#This Week in Travel History: Google Maps Introduced

[jeff-camello]

COVID-19 Lockdown: A Global Human Experiment

No matter what’s the origin of COVID-19, the response to this virus lead to a series of drastic and unprecedented changes on a global level. The dystopian future is now. Here’s how this pandemic created the largest human experiment in history.

 The response to the COVID-19 pandemic launched the largest human experiment in world history. At the moment of writing these lines, over a third of the global human population is forced into confinement. Furthermore, the global economy came to a screeching halt as several governments ordered the closing of all non-essential businesses. Never in world history have we seen such sweeping and far-reaching measures that affect each individual at such a profound level. In a matter of weeks, the ability of billions to move around freely and to earn a livelihood completely vanished.

 While these measures are said to be temporary in order to strop the propagation of the virus, an important fact remains: They’ve actually become a reality. And this means that they can easily become a reality at any point and time in the future.

Although it is comforting to think that our governments have our health and best interests at heart, it is rather naive to believe that the most powerful people in the world do not see this pandemic as an amazing opportunity. One of the elite’s favourite sayings is “never let a good crisis go to waste”. And this crisis is definitely not going to waste. This pandemic has enabled the “testing” of various authoritarian measures that are exactly in line with the world elite’s long-term plans. In fact, it is difficult to imagine a better plan to simultaneously terrify, isolate, subdue, impoverish and demoralize a society as a whole – creating the perfect context to reshape to fit specific interests.

 In short, the dystopian future is now. For years, this site has been warning about plans for a world government that is based on intense mass media indoctrination and high-tech police state surveillance. We are living all of this now – to a degree that many of us did not even fathom a few weeks ago.

 If this global lockdown lasts a few weeks, the world might recover and regain some sort of normality (until the next crisis). However, if this goes on months (as some experts predict), the impact on society will take on biblical proportions.

 Here’s a look at the many facets of this lockdown and their possible long-term impact on humanity as a whole:

 Mass Media Takeover:

 The first “symptom” of COVID-19 was the complete takeover of mass media on a global level. Nearly every media source – no matter its target audience or niche interest – switched to 24/7 COVID coverage. All other news topics became irrelevant and got evacuated from the public discourse. Nearly all forms of entertainment – most notably professional sports – were put on hold, forcing people to solely focus on the pandemic.

In newspapers, scoreboards displaying sports results were replaced with a morbid “deaths and confirmed cases” scoreboard that is custom-made to generate fear. Every day, billions of humans anxiously follow these “scores”, knowing that their freedom and livelihood depend solely on these government-issued numbers. If the numbers do not go down, the confinement goes on.

As COVID-19 took over mass media, popular culture as a whole instantly turned into a barren wasteland. There are no new cultural products and no artists releasing material that could ease minds, provide some entertainment or, perhaps, provide some much-needed insight. Most artists are reduced to social media “influencers” who repeat the Orwellian orders heard everywhere else around the world: “Stay home and wash your hands”.

In short, nearly all forms of social and cultural distractions were replaced with wall-to-wall COVID coverage. As people consume a steady stream of frightful news, levels of anxiety keep going up, creating an ideal context for the introduction of police-state measures. And these measures were welcomed with thundering applause.

   High - Tech Police State:

 The threat of a deadly pandemic is the perfect context to introduce aggressive police state tactics. People are scared and they want to see decisive measures taken by their government. However, once this is all said and done, will society recover 100% of its freedoms? Or will it gradually go back to about 50%, celebrating each percent as a victory?

The first casualty of the pandemic was air travel. Simply put, it just stopped. All flights were cancelled and people abroad were told to go back home as soon as possible. Once everyone got home, everyone was told to remain home. Then, in a matter of days, governments went from banning “large gatherings” to banning gatherings of “2+ people”.

These unprecedented restrictions on human contact generated a climate of fear and paranoia as people began to alert authorities of illegal gathering. While these “snitches” would argue that “the faster the epidemic is eradicated, the faster we all return to normalcy”, precedents are being set.

