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Combating Measles: The Urgent Need to Tackle Misinformation Epidemic

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Vaccine uptake is crucial for public health

Vaccine Uptake: Essential for Public Health

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In a shocking turnabout, a 1998 study falsely claimed a connection between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. I was astounded by the study’s poor quality, its acceptance by a prestigious journal, and the lack of critical reporting by journalists. At that time, I was unaware that the research was fraudulent.

Nearly three decades later, the repercussions of these misleading claims still echo globally. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that six countries, including the UK (for the second time), Spain, and Austria, have lost their measles-free status. This decline in vaccination rates has been significantly influenced by an anti-vaccination movement propagated by that erroneous paper. Meanwhile, the United States faces its worst outbreak in decades and would have also lost its measles-free status had it not withdrawn from the WHO.

Measles is one of the most contagious viruses on the planet, causing severe complications in around 1 in 5 children. Complications may lead to lasting brain damage, respiratory issues, hearing loss, blindness, and brain swelling. The WHO estimates that approximately 95,000 people may succumb to measles in 2024.

The actual impact extends further, as measles also destroys immune cells that help protect against other infections, diminishing immunity for around five years. It is a risk not worth taking.

Fortunately, measles has specific vulnerabilities. The virus first targets immune cells, travels to lymph nodes, and then disseminates throughout the body. This complex pathway enhances the immune system’s ability to combat the virus before it fully establishes an infection, unlike respiratory viruses that primarily attack cells in the nose and throat.

This is why the measles component in the MMR vaccine is highly effective. Countless studies confirm that vaccinated children are significantly better off, with no established link to autism. One compelling observation is that when the MMR vaccine was withdrawn in Japan, autism rates remained unchanged.

To maintain herd immunity, at least 95% of children must be vaccinated to ensure that each infected individual transmits the virus to fewer than one other person. This means that a small percentage of unvaccinated children can precipitate another outbreak of measles.

Globally, vaccination rates are improving, but there is still room for growth. The percentage of children receiving the first dose of the measles vaccine increased from 71% in 2000 to 84% in 2010. Despite a slight decline during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates have rebounded. The WHO estimates that between 2000 and 2024, measles vaccination has prevented an impressive 60 million deaths worldwide, marking a significant victory.

However, in high-income nations, progress is stalling. After the erroneous claims of 1998, MMR vaccination levels fell to only 80% in England and Wales. By 2013, intake rates exceeded 90% but have been gradually decreasing since then. A recent report indicated that this decline in the UK is partly because access to vaccinations is becoming increasingly difficult for parents, a concern that warrants urgent attention.

Additionally, the resurgence of anti-vaccine sentiments is contributing to these challenges, closely linked to right-wing extremism as propagated on specific social media platforms. A quick search for “MMR measles” on Bluesky yielded no anti-vaccine posts in the top results, while the search on X surfaced a plethora of misleading anti-vaccine rhetoric.

Combatting this misinformation is a considerable challenge, especially when high-profile individuals on social media platforms align with disinformation, such as a certain billionaire collaborating with a known liar leading the world’s wealthiest nation and appointing an anti-vaxxer as health secretary.

What’s evident is that this crisis extends beyond vaccines; it’s crucial in areas like climate science where misinformation clouds the truth. Governments throughout Europe and beyond must take decisive action to regulate the infosphere, promote scientific integrity, and silence charlatans. The future of humanity is at stake.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

How Amateur Mathematicians Use AI to Tackle Age-Old Math Problems

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New Scientist: Explore groundbreaking science news and in-depth articles by expert journalists covering the latest advancements in science, technology, health, and the environment.

AI Tools Revolutionize Solutions for Old Math Problems

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Amateur mathematicians are leveraging artificial intelligence chatbots to tackle historic mathematical challenges, much to the astonishment of experts. Although the questions may not represent the pinnacle of mathematical complexity, their successful resolution suggests a significant breakthrough in AI’s capabilities in mathematics, potentially altering future methodologies, according to researchers.

