A feminist internet would be better for everyone

Geoengineering researchers have halted plans for a balloon launch in Sweden

The Download Your daily dose of what's up in emerging technology Reimagining the internet 04.01.21 Good morning! Today: a growing group of activists is working to build a feminist internet, and researchers have had to halt plans to conduct the first geoengineering experiments in the stratosphere. Get your friends to sign up here to get The Download every day. A feminist internet would be better for everyone   Women have always been particularly subject to abuse online. They’re attacked not simply because of what they say or do, but because of their gender. If they’re people of color or LGBTQ+, or have a public-facing job as a politician or journalist, it’s worse. The same sexist message runs through much of the vitriol: “Stop speaking, or else.”  The pandemic has exacerbated the problem as work, play, health, dating, and much else besides have been dragged into virtual-only environments. Half of women and nonbinary people surveyed by the UK charity Glitch reported experiencing online abuse last year, the vast majority of it on Twitter. A recent report by the Pew Research Center found that 33% of women under 35 have been sexually harassed online; in 2017, that figure was 21%.  But a growing group of activists believe the time has come to reimagine online spaces in a way that centers women’s needs rather than treating them as an afterthought. They aim to force tech companies to detoxify their platforms, once and for all, and are spinning up brand-new spaces built on women-friendly principles from the start. This is the dream of a “feminist internet.” The movement might seem naïve in a world where many have given up on the idea of technology as a force for good. But aspects of the feminist internet are already taking shape. Achieving this vision would require us to radically overhaul the way the web works. But if we build it, it won’t just be a better place for women; it will be better for everyone. Read the full story. This story is for subscribers only. So subscribe! You can do so for only $50 a year. Geoengineering researchers have halted plans for a balloon launch in Sweden The news: In an unexpected move, the advisory committee for a Harvard University geoengineering research project is recommending that the team suspend plans for its first balloon flight in Sweden this summer. The goal: The purpose of that initial flight was to evaluate the propelled balloon's equipment and software in the stratosphere. In subsequent launches, the researchers hope to release small amounts of particles to better understand the risks and potential of solar geoengineering, the controversial concept of spraying sulfates, calcium carbonate or other compounds above the Earth to scatter sunlight and ease global warming. These would mark the first geoengineering-related experiments conducted in the stratosphere. A setback: The committee has determined that the researchers should hold off on even the preliminary equipment tests until they’ve held discussions with members of the public in Sweden. The research team has said they will abide by the recommendation. Read the full story. —James Temple 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.)   + These close-up photographs of roses are gloriously sumptuous.   + Pretend you're in New Orleans tonight with this guide. (NYT $)   + A new photography book dedicated to shots of normalcy.   + Try making your own movie night snacks. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Pfizer says its vaccine is 100% effective in adolescents It will request emergency authorization from regulators imminently. (NYT $)   + Everything you need to know about vaccine passports. (Recode)  2 The strange restlessness of Clubhouse So many people having so many conversations—but are they any good? (New Yorker $)   + LinkedIn is working on a Clubhouse clone. (TechCrunch)   + And so is Spotify. (The Verge)   + And Discord! (The Verge)   + The people who will be left behind in the shift to spoken social media. (Slate)  3 Trust in tech has cratered 📉 Especially in the US. (Axios)   + One upside of Amazon's weirdly aggressive behavior online: we're seeing its true colors. (The Atlantic $)  4 How bitcoin terrorists in Idlib are adapting to evade detection Jihadis appear to be among the most enthusiastic cryptocurrency adopters. (Wired UK)   + NFT developers say cryptocurrencies must tackle their carbon emissions. (New Scientist $)   + How a fake app stole a man's life savings in bitcoin. (WP $)  5 Facebook banned Trump—again His daughter-in-law posted a video interview with him, then received a swift slap on the wrist. (CNBC)   + Facebook now lets you turn off comments on your posts. (The Guardian)   + Facebook is defending its algorithms. Critics aren't buying it. (Recode)  6 Microsoft signed a $22 billion deal with the US army for HoloLens headsets They'll be used for training and "situational awareness." (WSJ $)   + The future of AR and VR. (Wired $)  7 The ghost kitchens have arrived 🥡 Think WeWork, but for food delivery. (Vice)   8 Siri will no longer be female by default Over to you, Amazon. (TechCrunch)   + Female voice assistants fuel damaging gender stereotypes, says a UN study. (TR)  9 The vaccine selfie has a longer history than you might think 💉🤳 Bet you anything Catherine the Great had one. (NYT $)   10 April Fool's Day has been canceled (again) No, not that sort of canceled. (Insider) Re-envision the "future of work." MIT Technology Review and Harvard Business Review have joined forces to bring you EmTech Next. Explore the leadership strategies and the new technologies that will power a forever changed workforce. Register now. Quote of the Day “With these videos, people are finally seeing that it’s actually happening.” —Carl Chan, who represents the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, explains to The Verge he sent footage of an attack of an Asian-American man to a reporter as undeniable proof of the rising racism faced by the community.  Top image credit: Ina Jang Please send roses 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 today Leading a forever-changed workforce Join us virtually | June 8-10, 2021 Register now   Follow us: MIT Technology Review One Main Street Cambridge, MA 02142

Want to change how you receive these emails?

You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list. 

Subscription Information

This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog  

*the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally