United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO);
Blog by Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the USPTO Laura Peter
"Recently, I spoke with John Cabeca,
USPTO Silicon Valley Regional Director in San Jose, California, about
his experience at the USPTO and what’s next for him. John is a 30-plus
year veteran of the USPTO. He served in numerous key leadership roles
throughout his tenure and has dedicated much of his career working with
significant customers of the USPTO on IP matters and through outreach
and education programs to help small and large businesses, startups, and
entrepreneurs. Over the years, he served the USPTO in important roles,
including in the Office of Patent Legal Administration, the Office of
Governmental Affairs, and most recently in the Office of the Under
Secretary as Regional Director of the Silicon Valley...
LP: What does an average week on the job entails? What traits make a regional officer director successful?
JC: Every day is different and exciting. I could be meeting with
entrepreneurs, seeing the latest technologies, doing a STEM activity
with kids, or giving a keynote on IP policy. In essence, the USPTO
regional director serves as an emissary for the USPTO in the region and
as a conduit for policy recommendations. Often, we meet with
stakeholders from some of the most innovative companies in the world and
help address their needs and priorities. I also travel quite a bit to
all the states in the region, to make sure I understand stakeholder’s
needs and concerns. I’m also fortunate to work alongside a talented,
dedicated and hard-working team at the USPTO Silicon Valley Regional
Office, that enable us to stay on top of everything! I’d say some
important traits for a USPTO regional office director are in-depth
knowledge of intellectual property, good listening skills, adaptability,
the ability to think outside the box, as well as being a relentless
advocate for our IP stakeholders.
LP: Can you share some of your accomplishments that you are
most proud of during your time as a regional director of the SV office?
JC: Looking back over the past six years, it’s been amazing to be
at the forefront of new technologies and see how rapidly they are being
developed, including artificial intelligence, driverless cars, 5G, and
more. To be able to see these firsthand and help those innovators get
those products protected and to market has been really fulfilling. Every
day is different, and it energized me to know that every day I was
going to learn something. In addition, I’m proud to have led the design,
build-out and opening of the USPTO Silicon Valley office facilities. We
built an educational component throughout our space, and the office has
become a destination for a wide range of visitors, including many
international IP delegations coming to meet with us. Our staff works
tirelessly to provide resources to the public, reviews applications
thoroughly and quickly, and increases the understanding of IP rights. As
for the Silicon Valley team, they have been an absolute treasure to
work with. I am so very proud of the culture we created together, and
honored to work alongside the amazing, talented, hard-working workforce
of over 100 employees working out of the USPTO Silicon Valley office and
to get to know many of the nearly 500 USPTO employees working from
their homes across the region."
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Elsevier signs first open-access deal in the United States; Science, November 25, 2019
Science News Staff, Science; Elsevier signs first open-access deal in the United States
"Publishing giant Elsevier has signed its first open-access deal with a U.S. institution, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Inside Higher Ed reports. The arrangement, which CMU announced on 21 November, will allow CMU scholars to publish articles in any Elsevier journal on an immediately free-to-read basis. CMU researchers will also continue to have access to paywalled Elsevier articles, which previous contracts covered with subscription fees.
CMU did not disclose the cost of the arrangement, which has been a sticking point in Elsevier’s open-access negotiations with other research institutions. After the University of California system insisted on a price cut, Elsevier’s negotiations failed in February; in April, a research consortium in Norway cut a deal with Elsevier similar to CMU’s, while agreeing to a price hike. “All I can say is that we achieved the financial objectives we set out to achieve,” Keith Webster, dean of CMU’s university libraries and director of emerging and integrative media initiatives, tells Inside Higher Ed.
CMU researchers only publish about 175 papers annually in Elsevier journals. That low volume gives Elsevier an opportunity to test the 4-year arrangement with relatively low financial risk."
"Publishing giant Elsevier has signed its first open-access deal with a U.S. institution, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Inside Higher Ed reports. The arrangement, which CMU announced on 21 November, will allow CMU scholars to publish articles in any Elsevier journal on an immediately free-to-read basis. CMU researchers will also continue to have access to paywalled Elsevier articles, which previous contracts covered with subscription fees.
CMU did not disclose the cost of the arrangement, which has been a sticking point in Elsevier’s open-access negotiations with other research institutions. After the University of California system insisted on a price cut, Elsevier’s negotiations failed in February; in April, a research consortium in Norway cut a deal with Elsevier similar to CMU’s, while agreeing to a price hike. “All I can say is that we achieved the financial objectives we set out to achieve,” Keith Webster, dean of CMU’s university libraries and director of emerging and integrative media initiatives, tells Inside Higher Ed.
CMU researchers only publish about 175 papers annually in Elsevier journals. That low volume gives Elsevier an opportunity to test the 4-year arrangement with relatively low financial risk."
Defying the doubters; United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), 2019
United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO);
"Inspired by his father and his eighth-grade science teacher, Bob Metcalfe developed an early interest in science and engineering. While pursuing these passions as an adult, he decided to minimize the number of wires needed to connect office computers to printers and the internet. In a 1973 memo, Metcalfe proposed his idea of the Ethernet as a solution. What followed was a long but successful journey to develop, patent, and commercialize this wire, which is used today all over the world."
Defying the doubters
"Inspired
by his father and his eighth-grade science teacher, Bob Metcalfe
developed an early interest in science and engineering. While pursuing
these passions as an adult, he decided to minimize the number of wires
needed to connect office computers to printers and the internet. In a
1973 memo, Metcalfe proposed his idea of the Ethernet as a solution.
What followed was a long but successful journey to develop, patent, and
commercialize this wire, which is used today all over the world.
"Inspired by his father and his eighth-grade science teacher, Bob Metcalfe developed an early interest in science and engineering. While pursuing these passions as an adult, he decided to minimize the number of wires needed to connect office computers to printers and the internet. In a 1973 memo, Metcalfe proposed his idea of the Ethernet as a solution. What followed was a long but successful journey to develop, patent, and commercialize this wire, which is used today all over the world."
FAU sues grad for using an owl logo in tutoring business; The Palm Beach Post, Decemeber 10, 2019
FAU sues grad for using an owl logo in tutoring business
"In the lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court, FAU officials claim Neil Parsont intentionally named his business Owl Tutoring and is using an owl logo to confuse students into thinking his private lessons are affiliated with free Owl-to-Owl Tutoring offered at the school."
"In the lawsuit filed this week in U.S. District Court, FAU officials claim Neil Parsont intentionally named his business Owl Tutoring and is using an owl logo to confuse students into thinking his private lessons are affiliated with free Owl-to-Owl Tutoring offered at the school."
Register of Copyrights Karyn Temple Is Leaving; Publishers Weekly, December 9, 2019
Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly; Register of Copyrights Karyn Temple Is Leaving
"Just months after her permanent appointment as Register of Copyrights, Karyn Temple is leaving for a new position as the global general counsel of the Motion Picture Association...
Of course, the big question may be whether Temple’s departure will spur another attempt to remove the Register of Copyrights position out of the purview of the Library of Congress.
In October of 2016, Hayden’s abrupt removal of then-register, Maria Pallante (who is now president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers) angered many in the content and entertainment industries, who viewed Pallante as an ally. What followed was a campaign by lobbyists to paint Hayden as “anti-copyright,” and a subsequent bill, the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (HR 1695), which proposed to take the register of copyrights position out of the purview of the Librarian of Congress and make it a presidential appointment. That bill died in the Senate last year, but for more than two years it effectively blocked Hayden from appointing a permanent successor to Pallante."
"Just months after her permanent appointment as Register of Copyrights, Karyn Temple is leaving for a new position as the global general counsel of the Motion Picture Association...
Of course, the big question may be whether Temple’s departure will spur another attempt to remove the Register of Copyrights position out of the purview of the Library of Congress.
In October of 2016, Hayden’s abrupt removal of then-register, Maria Pallante (who is now president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers) angered many in the content and entertainment industries, who viewed Pallante as an ally. What followed was a campaign by lobbyists to paint Hayden as “anti-copyright,” and a subsequent bill, the Register of Copyrights Selection and Accountability Act (HR 1695), which proposed to take the register of copyrights position out of the purview of the Librarian of Congress and make it a presidential appointment. That bill died in the Senate last year, but for more than two years it effectively blocked Hayden from appointing a permanent successor to Pallante."
