Friday, December 31, 2021

Driverless Cars And AI Ethics; Forbes, December 29, 2021

Cindy Gordon, Forbes; Driverless Cars And AI Ethics


"One of the most validated research surveys of machine ethics1, called the Moral Machine, was published in Nature, found that many of the moral principles that guide a driver’s decisions vary by country. This reinforces a regulatory set of complexities to navigate on cultural preferences. For example, in a scenario in which some combination of pedestrians and passengers will die in a collision, people from relatively prosperous countries with strong institutions were less likely to spare a pedestrian who stepped into traffic illegally. There were over 13 scenarios identified where a death could not be avoided and respondents had to make a decision on the impacts to old, rich, poor, more people or less people being killed. The research found that there are cultural variances in public preferences which governments and self-driving cars would need to take into account to gain varying jurisdictional confidence.

In other words different rules for countries would need to apply. Talk about moral and ethical complexities in design engineering. If this , then this etc."

In a year-end report, Chief Justice John Roberts emphasizes judicial ethics; NPR, December 31, 2021


"U.S. courts need to do more to ensure compliance with ethics rules — including rules that preclude a judge from presiding over cases in which he or she has a financial interest, Chief Justice John Roberts says in a year-end report on the federal judiciary.

Roberts was responding, in part, to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal which found that between 2010 and 2018, 131 federal judges ruled in cases involving companies in which they or their families owned shares of stock. 

Roberts said that while those amount to "less than three hundredths of one percent of the 2.5 million civil cases filed in the district courts" during that period, the federal judiciary must take the matter seriously.

"We are duty-bound to strive for 100% compliance because public trust is essential, not incidental, to our function," he wrote."

‘Live with it’: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954; The Washington Post, December 31, 2021

Gillian Brockell, The Washington Post ; ‘Live with it’: Betty White defied racist demands in 1954

"White made a career playing sweet characters with hidden — and hilarious — grit, and that quality goes all the way back to her first televised variety show, where, as the host and producer, she defied racist demands to get rid of Duncan because he was Black.

Her response?

“Live with it."...

“And all through the South, there was this whole ruckus,” White remembered in the doc. “They were going to take our show off the air if we didn’t get rid of Arthur, because he was Black.”

“People in the South resented me being on the show, and they wanted me thrown out,” Duncan agreed. “But there was never a question at all.”

“I said, ‘I’m sorry, but, you know, he stays,’ ” she said. “‘Live with it.’ ”"

Ryan Reynolds and more pay tribute to Betty White; CNN, December 31, 2021

Marianne Garvey, CNN; Ryan Reynolds and more pay tribute to Betty White

"Betty White is being remembered for her light, humor, charm and friendship."

The top 10 most-read medical ethics articles in 2021; American Medical Association (AMA), December 29, 2021

 

Kevin B. O'Reilly ,  American Medical Association (AMA); The top 10 most-read medical ethics articles in 2021


"Each month, the AMA Journal of Ethics® (@JournalofEthics) gathers insights from physicians and other experts to explore issues in medical ethics that are highly relevant to doctors in practice and the future physicians now in medical schools, as well as the other health professionals who constitute the health care team.

Below, find the 10 most popular AMA Journal of Ethics articles published this year."

Design Ethics: Rethinking Practice in 2021; ArchDaily, December 30, 2021

 , ArchDailyDesign Ethics: Rethinking Practice in 2021

"Ethical practice spans all parts of architecture. From intersectionality and labor to the climate crisis, a designer must work with a range of conditions and contexts that inform the built environment and the process of its creation. Across cultures, policies and climates, architecture is as much functional and aesthetic as it is political, social, economic, and ecological. By addressing the ethics of practice, designers can reimagine the discipline's impact and who it serves."

Right or wrong?: How La Crosse health-care leaders use ethics to make decisions; NEWS 8000, December 29, 2021

 Jordan Fremstad, NEWS 8000; Right or wrong?: How La Crosse health-care leaders use ethics to make decisions

Gundersen Health System ethicist Tom Harter helps providers make best decisions for critical care


"As hospitals fill up and medical supplies are needed for more people, health-care leaders are forced to make even more tough decisions. How do you decide who’s health matters more?