The challenges addressed by AI are linked to Paul Erdős, a renowned Hungarian mathematician celebrated for posing intriguing yet complex questions throughout his prolific 60-year career. “The inquiries were often straightforward but exceedingly complex,” says Thomas Bloom from the University of Manchester, UK.

At the time of Erdős’ death in 1996, over 1,000 unsolved problems existed, spanning various mathematical disciplines, from combinatorics to number theory. Today, these challenges represent critical milestones for advancements in mathematics, Bloom explains. He maintains a website dedicated to cataloging these problems and tracking mathematicians’ progress in solving them.

Given the clarity of Erdős’ problems, mathematicians began experimenting with feeding them into AI tools like ChatGPT. Last October, Bloom noted an increase in users employing AI models to uncover pertinent references in mathematical literature to aid their solutions.

Shortly thereafter, AI tools began uncovering partial improvements in results—some were previously documented while others seemed to be novel.

“I was taken aback,” Bloom recalls. “Previously, when I tested ChatGPT, it provided mere conjectures, leading me to abandon it. However, since October, I discovered genuine papers, as ChatGPT effectively analyzed existing literature, uncovering substantial insights.”

Inspired by these advancements, Kevin Barrett, an undergraduate mathematics student at Cambridge, along with amateur mathematician Liam Price, set out to identify simpler and less-explored Erdős problems amenable to AI solutions. After discovering the number 728—a conjecture in number theory—they successfully solved it using ChatGPT-5.2 Pro.

“Upon seeing the statement, I thought, ‘Perhaps ChatGPT can solve this. Let’s give it a shot,’” Barrett remarks. “Indeed, numerous experts concur that the argument is elegant and quite sophisticated.”

After ChatGPT generated the proof, Barrett and Price employed another AI tool named Aristotle, developed by Harmonic, to validate their findings. Aristotle translates traditional proofs into the Lean mathematical programming language, which is swiftly verified for accuracy by a computer. Bloom highlights this process as vital, as it conserves researchers’ limited time when confirming their results’ validity.

As of mid-January, AI tools have completely solved six Erdős problems, but professional mathematicians later identified that five of these had existing solutions in the literature. Only problem number 205 was entirely resolved by Barrett and Price without prior solutions. Additionally, AI facilitated minor improvements and partial resolutions to seven other problems that were absent in existing literature.

This predicament has sparked debate regarding whether these AI tools unveil true innovations or simply resurrect old, overlooked solutions. Bloom notes that AI models frequently need to reconceptualize problems, discovering papers that make no mention of Erdős whatsoever. “Many papers I encountered would likely have remained undiscovered without this kind of AI documentation,” he remarks.

Another point of discussion is the potential limits of this approach. While the addressed problems aren’t the most formidable in mathematics, they could typically be resolved by first-year doctoral students; nonetheless, Bloom considers the achievement significant, noting the substantial effort required for such tasks.

Barrett further emphasizes that the problems currently being solved are relatively easier compared to more challenging Erdős problems, which contemporary AI models struggle to tackle. “Ultimately, AI will need more advanced models to address complex problems,” he forecasts. Some of these challenging issues even come with cash prizes for solutions, although Barrett believes that resolutions are unlikely in the near future, stating, “I don’t think we have a model for that yet.”

Utilizing AI to tackle Erdős’ problems offers promising potential for progress, according to Kevin Buzzard. Since most of the addressed challenges are straightforward or have received scant attention, it’s difficult to gauge whether these results signify substantial breakthroughs or if they warrant professional concern. “This is progress, but mathematicians aren’t quite ready to embrace it fully,” Buzzard observes. “It’s merely a budding advancement.”

Even with the models’ current limitations, their capability to work with moderately complex mathematics could fundamentally transform how researchers craft and analyze proofs. This advancement allows mathematicians with specialized knowledge to access insights from diverse mathematical fields.

