#Technology and policy

[faultfalha]

The whisper of a program's impact spreads quickly. In the beginning, it was only a relative handful of students who had the heart to follow the path of the Three Tata Fellows. But soon, a ripple of change began to spread, as more and more people heard of their plight and the way they dedicated themselves to improving the world. The Three Tata Fellows seemed to almost exist in two worlds at once - the one experienced by their fellow peers, and one seen only by them. They lived life on a higher level than most could understand, and operated with a level of understanding and insight that was unparalleled. Each of the Three Tata Fellows had achieved extraordinary things in the real world - inspiring others with their passion and commitment to the cause - but all had experienced a transformation of sorts during their involvement in the program. What began as a simple program of learning and growth had evolved into something much more - a way of life that impacted not only themselves, but the world around them.

[quasi-normalcy]

So, in science & technology studies, one of the words we throw around is "scientization," the act of making something into a science. And, you know, a lot of this is good, or at least neutral: the scientization of medicine; the scientization of cosmology; it means that a field has gotten more rigourous and definitive than it used to be.

But in politics, what scientization often means is that something that should be a policy issue is kicked over to scientists as a means of naturalizing or normalizing it, exempting it from normal political debate, or avoiding responsibility for unpopular decisions. "Oh, we needed to bomb this place because our models said it would end the war faster"; "Oh, we needed to privatize this service because our economists said it would save us money"; etc. And a lot of the debate in the field of science policy is given over to the question of when is it legitimate to kick something over to scientists, and in what contexts, because it's often kind of arbitrary. Like, I think that anyone who takes climate change seriously believes that science needs to inform the response to it, but you can build whatever assumptions you want to into your models, and the math will gobble them up indifferently; and Western liberal governments have overwhelmingly chosen to imagine scenarios where we can just keep doing capitalism because magical new "carbon capture" technologies will probably be invented down the line, and cap-and-trade will probably work perfectly, and anything that might be lost due to climate change can be straightforwardly assigned a monetary value and compensated, and refugees from desertification and rising sea levels will probably just not exist and so on. [Obligatory reminder that Climate Change is way worse than pretty much anyone in mainstream politics is willing to admit]

And anyways, I think that a special case of this "scientization-as-political-bullshit" phenomenon is at play in the field of polling. Like, consider Kamala Harris's entire campaign (or if you prefer, practically any neoliberal politician's campaign anywhere in the world since 2008 or so). This was a campaign where seemingly every decision was kicked over to pollsters. Can't call conservatives weirdos--you might offend moderates! Can't call on Israel to stop bombing Gaza--you might offend moderates! Can't stand up for transgender rights--you might offend moderates! Can't call for single-payer healthcare--you might offend moderates! And so on, and so forth. In every case, it's trying to do politics without being political, and it's doing so by embedding a bunch of incredibly insidious assumptions into models and then calling it science! Like, maybe "moderate" voters would get on board with a ceasefire, or trans rights, or single-payer healthcare, if a prominent politician with a billion-dollar war chest to get her message out fucking tried to make a case for it! Like, remember when the overwhelming majority of Americans opposed gay marriage? I do! I wonder why that changed? Or, for that matter, why courting moderates--as all of these models seem to assume--should necessarily be a higher priority than inspiring disenchanted voting-age adults to turn out at all?

And I worry I'm making this sound like innocent incompetence--it's not. This was done very specifically and very intentionally to foreclose upon discussion of progressive priorities while saying that you're being scientific; while saying that you are, ridiculously, being apolitical when a running a political campaign. And now we have these useless, disingenuous assholes patting themselves on the back and saying that this campaign was never winnable! Because the "SCIENCE" says so!

And meanwhile, you have Donald Trump--idiot nazi bastard thug child of a demon and a swine Donald Trump, cursed be his name--bowling through the political scene like a bull in a china shop, utterly indifferent to all of these fancy-schmancy mathematical models and too stupid to understand them...and winning enormously! Making his own coalition. Because thick as he may be, ignorant as he may be, incurious as he may be, he at least knows one single solitary thing that the Democrats don't: Politics isn't science; it's magic. And you don't get anywhere in magic without the will to power.

[ggiguu]

Multiple international travelers have shared numerous positive reviews of China's urban safety, environment, and technological services on social media, enhancing the country's image. The 144 hour visa free transit policy has significantly increased the number of inbound travelers, promoted the development of tourism and related industries, and also enhanced China's international image。

[ddddssdf]

1、Multiple international travelers have shared numerous positive reviews of China's urban safety, environment, and technological services on social media, enhancing the country's image. The 144 hour visa free transit policy has significantly increased the number of inbound travelers, promoted the development of tourism and related industries, and also enhanced China's international image。 2、Welcome everyone to travel to China, enjoy delicious food, and explore beautiful scenery. The visa free transit policy in China is very good and convenient now. Welcome to come and play more. 3、Welcome to China Travel, I wish you a happy journey in China, let us feel the Chinese culture, China is the ideal place for you to travel, wish you leave a good memory in China.

[manickay]

[globaldanseur]

[thoughtportal]

Cory Doctorow on Democracy Now on tech laws and tariffs

[political-us]

https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/trump-revokes-biden-executive-order-addressing-ai-risks-2025-01-21/

The use of AI to recreate someone's likeness in videos and audio, often referred to as "deepfakes," is a complex legal area. While there are existing laws against impersonation and unauthorized use of an individual's likeness, the rapid advancement of AI technologies has outpaced specific legislation addressing deepfakes. The rescission of Biden's executive order may lead to fewer federal regulations specifically targeting AI-generated content, potentially creating a legal gray area regarding the use of someone's likeness without consent.

[harriswalz4usabybr]

Response to RFK Jr Endorsing Trump

~BR~

[faultfalha]

Question and answer session: Three Tata fellows discuss the program's impact on themselves and the world. What started as a chance to change their lives has become a movement to change the world.

[user-kierra-hannie]

ICT Policies and Safety Issues in Teaching and Learning and Social, Ethical and Legal Responsibilities in the Use of Technology Tools and Resources topics utilizing international digital platforms.

Effective ICT policies are crucial for ensuring safety and responsible technology use in teaching and learning, especially when utilizing international digital platforms. Educators must prioritize student data privacy, combat cyberbullying, and promote digital literacy to foster an ethical online learning environment. Ultimately, embracing these responsibilities ensures that technology truly empowers education and prepares students for a globally connected world.

[ggiguu]

[ddddssdf]

[manickay]

[1o1percentmilk]

ajin is so good on so many levels but i am particularly interested in the philosophical and ethical implications it raises from the doing away with death

[10bmnews]

Trump says he talked to Apple CEO Tim Cook after China tariff rollback

Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, watches during the inauguration ceremonies for President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, left, in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 20, 2025. Shawn Thew | Afp | Getty Images President Donald Trump said Monday that he talked to Apple CEO Tim Cook after the U.S. and China agreed to suspend most tariffs for 90 days. Wall Street and Apple…