Meta Faces U.S. Lawsuits over Teen Social Media Addiction
Overview: Meta and other social media platforms, including Snapchat, are now facing class-action lawsuits in the U.S. for allegedly creating teen social media addiction.
Cause: The alleged reason for the exploding increase in teen social media usage is addiction algorithms, which take advantage of human brains’ habit loops.
Effects: High screen time is associated with mental health diseases, reduced outdoor life, and the ability to experience cyberstalking.
Suggested Interventions: Establish a minimum age for signing up for social media and facilitate the use of technology that promotes responsible use of the network.
India’s Neutrino Observatory (INO) Focuses on Neutrino Research
Overview: INO will likely advance the investigation on neutrinos, subatomic particles which are key for the knowledge of how the fundamental particles interact with each other.
Significance: Neutrinos, dubbed ghost particles, have an important role in cosmic phenomena as well as the Earth’s internal processes.
Global Comparison: INO, along with other international projects, would place India on the world map of neutrino research, like IceCube and DUNE
Future Prospects: The research would bring about a sea change in the science of understanding the universe’s most violent processes.
Supreme Court Questions Feasibility of Gram Nyayalayas
Problem: Practical viability in the implementation of Gram Nyayalayas, conceptualized with the idea of justice delivery at the grassroots village level.
Challenges: Issues such as fund constraints, and cases flooding higher courts.
Current Scenario: 500 Gram Nyayalayas are yet to be established out of 2,500 envisaged, which points out significant gaps in the current implementation process.
Government Efforts: Financial support is being provided by centrally sponsored schemes to states for initiating the institution process at the state level.
Challenges of Stubble Burning in North India
Background: Stubble burning in the states of Punjab and Haryana has become a major source of pollution in the region.
Impact: It contributes to the acute degradation of air quality in Delhi-NCR, affecting health and the environment.
Judicial Interventions: The Supreme Court has pulled up state governments for not implementing laws that could check the same.
Scalable Alternatives: Activities include soil application of crop litter and burning of stubble for biofuel.
IUCN Report on Agriculture and Biodiversity
Findings: Agriculture affects 34% of the threatened species on the IUCN Red List mainly via habitat destruction and pollution.
Duality: Agriculture favors some species; however its growth mainly is a threat to biodiversity.
Policy Suggestions: Policies on agriculture must go hand in hand with conservation efforts to proceed further with biodiversity, as well as with agricultural productivity.
Key Concepts and Policies
Gram Nyayalayas Act 2008– The Act is targeted to bring easy access to justice through local courts in rural India.
Social Security 2020 Code– Recognizes Gig workers. Its primary aim is to integrate such workers into the formal social security system.
E-Shram Portal– It is a national database meant for unorganized workers to make easier access for all government schemes.
