Category: Society

Study shows that just two American organizations are responsible for 54% of anti-vaccination ads on Facebook.
They target women and parents of young children, and carefully craft their messages to avoid being removed due to violation of Facebook’s new ad terms.
In contrast, pro-vaccination ads come from 83 healthcare organizations, and they do get removed due to violation of Facebook’s terms.
This shows just how easy it is to spread misinformation on Facebook, and how imperfect the platform’s terms and moderation mechanisms are.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on November 15, 2019

pcmag.com

Russia has implemented a long-planned internet bill that aims to close off all outside internet services, and replace them with Russian equivalents.
This could usher in similar legislation in other countries, possibly leading to “splinternets” -- an internet of multiple government-controlled, walled-off ecosystems.
Ultimately this harms the global, open nature of the internet, but Russia is unlikely to close off everything due to conflicts of business nature.
While the aim is to prevent cyber crime and war, some experts say due to the nature of cybersecurity, this might not be a strong solution.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on November 1, 2019

mpg.de

Study based on four million Swedish women and men born between 1915 and 1960 proves that mothers and fathers live longer than childless adults.
The effect is most visible in adoptive parents, as adopting children can add as much as 5 years to their lifespan.
Researchers explain this by saying that people who are better off -- healthy, richer -- are usually those that have children.
Additionally, having children in one’s life encourages a more healthy lifestyle, ultimately leading to less accidents and sickness, and a longer life.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 25, 2019

Resource Generation, a group of wealthy young people across America, are using their capital to transfer power to financially struggling communities.
They want to decrease the earnings gap, and help more people have access to the opportunities that few -- except the wealthy -- can afford.
The group is focused on smart redistribution of wealth, and wants to encourage people to openly talk about money and status.
It has been around since the 1990s, and in the first half of 2019 members pledged $20 million to social justice and grassroots organizations.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 10, 2019

aan.com

People who experienced 2 or more income drops over a 20-year period, have smaller total brain volume, and perform cognitive tasks longer, with worse results.
They also had lower connectivity in the brain than people who haven’t experienced income drops.
3,287 were studied, aged 23 to 35 when the study began, and the results stay the same after adjusting for other factors that affect thinking skills.
Income volatility is at a record level since the 1980s, and this study shows that it’s not good for our health.

Bulleted by Michał Słupski
on October 4, 2019

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