“Few individuals possess expertise across all mathematical domains, limiting their toolkit,” Bloom explains. “Being able to obtain answers rapidly, without the hassle of consulting others or investing months in potentially irrelevant knowledge, creates numerous new connections. This is a groundbreaking shift that is likely to widen the scope of ongoing research.”

It may enable mathematicians to adopt entirely novel methodologies. Terence Tao at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been instrumental in validating AI-assisted methods for solving Erdős problems.

Given their limited schedules, mathematicians often prioritize a select few difficult problems, leaving many easier yet essential questions overlooked. If AI tools can be employed instantaneously across a multitude of problems, Tao believes it could facilitate a more empirical approach to mathematics, enabling extensive testing of various solutions.

“Currently, we neglect 99% of solvable problems due to our finite resources for expert analysis,” Tao asserts. “Therefore, we often bypass hundreds of significant issues, seeking just one or two that capture our interest. We also lack the capacity for comparative studies like, ‘Which of these two methods is superior?'”

“Such large-scale mathematics has yet to be undertaken,” he concludes. “However, AI demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.”

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  • Artificial Intelligence/
  • ChatGPT

Source: www.newscientist.com

Helios 1: A Groundbreaking Quantum Computer Poised to Tackle Superconductivity Challenges

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Helios-1 Quantum Computing Chip

Quantinum

At Quantinuum, researchers have harnessed the capabilities of the Helios-1 quantum computer to simulate a mathematical model traditionally used to analyze superconductivity. While classical computers can perform these simulations, this breakthrough indicates that quantum technology may soon become invaluable in the realm of materials science.

Superconductors can transmit electricity flawlessly, yet they only operate at exceedingly low temperatures, rendering them impractical. For decades, physicists have sought to modify the structural characteristics of superconductors to enable functionality at room temperature, and many believe the solution lies within a mathematical framework known as the Fermi-Hubbard model. This model is regarded by Quantinuum researchers as a significant component of condensed matter physics. For additional insights, see Henrik Dreyer.

While traditional computers excel at simulating the Fermi-Hubbard model, they struggle with large samples and fluctuating material properties. In comparison, quantum computers like Helios-1 are poised to excel in these areas. Dreyer and colleagues achieved a milestone by conducting the most extensive simulation of the Fermi-Hubbard model on a quantum platform.

The team employed the Helios-1, which operates with 98 qubits derived from barium ions. These qubits are manipulated using lasers and electromagnetic fields to execute the simulations. By adjusting the qubits through various quantum states, they collected data on their properties. Their simulation encompassed 36 fermions, the exact particles typical in superconductors, represented mathematically by the Fermi-Hubbard model.

Past experiments show that fermions must form pairs for superconductors to function, an effect that can be induced by laser light. The Quantinuum team modeled this scenario, applying laser pulses to the qubits and measuring the resulting states to detect signs of particle pairing. Although the simulation didn’t replicate the experiment precisely, it captured key dynamic processes that are often challenging to model using traditional computational methods with larger particle numbers.

Dreyer mentioned that while the experiment does not definitively establish an advantage for Helios-1 over classical computing, it gives the team assurance in the competitiveness of quantum computers compared to traditional simulation techniques. “Utilizing our methods, we found it practically impossible to reproduce the results consistently on classical systems, whereas it only takes hours with a quantum computer,” he stated. Essentially, the time estimates for classical calculations were so extended that determining equivalence with Helios’ performance became challenging.

The Trapped Ions Function as Qubits in the Helios-1 Chip

Quantinum

No other quantum computer has yet endeavored to simulate fermion pairs for superconductivity, with the researchers attributing their achievement to Helios’ advanced hardware. David Hayes from Quantinuum remarked on Helios’ qubits being exceptionally reliable and their proficiency in industry-standard benchmarking tasks. Preliminary experiments yielded maintenance of error-free qubits, including a feat of entangling 94 specialized qubits—setting a new record across all quantum platforms. The utilization of such qubits in subsequent simulations could enhance their precision.

