Games like Animal Crossing are the new social media of the coronavirus era

The WHO isn't perfect, but it needs more money and power, not less 

The Download Your daily dose of what’s up in emerging technology 04.16.20 Good morning! Today: why "slow" video games like Animal Crossing are the perfect escapist entertainment, and the WHO needs more money and power, not less. Get your friends to sign up here to get The Download every day. Why games like Animal Crossing are the new social media of the coronavirus era   Gentle, comforting games like Nintendo’s latest hit are perfect escapist entertainment, but they’re also helping us to connect in these strange times, writes Tanya Basu. For the uninitiated: In Animal Crossing, players are encouraged to build up a deserted island and chat with a series of goofy anthropomorphic animals. It’s an escape and a safe space to chat to friends, and it’s attracting lots of people who’ve never played video games before. A wider trend: Gentle, non-violent games have—along with baking, puzzling, and Zoom happy hour—become one of our coronavirus isolation coping mechanisms. These games are more than escapist entertainment, though; they’re helping to reshape how we connect in a future where social distancing might become the norm. In the past month alone, graduations, wedding ceremonies, protests, and virtual meetups with pals were coordinated on lush pixelated screens. They offer a way for us to safely indulge in our basic human need to connect, and provide us with something we can control (unlike the situation around us.) Read the full story. The WHO isn’t perfect, but it needs more money and power, not less US President Donald Trump’s threats against the World Health Organization are dangerously misguided, writes Charles Kennedy, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development. The problem: The pandemic would have been much worse if not for the actions the WHO has taken in recent months. It started issuing daily situation reports on covid-19 on January 21, when there were only 282 confirmed cases worldwide. It’s created guidelines, sent out tests and personal protective equipment, and is conducting a global megatrial to assess the efficacy of four drugs that may slow or kill the virus. Not perfect: The WHO has made some flawed decisions. It declared a pandemic too late. But we need a global response. The WHO needs more authority, not less. It needs the capabilities to independently investigate outbreaks and to provide rapid and significant support to control those outbreaks where they occur. That means more money, but its budget, which mostly comes in the form of voluntary payments from member countries, has flatlined since the start of the 1980s. Read the full story. We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction in these weird times. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or tweet 'em at me.)   + Cats are fools.    +  Listen to the British Museum’s podcast, and learn about humanity’s history through 100 objects.   + Want to go for a walk? Why not go for one inside one of these scenic video games?   + You can watch all the talks from XOXO festival.   + Learn how to make the perfect chocolate fondant.   + Banksy’s wife hates it when he works from home.   + Toilet roll cake, anyone? The top ten must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Germany has a (cautious) plan to lift lockdown restrictions It will be assessed every two weeks to avoid the danger of infections rising again. (NYT $)   + Trump is itching to reopen, but the decision lies with states, not the president. (Quartz) 2 What does Covid-19 do to your brain? 🧠 People with mild cases often report neurological symptoms like headaches, confusion, or loss of smell. (Wired $) 3 Facebook is using bots to simulate what its users might do Yes, you are that predictable. (TR) 4 There’s a lot of social media shaming going on right now It’s best to not make assumptions about people. (Buzzfeed) 5 China’s government waited six days to warn the public about coronavirus A lack of transparency can kill. (AP) 6 How video chats change the dating process 💑 Ah, the sheer awkwardness of who ends the call first. (Vice)   + Women often can’t get a word in on video calls. (NYT $)   + How online dating has changed under coronavirus. (TR)   + Calls in intensive care units are a lifeline for families. (BBC) 7 How app-based contact tracing could work It relies on the majority of us downloading the app, for starters. (The Economist $)   + Silicon Valley is pivoting to “pandemic.” (Wired $)   + Technology can help, but access to healthcare, protective equipment, and tests is more important. (NYT $) 8 Mom and Dad are joining TikTok Well, that’s another social media platform ruined. (NYT $)   + What teens are really “addicted” to is socializing, not screens. (OneZero $) 9 Amazon is temporarily shutting up shop in France  A court ruled it wasn’t doing enough to protect workers from coronavirus. (The Guardian) 10 Our calendars keep reminding us about the lives we could be leading 😢 Take the time to go in and delete everything if you want to avoid daily crushing disappointment. (WP $) Join us on the MIT Technology Review Global Panel... ...inform original research on tech and business, and get tools for making smarter decisions. Quote of the day “The system is designed for us to fail.” —A furious Florida resident tells The Guardian about their many unsuccessful attempts to apply for unemployment support.  Top image credit: Nintendo Please send video dates to hi@technologyreview.com. Follow me on Twitter at @charlottejee. Thanks for reading! —Charlotte Was this newsletter forwarded to you, and you'd like to see more? Sign up for free Get unlimited access to online stories. 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