Most of us strive to do what is right.

“We have to be cognizant of the needs of everybody in the hospital,” said Dr. Wayne Bottner, a hematologist at Gundersen Health System...

Bottner has to decide who receives the available resources. However, he doesn’t do it alone.

“We would never want a physician at the bedside to do that,” said Tom Harter, Gundersen’s bioethics and humanities director. “The psychological stress of that is extremely high.”

Health-care decisions are a wide, murky river that Harter helps bring into focus."

Has the pandemic fundamentally changed our ethics?; The Conversation, December 28, 2021

, The Conversation; Has the pandemic fundamentally changed our ethics?


"Ethics became more visible

In daily life, ethical decision-making often isn’t front of mind. We can often just coast along.

But the pandemic changed all that. It highlighted our human inter-connectedness and the effects of our actions on others. It made us re-litigate the basic rules of life: whether we could work or study, where we could go, who we could visit."

Realtor ethics case involving gay rights, Montana pastor garnering national attention; KTVH, December 29, 2021

Mike Dennison, KTVH ; Realtor ethics case involving gay rights, Montana pastor garnering national attention


"Weyandt said Huber can hold and express any religious belief he wants, but that he can’t profess anti-gay views and still be a member of the Realtors’ group, according to the code of ethics.

“I definitely respect the individual’s right to their freedom of speech and expression, but when you’re clearly violating the governing doctrine of a private institution, that issues membership, that’s a whole other story,” he said.

Weyandt also said Huber is free to continue selling real estate. 

However, if a Code of Ethics violation leads to Huber getting kicked out of the Realtors’ group, he would lose access to the Montana Regional multiple-listing service for properties, potentially making it difficult to conduct business as a real-estate agent."

Americans widely distrust Facebook, TikTok and Instagram with their data, poll finds; The Washington Post, December 22, 2021

 

, The Washington Post; Americans widely distrust Facebook, TikTok and Instagram with their data, poll finds

"According to the survey, 72 percent of Internet users trust Facebook “not much” or “not at all” to responsibly handle their personal information and data on their Internet activity. About 6 in 10 distrust TikTok and Instagram, while slight majorities distrust WhatsApp and YouTube. Google, Apple and Microsoft receive mixed marks for trust, while Amazon is slightly positive with 53 percent trusting the company at least “a good amount.” (Amazon founder Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.)

Only 10 percent say Facebook has a positive impact on society, while 56 percent say it has a negative impact and 33 percent say its impact is neither positive nor negative. Even among those who use Facebook daily, more than three times as many say the social network has a negative rather than a positive impact."

Thursday, December 23, 2021

Wake County Library ban of LGBTQ+ book may be unconstitutional; The News & Observer, December 16, 2021

SARA PEQUEÑO, The News & Observer; Wake County Library ban of LGBTQ+ book may be unconstitutional

"On Wednesday, the Wake County Public Library announced it was pulling its copies of the graphic novel memoir Gender Queer out of circulation. In a statement to The News & Observer, a spokesperson said it was due to “explicit illustrations that do not align with WCPL’s selection policy.”

The decision has been met with outcry from LGBTQ+ groups and activists, but it’s possible that the action could have legal consequences for the county government."


Tuesday, December 21, 2021

A Plea from Cleveland Clinic; December 21, 2021

12/21/21 email from Cleveland Clinic:

A Plea from Cleveland Clinic

"This past month has been sobering for many of us in healthcare. Nearly two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’re seeing some of the highest volumes of patients with the disease in hospitals throughout the Midwest.

"Here at Cleveland Clinic, we’re caring for more than 800 patients with COVID-19 at our Ohio hospitals. Of these patients, more than 200 are in the intensive care unit. The majority of these patients are unvaccinated.  

