As technology becomes mainstream it affects the way society behaves and we observe unfavorable societal phenomena. Social media and messaging applications have greatly facilitated communication and socializing. Society can better connect with other like minded individuals and even find the other significant other on the dating platforms. However, this has also gave rise to the culture of ghosting.
Ghosting is a societal phenomenon where an individual abruptly pauses communication and contact with another individual with no warning or justification (Merriam Webster). In recent years, this phenomenon is increasingly associated with the popularization of online dating applications such as Tinder and Bumble, where people would ignore their potential dates for no reason as current technologies have allowed them to easily disconnect with the other party with minimal consequences (Bonos, 2020). It is now effortless to drop everything and vanish out of somebody’s life. This greatly affects the way society communicate and deal with situations. Dating in the digital age comes with its challenges, and this is one we are still learning to navigate. So, if you have ever been ghosted, do not feel too bad––the truth is, it probably was not because of you.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Ghosting definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ghosting
Bonos, L. (2020, February 13). Perspective | ghosting is normal now. that’s completely bonkers. The Washington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2022, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2020/02/13/ghosting-is-normal-now-thats-completely-bonkers/
With an increasing demand for agricultural products and awareness of global warming, lab grown meat is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional livestocks such as chickens and cow. Emerging technologies are also seeking to create the next generation of more advanced realistic plant based substitutes.
What is lab grown meat?
Lab grown meat, is cultivated in the lab from ready animal muscle and fat cells, removing the need for physical farmland, feed and reproduction of animals. Investors see the potential and has invested largely into research efforts as it helps to encourage more environmental-friendly efforts. Currently, plant based meats such as Beyond and Vatuatuib are the environmentally products, it will not be long before see lab grown meat hit the supermarkets.
Challenges with lab grown meat
While lab grown meats do reduce the carbon emissions and the space used for farming, the current technology is not cost effective. Newer technologies would be needed to produce cost effective for it to be made commercially available to the masses.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) whilst a solely European Union regulation has a large impact on companies all over the globe. However, when taking into account GDPR being mostly online services which deal with personal information of citizens or residents of the EU/EEA, the largest market for this information outside the EU is inevitably the United States. The presence of American tech and multinational companies are ever growing. However, this means they have to rapidly adapt to the rules and regulations in different regions. We will observe the American companies and the breaches since the GDPR was introduced in 2018.
Amazon Europe
On July 16, 2022, a €746 million ($888 million) was issued to Amazon Europe by the Luxembourg National Commission for Data. Amazon had failed to comply with the general data processing principles in accordance with the GDPR. This fine is the largest one by far as compared to the previous high of €50 million penalty issued to Google in the EU region. The charge was filed against Amazon by a french privacy group in 2018 for allegedly not seeking consent from consumers in their advertising practices. While the charge was filed in France, The GDPR allows any EU country to lead the investigations. Amazon had selected Luxembourg as the supervising authority, working together with the French Data Protection Authority. Amazon was subsequently found to have failed to comply with the regulations (Bodoni, 2021).
Google
Google, headquartered in California, has been fined €50 million ($57 million) . This action was taken by France’s GDPR enforcement agency, Commission Nationale de l’informatique et des libertés . EU/EEA residents data was illegally utilized and processed for advertising without the required consent. This lax in the whole process has made it harder for users to understand how their data will be used and processed. This also makes consumers vulnerable as they are unaware of the costs of providing their data. The claim was filed by groups, Austria’s None Of Your Business (NOYB) and France’s citizen advocacy group La Quadrature du Net (LQDN). After the fine, Google has since imposed a user consent to their terms and conditions before using their data. These hefty fines towards some of the United States largest companies, show the strength of the GDPR and the serious responsibility that functioning within the EU does in terms of EU/EEA residents’ privacy and security (Rosemain, 2020).
The GDPR has set the foundation for the consumer privacy frameworks worldwide. Government bodies would be more inclined to amend the existing legislations, guidelines. There is currently a growing trend in tougher GDPR rules and fines, other government bodies would also respond to it. Companies and organizations should work together to enforce the rules and re-look at their data privacy efforts. The high penalties imposed implies that there is a clear and transparent process by the data protection authorities. While such large fines do not create a huge impact on the tech giants, they may devastate the smaller companies. The presence of sufficient data privacy practices and resources to help out with compliance measures will certainly help when the companies enter the other markets. It remains a mystery as to whether the GDPR would be implemented in the US or other regions around the world.
