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Calls to regulate AI are growing louder. But how exactly do you regulate a technology like this?

Last week, artificial intelligence pioneers and experts urged major AI labs to immediately pause the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4 for at least six months. An <a href="https://futureoflife.org/open-letter/pause-giant-ai-experiments/">open letter</a> penned by the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/commentisfree/2022/dec/04/longtermism-rich-effective-altruism-tech-dangerous">Future of Life Institute</a> cautioned that AI systems with “human-competitive intelligence” could become a major threat to humanity. Among the risks, the possibility of AI outsmarting humans, rendering us obsolete, and <a href="https://time.com/6266923/ai-eliezer-yudkowsky-open-letter-not-enough/">taking control of civilisation</a>. The letter emphasises the need to develop a comprehensive set of protocols to govern the development and deployment of AI. It states, "These protocols should ensure that systems adhering to them are safe beyond a reasonable doubt. This does not mean a pause on AI development in general, merely a stepping back from the dangerous race to ever-larger unpredictable black-box models with emergent capabilities." Typically, the battle for regulation has pitted governments and large technology companies against one another. But the recent open letter – so far signed by more than 5,000 signatories including Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and OpenAI scientist Yonas Kassa – seems to suggest more parties are finally converging on one side. Could we really implement a streamlined, global framework for AI regulation? And if so, what would this look like? <h2>What regulation already exists?</h2> In Australia, the government has established the <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/industries/technology/national-ai-centre">National AI Centre</a> to help develop the nation’s <a href="https://www.industry.gov.au/science-technology-and-innovation/technology/artificial-intelligence">AI and digital ecosystem</a>. Under this umbrella is the <a href="https://www.csiro.au/en/work-with-us/industries/technology/National-AI-Centre/Responsible-AI-Network">Responsible AI Network</a>, which aims to drive responsible practise and provide leadership on laws and standards. However, there is currently no specific regulation on AI and algorithmic decision-making in place. The government has taken a light touch approach that widely embraces the concept of responsible AI, but stops short of setting parameters that will ensure it is achieved. Similarly, the US has adopted a <a href="https://dataconomy.com/2022/10/artificial-intelligence-laws-and-regulations/">hands-off strategy</a>. Lawmakers have not shown any <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/business/dealbook/lawmakers-ai-regulations.html">urgency</a> in attempts to regulate AI, and have relied on existing laws to regulate its use. The <a href="https://www.uschamber.com/assets/documents/CTEC_AICommission2023_Exec-Summary.pdf">US Chamber of Commerce</a> recently called for AI regulation, to ensure it doesn’t hurt growth or become a national security risk, but no action has been taken yet. Leading the way in AI regulation is the European Union, which is racing to create an <a href="https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/">Artificial Intelligence Act</a>. This proposed law will assign three risk categories relating to AI: <ul> <li>applications and systems that create “unacceptable risk” will be banned, such as government-run social scoring used in China</li> <li>applications considered “high-risk”, such as CV-scanning tools that rank job applicants, will be subject to specific legal requirements, and</li> <li>all other applications will be largely unregulated.</li> </ul> Although some groups argue the EU’s approach will <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/02/14/lessons-from-world-s-two-experiments-in-ai-governance-pub-89035">stifle innovation</a>, it’s one Australia should closely monitor, because it balances offering predictability with keeping pace with the development of AI. China’s approach to AI has focused on targeting specific algorithm applications and writing regulations that address their deployment in certain contexts, such as algorithms that generate harmful information, for instance. While this approach offers specificity, it risks having rules that will quickly fall behind rapidly <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/02/14/lessons-from-world-s-two-experiments-in-ai-governance-pub-89035">evolving technology</a>. <h2>The pros and cons</h2> There are several arguments both for and against allowing caution to drive the control of AI. On one hand, AI is celebrated for being able to generate all forms of content, handle mundane tasks and detect cancers, among other things. On the other hand, it can deceive, perpetuate bias, plagiarise and – of course – has some experts worried about humanity’s collective future. Even OpenAI’s CTO, <a href="https://time.com/6252404/mira-murati-chatgpt-openai-interview/">Mira Murati</a>, has suggested there should be movement toward regulating AI. Some scholars have argued excessive regulation may hinder AI’s full potential and interfere with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0267364916300814?casa_token=f7xPY8ocOt4AAAAA:V6gTZa4OSBsJ-DOL-5gSSwV-KKATNIxWTg7YZUenSoHY8JrZILH2ei6GdFX017upMIvspIDcAuND">“creative destruction”</a> – a theory which suggests long-standing norms and practices must be pulled apart in order for innovation to thrive. Likewise, over the years <a href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/policy-perspectives/technology/ai">business groups</a> have pushed for regulation that is flexible and limited to targeted applications, so that it doesn’t hamper competition. And <a href="https://www.bitkom.org/sites/main/files/2020-06/03_bitkom_position-on-whitepaper-on-ai_all.pdf">industry associations</a>have called for ethical “guidance” rather than regulation – arguing that AI development is too fast-moving and open-ended to adequately regulate. But citizens seem to advocate for more oversight. According to reports by Bristows and KPMG, about two-thirds of <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-29/australians-say-not-enough-done-to-regulate-ai/102158318">Australian</a>and <a href="https://www.bristows.com/app/uploads/2019/06/Artificial-Intelligence-Public-Perception-Attitude-and-Trust.pdf">British</a> people believe the AI industry should be regulated and held accountable. <h2>What’s next?</h2> A six-month pause on the development of advanced AI systems could offer welcome respite from an AI arms race that just doesn’t seem to be letting up. However, to date there has been no effective global effort to meaningfully regulate AI. Efforts the world over have have been fractured, delayed and overall lax. A global moratorium would be difficult to enforce, but not impossible. The open letter raises questions around the role of governments, which have largely been silent regarding the potential harms of extremely capable AI tools. If anything is to change, governments and national and supra-national regulatory bodies will need take the lead in ensuring accountability and safety. As the letter argues, decisions concerning AI at a societal level should not be in the hands of “unelected tech leaders”. Governments should therefore engage with industry to co-develop a global framework that lays out comprehensive rules governing AI development. This is the best way to protect against harmful impacts and avoid a race to the bottom. It also avoids the undesirable situation where governments and tech giants struggle for dominance over the future of AI. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/calls-to-regulate-ai-are-growing-louder-but-how-exactly-do-you-regulate-a-technology-like-this-203050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