Our Ohio emergency departments are filled. We have people waiting to get into our hospitals. Neighboring hospitals in our communities are facing the same issues. 

We’ve had to postpone many non-urgent surgeries in Ohio as we try to leave enough space for patients with COVID-19. Our physicians, nurses and caregivers are working around-the-clock to care for these sick patients. They are exhausted.  

Today, we come to you with a plea. Get vaccinated. Please. Whether you are due for your booster shot, undecided about getting your child vaccinated or have been leery of the vaccine all along. The science is clear. Vaccines save lives. Please, get vaccinated.

For those of you who have lost a loved one to COVID-19 this year, we extend our deepest sympathies. We feel your loss. We share in your grief. We, too, are heartbroken.

The only way we can get through this is together. Please do your part for yourself, your family and your community. Get vaccinated. Wear your mask, wash your hands and stay home if you're feeling ill. 

Cleveland Clinic will always be here for you when you need compassionate, high-quality care. The sun will rise tomorrow morning, and with it will bring renewed hope for a better day. 

We wish you and yours a joyous holiday season & a happy and healthy New Year."

Friday, December 10, 2021

4 Things to Know About Intellectual Property and COVID-19 Vaccines; U.S. Chamber of Commerce, December 9, 2021

U.S. Chamber of Commerce; 4 Things to Know About Intellectual Property and COVID-19 Vaccines

Intellectual property enabled the discovery of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s why calls to waive IP rights would undermine medical innovation and our ability to respond to the next pandemic.

"Key takeaways

  • Some governments, including the United States, are considering a proposal to waive intellectual property laws for COVID-19 vaccines.
  • But waiving intellectual property laws could jeopardize medical innovation, including the development of new or adapted vaccines to combat COVID-19 variants like Omicron.
  • Waiving intellectual property rights for COVID vaccines could have ripple effects on innovators and investments across industries."

Friday, December 3, 2021

Congress Takes Aim at the Algorithms; Wired, December 2, 2021

 Gilad Edelman, Wired; Congress Takes Aim at the Algorithms


"“I agree in principle that there should be liability, but I don’t think we’ve found the right set of terms to describe the processes we’re concerned about,” said Jonathan Stray, a visiting scholar at the Berkeley Center for Human-Compatible AI who studies recommendation algorithms. “What’s amplification, what’s enhancement, what’s personalization, what’s recommendation?”...

[Mary Anne] Franks proposes something both simpler and more sweeping: that Section 230 not apply to any company that “manifests deliberate indifference to unlawful material or conduct.” Her collaborator Danielle Citron has argued that companies should have to prove they took reasonable steps to prevent a certain type of harm before being granted immunity. If something like that became law, engagement-based algorithms wouldn’t go away—but the change could still be significant. The Facebook Papers revealed by Haugen, for example, show that Facebook very recently had little or no content-moderation infrastructurein regions like the Middle East and Africa, where hundreds of millions of its users live. Currently Section 230 largely protects US companies even in foreign markets. But imagine if someone defamed or targeted for harassment by an Instagram post in Afghanistan, where as of 2020 Facebook hadn’t even fully translated its forms for reporting hate speech, could sue under an “indifference” standard. The company would suddenly have a much stronger incentive to make sure its algorithms aren’t favoring material that could land it in court."

Maryland Mayor Is Charged in ‘Revenge Porn’ Case; The New York Times, November 16, 2021

Amanda Holpuch, The New York Times; Maryland Mayor Is Charged in ‘Revenge Porn’ Case

Andrew Bradshaw, the mayor of Cambridge, on the state’s Eastern Shore, posted nude photos of a former partner on Reddit, along with degrading comments and racial slurs, prosecutors said. 


"The landscape for revenge porn cases has shifted significantly over the past decade. In 2013, three states had criminalized nonconsensual pornography. Today, 48 states have done so, said Mary Anne Franks, the president and legislative and tech policy director at the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative. Maryland’s revenge porn law went into effect in 2014.

