Current Events in November 2019

A Facebook bug is allowing the Facebook app to activate iPhone users’ cameras while it is active. 

The bug was discovered by web designer Joshua Maddux, who posted on Twitter that it “lets you see the camera open behind your feed.” Other users of Facebook for iOS have also reported the issue, with the earliest incident occurring on November 2. 

Users have said they are able to see the camera feed on the left side of their screen when they open a photo in the app and scroll down. The Next Web notes that the camera feed is only live if the user has given the app permission to access their camera.

Maddux said he spotted the same glitch on a handful of other iPhone devices with the iOS 13.2.2 operating system, but the bug didn’t appear to surface on iOS 12 and has not been reported among Android users.

“I will note that iPhones running iOS 12 don’t show the camera (not to say that it’s not being used),” he said.

Privacy issues

The camera activation bug comes as Facebook attempts to regain users’ trust following a string of privacy incidents. The company recently paid a record $5 billion fine to the FTC over its handling of user data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Earlier this month, Facebook disclosed that as many as 100 app developers retained data from user groups on the platform. That disclosure came just a few weeks after the company informed the public that it had suspended “tens of thousands” of apps, citing various privacy concerns.

Guy Rosen, Facebook’s vice president of integrity, posted on Twitter that the company is now aware of the bug affecting the app’s use of some users’ cameras.

“Thanks for flagging this,” Rosen tweeted on Tuesday. “This sounds like a bug, we are looking into it.”

SpaceX successfully deployed 60 satellites into orbit on Monday, further advancing founder Elon Musk’s goal of building out a network of devices capable of providing internet access to almost everyone on the planet. 

Musk has already received FCC approval to launch nearly 12,000 satellites into low-Earth orbit as part of a mission dubbed “Starlink.” In October, Musk filed documents requesting approval to deploy an additional 30,000 satellites. 

While Musk strongly believes the broadband-beaming satellites will be of great global benefit, astronomers have raised concern that the array of artificial objects hovering above Earth will adversely affect their job. 

“If there are lots and lots of bright moving objects in the sky, it tremendously complicates our job,” James Lowenthal, an astronomer at Smith College, told The New York Times. “It potentially threatens the science of astronomy itself.”

Hindrance to astronomer views

Astronomer Anthony Tyson of the University of California added that larger telescopes could be the most affected by the satellites’ presence since they require longer exposure times. He said the Starlink constellation could get in the way of whatever astronomers may be trying to view.

“It’s really a mess,” Tyson told the Times. 

Over the summer, Musk responded to a debate on the issue on Twitter, saying SpaceX was looking into ways to minimize the satellites’ reflectivity. He added that the satellites would have "0% impact on advancements in astronomy" and argued that giving "billions of economically disadvantaged people" high-speed internet access is “the greater good."

“That said, we’ll make sure Starlink has no material effect on discoveries in astronomy,” he said. “We care a great deal about science.”

A new study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University found that toddlers who are slower to start talking were found to have more intense and frequent tantrums when compared to those who developed language skills sooner. 

While tantrums can be problematic to deal with in the moment, the researchers found that they can also have negative implications for the future, including learning problems or mental health concerns. 

“We totally expect toddlers to have temper tantrums if they’re tired or frustrated, and most parents know a tantrum when they see it,” said researcher Elizabeth Norton. “But not many parents know that certain kinds of frequent or severe tantrums can indicate risk for later mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and behavior problems.” 

Effects of delayed speech

The researchers had over 2,000 parents participate in a survey which asked about their toddlers’ speech and tantrum habits. The parents involved in the study all had children between the ages of 12 and 38 months; researchers determined that a child was late to develop speech if they had fewer than 50 words learned and used by age two. 

The study revealed that when children had delayed speech, their tantrums were outside the realm of what was typical or expected in other children their age. According to the researchers, these tantrums are oftentimes accompanied by physical violence to others and themselves, and they occurred with the same heightened severity on a regular basis. 

Though serious findings, the researchers don’t want parents to panic or start comparing their children to others. They noted that identifying problem behaviors is the best way for parents to implement interventions that can help their toddlers in the future. 

