#reuters ethics and standards

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

Reuters’ Ethics and Standards editor told HonestReporting on Tuesday that the wire service “disputes” our “claim” that its journalists had “decorate[d] their office with terror symbols.”

This despite photo evidence we exposed last week showing scarves with terror groups insignias decorating what used to be Reuters office in Gaza in 2013:

The man in the photo is Reuters current Head of Visuals for Gaza, Suhaib Jadallah Salem. The photo still appears on his Facebook page.

Like the Nazi Swastika, the emblems on the scarves are of genocidal groups — Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades — that call for the killing of Jews/Israelis (like some of Suhaib’s colleagues in Reuters).

There are only two bad explanations to Reuters’ disturbing response: ” Either it doesn’t view these proscribed terror groups as such, or it is denying indisputable evidence.

The rest of Reuters Ethics and Standards editor Brian Moss’s official response did not address our exposure of its journalists in Gaza receiving awards from senior Hamas officials.

Instead, it said: “On the basis of a close review by the Reuters Ethics and Standards department, we dispute the distorted evidence and insinuations of bias in the HonestReporting September 5th article. We stand by our coverage of Gaza and our team, who operate within the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles…Further, we dispute any claim that our journalists received ‘de-facto bribes from terrorists.'”

But here are the facts, which HonestReporting stands behind:

Our review of Palestinian media revealed that since 2015, the proscribed terror group has hosted annual ceremonies to honor Gazan journalists who had won prestigious international awards, including photographers from Reuters.

This cozy relationship between Gaza’s terror groups and the journalists tasked with covering them objectively is ethically flawed. It exposes the disturbing entanglement between terrorists and the media, shaping a distorted global narrative about Gaza.

Honored by Terrorists

In 2017, Hamas held a commendation event for international award-winning journalists in Gaza, where it honored Reuters photographer Suhaib Jadallah Salem — the agency’s current head of visuals for Gaza (who was photographed in Reuters office in front of the terror groups’ scarves.)

One of the photos from the event shows Suhaib’s brother Mohammed Jadallah Salem, a Reuters photographer who recently won the Pulitzer prize and the World Press Photo award, receiving Suhaib’s commendation plaque on his behalf. Two senior Hamas officials are granting the plaque: Khalil al-Hayya and Mushir al-Masri:

Al-Hayya has publicly called for a fight against Israel as “the head of the serpent,” and al-Masri has vowed to “uproot The Zionists With Our Axes, Knives, Guns.”

Receiving commendation from such terrorists is a mark of Cain. It should get any journalist disciplined by any respectable media outlet.

Yet Reuters journalists — knowing perhaps that their bosses won’t find out or even care — had no qualms getting into bed with Hamas. Another photo from the event shows other Reuters journalists around a table not too far from al-Hayya: Reuters Senior Gaza correspondent Nidal al-Mughrabi is sitting near Suhaib’s brother Mohammed and photographer Ashraf Amra (who was also honored at the event and exposed by HonestReporting for endorsing infiltration into Israel on October 7). Beside them is Belal Jadallah, who headed the allegedly “independent” Gaza Press House:

Suhaib himself attended a separate Hamas commendation event for journalists later in 2017. This time, he was honored for performing the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca:

Suhaib received the commendation from al-Masri and Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum (who have often been interviewed by Reuters), along with the movement’s media officials.

It’s worth noting that four of the Jadallah brothers work for Reuters, in Gaza and Dubai. And the links of the Jadallah family to Hamas go back years. One of the brothers of Suhaib and Mohammed, Sallah, was among the terrorists who kidnapped and killed Israeli soldier Nahshon Waxman in 1994.

The mastermind behind that operation was Moahmmed Deif, who was recently eliminated by Israel. As Hamas’ military chief, Deif was also one of the masterminds behind the October 7 massacre in southern Israel.

If Suhaib and Mohammed were professional journalists, such background wouldn’t necessarily matter. But if they have been hosted and honored by Hamas, it’s alarming.

Unethical Nexus

Top news editors probably know it’s impossible to be a journalist in Gaza without links to Hamas, which controls the information flow. In other words, professional journalism in Gaza is impossible, and news outlets should admit it to their audience.

But being hosted by Hamas, receiving its commendations, and displaying terror groups’ insignias isn’t a case of journalists even trying to be professional. This is an agenda-driven, cooperative, symbiotic, reciprocal, and personal nexus that benefits each side.

A Hamas statement from one of the commendation events said it best:

The media office of Hamas organizes this annual event to honor creative journalists for the fourth year in a row, in appreciation of their efforts in serving the Palestinian cause.

Journalists who violate the agency’s code of ethics by receiving de-facto bribes (or at least benefits) from terrorists to “serve the Palestinian cause,” and decorate their office with terror symbols, are not deserving of international praise or the defense of the Reuters Ethics and Standards department.

[solarpunkbusiness]

Mycotech: The Indonesian Startup Biofabricating novel materials from mushrooms

Called Mycotech Lab, the company was inspired by tempeh, the traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans, and came up with its own technology to grow its ethical and carbon-friendly mycelium-based materials. 

Mycotech Lab decided to experiment with the fermentation process used to make tempeh to make a new fabric out of the complex root structure of mushrooms, otherwise known as mycelium. It was a lengthy trial-and-error process that kicked off in 2016, but “finally, we found one mushroom with a mycelium that can be made into binding material,” said Erlambang Ajidarma, head of research at the startup, in conversation with Reuters. 

The final product, developed with fungus grown on sawdust that then gets scraped off and dried and cut into different sizes, is Mylea, a fibrous but tough material that acts just like the real thing. It’s waterproof, pliable, durable, and most importantly, is far more sustainable than existing plastic-based synthetic leathers or carbon-intensive real leather made from hide. 

Mycotech also uses natural dye extracted from roots, leaves and food waste in the region to colour their leather alternative, which again is a process that is far less polluting than traditional tanning processes used for real cowhide that leaves behind solid and liquid waste that contains chromium and other hazardous compounds.

Since its inception, Mycotech has managed to grow its client base with no marketing budget because the demand for sustainable alternatives has grown alongside awareness of the damaging effects of animal-based materials in the fashion industry. 

We the Fungi

Bio Binderless Board | Sustainable non-adhesive binder board from Mylea™ byproduct to meet modern architectural and design standards

Biodegradable Solid-Composite | Utilizing mushroom mycelium that grows and is shaped into desired form and utilities.   

[is-the-primate-vid-cute]

hi! this is not meant to be doubtful about Neuralink’s unethical treatment of primates because it’s horrible either way, but are there any sources on the number being in the thousands? everything i can find says there have been around 20 that were tested on. it’s a disgusting useless thing no animal should suffer for but it seems that number has been inflated.

Thank you for sending this! As it happens upon double checking, the article stating numbers in the thousands as well as the 98% death rate was faked. This is my bad and I should have checked more carefully to ensure I was upholding our commitment to accuracy.

The actual story is more complex, with both Neuralink and the university carrying out the testing claiming that animal welfare and ethics standards are being firmly upheld. However, in the statement released Neuralink stated "two animals were euthanized at planned end dates to gather important histological data, and six animals were euthanized at the medical advice of the veterinary staff at UC Davis.”

There is currently an ongoing investigation and lawsuit against Neuralink for animal cruelty. This article which cites testimonials from former Neuralink employees and lab workers that expressed concern internally over aspects of the experiments, but their concerns were dismissed in order to meet deadlines. From Reuters:

"Five people who’ve worked on Neuralink’s animal experiments told Reuters they had raised concerns internally. They said they had advocated for a more traditional testing approach, in which researchers would test one element at a time in an animal study and draw relevant conclusions before moving on to more animal tests. Instead, these people said, Neuralink launches tests in quick succession before fixing issues in earlier tests or drawing complete conclusions. The result: More animals overall are tested and killed, in part because the approach leads to repeated tests.