Why “Move Fast and Break Things” Doesn’t Work Anymore; Harvard Business Review, December 10, 2019
Greg Satell, Harvard Business Review; Why “Move Fast and Break Things” Doesn’t Work Anymore
"Shift 2: From Rapid Iteration to Exploration. Over the past 30 years, we’ve had the luxury of working with technologies we understand extremely well. Every generation of microchips opened vast new possibilities, but worked exactly the same way as the last generation, creating minimal switching costs. The main challenge was to design applications.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that rapid iteration emerged as a key strategy. When you understand the fundamental technology that underlies a product or service, you can move quickly, trying out nearly endless permutations until you arrive at an optimized solution. That’s often far more effective than a more planned, deliberate approach.
Over the next decade or two, however, the challenge will be to advance technology that we don’t understand well at all. Quantum and neuromorphic computing are still in their nascent stages. Exponential improvements in genomics and materials science are redefining the boundaries of those fields. There are also ethical issues involved with artificial intelligence and genomics that will require us to tread carefully.
So in the future, we will need to put greater emphasis on exploration. We will need to spend time understanding these new technologies and how they relate to our businesses. Most of all, it’s imperative to start exploring early. By the time many of these technologies hit their stride, it may be too late to catch up."
"Shift 2: From Rapid Iteration to Exploration. Over the past 30 years, we’ve had the luxury of working with technologies we understand extremely well. Every generation of microchips opened vast new possibilities, but worked exactly the same way as the last generation, creating minimal switching costs. The main challenge was to design applications.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that rapid iteration emerged as a key strategy. When you understand the fundamental technology that underlies a product or service, you can move quickly, trying out nearly endless permutations until you arrive at an optimized solution. That’s often far more effective than a more planned, deliberate approach.
Over the next decade or two, however, the challenge will be to advance technology that we don’t understand well at all. Quantum and neuromorphic computing are still in their nascent stages. Exponential improvements in genomics and materials science are redefining the boundaries of those fields. There are also ethical issues involved with artificial intelligence and genomics that will require us to tread carefully.
So in the future, we will need to put greater emphasis on exploration. We will need to spend time understanding these new technologies and how they relate to our businesses. Most of all, it’s imperative to start exploring early. By the time many of these technologies hit their stride, it may be too late to catch up."
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
5 Easy Ways To Protect Your New Ideas And Intellectual Property; Forbes Technology Council, December 3, 2019
Michael Gargiulo, Forbes Technology Council; 5 Easy Ways To Protect Your New Ideas And Intellectual Property
"Ideas and work can be stolen unless you take steps to protect them. This especially applies to concepts involving lucrative inventions, industrial secrets or medical abstractions. If a bright, creative lightbulb suddenly illuminates your world in the middle of the night, consider using one of these five ways to safeguard your idea...
Intellectual Property Theft (IPT) is not just a buzzword. This crime is common across the world in the 21st century, especially in places like China -- CNBC reports one in five North American companies surveyed had their IP stolen by Chinese companies in the last year. I believe combating IP theft should now be a top priority of the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and the CIA. Avoid being a victim of intellectual property theft by following these simple steps and proactively securing the very best ideas you and your organization have."
"Ideas and work can be stolen unless you take steps to protect them. This especially applies to concepts involving lucrative inventions, industrial secrets or medical abstractions. If a bright, creative lightbulb suddenly illuminates your world in the middle of the night, consider using one of these five ways to safeguard your idea...
Intellectual Property Theft (IPT) is not just a buzzword. This crime is common across the world in the 21st century, especially in places like China -- CNBC reports one in five North American companies surveyed had their IP stolen by Chinese companies in the last year. I believe combating IP theft should now be a top priority of the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI and the CIA. Avoid being a victim of intellectual property theft by following these simple steps and proactively securing the very best ideas you and your organization have."
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
NYC wants a chief algorithm officer to counter bias, build transparency; Ars Technica, November 25, 2019
Kate Cox, Ars Technica; NYC wants a chief algorithm officer to counter bias, build transparency
"It takes a lot of automation to make the nation's largest city run, but it's easy for that kind of automation to perpetuate existing problems and fall unevenly on the residents it's supposed to serve. So to mitigate the harms and ideally increase the benefits, New York City has created a high-level city government position essentially to manage algorithms."
"It takes a lot of automation to make the nation's largest city run, but it's easy for that kind of automation to perpetuate existing problems and fall unevenly on the residents it's supposed to serve. So to mitigate the harms and ideally increase the benefits, New York City has created a high-level city government position essentially to manage algorithms."
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Anti-harassment policy raises First Amendment questions; University of Pittsburgh University Times, November 18, 2019
Marty Levine, University of Pittsburgh University Times; Anti-harassment policy raises First Amendment questions
"Members of the University Senate’s Faculty Affairs committee say they have met with University officials and voiced concerns that a proposed new anti-harassment measure may potentially stifle classroom discussion and require the entire Pitt community to report suspicious speech to University authorities.
After the meeting, the policy was pulled from a vote before Faculty Assembly."
"Members of the University Senate’s Faculty Affairs committee say they have met with University officials and voiced concerns that a proposed new anti-harassment measure may potentially stifle classroom discussion and require the entire Pitt community to report suspicious speech to University authorities.
After the meeting, the policy was pulled from a vote before Faculty Assembly."
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Why Business Leaders Need to Understand Their Algorithms; Harvard Business Review, November 19, 2019
Mike Walsh, Harvard Business Review; Why Business Leaders Need to Understand Their Algorithms
"Leaders will be challenged by shareholders, customers, and regulators on what they optimize for. There will be lawsuits that require you to reveal the human decisions behind the design of your AI systems, what ethical and social concerns you took into account, the origins and methods by which you procured your training data, and how well you monitored the results of those systems for traces of bias or discrimination. Document your decisions carefully and make sure you understand, or at the very least trust, the algorithmic processes at the heart of your business.
Simply arguing that your AI platform was a black box that no one understood is unlikely to be a successful legal defense in the 21st century. It will be about as convincing as “the algorithm made me do it.”"
"Leaders will be challenged by shareholders, customers, and regulators on what they optimize for. There will be lawsuits that require you to reveal the human decisions behind the design of your AI systems, what ethical and social concerns you took into account, the origins and methods by which you procured your training data, and how well you monitored the results of those systems for traces of bias or discrimination. Document your decisions carefully and make sure you understand, or at the very least trust, the algorithmic processes at the heart of your business.
Simply arguing that your AI platform was a black box that no one understood is unlikely to be a successful legal defense in the 21st century. It will be about as convincing as “the algorithm made me do it.”"
One Quality All Library Leaders Must Have | Leading From the Library; Library Journal, November 19, 2019
Steven Bell, Library Journal; One Quality All Library Leaders Must Have | Leading From the Library
"BE MORE THAN CURIOUS
In his article “How to Think Like a CEO,” [Adam] Bryant shares insights on what leaders need to succeed based on over 500 interviews with diverse leaders across a wide swath of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. In trying to figure out the one common element among all these individuals, Bryant came up with a single, most essential quality. He calls this “applied curiosity.” Bryant says leaders who have it:
While Bryant acknowledges the value of more commonly cited leadership qualities such as trust, honesty, emotional intelligence, and humility, the reason he values applied curiosity so much above others is what one leader described as the “infinite learning curve.” Good leaders must certainly demonstrate those other qualities, but the ability to question and constantly ask how to improve is the difference maker. That’s why it resonated strongly with me and connected with the importance of always striving to seek out new mysteries rather than satisficing with what’s always worked or doing things the same way because that’s how it’s always been done. Bryant questions whether applied curiosity, like leadership itself, is something people are born with or can learn. There are behaviors librarians on the leadership track can adopt, particularly pattern seeking or trend exploring, that can make applied curiosity more of a mindset."
