Poised for federal privacy protection

+ how your diet affects your brain US Edition - Today's top story: A new US data privacy bill aims to give you more control over information collected about you – and make businesses change how they handle data [View in browser]( US Edition | 24 August 2022 [The Conversation]( The first thing that popped into my head when I heard the news that Congress is making progress on a federal data privacy law was the adage “closing the barn door after the horses are out.” Lack of federal protections, “track and target” big tech business models and the pervasiveness of digital technology in daily life have combined to spawn a massive market for personal data. It’s unlikely that you have escaped having data about you packaged and sold. But data privacy is not an all or nothing game, and the erosion of privacy is an ongoing problem. A national law that limits what data businesses can collect and gives you some control over your data is vital. A bill making it’s way through Congress called the American Data and Privacy Protection Act promises to do just that. University of Richmond law professor Anne Toomey McKenna [breaks down the major components of the bill]( and the major changes they will bring if they make it into law. Also today: - [People have a blind spot for malevolent creativity]( - [Liberals and conservatives donate differently]( - [Misinformation is a recurring theme of pandemics]( Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor The U.S. could soon catch up to the European Union in protecting people’s data privacy. Teera Konakan/Moment via Getty Images [A new US data privacy bill aims to give you more control over information collected about you – and make businesses change how they handle data]( Anne Toomey McKenna, University of Richmond Data collection is big business in the US, but a bipartisan data privacy bill rapidly moving through Congress promises to affect the information websites, social media platforms and all other businesses collect. Politics + Society - [Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, with a new level of meaning as it fights back against Russia]( Emily Channell-Justice, Harvard University Ukraine is marking its 31st year of independence on Aug. 24, 2022. A scholar of protest movements explains why Ukrainians have never taken its independence for granted. - [Trump’s Mar-a-Lago lawsuit spotlights how difficult search warrants are to challenge – by a criminal suspect or an ex-president – until charges are brought]( Clark D. Cunningham, Georgia State University Trump’s lawsuit against the FBI has been criticized as baseless. But it spotlights a loophole in federal law that doesn’t protect people’s rights when they are subjected to a search warrant. Health + Medicine - [Diet can influence mood, behavior and more – a neuroscientist explains]( Monica Dus, University of Michigan Diets high in fat, sugar and processed foods are associated with higher calorie intake, poorer memory and lower cognitive function. - [Misinformation is a common thread between the COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS pandemics – with deadly consequences]( Cristian Apetrei, University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences The spread of misinformation in many pandemics, including the smallpox and 1918 influenza outbreaks, have undermined efforts to contain infections and prevent deaths. Environment + Energy - [The Inflation Reduction Act doesn’t get around the Supreme Court’s climate ruling in West Virginia v. EPA, but it does strengthen EPA’s future abilities]( Patrick Parenteau, Vermont Law School There's some confusion around what the new climate law allows the Environmental Protection Agency to do. A law professor explains what's changing. Arts + Culture - [5 unsung films that dramatize America’s rich labor history]( Peter Dreier, Occidental College Inspired by real events, the films tackle issues of race, gender and class in ways that will resonate with many of today’s viewers. Science + Technology - [Human nature can steer people away from new things – and that can blind them to novel threats]( Sam Hunter, University of Nebraska Omaha; Gina Scott Ligon, University of Nebraska Omaha Those who seek to cause harm are as capable of generating creative ideas as anyone else. Two psychologists and counterterrorism scholars suggest how not to overlook a new danger. Economy + Business - [Conservatives and liberals are equally likely to fund local causes, but liberals are more apt to also donate to national and global groups – new research]( Gianluca Grimalda, Kiel Institute for the World Economy; Nancy R. Buchan, University of South Carolina An experiment conducted online with residents of Italy and the US detected similar patterns based on ideological identity. Trending on site - [Does turning the air conditioning off when you’re not home actually save energy? Three engineers run the numbers]( - [Sandcastle engineering – a geotechnical engineer explains how water, air and sand create solid structures]( - [A large solar storm could knock out the power grid and the internet – an electrical engineer explains how]( Today's graphic [A line graph comparing the homicide rate in Marion County/Indianapolis, the average U.S. metro and the U.S from 2000 to 2020.]( From the story, [Reducing gun violence: A complicated problem can’t be solved with just one approach, so Indianapolis is trying programs ranging from job skills to therapy to violence interrupters to find out what works]( - - About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](