“Parents should not overreact just because the child next door has more words or because their child had a day from ‘The Wild Things’ with many out-of-control tantrums,” said researcher Lauren Wakschlag. “The key reliable indicators of concern in both these domains is a persistent pattern of problems and/or delays. When these go hand in hand, they exacerbate each other and increase risk, partly because these problems interfere with healthy interactions with those around them.” 

GHNW of Clackamas, Ore., is recalling 10-oz. Mushroom Stir Fry Blend trays and 16-oz. Stir Fry Blend trays.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been linked by health officials to this recall.

The recalled products with “Sell By” dates of October 27, 2019 to November 8, 2019, which are printed in black ink on the front label of the product, were sold at QFC and/or Fred Meyer in Oregon and Washington State.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should discard them.

Consumers with questions may call (888) 449-9386, Monday -- Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (PST).

Chrysler is recalling 173 model year 2019 Dodge Challengers and Chargers.

An incompatible front wheel and brake package was installed and may allow the front tire to contact the steering knuckle, causing tire damage.

A damaged tire can suddenly lose air pressure and increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front wheels and inspect and replace the front tires, as necessary. Dealers also will inspect the wheel alignment, adjusting it if necessary. The repairs will be performed free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin December 13, 2019.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at (800) 853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is VB0.

Simmons Prepared Foods of Gentry, Ark., is recalling approximately 2 million pounds of poultry products.

The products may be contaminated with extraneous materials -- specifically metal.

There are no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

A list of recalled items, produced from October 21, 2019, through November 4, 2019, may be found here.

The recalled products, bearing establishment number “P-1949,” “P- 486” or “P-5837” inside the USDA mark of inspection, were shipped to institutions in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.

What to do

Institutions that purchased the recalled products should not serve them, but discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions may contact Donald Miller at (888) 831-7007.

Documents released last week by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shed more light on the March 2018 fatal accident in Arizona involving a pedestrian and an Uber autonomous vehicle.

The accident occurred at night in Tempe, Ariz., killing 49-year old Elaine Herzberg as she pushed her bicycle across a street. Tempe Police told reporters that the Uber car had a human safety driver inside but was in autonomous mode when it struck the woman walking across the street.

The NTSB cited what it called software flaws in the vehicle that struck and killed Herzberg. The federal agency’s documents show the car’s software did not recognize Herzberg as a person because she was jaywalking — that is, crossing the street someplace other than a crosswalk. But it’s something millions of pedestrians do every day.

Two months after the accident, a technology publication cited two sources at Uber for its report saying pretty much the same thing — that the vehicle’s sensors did not recognize the pedestrian as an object that should be avoided.

The emergency braking system wasn’t engaged

The NTSB investigation also reportedly showed that the car involved in the accident did not have the emergency braking system engaged and was relying on the safety driver to stop the vehicle. 

The documents say the system failed to alert the driver that the car was in danger of hitting an object in the road. The driver did not react until 1.2 seconds before impact.

According to Reuters, the NTSB will likely use the results of its investigation of the accident to formalize recommendations that could affect the future of self-driving car technology. Specifically, the agency is expected to address how manufacturers and developers handle software issues.

The full board has a meeting set for later this month to establish a probable cause of the 2018 fatal accident — the first involving a self-driving vehicle.

Reuters quotes an Uber spokeswoman as saying the company’s self-driving car program has adopted “critical program improvements” with the goal of improving safety. She said the company looks forward to reviewing the NTSB’s recommendations.

Uber suspended its test of self-driving cars in Arizona immediately after the accident but resumed testing the following December in Pennsylvania.

Amazon will continue to expand its brick-and-mortar footprint through the addition of a grocery store that will exist as an alternative to Whole Foods and Amazon Go, CNET reports. 

Four job listings for the grocery store were posted on Monday for “Amazon’s first grocery store,” which is set to open in Woodland Hills, California in 2020. The company has leased a 35,000 square-foot location that was previously a Toys ‘R’ Us. 

Amazon was rumored to be working towards the opening of a new grocery back in March, when a Wall Street Journal report cited sources as saying Amazon would be opening grocery stores smaller than traditional supermarkets but larger than a typical convenience store. 

The company has now confirmed that the new grocery store format is on the way, but it hasn’t provided details on what the store will be called or what pricing consumers can expect. 