With the increasing usage of digital payments across the world, fiat currency is slowly becoming obsolete. Digital payments have brought about huge convenience as everything can almost be done with a card or a mobile device. China, one of the pioneers in promoting cashless payments through Alibaba’s Alipay and Tencent’s WeChat Pay. The country is slowly phasing out the use of fiat currency, and it is forecasted that around 60 percent of China’s 1.3 billion population will have made a purchase via mobile payment by 2023. With the prevalence and advancement of the cashless payments, China may soon become a cashless economy, where digital payment methods totally replace cash. They currently have measures that are breakthrough for the cashless payment industry.
Use of AI facial recognition
While the most common cashless payments include credit cards and QR codes, China has taken digital payment to the next level through the use of AI facial recognition. Shoppers in China are increasingly purchasing goods with just a turn of their heads as the country embraces facial payment technology. Customers can make a purchase simply by standing in front of the cashiering machines equipped with cameras, if they had linked their their face to a digital payment system or bank account. For example, in a bakery shop Weiduomei, a specialised touchscreen device, similar to the size of an Ipad mini is placed at the checkout counter of the bakery. This device has access to the facial-information database of the parent company. So, if the company has a record of the user’s picture, they will be in its facial-information database, and the machine will allow the customer to pay based on facial recognition. The cashier enters the amount of money for the order, which is then shown on the device screen. The user then taps Pay with Face Recognition on the screen of the device. The device scans the face and recognizes the user. The user then taps Confirm Payment and is done.
Inequalities with cashless payments
While digital payments can only be done with access to mobile devices and networks, it has also left behind people who lack the access or technical knowledge in China’s largely cashless and online economy. For example, in northern China, an elderly man could not board the bus as he could not display a health code app that was required due to the covid 19 situation. Similarly, in Hubei province, an elderly woman, who had little knowledge on online payments was unable to pay for her health insurance with cash. These stories created attention and help to prompt the China government to provide more access and alternatives for the marginalised groups. The State Council, China’s cabinet, then mandated local businesses and government authorities to accept cash payments and provided alternatives for health codes apps so seniors could better navigate the digital divide. The local bank has also started digital yuan programs through lottery-style giveaways by partnering with the local provinces.
Is it possible for china to entirely transit into a cashless society?
While most transactions in China are online, there is still a significant population in the rural areas that prefer cash due to lack of access and knowledge. While some individuals prefer using debit and credit to cash for convenience, businesses benefit from processing fees when consumers use their apps and services to send and receive payments. Handling cash is also expensive, use of cashless payments will help business reduce cost and manage transactions better. China would probably see a transformation in the next few decades as its digital payments have been spearheaded by the current millennials and the younger generation. They have adopted these technologies since young and it has been a huge part of their lives.
Wars happen all the time, from the Arab Spring in Yemen and we have seen how social media influenced the outcome of the war. It has been used as an outlet where activists share news and a place to recruit fighters or spread misinformation. Today, we live during the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we experience war reporting on a more personal and quick manner. Social media has helped emphasised on the high death toll and helped project Ukraine as a nation of fighters, while Russia as a merciless invader. The Russia-Ukraine war is the most recent war and the one where we are so deeply interconnected. It has changed how the way war news were received by the world and how the world is using it as a channel to help the Ukrainians affected by the war.
With the prevalence of social media it has also changed how the way the war was reported to daily. In the past war was reported in news. But ordinary civilians have now taken over the roles of reporting, bringing instant updates through social media platforms such as Tik Tok, reaching out to a larger audience at a wider and faster coverage. This also highlights the interconnectedness in the world and how social media might be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the war and other events. Ms. Magerramova, a doctor in the local Ukrainian documents the civilians streaming in with injuries. and updates the images on Instagram, Facebook, and Telegram with detailed descriptions of what happened to those shown in the pictures (Specia, 2022). This allows information to be disseminated to quickly to the people around the world garnering more awareness almost instantly. Aside from the various efforts from organisations such as Red Cross, stars who have large influence on social media platforms have also used their influence. Ashton Kutcher and Ukraine born Mila Kunis set up a crowdfunding campaign and raised over $36 million USD for the refugees (CNNPLUS, 2022). The involvement of the social media community will allow more
We have also seen social media companies playing their part by implementing certain regulations and features for the Ukrainian community. Meta has updated its Community Help feature to provide information to Ukrainians to seek help from the local UN agencies and Red Cross Societies. This allows Ukrainians to seek help on border crossings and where to get the relevant assistance. Additionally, in order to protect the communities in Ukraine and Russia, Facebook has hidden the followers and following for people based in these 2 countries (Meta, 2022). This helps to remove any association of involved parties. The actions taken by the social media giant is pivotal and impactful on the welfare of the Ukrainians, also spearheading other companies to take part in relief efforts.
As the war progresses, the after-effects and impacts will continue to exponentiate. Social media serves as a platform for the world to be interconnected and helps to raise more awareness for the war. This unity may provide external pressure on Russia, indirectly affecting the direction of the war.