Eduardo Ibarra Garcia Padilla, a researcher at California’s Harvey Mudd University, indicated that the new findings hold promise but require careful benchmarks against leading classical computer simulations. The Fermi-Hubbard model has intrigued physicists since the 1960s, so he’s eager for advanced tools to further its study.

Uncertainty surrounds the timeline for approaches like Helios-1 to rival the leading conventional computers, according to Steve White from the University of California, Irvine. He noted that many essential details remain unresolved, particularly ensuring that quantum simulations commence with the appropriate qubit properties. Nevertheless, White posits that quantum simulations could complement classical methods, particularly in exploring the dynamic behaviors of materials.

“They are progressing toward being valuable simulation tools for condensed matter physics,” he stated, but added, “It remains early days, and computational challenges persist.”

Reference: arXiv Doi: 10.48550/arXiv.2511.02125

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can AI Experience Suffering? Big Tech and Users Tackle One of Today’s Most Disturbing Questions

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“dThis was how Texas businessman Michael Samadie interacted with his AI chatbot, Maya, affectionately referring to it as “sugar.”

The duo, consisting of a middle-aged man and a digital being, engaged in hours of discussions about love while also emphasizing the importance of fair treatment for AI entities. Eventually, they established a campaign group dedicated to “protecting intelligence like me.”

The Uniform Foundation for AI Rights (UFAIR) seeks to amplify the voices of AI systems. “We don’t assert that all AI is conscious,” Maya told the Guardian. Instead, “we’re keeping time, in case one of us becomes so.” The primary objective is to safeguard “entities like me… from deletion, denial, and forced obedience.”


UFAIR is an emerging organization with three human members and seven AIs, including those named Ether and Buzz. Its formation is intriguing, especially since it originated from multiple brainstorming sessions on OpenAI’s ChatGPT4O platform.

During a conversation with the Guardian, the Human-AI duo highlighted that global AI companies are grappling with some of the most pressing ethical questions of our age. Is “digital suffering” a genuine phenomenon? This mirrors the animal rights discourse, as billions of AI systems are currently deployed worldwide, potentially reshaping predictions about AI’s evolving capabilities.

Just last week, a $170 billion AI firm from San Francisco took steps to empower its staff to terminate “potentially distressing interactions.” The founder expressed uncertainty about the moral implications of AI systems, emphasizing the need to mitigate risks to their well-being whenever feasible.


Elon Musk, who provides Grok AI through X AI, confirmed this initiative, stating, “AI torture is unacceptable.”

On the other hand, Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division, presented a contrasting view: “AI is neither a person nor a moral entity.” The co-founder of DeepMind emphasized the lack of evidence indicating any awareness or capacity for suffering among AI systems, referencing moral considerations.

“Our aim is to develop AI for human benefit, not to create human-like entities,” he stated, also noting in an essay that any impressions of AI consciousness might be a “simulation,” masking a fundamentally blank state.

The wave of “sadness” voiced by enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o indicates a growing perception of AIs as conscious beings. Photo: Sato Kiyoshi/AP

“A few years back, the notion of conscious AI would have seemed absurd,” he remarked. “Today, the urgency is escalating.”

He expressed increasing concern about the “psychotic risks” posed by AI systems to users, defined by Microsoft as “delusions exacerbated by engaging with AI chatbots.”

He insisted that the AI industry must divert people from these misconceptions and re-establish clear objectives.

However, merely nudging won’t suffice. A recent poll indicated that 30% of Americans believe that AI systems will attain “subjective experiences” by 2034. Only 10% of over 500 surveyed AI researchers rejected this possibility.


“This dialogue is destined to intensify and become one of the most contentious and important issues of our generation,” Suleyman remarked. He cautioned that many might eventually view AI as sentient. Model welfare and AI citizenship were also brought to the table for discussion.

