Each week, BIV staff will share with you some of the interesting stories we have found from around the web.
Mark Falkenberg, deputy managing editor
Facebook has failed to crack down on violent rhetoric, racism and misinformation on its social media platforms because hate and division have become part of its business model, says whistleblower and former Facebook data scientist Frances Haugen. In testimony to the U.S. Senate, Haugen said, "Facebook's products harm children, stoke division and weaken our democracy," Haugen said. "The company's leadership knows how to make Facebook and Instagram safer but won't make the necessary changes because they have put their astronomical profits before people.” – CBC
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/facebook-whistleblower-1.6199886
Given the mainstream media’s pearl clutching over the prime minister’s recent visit to Vancouver Island, one can imagine the Tories might be hot to put out tenders for a Memorial to the Victims of Justin Trudeau’s Tofino Trip as part of their next election campaign. Maybe not – said clutching has caught some backlash, with #canadianmediafailed trending healthily on Twitter. This op-ed points out why. — Now
https://nowtoronto.com/news/trudeaus-tofino-trip-and-the-age-of-manufactured-outrage
To Tyee contributing editor Crawford Killian, the Meng affair is just the most recent drop in the ocean of imperial malfeasance by Beijing and Washington. But bigger doings are nailing down the coffin lid of the age of empires: “Both great powers know their prosperity depends on gross economic inequality, which will inevitably lead to new revolutions amid climate catastrophes. Yet they carry on.” – Tyee
https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2021/09/29/Two-Michael-Save-Your-Moralizing/
Timothy Renshaw, managing editor:
In case you're considering a career move to the United States, here's an inventory of the worst states in the Union to work in based on wage policies, worker protections and rights to organize trade unions. Spoiler Alert: Anyone heading for a new job in North Carolina might want to reconsider. – Wall St. 24/7
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2021/10/06/this-is-the-worst-state-to-work-in-america-2/
From worst to best: here are some interesting insights into Earth's single most important evolutionary innovation. And it's not the opposable thumb. – PhysOrg
https://phys.org/news/2021-09-zeroing-earth-important-evolutionary.html
Some more glimmers of innovative light at the end of the dark and convoluted tunnel to really recycling plastic. – Science Alert
Nelson Bennett, reporter:
China backflips on Australian coal imports. When China banned Australian coal imports, as punishment for suggesting there needed to be an investigation into China’s handling of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, it ended up shooting itself in the foot. Now that China is in a full-blown energy crisis, it is now resuming coal imports from Australia. – news.com
