In the spotlight
Commission sets the bar for anti-disinformation measures
euractiv-en, 27.05.2021
The freshly published Guidance on Strengthening the Code of Practice on Disinformation illustrates the European Commission’s expectations on the anti-disinformation measures for online platforms. While the Code is non-binding, the measures are likely to become mandatory following the adoption of the Digital Services Act (DSA).
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If we want to put the pandemic behind us, we’ll have to crack down on vaccine disinformation
forbes, 16.05.2021
“Vaccines contain microchips”: a ridiculous idea that withstands no scrutiny, and that typically portrays Bill Gates as the head of a global conspiracy to control us. There is no technology capable of creating these hypothetical microchips…
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EU cites ‘anti-vaccine campaign’ as reason to toughen social media code
guardian, 26.05.2021
Companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter would need to show why particular material is disseminated and prove that false information is being blocked.
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Influencers say they were urged to criticize Pfizer vaccine
nytimes, 27.05.2021
The mysterious London public relations agency sent its pitch simultaneously to social media influencers in France and Germany: Claim that Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is deadly and that regulators and the mainstream media are covering it up, the message read, and earn thousands of euros in easy money in exchange.
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How do people get news and information about #COVID19 one year into the pandemic?
This is the question at the heart of a report by @rasmus_kleis @annisch @dragz, with data from 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇩🇪🇯🇵🇰🇷🇪🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸
📚 Read herehttps://t.co/XxnTXHUwbd
🧶 Key findings in thread pic.twitter.com/FpXOt3tATv— Reuters Institute (@risj_oxford) May 27, 2021
"Disinformation cannot remain a source of revenue. We need to see stronger commitments by online platforms, the entire advertising ecosystem," says @ThierryBreton.
We agree 100%. The new Code must stop debunked stories being monetised. See our findings: https://t.co/KRY9xSXQ0u pic.twitter.com/4Q0fMiUXwj
— The Global Disinformation Index (@DisinfoIndex) May 27, 2021
Digital transition
Ready for a world of (AI-powered) superhuman precision? It’s coming
forbes, 18.05.2021
Today most people still think of AI as a mere computer program, solving problems in the digital realm. A formidable application of computer science, it can assist us with once inconceivable tasks, such as detecting cancer and analyzing data far too complex to wrap our minds around.
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Home schooling has been brutal for many; "I am clutching at my sanity," lamented one parent. Working mothers have suffered disproportionately as a result of the pandemic https://t.co/KVZYZ3POuV
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) May 27, 2021
Privacy organisations target Clearview AI, a company that has built a powerful facial recognition database using images "scraped" from the web – including from social media accounts.
Clearview offers biometrics services to companies and law enforcementhttps://t.co/IiR9YULW6S pic.twitter.com/sYNHo99mCu
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 27, 2021
COVID-19: how many remote workers are there in different parts of Europe? https://t.co/V0l7sB1AJP #work #Europe #JobsReset21 pic.twitter.com/9TCtLPmwd5
— World Economic Forum (@wef) May 27, 2021
Autonomous systems rely on artificial intelligence (AI), which in turn relies on data collected from those systems’ surroundings. But algorithms can be misled, with devastating consequences https://t.co/NQEQItMDXM
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) May 27, 2021
Environmental sustainability
How sustainable is hydrogen production?
deutschewelle-en, 25.05.2021
Hydrogen could play a major role in slowing global warming. But currently its production emits large amounts of climate-harming CO2. Are there more sustainable ways of producing this energy source?
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FAO “walks the talk” on climate
fao-en, 24.05.2021
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations launched a new Corporate Environmental Responsibility Strategy that aims to reduce the Organization’s total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) by 45 percent by 2030.
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EEA's latest annual environmental performance report shows lower impacts on #environment due to the pandemic. The report published today explains our targets and efforts to create an agency that operates as #sustainably as possible.👇https://t.co/7LOYjil3tu#EMAS #greenworkplace
— EU EnvironmentAgency (@EUEnvironment) May 27, 2021
Upgrades to fog-trap technology will help improve the lives of people who rely for their survival on drawing water not from a well, but from thin air https://t.co/xOcy72nTrH
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) May 27, 2021
Mobility & Energy
The costly pursuit of self-driving cars continues on. And on. And on.
nytimes, 24.05.2021
It was seven years ago when Waymo discovered that spring blossoms made its self-driving cars get twitchy on the brakes. So did soap bubbles. And road flares. New tests, in years of tests, revealed more and more distractions for the driverless cars. Their road skills improved, but matching the competence of human drivers was elusive.
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Light is the key to long-range, fully autonomous Electric Vehicles
techcrunch, 25.05.2021
While photonic chips are faster and more energy efficient, fewer chips will be needed to reach SAE Level 3 [level of driving automation]; however, we can expect this increased compute performance to accelerate the development and availability of fully SAE Level 5 autonomous vehicles.
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It's International #LightDay2021! 🌈
Leading photonics researcher Maria Yzuel explained how "the science of light" is used in #ICT, #healthcare, #energy, #food and #agriculture.
