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Churches received up to $10 billion in stimulus funding. They want more.
Apparently the Catholic Church is a small business.
05 August, 2020
Photo by Olivier Douliery-Pool via Getty Images
- Churches and ministries received up to $10 billion in federal assistance during the first round of stimulus.
- The Catholic Church exploited a loophole to be considered a "small business" and received up to $3.5 billion in forgivable loans.
- With stimulus measures ending last week, up to 40 million Americans are in danger of losing their homes.
<p>Last Friday, the weekly $600 federal stimulus boost ran out, impacting over 30 million Americans that are currently collecting unemployment. While a new round of stimulus is <a href="https://www.cnet.com/personal-finance/next-stimulus-package-all-the-benefits-you-could-receive-including-a-second-check/" target="_blank">being debated</a>, as many as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/30/what-its-like-to-be-evicted-during-the-coivd-19-pandemic.html" target="_blank">40 million Americans</a> could lose their homes if no protections are put in place. Despite noise about "tense negotiations," the government isn't acting with the urgency necessary to protect citizens.</p><p>Not that the first round of stimulus went exceptionally well. The U.S. Treasury sent over one million checks, totaling $1.4 billion, to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/06/25/irs-stimulus-checks-dead-people-gao/" target="_blank">dead people</a>. At least <a href="https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2020/05/01/public-companies-received-1-billion-in-stimulus-funds-meant-for-small-businesses/#:~:text=Nearly%20300%20public%20companies%20have,typically%20allowed%20by%20the%20program.&text=Officials%20have%20urged%20publicly%20traded,the%20money%20by%20May%207." target="_blank">43 companies</a> with over 500 workers received assistance under the Paycheck Protection Act, which is above the requirement threshold. This included a number of <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/4/22/21229319/ruth-chris-shake-shack-potbelly-ppp-loans" target="_blank">chain businesses</a>, some of which returned the money. </p><p>In one of the most surprising revelations, religious groups <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/03/898753550/religious-groups-received-6-10-billion-in-covid-19-relief-funds-hope-for-more?fbclid=IwAR2hzxb6hTr_VU5EVK5Shx_uemkRi52lN5rJQiR7kOXgtwB4S-vkhqW4jjY" target="_blank">received up to $10 billion</a> in relief, including the U.S. Catholic Church, which reportedly received as much as <a href="https://apnews.com/dab8261c68c93f24c0bfc1876518b3f6" target="_blank">$3.5 billion in forgivable loans</a> under the CARES Act. That stimulus money makes the organization, with over a billion followers and up to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/with-30b-in-wealth-why-is-the-catholic-church-struggling-to-pay-for-justice-20180208-p4yzra.html" target="_blank">$30 billion in wealth</a>, one of the biggest winners in the stimulus program. </p><p>The Archdiocese of New York was awarded at least $28 million for its top executive offices. Orange County churches received four loans worth at least $3 million. Another $2 million went to a West Virginia diocese that was under investigation just last year for sexual abuse charges.</p><p>It appears that having friends in high places <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-the-catholic-church-got-14-billion-in-paycheck-protection-program-money-2020-07-10" target="_blank">helped out</a>. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Lobbied by religious leaders, the Trump administration went one step further by granting all faith groups a special waiver to the 500-employee cap. For the Catholic Church, that meant instead of all churches, schools, and other organizations in a diocese grouping their employees into a single total — making many ineligible due to their size — each could apply as an independent, 'small' entity."</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUzNzYyOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDAwMzc4OX0.1VVmF7_xKtNZ6DpvcVkG8nxx0P2i2ES3lLH2m_bKNXM/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C103%2C0%2C3&height=700" id="44e74" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d2ed4c8d4479348dbb2e1da4f17dd3d7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="crowd outside of Pope Francis' window" />
<p class=""><br></p>People wait for Pope Francis to give a short speech followed by the Angelus from the window of his apartment over St. Peter's Square on September 02, 2018 in Vatican City, Vatican.
