New Zealand's official privacy watchdog described Facebook as "morally bankrupt" and suggested his country follow neighboring Australia's lead by making laws that could jail executives over streamed violence such as the Christchurch mosque shootings. Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has been critical of Facebook's response to ...
Google launches global council to advise on AI and tech ethics
Alphabet Inc.'s Google said on Tuesday it was launching a global advisory council to consider ethical issues around artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. The council, which is slated to publish a report at the end of 2019, includes technology experts, digital ethicists, and people ...
Competitive culture brings out the worst in scientists
A Chinese researcher wanted to be a pioneer so badly that he ignored ethical boundaries; others think a Nobel is a license to rant
Tiffany to disclose info on diamond origins amid concerns over 'conflict' stones
Tiffany announced Wednesday it would identify the origin of diamonds, a transparency initiative to assure customers worried about "conflict diamonds." Starting immediately, Tiffany will provide sourcing information for diamonds 0.18 carats and larger and will in 2020 share information about the "craftsmanship" journey of the ...
China gene-editing scientist's project rejected for WHO database
The global medical community is distancing itself further from the researcher whose controversial gene-editing work has been condemned by scientists and the Chinese government. A Chinese branch of the World Health Organization has withdrawn an application to register He Jiankui's project in its clinical database. ...
WHO plans team to consider standards for 'uncharted water' gene editing
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday that gene editing "may have unintended consequences" and that it was setting up a team of experts to study the ethical, social and safety dimensions and set guidelines. "Gene editing may have unintended consequences, this is uncharted ...
Gene editing: Repeating nature's experiment
A mutation sometime in the last 3,000 years already gave some Europeans the immunity that a scientist claims to have recreated in an embryo.
Chinese scientist reveals second gene-altered pregnancy under way
The Chinese researcher who claims to have created the world's first genetically-altered babies revealed a possible second pregnancy had resulted from his project, highlighting the dilemmas facing China's leaders as they attempt to control a nascent industry racing to dominate genomics research globally. He Jiankui ...
The Chinese scientist who claims to have created the world's first genetically-edited babies said Wednesday the trial had been paused, following an international outcry over the highly controversial procedure. He Jiankui defended his work in front of a packed Hong Kong biomedical conference, saying he ...
China's opening of human gene engineering 'Pandora's box' seen as symptom of unbridled tech quest
A Chinese researcher's claim that he successfully modified the genes of human embryos may force the country to make a stark choice about the future of its burgeoning biotechnology industry — one with significant implications for an emerging technology arms race with the West. He ...
Ethics group urged probe into Nikki Haley travel, games perks one day ahead of announced exit
An anti-corruption group had urged an investigation into Nikki Haley's acceptance of private airplanes and free basketball tickets a day before she resigned Tuesday as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had urged the State Department's inspector general ...
Trump discloses 'expenses' payment to attorney who paid off porn star
President Donald Trump revealed in his financial disclosure Wednesday that he reimbursed personal attorney Michael Cohen as much as $250,000 for unspecified "expenses," with no mention of a $130,000 payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about a sexual tryst she said ...