"BE MORE THAN CURIOUS
In his article “How to Think Like a CEO,” [Adam] Bryant shares insights on what leaders need to succeed based on over 500 interviews with diverse leaders across a wide swath of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. In trying to figure out the one common element among all these individuals, Bryant came up with a single, most essential quality. He calls this “applied curiosity.” Bryant says leaders who have it:
Engage in relentless questioning to
understand how things work. And then they start wondering how those
things could be made to work better. They approach everything with an
inquiring mind-set—whether it’s making sense of shifting consumer habits
or the global macroeconomic trends that are shaping their industry.
While Bryant acknowledges the value of more commonly cited leadership qualities such as trust, honesty, emotional intelligence, and humility, the reason he values applied curiosity so much above others is what one leader described as the “infinite learning curve.” Good leaders must certainly demonstrate those other qualities, but the ability to question and constantly ask how to improve is the difference maker. That’s why it resonated strongly with me and connected with the importance of always striving to seek out new mysteries rather than satisficing with what’s always worked or doing things the same way because that’s how it’s always been done. Bryant questions whether applied curiosity, like leadership itself, is something people are born with or can learn. There are behaviors librarians on the leadership track can adopt, particularly pattern seeking or trend exploring, that can make applied curiosity more of a mindset."
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
The collapse of the information ecosystem poses profound risks for humanity; The Guardian, November 19, 2019
Lydia Polgreen, The Guardian; The collapse of the information ecosystem poses profound risks for humanity
"When the scientists behind the Doomsday clock published their yearly assessment of how close we are to planetary doom, they added a new dimension to the dual threats of nuclear proliferation and climate change, namely “the intentional corruption of the information ecosystem on which modern civilization depends”.
What we’ve seen in recent years isn’t just the collapse of informational authority. It is the destruction of the pact between the purveyors of quality information and the businesses that wanted to reach the consumers of that information...
Just as companies decarbonize their businesses, they should think carefully about how they contribute to the destruction of our information ecosystem and choose to reach consumers on platforms that slow rather than increase the pace of information ecosystem collapse."
"When the scientists behind the Doomsday clock published their yearly assessment of how close we are to planetary doom, they added a new dimension to the dual threats of nuclear proliferation and climate change, namely “the intentional corruption of the information ecosystem on which modern civilization depends”.
What we’ve seen in recent years isn’t just the collapse of informational authority. It is the destruction of the pact between the purveyors of quality information and the businesses that wanted to reach the consumers of that information...
Just as companies decarbonize their businesses, they should think carefully about how they contribute to the destruction of our information ecosystem and choose to reach consumers on platforms that slow rather than increase the pace of information ecosystem collapse."
Protect your restaurant’s intellectual property; The Miami Herald, Novermber 18, 2019
Andrew Cromer, The Miami Herald; Protect your restaurant’s intellectual property
"What if I told you that the most valuable piece of your restaurant wasn’t the dollars and cents that flow inward from customer transactions? You certainly take the appropriate precautionary measures to safeguard the money inside your restaurant, but why leave “the safe open” when it comes to arguably your most valuable asset? Of course, we’re talking about your restaurant’s intellectual property!"
"What if I told you that the most valuable piece of your restaurant wasn’t the dollars and cents that flow inward from customer transactions? You certainly take the appropriate precautionary measures to safeguard the money inside your restaurant, but why leave “the safe open” when it comes to arguably your most valuable asset? Of course, we’re talking about your restaurant’s intellectual property!"
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Giant Publisher Macmillan Goes To War Against Libraries; TechDirt, November 15, 2019
Mike Masnick, TechDirt; Giant Publisher Macmillan Goes To War Against Libraries
"In September, librarians around the US launched a campaign -- ebooksforall.org urging Macmillan to rethink this awful plan:
"In September, librarians around the US launched a campaign -- ebooksforall.org urging Macmillan to rethink this awful plan:
This embargo limits libraries’ ability to provide access to information for all. It particularly harms library patrons with disabilities or learning issues. One of the great things about eBooks is that they can become large-print books with only a few clicks, and most eBook readers offer fonts and line spacing that make reading easier for people who have dyslexia or other visual challenges. Because portable devices are light and easy to hold, eBooks are easier to use for some people who have physical disabilities.
Macmillan is the only major publisher restricting public libraries’ ability to purchase and lend digital content to their communities. Before the embargo took effect, we collected 160,000 signatures from readers who urged Macmillan not to go through with their plan. And we delivered these signatures in person to CEO John Sargent. Sadly, he did not listen."
Thursday, November 14, 2019
AI and gene-editing pioneers to discuss ethics at Stanford; Stanford News, November 12, 2019
Ker Than, Stanford News; AI and gene-editing pioneers to discuss ethics at Stanford
"Upon meeting for the first time at a dinner at Stanford earlier this year, Fei-Fei Li and Jennifer Doudna couldn’t help but note the remarkable parallels in their experiences as scientists.
Both women helped kickstart twin revolutions that are profoundly reshaping society in the 21st century – Li in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and Doudna in the life sciences. Both revolutions can be traced back to 2012, the year that computer scientists collectively recognized the power of Li’s approach to training computer vision algorithms and that Doudna drew attention to a new gene-editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 (“CRISPR” for short). Both pioneering scientists are also driven by a growing urgency to raise awareness about the ethical dangers of the technologies they helped create."
"Upon meeting for the first time at a dinner at Stanford earlier this year, Fei-Fei Li and Jennifer Doudna couldn’t help but note the remarkable parallels in their experiences as scientists.
Both women helped kickstart twin revolutions that are profoundly reshaping society in the 21st century – Li in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and Doudna in the life sciences. Both revolutions can be traced back to 2012, the year that computer scientists collectively recognized the power of Li’s approach to training computer vision algorithms and that Doudna drew attention to a new gene-editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 (“CRISPR” for short). Both pioneering scientists are also driven by a growing urgency to raise awareness about the ethical dangers of the technologies they helped create."
Why Businesses Should Adopt an AI Code of Ethics -- Now; InformationWeek, November 14, 2019
Gary Grossman, InformationWeek; Why Businesses Should Adopt an AI Code of Ethics -- Now
"Adherence to AI ethics breeds trust
According to Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD): “To realize the full potential of [AI] technology, we need one critical ingredient. That critical ingredient is trust. And to build trust we need human-centered artificial intelligence that fosters sustainable development and inclusive human progress.” To achieve this, he adds that there must be an ethical dimension to AI use. This all underscores the urgency for companies to create and live by a responsible AI code of ethics to govern decisions about AI development and deployment.
The EU has developed principles for ethical AI, as has the IEEE, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Tencent and other countries and corporations. As these have appeared in only the last couple of years, AI ethics is very much an evolving field. There is an opportunity and critical need for businesses to lead by creating their own set of principles embodied in an AI code of ethics to govern their AI research and development to both further the technology while also helping to create a better tomorrow."
"Adherence to AI ethics breeds trust
According to Angel Gurria, Secretary-General of the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD): “To realize the full potential of [AI] technology, we need one critical ingredient. That critical ingredient is trust. And to build trust we need human-centered artificial intelligence that fosters sustainable development and inclusive human progress.” To achieve this, he adds that there must be an ethical dimension to AI use. This all underscores the urgency for companies to create and live by a responsible AI code of ethics to govern decisions about AI development and deployment.
The EU has developed principles for ethical AI, as has the IEEE, Google, Microsoft, Intel, Tencent and other countries and corporations. As these have appeared in only the last couple of years, AI ethics is very much an evolving field. There is an opportunity and critical need for businesses to lead by creating their own set of principles embodied in an AI code of ethics to govern their AI research and development to both further the technology while also helping to create a better tomorrow."
The Ethical Dilemma at the Heart of Big Tech Companies; Harvard Business Review, November 14, 2019
"The central challenge ethics owners are grappling with is negotiating between external pressures to respond to ethical crises at the same time that they must be responsive to the internal logics of their companies and the industry. On the one hand, external criticisms push them toward challenging core business practices and priorities. On the other hand, the logics of Silicon Valley, and of business more generally, create pressures to establish or restore predictable processes and outcomes that still serve the bottom line.