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
<p>Catholic institutions in America employ over <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/03/13/the-new-pope-will-be-one-of-americas-biggest-employers/" target="_blank">one million people</a>, over <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/234488/number-of-amazon-employees/#:~:text=This%20statistic%20represents%20the%20combined,-%20and%20part-time%20employees." target="_blank">200,000 more</a> workers than on Amazon's payroll. Quite a small business.</p><p>The Catholic Church wasn't the only non-taxpaying entity to receive a boon. A campus ministry subsidiary of the Presbyterian Church of America <a href="https://ministrywatch.com/churches-and-religious-non-profits-received-6-10-billion-in-covid-relief-funds/" target="_blank">received between $5-$10 million</a>. Another $5 million went to Willow Creek Community Church, a megachurch whose longtime pastor was <a href="https://ministrywatch.com/a-ministrywatch-analysis-what-happened-at-willow-creek/" target="_blank">accused of sexual misconduct</a> in 2018. </p><p>The First Baptist Church of Dallas <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ppp-religious/televangelists-megachurches-tied-to-trump-approved-for-millions-in-pandemic-aid-idUSKBN2480CB" target="_blank">received up to $5 million</a>. The church's leader, Robert Jeffress, <a href="https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/top-10-things-first-baptist-dallas-pastor-robert-jeffress-thinks-8326587" target="_blank">believes</a> abortion caused 9/11, gay sex can make you explode, and pedophilia and homosexuality are inherently related. Jeffress also sits on Trump's evangelical advisory board. </p><p>Churches and ministries receiving at least $2 million include ministry group, Jews for Jesus (<a href="https://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=6322" target="_blank">total assets</a>: $39,596,245); evangelical book and music publisher, David C Cook (<a href="https://www.ecfa.org/memberprofile.aspx?id=7737" target="_blank">total assets</a>: $87,871,425); Mariners Church, an Irvine-based megachurch (<a href="https://www.ecfa.org/ComparativeFinancialData.aspx?ID=23142&Type=Member" target="_blank">total assets</a>: $107,026,283); The Summit Church, a North Carolina-based Southern Baptist church (<a href="https://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=44905" target="_blank">total assets</a>: $60,694,442); and Orlando-based Ligonier Ministries (<a href="https://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=5396" target="_blank">total assets</a>: $46,203,410).</p><p>Another <a href="https://ministrywatch.com/ministries-and-churches-receiving-more-than-1-m-in-paycheck-protection-program-funds/" target="_blank">400 ministries received at least $1 million</a> in forgivable loans under the CARES Act. </p><p>To reiterate, up to 40 million Americans may lose their home this year. </p><p>While churches already save <a href="https://bigthink.com/21st-century-spirituality/how-to-make-71-billion-a-year-tax-the-churches" target="_self">$71 billion</a> in tax relief every year, both Republican and Democratic proposals allow religious organizations to participate in the next round of stimulus funding. </p><p>Blessed are the meek, unless you have a lobbyist. Then you're just blessed. </p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://derekberes.substack.com/" target="_blank">Substack</a>. His next book is</em> "<em>Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</em></p>
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The Anthropause is here: COVID-19 reduced Earth's vibrations by 50 percent
The planet is making a lot less noise during lockdown.
04 August, 2020
Photo by Eric Rojas/Getty Images
- A team of researchers found that Earth's vibrations were down 50 percent between March and May.
- This is the quietest period of human-generated seismic noise in recorded history.
- The researchers believe this helps distinguish between natural vibrations and human-created vibrations.
