Technology

US Surgeon General calls for warning labels on social media platforms

Published

5 months ago

June 18, 2024

IAM

U.S. Surgeon General, Social Media Platforms, Vivek H. Murthy

Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States, called for warning labels to be placed on social media platforms in a June 17 article for . Murthy’s call reflects a broader movement for the federal government to more stringently regulate tech corporations and social media as they concern the mental health of teenage users.

As reported, Murthy’s the argument centers around research This indicates that teenagers who spend loads of time on social media platforms are at an increased risk of tension and depression, which is supported by testimonies from young people themselves who say that social media has negatively impacted their self-image.

As Murthy told the location, “We need… something clear that people can regularly see when they use social media and that, frankly, tells them what we currently know as the establishment of public health and medicine.”

In April, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt said he believed social media corporations harm children, especially teenage girls. Haidt also pointed to what he described as an arbitrary reduction within the digital age of consent from 16 to 13 years. “The way these regulations work in the United States: Congress only did two things, and they were both terrible.”

Haidt continued: “The first one was COPPA, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. The question was how old you had to be to submit personal information, and the company could make money from your data without your parents’ knowledge or consent. Representative Ed Markey – now Senator Markey – was the primary author of the bill and, after consultation, stated that he was sixteen years old. Sixteen is the age at which you get your driving license; you’re a little more independent. But various lobbyists have banded together to lower that number to thirteen and there is zero enforcement.”

According to Murthy’s article, Congress plays a key role in protecting children from tech corporations. Children’s online safety advocates reminiscent of Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, warn that Murthy’s warning label proposal will do no good unless reforms are made that affect tech corporations. “It’s a general business model for online media that requires regulation, including antitrust laws, market governance rules, consumer protection policies, privacy laws that really restrict tactics, and public funding of content. Warning labels are an illusory guarantee without serious reform.” Chester wrote on X, formerly often known as Twitter.

But tech corporations are fighting regulation, mainly through the tech industry association NetChoice, whose members include Amazon, Meta and Google. NetChoice is responsible for leading efforts to stop states from controlling tech corporations, in keeping with reports. Carl Szabo, vice chairman and general counsel of the group, said parents should regulate their kid’s use of social media platforms. “Parents and guardians are best placed to meet these unique needs of their children – not the government or technology companies.”

Meanwhile, Murthy concluded his argument for making social media safer for young people by referencing how the federal government has mandated seat belts in response to unsafe vehicles. “Why haven’t we responded to the harm caused by social media when it is no less urgent and widespread than the harm caused by unsafe cars, planes or food? These harms are not due to a lack of willpower and parenting; are the consequence of unleashing powerful technology without adequate security, transparency and accountability measures.”

Murthy concluded: “The moral judgment of any society is how well it protects its children. Students like Tina and mothers like Lori don’t want to be told that change takes time, that the problem is too complicated, or that the status quo is too difficult to change. We have the knowledge, resources and tools to make social media safe for our children. Now is the time to summon the will to act. The well-being of our children is at stake.”

This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com

Technology

Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal is leaving PhonePe’s board

Published

6 hours ago

November 22, 2024

IAM

Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal has stepped down three-quarters from PhonePe’s board after making an identical move on the e-commerce giant.

Bengaluru-based PhonePe said it has appointed Manish Sabharwal, executive director at recruitment and human resources firm Teamlease, as an independent director and chairman of the audit committee.

Bansal played a key role in Flipkart’s acquisition of PhonePe in 2016 and has since served on the fintech’s board. The Walmart-backed startup, which operates India’s hottest mobile payment app, spun off from Flipkart in 2022 and was valued at $12 billion in funding rounds that raised about $850 million last 12 months.

Bansal still holds about 1% of PhonePe. Neither party explained why they were leaving the board.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Binny Bansal for being one of the first and staunchest supporters of PhonePe,” Sameer Nigam, co-founder and CEO of PhonePe, said in a press release. His lively involvement, strategic advice and private mentoring have profoundly enriched our discussions. We will miss Binny!”