One former employee who asked management several years ago for more deliberate testing was told by a senior executive it wasn’t possible given Musk’s demands for speed, the employee said. Two people told Reuters they left the company over concerns about animal research."

The Reuters article estimates that the total number of animals killed (not just monkeys) is in the neighbourhood of 1,500, but it is impossible to know an exact number due to records not being kept indicating every individual.

Musk purportedly did not want to cause suffering in animals and built the monkey facility to be a "monkey Taj Mahal", prioritizing quality of life. This goal is admirable and even potentially achievable for someone with as much money as Musk, but the haste to begin human trials have resulted in rushed experiments where unecessary suffering occurs.

Competitors such as Synchron have managed results similar to Musks goal with far fewer animal deaths. Synchron received clearance to begin human trials in 2021, and their implant has allowed paralyzed people to type without moving.

TL;DR: the previous post on Neuralink was inaccurate, Musk had good intentions and even a potentially good set up for animal welfare but ended up causing unecessary animal suffering due to rush demands to get results so clearance for human trials could be obtained.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Andrew Amos

Published: May 11, 2024

As a doctor and psychiatrist reflecting on the lessons of the Cass Review, I feel a deep sense of shame that my profession and speciality did not prevent the ongoing tragedy of “gender-affirming care”. As the final report makes clear, medical leaders almost universally stood aside while a small group of committed ideologues ignored or bypassed all the usual ethical and institutional safeguards to force their ideology on a group of highly vulnerable children using a corrupted model of medical treatment. 

Sacrificing patient health in pursuit of rights

Among the hundreds of pages of errors and wilful misbehaviour documented by the Cass Review it is easy to miss, but page 13 contains one of the most important paragraphs:

It often takes many years before strongly positive research findings are incorporated into practice. … Quite the reverse happened in the field of gender care for children.

Any doctor who values the reputation of the medical profession should be troubled that across the Western world, multiple centres aspiring to medical excellence constructed an industry of life-altering interventions with no convincing evidence of benefit and significant known harms, all in less time than it usually takes to test whether an individual treatment works.

I have described elsewhere how the clinical guidelines/standards for “gender-affirming care” abandon the medical model in order to pursue the political goals of trans rights activists (see scientific article and newspaper opinion), prioritising the right to gender self-identification over the duty to promote patient health. In order to prevent this from happening again it is equally important to understand why medicine's gatekeepers abandoned their principles for such a dubious goal.

Part of the answer is that there was an organized, strategically coordinated campaign by activists, including activist clinicians, to influence medical decision-makers in order to bypass unfavourable public opinion. For those interested there is a Thomson-Reuters report compiled for iglyo which lays the strategy out in detail. However, in most cases it appears that “gender-affirming care” was permitted, indeed promoted, by senior medical leaders who must have known what they were doing, but have not been held accountable.

Psychiatry, homosexuality, and the depathologization movement 

The main reason medical leaders sacrificed patient rights and abandoned medicine's usual safeguards for “gender-affirming care” was their uncritical acceptance of the rationale of the depathologization movement (see the legal strategy laid out by GATE). This movement argues that applying the regular medical model to gender dysphoria causes the pathologization of gender identity.

It is understandable that gender-diverse patients and their supporters might experience the diagnosis of gender dysphoria as the cause of their distress, rather than the recognition of a clinical syndrome requiring assessment. It is unacceptable that any doctor would agree not to investigate pathological causes of gender dysphoria in order to avoid acknowledging the reality that such causes exist. It is unthinkable that any medical decision-maker that endorsed “gender-affirming care” be allowed to escape responsibility for the harms caused by their decisions.

The reluctance of the psychiatric profession to stand up to the depathologization movement is largely due to historical guilt over the pathologization of homosexuality, which was classed as a mental illness until the mid-1970s. However, while no one has ever provided evidence that homosexuality is the result of mental illness, it is undeniable that some cases of non-traditional gender identity are caused by severe mental illness. (See the case of Daniel Paul Schreber for a famous example where bipolar disorder caused the delusion that a male judge was being turned into a woman to repopulate the earth.)

Due to the influence of the depathologization movement, the WPATH, AusPATH, and the whole circular facade of gender-affirming standards and guidelines assume without evidence that mental illness plays no role in the development of non-traditional gender identities. They do not address known examples of transgenderism caused by severe mental illness, such as Schreber's case; or other psychopathological processes, like trauma from sexual abuse, personality pathology, or mood disturbance. They simply note the high comorbidity of gender dysphoria with other types of mental illness, and assume that some other service will accept the responsibility of detecting and addressing the comorbidity that is missing from their model.

Effects of the medical profession's failure to address the errors of the depathologization movement

Medical leaders' acceptance of the depathologization movement's demand that no pathological cause of gender identity can be considered in the assessment and treatment of gender dysphoria has had multiple harmful effects, all clearly outlined in the WPATH and AusPATH endorsed documents and the Cass Review.

First, this acceptance prevents the diagnosis and treatment of frank mental illness in patients presenting with gender dysphoria, a process described as diagnostic overshadowing by Cass. Second, it prevents the consideration of any alternative modes of treatment. Neither the WPATH nor the AusPATH realistically discuss alternatives to “gender-affirming care”, and neither provide any real description of the management of patients after desistance or detransition.

Finally, by assuming that all gender-diverse identities are simply variations of normal development, by definition and without the possibility of question, the WPATH/AusPATH-endorsed models erect the framework of a medical protocol around a meaningless construct. Gender identity is never formally defined by the WPATH standards, which treat it as the arbitrary combination of characteristics reported by individual patients, unconstrained by the need for stability, coherence, or even an understandable connection with traditional experiences of gender.

This satisfies the political goal of the trans rights movement, that self-reported gender identity be entirely unconstrained, at the cost of abandoning the medical model which cannot safeguard patient health without the valid and reliable diagnosis of disease.

The medical profession must acknowledge and address the failures revealed by the Cass Review

I am proud to be a doctor and a psychiatrist because these disciplines have done so much to improve the human condition by continually striving to increase our understanding of human nature, health, and illness. The corruption of the medical model by a political movement revealed by the Cass Review demands the profession admit to its failures and act to correct them.

In my opinion, the appropriate response to the Cass Review would be the immediate announcement of the end of “gender-affirming care”. The existence of thousands of patients, supporters, and staff engaged with the model, and the scale of the gender-affirming infrastructure entrenched within health bureaucracies, presents practical difficulties, but there are a number of feasible first steps that must be taken to maintain public confidence in the integrity of the medical profession.

The most urgent need is for health authorities to immediately impose adequate clinical governance over services that have effectively been operating without public oversight. After up to a decade of practice, Australian gender services have established no routine data collection or reporting, with the result that no one knows how many patients have been affected, the number and variety of interventions applied, or the harms they have suffered from “gender-affirming care”.

The failure to address desistance and detransition is an unforgivable gap in the gender-affirming model. According to the anecdotal evidence that is all that is available, by the time patients realise they no longer want to transition, they have often been alienated from friends and family, leaving them entirely dependent upon the support of gender services. Fear of abandonment forces many to remain with gender services despite their doubts, while actual abandonment often causes severe distress to those who finally leave.

Finally, while an Australian enquiry modelled on the Cass Review is absolutely necessary, it is likely to confirm what we already know about the failures of the past by replicating the UK results. An ambitious enquiry will aim to prevent future failures by considering the following additional questions, in order to identify the root causes of the current situation:

Why did gender services expand so rapidly despite the lack of evidence that they would benefit patients?

Who were the decision-makers who endorsed the creation and expansion of gender services?

What additional safeguards are necessary to ensure that medical decision-makers are not influenced by political goals?

[ebona07]

20 different definitions of journalism with names of authors and year of publication with their references.