Dr. Franks said Maryland’s law, like others in the United States, was too restrictive because, to convict someone, prosecutors must prove that the person who shared the photos intended to cause serious emotional distress.

That standard can protect people who say they posted photos for profit, to improve standing in their community or because they didn’t think the individual in the photo would care, Dr. Franks said. Prosecutors might have an easier time proving malicious intent in Mr. Bradshaw’s case, she said, because of the breadth and cruelty of the posts prosecutors accused him of making."

Far right is using Twitter’s new rule against anti-extremism researchers; The Washington Post, December 2, 2021

Drew Harwell, The Washington Post; Far right is using Twitter’s new rule against anti-extremism researchers

Researchers fear the new ban on posts sharing people’s private information will be ‘emboldening to the fascists’ eager to keep their identities concealed. ‘Things now unexpectedly work more in our favor,’ one Nazi sympathizer wrote.

"The company said that each report will be reviewed case-by-case and that flagged accounts can file an appeal or delete the offending posts to resolve their suspensions.

Snyder, the Philadelphia anti-fascist researcher, said she believed her reported tweet did not break the rules but deleted it anyway, worried that any appeal she filed would take too long or ultimately fail. She suspects the rule could have a “catastrophic” chilling effect on other researchers working to expose extremists."

Who Owns a Recipe? A Plagiarism Claim Has Cookbook Authors Asking.; The New York Times, November 29, 2021

Priya Krishna , The New York Times; Who Owns a Recipe? A Plagiarism Claim Has Cookbook Authors Asking.

U.S. copyright law protects all kinds of creative material, but recipe creators are mostly powerless in an age and a business that are all about sharing.

"U.S. copyright law seeks to protect “original works of authorship” by barring unauthorized copying of all kinds of creative material: sheet music, poetry, architectural works, paintings and even computer software.

But recipes are much harder to protect. This is a reason they frequently reappear, often word for word, in one book or blog after another.

Cookbook writers who believe that their work has been plagiarized have few options beyond confronting the offender or airing their grievances online. “It is more of an ethical issue than it is a legal issue,” said Lynn Oberlander, a media lawyer in New York City...

“The whole history of American cookbook publishing is based on borrowing and sharing,” said Bonnie Slotnick, the owner of Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, an antique bookstore in the East Village of Manhattan...

Mr. Bailey said many cookbook authors are used to the free exchange of ideas on social media, and may not be conscious of the importance of giving credit. “It has become so tempting in this environment to just take rather than to create,” he said."

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

E-commerce and China: Strategies for fighting online counterfeits, Part 2; United States Patent and Trademark Office Webinar: Thursday, December 2, 2021 9 AM - 10:30 AM EST

United States Patent and Trademark Office Webinar; E-commerce and China: Strategies for fighting online counterfeits, Part 2

E-Commerce and China

"E-commerce now accounts for nearly 14% of all retail sales, and continues to grow at a healthy rate. But U.S. businesses engaged in e-commerce, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), face a number of challenges in protecting their intellectual property (IP) on e-commerce platforms.

Register now for this free program to learn proven strategies for protecting and enforcing your IP rights when selling on e-commerce platforms.

Part 2 of the two-part series will focus on administrative and judicial mechanisms for enforcing IP rights and combatting the sale of Chinese counterfeits on e-commerce platforms in China. The program will feature presentations by senior United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) IP attorneys with extensive China IP experience and experts from Mattel, Specialized Bicycles, and Amazon.

Topics to be covered include: 

  • overview of administrative, civil, and criminal IP enforcement
  • strategies for collaborating with e-commerce platforms
  • industry perspectives and experiences
  • establishing a criminal case

During the program, participants can submit their questions to a dedicated email box. There will be time allotted to respond to participants' questions.

(Note: Although some advanced IP topics may be touched upon in the webinar, the materials presented are intended for representatives from SMEs with limited experience in IP protection and enforcement in China.)"


