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As questions loom over the use of federal law enforcement to curb protests in Portland and other places, we look at the fine line between contact tracing technologies and the erosion of privacy.
As we begin another week, we remember Representative John Lewis, who passed away recently after a battle with cancer; also, controversy surrounds recent petitions calling for grocery chain Trader Joe’s to change the name of some of its products and labeling. However, our main focus this week involves recent ongoing protests in cities like Portland, Oregon, where things took a turn for the weird over the weekend with U.S Customs and Border Protection agents getting involved, as well as the appearance of a mysterious, scantily-clad female protestor that has been dubbed “Naked Athena” after photos of her performance appeared online.
Meanwhile, as the pandemic ensues in America and around the world, many privacy experts have concerns about the use of apps and other technologies to aid in “contact tracing” to help slow the spread of the virus. Does the use of technology to help save lives in midst of the panic have an Orwellian dark side? We explore this, and other ideas on this week’s edition of Middle Theory.
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- CDC Foundation Coronavirus Relief
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- Direct Relief: Coronavirus Pandemic
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- Feeding America
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- Homeless Shelter Directory
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SHOW NOTES
- BIG JOHN: Representative John Lewis passes away
- READ THE LABEL: Petition urges Trader Joe’s to change ethnic food labels
- MICHAEL MYERS? Zuckerberg surfboards in Hawaii with way too much sunscreen
- RELIEF 2.0: Mnuchin, Meadows to brief Senate GOP Tuesday on new COVID-19 relief bill
- PORTLAND: House Democrats call for ‘urgent’ investigation into federal policing in Portland
- NAKED ATHENA: Out of Portland tear gas, an apparition emerges, capturing the imagination of protesters
- ‘Naked Athena’ Faces Down Federal Cops at Portland Protest — and They Back Down
- CONTROL: Couple forced to wear ankle monitors for refusing to sign quarantine documents
- Disney World bans eating while walking after guests break mask rules
- CONTACT TRACING: Contact Tracing Might Be Cops’ Newest Surveillance Tool
- Police should not have access to data from coronavirus contact tracing apps
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