Category Archives: Human Behavior

Human Behavior

Multifactor authentication is not all it’s cracked up to be – Cybersecurity Dive

The recent spate of phishing attacks against identity-based authentication shows the extent to which MFA defenses can crumble, even under unsophisticated tactics.

Cybersecurity professionals and authorities resoundingly agree MFA in any form is better than single-factor authentication, such as a username and password combo, but its strength resides on many variables, most of which are unattended to or unmet.

Configurations that depend on email, text messages or unmanaged devices that might contain malware create weaker methods of authentication.

As we have seen, cyber predators have found MFA workarounds, said Ron Westfall, senior analyst and research director at Futurum Research. Too many organizations limit their use of MFA with these methods when stronger MFA controls can be achieved with cryptographic techniques, authentication apps and physical keys, he said.

MFA isnt a panacea for cyber woes just ask some purveyors of MFA services that have been targeted and beaten at their own game.

MFA has been universally accepted as a secure design inclusion, and even before these types of attacks became common, the idea that MFA will solve authentication security forever without introducing other unknown risks is an illogical one, Casey Ellis, founder and CTO at Bugcrowd, said via email.

Twilios widely-used two-factor authentication service was compromised in August after multiple employees were duped into providing their credentials to threat actors.

The attack, part of a larger campaign that compromised at least 10,000 user credentials, spread to 163 Twilio customers, including Okta and Signal, and traveled downstream to many of their respective users credentials.

MFA wasnt enough to stop attacks against Cisco or Uber, either.

The most broadly adopted systems of MFA rely on human behavior, which opens organizations to multiple paths for attack.

Text messages, email, and one-time passwords are susceptible to adversary-in-the-middle attacks that allow threat actors to bypass MFA.

Many organizations and users rely on phone numbers as digital identity devices for which they are not purpose-designed, Westfall said.

In the event of a stolen or compromised smartphone or device, an attacker can transfer the phone number and key data to themselves or a collaborator to receive the authentication requests an avoid at all costs scenario, Westfall said.

Email- and text-based MFA should only be used when no alternatives are available, Jason Rebholz, CISO at Corvus Insurance, said via email.

Not all forms of MFA are created equal, Rebholz said. The reality is that most MFA implementations do rely on human behavior and decision making. Hackers exploit this with new techniques like MFA prompt bombing, which aims to annoy the user into clicking approve to make the prompts stop.

Human involvement, the first and foremost factor that imposes additional vulnerabilities on MFA, is often unavoidable.

It can be argued in todays threat landscape that while having any form of MFA is better than no MFA, text message and email-based MFA is considered broken, Daniel Thanos, VP of Arctic Wolf Labs, said via email.

These methods of MFA are vulnerable to exploitation of human behavior. And while they do make it more difficult for a threat actor to compromise an account, they can be bypassed via MFA fatigue and SIM-swapping techniques, Thanos said.

Its not so much that MFA is too reliant on human behavior, but rather that most forms of authentication inherently involve a human.

Without the human, MFA wouldnt have context to exist in the first place, Ellis said.

Ultimately, MFA is only as strong as the weakest link in the supply chain and the resilience of each individual using it.

For example, it would be somewhat pointless to use email-based MFA if your email itself does not have MFA, Sounil Yu, CISO and head of research at JupiterOne, said via email.

MFA creates one barrier in the way of threat actors, but organizations that overburden this layer of defense can and will be reminded of its shortcomings the hard way.

Every security innovation is eventually bypassed. MFA ups the game for attackers and makes it harder, but security is never done, said Peter Firstbrook, research VP at Gartner. We have to assume failure and prepare for these types of bypasses, rather than keep searching for the perfect authentication method.

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Multifactor authentication is not all it's cracked up to be - Cybersecurity Dive

Human Behavior

Hiltzik: The overhyping of AI – Los Angeles Times

The star of the show at Teslas annual AI Day (for artificial intelligence) on Sept. 30 was a humanoid robot introduced by Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk as Optimus.

The robot could walk, if gingerly, and perform a few repetitive mechanical tasks such as waving its arms and wielding a watering can over plant boxes. The demo was greeted enthusiastically by the several hundred engineers in the audience, many of whom hoped to land a job with Tesla.

This means a future of abundance, Musk proclaimed from the stage. A future where there is no poverty. ... It really is a fundamental transformation of civilization as we know it.

We still dont have a learning paradigm that allows machines to learn how the world works, like human and many non-human babies do.

AI researcher Yann LeCun

Robotics experts watching remotely were less impressed. Not mind-blowing was the sober judgment of Christian Hubicki of Florida State University.

Some AI experts were even less charitable. The event was quite the dud, Ben Shneiderman of the University of Maryland told me. Among other shortcomings, Musk failed to articulate a coherent use case for the robot that is, what would it do?