Register today

Counterfeit Covid Masks Are Still Sold Everywhere, Despite Misleading Claims; The New York Times, November 30, 2021

Andrew Jacobs, The New York Times; Counterfeit Covid Masks Are Still Sold Everywhere, Despite Misleading Claims

"“It’s really the Wild West out there with so many bad actors ripping people off,” said Anne Miller, executive director of Project N95, a nonprofit that connects people to bona fide personal protective equipment."

CNN suspends Chris Cuomo ‘indefinitely’ after documents detail help he gave his brother; The Washington Post, November 30, 2021

, The Washington Post;  CNN suspends Chris Cuomo ‘indefinitely’ after documents detail help he gave his brother

"News organizations typically try to maintain clear boundaries between journalists and newsmakers, in an effort to maintain their independence. It’s considered a breach of ethics for a journalist — including those who engage primarily in giving their opinions — to support a source or public official, whether financially or in an advisory role."

Monday, November 29, 2021

Statement by President Joe Biden on the Omicron COVID-⁠19 Variant; The White House, November 26, 2021

 The White House; Statement by President Joe Biden on the Omicron COVID-19 Variant

"In addition, I call on the nations gathering next week for the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting to meet the U.S. challenge to waive intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines, so these vaccines can be manufactured globally.  I endorsed this position in April; this news today reiterates the importance of moving on this quickly."

Biden pressed to support intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines; Marketplace, November 26, 2021

Lily Jamali, Marketplace; Biden pressed to support intellectual property waiver for COVID-19 vaccines

"Anne Pritchett, senior vice president with the industry group PhRMA, said that lifting patent waivers for COVID vaccines could backfire in the next global health crisis.

"We don’t want to be deterring innovation by saying to companies, ‘There’s no incentive for you to invest in that, because we’re just going to take your IP and give it away,'” she said. 

Countries in the EU, plus Switzerland and the U.K., support that view."

Nursing unions around world call for UN action on Covid vaccine patents; The Guardian, November 29, 2021

  , The Guardian; Nursing unions around world call for UN action on Covid vaccine patents

"Nursing unions in 28 countries have filed a formal appeal with the United Nations over the refusal of the UK, EU and others to temporarily waive patents for Covid vaccines, saying this has cost huge numbers of lives in developing nations.

The letter, sent on Monday on behalf of unions representing more than 2.5 million healthcare workers, said staff have witnessed at first hand the “staggering numbers of deaths and the immense suffering caused by political inaction”.

The refusal of some countries to budge on rules about intellectual property rights for vaccines had contributed to a “vaccine apartheid” in which richer nations had secured at least 7bn doses, while lower-income nations had about 300m, it argued."


Frustrated by vaccine inequity, a South African lab rushes to replicate Moderna’s shot; The Washington Post, November 28, 2021

Lesley Wroughton, The Washington Post ; Frustrated by vaccine inequity, a South African lab rushes to replicate Moderna’s shot

"At the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade ministers had been scheduled to begin meetings Tuesday over a contentious proposal by South Africa and India to temporarily waive intellectual property rights on coronavirus vaccines and therapies or find a way to allow developing countries to access the technologies. The meeting has been postponed because of the omicron variant. No new date has been set...

African countries have historically depended on Western donors and United Nations-backed programs such as the vaccine alliance known as Gavi, a partnership of donors and pharmaceutical companies that buys vaccines at lower prices and makes them available to countries that need them. Covax, a vaccine marketplace that was meant to secure coronavirus inoculations for developing countries, has struggled to access enough supplies during the pandemic...

Moderna has said it will not prosecute those found to be infringing on its covid-related patents during the pandemic, which amounts to an informal waiver, said Marie-Paule Kieny, a French virologist who chairs the U.N.-backed Medicine Patent Pool, which is part of the WHO’s efforts in Africa.

The concern with a waiver, Kieny said, is what happens once the pandemic ends. Any broader waiver agreed on at the WTO talks would likely have a time limit, she said, without a commitment from the drugmakers to enter into licensing agreements.

She said companies should negotiate now with drugmakers such as Moderna to reach formal licensing agreements before the pandemic is over."