"I started walking the long way": many young women first experience street harassment in their school uniforms

Can you remember the first time you were harassed in a public space? What comes to mind? Can you remember how old you were, or what you were doing? Perhaps this is not something you have personally experienced, although we know <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/everyday-sexism/">87% of young Australian women</a> have been harassed in public. We spoke to 47 adult women and LGBTQ+ people in <a href="https://www.streetharassmentjustice.com/">our recent study</a> on street-based and public harassment about their earliest memories of feeling sexualised, uncomfortable or unsafe on the street. Many mentioned they first experienced street harassment in their school uniforms. We heard variations of the phrase “it happened when I was in my school uniform” repeatedly from participants. For many, <a href="https://theconversation.com/whistling-and-staring-at-women-in-the-street-is-harassment-and-its-got-to-stop-38721">street harassment</a> began or became more frequent when they started wearing a high school uniform. Some participants, however, reflected on experiences from when they were even younger, wearing a primary school uniform. Studies from the United Kingdom have shown <a href="https://plan-uk.org/street-harassment/its-not-ok">35% of girls</a> wearing school uniforms have been sexually harassed in public spaces. Despite the importance of schools in the daily lives of young people, and the high rates of street harassment they experience, there’s been surprisingly little attention paid to the harassment of young people in school uniform. Findings from our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09540253.2023.2193206">new research</a> show school-related harassment is a serious issue that has largely flown under the radar in Australia. <h2>It happens beyond the school gates</h2> We know young people experience <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:55181/">sexual</a>, <a href="https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/GLSEN%202015%20National%20School%20Climate%20Survey%20%28NSCS%29%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">homophobic and transphobic</a>harassment from their peers and even teachers while they’re at school. But participants also told us about harassment occurring outside their school grounds. This was perpetrated by strangers (usually individual adult men, or groups of adult men), while they were in uniform and, therefore, clearly identifiable as school children. This took many forms, ranging from catcalling, staring or leering, wolf-whistling, and being followed by men in cars while walking to school, through to public masturbation and men rubbing themselves against victim-survivors (usually while travelling to school on public transport), sexual assault and rape. As one interviewee told us, "walking from high school to home […] that’s where most of the harassment I’ve experienced happened […] As soon as I stopped wearing a school uniform it happened less. So that’s disgusting for a lot of reasons." As another interviewee shared, these experiences were really scary not just because of what was happening at that moment but because the perpetrator “knows which school you go to” because of the uniform worn. <h2>The ‘sexy schoolgirl’</h2> Why is it that young people – and particularly young women and girls – are so routinely harassed in school uniform? We found harassment of schoolgirls was seen as being culturally sanctioned through the “sexy schoolgirl” trope. As one interviewee noted, "when you go on Google images and search for ‘school boy’ it will come up with a five-year-old boy but then ‘school girl’ it will come up with the sexy school girl costume." Participants discussed being targeted because they were viewed as vulnerable and (paradoxically) as both sexually innocent and sexualised, "that was part of the allure for them [the perpetrators], the innocence of a schoolgirl, a fearful schoolgirl in that situation, was like hot to them, they were really getting off on it." Another interviewee told us, "I went from being an innocent child to a child that felt uncomfortable and didn’t know why I was sexualised – and I didn’t understand it because I didn’t understand what sex really was." Because they were so young, many participants often lacked a framework or language to understand their experiences. For many, these experiences were also so routine they simply formed part of the background hum of everyday life. It was often not until years after these formative experiences that participants were able to articulate them as sexual harm and reflect on the impacts. <h2>Trying to avoid harassment</h2> Across our interviews, many participants discussed changing the way they presented themselves or changing the routes they took to school. They often focused on changing their own behaviour and <a href="https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-right-amount-of-panic">made their lives smaller</a> in an attempt to avoid further harassment. For example, "I started walking the long way. I started just going through the main roads, avoiding the back streets, even though it was a longer walk to be extra safe." In the longer-term, participants commonly described feeling unsafe, hyper-vigilant, and distrustful of men in public spaces. <h2>‘What if there’s a paedophile on the tram?’: school responses</h2> Unfortunately, the view that victim-survivors are responsible for their own harassment was often reinforced by schools if harassment was reported. Numerous participants told us how they were reminded of school uniform policies (such as mandated length of skirts and dresses) when they went to teachers for help. One participant recounted an experience where her teacher asked, "Why would you wear your skirt like this [short]? Whose attention are you trying to get? […] what if there’s a paedophile when you’re on the tram home from school […] thinking ‘this is the best day of [my] life’." Others did not seek help from their teachers because of this focus on students’ appearance at school – they felt they would simply be blamed for what happened. These types of responses teach young people to think street harassment and other forms of gendered violence are their fault. It also tells them their bodies are sites of risk that need to be managed and contained to avoid harassment. <h2>School uniform harassment is not ‘normal’</h2> While schools and school-related contexts were often sites of harm for our participants, schools nonetheless have a vitally important role to play here. Harassment in school uniform should not be seen as a “normal” part of growing up. There is an urgent need to provide young people with a framework to understand their experiences. Educational efforts must challenge the idea that harassment must simply be endured. Instead, schools should help young people understand harassment as a form of violence, and offer safe and supportive spaces to talk with peers and adults about their experiences. This should be incorporated into existing sex and relationships education <a href="https://www.bodysafetyaustralia.com.au/">in an age-appropriate way</a>. Importantly, responses to harassment should never blame or implicate young people themselves. It’s time for outdated practices such as measuring school uniform length to be relegated to the past where they belong. In the words of one participant, “the length of my skirt is not influencing how much I learn”. If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call <a href="https://kidshelpline.com.au/">Kids Helpline</a> on 1800 55 1800 or <a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au/">1800RESPECT</a> on 1800 737 732. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-started-walking-the-long-way-many-young-women-first-experience-street-harassment-in-their-school-uniforms-202718" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Caring