 The pandemic has also justified the use of high-tech surveillance at a level never seen before. Here are some examples from around the world:

 In China, government-installed CCTV cameras point at the apartment door of those under a 14-day quarantine to ensure they don’t leave. Drones tell people to wear their masks. Digital barcodes on mobile apps highlight the health status of individuals.

 In Singapore, the government rolled out an app called TraceTogether. It uses Bluetooth signals between cell phones to see if potential carriers of the coronavirus have been in close contact with other people.

 Over in Hong Kong, some residents were made to wear a wristband which linked to a smartphone app and could alert authorities if a person left their place of quarantine.

In South Korea, the government used records such as credit card transactions, smartphone location data and CCTV video as well as conversations with people, to create a system where confirmed cases were tracked. The result was a map that could tell people whether they had gone near a coronavirus carrier.

 On Thursday, the South Korean government launched an enhanced tool that it says can help track patients even more closely in near real time, in order to see where the disease was moving.

 Meanwhile, Israel’s security agency Shin Bet is using citizens’ cell phone location data to track where they’ve been so they can enforce quarantine controls and monitor the movements of those infected. Controversially, the data has been collected over the past few years and intended to for counterterrorism purposes, the New York Times reported. The newspaper said this data trove and the collection of it had not been previously reported.

 Some parts of India were stamping the hands of people arriving at airports telling them how long they had to be quarantined, Reuters reported. Reservation data from airlines and trains were being monitored to make sure those people didn’t travel, the report added. In the south Indian state of Kerala, authorities have been using a mixture of telephone call records, surveillance camera footage and phone location data to track down people who may have been in contact with coronavirus patients.

 In the U.S., the government is talking to Facebook, Google and other tech companies about the possibility of using location and movement data from Americans’ smartphones to combat coronavirus.

– CNBC, Use of surveillance to fight coronavirus raises concerns about government power after pandemic ends.

 Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project believes that most of these measures are here to stay. He stated: “We have absolutely no reason to believe that the government agencies that are eager to expand their power in response to COVID-19 will be willing to see those authorities lapse once the virus is eradicated.” The after-pandemic will lead to another major source of concern: The economy.

  Major Economy Shift:

 COVID-19 incited several governments to enact a controversial measure: The closing of all non-essential businesses. This led to millions of workers to instantly losing their jobs. It also led to some unhealthy wheeling-and-dealings with governments to determine which businesses are deemed essential or not.

While most major corporations will weather the storm and hire back employees, a great number of small and medium businesses will not survive the shutdown.

The situation also creates clear winners: Major chains such as Walmart, Costco, Walgreens, McDonald’s and Amazon. In fact, due to a staggering jump in sales, Amazon recently announced the hiring over 100,000 employees to help cope with the demand. However, not unlike most jobs available at these major chains, the offered pay nears minimum wage.

If the lockdown persists, we can expect a major shift in the global economy: Small and medium businesses will struggle and die while gigantic entities will thrive as they turn into monolithic “distribution centres” for essential goods.

To prevent a complete crash of the global economy, governments announced trillions of dollars in financial aid to those impacted by the shutdown. However, this money does not come out of thin air: It will result in massive debts and, most likely, higher taxes. In poorer countries, financial aid is rare or non-existent – a recipe for impending chaos.

In the end, all economic crises always end up favouring the elite. The net result of the financial crash of 2008 (and its bailouts) led to the funnelling of tens of trillions of dollars from the pockets of the middle class towards the world elite. This COVID crisis will most likely end with similar results.

   In Conclusion:

 While the above assessment might seem grim, it is an objective analysis of a planet in lockdown. In a matter of weeks, the entire planet went from normalcy to fear, panic, paranoia, confinement, unemployment, police-state surveillance and extreme social distancing. Millions of citizens who thrived on freedom and free enterprise are now on “house-arrest” and must rely on the government for subsistence.