Sunday, November 28, 2021

193 countries adopt first-ever global agreement on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence; UN News, November 25, 2021

UN News; 193 countries adopt first-ever global agreement on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence

"Artificial intelligence is present in everyday life, from booking flights and applying for loans to steering driverless cars. It is also used in specialized fields such as cancer screening or to help create inclusive environments for the disabled.

According to UNESCOAI is also supporting the decision-making of governments and the private sector, as well as helping combat global problems such as climate change and world hunger.

However, the agency warns that the technology ‘is bringing unprecedented challenges’.

We see increased gender and ethnic bias, significant threats to privacy, dignity and agency, dangers of mass surveillance, and increased use of unreliable Articificial Intellegence technologies in law enforcement, to name a few. Until now, there were no universal standards to provide an answer to these issues”, UNESCO explained in a statement.

Considering this, the adopted text aims to guide the construction of the necessary legal infrastructure to ensure the ethical development of this technology.

“The world needs rules for artificial intelligence to benefit humanity. The Recommendation on the ethics of AI is a major answer. It sets the first global normative framework while giving States the responsibility to apply it at their level. UNESCO will support its 193 Member states in its implementation and ask them to report regularly on their progress and practices”, said UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay."

Final Report: Commission on Information Disorder; Aspen Institute, November 2021

Aspen Institute ; Final Report: Commission on Information Disorder

"Information disorder is a crisis that exacerbates all other crises."

Opinion: America is sick with information disorder. Time for a cure.; The Washington Post, November 23, 2021

Editorial Board, The Washington Post ; Opinion: America is sick with information disorder. Time for a cure.

"Information disorder” is a malady that comes in many forms, from made-up news to manipulated media to misunderstood satire. According to a six-month investigation by a commission at the Aspen Institute, the United States is  not trying nearly hard enough to find a cure.

The report starts, as any study aimed at restoring trust and truth ought to, by acknowledging reality: “In a free society, a certain amount of misinformation will always exist.” The hope isn’t to punish every exaggeration, piece of propaganda or flat-out lie but to home in on the most egregious damage caused by specific types of mis- and disinformation — by discouraging people from spreading falsehoods and minimizing the fallout when they do. This is easiest in “empirically grounded” areas, in which facts can most clearly be found: public health and election integrity foremost among them."

‘Maus’ Author Art Spiegelman: ‘We Are on the Brink of Fascism’; The Daily Beast, November 28, 2021

Sarah Moroz, The Daily Beast; Maus’ Author Art Spiegelman: ‘We Are on the Brink of Fascism’

"“Comics are an art of communication,” Spiegelman said, standing firmly in contrast to so-called “high art.” In the past, “communicating too easily was considered commercial,” he noted, but countered simply: “I think art is anything that gives shape to your thoughts or feelings.”...

“Cartoonists are gone,” Spiegelman said. “Humor has become more and more dangerous… Pictures are dangerous.” Editors fear “different interpretations,” he lamented: “Newspapers want to keep every reader they have—so it’s better to talk to the stupid ones.” He concluded: “Every time someone says something satirical, they get cancelled.”"

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

How to Ethically Respond to Negative Online Reviews; ABA Journal, August 23, 2021

Andrew K. Robertson, ABA Journal ; How to Ethically Respond to Negative Online Reviews

ABA opinion offers best practices for handling online criticism while complying with the professional duty to maintain client confidentiality

"Lawyers receiving a negative online review now have additional guidance for deciding whether or how to respond. In Formal Opinion 496, the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility sets forth best practices for attorneys to address criticism while fulfilling ethical duties to clients. ABA Litigation Section leaders caution that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, however."

Librarians help students navigate an age of misinformation – but schools are cutting their numbers; The Conversation, November 5, 2021

, The Conversation;  Librarians help students navigate an age of misinformation – but schools are cutting their numbers

"“Access to school librarians has become a major educational equity issue,” says Keith Curry Lance, who with Debra Kachel led the IMLS study. In a recent email he told me, “School districts losing librarians tend to be ones that can least afford the loss in a society characterized by increasing economic inequality.”...