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To Shneiderman and others in the AI field, the Tesla demo embodied some of the worst qualities of AI hype; its reduction to humanoid characters, its exorbitant promises, its promotion by self-interested entrepreneurs and its suggestion that AI systems or devices can function autonomously, without human guidance, to achieve results that outmatch human capacities.

When news articles uncritically repeat PR statements, overuse images of robots, attribute agency to AI tools, or downplay their limitations, they mislead and misinform readers about the potential and limitations of AI, Sayash Kapoor and Arvind Narayanan wrote in a checklist of AI reporting pitfalls posted online the very day of the Tesla demo.

When we talk about AI, Kapoor says, we tend to say things like AI is doing X artificial intelligence is grading your homework, for instance. We dont talk about any other technology this way we dont say, the truck is driving on the road or a telescope is looking at a star. Its illuminating to think about why we consider AI to be different from other tools. In reality, its just another tool for doing a task.

That is not how AI is commonly portrayed in the media or, indeed, in announcements by researchers and firms engaged in the field. There, the systems are described as having learned to read, to grade papers or to diagnose diseases at least as well as, or even better than, humans.

Kapoor believes that the reason some researchers may try to hide the human ingenuity behind their AI systems is that its easier to attract investors and publicity with claims of AI breakthroughs in the same way that dot-com was a marketing draw around the year 2000 or crypto is today.

What is typically left out of much AI reporting is that the machines successes apply in only limited cases, or that the evidence of their accomplishments is dubious. Some years ago, the education world was rocked by a study purporting to show that machine- and human-generated grades of a selection of student essays were similar.

The claim was challenged by researchers who questioned its methodology and results, but not before headlines appeared in national newspapers such as: Essay-Grading Software Offers Professors a Break. One of the studys leading critics, Les Perelman of MIT, subsequently built a system he dubbed the Basic Automatic B.S. Essay Language Generator, or Babel, with which he demonstrated that machine grading couldnt tell the difference between gibberish and cogent writing.

The emperor has no clothes, Perelman told the Chronicle of Higher Education at the time. OK, maybe in 200 years the emperor will get clothes. ... But right now, the emperor doesnt.

A more recent claim was that AI systems may be as effective as medical specialists at diagnosing disease, as a CNN article asserted in 2019. The diagnostic system in question, according to the article, employed algorithms, big data, and computing power to emulate human intelligence.

Those are buzzwords that promoted the false impression that the system actually did emulate human intelligence, Kapoor observed. Nor did the article make clear that the AI systems purported success was seen in only a very narrow range of diseases.

AI hype is not only a hazard to laypersons understanding of the field but poses the danger of undermining the field itself. One key to human-machine interaction is trust, but if people begin to see a field having overpromised and underdelivered, the route to public acceptance will only grow longer.

Oversimplification of achievements in artificial intelligence evokes scenarios familiar from science fiction: futurescapes in which machines take over the world, reducing humans to enslaved drones or leaving them with nothing to do but laze around.

A persistent fear is that AI-powered automation, supposedly cheaper and more efficient than humans, will put millions of people out of work. This concern was triggered in part by a 2013 Oxford University paper estimating that future computerization placed 47% of U.S. employment at risk.

Shneiderman rejected this forecast in his book Human Centered AI, published in January. Automation eliminates certain jobs, as it has ... from at least the time when Gutenbergs printing presses put scribes out of work, he wrote. However, automation usually lowers costs and increases quality.... The expanded production, broader distribution channels, and novel products lead to increased employment.

Technological innovations may render older occupations obsolete, according to a 2020 MIT report on the future of work, but also bring new occupations to life, generate demands for new forms of expertise, and create opportunities for rewarding work.

A common feature of AI hype is the drawing of a straight line from an existing accomplishment to a limitless future in which all the problems in the way of further advancement are magically solved, and therefore success in reaching human-level AI is just around the corner.

Yet we still dont have a learning paradigm that allows machines to learn how the world works, like human and many non-human babies do, Yann LeCun, chief AI scientist at Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) and a professor of computer science at NYU, observed recently on Facebook. The solution is not just around the corner. We have a number of obstacles to clear, and we dont know how.

So how can readers and consumers avoid getting duped by AI hype?

Beware of the sleight of hand that asks readers to believe that something that takes the form of a human artifact is equivalent to that artifact, counsels Emily Bender, a computational linguistics expert at the University of Washington. That includes claims that AI systems have written nonfiction, composed software or produced sophisticated legal documents.

The system may have replicated those forms, but it doesnt have access to the multitude of facts needed for nonfiction or the specifications that make a software program work or a document legally valid.