We identified three distinct logics that characterize this tension between internal and external pressures..."
I'm the Google whistleblower. The medical data of millions of Americans is at risk; The Guardian, November 14, 2019
Anonymous, The Guardian; I'm the Google whistleblower. The medical data of millions of Americans is at risk
"After a while I reached a point that I suspect is familiar to most whistleblowers, where what I was witnessing was too important for me to remain silent. Two simple questions kept hounding me: did patients know about the transfer of their data to the tech giant? Should they be informed and given a chance to opt in or out?
The answer to the first question quickly became apparent: no. The answer to the second I became increasingly convinced about: yes. Put the two together, and how could I say nothing?
So much is at stake. Data security is important in any field, but when that data relates to the personal details of an individual’s health, it is of the utmost importance as this is the last frontier of data privacy.
With a deal as sensitive as the transfer of the personal data of more than 50 million Americans to Google the oversight should be extensive. Every aspect needed to be pored over to ensure that it complied with federal rules controlling the confidential handling of protected health information under the 1996 HIPAA legislation."
"After a while I reached a point that I suspect is familiar to most whistleblowers, where what I was witnessing was too important for me to remain silent. Two simple questions kept hounding me: did patients know about the transfer of their data to the tech giant? Should they be informed and given a chance to opt in or out?
The answer to the first question quickly became apparent: no. The answer to the second I became increasingly convinced about: yes. Put the two together, and how could I say nothing?
So much is at stake. Data security is important in any field, but when that data relates to the personal details of an individual’s health, it is of the utmost importance as this is the last frontier of data privacy.
With a deal as sensitive as the transfer of the personal data of more than 50 million Americans to Google the oversight should be extensive. Every aspect needed to be pored over to ensure that it complied with federal rules controlling the confidential handling of protected health information under the 1996 HIPAA legislation."
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Senior Trump official embellished résumé, had face on fake Time cover; NBC News, November 12, 2019
Dan De Luce, Laura Strickler and Ari Sen, NBC News; Senior Trump official embellished résumé, had face on fake Time cover
"A senior Trump administration official has
embellished her résumé with misleading claims about her professional
background — even creating a fake Time magazine cover with her face on it — raising questions about her qualifications to hold a top position at the State Department.
An
NBC News investigation found that Mina Chang, the deputy assistant
secretary in the State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stability
Operations, has inflated her educational achievements and exaggerated
the scope of her nonprofit's work.
She
was being considered for an even bigger government job, one with a
budget of more than $1 billion, until Congress started asking questions
about her résumé."
Engineers need a required course in ethics; Quartz, November 8, 2019
Kush Saxena; Engineers need a required course in ethics
"The higher education sector cannot ignore its role in
preparing students for the future of work as quite literally the purpose
it serves. That includes integrating ethics into comprehensive computer
science curricula.
Universities like MIT are leading the way
by creating research collaborations across disciplines such as law and
government, finding ways to embed topics around the societal impact of
computing into the technical curriculum.
This type
of rigorous education shouldn’t be accessible only to students who can
get into elite universities. As more jobs require engineering skills,
all institutions—from coding boot camps to community college courses to
advanced state-funded PhD programs—need to follow suit."
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Whodunit in the Library: Someone Keeps Hiding the Anti-Trump Books; The New York Times, November 10, 2019
, The New York Times;Whodunit in the Library: Someone Keeps Hiding the Anti-Trump Books
"Ms. Ammon said she asked the caller to provide a list of books that should be in the stacks, and while the person failed to provide one, she suspects the library already has whatever might be on it.
“We serve the entire community,” Ms. Ammon said...
"Ms. Ammon said she asked the caller to provide a list of books that should be in the stacks, and while the person failed to provide one, she suspects the library already has whatever might be on it.
“We serve the entire community,” Ms. Ammon said...
Through it all, Ms. Ammon said, the
library has managed to maintain the diversity of its shelves. In the
nonfiction stacks, a book by Al Franken, the former Democratic senator,
sits right next to one by Newt Gingrich, the former Republican
congressman.
“The Dewey decimal system is a great equalizer,” Ms. Ammon said."
Citrus County, Fla., leaders don’t like the New York Times. That doesn’t justify keeping it out of their libraries.; The Washington Post, November 9, 2019
Anthony Marx, The Washington Post; Citrus County, Fla., leaders don’t like the New York Times. That doesn’t justify keeping it out of their libraries.
"Libraries have always been at the foundation of our democracy, existing to arm the public with the information people need to make informed decisions and reach logical conclusions. Libraries are trusted sources of this information precisely because they do not judge, reject or accept the information based on politics or opinion. They provide it, and as technology has changed over the decades, they adapt to provide it the way patrons want it.
Despite all of this, the commissioners of Citrus County chose to reject the library system’s request. I am well aware of the financial difficulties public libraries face...
"Libraries have always been at the foundation of our democracy, existing to arm the public with the information people need to make informed decisions and reach logical conclusions. Libraries are trusted sources of this information precisely because they do not judge, reject or accept the information based on politics or opinion. They provide it, and as technology has changed over the decades, they adapt to provide it the way patrons want it.
Despite all of this, the commissioners of Citrus County chose to reject the library system’s request. I am well aware of the financial difficulties public libraries face...
This
is a misguided decision. Public libraries are not in place to further
the political agenda of any party or position. Whether those holding the
purse strings favor any particular journal or not should be irrelevant.
At the New York Public Library, we offer hundreds of periodicals
from all sides of the political aisle. I will tell you that I do not
agree with the political slant of some of the papers we make available.
And that is exactly how it should be.
Libraries give members of the public the tools they need to be fully informed participants in civic society."
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Hunters Point Library Confronts Accessibility Issues; Library Journal, November 4, 2019
Lisa Peet, Library Journal; Hunters Point Library Confronts Accessibility Issues
"QPL is assessing the situation with the Department of Design and Construction and Steven Holl Architects, de Bourbon said. (As of press time, Steven Holl Architects had not responded to LJ’s request for comment.) “As we move forward with new projects,” she said, “we will be even more proactive in addressing the needs and circumstances of every single customer.”
“I hope that libraries who are working on inclusiveness can see this as a cautionary tale,” said Machones. “There clearly needs to be more oversight in all stages of planning to ensure nothing like this happens again. There needs to be opportunities for staff and the community to analyze and respond to plans at every stage. If there are members of your community that are not able to participate in input sessions, then go to them and ask them for their input. Your library will better serve the community if your plans reflect everyone in it.”
Such inclusive input might be positioned as a mandate in all aspects of service for the library, Machones suggested. “I would have regular community conversations to learn about what ways the library could improve. I also would recommend the library undergo an inclusive services assessment,” such as the Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide developed for Wisconsin Public Libraries."
"QPL is assessing the situation with the Department of Design and Construction and Steven Holl Architects, de Bourbon said. (As of press time, Steven Holl Architects had not responded to LJ’s request for comment.) “As we move forward with new projects,” she said, “we will be even more proactive in addressing the needs and circumstances of every single customer.”
“I hope that libraries who are working on inclusiveness can see this as a cautionary tale,” said Machones. “There clearly needs to be more oversight in all stages of planning to ensure nothing like this happens again. There needs to be opportunities for staff and the community to analyze and respond to plans at every stage. If there are members of your community that are not able to participate in input sessions, then go to them and ask them for their input. Your library will better serve the community if your plans reflect everyone in it.”
Such inclusive input might be positioned as a mandate in all aspects of service for the library, Machones suggested. “I would have regular community conversations to learn about what ways the library could improve. I also would recommend the library undergo an inclusive services assessment,” such as the Inclusive Services Assessment and Guide developed for Wisconsin Public Libraries."
NNS Spotlight: Nonprofit uses data research to spur change in communities; Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS), November 6, 2019
Caroline White, Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service (NNS); NNS Spotlight: Nonprofit uses data research to spur change in communities
"Numbers can tell only part of a story.
They mean nothing without context.
And that’s where Data You Can Use steps in. The nonprofit works to provide useful local data so organizations can create change on a community level.