Read all about it, and much more on #photonics 👉 https://t.co/19gjMU1em8 @IDLOfficial pic.twitter.com/Q8iE4zvS5p
— European Research Council (ERC) (@ERC_Research) May 16, 2021
Agriculture & Food
Supermarkets will seek soy alternatives if Amazon protections weakened
guardian, 25.05.2021
British supermarkets will look at alternatives to Brazilian soy if president Jair Bolsonaro and congress passes new legislation this week to weaken protections for the Amazon rainforest.
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Taking the EU's 'farm to fork' strategy forward to build a sustainable EU food systemhttps://t.co/3HsgO83UMo#FarmtoFork @EP_Environment @pcanfin @anjahazekamp @EP_Agriculture @LinsNorbert @HerbertDorfmann pic.twitter.com/u0xPgiCZVU
— European Parliamentary Research Service (@EP_ThinkTank) May 27, 2021
With a growing demand for sustainable & healthy food, sea cucumbers may just be the next big thing for European #aquaculture.
The EU-funded project #HOLOFARM explores how farming sea cucumbers in Europe can make a difference.#EUFarm2Fork #BeGreeGoBlue #EMFF #EMFAF pic.twitter.com/ADvnkjIiIH
— EU Maritime & Fish (@EU_MARE) May 27, 2021
Health
Pandemic risk assessments are never truly objective, because one of the variables is you
theatlantic, 25.05.2021
More than six weeks ago , I received my second Moderna shot, so I’ve had time to ease into fully vaccinated life. And yet I still haven’t eaten a meal inside a restaurant. Is that because I’m an overcautious ninny who can’t estimate risk?
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Singapore approves COVID-19 breath test that gives immediate result
japantimes, 24.05.2021
A breath test designed to detect COVID-19 and give accurate results within a minute has been approved for use in Singapore, the National University of Singapore said in a statement. The test, developed by NUS spin-off startup Breathonix, works much like a standard breathalyzer test that police might use to see if an erratic driver is drunk.
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Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is a political commitment to turn the tide against cancer.
It's another stepping stone towards a stronger European #HealthUnion and a more secure, better-prepared and more resilient EU.
More: https://t.co/GFU763iJPN#EUCancerPlan #EWAC2021 pic.twitter.com/LvybXrsl0f
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) May 26, 2021
The team of experts at the Pango Network have created a nomenclature which provides a consistent system for tracking various SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks across the world.
With it, teams can better understand virus transmission and spread.
Find out more ⬇️ https://t.co/GHYwnkEXni
— University of Oxford (@UniofOxford) May 27, 2021
Over 1/2 of Europeans consider work-related stress as main health & safety risk at the workplace, while depression is among the most common mental health disorders. Check out risk factors & prevention strategies 👉 https://t.co/BHURAYPHex #MentalHealthEU #EuropeanMentalHealthWeek pic.twitter.com/Ima6TSTpby
— EU_ScienceHub (@EU_ScienceHub) May 15, 2021
Science policy & Communication
🧑🏫 Why supporting students with special needs should be a policy priority for primary education
Our 🆕 Teaching In Focus brief has insights from #OECDTALIS 👉 https://t.co/C6ptaRFjCr pic.twitter.com/8WhKCAKbR5
— OECD Education (@OECDEduSkills) May 27, 2021
EU initiatives
Could the ‘Future Europe’ conference actually help fix climate change?
euobserver, 25.05.2021
For the first time, citizens will play a central role in the debate. Citizens’ panels and a dialogue platform will make recommendations on the future course of the EU. Parliament, the Commission and the Council have committed to following up on these recommendations.
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Wojciechowski: CAP reform ‘a new chance’ for small, medium sized farms
euractiv-en, 25.05.2021
As negotiators from the European Parliament, Council and Commission kick off this week’s jumbo trilogue in an attempt to seal a deal on the post-2020 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform, EURACTIV spoke to Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski about his expectations for the week ahead.
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The speed of technological change necessitates regulation of digital tech & business affecting the people and businesses who are increasingly dependent upon them#DigitalMarketsAct
📘https://t.co/mTTPAru9Oz#DigitalServicesAct
📘https://t.co/acSKZoP2Dk@EP_Justice @JFLopezAguilar pic.twitter.com/erf9bWK4JB— European Parliamentary Research Service (@EP_ThinkTank) May 26, 2021
Curious news
A new dating app, Schmooze, matches people based on their affinity for memes
techcrunch, 27.05.2021
Vidya Madhavan always wanted to be in business. Growing up in India, she thought she might be in the business of running a factory, given the power and influence of outfits like Tata Group, the Indian multinational conglomerate. She certainly had an affinity for school, graduating at the top of her….
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AI: fridges that teach you to cook
shanghaidaily, 25.05.2021
Onlookers in an exhibition area at the fifth World Intelligence Congress, a major artificial intelligence event that concluded on Sunday in north China’s Tianjin city, were treated to a musical performance like no other — from a band of both robots and humans.
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A new paper outlines a powerful genetic-engineering process to exterminate, or at least suppress, mosquitoes carrying diseases https://t.co/VkCYd9Qdxe
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) May 27, 2021