Among the 18 pitfalls in AI reporting cited by Kapoor and Narayanan are the anthropomorphizing of AI tools through images of humanoid robots (including, sadly, the illustration accompanying this article) and descriptions that utilize human-like intellectual qualities such as learning or seeing these tend to be simulations of human behavior, far from the real thing.

Readers should beware of phrases such as the magic of AI or references to superhuman qualities, which implies that an AI tool is doing something remarkable, they write. It hides how mundane the tasks are.

Shneiderman advises reporters and editors to take care to clarify human initiative and control. ... Instead of suggesting that computers take actions on their own initiative, clarify that humans program the computers to take these actions.

Its also important to be aware of the source of any exaggerated claims for AI. When an article only or primarily has quotes from company spokespeople or researchers who built an AI tool, Kapoor and Narayanan advise, it is likely to be over-optimistic about the potential benefits of the tool.

The best defense is healthy skepticism. Artificial intelligence has progressed over recent decades, but it is still in its infancy, and claims for its applications in the modern world, much less into the future, are inescapably incomplete.

To put it another way, no one knows where AI is heading. Its theoretically possible that, as Musk claimed, humanoid robots may eventually bring about a fundamental transformation of civilization as we know it. But no one really knows when or if that utopia will arrive. Until then, the road will be pockmarked by hype.

As Bender advised readers of an especially breathless article about a supposed AI advance: Resist the urge to be impressed.

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Hiltzik: The overhyping of AI - Los Angeles Times

Human Behavior

Innovations in human-machine teaming improve crew readiness before and during battle – Thales

The history of warfare has brought together humans and tools in the constant search for tactical advantages and overmatch capabilities. From the most elementary weapons to the most advanced modern vehicles, military units have long recognized the role that technology plays in determining battlefield outcomes.

In recent years, the increased use of computing, sensors and artificial intelligence in military operations has shifted the relationship between human and machine. For centuries, the equipment, weapons and vehicles used by military forces were viewed as tools, put to service by human strategy and intellect. Today, technological advancements have made many of these machines capable of performing battlefield tasks for human forces: the resulting concept is human-machine teaming.

A modern battlefield deployment could consist of multiple heavy and light motor vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, in-vehicle crews, and off-site support. A complex web of sensor, communications and connectivity solutions helps to unite military forces with their machine counterparts, delivering relevant information in real-time and prioritizing the most essential data for human decision-making. Realistic training supports land forces in being effective at operating with their machine counterparts in scenarios that replicate the dynamic nature of the modern battlefield.

Thales technology facilitates human-machine teaming

Advanced sensor networks are essential for land units to maintain local situational awareness. Thales portfolio of state-of-the-art radar networks delivers detection, identification, tracking and targeting capabilities against demanding target sets in all weather conditions. Beyond offering tangible benefits to situational awareness, these systems increase lethality for military forces by enhancing targeting of both stationary and mobile adversary units from longer distances greatly reducing the kill-chain. Thales advanced geo-location capabilities enable crews to quickly and precisely identify targets of interest, while multi-role surveillance radar makes it possible to track moving vehicles or fixed objects along extensive borders.

Modern land forces are expected to collect, process and communicate more information than ever before. Advanced communications systems must perform reliably with high data rate capabilities to allow disparate forces and vehicles to communicate in real time. Vehicle Communication Nodes from Thales offer secure, dependable performance across a fully scalable architecture. The communication nodes can integrate a broad range of radio types, with an open architecture facilitating interoperability between different radio networks. This emphasis on open design ensures an easy transition and offers a future-proof solution for military units that may upgrade their radio technologies. Thales communication nodes support software-defined networking radios, handheld soldier radios, VoIP and other essential communications devices.

Human crews will always be at the center of human-machine teaming, and an effective battlefield system is designed to enhance the decision-making abilities and lethality of the human end user. Thales helmet-mounted displays (HMD) deliver the most relevant information to in-vehicle crews, synthesizing and prioritizing the aggregated data without overwhelming the human user. These HMDs dramatically improve decision-making in both nighttime and daytime missions, supporting target designation and allocation of points of interest, even in potentially degraded visual environments.

Realistic training for battlefield environments

The goals of human-machine teaming are to improve crew readiness and to enhance battlefield effectiveness. In order to achieve these goals, land forces must understand how to work effectively with their machine counterparts in challenging situations. Effective training scenarios must be able to replicate the many dynamic elements of modern warfare, including the behavior and movement of foreign forces, the capabilities and trajectories of weapons, and the ways in which human forces communicate and interface with unmanned vehicles and other machines. Todays warfighter must have sufficient experience in combat simulation in order to maintain readiness and effectiveness during an operational deployment.

Thales live combat training solutions allow military units to work directly with the same technologies they use on the battlefield. Computer-generated files, developed with artificial intelligence, simulate the behavior of foreign forces, with the capability of integrating specific doctrines or weapons effects to mimic a chosen combat environment. These AI-backed scenarios allow soldiers to train in a completely immersive environment, while the option of using real red forces makes it possible to simulate a complete tactical maneuver in a live combat training center.