<p>The planet's vibes are down.</p><p>That's the consensus from a team of researchers at six European institutions; the study was based at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. Their <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/07/22/science.abd2438" target="_blank">research</a>, published in Science, found that human-linked vibrations around the planet dropped by 50 percent between March and May 2020—the quietest period of seismic noise since scientists began monitoring the Earth. </p><p>Seismometers were invented in China during the 2nd century, though today's version dates to the 1880s, when a team of British and Scottish engineers worked as foreign-government advisors in Japan. Today, we generally discuss seismic waves in terms of bombs, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, though human activity, such as travel and industry, also produce such waves. </p><p>As the world slowed down during the pandemic—the researchers call it an "Anthropause"—travel and industry ground to a standstill. For the first time in recorded history, researchers were able to differentiate between natural seismic waves and those caused by humans. The drop was most noticeable in densely-populated urban areas, though even seismometers buried deep in remote areas, such as the Auckland Volcanic Field in New Zealand, picked up on the change. </p><p>Dr Stephen Hicks, a co-author from Imperial College London, <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/200454/covid-19-lockdown-causes-50-global-reduction/" target="_blank">comments</a> on the importance of this research: </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Our study uniquely highlights just how much human activities impact the solid Earth, and could let us see more clearly than ever what differentiates human and natural noise."</p>
Earth is quieter as coronavirus lockdowns reduce seismic vibration
<span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cc871d5d88a79ecc6605ce488c26a7c1"><iframe type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_yFF2MziwPA?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span><p>The team investigated seismic data from a global network of 268 stations spread out across 117 countries. As lockdown measures in different regions began, they tracked the drop in vibrations. Singapore and New York City recorded some of the biggest drops, though even Germany's Black Forest—famous for its association with the Brothers Grimm fairy tales—went quieter than usual.</p><p>The researchers also relied on citizen-owned seismometers in Cornwall and Boston, which recorded a 20 percent reduction from relatively quiet stretches in these college towns, such as during school holidays. </p><p>The environmental impact of lockdown has been dramatic. Indian skylines are notoriously grey. This <a href="https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-lockdown-pollution-drops-india-156b4f1d-160b-44d9-885a-148960b9e469.html" target="_blank">collection of photos</a> shows how quickly nature recovers when humans limit travel and industry. Such photographs also make you wonder why we cannot control emissions to begin with, now that we know the stakes. </p><p>Lead author, Dr Thomas Lecocq, says their research could help seismologists suss out the difference between human-created vibrations and natural vibrations, potentially resulting in longer lead times when natural disasters are set to strike. </p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"With increasing urbanisation and growing global populations, more people will be living in geologically hazardous areas. It will therefore become more important than ever to differentiate between natural and human-caused noise so that we can 'listen in' and better monitor the ground movements beneath our feet. This study could help to kick-start this new field of study."</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUzNDUyMi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwOTY1ODIwOX0.J8rsmy5aVSNOHl_p4BYKBSN0zmB_EOiaQg62rWKZoNg/img.jpg?width=1245&coordinates=0%2C85%2C0%2C21&height=700" id="899ba" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cbf70fcc68c82e3ca36533d6cef59968" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="stray puppies" />
Stray puppies play in an abandoned, partially-completed cooling tower inside the exclusion zone at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on August 18, 2017 near Chornobyl, Ukraine.
Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images
<p>The Earth is much stronger than us; humans are its products. In his 2007 book, "The World Without Us," Alan Weisman details just how quickly nature recovers from our insults. Chernobyl offers a <a href="http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160421-the-chernobyl-exclusion-zone-is-arguably-a-nature-reserve" target="_blank">real-world example</a>, while <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/even-if-injection-of-fracking-wastewater-stops-quakes-wont/" target="_blank">earthquakes caused by fracking-related wastewater injection</a> in Oklahoma are evidence of how much damage human "vibrations" cause.</p><p>Weisman's poetic homage imagines a symbiotic relationship with nature. This relationship depends on our cooperation, however. Weisman knows we aren't long for this world, nor is this world long for this universe: in just five billion years, give or take, Earth will implode. We all live on borrowed time. How we live during that time defines our character. </p><p>While he strikes a hopeful tone, Weisman knows nature will eventually have her way with us.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"After we're gone, nature's revenge for our smug, mechanized superiority arrives waterborne. It starts with wood-frame construction, the most widely used residential building technique in the developed world. It begins on the roof, probably asphalt, or slate shingle, warranted to last two or three decades—but that warranty doesn't count around the chimney, where the first leak occurs." </p><p>The play-by-play of our demise continues, though Weisman offers plenty of proactive advice. The question is, will we be able to live up to it? Sadly, nothing in modern society hints at the possibility. </p><p>The only way we seem willing to pause our relentless pursuit of "progress" is when we're forced to do so, as in the current pandemic. The results, as the team in Belgium shows, are measurable. Whether or not we heed the call to slow our impact remains to be seen. Given precedent, it's unlikely, though as Weisman concludes, one can always dream. </p><p>--</p><p><em>Stay in touch with Derek on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/derekberes" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DerekBeresdotcom" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://derekberes.substack.com/" target="_blank">Substack</a>. His next book is</em> "<em>Hero's Dose: The Case For Psychedelics in Ritual and Therapy."</em></p>
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Missing the bar? Become a master mixologist in your living room.
Certified sommelier Carlos Batista will show you the ropes of bartending.