Here are a few definitions of journalism by different authors and their publishing years:

l . "Journalism is the business of influence" 13cn Bagdikian (1983)

2.       "Journalism is the first rough draft of history." Philip L, Graham (1963)

3.      "Journalism is the art of reporting facts and suppressing the truth, - Horace Greeley ( 1 872)

4.       "Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of' filling space. - Rcbecca West (1913)

5. "Joumalism is the literature of democracy." - Thomas Jefferson (1787)

6. 0Journalism is the discipline of verification. - Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel (2001)

7. "Journalism is the enemy of secrecy." - Edward R. Murrow (1963)

8. "Journalism is the aft of finding facts and presenting them in an interesting manner." Joseph Pulitzer (1904)

9.      "Journalism is the profession of gathering and disseminating news." - Walter Williams(1913)

10. "Journalism is the art of asking questions and telling stories." - Bob Woodward (2018)

I l . "Journalism is the search for truth in the service of the public." - Sir Harold Evans (2000)

12. "Journalism is the profession of gathering, interpreting, and presenting news and information to the public." - The New York Times (1851)

13. "Journalism is the art of storytelling through news reporting, feature writing, and investigative journalism." - The Guardian (1821 )

14. "Journalism is the process of researching, writing, and disseminating news stories that inform, educate, and engage the public." Reuters (1851) 

15. "Journalism is the practice of collecting, analyzing, and presenting news and information in a fair and unbiased manner." -- BBC (1922)

16. "Journalism is the art of storytelling through news articles, interviews, and multimedia presentations." - The Washington Post (1877)

17.  "Journalism is the practice of seeking truth, providing context, and holding power accountable through news reporting." — NPR (1970)

18.  "Journalism is the act of researching, writing, and presenting news stories that inform, inspire, and empower the audience." - The Independent (1986)

19.  "Journalism is the practice of informing, educating, and engaging the public through accurate and balanced news reporting." - The Telegraph

20. "Journalism is the profession of gathering, verifying, and disseminating news and information to the public in a responsible and ethical manner." The Times (1785)

References

The Media Monopoly: Ben Bagdikian (1983)

The First Draft of History: Philip L. Graham (1963)

Journalistic Criticism of Journalism: Horace Greeley (1872)

The Quotations on Media: Rebecca West (1913)

Jefferson's preference for "newspapers without government: Thomas Jefferson (1787)

Expression of Journalist Political Support through Social: Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel (2001)

Journalism At Its Best: Edward R. Murrow (1963)

The College of Journalism: Joseph Pulitzer ( 1904)

History' of Journalism Education: Walter Williams (1 913)

The Daily' Transcript: Interview with Bob Woodward: Bob Woodward (2018)

Journalism and Truth: Sir Harold Evans (2000)

The New York limes: Journalism's Essential Value (1851)

Investigative journalism I Media — The Guardian ( 1821)

A selection of readings on journalism -for journalists-Reuters (1851)

Trustworthy Journalism: BBC ( 1922)

Multimedia Storytelling in .Journalism.' The Washington Post (1877)

These are the standards of our .Journalism: NPR ( 1970)

Definition, Purpose & Types: The Independent 1986

Media and Information Literacy in Journalism: The Telegraph 1855.

Journalism ethics and standards: The Times 1785

[jaspersboy]

A Fox Corp shareholder sued Chairman Rupert Murdoch and four other board members on Tuesday, saying they failed to stop Fox News from reporting falsehoods about the 2020 U.S. presidential election that damaged its credibility and prompted lawsuits.

Shareholder Robert Schwarz alleged in the lawsuit filed in Delaware Chancery Court that the directors breached their duties to ensure that Fox followed its own ethical standards and avoided reputational risk, and instead sought to keep supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump tuned in.

"FOX knew – from the Board on down – that Fox News was reporting false and dangerous misinformation about the 2020 Presidential election, but FOX was more concerned about short-term ratings and market share than the long-term damages of its failure to tell the truth," he said in the lawsuit, which did not say how many shares he owned.

[newstfionline]

Monday, February 6, 2023

The mood of the U.S. (Gallup) Americans’ assessment of the state of the nation remains in the pandemic-era slump seen since 2021, marked by subdued satisfaction with 30 different aspects of the country. These include the public’s reaction to several aspects of U.S. society generally, as well as to numerous specific issues facing the country. These findings from Gallup’s Jan. 2-22 Mood of the Nation poll come as only 23% of Americans are broadly satisfied with the way things are going in the country, while the rest are dissatisfied, including nearly half “very dissatisfied.” The overall quality of life in the country (65%) and the opportunity for a person to get ahead by working hard (61%) are the only two societal dimensions of eight measured in this year’s Mood of the Nation poll that a majority of Americans view positively. Even these satisfaction ratings, however, are well below the record highs of 89% for the quality of life in 2001-2002 and 77% for opportunity in 2002. Close to half of Americans today are satisfied with the influence of organized religion, while satisfaction drops to a third for the size and power of the federal government as well as the U.S. system of government and how it works. Americans are least satisfied with the nation’s moral and ethical climate (20%), the way income and wealth are distributed (24%), and the size and influence of major corporations (27%).

Attacks on Electrical Substations Raise Alarm (NYT) A recent spate of attacks on electrical substations in North Carolina and other states has underscored the continued vulnerability of the nation’s electrical grid, according to experts who warn that the power system has become a prime target for right-wing extremists. Over the last three months, at least nine substations have been attacked in North Carolina, Washington State and Oregon, cutting power to tens of thousands of people. After those attacks, federal regulators ordered a review of security standards for the electrical system. Because they house transformers that transfer power from region to region, the tens of thousands of substations across the country represent the most vulnerable nodes in the nation’s vast electrical grid, said Jon Wellinghoff, a former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

America’s offices are now half-full. They may not get much fuller. (Washington Post) The tug of war over getting workers back to the office just reached a key milestone: 50 percent are back at their desks on average, the most since the pandemic hit in March 2020. But that means major corporate offices are only half as full as they once were—and many experts think this could be as good as it gets. The return-to-office figures are unlikely to go much higher as flexible work becomes entrenched in the lives of white-collar workers, experts say. Some employees have resisted hard mandates to return: They’ve left for remote opportunities elsewhere or even flouted in-office requirements, flexing worker leverage while the labor market remains hot. In response, more companies seem to be moving toward acknowledging that the 9-to-5, Monday-through-Friday in-office job is over. More than half of U.S. jobs that can be done remotely were hybrid as of November, up from 32 percent in January 2019, according to data from Gallup.

Peruvian politics (Reuters) As deadly protests rage across Peru, a political battle is unfolding inside the halls of Congress, walled off from the streets by hundreds of police, armored vehicles and a maze of gates. Lawmakers are at loggerheads over whether to hold a snap election this year following the Dec. 7 ouster of leftist President Pedro Castillo part-way through his term, an event that sparked weeks of protests that have seen 48 people killed. Despite the violence, and despite polls that show the majority of Peruvians want the election brought forward, Congress appears to be in deadlock. At least three election bills have been rejected and others knocked back before being debated in the past week, with parties on the left and right apparently unable or unwilling to compromise. “They fight like they’re in a street market,” said Juliana Gamonal, 56, a food delivery person in Lima. “We don’t have good leaders right now, everything is for their benefit, not for the people.” Congress has 13 different voting blocs, making it hard to reach majorities needed for legislation. Meanwhile, constitutional rules make it relatively easy to attempt impeachment—leading the fragmented blocs to use it to punish presidents they don’t like. There have been seven impeachment attempts in the last five years—which have seen six presidents.

Brazil sinks aircraft carrier carrying asbestos, other toxins (Washington Post) Brazil’s navy said Friday night that it had carried out a “planned and controlled” operation to sink a decommissioned aircraft carrier nearly 220 miles off its coast—despite the objections of environmentalists and some government officials who argued that it contained toxic materials that could contaminate the ocean. The navy said in a statement that the operation to sink the São Paulo, a Clemenceau-class carrier, was carried out with the necessary technical competencies and safety measures in “order to avoid logistical, operational, environmental and economic losses to the Brazilian state.” Before Friday’s operation, the São Paulo had been at the center of a months-long odyssey, with governments on several continents refusing to let it dock. Brazil bought the 30,000-ton São Paulo from France in 2000 and decommissioned it in 2018.