Won’t compete with Whole Foods

Last month, the Journal reported that Amazon’s new stores will sell prepared foods and "mainstream groceries such as soda and Oreos." Amazon told CNET that its new stores won’t compete against Whole Foods, which it acquired in 2017. 

"When it comes to grocery shopping, we know customers love choice, and this new store offers another grocery option that's distinct from Whole Foods Market, which continues to grow and remain the leader in quality natural and organic food," a company spokesperson told the publication. 

The e-commerce giant has taken other steps toward expanding its presence in the grocery sector. In late October, Amazon announced that it would start giving Prime members free grocery delivery through its Amazon Fresh service, which previously cost $14.99 per month.

Avoiding a late-night snack can be difficult for many consumers, but a new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association (AHA) could have many women rethinking their nighttime eating. 

The study revealed that women who eat at night could be at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, and the more food they consume during the nighttime hours, the higher the risk for disease. 

“So far, lifestyle approaches to prevent heart disease have focused on what we eat and how much we eat,” said researcher Nour Makarem, PhD. “These preliminary results indicate that intentional eating that is mindful of the timing and proportion of the calories in evening meals may represent a simple, modifiable behavior that can help lower heart disease risk.”

The risks of late-night eating

The researchers analyzed 112 women in the study to understand how eating at night affected their heart health. 

The participants’ health and day-to-day dietary habits were tracked using two methods. For one week at the start of the study (and another week a year later) the women reported on their full food intake, including quantity and time of meals and snacks. The second method utilized findings from the AHA’s Life’s Simple 7, which is designed to help consumers maintain healthy habits and prevent disease. 

The biggest takeaway from the study was that eating after 6 p.m. was associated with several negative health side effects, one of which was an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. 

The more the women ate after that 6 p.m. benchmark, the more damage they did to their heart health. The researchers found that waiting until the nighttime hours to eat the majority of daily calories also increased negative outcomes linked to body mass index (BMI), blood sugar, and blood pressure; the findings were similar when the researchers evaluated these same symptoms with calorie intake after 8 p.m. 

The researchers hope that these findings inspire women to start thinking about their health and daily eating habits, as the timing of meals can be just as important as the content of meals. 

“It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart health whether you’re 20 or 30 or 40 or moving into the 60s and 70s,” said researcher Dr. Kristin Newby. “If you’re healthy now or if you have heart disease, you can always do more. That goes along with being heart smart and heart healthy.” 

Returning to life as usual following a heart attack comes with some obstacles, and a new study found that it could also come with some additional health concerns. 

According to researchers from the American Heart Association (AHA), consumers who suffer from heart attacks could be at an increased risk to later develop cancer. 

“It’s a double whammy,” said researcher Dr. Emily Lau. “Heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death in the United States. We now recognize that they are intimately linked. This tells us that we, as physicians, should be aggressive in trying to reduce cardiovascular risk factors not only to prevent heart disease, but also to consider cancer risk at the same time.” 

Cardiovascular issues increase cancer risk

To understand how heart disease and cancer are so closely related, the researchers analyzed data from over 12,000 study participants, none of whom had any heart-related issues or a cancer diagnosis at the start of the study. 

The researchers followed the participants’ health trajectory over the course of 15 years and assessed the patients’ risk for heart disease using two methods: biomarkers that were injected into the blood and the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology’s Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Estimator. 

The study revealed that the factors that could increase the risk of both cardiovascular disease and cancer are nearly identical, and many of them can be modified by consumers’ daily habits, like diet and exercise. 

While over 1,600 participants ultimately received cancer diagnoses over the course of the study, the researchers discovered that those who had heart attacks were at a considerably higher risk — seven times as likely — than those who didn’t have cardiovascular issues. 

Moreover, the ASCVD Risk Estimator also proved to be an effective way to determine the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis, as those who had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease were more likely to develop cancer than those who ranked lower on that scale. 

Healthier choices decrease risk

Moving forward, the researchers recommend the American Heart Association’s Life's Simple 7 as a great way to not only boost health, but also prevent disease. Simple interventions, like eating better to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, can have lasting positive impacts on consumers’ health. 

