Frank Bruni: I don’t know exactly how we square free speech and free expression — which are paramount — with a better policing of the internet, but I’m certain that we need to approach that challenge with more urgency than we have mustered so far. Democracy is at stake. So are lives.

National Geographic: The new study estimates that the average adult consumes approximately 2,000 microplastics per year through salt.

Matthias-van-de-voetbal in De Morgen: En toen kwamen zij. Ze hadden alles: geld en eigendunk, geld en roemzucht, geld en de vaste overtuiging dat de club hen toebehoorde en het instrument was van hun wanen. Ze hadden alles, behalve het enige dat telt: liefde en eergevoel. Ik slaap er al enkele nachten niet van en wou […]

The Intercept, enkele weken geleden: The Dragonfly memo reveals that a prototype of the censored search engine was being developed as an app for both Android and iOS devices, and would force users to sign in so they could use the service. The memo confirms, as The Intercept first reported last week, that users’ searches would be […]

The Guardian: Threats lead to a desire for stronger rules – and obedience to leaders who promise to deliver a tight social order. Our research confirms that the strongest Trump supporters, as well as the supporters of Marine Le Pen in France, believe their country is threatened, whether by terrorism, illegal immigration, natural disasters or disease. They felt their […]

Awoert, Google! As a result, we’re planning to focus solely on Gmail and say goodbye to Inbox by Gmail at the end of March 2019.

Nancy Gertner, voormalig federal judge, in een opiniestuk in The Boston Globe: With this performance, Kavanaugh became Trump’s version of what a judge should be, not unlike Trump’s version of what his attorney general should be. They were both supposed to be Trump partisans, not neutrals, and above all, ready for central casting.

Tim Berners-Lee, ironisch genoeg op Medium: It is going to take a lot of effort to build the new Solid platform and drive broad adoption but I think we have enough energy to take the world to a new tipping point.

Alexis C. Madrigal in The Atlantic: The institutions of the 20th century shaped television into a tool for learning. Researchers, regulators, and creators poured tremendous resources into producing a version of children’s TV that, at the very least, is not harmful to kids, and that’s even been shown to be good for them under the […]