28 July, 2020
- Neighborhood bars might be closed, but you can still enjoy your favorite cocktails at home.
- Sommelier Carlos Batista will teach everything you need to know about vodka, sake, tequila, wine, whiskey, and more.
- In his nine-course bundle, you'll learn all about flavors, how to read labels, and how to mix the perfect drink.
<script async="true" src="https://widgets.stackcommerce.com/js-deal-feed/0.1/widget.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>While the term "social distancing" is on everyone's lips, some recommend the term "physical distancing" instead. We might not be able to crowd into bars, but we can still be social. Zoom happy hours and cocktail sessions, anyone?<br></p><p>If you want to learn how to craft the perfect cocktail, the<a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle&utm_term=scsf-419765&utm_content=a0x1P000004spmXQAQ&scsonar=1" target="_blank"><strong> Mixologist and Budding Bartender Bundle</strong></a> is for you. This nine-course bundle is taught by Carlos Batista, a master sommelier. And by the end of his 179 lessons, you'll be able to mix anything in your liquor cabinet.</p><p>Do you wonder about the differences between whiskey, bourbon, rye, and scotch? A deep dive into the exciting world of whiskeys and scotches will educate you on the history of these spirits, teach you how to recognize flavors and aromas, and refine your knowledge of reading a label. </p><p>Courses in gin, brandy, vodka, tequila and mezcal, and sake will make you an expert on everything on the shelf. Of course, every sommelier needs to talk about wine, and Batista doesn't let you down. You'll learn how to properly taste wine and detect defects in a glass. You'll also be armed to decant a bottle in a restaurant setting. </p><p>Once you have knowledge of all these liquors, you'll need to know how to put them together. A 20-lesson course in serving cocktails will make you the star of the party—even if, for now, it's in the privacy of your living room.</p><p><strong>Carlos Batista</strong> has worked in the hospitality industry for over two decades. Besides being a certified sommelier, he holds a Specialist of Spirits certification. He's a mixologist, entrepreneur, and author of 11 books related to beer, wine, spirits, sake, cigars, and hospitality service.</p><p><a href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle&utm_term=scsf-419765&utm_content=a0x1P000004spmXQAQ&scsonar=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>The Mixologist and Budding Bartender Bundle</strong> </a>is on sale now for just $29.99, a 93% discount from the original price. </p><p><em>Price subject to change. Subscribers must be of legal age where they reside. These courses do not condone underage drinking in any capacity.</em></p><div data-react-checksum="-690468937" data-reactid="1" data-reactroot="" style="position: relative;"><a data-reactid="2" href="https://shop.bigthink.com/sales/the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle?utm_source=bigthink.com&utm_medium=referral-cta&utm_campaign=the-become-a-professional-mixologist-spirits-bundle&utm_term=scsf-419765&utm_content=a0x1P000004spmXQAQ&scsonar=1" rel="noopener" target="_blank"> </a>
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How face masks are fooling facial recognition software
A new study explores how wearing a face mask affects the error rates of popular facial recognition algorithms.
28 July, 2020
Credit: B. Hayes/NIST
- The study measured the error rates of 89 commercial facial recognition technologies as they attempted to match photos of people with and without masks.
- Wearing a mask increased error rates by 5 to 50 percent among the algorithms.
- The researchers said they expect facial recognition technology to get better at recognizing people wearing masks. But it's not clear that that's what Americans want.
<p>Wearing a face mask shields you from not only viruses, but also facial recognition software, according to a new <a href="https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2020/07/nist-launches-investigation-face-masks-effect-face-recognition-software" target="_blank">study</a> from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).</p><p>The study tested how accurately 89 commercial facial recognition algorithms could identify people who had masks on. To do that, the researchers tested a specific method of facial recognition called "one-to-one" matching, where the software compares a photo of a person to a different photo of the same person. The algorithm works by measuring the exact distance between a person's facial features, and it's the same technique used to unlock smartphone and verify passports. </p><p>The team tested the algorithms on about 6 million photos. Each photo set showed the same person twice: once with a digitally applied mask, once without. The results showed that masks effectively confused the software, causing a 5 to 50 percent spike in error rate in the algorithms.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxODQ5My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNDE1NzYwNX0.7mCZwqfWPSLgGVY45ZiAiolqMgoGlRX-tzRfF1xYKwM/img.png?width=980" id="8a01c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="82035bafe2fe2c9b6ae00ffe1f86ee41" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Facial recognition experiment" />
NIST digitally applied mask shapes to photos and tested the performance of face recognition algorithms developed before COVID appeared. Because real-world masks differ, the team came up with variants that included differences in shape, color and nose coverage.