Why Harry didn't end up wearing military outfit to Queen’s funeral

Prince Harry’s uniform has been the subject of heated discussion following the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. The former working royal first made headlines after he was spotted in a suit during royal events where Prince Andrew was wearing his military uniform. Despite his father, King Charles III, giving Prince Harry permission to wear his dress uniform at Queen Elizabeth II’s vigil over the weekend, the 38-year-old arrived at Westminster Hall in his morning suit during <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/final-farewell-for-longest-reigning-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Monday morning’s service</a>. The prince added his medals to his black suit jacket which he wore while walking in the procession to and from Westminster Abbey during the funeral. But he wasn’t the only one not in uniform, after Prince Andrew was also prohibited from wearing official military dress during the service. The <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/major-backflip-over-prince-harry-s-military-uniform-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changes to uniform permissions</a> came after the palace announced that only working members of the royal family who hold a rank could wear military uniforms at the funeral, with both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew being excluded from that category after leaving royal life. A source told Page Six last week that Prince Harry was just “prepared to wear whatever his grandmother made plans for”. “He’s focused on honouring her and that’s it,” they said. In a statement, the prince said what he wore wasn’t reflective of his military service. “Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother. His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.” During the funeral, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seated in the second row behind King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort. Meghan was spotted wearing a touching tribute to her grandmother-in-law, donning pearl earrings the Queen gave her in 2018. After the service, the couple walked behind the Queen’s coffin, with Prince Harry joining male family members for a procession through London streets ahead of her burial at Windsor Castle. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Major backflip over Prince Harry's military uniform rules

Prince Harry will now be allowed to wear his military uniform in a special tribute to Queen Elizabeth. According to <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/royals/prince-harry-wear-military-uniform-28003285" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>, the Duke of Sussex has been given special permission to don his military colours for a lying-in-state vigil staged by Her Majesty’s grandchildren at Westminster Hall. The Queen's eight grandchildren, including Prince Harry and Prince William, will stand on Saturday evening in silence for a 15 minute vigil alongside Her Majesty’s coffin. After disgraced royal Prince Andrew was given special permission to wear his military uniform, it is understood that palace officials stepped in to give Prince Harry the same allowance. A royal source said, “Common sense has prevailed." “It was a ludicrous situation given the Duke of Sussex has served his country and is a highly respected member of the armed forces with everything he has done for veterans." "It is important that the Queen's grandchildren are all made to feel welcome and comfortable as they grieve their beloved grandmother together." Prince Harry and Prince William will be joined by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara and Peter Philips and Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, to form the part of the guard of honour. Harry, who served in the British army for a decade including two tours of Afghanistan, had this week been at the centre of a row over whether he would be allowed to wear his Blues and Royals uniform. After <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/harry-responds-to-reports-of-being-barred-from-wearing-military-uniform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously being banned</a> from wearing his military colours, a spokesman for the Sussexes told CNN, "His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II." Image credits: Getty Images

News

Harry responds to reports of being barred from wearing military uniform

Prince Harry has responded to claims that he has been barred from wearing a ceremonial military uniform at Queen Elizabeth's funeral. While the Duke of Sussex has been banned from donning the military outfit out of respect, scandal-prone Prince Andrew has been given an exception. While both Prince Harry and Prince Andrew served in the military, neither men are working royals. A Buckingham Palace edict stipulated that only working royals would be allowed to wear military uniforms at events to mark the Queen's death, making many wonder why Prince Andrew was granted an exception after his years of ongoing scandals. US TV network CNN today reported that the prince had issued a statement over the clothing controversy. "Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will wear a morning suit throughout events honouring his grandmother," a spokesman for the Sussexes told CNN. "His decade of military service is not determined by the uniform he wears and we respectfully ask that focus remain on the life and legacy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II." It is likely to leave a bitter taste for ex-soldier Harry, who is proud of his decade in the forces, and who was saddened after being stripped of his honorary military roles including Captain General of the Royal Marines by the Queen after the Sussexes retreated overseas. Prince Andrew joined King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Edward in a suit for the procession of the Queen's coffin through the streets of Edinburgh, in like with the edits of Buckingham Palace. But it has emerged that Andrew, who stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, will be allowed to wear his uniform at Wednesday's vigil in Westminster. However, he is expected to wear a suit for the Queen's funeral on Monday. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Alcohol marketing has crossed borders and entered the metaverse – how do we regulate the new digital risk?

