“Much has been written about the increase in loneliness and isolation that has accompanied the internet. This is said to be caused by shallow online friendships which are no substitute for genuine relationships. Being exposed to the heavily curated lives of others on social media has also been found to create feelings of depression and anxiety in some people.
A recent academic study provides a more nuanced view, revealing that rather than leading to misery, the internet has made people happier. This is especially the case for the elderly and those with health problems who would otherwise have limited contact with a wider community. “
I’ve long argued that the studies showing people who use the internet were more likely to be depressed were not catching the whole picture. Clearly it’s not just internet usage, but how we are connecting with others online that is impacting our mental health. I like that this study shows us that there are people out there using the internet to connect to others and improve their lives.
This may seem like an airline cutting yet another benefit, but as a frequent American flyer, I’m OK with this. I usually have my own entertainment, either downloaded shows from our DVR to my iPad or podcasts to pass the time on domestic flights, and if they’re going to be providing WiFi that actually works…
How the terror trail went unseen This is an interesting article, as it explains that not everything you hear politicians and the media ranting against had anything to do with the terrorist attack. In fact, in my own experience, almost none of what I’ve heard suggested by media and politicians would actually stop terrorists! It…
Don’t just take my word for it though, watch Eva Galperin from the EFF and what she found when she asked people if they had ever been threatened by someone with access to their devices. The response was overwhelming. My takeaways from this: Most of these companies know exactly what they are doing and who…
“The best way to keep yourself safe is to use your own Wi-Fi connection, if you’re able to set up a personal hotspot, or to ask employees (such as baristas in a coffee shop) which network is theirs. A free connection that pops up while you’re on the go might just be too good to…
If device makers think IoT security is expensive, they should consider what legal exposure might cost. Experts contemplate who might be found at fault when an IoT device causes harm. I cannot imagine that there won’t be lawsuits coming over insecure devices. It will be an adventure, but the one thing I keep coming back…
Interestingly, Intuit is now saying maybe they were wrong with the anti-piracy stuff they built into TurboTax. It’s interesting though that they claim to want to be very open about the fact that they weren’t installing spyware, but they chose a product that wrote to part of the HD you can’t see. Not the best…