Credit: B. Hayes/NIST
<p>But not all masks thwarted the software equally. For example, black masks led to higher error rates than blue masks (though the researchers said they weren't able to completely explore how color affected the software). Error rates were also higher when people wore wide masks (as opposed to rounder ones) that covered most of the nose.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"With the arrival of the pandemic, we need to understand how face recognition technology deals with masked faces," said Mei Ngan, a NIST computer scientist and an author of the report. "We have begun by focusing on how an algorithm developed before the pandemic might be affected by subjects wearing face masks. Later this summer, we plan to test the accuracy of algorithms that were intentionally developed with masked faces in mind."</p><p>The researchers said they expect facial-recognition software will get better at recognizing people wearing masks.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"But the data we've taken so far underscores one of the ideas common to previous FRVT tests: Individual algorithms perform differently," Ngan said.</p>American opinion on facial recognition
<p>But do Americans even want better facial recognition technology? The answer depends on who's deploying the software. A <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2019/09/05/more-than-half-of-u-s-adults-trust-law-enforcement-to-use-facial-recognition-responsibly/" target="_blank">2019 survey from Pew Research Center</a> found that 56 percent of Americans would trust law enforcement to use facial recognition technology responsibly, while 59 percent said it's acceptable for officials to use the software to monitor public spaces for threats.</p><p>Americans are more wary of trusting the private sector with facial recognition. For example, 36 percent of respondents said they'd trust technology companies to use the software responsibly, while only 16 percent said they'd trust advertisers to do the same.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxODQ5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTgyNzc3M30.wOU9SpP-0-71oxYlRqe2d4rFs3NfBiOQ3vzp-9KgErM/img.jpg?width=980" id="429b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="12cb800fde3a9e619a3073971ffd9f22" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="silhouettes of people standing in front of a security camera" />Tests On Facial Recognition Technology Begun At Berlin Suedkreuz
<p class=""><br></p>(Photo by Steffi Loos/Getty Images)
<p>No matter how Americans feel about facial recognition, it's probably here to stay. After all, the FBI already has a database of more than <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/11/the-future-of-facial-recognition-in-america.html" target="_blank">641 million facial images</a>, many of which simply come from publicly accessible social media posts. And even though cities like San Francisco have banned the technology, police across the country are using it with increasing frequency.</p><p>Georgetown Law School's Center on Privacy and Technology <a href="https://www.perpetuallineup.org/findings/deployment" target="_blank">estimates</a> that "more than one in four of all American state and local law enforcement agencies can run face recognition searches of their own databases, run those searches on another agency's face recognition system, or have the option to access such a system."</p>
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These are the 10 most discussed tech topics during COVID-19
Here's how the world's technology conversations are changing.
28 July, 2020
Photo by Pawel Nolbert on Unsplash
COVID is changing the world and our technology conversations are changing with it.