Most travelers will soon have to fill out an online application to visit the UK (The Week) As part of efforts to fully digitize its borders by 2025, the United Kingdom is launching the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which is expected to be up and running by the end of 2023. All foreign nationals will have to apply online for an ETA before arriving in the UK, providing “basic personal details, passport data, and some security information,” the ETA UK website says. People can apply from their own homes—there’s no need to go to an embassy—and most will be approved quickly, “with only complex decisions made by ETA officials.” There will be a fee, which has yet to be announced. This isn’t a visa, and the website stresses that “Europeans and travelers from countries including the US and Canada will maintain their visa-free status but will need an ETA to cross the UK border.” The details are still being worked out, but it’s likely the ETA will be valid for at least two years, meaning regular visitors will not have to keep reapplying.

Zelensky warns situation at war front ‘getting tougher’ (Washington Post) Russia is multiplying its attacks to break Ukraine’s defenses, and the situation on the war front is “getting tougher,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address. He said the situation was “very difficult” in the country’s east, especially around Bakhmut, Vuhledar and Lyman. Ukraine has said it will keep fighting for Bakhmut, even as Russia is tightening its grip on the city. Ukrainian losses are mounting in Bakhmut, where a U.S. citizen, Pete Reed, was killed while working as a volunteer paramedic with an outreach group.

Powerful quake rocks Turkey and Syria, killing more than 600 (AP) A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northern Syria early Monday, toppling hundreds of buildings and killing more than 600 people. Hundreds were still believed to be trapped under rubble, and the toll was expected to rise as rescue workers searched mounds of wreckage in cities and towns across the area. On both sides of the border, residents jolted out of sleep by the pre-dawn quake rushed outside on a cold, rainy and snowy winter night, as buildings were flattened and strong aftershocks continued. Rescue workers and residents in multiple cities searched for survivors, working through tangles of metal and giant piles of concrete.

The deepening chill of Afghanistan’s second Taliban winter (Washington Post) In a yard ankle-deep with mud and snowy slush, a woman named Farzana, 32, squatted and scrubbed clothes in a bucket last week. When she stood, her hands were stiff and red. Her daughters were out begging for bread; her sons were collecting trash to use as stove tinder. At night, in a mud-walled hut on the outskirts of the Afghan capital, the family of seven would huddle together under blankets as the heat slowly died. As 40 million Afghans struggle through a second winter since the return of Taliban rule, many are facing conditions far worse than during the first. The weather has been exceptionally harsh, with temperatures often near zero at night. More than 160 people nationwide have died of hypothermia. So have at least 200,000 goats, sheep and other livestock. In isolated northern provinces, many roads are blocked by snow and little emergency aid can be delivered. According to the World Food Program, nearly 20 million people face acute food shortages this winter, and 6 million face “emergency-level food insecurity.” Many foreign aid projects, which distributed food and supplies last winter across the country, have been cut back or suspended because of an impasse between international donors and Taliban authorities over women’s rights, especially new Taliban edicts banning women from attending college or working for foreign charities.

Sri Lanka marks independence anniversary amid economic woes (AP) Sri Lanka marked its 75th independence anniversary on Saturday as a bankrupt nation, with many citizens angry, anxious and in no mood to celebrate. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has started to improve some but not all of the acute shortages, acknowledged the somber state of the nation, saying in a televised speech, “We have reached the point of destruction.” Many Buddhists and Christian clergy had announced a boycott of the celebration in the capital, while activists and others expressed anger at what they see as a waste of money in a time of severe economic crisis. Sri Lanka is effectively bankrupt and has suspended repayment of nearly $7 billion in foreign debt due this year pending the outcome of talks with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout package.

Pope makes final bid for peace, forgiveness in South Sudan (AP) Pope Francis made a final appeal for peace in South Sudan on Sunday as he celebrated Mass before tens of thousands of people to close out an unusual mission by Christian religious leaders to nudge forward the country’s recovery from civil war. On the last day of his African pilgrimage, Francis begged South Sudanese people to lay down their weapons and forgive one another, presiding over Mass at the country’s monument to independence hero John Garang before an estimated 100,000 people, including the country’s political leadership. “Even if our hearts bleed for the wrongs we have suffered, let us refuse, once and for all, to repay evil with evil,” Francis said. “Let us accept one another and love one another with sincerity and generosity, as God loves us.”

In a world of drones and satellites, why use a spy balloon anyway? (Washington Post) In a world of advanced surveillance technology, including drones and satellites, why on Earth would a country use a balloon for spying? That was the question on everyone’s mind this week after U.S. defense officials accused China of flying a high-altitude surveillance balloon over the continental United States. Despite the furor, spy balloons are actually not that unusual. According to U.S. officials, they have been spotted over U.S. territory a number of times in recent years. “Balloons offer a few advantages over the use of satellites or drones,” James Rogers, an academic at Cornell and the University of Southern Denmark. “Not only are they cheaper than launching satellites into space, but by operating within the bounds of the earth’s atmosphere, closer to the surface, they can obtain better quality images,” he added. The latest generation of balloons are high-tech in their own right, “envisaged as systems that can fly up to 90,000 feet” high, “deploy their own drone systems” and detect incoming missiles. Balloons can soar above the range of most planes, Clarke said, and their slow speed means they aren’t always picked up by radar. Satellites can provide high-resolution imagery, Clarke said—but balloons can stay over one area for longer periods than satellites, if the weather permits.

[principles-of]

Is Journalism a dying industry?

Radio, TV and print struggle against declining audience numbers. For an industry labeled as anything but slow paced, how does it react when a serious player has established itself in the game? 

"About 40% of American Adults often get their news from an online source" says the Textbook, Writing and Reporting for the Media. That number rises to half when looking specifically at those between the ages 18-49. "Facebook and Youtube are the most popular social media sites to find news, according to a Pew study in 2017."

News publishers have adapted their business model to support this shift. Journalists can tweet news in real time and articles can be multimedia. Print readership is down and online subscribers are up, but this age of information also supports misleading, provocative or even false information to attract attention for ad revenue. 

"Many people do not trust the news they find on social media," says The Textbook. Everyone has a voice on social media, especially misinformed ones. The problem isn't that they are misinformed, but they share the same space as those that are. Like Pulitzer Prize winning reporters.  

Sharing the same space muddies the credibility and ethics of professional journalists when click bait is attractive and easy to engage with. They give readers entry points to the article, and more importantly, ad revenue. A complex double edged sword.

Are publishers bending over backwards for the sake of clicks? Do important stories get sidelined? Do ads allow publishers to survive? Is there another way to sustain the business?

The Austin Chronicle and KUTX have relatively few corporate ads and have regular fundraising events. Larger publications like The New York Times require a subscription, but supplement with fewer targeted ads.

In 2017, millennials were the largest group to pay for news, almost 40% of them according to a Reuters report in Politico. Does that still hold up in a "post" COVID-19 America? As we approach the election, free click bait authors will again flood our feeds and dodge responsibility.

"All news outlets need trained journalists with high standards," says the Textbook. But what separates click bait from the writing by trained journalists?

As a journalist, I can say we are being trained in ethics, storytelling, research and multimedia. We are being tested on the accuracy of our investigations. We are being encouraged to participate in culture and civics. We are held accountable for mistakes and misrepresentations. The news industry is not slow nor stagnant. We are learning how reporting has been done in the past to adapt to new ways for the future.

I hope that readers can avoid provocative posts and seek journalists, even if it is behind a paywall. 

[carlosrmunoz]

Social Media Policy

The social media industry is facing several challenges, writes Karen Freberg in “Social Media for Strategic Communication.” Among them, she says that social media users are losing control over personal accounts to their employers due to influential presence, sharing too much, going rogue, and the big one, misinformation, Freberg writes.