“Cancer and cardiovascular disease share many of the same risk factors, such as tobacco use, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity, said Dr. Lau. “The next step is to identify the biological mechanisms driving the link between cardiovascular disease and cancer.” 

Statistics show consumers are burdened with ever-increasing credit card debt, and a new survey helps explain why.

A third of consumers who carry credit card debt are doing so not because they’re taking expensive vacations or eating out every night. A survey by CompareCards shows these millions of consumers are loaded down with medical bills they put on their credit cards.

What’s more concerning is that almost 10 percent of those who paid medical bills with credit cards owe at least $10,000. At a credit card’s high double-digit interest rate, those bills will take years to pay.

Not surprisingly, 30 percent of the consumers who paid a medical bill with a credit card regret doing so. But 60 percent say they would not have been able to pay the bill without resorting to plastic.

Wrecking financial lives

As early as 2001, huge medical bills were wrecking consumers’ financial lives. A Harvard study that year found illness and medical bills caused half of the 1,458,000 personal bankruptcies in the U.S.

The study estimated that medical bankruptcies affect about 2 million Americans annually -- counting debtors and their dependents, including about 700,000 children. Surprisingly, most of those bankrupted by illness had health insurance.

By 2009, a second Harvard study found health problems caused 60 percent of bankruptcies, a 50 percent increase over the results of the 2001 study. Putting a huge medical bill on a credit card with sky-high interest rates could have been a contributing factor.

Credit card balances have gotten much larger in the last decade following the financial crisis of 2009. Credit card debt in the U.S. surpassed $1.03 trillion in the third quarter of this year, according to the Federal Reserve.

What to do

When presented with a large medical bill, try to negotiate with your health care provider before paying the full bill with a credit card. Even if the provider doesn’t advertise an interest-free payment plan, it may have one. That will not only save lots of money, it will allow you to pay the debt much faster.

Providers may also drastically reduce the amount of the bill if they are assured of prompt payment. In that case, your credit card could be a valuable tool. 

Providers like to get paid quickly. Turning your bill over to a collection agency is costly. If you offer to pay immediately with your credit card if the final bill is significantly reduced, you might be surprised at how much they’ll come down. Just be sure that the bill you agree to pay is marked as the final bill and not an installment.

Once the payment is made, you can apply for a personal loan to pay the credit card bill. A personal loan is unsecured, just like a credit card, but the interest rate is often lower.

If you’ve already paid a big medical bill with a high-interest credit card, consider applying for a balance transfer card that offers 0 percent interest for at least a year. Pay as much of the bill as possible during that introductory period so that you’ll pay less in interest once the introductory period ends.

Two tech entrepreneurs say that the new Apple Card appears to have a gender bias when it comes to assigning credit limits.

David Heinemeier Hansson and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak both say they received several times the credit limit than their wives when they applied for the new credit card. 

Hansson, who developed the web-application framework Ruby on Rails, said he and his wife file a joint tax return and that she has a better credit score than he does. Yet when they were approved for the card, he said his credit limit was 20 times higher than his wife’s.

Both men reported the discrepancy on Twitter, blaming the algorithm used by Apple and Goldman Sachs to screen applicants.

New York will investigate

In the wake of these complaints, the New York Department of Financial Services has launched an investigation. Goldman Sachs has declined to say whether it has had any discussions with either of the two tech titans who publicly expressed their concerns.

Apple and Goldman Sachs rolled out the new credit card in August, making it available to all iPhone customers. The card is designed to be used in tandem with the Wallet app on the iPhone. At the time of its launch, Apple said it wanted the card to be a tool to help consumers better manage their money.

The Apple Card is like many regular credit cards. It doesn’t have an annual fee, and it offers 3 percent cash back on Apple purchases and 1 percent on all other purchases. It got a rather lukewarm reception from personal finance experts who noted that most cards don’t currently charge an annual fee, and some offer rewards as generous or more than what the Apple Card pays.

The focus of the controversy is the algorithm used to approve applicants and assign them a credit limit. Reuters quotes a spokeswoman for the New York Department of Financial Services as saying the agency will investigate to determine whether the discrepancy violates state law.

She said the law is designed to make sure all consumers are treated the same and that even unintentional discrimination on the part of a computer algorithm could be a violation.