“In some of these neighborhoods, people have a fear of research because they’ve always been the subject, but they never see the results. That can be very damaging,” said Katie Pritchard, executive director and president of Data You Can Use. “If you’re only telling one part of the story, it doesn’t help anyone.”...
“We wanted to find a better way to measure the impact of what we do,” [Barb] Wesson [the outcomes manager] said. “One of the things Data You Can Use does really well that I don’t do at all is qualitative data analysis, and that’s what we needed.”"
"Numbers can tell only part of a story.
They mean nothing without context.
And that’s where Data You Can Use steps in. The nonprofit works to provide useful local data so organizations can create change on a community level.
“In some of these neighborhoods, people have a fear of research because they’ve always been the subject, but they never see the results. That can be very damaging,” said Katie Pritchard, executive director and president of Data You Can Use. “If you’re only telling one part of the story, it doesn’t help anyone.”...
“We wanted to find a better way to measure the impact of what we do,” [Barb] Wesson [the outcomes manager] said. “One of the things Data You Can Use does really well that I don’t do at all is qualitative data analysis, and that’s what we needed.”"
Josh Fiallo, Tampa Bay Times; Commissioners call New York Times ‘fake news,’ deny library funding for digital subscriptions
"Sandy Price, the advisory board chairman for the county’s libraries, told the Citrus County Chronicle
she was disappointed with the commissioners’ decision to block the
funding. She also said she was concerned with the reason behind the
blocking, specifically citing Carnahan’s comments about the New York Times being ‘fake news.’
“Someone’s
personal political view does not have a place in deciding what library
resources are available for the entire county,” Price told the Chronicle on Monday. “Libraries have to ensure all points of view are represented.”
Despite
all five commissioners railing against the request during the
commission meeting, feedback that he received in the days after caused
Commissioner Brian Coleman to loosen his stance on the request.
Coleman
originally said of the funding request: “I support President Trump. I
would say they put stuff in there that’s not necessarily verified."
Two days after the meeting, however, Coleman told The Chronicle he wanted to re-address the topic at a future meeting.
“Our decision should have been impartial, instead of having it become a personal thing," Coleman told the Chronicle."
What if "Sesame Street" Were Open Access?; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), October 25, 2019
Elliot Harmon, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); What if "Sesame Street" Were Open Access?
"The news of iconic children’s television show “Sesame Street”’s new arrangement with the HBO MAX streaming service has sent ripples around the Internet. Starting this year, episodes of “Sesame Street” will debut on HBO and on the HBO MAX service, with new episodes being made available to PBS “at some point.” Parents Television Council’s Tim Winter recently told New York Times that “HBO is holding hostage underprivileged families” who can no longer afford to watch new “Sesame Street” episodes.
The move is particularly galling because the show is partially paid for with public funding. Let's imagine an alternative: what if “Sesame Street” were open access? What if the show’s funding had come with a requirement that it be made available to the public?"
"The news of iconic children’s television show “Sesame Street”’s new arrangement with the HBO MAX streaming service has sent ripples around the Internet. Starting this year, episodes of “Sesame Street” will debut on HBO and on the HBO MAX service, with new episodes being made available to PBS “at some point.” Parents Television Council’s Tim Winter recently told New York Times that “HBO is holding hostage underprivileged families” who can no longer afford to watch new “Sesame Street” episodes.
The move is particularly galling because the show is partially paid for with public funding. Let's imagine an alternative: what if “Sesame Street” were open access? What if the show’s funding had come with a requirement that it be made available to the public?"
Backcountry.com breaks its silence amid trademark lawsuit controversy to apologize and say “we made a mistake”; The Colorado Sun, November 6, 2019
Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun; Backcountry.com breaks its silence amid trademark lawsuit controversy to apologize and say “we made a mistake”
"“To be fair, this is not about Marquette Backcountry Skis. It’s about the small nonprofits, it’s about the guides and the small businesses they targeted. This has all been about the lawsuits filed against the people in front of me and the ones coming for the people behind me,” [David] Ollila said. “What we’ve witnessed here is that it takes 25 years to build a business and a reputation and it can be lost very quickly with these poor decisions. I wonder how the market will react to this. I wonder if they can be forgiven.”...
“This boycott isn’t about a word,” [Jon Miller] said. “What is happening is that a corporation has a stranglehold over our culture in a battle over a word they literally don’t even own.”"
"“To be fair, this is not about Marquette Backcountry Skis. It’s about the small nonprofits, it’s about the guides and the small businesses they targeted. This has all been about the lawsuits filed against the people in front of me and the ones coming for the people behind me,” [David] Ollila said. “What we’ve witnessed here is that it takes 25 years to build a business and a reputation and it can be lost very quickly with these poor decisions. I wonder how the market will react to this. I wonder if they can be forgiven.”...
“This boycott isn’t about a word,” [Jon Miller] said. “What is happening is that a corporation has a stranglehold over our culture in a battle over a word they literally don’t even own.”"
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
How Machine Learning Pushes Us to Define Fairness; Harvard Business Review, November 6, 2019
David Weinberger, Harvard Business Review; How Machine Learning Pushes Us to Define Fairness
"Even with the greatest of care, an ML system might find biased patterns so subtle and complex that they hide from the best-intentioned human attention. Hence the necessary current focus among computer scientists, policy makers, and anyone concerned with social justice on how to keep bias out of AI.
Yet machine learning’s very nature may also be bringing us to think about fairness in new and productive ways. Our encounters with machine learning (ML) are beginning to give us concepts, a vocabulary, and tools that enable us to address questions of bias and fairness more directly and precisely than before."
"Even with the greatest of care, an ML system might find biased patterns so subtle and complex that they hide from the best-intentioned human attention. Hence the necessary current focus among computer scientists, policy makers, and anyone concerned with social justice on how to keep bias out of AI.
Yet machine learning’s very nature may also be bringing us to think about fairness in new and productive ways. Our encounters with machine learning (ML) are beginning to give us concepts, a vocabulary, and tools that enable us to address questions of bias and fairness more directly and precisely than before."
In Praise of the 5-Hour Workday, and Other ‘Radical’ Ideas; The New York Times, November 6, 2019
; In Praise of the 5-Hour Workday, and Other ‘Radical’ Ideas
Sick of round-the-clock work emails and Slack messages? Here’s some hope.
"This is why I am heartened to see stories like that of Mr. Rheingans’s short workday and, as was reported this week, Microsoft Japan’s experiments
with a four-day week during the summer (which increased its
productivity by 40 percent, according to the company). It’s not yet
clear that these innovations are exactly the right way to run technology
companies, or whether they can scale to other business contexts. But
what is right in this case is the exploratory mind-set that led to these
experiments in the first place. If like many digital knowledge workers,
you’re exhausted by endless work and flooded inboxes, the good news is
that better and more sustainable ways of producing valuable output with
your brain might be coming — if we can find enough visionaries willing
to try out “radical” new ideas about how best to get things done."
Monday, November 4, 2019
An unseemly meeting at the US Supreme Court raises ethics questions; Quartz, November 2, 2019
Ephrat Livni, Quartz; An unseemly meeting at the US Supreme Court raises ethics questions
"“A case isn’t finished until the opinion is out,” Roth noted. So, any meeting between a justice and an advocate who has expressed positions on a matter is problematic because it undermines public trust in the judge’s ability to be fair. He calls these engagements failures of a “basic ethics test” and is concerned about how commonly these failures occur...
Roth believes that everyone, whatever their political party or ideological tendencies, should be concerned about these kinds of engagements by the justices. And he doesn’t think it’s too much to ask that members of the bench not interact with the people and institutions who’ve broadcast their views in amicus briefs while those cases are open, if only to maintain that precious appearance of neutrality."
"“A case isn’t finished until the opinion is out,” Roth noted. So, any meeting between a justice and an advocate who has expressed positions on a matter is problematic because it undermines public trust in the judge’s ability to be fair. He calls these engagements failures of a “basic ethics test” and is concerned about how commonly these failures occur...
Roth believes that everyone, whatever their political party or ideological tendencies, should be concerned about these kinds of engagements by the justices. And he doesn’t think it’s too much to ask that members of the bench not interact with the people and institutions who’ve broadcast their views in amicus briefs while those cases are open, if only to maintain that precious appearance of neutrality."