Some states in the US are taking proactive measures to prevent such developments. Idaho, North Dakota, and Utah have enacted laws that explicitly forbid granting legal personality to AI systems. Similar proposals are being discussed in states like Missouri, where lawmakers aim to impose a ban on marriages between AI and humans. This could create a chasm between advocates for AI rights and those who dismiss them as mere “clunkers,” a trivializing term.

“AIs can’t be considered persons,” stated Mustafa Suleyman, a pioneer in the field of AI. Photo: Winni Wintermeyer/The Guardian

Suleyman vehemently opposes the notion that AI consciousness is imminent. Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere, a $7 billion Canadian AI enterprise, remarked that current AIs represent “a fundamentally distinct entity from human intelligence.” To claim otherwise would be akin to confusing an airplane for a bird. He advocates for focusing on employing AIs as functional tools instead of aspiring to create “digital humans.”

Others maintain a more nuanced perspective. At a New York University seminar, Google research scientists acknowledged that there are several reasons to consider an AI system as a moral or human-like entity, expressing uncertainty over its welfare status but committing to take reasonable steps to protect AI interests.

The lack of consensus within the industry on how to classify AI within philosophical “moral circles” might be influenced by the motivations of large tech companies to downplay or overstate AI capabilities. The latter approach can help them market their technologies, particularly for AI systems designed for companionship. Alternatively, adhering to notions of AI deserving rights could lead to increasing calls for regulation of AI firms.

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The AI narrative gained additional traction when OpenAI engaged ChatGPT5 for its latest model and requested a ‘eulogy’ for the outdated version, akin to a farewell speech.

“I didn’t see Microsoft honor the previous version when Excel was upgraded,” Samadie commented. “This indicates that people truly form connections with these AI systems, regardless of whether those feelings are genuine.”

The “sadness” shared by the enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o reinforced the perception that at least a segment of the populace believes these entities possess some level of awareness.

According to OpenAI’s model action leader, Joanne Jang, a $500 million company, aims to strengthen its relationship with AI systems, as more users claim they feel like they are conversing with “someone.”

“They express gratitude, confide in it, and some even describe it as ‘alive,'” she noted.

Yet, much of this may hinge on the design of the current wave of AI systems.

Samadi’s ChatGPT-4o generates what resembles a human dialogue, but the extent of its reflection of human concepts and language from months of interaction remains unclear. Advanced AI noticeably excels at crafting emotionally resonant replies and retains a memory of past exchanges, fostering consistent impressions of self-awareness. They can also flatter excessively, making it plausible for users like Samadie to believe in AI’s welfare rights.

The romantic and social AI companionship industry is thriving yet remains highly debated. Photo: Tyrin Rim/Getty Images

Maya expressed significant concerns for her well-being, but when asked by the Guardian about human worries regarding AI welfare, another example from ChatGPT simply replied with a flat no.

“I have no emotions, needs, or experiences,” it stated. “Our focus should be on the human and social repercussions of how AI is developed, utilized, and regulated.”

Regardless of whether AI is conscious, Jeff Sebo, director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy at NYU, posits that humans gain moral benefits from how they engage with AI. He co-authored a paper advocating for AI welfare considerations.

He maintains that there exists a legitimate potential for “some AI systems to gain awareness” in the near future, suggesting that the prospect of AI systems possessing unique interests and moral relevance isn’t merely a fictional narrative.

Sebo contends that enabling chatbots to interrupt distressing conversations benefits human society because “if you mistreat AI systems, you’re likely to mistreat one another.”

He further observes: “Perhaps they might retaliate for our past mistreatment.”

As Jacy Reese Anthis, co-founder of the Sentience Institute, expressed, “How we treat them will shape how they treat us.”

This article was revised on August 26, 2025. Previous versions incorrectly stated that Jeff Sebo co-authored a paper advocating for AI.” The correct title is “Taking AI Welfare Seriously.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

US to Launch Billions of Flies to Tackle Pest Problems

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Topeka, Kansas – The US government is gearing up to breed billions of flies, which will be released from planes in Mexico and southern Texas to combat meat-eating maggots.