School librarians also work to ensure that students are taught issues of intellectual freedom. They collaborate with teachers to help students understand the ethical use of ideas and information."

Ethics of news photos in a digital world; Northern Wyoming News, November 18, 2021

KARLA POMERO, Northern Wyoming News; Ethics of news photos in a digital world


"Ethically, for a news photo there is not much you can or should manipulate. We take out some of the yellow when shooting photos in certain locations due to the overhead lighting.

If using a flash and the lighting is wrong and I get people with red eyes I will use the tool to remove the red eyes because I know those people did not have red eyes at the time I took the photo.

That’s the key in news photography. The news photo must tell the story of what was happening at that exact moment, where it was taken at that moment. You must not alter the story and altering the photo alters that story.

If you photoshop out things in the background of a photo because they may be distracting – that’s altering history, the history of that photo.

One of the students said they will combine photos to get the exact composite they want. You can do that for art. You can not do that when telling news through photos."

After COVID boom, ebook aggregators face licensing questions from Congress; The Verge, November 18, 2021

 Makena Kelly, The Verge ; After COVID boom, ebook aggregators face licensing questions from Congress

"“Many libraries face financial and practical challenges in making e-books available to their patrons, which jeopardizes their ability to fulfill their mission,” the lawmakers wrote. “It is our understanding that these difficulties arise because e-books are typically offered under more expensive and limited licensing agreements, unlike print books that libraries can typically purchase, own, and lend on their own terms.”

In September, Wyden and Eshoo first questioned publishers over the terms they set for ebook licensing. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many public libraries to shut down in-person service, and people began using online services like Overdrive’s Libby app to borrow digital books in lieu of physical copies. “Ensuring that libraries can offer an array of resources, including e-books, is essential to promoting equity in education and access to information,” the lawmakers wrote to Penguin Random House earlier this year."

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Artificial intelligence is getting better at writing, and universities should worry about plagiarism; The Conversation, November 4, 2021

 and  , The Conversation; Artificial intelligence is getting better at writing, and universities should worry about plagiarism


"The dramatic rise of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has spotlit concerns about the role of technology in exam surveillance — and also in student cheating. 

Some universities have reported more cheating during the pandemic, and such concerns are unfolding in a climate where technologies that allow for the automation of writing continue to improve.

Over the past two years, the ability of artificial intelligence to generate writing has leapt forward significantly, particularly with the development of what’s known as the language generator GPT-3. With this, companies such as Google, Microsoft and NVIDIA can now produce “human-like” text.

AI-generated writing has raised the stakes of how universities and schools will gauge what constitutes academic misconduct, such as plagiarism. As scholars with an interest in academic integrity and the intersections of work, society and educators’ labour, we believe that educators and parents should be, at the very least, paying close attention to these significant developments."

Saturday, November 20, 2021

After 25 years, Miami-Dade’s Ethics Commission remains a guardian of the public trust | Opinion; Miami Herald, November 19, 2021

RADIA TURAY, Miami Herald; After 25 years, Miami-Dade’s Ethics Commission remains a guardian of the public trust | Opinion

"“When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” The late U.S. Rep. John Lewis

Twenty-five years ago, the voters of Miami-Dade County spoke up and did something. They used the power of their vote to amend the county’s home rule charter to create the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust.

Their vote was based on the basic truth that government should serve the governed, not the governing. They believed that local government employees and government officials had a special duty to abide by a standard of ethics in order to maintain the trust of those they serve. The Ethics Commission was created to serve as the guardian of the public trust. As a result of the referendum, the County Commission enacted the Miami-Dade Conflict of Interest and Code of Ethics Ordinance and other ethics laws that every local government official and government employee must abide by in Miami-Dade County.

The Code establishes a minimum standard of ethical conduct and behavior, and its provisions promote transparency in government and protect against cronyism and self-dealing."