One of the most notable cases of misinformation came in 2019 when a video featuring a high school student named Nick Sandmann “supposedly confronting a Native American peace activist” went viral and sparked global attention, Freberg writes. However, the video was misinterpreted and Sandmann later sued media outlets for $800 million using the footage without telling the full story. 

CNN, NBC Universal, and the Washington Post settled with Sandmann in 2020, according to multiple media outlets. His classmates also sued but failed.

In another lawsuit, Freberg writes that A-list actor Johnny Depp was forced to resign from Warner Bros after he lost a civil action against The Sun.

Journalists abide by a Code of Conduct that was adopted in 1926 — before that newspapers ran amuck of journalistic standards. They were weaponized by business owners and politicians to influence the public. However, some of that information would not meet standards for journalists today. Colonial-era headlines are still some of the most creative writing of the last 200 years due to their poignant nature.

If you were to join the New York Times today, in addition to agreeing to the Social Media Code of Conduct that its writers are expected to follow, you would be required on social media to avoid harassment, during business and personal hours, be “mindful” of taking sides” in topics that could undercut the newspaper's reputation, avoid joining private groups, do not accept gifts from sources, and more.

Among those who do follow strong ethical behavior on social media, I think organizations like the Associated Press, Reuters, NPR, and BBC are trustworthy groups. On the flip side, I think that Cable TV networks, which must play to their audience, tend to parade analysts and commentators as journalists when they are opinion columnists. Some of these are flagship organizations (Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, CBS) whose coverage trickles down to local TV markets and media outlets that are not influenced by this type of coverage, such as WPRI-TV or WJAR-TV. Journalists who work in local media — not including citizen journalists and activist journalists — are newsgathering organizations whose organic stories guide their audience's interests. For example, Washington Bridge's accountability reporting surrounding RIDOT’s handling of the bridge crisis has put many politicians and leaders under scrutiny. 

In the case of Fox News and CNN, you see the difference in their coverage of politics — one is more liberal and the other is more conservative — both sometimes completely ignoring stories and facts.

With this in mind, some takeaways are that journalists should continue to be observers who lay out their findings and let the readers decide on the merits of a story. Often this process is muddled by social media users who interject information into the media stream, jump to conclusions, or make statements without having all the facts. Sometimes this is to “beat” the media and often it leads to a change in the narrative that must be corrected later. Journalists are held accountable — they can be fired or sued — for improper reporting, while many self-proclaimed journalists, or activists, spread misinformation without consequences.

To adhere to my conduct online, I have chosen to keep my personal social media accounts closed and refrain from making polarizing statements online. My social media feed contains animal pictures, family updates, and limited chat about community happenings. Simplifying social media is a way to keep your sanity and your job.

I feel strongly that people should be able to share their thoughts regardless but understand that not everyone will agree. This requires restraint in your response. Social media is a place where reckless posts can easily be misinterpreted and feelings hurt. Be patient and listen to people.

These are some core concepts I would follow as a social media professional:

Take the time to research information I find online from a source I am not familiar with

Do not allow my personal feelings to cloud my judgment. Listen to people

Use clean and fair language

Report threats and cyberbullying to administrators

If I see surprising news, but can’t verify it, don’t post it

Do not use content I haven’t created myself, like photos or video clips

Ask for permission to use content from another source

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Dion J. Pierre

Columbia University professor Shai Davidai, a Jewish Israeli, defended his right to condemn Hamas’ atrocities on Thursday after learning that an anonymous group of graduate students has accused him of anti-Palestinian racism and demanded a professional association of which he is a member publicly censure him.

Anti-Zionist TikTok influencer Jessica Burbank first reported the accusations the graduate students lodged in a letter to the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), an organization founded in 1974 to promote the social psychology field and its usefulness to society. Comprising over 7,500 student and faculty members, it provides invaluable funding and networking opportunities.

Accusing Davidai of “targeting individuals — especially Palestinians and students of color,” the students’ letter describes his efforts to hold pro-Hamas student groups accountable for harassing Jewish students and defending terror as “decolonization” as “blatant dereliction of duty with respect to his responsibilities and ethical standards as a professor and faculty member of SPSP.” The students additionally accused him of promoting “doxxing” and “misrepresenting” the views of pro-Hamas groups, all of whom have defended Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7 while calling for a ceasefire, a strategy they have employed to portray themselves as a pro-peace movement.

On Thursday, Professor Davidai told The Algemeiner that the man depicted in the letter is not someone his community, students, and peers would recognize, and he accepts that enduring assaults on his character is a consequence of defending the Jewish people wherever they are, be it Israel or New York City.

“Look, I’m speaking up against evil, and against the support of evil,” he said. “I’m willing to take the reputational hits because people that won’t like me for saying what I’m saying — I don’t need them to like me. This isn’t about the performative virtue signaling that is en vogue right now. This is about having a moral compass and standing up for what’s right.”

Davidai went on to express concern that his colleagues in the field have not defended him, a silence which suggests that incriminating pro-Israel activists with baseless accusations will not be denounced or resisted even by moderates holding nuanced views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israel’s war against Hamas.

“If I have to pay the price, I’ll pay the price. Thousands and thousands of Jews and non-Jews contact me to say that calling out pro-Hamas support on US college campuses is the right thing to do,” he continued. “And the irony is that I won’t be silenced. They might take away my reputation. They might take away my job and my career. But I’m not the kind of person who will be quiet now that there’s a personal cost for telling the truth. They’re just proving my point.”

Davidai first achieved national notoriety after delivering a thunderous speech before a crowd of students and others gathered on campus in which he called the school’s president a “coward” for refusing to condemn Hamas apologists and anti-Zionist demonstrations on campus.

“I’m talking to you as a dad, and I want you to know we cannot protect your children from pro-terror student organizations, because the president of Columbia University will not speak out,” Davidai said to the students, whom he asked to film and send the remarks to their parents. “Citizens of the US are right now kidnapped in Gaza, and yet the president of the university is allowing — is giving — her support to pro-terror student organizations.”

In many ways, becoming a public figure has been a detriment, Davidai said. His email is flooded daily with notes from antisemites accusing him of being an “Elder of Zion” and a “genocidal baby killer.”

His colleagues, furious that his exposing antisemitism and left-wing radicalism at Columbia University has caused important donors to pull their support from the school, have never commented on the hate mail even though they are always copied as recipients of it, he alleged.

[rainsmediaradio]

Exorbitant Rent, Agents and Agreement Fees: An Act of Wickedness.

Image by Reuters/Temilade Adelaja Among all the things humans need to survive, shelter takes prominence after food. It is a common belief that when you have a roof over your head half of your problem is solved hence the desire of every hard working man to acquire a house they can call home either big, small, round or square. The shape, design, location, interior and exterior does not matter to many as long as it can be called a home while to some it is a thing of importance, after all what is the point of having it if it is not a thing of pride to show the world i have arrived. Like many places around the world, getting an apartment to rent in the 21st century does not come easy, but in Nigeria especially Lagos it is a nightmare as some individuals called "Agent" have made it a mission to make life miserable for apartment seekers with their crazy, dehumanizing, heart wrenching, wicked exorbitant fee called "Agent and Agreement Fee." Some of these agents are jobless or retired individuals who stumbled on the job and see it as an opportunity to make free money. FREE MONEY??? Yes! It is free money because these agents contributed absolutely nothing to the process of building the house nor do they invest a dime in the construction expenses but they have successfully made themselves the gatekeeper who dictate the amount to charge for the rent of the apartment because the higher the rent the higher the agent and agreement charges. After the deal is completed they vanish into the thing air and leave you to deal with whatever arising issues with the landlord or landlady. I must admit that there are educated agents who studied surveyors and other related courses and graduated with honors and are doing the job with ethics and highly professional conduct. On the flip side, some of those who are using this agent's job to demonize people are also educated. I cannot help but wonder why landlords or landladies cannot handle the process of renting the house to people without going through an agent. Nonetheless, going through an agent does not guarantee that you will get the best tenant nor does it guarantee the possibility of getting the tenant a house with an honorable landlord in the city. I often hope that one day technology would help put an end to this menace or bring about some regulatory measure to the system of renting houses but it is unfortunate that most tech geniuses who have ventured into this industry have not succeeded in eradicating it. Rather, they are in bed with the same agents, and those who try to do things differently are there to compete in the business for the most expensive areas in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria. Which begs the question, what is then the hope of a common man who can only afford a rent of 150,000, 250,000 to 350,000 per annum.