The World Health Organization’s newly <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240046504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released report</a> on regulating cross-border alcohol marketing raises the alarm for countries like Australia and New Zealand, given their light touch towards alcohol advertising. Alcohol is widely consumed in Australasia but there is ongoing tension over how much restraint, if any, should be placed on the marketing of these products. Australia and New Zealand are at the unrestrained end of the marketing continuum. Both countries rely on industry-led policy in the form of voluntary codes – an approach identified as insufficient by the WHO report. What is cross-border alcohol marketing? Alcohol marketing, created and disseminated in one country and spread across borders into others, is commonly used by multinational corporations striving to increase sales and normalise alcohol as an everyday product. Much of this advertising is taking place in the digital media sphere. The increased use of these media platforms by alcohol corporations allows them access to cheap advertising opportunities. For as <a href="https://au.reset.tech/uploads/resettechaustralia_profiling-children-for-advertising-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">little as US$2</a>, an advertising campaign based in Australia could reach a thousand young people profiled as interested in alcohol, for example. Marketing across digital media has also increased the impact of those messages. Brands interact with users on social media platforms, encouraging the posting, sharing and liking of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33573719/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">branded images and messages</a>. Higher user engagement is associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32079562/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more drinking</a>. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="AB InBev logo behind a smartphone also showing the logo" /><figcaption>Multinational corporations like AB InBev have been quick to embrace digital platforms as a new way to advertise alcohol products. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/in-this-photo-illustration-an-ab-inbev-logo-is-seen-on-a-news-photo/1234971135?adppopup=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images</a></figcaption></figure> Targeting the individual The increased power of these advertisements reflects the effectiveness of “personalised marketing”. Companies can now target individuals and “look alike” audiences. This approach is made possible thanks to the enormous amount of data collected as we interact together, purchase products and indicate our interests and passions through our clicks and likes. This data is extremely valuable to marketers and alcohol corporations. It gives them insight into the best time of day, the best brand of alcohol and the best type of marketing message to send our way. All groups across society are vulnerable to being bombarded by messages encouraging the purchase and consumption of alcohol. Digital advertising can target everyone: teenagers looking for brands which exemplify their identity; young adults, the heaviest “occasion drinkers” in Australia and New Zealand, some of whom are developing drinking habits that may be hard to change in later life; and adults of all ages who wish to reduce their consumption, often for health reasons. Digital media has become an all-encompassing marketing environment in which the “buy” button – with home delivery and often no checks on age or intoxication – provides a seamless marketing and distribution system. In New Zealand, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.13222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online sales</a> increased significantly during the COVID-19 lockdowns, particularly among heavier drinkers. Entering the metaverse The alcohol industry is now showing its initiative by entering the emerging <a href="https://www.ypulse.com/article/2022/02/03/metaverse-mansions-more-tiktok-how-brands-are-marketing-for-this-years-super-bowl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">metaverse</a>. To understand the metaverse, <a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/technology/brave-new-world-how-the-metaverse-may-shape-our-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to one commentator</a>, you should <blockquote> take today’s social media, add a splash of sophisticated 3D, fold in a plethora of options for entertainment and gaming, garnish it all with data-driven personalisation, and you are all set to take away your order of a supersized social media network, the metaverse. </blockquote> In terms of marketing, this provides a new opportunity. The biometric data essential to a virtual reality experience is also available to develop “<a href="https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol23/iss1/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biometric psychographics</a>”, allowing for the even greater personalisation of advertising. Virtual alcohol brands created and used by avatars in the metaverse support the development of brand allegiance in real life, and virtual reality will transform e-commerce experiences and increase the power of sponsorship. AB InBev, the largest global alcohol corporation, was an early adopter of the metaverse. One of its brands, <a href="https://sifted.eu/articles/metaverse-brands-nft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stella Artois</a>, is sponsoring the Australian Zed Run platform on which virtual horses can be raced, bred and traded. The Zed Run platform experienced 1,000% growth in early 2021. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Two people stand in front of a screen with a digital image of a horse." /><figcaption>Digital horse racing game Zed Run has exploded in popularity, with alcohol companies using the digital platform to reach a new audience. <a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/performers-tyra-cartledge-and-kendall-drury-takes-part-in-a-news-photo/1329475903?adppopup=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images</a></figcaption></figure> Regulating to reduce alcohol harm The digital world is extremely dynamic. It is also opaque to most policy makers and public health practitioners. It is telling that there is no reference to the metaverse as a cross-border alcohol marketing opportunity in the WHO report. There is an urgent need for debate regarding how policy makers should better understand the risks involved with the targeted marketing of hazardous products such as alcohol. The WHO report outlines various partial and unsuccessful approaches to regulating marketing in the digital media. Attempts, such as <a href="https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/303690/Alcohol_marketing_on_social_media_sites_in_Finland_and_Sweden_2019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Finland’s</a> regulation of user-shared branded material, have failed because they did not interfere with the basic architecture of the social media platforms, which is predicated on engagement via sharing and liking. The most successful examples offered by the WHO report have been countries like Norway, which have imposed a complete ban on alcohol marketing including in the digital media. The report emphasises the need for surveillance and enforcement, suggesting ways in which alcohol companies could be penalised for marketing breaches. The support provided by international agreements such as the <a href="https://fctc.who.int/who-fctc/overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Framework Convention on Tobacco Control</a> is identified as a possible template for future discussions. The response to tobacco marketing provides a good and largely effective model for officials and policy makers. That said, the public health goal for alcohol is not equivalent to the smokefree goal. Advocates are not trying to eliminate alcohol altogether. However, there are parallel arguments in favour of creating a healthier media environment through regulation to prevent the promotion of alcohol products via increasingly sophisticated technological and psychological tools. These products are significant causes of reduced well-being, and this marketing increases consumption and therefore harm. The messages of the WHO report are timely and should be heeded.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183334/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-casswell-862029" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sally Casswell</a>, Professor of public health policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massey University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alcohol-marketing-has-crossed-borders-and-entered-the-metaverse-how-do-we-regulate-the-new-digital-risk-183334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Convenient but susceptible to fraud: Why it makes sense to regulate charitable crowdfunding

