Sacrificing privacy for driver safety

+ Kissinger's bloody legacy in Chile US Edition - Today's top story: Your car might be watching you to keep you safe − at the expense of your privacy [View in browser]( US Edition | 6 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Understanding how electroshock therapy heals depression]( - [Chemicals from the weedkiller Roundup are showing up in pregnant women]( - [Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville opens door to military promotions]( Lead story Your car might be keeping an eye on you. A growing number of new models have cameras tucked discreetly around or hidden behind the rearview mirror. The cars are watching to see if you close your eyes or take them off the road. They’re also using sensors to see if you’re staying in your lane and not driving too fast. If the car decides that you appear drowsy, distracted or reckless, it’ll warn you to get your act together – though probably not in those words. But this boon for driver safety is also a potential nightmare for data privacy. Florida International University computer scientist M. Hadi Amini [details how your car collects data about you](, explains the trade-off between safety and privacy, and points to potential solutions to let you have the best of both worlds. [ [Science from the scientists themselves. Sign up for our weekly science email newsletter.]( ] Eric Smalley Science + Technology Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you]( Many modern cars watch occupants – a plus for safety but not so much for privacy. Courtesy LG [Your car might be watching you to keep you safe − at the expense of your privacy]( M. Hadi Amini, Florida International University Your car’s safety technology takes you into account. But a lot of that technology helps car companies collect data about you. Researchers are working on closing the gap between safety and privacy. Politics + Society - [Kissinger’s obsession with Chile enabled a murderous dictatorship that still haunts the country]( Jorge Heine, Boston University It’s hard to overestimate the role Henry Kissinger played in Chile. A former Chilean diplomat describes the mark that the powerful statesman made in his country and elsewhere in the Global South. - [Tuberville ends holdout on most high-ranking military nominations]( Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State University Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama had used a long-standing Senate practice to block military promotions. - [Sandra Day O’Connor’s experience as a legislator guided her consensus-building work on the Supreme Court]( Nancy Maveety, Tulane University The first female justice on the Supreme Court was also the last justice to have served as an elected official. And her contributions to the court reflected her political experience and pragmatism. Science + Technology - [How electroconvulsive therapy heals the brain − new insights into ECT, a stigmatized yet highly effective treatment for depression]( Sydney E. Smith, University of California, San Diego Electroconvulsive therapy often evokes inaccurate images of seizing bodies and smoking ears. Better understanding of how it reduces depression symptoms can illuminate new ways to treat mental illness. - [Intellectual humility is a key ingredient for scientific progress]( Michael Dickson, University of South Carolina An intellectually humble person may have strong commitments to various beliefs − but balanced with an openness to the likelihood that others, too, may have valuable insights, ideas and evidence. Environment + Energy - [Glyphosate, the active ingredient in the weedkiller Roundup, is showing up in pregnant women living near farm fields – that raises health concerns]( Cynthia Curl, Boise State University; Carly Hyland, University of California, Berkeley New research provides evidence for the first time that the primary chemical in Roundup is reaching people in nearby homes, and it isn’t just from the food they eat. - [Citizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here’s how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes]( Danielle Lin Hunter, North Carolina State University; Caren Cooper, North Carolina State University; Valerie Ann Johnson, Shaw University For a project on identifying lead water pipes in homes, outreach through partner groups produced a more representative set of volunteers. Education - [Book explores how colleges seek to increase racial diversity without relying on race in college admissions]( Lauren Foley, Western Michigan University The author of a new book on affirmative action in higher education discusses how colleges might still be able to become more diverse now that affirmative action has been banned. Trending on site - [Why isn’t there any sound in space? An astronomer explains why in space no one can hear you scream]( - [Philadelphia reduces school-based arrests by 91% since 2013 – researchers explain the effects of keeping kids out of the legal system]( - [Hanukkah celebrations have changed dramatically − but the same is true of Christmas]( Today's graphic 📈 [The school diversion program began in May 2014. Before that, there were nearly 1,600 annual school-based arrests in the city. By the 2022-2023 school year, the number of school-based arrests had dropped to 147.]( From the story, [Philadelphia reduces school-based arrests by 91% since 2013 – researchers explain the effects of keeping kids out of the legal system]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - 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](