Self-contained single room apartment image situated somewhere in Lagos, Nigeria, was received anonymously apparently cost N400,000 per annum. Imagine the above self-contained single room apartment in the image above apparently cost 400,000 Naira per annum rent excluding the agent and agreement fee. According to the anonymous tip. The agent in charge of the building proposed asking price is 600,000 Naira per annum rent without agent and agreement. This room will only contain a small bed and nothing more. Before you say maybe the location is Lekki, no! It is not Lekki, the location is somewhere on the mainland area of Lagos state. Even if it was Lekki, wouldn't it be an act of pure evil to think of giving for rent such a mini space that is not even up to a studio apartment size at an asking price of 600, 000 Naira? What is wrong with us in this country? Some apartments are not worth what may be considered a standard rate, yet some agents will plan to make their unachievable life fortune from it. Guess what? These agents themselves cannot agree to pay such extortionate rent and fees even if they can afford it. Yet, they would do it to their fellow humans. The government is bad, politicians are embezzlers is a song we sing, even our toddlers sing it better with their adorable faces but hilarious dance, but none of us remember that we aid and abate the politicians immoralities to destroy ourselves with our notorious act of wickedness clothed with fine linen of selfishness and bigotry. This is a call to the appropriate authorities to look into this sector for balance. This daylight extortion disguised as a legitimate and honest means of income has to stop. Enough is enough! Read the full article

[aya01zr]

Share the truth!! It’s not about being Jew or Muslim, it is about humanity

The current situation in Palestine is one that defies the principles of any rational human being, international law, ethical standards, and any religion. What Hamas has done can be seen as a reaction to years of accumulated injustice, a response to the provocations of the Zionist entity, and a defense of the sentiments and sanctities of the Palestinian people. It is widely acknowledged that Israel, with the Balfour Declaration, was granted land that was not rightfully hers. Fabricated tales and myths were concocted to justify this. While Israel may be a weak state on its own, it has received support from Britain and America. The truth is evident: justice lies with the oppressed people of Palestine. Let us, therefore, be advocates for truth, even if it's just through a word on social media. May we all pray for the safety of Palestine.

News #YouTube #Freedom #UNESCO #UNICEF #Truth #thetruth #Humanity #Human #Free #Russian #theWorld #World #International #Children #Women #elderly #person #babies #Childhood #Muslim #Arab #celebrities #democrats

‎#USA #German #Rusia #China ‎#Japan #uk ‎#America

africa #asia #australia #Europe #latinAmerica #Middleeast #US #Canada #politics #culture

Asia-Pacific #SouthAsia

CNN #BBC #REUTERS #USAToday #FoxNews #Reuters #humanrightswatch #humanitariancrisis #respectforall #humanitychallenge #respiratoryhealth #RespectHumanity #respectful

Actualités #facebook #instagram #twitter #tiktok #tumblr #socialmedia

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Dion J. Pierre

Published: Feb 6, 2024

Columbia University professor Shai Davidai, a Jewish Israeli, defended his right to condemn Hamas’ atrocities on Thursday after learning that an anonymous group of graduate students has accused him of anti-Palestinian racism and demanded that a professional association of which he is a member publicly censure him.

Anti-Zionist TikTok influencer Jessica Burbank first reported the accusations the graduate students lodged in a letter to the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), an organization founded in 1974 to promote the social psychology field and its usefulness to society. Comprising over 7,500 student and faculty members, it provides invaluable funding and networking opportunities.

Accusing Davidai of “targeting individuals — especially Palestinians and students of color,” the students’ letter describes his efforts to hold pro-Hamas student groups accountable for harassing Jewish students and defending terror as “decolonization” as “blatant dereliction of duty with respect to his responsibilities and ethical standards as a professor and faculty member of SPSP.” The students additionally accused him of promoting “doxxing” and “misrepresenting” the views of pro-Hamas groups, all of whom have defended Hamas’ atrocities on Oct. 7 while calling for a ceasefire, a strategy they have employed to portray themselves as a pro-peace movement.

On Thursday, Professor Davidai told The Algemeiner that the man depicted in the letter is not someone his community, students, and peers would recognize, and he accepts that enduring assaults on his character is a consequence of defending the Jewish people wherever they are, be it Israel or New York City.

“Look, I’m speaking up against evil, and against the support of evil,” he said. “I’m willing to take the reputational hits because people that won’t like me for saying what I’m saying — I don’t need them to like me. This isn’t about the performative virtue signaling that is en vogue right now. This is about having a moral compass and standing up for what’s right.”

Davidai went on to express concern that his colleagues in the field have not defended him, a silence which suggests that incriminating pro-Israel activists with baseless accusations will not be denounced or resisted even by moderates holding nuanced views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Israel’s war against Hamas.

“If I have to pay the price, I’ll pay the price. Thousands and thousands of Jews and non-Jews contact me to say that calling out pro-Hamas support on US college campuses is the right thing to do,” he continued. “And the irony is that I won’t be silenced. They might take away my reputation. They might take away my job and my career. But I’m not the kind of person who will be quiet now that there’s a personal cost for telling the truth. They’re just proving my point.”

Davidai first achieved national notoriety after delivering a thunderous speech before a crowd of students and others gathered on campus in which he called the school’s president a “coward” for refusing to condemn Hamas apologists and anti-Zionist demonstrations on campus.

“I’m talking to you as a dad, and I want you to know we cannot protect your children from pro-terror student organizations, because the president of Columbia University will not speak out,” Davidai said to the students, whom he asked to film and send the remarks to their parents. “Citizens of the US are right now kidnapped in Gaza, and yet the president of the university is allowing — is giving — her support to pro-terror student organizations.”

In many ways, becoming a public figure has been a detriment, Davidai said. His email is flooded daily with notes from antisemites accusing him of being an “Elder of Zion” and a “genocidal baby killer.”

His colleagues, furious that his exposing antisemitism and left-wing radicalism at Columbia University has caused important donors to pull their support from the school, have never commented on the hate mail even though they are always copied as recipients of it, he alleged.

==

"One of the things that is a classic trope of the religious bigot, is while they're denying people their rights, they claim that their rights are being denied. While they are persecuting people, they claim to be persecuted. While they are behaving colossally offensively, they claim to be the offended party. It's upside-down world." -- Salman Rushdie

The people chanting for the extermination of Jews and the destruction of Israel, supporting a Jihadist terrorist organization, and demanding Israel not be allowed to defend itself, are pretending they're the victims and filing spurious claims to silence dissenters.

This is how you tell who really holds the power. No matter what their stupid slogans and fraudulent scholarship say. You're not supposed to notice it because of the victimhood language they use, but they're aggressive authoritarians who have seized institutional power. The fact that Davidai's career is at risk for a completely reasonable position, while the students' enrolments are not, demonstrates this.

The sets of pro-Hamas people and pro-Palestine people are a single circle. They are not a peace movement; they are a violence movement. Like Islam itself, watch what happens when you don't submit to its demands.

