAA: “NOAA’s new Lightning Climatology tool for the continental U.S. shows when cloud-to-ground lightning flashes are historically most frequent for any location across the country.  Data about long-term lightning trends, as well as dates and times of reduced lightning risk, can be useful in a wide range of ways for virtually everyone. Organizers and supporters… Continue Reading

Algorithmic Accountability Act: Potential Coverage Gaps in the Healthcare Sector

ABA: “The proposed Algorithmic Accountability Act of 2022, H.R. 6580, 117th Cong. (2022), requires companies to implement assessments of their algorithmic decision tools to detect issues with privacy and discrimination among others. The Act would be enforced by the FTC, which may not have jurisdiction over some companies, such as non-profits and companies in the… Continue Reading

Coffee vs. tea smackdown

Washington Post – Which beverage will claim the world title for healthiest drink? – “Whatever your preference, scientists have found that regularly drinking coffee or tea can provide a variety of health benefits. But how do coffee and tea compare in a head-to-head matchup? We took a look at the research, and here’s what we… Continue Reading