Monday, October 28, 2019
A.I. Regulation Is Coming Soon. Here’s What the Future May Hold; Fortune, October 24, 2019
David Meyer, Fortune; A.I. Regulation Is Coming Soon. Here’s What the Future May Hold
"Last year Angela Merkel’s government tasked a new Data Ethics Commission with producing recommendations for rules around algorithms and A.I. The group’s report landed Wednesday, packed with ideas for guiding the development of this new technology in a way that protects people from exploitation.
History tells us that German ideas around data tend to make their way onto the international stage...
So, what do those recommendations look like? In a word: tough."
"Last year Angela Merkel’s government tasked a new Data Ethics Commission with producing recommendations for rules around algorithms and A.I. The group’s report landed Wednesday, packed with ideas for guiding the development of this new technology in a way that protects people from exploitation.
History tells us that German ideas around data tend to make their way onto the international stage...
So, what do those recommendations look like? In a word: tough."
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The Black-and-White World of Big Tech; The New York Times, October 24, 2019
, The New York Times; The Black-and-White World of Big Tech
Mark
Zuckerberg presented us with an either-or choice of free speech —
either we have it or we’re China. Tech leaders have a duty to admit it’s
much more complicated.
"Mr. Zuckerberg presented us with an
either-or choice of free speech — either we have free speech or we’re
China. “Whether you like Facebook or not, I think we need to come
together and stand for voice and free expression,” he said with an
isn’t-this-obvious tone.
But, as
anyone who has lived in the real world knows, it’s much more complex.
And that was the main problem with his speech — and it’s also what is at
the crux of the myriad concerns we have with tech these days: Big
Tech’s leaders frame the debate in binary terms.
Mr. Zuckerberg missed an opportunity to recognize that there has been a
hidden and high price of all the dazzling tech of the last decade. In
offering us a binary view for considering the impact of their
inventions, many digital leaders avoid thinking harder about the costs
of technological progress."
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
A face-scanning algorithm increasingly decides whether you deserve the job; The Washington Post, October 22, 2019
Drew Harwell, The Washington Post; A face-scanning algorithm increasingly decides whether you deserve the job
HireVue claims it uses artificial intelligence to decide who’s best for a job. Outside experts call it ‘profoundly disturbing.’
HireVue’s growth, however, is running into some regulatory snags. In August, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a first-in-the-nation law
that will force employers to tell job applicants how their AI-hiring
system works and get their consent before running them through the test.
The measure, which HireVue said it supports, will take effect Jan. 1."
HireVue claims it uses artificial intelligence to decide who’s best for a job. Outside experts call it ‘profoundly disturbing.’
"“It’s a profoundly disturbing development that we have proprietary
technology that claims to differentiate between a productive worker and a
worker who isn’t fit, based on their facial movements, their tone of
voice, their mannerisms,” said Meredith Whittaker, a co-founder of the AI Now Institute, a research center in New York...
Loren
Larsen, HireVue’s chief technology officer, said that such criticism is
uninformed and that “most AI researchers have a limited understanding”
of the psychology behind how workers think and behave...
“People
are rejected all the time based on how they look, their shoes, how they
tucked in their shirts and how ‘hot’ they are,” he told The Washington
Post. “Algorithms eliminate most of that in a way that hasn’t been
possible before.”...
How is an academic CV different from a résumé?; The Washington Post, October 22, 2019
Daniel W. Drezner, The Washington Post; How is an academic CV different from a résumé?
"During the weekend, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Megan Zahneis wrote up Phillips’s study, noting some possible concerns: “While it has popped up in a few high-profile cases, CV falsification is an instance of academic misconduct that might not make as many headlines as fudging data or plagiarism. But the difficulty of detecting it could make it all the more insidious.” Indeed, the grad students who did the coding for Phillips et al. got more and more upset as they proceeded. As Phillips explained to Zahneis, “That’s because most of these were applicants for entry-level positions, which is what they hoped to be applying for someday.""
"During the weekend, the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Megan Zahneis wrote up Phillips’s study, noting some possible concerns: “While it has popped up in a few high-profile cases, CV falsification is an instance of academic misconduct that might not make as many headlines as fudging data or plagiarism. But the difficulty of detecting it could make it all the more insidious.” Indeed, the grad students who did the coding for Phillips et al. got more and more upset as they proceeded. As Phillips explained to Zahneis, “That’s because most of these were applicants for entry-level positions, which is what they hoped to be applying for someday.""
Thursday, October 17, 2019
How to Stop the Abuse of Location Data; The New York Times, October 16, 2019
Jeff Glueck, The New York Times; How to Stop the Abuse of Location Data
"Companies should have to maintain data with adequate security protections, including encryption
at rest and in transit. Employees at companies that collect data on
millions of consumers should undergo privacy and ethics training.
Companies should require clients and other people who use the data to
promise that they will not use the tech and data for unethical or
discriminatory practices — and should penalize those that act
unethically. Regulation should force companies to create ethics
committees where management and employees must discuss their privacy and
ethical data use policies regularly."
There are no formal rules for what is ethical — or even legal — in the location data business. That needs to change.
"Companies should have to maintain data with adequate security protections, including encryption
at rest and in transit. Employees at companies that collect data on
millions of consumers should undergo privacy and ethics training.
Companies should require clients and other people who use the data to
promise that they will not use the tech and data for unethical or
discriminatory practices — and should penalize those that act
unethically. Regulation should force companies to create ethics
committees where management and employees must discuss their privacy and
ethical data use policies regularly."
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
What Teaching Ethics in Appalachia Taught Me About Bridging America’s Partisan Divide; Politico, October 13, 2019
Evan Mandery, Politico; What Teaching Ethics in Appalachia Taught Me About Bridging America’s Partisan Divide
"The aim “is to create a space in which I can admit—let in—another person’s voice,” Gilligan says. It’s a way of stimulating empathy. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” Atticus Finch tells Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. An emerging body of research shows that Finch—or Harper Lee—was right.
Curious things start to happen to people when they listen generously. At the most superficial level, one hears things that he or she might not like. But one also hears the sincerity of people’s convictions, the authenticity of their experiences, and the nuance of their narratives. Being open is transformative because, almost inevitably, one finds that the stories they’ve been told about what people believe oversimplify reality...
Caleb Wright, who’s from Chapel Hill says, “The value is that you can staunchly disagree with someone, but also humanize the person.” Adds Gaby, “It was more to learn about each other than to change people’s minds.”
The point, in other words, is to combat “othering.”
“People don’t change their minds, they just change their opinion about the other side,” says Ravi Iyer, a social psychologist who, with Jonathan Haidt and Matt Motyl, founded Civil Politics, a nonprofit aimed at bridging moral divisions. “The evidence is imperfect,” Iyer says, “but all of the imperfect evidence is telling a similar story.”
That story is known as the contact hypothesis—a well-supported theory in social psychology that contact between members of different groups is likely to reduce mutual prejudice...
I left my experience at App with a richer understanding of Southern conservatives and libertarians, but more significantly with great optimism, even exuberance, about the untapped potential of experiences that teach people how to talk productively about their differences. Even after a career spent moderating conversations on controversial issues, I learned how to listen better and was changed by the stories I heard.
Imagine if, instead of requiring a swim test for college students or gym for middle-schoolers, we required students to sit in a room with a diverse group of people and listen to the stories of their life. “If I wanted to prepare children to live as citizens in a democratic society,” Gilligan says, “nothing would be more valuable than to teach them to listen.”"
There’s a language for talking about hot-button issues. And we’re not learning it.
"The aim “is to create a space in which I can admit—let in—another person’s voice,” Gilligan says. It’s a way of stimulating empathy. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” Atticus Finch tells Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. An emerging body of research shows that Finch—or Harper Lee—was right.
Curious things start to happen to people when they listen generously. At the most superficial level, one hears things that he or she might not like. But one also hears the sincerity of people’s convictions, the authenticity of their experiences, and the nuance of their narratives. Being open is transformative because, almost inevitably, one finds that the stories they’ve been told about what people believe oversimplify reality...