Within 24 hours of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-southern-us-is-prone-to-december-tornadoes-173643" target="_blank">devastating tornadoes striking six states</a> in December 2021, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear launched the <a rel="noopener" href="https://secure.kentucky.gov/formservices/Finance/WKYRelief" target="_blank">Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund</a>. That the leader of the state this disaster hit hardest would immediately tap into <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/tools-resources/crowdfunding-nonprofits" target="_blank">crowdfunded charity</a> – raising money from the public directly – to complement relief dollars from official sources should come as no surprise. Crowdfunded donations have become a key source of disaster assistance – and often raise significant sums. In 2017, for example, football star J.J. Watt quickly raised more than $40 million help people affected by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.houstontexans.com/news/j-j-watt-foundation-announces-hurricane-harvey-recap-and-2018-19-plans" target="_blank">Hurricane Harvey</a>. Following a series of Australian wildfires, entertainer Celeste Barber made a public appeal that eventually raised more than AU$50 million for the <a rel="noopener" href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/200554" target="_blank">New South Wales Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donation Fund</a>. And to date, the CDC Foundation has raised more than $51 million to support its “<a rel="noopener" href="https://give4cdcf.org/?utm_source=CDCF&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=combat-coronavirus" target="_blank">Crush COVID</a>” campaign. What’s not to like about this new way to raise funds for a good cause? Well, as long as there has been charitable fundraising there has been the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/how-donors-can-help-make-nonprofits-more-accountable-85927" target="_blank">potential for scams</a>. As a <a rel="noopener" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=uplx-M8AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao" target="_blank">law professor who studies the regulation of charities</a>, as well as a lawyer who has represented numerous charities and donors in legal disputes, I’ve seen that two aspects of charitable crowdfunding make it particularly vulnerable to fraud. Sometimes it turns out to be crowd-frauding In late 2017, a New Jersey couple posted an inspiring story on GoFundMe. A homeless veteran, they said, had come to the wife’s rescue after she ran out of gas on a highway exit ramp. Their “<a rel="noopener" href="https://abc7ny.com/homeless-hero-gofundme-money-stolen-from-man-john-bobbitt-gofund-me-go-fund/4690185/" target="_blank">Paying it Forward</a>” campaign raised more than $400,000 to help the veteran. Heartwarming, right? Trouble is, it was a lie. All three of the people involved in this trickery eventually <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.inquirer.com/news/mark-damico-johnny-bobbitt-kate-mcclure-gofundme-guilty-20211122.html" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to federal charges</a> of “<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dicindiolaw.com/what-constitutes-theft-by-deception/" target="_blank">theft by deception</a>.” Fraudulent crowdfunding can also prey on political sentiments rather than just exploiting sympathy. In 2020, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/leaders-we-build-wall-online-fundraising-campaign-charged-defrauding-hundreds-thousands" target="_blank">federal prosecutors charged</a> former senior Trump adviser Steve Bannon and three others with defrauding thousands of donors to a crowdfunding campaign for <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/why-steve-bannon-faces-fraud-charges-4-questions-answered-144834" target="_blank">building portions of a wall</a> along the U.S. border with Mexico. Bannon and his partners allegedly instead used some of the funds raised to compensate themselves and pay for personal expenses. Although then-President <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/19/trump-pardons-expected-day-before-biden-inauguration.html" target="_blank">Donald J. Trump pardoned Bannon</a> in advance of any trial, the former White House aide still <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/05/25/steve-bannon-officially-cleared-of-federal-charges-after-trump-pardon---but-this-state-probe-still-looms/?sh=1a58e95657c4" target="_blank">faces possible state charges</a>. Reasons for vulnerability Making a special website isn’t necessary to raise charitable funds this way. Some 45 million people donated to or created a fundraiser using Facebook from 2015 to 2020, raising over <a rel="noopener" href="https://about.fb.com/news/2019/09/2-billion-for-causes/" target="_blank">$3 billion for charities</a>, according the company. And crowdfunding efforts can help people without <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc506" target="_blank">technically counting as tax-deductible charity</a>. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a>, a popular charitable crowdfunding platform, lets people raise funds for both personal needs, such as covering medical expenses, and for specific charities of all kinds. Being fast and cheap to operate makes charitable crowdfunding ideal in some ways, not others. More traditional fundraising campaigns that rely on mailings and phone calls are time-consuming to establish. In contrast, it’s possible to set up a new campaign on GoFundMe that is then visible both nationally and internationally within a few minutes. In the wake of a highly publicized disaster, when many people are <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-select-a-disaster-relief-charity-83928" target="_blank">looking for a quick way to help</a>, everyone – even governors – will want to move fast. Opportunities for fraud are perhaps at their peak. Compounding this problem: Laws governing charitable fundraising do not clearly apply to campaign organizers and crowdfunding platforms. As I detail in an article <a rel="noopener" href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3686612" target="_blank">soon to be published in the Indiana Law Journal</a>, state legislatures wrote those laws decades ago, when charities raised money either directly or using paid solicitors. As a result, those laws do not usually apply to individuals who voluntarily raise money for individuals or charities to which they have no formal ties. Nor do they apply to the recently emerged platforms where people crowdfund for causes. California takes aim So far, there’s no regulation taking shape to address these issues at the federal level. California became the first state to pass legislation specifically targeting charitable crowdfunding when Gov. Gavin Newson signed Assembly Bill No. 488 into law in October 2021. The measure, which will not <a rel="noopener" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB488" target="_blank">take effect until Jan. 1, 2023</a>, requires both charities raising funds online and platforms hosting campaigns for specific charities to register and file regular reports with the state’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://oag.ca.gov/charities" target="_blank">Registry of Charitable Trusts</a>. The new law will also require these charities and platforms to make certain public disclosures and receipts, as needed. It will also require platforms to promptly distribute donations to the designated charities and obtain a charity’s written consent before soliciting funds for its benefit – with some exceptions. In my view, California’s new law is a good first effort. It places the burden of compliance on the charities themselves and the handful of online platforms engaged in this work, not on the numerous individuals who start campaigns. But it remains to be seen whether the registration, reporting, disclosure and other requirements will create enough transparency and accountability to sufficiently deter fraud without over burdening legitimate charities and platforms. I appreciate the difficult task legislators face in striking a balance that avoids both over- and underregulation. Lawmakers do not want to overregulate charitable crowdfunding to the point that generous individuals and legitimate charities shy away from launching campaigns because of the legal burdens of doing so. That is, all new laws and regulations, in addition to discouraging crowdfunding fraud, ought to encourage generosity. At the same time, lawmakers want to regulate charitable crowdfunding enough to ensure that all or almost all funds raised go the individuals and charities that the donors intend to support. Time will tell whether California and the states that follow its example have struck the right balance.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172029/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lloyd-hitoshi-mayer-1148002" target="_blank">Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer</a>, Professor of Law, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-notre-dame-990" target="_blank">University of Notre Dame</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/convenient-but-susceptible-to-fraud-why-it-makes-sense-to-regulate-charitable-crowdfunding-172029" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Prince Harry will not be allowed to wear his military uniform at armed forces gala

