Life In America Today: Pay More, Get Less - Ripped From The Headlines, July 30, 2024
Pay More, Get Less When It Comes To Power Companies, FB Reaches $1.4B Settlement Of Stealing Biometric Data, & More - Read, Share & Subscribe - SherlocExposes.com
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Sherloc’s Analysis:
This piece from the WSJ highlights significant issues facing the U.S. energy sector, which are of deep concern to those of us who expect reliability... and the incompetence is scary.
The main takeaway is that both the cost and reliability of electricity in the U.S. are deteriorating, a trend that has been accelerated by a combination of misguided policies and bureaucratic red tape.
One of the core issues is the increased reliance on renewable energy sources like wind and solar which have contributed to rising costs and reliability problems.
From the article:
"The push towards renewable energy has made power more expensive and less reliable."
This situation is compounded by the fact that the infrastructure needed to support these energy sources has not been adequately developed or maintained, leading to frequent blackouts and energy shortages.
Digging deeper, the piece also reveals that the regulatory frameworks, and market structures, are partly to blame. The endless layers of bureaucracy designed to “oversee energy distribution” often favor large corporations and special interests over the needs of everyday consumers. This has led to a scenario where, despite advancements in technology, energy costs continue to rise, and service reliability declines.
Example: The high cost of electricity can be directly linked to government policies that fail to incentivize efficiency and innovation. Instead, these policies often result in excessive spending on projects that do not deliver proportional benefits. An example of this inefficiency is the significant investment in renewable energy without corresponding investment in grid infrastructure, leading to what the article describes as "expensive and unreliable electricity."
As the title of the piece says, Get Ready To Pay MORE For LESS RELIABLE Electricity.
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Click Here to read the full article.
Sherloc’s Analysis:
The recent settlement between Meta (formerly Facebook) and the state of Texas over privacy violations involving biometric data highlights significant issues with how big tech companies handle user information.
The $1.4 billion settlement is notable not only for its size but also for what it reveals about the ongoing struggle between privacy rights and corporate practices.
Key Points
Violation of Privacy Laws: The lawsuit alleged that Meta used facial recognition technology to collect biometric data from millions of Texans without their consent. This was done through Facebook's "Tag Suggestions" feature, which recognized friends in photos and suggested tagging them. This practice violated Texas' Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act and the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Biz Journal Daily) (Texas Attorney General).
Historic Settlement: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton emphasized the significance of the settlement, stating, “This historic settlement demonstrates our commitment to standing up to the world’s biggest technology companies and holding them accountable for breaking the law and violating Texans’ privacy rights” (Biz Journal Daily). This is the largest settlement of its kind secured by a single state.
Meta's Response: Despite the settlement, Meta has maintained that the claims were without merit. The company stated that it provided clear notices to users about the facial recognition feature and had measures in place for users to control its use. Meta has since discontinued the facial recognition system and deleted the faceprints of over 1 billion people due to growing concerns about the misuse of such technology (Biz Journal Daily) (FindBiometrics).
Broader Implications
Big Tech and User Privacy: This settlement is part of a broader trend where big tech companies like Meta have been repeatedly caught infringing on user privacy. Similar cases have been seen with other tech giants, pointing to a systemic issue within the industry. For instance, Meta previously agreed to pay $650 million to settle a similar lawsuit under Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) (FindBiometrics).
Government Inaction and Inefficiency: The delayed response and action against such practices reveal inefficiencies within regulatory bodies that allow these violations to occur. This inefficiency is not just limited to privacy issues but extends to other areas where big government and bureaucracy fail to protect citizens effectively.
Need for Stronger Regulations: While settlements and lawsuits bring temporary relief, they do not address the root cause. Stronger, more proactive regulations and enforcement mechanisms are necessary to prevent such violations from occurring in the first place.
Pulling It Together
This case underscores the pervasive issue of corporate overreach and the failure of government agencies to effectively safeguard individual privacy.
It shows what happens when voters send people to represent their interests… who have no plans to actually represent their interests.
We The People are the Watchers. This is what happens when we’re not paying attention.
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