Although the absolute necessity of these measures is up for debate, there is no possible debate about their necessity once the virus is gone. And we need to make sure that the dystopian nightmare we are living now does not become permanent. Because, right now, some power-hungry people are salivating and they will only want more of this.

In these critical times, we must keep track of the many way’s society is being altered and we must make sure that, once the virus is gone, liberty is fully restored. Because, as Thomas Jefferson said: “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”.

 CTTO: Vigilant Citizen

[usainitiatives-blog]

June

Food War Amazon stunned everyone with its $13.7bn acquisition of grocer Whole Foods. The news was greeted with a flurry of analysis about 'disruption' in the space, yet arguably this is a data deal, one that helps Amazon to further understand a customer segment with a relatively high disposable income that is not particularly price conscious. A lucrative bunch, Whole Foods can provide unrivalled insight into their spending habits. These consumers are arguably more likely to utilise voice search too - make no mistake, spoken word is central to everything that Amazon does. Indeed, right on cue, the $20 Dash Wand was released this month. Available to Prime Members, it can be stored in the fridge and owners can ask it to suggest recipes or order ingredients. Soon brands will be able to buy $2.8m ad packages for Thursday night NFL games. As the service is for Prime members only, Amazon will already know the user's spending profile and purchase history. Ads could therefore be hyper-targeted with Alexa incorporated to monetise the experience: "Alexa, order Domino's." "Alexa, ask Fandango for Spiderman showings." (Having shown the trailer.) It will be interesting to see if Amazon pivots on alcohol; the NFL has. Next, a patent filed reveals Amazon's vision of drone delivery. Imagine a hive with trucks delivering goods at the bottom and parcel-laden contraptions flying around up above. It raises so many interesting questions: Will there be delivery hours (to combat noise pollution)? Will police require machines to have a 'disable' option? Will they be programmed to crash land in a secure location? Bloomberg revealed that Amazon has issued over $1bn in loans to its Marketplace merchants. Algorithms are used to identify good sellers, who repay the debt via sales made on site. Also, in an effort to reduce credit card fees the company is offering members a 2% bonus if they use their debit card to transact. A lower $5.99 monthly fee for Prime has been introduced (usually $10.99) for people who receive financial assistance from the government. It is being seen as a move against Walmart. 'Prime Wardrobe' was revealed: customers who order more than 3 items can have them delivered to their door (in a return-ready box) with 7 days to try them. The twist? Customers are only charged after they have made their returns or the time elapses. However, the biggest fervour was reserved for the news that sports behemoth Nike will start selling on Amazon - having resisted for years. It is being positioned as an attempt to control their brand and reduce counterfeiting. (Ps. Nike manufactures all NFL kits.) Tech Talk

Snapchat have copied Facebook! 'Snap Map' allows friends to share their location, then search the world to find connections and click their Bitmoji avatar to reveal snaps. Whilst you have to opt-in, the service has attracted concern as younger users might connect with people without knowing who they are, inadvertently revealing sensitive information such as their route home from school. (Other Snap UX updates can be found here.) The iPhone turned 10: here is how it changed the world. Next, Apple aired 'Planet of the Apps', a TV program that is essentially Shark Tank for app developers. Contestants present concepts to a panel of celebrity judges; those who progress are mentored by one of the stars, who help them pitch a private equity firm for investment. It is Apple's first probe into this increasingly competitive space - the show has been met with 'mixed' reviews. Time Warner meanwhile, are banking on Snapchat and 5-minute programs to engage viewers. After months of controversy Uber's CEO, Travis Kalanick, was forced to step-down by investors. The very real fact is, like other leaders before him, Kalanick's antics led to a negative perception of the brand that was gaining momentum (as consultancy cg42 reveals). A new threat looms with news of an alliance between Curb and Via to offer car-pooling for New York's yellow cabs. Facebook has hit the 2bn user mark. However, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced "What we really care about is being able to connect everyone". He will no doubt be pleased then that their drone Aquila, which aims to bring high-speed internet to all areas of the globe, had a successful second test flight. Also, they are testing image verification in India in an attempt to prevent people's pics being repurposed on fake profiles; it may be rolled-out globally. Instagram has released ways for influencers to clearly label sponsored content, rather than relying on '#s'. It comes following pressure from the FTC. Messenger's AI now speaks Spanish. Twitter has had a UX facelift. Finally, Google has moved into job search, adding filters, allowing Gmail alerts, and mapping commute distances, all to help people find the perfect role. Small But Important