Caleb Wright, who’s from Chapel Hill says, “The value is that you can staunchly disagree with someone, but also humanize the person.” Adds Gaby, “It was more to learn about each other than to change people’s minds.”
The point, in other words, is to combat “othering.”
“People don’t change their minds, they just change their opinion about the other side,” says Ravi Iyer, a social psychologist who, with Jonathan Haidt and Matt Motyl, founded Civil Politics, a nonprofit aimed at bridging moral divisions. “The evidence is imperfect,” Iyer says, “but all of the imperfect evidence is telling a similar story.”
That story is known as the contact hypothesis—a well-supported theory in social psychology that contact between members of different groups is likely to reduce mutual prejudice...
I left my experience at App with a richer understanding of Southern conservatives and libertarians, but more significantly with great optimism, even exuberance, about the untapped potential of experiences that teach people how to talk productively about their differences. Even after a career spent moderating conversations on controversial issues, I learned how to listen better and was changed by the stories I heard.
Imagine if, instead of requiring a swim test for college students or gym for middle-schoolers, we required students to sit in a room with a diverse group of people and listen to the stories of their life. “If I wanted to prepare children to live as citizens in a democratic society,” Gilligan says, “nothing would be more valuable than to teach them to listen.”"
Seven Bold Leaders Reveal How Ethical Leadership Is A Boon To Business; Forbes, October 14, 2019
Bruce Weinstein, Forbes; Seven Bold Leaders Reveal How Ethical Leadership Is A Boon To Business
"Ethical leadership in a business benefits the bottom line. It’s also a boon to the people who work for the organization and the people it serves.
The relationship between ethical conduct and benefits is one of the themes of this year’s Global Ethics Day. The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs created this event nine years ago to provide an “opportunity for organizations around the world to hold events on or around this day, exploring the meaning of ethics in international affairs.”
Last year, I observed Global Ethics Day in this column by asking 20 leaders what “ethics” meant to them. Each provided a one-sentence summary. This year we’re stretching out a bit. I asked seven leaders to provide a concrete example or two of how ethical leadership benefits businesses, employees, clients and communities.
Here’s what they said."
"Ethical leadership in a business benefits the bottom line. It’s also a boon to the people who work for the organization and the people it serves.
The relationship between ethical conduct and benefits is one of the themes of this year’s Global Ethics Day. The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs created this event nine years ago to provide an “opportunity for organizations around the world to hold events on or around this day, exploring the meaning of ethics in international affairs.”
Last year, I observed Global Ethics Day in this column by asking 20 leaders what “ethics” meant to them. Each provided a one-sentence summary. This year we’re stretching out a bit. I asked seven leaders to provide a concrete example or two of how ethical leadership benefits businesses, employees, clients and communities.
Here’s what they said."
Thursday, October 10, 2019
How to Deal with Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed; Harvard Business Review, October 10, 2019
Rebecca Zucker, Harvard Business Review; How to Deal with Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed
"Pinpoint the primary source of overwhelm. Ask yourself the question, “What one or two things, if taken off my plate would alleviate 80% of the stress that I feel right now?” While you may still be responsible for these items and cannot actually take them off your plate, this question can still help you identify a significant source of your stress. If it’s a big project that’s almost done, finish it. Or, if it’s the sheer size of the task or project that is overwhelming you, break it down into more manageable components, ask for additional resources or renegotiate the deadline if you are able — or all of the above."
"Pinpoint the primary source of overwhelm. Ask yourself the question, “What one or two things, if taken off my plate would alleviate 80% of the stress that I feel right now?” While you may still be responsible for these items and cannot actually take them off your plate, this question can still help you identify a significant source of your stress. If it’s a big project that’s almost done, finish it. Or, if it’s the sheer size of the task or project that is overwhelming you, break it down into more manageable components, ask for additional resources or renegotiate the deadline if you are able — or all of the above."
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
The Supreme Court Denies Domino’s Petition in a Win for Disability Rights; Slate, October 7, 2019
Aaron Mak, Slate; The Supreme Court Denies Domino’s Petition in a Win for Disability Rights
"On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down an order announcing it would not take up a petition from the Domino’s pizza chain to appeal a lower-court decision dictating that the company must make its website and app accessible to people with disabilities. The decision is a major win for disability rights advocates, who have been arguing that the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites, digital platforms, and other nonphysical spaces."
"On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down an order announcing it would not take up a petition from the Domino’s pizza chain to appeal a lower-court decision dictating that the company must make its website and app accessible to people with disabilities. The decision is a major win for disability rights advocates, who have been arguing that the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites, digital platforms, and other nonphysical spaces."
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Why We Need a Code of Ethics for the Supreme Court; Time, October 1, 2019
Alicia Bannon and Johanna Kalb, Time; Why We Need a Code of Ethics for the Supreme Court
"Alicia Bannon is the co-author of Supreme Court Ethics: The Need for an Ethics Code and Additional Transparency. Bannon is the managing director of the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program and head of its Fair Courts team.
"Judges are supposed to take steps to avoid even the appearance of bias or political activity. But over the last twenty years, we’ve seen Supreme Court justices engage in activities forbidden under the code of ethics for other federal judges. Members of the Court have given partisan speeches. They have failed to recuse themselves from cases with which they have apparent conflicts of interest. Some have accepted lavish gifts from people and organizations who also fund constitutional litigation...
Of course, having a code of conduct isn’t a cure-all, whether the code applies to judges, professors, or CEOs. But it’s vital for transparency and accountability. By adopting a code of ethics that is publicly available, the Court would shape expectations among judges and the public about acceptable behavior. A code would anticipate and give guidance on knotty ethical dilemmas, and also help to protect the justices against criticism for the tricky ethical decisions they make. And if the justices slip up, a code would allow them to be held accountable, by each other, in the court of public opinion and, in very rare instances, through impeachment."
"Alicia Bannon is the co-author of Supreme Court Ethics: The Need for an Ethics Code and Additional Transparency. Bannon is the managing director of the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program and head of its Fair Courts team.
Johanna Kalb is the co-author of Supreme Court Ethics: The Need for an Ethics Code and Additional Transparency. Kalb is a fellow at the Brennan Center and associate dean and professor at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law."
"Judges are supposed to take steps to avoid even the appearance of bias or political activity. But over the last twenty years, we’ve seen Supreme Court justices engage in activities forbidden under the code of ethics for other federal judges. Members of the Court have given partisan speeches. They have failed to recuse themselves from cases with which they have apparent conflicts of interest. Some have accepted lavish gifts from people and organizations who also fund constitutional litigation...
Of course, having a code of conduct isn’t a cure-all, whether the code applies to judges, professors, or CEOs. But it’s vital for transparency and accountability. By adopting a code of ethics that is publicly available, the Court would shape expectations among judges and the public about acceptable behavior. A code would anticipate and give guidance on knotty ethical dilemmas, and also help to protect the justices against criticism for the tricky ethical decisions they make. And if the justices slip up, a code would allow them to be held accountable, by each other, in the court of public opinion and, in very rare instances, through impeachment."
Federal whistleblowers would do it again, even after retaliation and ‘professional suicide’; The Washington Post, October 4, 2019
Joe Davidson, The Washington Post; Federal whistleblowers would do it again, even after retaliation and ‘professional suicide’
"“Was the destruction of my career and family worth the excruciating time and money, ostracism and vilification? No,” [former FBI agent Jane Turner] said Wednesday. “Was standing up and doing the ethical, legal and moral whistleblowing the right thing? Yes. Would I do it again? My moral and legal compass would not allow any different course of action.
Her advice to the CIA whistleblower: “Carefully weigh the costs to you, your family and your career when deciding whether to blow the whistle. And document, document, document … because the hierarchy will lie.”"
"“Was the destruction of my career and family worth the excruciating time and money, ostracism and vilification? No,” [former FBI agent Jane Turner] said Wednesday. “Was standing up and doing the ethical, legal and moral whistleblowing the right thing? Yes. Would I do it again? My moral and legal compass would not allow any different course of action.
Her advice to the CIA whistleblower: “Carefully weigh the costs to you, your family and your career when deciding whether to blow the whistle. And document, document, document … because the hierarchy will lie.”"