Prince Harry will not wear his military uniform when he appears at the Salute to Freedom gala on Wednesday, despite serving in the military for 10 years. The Duke of Sussex, whose service included two tours in Afghanistan in 2008 and 2012, is set to appear at the gala in New York to award five war heroes with medals. However, he will not be allowed to wear his military uniform, because he has been stripped of his honorary titles. Harry lost his titles after he and wife Meghan Markle resigned as senior royals in March 2020. It is understood that Harry wanted to retain his honorary positions, including the title of Captain General of the Royal Marines, but was not able to do so. It is thought that Princess Anne will be the next royal to hold that title, making her the first woman to do so. The 37-year-old second son of Princess Diana was appointed to the position of Captain General of the Royal Marines in 2017. Prior to his appointment, the position had been held by his grandfather, Prince Phiilip, for 64 years. As a result of losing his titles, Harry will wear plain clothes when he presents awards at the gala, which is to be held aboard a warship in New York on Wednesday November 10. Despite this, he will be allowed to pin his four medals to his suit for the occasion. The Salute to Freedom gala is being held to honour "those who have served in the US forces, defending America." Award recipients are those who have "demonstrated courage and perseverance in the face of great danger or personal struggle." The event will be held at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, and other attendees include Jon Bon Jovi, who will be receiving the 2021 Intrepid Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. The Foundation works to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness through affordable shelter and housing, including providing permanent supportive housing for veterans. Bon Jovi and Harry have crossed paths before, when Bon Jovi recorded ‘Unbroken’ as a single for Harry’s Invictus Games Foundation last year. Image: Geoff Pugh - WPA Pool/Getty Images

News

Is it even possible to regulate Facebook effectively? Time and again, attempts have led to the same outcome