<p>As part of <a href="https://www.weforum.org/whitepapers/critical-frontier-leveraging-technology-to-combat-covid-19" target="_blank">work identifying promising technology use cases to combat COVID</a>, The Boston Consulting Group recently used contextual AI to analyze more than 150 million English language media articles from 30 countries published between December 2019 to May 2020. While the research reflects media coverage and not technology development, the analysis still reveals a range of shifting interests. These shifts can give a sense for how the world has refocused itself to tackle the crisis in the short term. The findings also show the crisis could be leaving some key risks or solutions under-discussed or under-explored, potentially creating new vulnerabilities.</p><h3>Tech talk after COVID</h3><p>As can be seen in the below figure, only half of the top tech/telco topics pre-COVID remain in the top ten during COVID. This speaks to a fundamental change in core interests and principal concerns.</p>
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxNTY5OC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzOTQ1NzE2Mn0.nLyLtkgnzTxiVifj2-x6M4ZSXYEPHtU6VgceuacDUY8/img.png?width=980" id="fb501" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9d7fc8cafc8a353569b3781c89a4211e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="The 10 most discussed tech topics after COVID-19" />
Image: World Economic Forum, Boston Consulting Group
<p>The first priority during this pandemic has been the protection of individuals, and rightly so. As a result, topics such as biotech/medtech have gained prominence as researchers seek out new treatments and a potential vaccine. This shift has fueled a new interest in telemedicine as well. This technology was slow in adoption for outpatient care pre-COVID, but has seen enormous growth in the past 6 months, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/18/coronavirus-how-covid-19-accelerated-the-rise-of-telemedicine.html" target="_blank">as lockdowns and the virus forced patients and doctors to seek new solutions for care.</a></p><p>The coronavirus has also brought new uncertainties. With this, data analytics has risen 35% from pre-COVID levels, as individuals and companies use emerging data from medical research and emerging habits to forecast everything from the path of the pandemic to potential supply chain disruptions.</p><p>Talk regarding delivery drones has increased by 57% in topic share, thanks in part to new uses of drones to deliver much-needed supplies such as groceries and PPE in areas hard to reach after COVID-19 lockdowns.<br></p><p>COVID-19 boosted the number of articles written about 5G, though the context for these conversations has shifted. Articles pre-COVID focused on potential capabilities from a 5G rollout. As the virus spread, however, fear sparked by conspiracy theorists linked 5G technology to misinformation campaigns.</p><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzUxNTcwMC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNzk3OTI0Mn0.KLABPkt_uDAU0svcl0st6oQRJ8zXbDNA8BFUi_CCgeA/img.png?width=980" id="aa51b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7814261de2e31f053ec33fe154b20e63" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Top COVID tech conversations in India, China, the European Union and the US" />
Image: World Economic Forum, Boston Consulting Group
<p>As part of this research, analysis dug into top discussion topics in 4 of the world's key regions: India, China, the European Union and the US. Here contextual AI studied more than 2,500 publications between January and May 2020. To be sure, a number of factors determine the types of media coverage that emerges in different regions. Still, this exercise is another window into how technology conversations differed across contexts as countries faced the virus in different ways, leveraging different tools and resources.</p><h3>Left unsaid or under-discussed</h3><p>As the pandemic spread, "business as usual" gave way to crisis management. As it did, traditionally-popular tech topics such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, internet of things, blockchain, robotics, and cybersecurity have been discussed less often than usual during the pandemic. In some cases they have fallen off the map entirely.</p><p>This trend reflects the need tackle the immediate health needs of the crisis while ignoring the key role that other technologies or risks will play in more long-term solutions.</p><p>Blockchain, for instance, will be key for more resilient supply chains and <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/blockchain-role-in-distributing-covid-19-vaccine-could-make-history/" target="_blank">integral to the equitable deployment</a> of the vaccine once it is available.</p><p>AI and machine learning have fallen in rank but have shown to be integral to a range of efforts, including helping researchers <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/covid-19-study-6-strains-severity-kings-college-london/" target="_blank">sort through massive amounts of data</a> quickly to process the real-time information being processed about the disease.</p><p>Cybersecurity has fallen off the list of top ten tech topics entirely and that fact belies the growing risk that cyber security poses to a range of sectors, including the newly remote workforce. Additionally, the medical field is particularly vulnerable to cyber threats and the past months have seen a <a href="https://www.securitymagazine.com/articles/92575-increase-in-reports-of-ransomware-attacks-on-health-care-entities" target="_blank">75% increase in ransomware</a> attacks against health professionals (Some attacks have even targeted researchers <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53214783" target="_blank">seeking a cure for COVID.</a>) The World Health Organization reported a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/23-04-2020-who-reports-fivefold-increase-in-cyber-attacks-urges-vigilance#:~:text=Since%20the%20start%20of%20the,targeting%20the%20public%20at%20large.&text=The%20number%20of%20cyber%20attacks%20is%20now%20more%20than%20five,the%20same%20period%20last%20year." target="_blank">five-fold increase</a> in cyberattacks between this year and last.</p><h3>Looking ahead</h3><p>The global pandemic is forcing us to re-think the way we work and how we do business. As our attentions focus on the most immediate threats, we must remember to consider the longer term. Looking past just the crisis before us can give us a fuller picture of the risks we face - as well as the opportunities we might not be exploring and the solutions we can put into place.</p><p>Reprinted with permission of the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/10-top-tech-topics-during-covid-19-india-china-us-eu/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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