[ailtrahq]

Cameron Winklevoss, co-founder of the Crypto Trading platform Gemini Trust Co, has been interviewed by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), staff from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and New York City prosecutors in recent months, according to a source familiar with the matter. This significant development is in response to the allegations of fraud Winklevoss has directed against Barry Silbert, CEO of the Digital Currency Group (DCG). Bloomberg News, the first to News-2023-09-07/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">report on this matter, highlighted that the interview is part of an “ongoing review” into the financial dealings of DCG and its now bankrupt lending subsidiary, Genesis Global Capital. Despite the gravity of the allegations and the heightened scrutiny from federal authorities, Silbert has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing. Gemini was the largest creditor of Genesis Global and is suing DCG and Silbert. A spokesperson for DCG communicated to Bloomberg that Silbert has consistently refuted the allegations of fraud. He said that the firm “always conducted its business lawfully and with the highest ethical standards” and that it will assist regulators upon request. A spokesman for federal prosecutors declined to comment to Reuters, as did the FBI. Gemini also did not respond to requests for comment. Crypto Conglomerate DCG Vs. Gemini The roots of this dispute trace back to a partnership between Gemini and Genesis in 2021. Together, they launched an earn programme, allowing Gemini users to lend cryptocurrencies to Genesis with the promise of Interest returns. However, in November 2022, Genesis abruptly halted these payouts, citing “unprecedented Market turmoil.” Shortly after, in January, Genesis filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Gemini, being the largest creditor of the now-bankrupt Genesis, initiated legal action against DCG and Silbert. The lawsuit alleges fraudulent lending practices by Genesis and accuses DCG and Silbert of making “false, misleading, and incomplete representations and omissions” to Gemini. Further fueling the controversy, Winklevoss took to social media, particularly Twitter, to voice his grievances. In a detailed thread from July 7, he accused Silbert of being aware of Genesis’s massive insolvency issues, especially after the collapse of Three Arrows Capital in June 2022, which purportedly resulted in a $1.2 billion deficit in Genesis’ balance sheet. Winklevoss stated, “Barry, DCG, and Genesis together created false financial statements to hide the truth from Gemini and creditors.” In response to these allegations, DCG labeled the lawsuit as a mere “publicity stunt” by Winklevoss and refuted all claims as “baseless, defamatory, and completely false.” The controversy surrounding the Earn programme has also attracted regulatory attention. In January, the SEC filed a complaint against both Genesis and Gemini for allegedly offering unregistered Securities. Additionally, the New York Department of Financial Services has initiated a separate investigation into Gemini. The total Market cap of crypto has managed to defend the $1 trillion mark in recent days. Total crypto Market cap remains above $1 trillion, 1-day chart | Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com

[rubysboyles]

Navigating Ethical Frontiers in Cryptocurrency Casinos

The Legal and Regulatory Challenges of Cryptocurrency Casinos

Cryptocurrency casinos have emerged as a unique intersection of cutting-edge technology and gambling entertainment, presenting players with novel opportunities and experiences. However, the rise of these casinos like tofcasino.com/online-casinos/slot-hunter/ has brought to the forefront a myriad of legal and regulatory challenges that require careful consideration and resolution.

Cryptocurrency, often hailed for its decentralized nature, has raised questions about its legal classification. The ambiguity surrounding cryptocurrencies' legal status has led to uncertainties in how they should be regulated within the gambling sphere.

Bloomberg reports that the decentralized and pseudonymous nature of many cryptocurrencies presents challenges for regulatory authorities seeking to implement anti-money laundering (AML) and know your customer (KYC) measures. The very attributes that attract users to cryptocurrencies also raise concerns about their potential misuse for illegal activities within cryptocurrency casinos.

Complex Jurisdictional Issues

The borderless nature of cryptocurrencies clashes with the concept of geographical jurisdictions, introducing complexities in the enforcement of gambling regulations. As The Guardian highlights, determining the appropriate jurisdiction for cryptocurrency casinos is a convoluted process that involves navigating various legal frameworks across different countries.

The New York Times elaborates on the varying stances countries have taken toward cryptocurrency gambling. While some nations embrace these casinos as a form of economic innovation, others express concerns about the potential for financial crimes and lack of consumer protection.

Ensuring Consumer Protection

BBC underscores the significance of safeguarding consumers in the realm of cryptocurrency casinos. Traditional gambling regulations often prioritize player protection through mechanisms like dispute resolution and responsible gambling programs. Adapting these measures to the context of cryptocurrency casinos poses challenges due to the decentralized and pseudonymous nature of transactions.

Efforts are underway to establish industry standards for responsible gambling in cryptocurrency casinos. Collaborative initiatives between regulatory bodies, industry stakeholders, and consumer advocacy groups aim to strike a balance between innovation and player protection.

Emerging Regulations and Best Practices

The dynamic landscape of cryptocurrency casinos has prompted some countries to explore tailored regulations to address the unique challenges posed by these platforms. Reuters highlights how countries like Malta and Gibraltar have been proactive in creating regulatory frameworks that cater to cryptocurrency gambling while ensuring compliance with AML and consumer protection standards.

Industry leaders are also championing self-regulation and adherence to best practices. Casino News Daily notes that some cryptocurrency casinos are voluntarily implementing AML and KYC procedures to mitigate risks associated with illicit activities and enhance transparency.

The Evolution of Regulatory Frameworks

The dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency landscape requires a flexible approach to regulation. As cryptocurrencies continue to gain traction, governments and regulatory bodies are grappling with the need to adapt their frameworks to accommodate the unique challenges posed by cryptocurrency casinos.

Forbes highlights how some jurisdictions are exploring hybrid regulatory models that combine existing gambling regulations with cryptocurrency-specific measures. This approach seeks to strike a balance between nurturing innovation and safeguarding consumers.

Anti-Money Laundering and Cryptocurrency Casinos

Council on Foreign Relations emphasizes the critical role of anti-money laundering efforts in the cryptocurrency casino sphere. Cryptocurrencies' pseudonymous nature has drawn the attention of criminal elements seeking to exploit these platforms for money laundering purposes.

Regulatory authorities are actively working to adapt AML regulations to cover cryptocurrency transactions. The development of robust AML frameworks specific to cryptocurrency casinos is essential to prevent illicit activities while fostering a secure and trusted gambling environment.

Collaborative Initiatives for Consumer Protection

Recognizing the complexities of regulating cryptocurrency casinos, industry stakeholders are collaborating to establish consumer protection standards that align with the unique characteristics of cryptocurrencies.

Voluntary Self-Exclusion Programs: Some cryptocurrency casinos are implementing self-exclusion options that allow players to voluntarily restrict their access, promoting responsible gambling.

Transparent Terms and Conditions: Casinos are urged to provide clear terms and conditions, including deposit and withdrawal policies, to enhance transparency.

Educational Resources: Players are being empowered with educational resources about cryptocurrency gambling risks, encouraging informed decision-making.

These collaborative efforts are crucial in fostering a safer environment for players while addressing the concerns associated with cryptocurrency casinos.

The Role of International Cooperation

International cooperation is emerging as a key driver in addressing the regulatory challenges posed by cryptocurrency casinos. Forums and organizations are facilitating dialogue between governments, regulatory bodies, and industry players to develop standardized practices and guidelines.

The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) is one such entity that serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration. By sharing experiences and insights, regulators are better equipped to navigate the complexities of cryptocurrency casinos and develop effective regulatory responses.

Technological Innovation and Ethical Considerations

As cryptocurrency casinos continue to push the boundaries of traditional gambling, the ethical implications of these platforms cannot be ignored. Ethics.org highlights the importance of considering how the integration of cryptocurrencies impacts vulnerable individuals, promotes responsible gambling, and addresses potential addiction risks.

Ethical considerations extend beyond the players themselves. The utilization of cryptocurrencies for gambling raises questions about the environmental impact of blockchain technology. Nature explores the energy-intensive nature of blockchain transactions, prompting discussions about the carbon footprint associated with cryptocurrency casinos.

Ensuring Fair Play and Integrity

The core principle of fair play is essential to maintaining the trust of players in the cryptocurrency casino sector. MIT Technology Review emphasizes that implementing provably fair algorithms, which ensure transparent and verifiable game outcomes, is not just a technological choice but a moral obligation to uphold fairness.

As Business Insider reports, the development and adoption of standardized fairness metrics and independent audits are vital steps to demonstrate the integrity of cryptocurrency casinos. These measures not only enhance transparency but also establish a benchmark for trust in an industry that is continually evolving.