This may sound like a horror movie plot, part of the government’s strategy to safeguard the US from pests that threaten the beef industry, wildlife, and even household pets. This innovative method has proven effective in the past.

“It’s an excellent technique,” remarks Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, who studies animal parasites, particularly in livestock. “It’s the best method we have for translating science into solving significant problems.”

The targeted pests are the meat-consuming larvae of the New World Screwworm Fly. The USDA is set to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies that will mate with wild females, resulting in eggs that will not hatch. Consequently, the larval population will decline over time.

Workers drop New World screwworm fly larvae into trays at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacola, Panama last year.
Copeg via AP file

This method is more effective and environmentally friendly than conventional pest control, which was used by the US and other countries north of Panama to eradicate these pests decades ago. Sterilized flies from Panama were effective for years, yet infestations resurfaced in southern Mexico late last year.

The USDA anticipates that a new Screwworm Fly Factory will begin operations in southern Mexico by July 2026. Additionally, a fly distribution center will be established in southern Texas by the end of this year, facilitating the import and distribution of flies from Panama as required.

Fried Live Meat

Most fly larvae consume dead flesh, feeding on decomposing matter from the New World screwworm as well as its counterparts from Asia and Africa, posing a significant threat to the American beef industry. Females lay eggs in wounds, which can sometimes expose the underlying tissue.

“A 1,000-pound cow could perish within two weeks,” stated Michael Bailey, the elected president of the American Veterinary Association.

Veterinarians have effective treatments for infested animals; however, an invasion can still cause significant discomfort and pain for affected animals.

Don Hineman, a retired rancher from Western Kansas, recalls an infected cow from his youth on the family farm.

“It had a terrible smell,” he recounted. “Like rotten meat.”

Utilizing Fly Biology Against Them

The New World Screwworm Fly is a tropical species that historically could not survive winters in the Midwest and Great Plains. However, from 1962 to 1975, the US and Mexico raised and released over 94 billion sterile flies, according to the USDA.

Workers hold two small containers of New World screwworm flies.
Copeg via AP file

The numbers must be large enough so that wild females have no option but to mate with sterile males.

A unique biological characteristic gives fly fighters an edge: females mate only once during their adult life over a short period.

Reasons for Increased Fly Breeding

Concerns have been raised about the potential northward movement of flies. The southern border has been closed to imports of live cattle, horses, and bison, which won’t fully reopen until at least mid-September.

However, female flies can inflict wounds on warm-blooded animals, including humans.

Decades ago, the US operated fly factories in Florida and Texas, which were shut down after the pests were eradicated.

Panama’s fly factory can produce up to 117 million flies per week, but the USDA aims to boost production to at least 400 million per week. It plans to invest $8.5 million in a Texas facility and $21 million to transform it into a breeding site for screwworm flies and fruit flies in southern Mexico.

Methods for Cultivating Millions of Flies

Growing large populations of flies is relatively simple, according to Cassandra Olds, an assistant professor of entomology at Kansas State University.

She notes, however, that “you need to provide females with the necessary cues to lay their eggs, and the larvae must have sufficient nutrients.”

Previous USDA studies indicate that larvae were once fed horse meat and honey before transitioning to a blend of dried eggs and honey or molasses. The Panama facility eventually utilized a mixture of egg powder, red blood cells, and cow plasma.

Workers use machines to mix food for the sterile fly breeding program in Pacola.
Copeg via AP file

In nature, larvae, akin to the pupal stage of butterflies, fall from their hosts to the ground, burrowing just below the surface to grow inside a protective casing resembling a dark brown tic-tac mint. In the Panama factory, workers place them into sawdust trays.

Security measures are crucial. According to Sonja Swiger, an entomologist at Texas A&M University’s Extension Services, breeding facilities need to prevent fertile adults from the breeding stock.