In the same month that LVMH launched their '24 Sevres' eCommerce site (early opinion), Conde Nast announced they were closing their own shopping portal, Style.com, striking a partnership with online retailer FarFetch instead. Conversely, fashion content site 'Who What Wear' has announced a shopping app.

Even bigger news stateside was J. Crew CEO Mickey Drexler's decision to step-down. There have been many professional obituaries written - this is one of the better ones - the fact is, he lost sight of who the customer was and what they wanted.

Transparent banks are aiming to satisfy the millennial customer. One example, Aspiration, has created 'Aspiration Impact Measurement' which rates businesses on their employee welfare and diversity. It passes this onto their customers so that they can make ethical purchases. Another area of interest is transparent pricing within manufacturing; the theory being that people would rather know what the underlying costs are, even if the mark-up is significant. (However, this article claims that ethical trading is going to become increasingly important for millennials.)

Venmo, the P2P payment app, is experimenting with a debit card that allows in-store purchase but draws funds from a user's online profile.

Airbnb are planning a top-tier service 'Lux'. Full details are yet to be released but it will likely be by-invitation only and is being seen as a challenger to high-end hotels.

Space is at a premium, so MIT have developed a $10,000 piece of furniture which reconfigures itself to hide unused items, for example, the desk is tucked under the bed at night time. Fully automated, it can even be controlled by Alexa.

Another bad month for the Jenners. First Kylie was accused of ripping-off PluggedNYC for her camo-inspired range, then both received fierce criticism for featuring legendary musician's faces on t-shirts - overlaid with their own - without asking permission to do so.  

Jay-Z dropped his 13th album '4:44' exclusively through Tidal / Sprint - but that did not stop it going platinum within a week.  

A great piece on the impact of mannequins on body consciousness.

Here are the best campaigns from Pride Month.

The European Union hit Google with an eye-watering $2.7bn fine, declaring its 'Shopping' listing uncompetitive because their results are promoted over any other provider's.

Blue Apron went public but the reception was lukewarm... Shares for the food delivery company fetched around $10 rather than the expected $15. Investors were possibly put-off by the news that new customer acquisition apparently costs around $460 per person!

The new 'it' job? Being an influencer's ghost-writer, really.

It was only a matter of time... Now Netflix have replicated the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' concept on TV! The new episode of 'Puss In Book' has over a dozen decision points. It is an experiment for now but may be developed in the future.

Universal Standard, a plus size brand, recognises that people's weight fluctuates, so they are offering a full exchange within a year of purchase, with returned items donated to charity.

Domino's Pizza celebrated Ferris Bueller's Day Off's 31st birthday by live-streaming the film on Facebook.

McDonald's has ended its relationship with the Olympics. Not lovin' it.

Jeff Bezos took to Twitter to crowd-source philanthropic ideas.

Starbucks is to hire 2,500 refugees throughout Europe and a further 7,500 worldwide. The move was part of ex-CEO Schultz's reaction to President Trump's travel ban.

New emojis! Breastfeeding and modest-wear have been included.  

George Clooney sold his 'Casamigos' tequila brand to Diageo for $1bn.

Ken, long-time partner of Barbie, is having a revamp, including different body types and a man bun. Yup.

Taco Bell is now letting people marry in its flagship Las Vegas restaurant. Who says romance is dead?

And finally! Delta, recognising that people have a penchant for exotic photos on their dating profiles, teamed-up with Tinder to paint murals of famous locations on a Brooklyn building. People can pose in front of landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, and then add them to their profile to appear well travelled and up their chances of a right-swipe!