The Australian government’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-australia-may-be-powerless-to-force-tech-giants-to-regulate-harmful-content-169826">recent warning</a> to Facebook over misinformation is just the latest salvo in the seemingly constant battle to hold the social media giant to account for the content posted on its platform. It came in the same week as the US Senate heard <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58805965">whistleblowing testimony</a> in which former Facebook executive Frances Haugen alleged the company knew of harmful consequences for its users but chose not to act. Governments all over the world have been pushing for years to make social media giants more accountable, both in terms of the quality of information they host, and their use of users’ data as part of their business models. The Australian government’s <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_LEGislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r6680">Online Safety Act</a> will <a href="https://perma.cc/95A5-T79H">come into effect in January 2022</a>, giving the eSafety Commissioner unprecedented powers to crack down on abusive or violent content, or sexual images posted without consent. But even if successful, this legislation will only deal with a small proportion of the issues that require regulation. On many such issues, social media platforms have attempted to regulate themselves rather than submit to legislation. But whether we are talking about legislation or self-regulation, past experiences do not engender much confidence that tech platforms can be successfully regulated and regulation put in action easily. Our <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2021_rip/35">research</a> has examined previous attempts to regulate tech giants in Australia. We analysed 269 media articles and 282 policy documents and industry reports published from 2015 to 2021. Let’s discuss a couple of relevant case studies. <h2>1. Ads and news</h2> In 2019, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/digital-platforms-inquiry-final-report">inquiry into digital platforms</a> described Facebook’s algorithms, particularly those that determine the positioning of advertising on Facebook pages, as “opaque”. It concluded media companies needed more assurance about the use of their content. Facebook initially welcomed the inquiry, but then <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook_0.pdf">publicly opposed it</a> when the government argued the problems related to Facebook’s substantial market power in display advertising, and Facebook and Google’s dominance of news content generated by media companies, were too important to be left to the companies themselves. Facebook argued there was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Facebook.pdf">no evidence of an imbalance of bargaining power</a>between it and news media companies, adding it would have no choice but to withdraw news services in Australia if forced to pay publishers for hosting their content. The standoff resulted in Facebook’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-has-pulled-the-trigger-on-news-content-and-possibly-shot-itself-in-the-foot-155547">infamous week-long embargo on Australian news</a>. The revised and amended News Media Bargaining Code was <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Final%20legislation%20as%20passed%20by%20both%20houses.pdf">passed by the parliament in February</a>. Both the government and Facebook declared victory, the former having managed to pass its legislation, and the latter ending up striking its own bargains with news publishers without having to be held legally to the code. <h2>2. Hate speech and terrorism</h2> In 2015, to deal with violent extremism on social media the Australian government initially worked with the tech giant to develop joint AI solutions to improve the technical processes of content identification to deal with countering violent extremism. This voluntary solution worked brilliantly, until it did not. In March 2019, mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch were live-streamed on Facebook by an Australian-born white supremacist terrorist, and the recordings subsequently circulated on the internet. This brought to light <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-shooting/111473473/facebook-ai-failed-to-detect-christchurch-shooting-video">the inability Facebook’s artificial intelligence algorithms</a> to detect and remove the live footage of the shooting and how fast it was shared on the platform. The Australian government responded in 2019 by <a href="https://www.ag.gov.au/crime/abhorrent-violent-material">amending the Criminal Code</a>to require social media platforms to remove abhorrent or violent material “in reasonable time” and, where relevant, refer it to the Australian Federal Police. <h2>What have we learned?</h2> These two examples, while strikingly different, both unfolded in a similar way: an initial dialogue in which Facebook proposes an in-house solution involving its own algorithms, before a subsequent shift towards mandatory government regulation, which is met with resistance or bargaining (or both) from Facebook, and the final upshot which is piecemeal legislation that is either watered down or only covers a subset of specific types of harm. There are several obvious problems with this. The first is that only the tech giants themselves know how their algorithms work, so it is difficult for regulators to oversee them properly. Then there’s the fact that legislation typically applies at a national level, yet Facebook is a global company with billions of users across the world and a platform that is incorporated into our daily lives in all sorts of ways. How do we resolve the impasse? One option is for regulations to be drawn up by independent bodies appointed by governments and tech giants to drive the co-regulation agenda globally. But relying on regulation alone to guide tech giants’ behaviour against potential abuses might not be sufficient. There is also the need for self-discipline and appropriate corporate governance - potentially enforced by these independent bodies. Image credits: Shutterstock This article first appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-even-possible-to-regulate-facebook-effectively-time-and-again-attempts-have-led-to-the-same-outcome-169947" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Technology

"WOW!" Beach handball team responds to Pink's amazing offer

Popstar Pink has offered to pay the fines issued to the Norwegian beach handball team for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a match. After the match between Norway and Spain last weekend, the European Handball Federal (EHF) handed the Norwegians’ a $240 fine per player for “improper clothing”. The organisation said the shorts violated the athlete uniform regulations. The fines, totalling $2410, caused widespread backlash with athletes and celebrities taking to social media to criticise the decision, including Pink. The popstar even said she was “happy to pay” the fines for the team, and praised them for protesting the “very sexist” uniform rules. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR “uniform”. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up. — P!nk (@Pink) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1419127641068630016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2021</a></blockquote> In response, the team shared the tweet on their Instagram Stories and thanked Pink for her support. “WOW! Thank you so much for the support,” the team wrote. The ruling also drew criticism from Norway officials, who argue that the womens’ uniform requirements were not practical. “In 2021, it shouldn’t even be an issue,” Norwegian Volleyball Federation president Eirik Sordahl told national news agency NTB. While beach volleyball players have not been required to wear bikinis since 2012, rules from the International Handball Federation (IHF) state that “female athletes must wear bikini bottoms” which have a “close fit”, be “cut on an upward angle towards the top of the leg”, and a side depth of 10 centimetres or less. Male players, on the other hand, are allowed to wear shorts. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Here are the rules for the men’s vs. women’s uniforms. Ridiculously <a href="https://t.co/8wDXG22sTd">pic.twitter.com/8wDXG22sTd</a> — KT SLP (@MrsThornSLP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsThornSLP/status/1419246549763244040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2021</a></blockquote> Norway asked the EHF for permission to play in shorts ahead of the tournament, but were told that rule violations would be punishable by fines. The team complied until their last match. “The EHF is committed to bring this topic forward in the interest of its member federations, however it must also be said that a change of the rules can only happen at IHF level,” EHF spokesperson Andrew Barringer said in an email. Clothing has been an issue in beach sports for a long time, with some women players finding bikinis degrading or difficult to play in. The Norwegian Handball Association (NHF) had been pushing for changes to the uniform regulations and planned to protest with the thigh-length tights the team wore. Norway’s team captain told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that the team felt forced to wear bikini bottoms. “So then we are forced to play with panties. It is so embarrassing,” she said. “First we were told about a fine of 50 euros ($AUD 80) per person per match, something that would have landed us a fine of about 4,850 euros ($AUD 7760). We accepted that. However, just before the match we were told that we will be disqualified if we play like that. So we had to go with bikini bottoms.” Image: Instagram