Educating Players and Promoting Responsibility

Education plays a pivotal role in ensuring that players are informed about the unique characteristics of cryptocurrency gambling. Casinos have a responsibility to provide clear information about the risks and benefits associated with cryptocurrencies, helping players make conscious decisions.

GamCare, a leading provider of information and support for gambling-related issues, advocates for robust responsible gambling practices within the cryptocurrency casino space. Implementing features like deposit limits, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion options can assist players in maintaining healthy gambling habits.

Global Collaboration for Ethical Standards

The challenges of ethical considerations in cryptocurrency casinos call for global collaboration among regulators, industry leaders, and ethical experts. International forums, like the United Nations' UN, provide platforms for discussions that transcend geographical boundaries and culminate in the formulation of ethical standards for the industry.

By establishing ethical frameworks that prioritize player welfare, fair play, and environmental sustainability, the cryptocurrency casino sector can pave the way for responsible growth and innovation.

Conclusion: The Balancing Act

The realm of cryptocurrency casinos is a balancing act between innovation, ethical responsibility, and regulatory compliance. As Wired suggests, the ethical journey of these casinos will be marked by challenges, triumphs, and ongoing refinement.

As the industry matures, the integration of technological advancements with ethical considerations will define its evolution. By prioritizing transparency, responsible gambling, and collaboration, cryptocurrency casinos can shape a future where technological innovation aligns harmoniously with ethical values, resulting in a more sustainable and ethical gambling ecosystem.

[manoj-321]

The Growing Demand for ESG Data: Trends and Market Outlook

Profitability is no longer the only method investors use to assess whether a business is a secure opportunity. With growing scrutiny around ethical organizational practices, the link between sustainable operations and 21st-century investors has never been stronger. 

Businesses are now quick to incorporate ESG factors into their ethos. As a result, their impact on their surrounding environment propels further business growth and cements the business as a lucrative long-term investment. 

How is ESG data used in investment decision-making? 

The ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) framework is utilized to understand an organization's activities and its understanding of ethical and sustainability concerns.  

Environmental  

When businesses account for Environmental factors, the organization understands how their day-to-day and long-term activities affect the surrounding environment. This includes understanding how processes negatively or positively impact global challenges such as climate change or communal issues such as waste management or pollution. 

Social

Social factors help businesses introduce and sustain internal ethical practices to ensure stakeholders are treated fairly. Social factors ensure businesses do not propagate discriminatory practices and ensure all individuals are affected by organizational activities. 

Governance 

Governance factors ensure the business stays compliant with legal requirements and practices. This means incorporating recognized industry practices and policies into corporate culture and ensuring activities could not be scrutinized or fined at a later date. 

Integration of ESG Factors in Investment Decision-Making 

ESG is not just a buzzword. A growing number of investors are using ESG metrics as a non-financial metric to understand where potential risks lie and how strong prospects for growth are. 

As of 2022, 89% of investors considered ESG data and issues in their investment approach. 31% of European investors and 18% of North American investors have revealed ESG data to be the most critical factor when considering investments. 

Growing interest has prompted the development of a number of reputed institutions whose sole purpose is to standardize ESG assessment factors. As a result, the new era of investors is able to access information critical to their decision-making process and long/short-term goals.  

The Role of Data Providers and Research Firms in the ESG Data Market 

With the growing standardization of ESG assessment metrics, investors are looking to widely known data providers and research firms for validated information. Market Data providers such as Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters now offer information about ESG topics using proprietary methods. The data providers also offer businesses statistics around the social aspect of ESG, allowing them to better understand industry trends and changes to be made. 

The rising demand for ESG information has also created specialized data suppliers. Companies, including Ethos and Convalence, offer end-to-end ESG data services. They customize their assessment techniques based on the information needed and assist investors with risk analysis tools for better decision-making. 

Finally, specialized data providers help investors detect new opportunities or assess risk by offering comprehensive data around one or two ESG factors.  

It is important to understand there is minimal information about how ESG factors directly affect finances. Data providers and research firms offer an abundance of verified supplementary information to prevent irrelevant comparisons and account for disparities. 

Emerging Trends in ESG Data and Reporting 

The growing popularity of ESG investing has risen to assets worth USD $2.5 trillion as of 2022. Observing ESG data trends and market trends simultaneously allows investors to minimize risks while maximizing returns.  

Here are the trends ESG investors are looking at in 2023: 

Impact of Climate Change 

While climate change has been a global issue for years, 2023 is likely to see an increased focus. Companies are assessing their carbon footprint and adjusting their day-to-day activities accordingly.  

The post-COVID global economy, with all its negatives, showcased that companies are still able to operate and lower overall running costs while introducing new practices. Larger scale industries, including construction, transport, aerospace, and defence, are able to adjust their activities to join the green movement. As this trend grows, ESG-based investments grow, and businesses can adhere to newly established market trends to stay appealing. 

The Ethics Behind Supply Chains 

This generation of customers wants answers. It is no longer just about the efficacy of a product but the steps taken to create it. Customers are now looking into the role of human rights, working conditions, child labour law, and other critical codes of conduct in order to decide whether to purchase. 

Companies working in fast fashion, for example,  have been the centre of news headlines describing how low costs are translated down to customers leading to protests and boycotts.  

ESG investors now require regular audits, a thorough understanding of conduct codes, and demonstrations around training for employees. Companies that are not ESG compliant have a hard time gathering investment. In this case, slow fashion companies that work with upcycled garments, recycled fabrics, and ethical practices not only receive hefty investments but a strong customer base as a result of their conscientiousness.  

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI)  

The conscious consumer is less likely to support businesses with unfair internal practices or compliance with discrimination. As organizations focus on including diversity and understanding subconscious bias, customers are more likely to feel comfortable engaging with the organization and its products. 

As a result, businesses are more likely to share information about the lack of gender bias, equal pay policies, annual training and introducing more diversity in positions of leadership.  

ESG investors invest in companies that consciously include diversity and equality as new demographics open, more customer-friendly practices are in place, and employees content with their workplace put out higher quality products and services.  

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 

The slogan has circulated the globe with ideas around minimizing waste and upcycling items that no longer serve their original purpose. ESG investors are constantly on the lookout for businesses that have disrupted traditional models and introduced better practices around consumption and waste. 

A strong force for 2023 is businesses introducing new methods to harness any unwanted material as a result of their activities and repurposing the same not only to assist the business but surrounding communities.  

ESG investors identify an organization's willingness to maintain profitability while being conscious and ethical as an ideal candidate for investment. 

Keeping Digital Identities Safe 

We live in the age of technology. Your virtual identity can do anything from creating social structures to handling finances. As more businesses have migrated to e-commerce, there is a growing concern about customer information staying private as opposed to being repurposed or stolen. 

Businesses factoring in ESG often have transparent information about collecting customer data on their websites. This allows customers to understand what purchasing from a website means and make an educated decision to complete the transaction or purchase from elsewhere. 

ESG investors have witnessed many of an organization's downfalls as a result of selling customer information to 3rd parties or a lack of adequate cyber security measures. Businesses with strong data protection policies in place automatically become more appealing to ESG investors. Non-compliant businesses are likely to be on the receiving end of strong legal action and build a lack of trust with prospective customers. 

Read also: The Evolution of ESG Data and its Future Outlook 

What is the market outlook for ESG data? 

ESG factors are critical to business success in the 21st century. In an era of cancel culture and accountability, investors are looking for longevity. Investing in a business that is supported by surrounding communities and the government and minimizes collateral damage has never been more critical. As more standardized information is shared around the ESG metric, businesses are left with no choice but to introduce better internal and external practices to ensure survival. 

As the number of ESG-centric investors grows and the value of ESG assets rises, the global economy can look forward to being fueled by companies that approach business with a more holistic perspective.  

SG Analytics is an industry leader in ESG services, providing custom sustainability advice and research to aid deliberation. Contact us today if you are looking for an effective ESG integration and management solution provider to improve your company's long-term viability.