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Statements posted on this blog represent the views of individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Center for Law Science & Innovation (which does not take positions on policy issues) or of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law or Arizona State University.

Technology Triple Trivia

TTT12

3 Questions. 3 Hints. 3 Answers.

September 29, 2015

1. Can you say “yuck factor”?

Hint:

(fly eggs…yuck!)

Answer: a new twist on the old saying “you are what you eat” comes the good old FDA in the form “you are what the government says you may eat.”  Given the methods of processing and packaging mass-produced food, the FDA allows a certain quantity of “defects” to be ingested by (mostly) unsuspecting humans.  The list includes, “insects, insect parts, rodent hairs, larvae, rodent poop, mammal poop, bone material, mold, rust, and cigarette butts.”  Read more here, or wisely choose not to — after all, ignorance in this case is bliss!

2. If the U.N. gets its way, there may no longer be a safe harbor for these ships…

Hint:

 

Answer: surges in online incidents of violence against women — a very unfortunate example of misuse of technology — prompted the United Nations (U.N.) to recently suggest that online platforms should be “(a) generally responsible for the actions of their users and (b) specifically responsible for making sure those people aren’t harassers.”   Coming down with a heavy hand, the U.N. “proposes both that social networks proactively police every profile and post, and that government agencies only “license” those who agree to do so.”   The U.N.’s stance conflicts with section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a  law that absolves online go-betweens from this kind of oversight — a law without which such entities would very likely not exist.  Read the details here.

3.  Yet another positive use of science…

Hint:

Answer:  an Executive Order signed this month by POTUS assumes “the world is filled with actual Humans—creatures who have trouble with complex calculations, opt for the path of least resistance, and are influenced by subtle shifts in how information is relayed and framed.”  For effective results, there is now a push for government programs to use behavioral science in establishing and running human-directed programs, always keeping the average Joe in mind.  Read the story here.