Money & Banking

Why this was the worst uniform at the Winter Olympics

Team USA’s speed skating uniform has been derided on social media for being the worst uniform seen at the Winter Olympics. Why? Just take a look. Do we even need to say anything? <img width="482" height="272" src="https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/o/m/3/u/h/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.620x349.1om3rt.png/1519690211669.jpg" alt="Image result for men's usa skating team uniform" class="irc_mi" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Designed by Under Armour, the uniform for the men and women’s speed skating teams is... interesting. Social media immediately lit up when the women's pursuit team took to the podium to accept their bronze medal on Wednesday, pointing out the obvious – the uniform really highlights the athlete’s crotches. But is there a method to the seeming madness? <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Uniform designer 1: Our new uniforms need to reflect the elegant and strong aesthetic of speed skating. Uniform designer 2: And highlight the crotch. Uniform designer 1: duh of course. Gotta pull the eye right there! <a href="https://t.co/BEpWBB2xLN">pic.twitter.com/BEpWBB2xLN</a> — sarah_haskins (@sarah_haskins) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarah_haskins/status/961456756374126592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2018</a></blockquote> According to <a href="http://www.instyle.com/news/2018-winter-olympics-under-armour-speed-skating-crotch-uniforms">InStyle</a>, Under Armour defended its design, saying the crotch region required material of a different fabric to reduce friction. "The contrasting material in the inner thigh (friction guards) has been commonplace for speed skate skins for decades, to reduce friction," they said. "The 2014 UA skin had one panel instead of two, but in testing the new skin, the addition of a second panel reduced friction even more – by 60 per cent." <img width="356" height="467" src="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/nintchdbpict000386649389.jpg?strip=all&w=732" alt=" Emery Lehman and Jonathan Garcia of the United States warm up prior to the Men's Team Pursuit speed skating quarter-finals" class="size-thesun-article-image wp-image-5622365 lazyloaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> OK that makes sense to us – but that still begs the questions why is it grey? And why is it designed in such an unappealing circular shape? "We tested a multitude of friction guard materials to find the material that reduces friction the most," Under Armour said. “Altering the colour or using a material that comes in a different colour would have rendered it considerably less effective." But that doesn’t answer why the entire uniform just wasn’t in grey? I guess we’ll never know.

Beauty & Style

Police officer cops abuse for buying dinner in uniform

A police officer has copped a spray for buying his dinner in uniform, with members of the public reportedly unleashing a verbal onslaught on the off-duty cop. Police Constable Dan Healy from the UK, penned a heartfelt post on Twitter explaining how he had been confronted when ducking into a local supermarket for dinner. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Just been verbally abused at a supermarket from a member of the public for being in uniform and buying my dinner. Police officers are human too and also need food to survive. I’d help you in a heart beat if you needed us not because of my job but because I’m a human who cares. — PC Dan Healey (@PCDan_Healey) <a href="https://twitter.com/PCDan_Healey/status/949246308833005568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2018</a></blockquote> “Just been verbally abused at a supermarket from a member of the public for being in uniform and buying my dinner,” he wrote on Twitter following the exchange. “Police officers are human too and also need food to survive. “I’d help you in a heartbeat if you needed us not because of my job but because I’m a human who cares.” Since his post the police officer from Lincolnshire has been inundated with support from members of the public, with more than 1,600 users retweeting his post. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/aNeGREgOt9">pic.twitter.com/aNeGREgOt9</a> — PC Dan Healey (@PCDan_Healey) <a href="https://twitter.com/PCDan_Healey/status/950008532375613441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2018</a></blockquote> “You wanted to buy your own dinner... in uniform? Good grief what on earth is wrong with some people? I'd gladly have paid for your dinner,” one Twitter user responded. What are your thoughts? Do you think there’s a lack of respect for the thin blue line in society? Or should Healy have changed out of his uniform before getting dinner?

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Flight attendant reveals her uniform is making her sick

An American Airlines flight attendant has said that although people think her uniform is attractive, it’s actually making her sick. Crew member for the airline, Heather Poole, has blogged about the impact the company-issued uniform policy has had on her health. Heather has hypothyroidism, an underactive thyroid and in a recent blog she has mentioned that the uniform impacts her condition. She explained that she has experienced a reaction from “chemicals” in the uniform. “I get sick every time I go to work,” she wrote. “Every time I go to work I feel terrible." Heather claimed that other employees have also reported health issues since American Airlines introduced their new uniforms in September. Heather also said that flight attendants from other airlines have reported thyroid issues from uniforms made by the same manufacturer. “Many of my co-workers … don’t believe it’s the uniform,” she wrote. “It’s kind of crazy to think your clothes could be poisoning you.” <img width="500" height="769" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39069/heather-poole_500x769.jpg" alt="Heather Poole"/> Pilots from American Airlines have <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/04/20/how-pilots-say-american-airlines-is-making-them-ill/" target="_blank">also complained</a> that they have experienced health issues due to the chemicals in their uniform. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants reveals that more than 3000 members have filed complaints regarding their new uniforms. In a recent blog post, Heather explained that she has encountered internet trolls who don’t believe that her uniform has led to health complications. <img width="499" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/39070/heather-poole-2_499x375.jpg" alt="Heather Poole 2"/> "Over the last nine months, I was called ‘psycho’ and ‘crazy’,” <a href="https://medium.com/@HeatherPoole/when-it-comes-to-flight-attendants-is-the-media-sexist-1c7f1f680f9b" target="_blank">she wrote</a>. “Because the sexy stereotype won’t die, nobody cares when we have something serious to discuss.” When Heather stopped wearing the uniform, her issues did not subside. She said that being around her co-workers in uniform also impacts her health, even resulting in an emergency trip to the hospital. “Let the record state that I can’t prove that any of my health problems are in fact caused by my wearing the uniform,” she wrote. “I dread going to work. I love my job, but my job is making me sick.”

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Police officer cops abuse for buying dinner in uniform

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