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Metro’s ethics changes are welcome. But they’re only a start.; The Washington Post, September 29, 2019
, The Washington Post; Metro’s ethics changes are welcome. But they’re only a start.
"THE
REPUTATION of former Metro chairman Jack Evans wasn’t the only thing
that was tarnished amid the swirl of allegations that he used his public
office to advance his private interests. Public trust in the Metro
board was also badly shaken after it completely botched its handling of
the allegations. It’s encouraging, then, that the board has taken a
first step in its own rehabilitation by amending its code of ethics.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Manifesto Promotes ‘Ethics, Equity, and Empathy’; STREETSBLOGUSA,September 20, 2019
Manifesto Promotes ‘Ethics, Equity, and Empathy’
A design firm publishes a new credo for engineers, policymakers, and planners.
"Maryland-based design firm is seeking to revolutionize the century-old credo that shapes how policymakers and engineers plan communities — in order to force planners to prioritize human beings over automobiles and think deeply about how their decisions affect road safety.
Toole Design, which has 17 offices in the United States and Canada, last week released a manifesto that seeks to substitute new concepts for the traditional “three Es” — education, enforcement, and engineering — that have guided transportation professionals as they have built the infrastructure of our towns and cities.
The new “three Es” that Toole proposes — “ethics, equity, and empathy” — replace the object- and rule-centered approach that dominates the discipline with a moral one centered on people."
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Nina Totenberg, NPR; 'The Personification Of Human Decency': Nina Totenberg Remembers Cokie Roberts
"To know Cokie was to see the personification of human decency. There is a reason she was asked to speak at so many funerals. People felt such a deep connection to her because she touched their lives. Casual friends would find Cokie visiting them in the hospital. People in terrible financial straits would find her bailing them out, hiring them for work that perhaps she did not need, but work that left them with their dignity...
On a larger scale, she was always the voice of people with less power, and the voice of what is right. I remember one day many years ago, when we were in negotiations with NPR management over a labor contract. Management didn't want to extend health care coverage to one group, and we were at an impasse.
Then Cokie, who was working on a piece of embroidery, looked up at the management team and said, "You know, the position you are taking isn't immoral, it is simply amoral." The room got very quiet, and soon the impasse was over."
"To know Cokie was to see the personification of human decency. There is a reason she was asked to speak at so many funerals. People felt such a deep connection to her because she touched their lives. Casual friends would find Cokie visiting them in the hospital. People in terrible financial straits would find her bailing them out, hiring them for work that perhaps she did not need, but work that left them with their dignity...
On a larger scale, she was always the voice of people with less power, and the voice of what is right. I remember one day many years ago, when we were in negotiations with NPR management over a labor contract. Management didn't want to extend health care coverage to one group, and we were at an impasse.
Then Cokie, who was working on a piece of embroidery, looked up at the management team and said, "You know, the position you are taking isn't immoral, it is simply amoral." The room got very quiet, and soon the impasse was over."
Public libraries across the country face a different type of censorship; Tennessean, September 20, 2019
Kent Oliver, Tennessean; Public libraries across the country face a different type of censorship
"Book censorship impedes access to literature and
information. For a public library such as Nashville Public Library,
unfettered, undiscriminating access to reading is the core of our work –
it is in our library DNA. Access is the key word. Librarians work to
ensure access to ideas, popular and unpopular, within financial
constraints.
The disturbing issue confronting us
for this year’s Banned Books Week, Sep. 22-28, is the restrictions
publishers are placing on public libraries making it more difficult to
buy e-books and e-audiobooks. In particular, libraries are concerned
about a new e-book embargo from Macmillan, one of the biggest book
publishers in the industry, set to launch Nov. 1.
Under
this new policy, libraries will be limited to purchasing (closer to
leasing, really) one copy of a new e-book for eight weeks after release,
when demand is at its peak."
Americans’ perceptions about unethical behavior shape how they think about people in powerful roles; Pew Research Center, September 19, 2019
Claire Gecewicz and Lee Rainie, Pew Research Center; Americans’ perceptions about unethical behavior shape how they think about people in powerful roles
"Americans have mixed views of the job performance of those who hold positions of power and responsibility in eight major U.S. groups and institutions. A key element in shaping these views is their sense of whether members of these groups act ethically and hold themselves accountable for their mistakes, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The groups studied included members of Congress, local elected officials, leaders of technology companies, journalists, religious leaders, police officers, principals at public K-12 schools and military leaders."
"Americans have mixed views of the job performance of those who hold positions of power and responsibility in eight major U.S. groups and institutions. A key element in shaping these views is their sense of whether members of these groups act ethically and hold themselves accountable for their mistakes, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.
The groups studied included members of Congress, local elected officials, leaders of technology companies, journalists, religious leaders, police officers, principals at public K-12 schools and military leaders."
Friday, September 20, 2019
People Are Looking At Your LinkedIn Profile. They Might Be Chinese Spies; NPR, September 19, 2019
Ryan Lucas, NPR; People Are Looking At Your LinkedIn Profile. They Might Be Chinese Spies
"Demers took over leadership of the National Security Division in February 2018 after being confirmed by the Senate. Since taking the helm, he has spent a considerable amount of time on China and what he calls its prolific espionage efforts against the United States.
They're vast in scale, he said, and they span the spectrum from traditional espionage targeting government secrets to economic espionage going after intellectual property and American trade secrets...
It's a play that has also been used to target folks in the business world and academia, where China is hungry for cutting-edge technology and trade secrets. For years, the Chinese intelligence services have hacked into U.S. companies and made off with intellectual property.
Now, U.S. officials say China's spies are increasingly turning to what is known as "nontraditional collectors" — students, researchers and business insiders — to scoop up secrets."
"Demers took over leadership of the National Security Division in February 2018 after being confirmed by the Senate. Since taking the helm, he has spent a considerable amount of time on China and what he calls its prolific espionage efforts against the United States.
They're vast in scale, he said, and they span the spectrum from traditional espionage targeting government secrets to economic espionage going after intellectual property and American trade secrets...
It's a play that has also been used to target folks in the business world and academia, where China is hungry for cutting-edge technology and trade secrets. For years, the Chinese intelligence services have hacked into U.S. companies and made off with intellectual property.
Now, U.S. officials say China's spies are increasingly turning to what is known as "nontraditional collectors" — students, researchers and business insiders — to scoop up secrets."
Thursday, September 19, 2019
What to Do When You’re Losing Your Audience During a Presentation; Harvard Business Review, September 19, 2019
Dorie Clark, Harvard Business Review; What to Do When You’re Losing Your Audience During a Presentation
"As a professional speaker who has given more than 300 talks over the past half-decade, I’ve addressed plenty of audiences under adverse conditions, from the serious (employees smarting from news of an impending reorg) to the banal (fighting to be heard over the clank of silverware during a lunchtime speaking slot). Here are four strategies that have helped me regain control of the room."
"As a professional speaker who has given more than 300 talks over the past half-decade, I’ve addressed plenty of audiences under adverse conditions, from the serious (employees smarting from news of an impending reorg) to the banal (fighting to be heard over the clank of silverware during a lunchtime speaking slot). Here are four strategies that have helped me regain control of the room."
Updating the Academic Library Code of Conduct for Modern Times | From the Bell Tower; Library Journal, September 12, 2019
Steven Bell, Library Journal; Updating the Academic Library Code of Conduct for Modern Times | From the Bell Tower
"Once the new community standards are complete, consider posting them in a visible public space to communicate transparency about the policy. Be thoughtful in establishing standards that truly reflect the needs and interests of community members, but are equally well designed to provide the secure learning, research, and innovation spaces that students, faculty, staff, alumni, and nonaffiliated library guests expect and deserve from the campus library."
"Once the new community standards are complete, consider posting them in a visible public space to communicate transparency about the policy. Be thoughtful in establishing standards that truly reflect the needs and interests of community members, but are equally well designed to provide the secure learning, research, and innovation spaces that students, faculty, staff, alumni, and nonaffiliated library guests expect and deserve from the campus library."
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