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com

Technology

The company is currently developing washing machines for humans

Published

13 hours ago

November 22, 2024

IAM

Forget about cold baths. Washing machines for people may soon be a brand new solution.

According to at least one Japanese the oldest newspapersOsaka-based shower head maker Science has developed a cockpit-shaped device that fills with water when a bather sits on a seat in the center and measures an individual’s heart rate and other biological data using sensors to make sure the temperature is good. “It also projects images onto the inside of the transparent cover to make the person feel refreshed,” the power says.

The device, dubbed “Mirai Ningen Sentakuki” (the human washing machine of the longer term), may never go on sale. Indeed, for now the company’s plans are limited to the Osaka trade fair in April, where as much as eight people will have the option to experience a 15-minute “wash and dry” every day after first booking.

Apparently a version for home use is within the works.

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com

Technology

Zepto raises another $350 million amid retail upheaval in India

Published

20 hours ago

November 21, 2024

IAM

Zepto, snagging $1 billion in 90 days, projects 150% annual growth

Zepto has secured $350 million in latest financing, its third round of financing in six months, because the Indian high-speed trading startup strengthens its position against competitors ahead of a planned public offering next yr.

Indian family offices, high-net-worth individuals and asset manager Motilal Oswal invested in the round, maintaining Zepto’s $5 billion valuation. Motilal co-founder Raamdeo Agrawal, family offices Mankind Pharma, RP-Sanjiv Goenka, Cello, Haldiram’s, Sekhsaria and Kalyan, in addition to stars Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar are amongst those backing the brand new enterprise, which is India’s largest fully national primary round.

The funding push comes as Zepto rushes so as to add Indian investors to its capitalization table, with foreign ownership now exceeding two-thirds. TechCrunch first reported on the brand new round’s deliberations last month. The Mumbai-based startup has raised over $1.35 billion since June.

Fast commerce sales – delivering groceries and other items to customers’ doors in 10 minutes – will exceed $6 billion this yr in India. Morgan Stanley predicts that this market shall be value $42 billion by 2030, accounting for 18.4% of total e-commerce and a pair of.5% of retail sales. These strong growth prospects have forced established players including Flipkart, Myntra and Nykaa to cut back delivery times as they lose touch with specialized delivery apps.

While high-speed commerce has not taken off in many of the world, the model seems to work particularly well in India, where unorganized retail stores are ever-present.

High-speed trading platforms are creating “parallel trading for consumers seeking convenience” in India, Morgan Stanley wrote in a note this month.

Zepto and its rivals – Zomato-owned Blinkit, Swiggy-owned Instamart and Tata-owned BigBasket – currently operate on lower margins than traditional retail, and Morgan Stanley expects market leaders to realize contribution margins of 7-8% and adjusted EBITDA margins to greater than 5% by 2030. (Zepto currently spends about 35 million dollars monthly).

An investor presentation reviewed by TechCrunch shows that Zepto, which handles greater than 7 million total orders every day in greater than 17 cities, is heading in the right direction to realize annual sales of $2 billion. It anticipates 150% growth over the following 12 months, CEO Aadit Palicha told investors in August. The startup plans to go public in India next yr.

However, the rapid growth of high-speed trading has had a devastating impact on the mom-and-pop stores that dot hundreds of Indian cities, towns and villages.

According to the All India Federation of Consumer Products Distributors, about 200,000 local stores closed last yr, with 90,000 in major cities where high-speed trading is more prevalent.

The federation has warned that without regulatory intervention, more local shops shall be vulnerable to closure as fast trading platforms prioritize growth over sustainable practices.

Zepto said it has created job opportunities for tons of of hundreds of gig employees. “From day one, our vision has been to play a small role in nation building, create millions of jobs and offer better services to Indian consumers,” Palicha said in an announcement.

Regulatory challenges arise. Unless an e-commerce company is a majority shareholder of an Indian company or person, current regulations prevent it from operating on a listing model. Fast trading corporations don’t currently follow these rules.

This article was originally published on : techcrunch.com