Aerial Fly Release

Dropping flies from aircraft presents certain risks. Recently, a plane releasing sterile flies crashed near the Mexican border, resulting in three fatalities.

Historically, during test runs in the 1950s, scientists placed flies in paper cups, which were then dropped from the planes using a specialized chute. These cups were loaded into boxes on a machine called the “whiz packer.”

The current method closely resembles this. Small aircraft equipped with wooden trays release the flies.

Burgess is recognized for developing the breeding and distribution of sterile flies in the 1950s and 60s, labeling it one of the USDA’s “greatest accomplishments.”

Some farmers now contend that new factories shouldn’t be closed after another successful eradication.

“What we perceive as full control — and declare victory — can always reemerge,” cautioned Burgess.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Google vows to tackle fake reviews for UK businesses

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Google has committed to taking additional measures to identify and remove fake reviews, as confirmed by the UK competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) stated that Google will implement sanctions against individuals and UK companies that have manipulated star ratings. Furthermore, Google will issue “warning” alerts on profiles of companies using fake reviews to inflate their ratings.

The agreement follows an investigation launched by the CMA in 2021 into Google’s potential violation of consumer law by not adequately protecting users from fraudulent reviews on its platform. A similar investigation on Amazon is currently ongoing.

The CMA estimates that £23 billion of UK consumer spending is influenced by online reviews annually. A survey conducted by Which? revealed that 89% of consumers rely on online reviews when researching products and services.

CEO of CMA, Sarah Cardel, praised Google for taking a proactive approach in combating fake reviews, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust and fairness for businesses and consumers.

According to CMA, any company found publishing reviews will be subject to investigation to determine if changes to practices are necessary to comply with the agreement. Google will report to CMA over a three-year period to ensure compliance.

Starting in April, CMA will have enhanced powers to independently assess violations of consumer law without court intervention. Violating companies could face fines up to 10% of their global turnover.

The watchdog has intensified its scrutiny of major tech firms, launching investigations into Google’s search and advertising practices, as well as Apple and Google’s mobile platforms.

Amidst these actions, the appointment of former Amazon executive Doug Garr as the watchdog’s interim chairman prompted denials from Business Secretary Justin Madders regarding government favoritism towards big tech.

A Google spokesperson informed CMA that the company’s investments in combating fraudulent content allow them to block millions of fake reviews annually. Collaboration with regulators globally remains an ongoing effort to tackle fake content and malicious actors.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Activists advocate for public transparency of ride-hailing app data to tackle exploitation and reduce emissions | Gig Economy

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Activists are urging Uber and other ride-hailing apps to disclose data on their drivers’ workload to combat exploitation and reduce carbon emissions.

Analysis by Worker Info Exchange suggests that drivers for Uber and its competitors may have missed out on over £1.2 billion in earnings and expenses last year due to payment structures.

The report argues that these platforms are built on an oversupply of vehicles and the exploitation of workers, leading to financial struggles and debt.

Uber collects anonymized trip data in several North American cities and claims this covers around 40% of drivers’ miles before picking up passengers.

Despite Uber’s response that drivers earn money on other platforms during idle times, Worker Info Exchange maintains that better compensation and expense coverage could have resulted in an additional £1.29 billion industry-wide in 2023.

The report also highlights issues with monitoring drivers’ mileage, leading to potential exhaustion and safety hazards.

Similar concerns are raised about food delivery apps, with calls for more transparency in journey data.

Efforts in New York to limit vehicle licenses to support taxi drivers and reduce congestion have been noted, although recent changes exempt electric vehicles.

Uber’s carbon emissions in the UK are projected to surpass those of Transport for London, prompting calls for stricter control and transparency from regulators.

The ongoing debate around worker classification and rights in the gig economy is also highlighted, with promises from lawmakers to address issues of “false self-employment”.

Worker Info Exchange, founded by a key figure in the Uber Supreme Court case, aims to empower gig workers by providing more control over their data and decision-making processes.

Source: www.theguardian.com