Any disruptive technology carries a learning curve before the end user can integrate it seamlessly into their operations. Efficient human-machine teaming is only achievable if the human forces are provided with the time and resources necessary to understand their role in the ecosystem. Thales desktop trainers and combat simulation training make it possible for warfighters to dramatically reduce their learning curve and deploy seamlessly into new and complex battlefield environments.

To achieve victory on the future battlefield, military personnel must embrace the concept of human-machine teaming. Leaders inside command centers as well as infantry units advancing on the enemy will need advanced technology that allows them to analyze and process information faster than their foe. Thales solutions for sophisticated sensor networks, communications nodes, data prioritization and AI-enhanced training will help humans and machines form cohesive teams that will be critical in future fights.

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Innovations in human-machine teaming improve crew readiness before and during battle - Thales

Human Behavior

Once and for all: should we feed the squirrels? – The Michigan Daily

From wading through the fountain by the bell tower the first week of freshman year to cautiously avoiding the M on the Diag, to be a Michigan student is to participate in a rich array of traditions. To some, these customs include feeding squirrels on a sunny day. So, the question stands, once and for all, should we feed the squirrels?

Nursing senior Autumn Farnum is the co-president of The Squirrel Club at the University of Michigan, an organization of students, alumni and members of the Ann Arbor community that feed squirrels during the school year every Sunday. Farnum said they believe feeding squirrels is a good way to build a campus community, as long as they are fed healthy food.

Having the connection between the wildlife and our students here kind of builds that friendly campus environment that we have and also makes sure that (the squirrels) have a nice treat once in a while, Farnum said.

While Farnum and campus tour guides embrace squirrel feeding, animal welfare organizations have raised concerns over feeding the furry creatures. Squirrels who are fed by people can become dependent on handouts occasionally never regaining self-sufficiency. Feeding squirrels can also contribute to their overpopulation in certain areas as the squirrels adapt to reside in areas where human handouts are popular, such as parks and urban areas.

When humans feed squirrels, whether on campus or in other areas, squirrels can lose their natural fear of humans. Ann Arbors fearless squirrels often approach students, especially around the Diag, because they are so often fed there.

LSA sophomore Alanna Carlo-Pagan is a member of the Animal Ethics Society, an organization dedicated to furthering discussion about the ethical treatment of animals through philosophy, and often volunteers for The Creature Conservancy in Ann Arbor. Carlo-Pagan said it is important to think about the impact humans actions have on animal behavior when feeding animals like squirrels.

What you have to take into account when youre measuring the impact of human behavior on the environment is how its gonna affect humans, how its gonna affect other species and how it might affect that species, Carlo-Pagan said. What people are mostly concerned about is how it just rubs patterns of migration and food seeking behavior and how it might lead animals to become so trusting of humans or imprinted on humans that theyre unable to actually go out and look for food on their own.

Squirrels can also cause problems for local residents, as they can destroy property and carry disease in highly populated areas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says while it is extremely unlikely for squirrels to contract rabies or carry the rabies virus, they can carry other diseases like typhus and ringworm.

Despite these concerns, many students actively partake in feeding the squirrels on campus and befriending the creatures. LSA freshman Julia Holden said feeding squirrels on campus is fun for her and her friends, and it is a nice way for students to get outside.

Its just fun, honestly, Holden said. Its just nice to be around animals. Its a good way to get outside. They obviously arent antsy about being around people. So, I mean, theyre here anyways. Why not?

Holden said squirrels might often be fed the wrong foods, but she is careful to feed them healthy nuts that the animals can digest.

Im sure they get enough not good food, Holden said. I have organic, unsalted walnuts. So, I think if youre feeding them the right thing, its probably okay.

Farnum echoed Holdens emphasis on feeding squirrels nutritional foods.

The peanuts we give (squirrels) help them control their teeth growth because gnawing on stuff helps their teeth, Farnum said. I just think its specifically like what is decided to feed them (that is important) because a lot of foods that are salty overload their kidneys, and its just not good for them.

Carlo-Pagan said she believes since U-M students have been feeding the squirrels on campus for so long, its almost impossible to imagine how to discontinue campus squirrels imprint on humans.

I have seen the way the Diag squirrels literally come up to and sit on top of people, Carlo-Pagan said. So, what Im thinking is were well past the point where it would matter (if students fed them or not).

As a new student on campus, Holden said she thinks feeding the squirrels gives students a break from their campus activities and a moment to relax outdoors.

They come up to you and theyre looking at you like, do you have anything for me? Holden said. And I was like, Im just gonna go buy some snacks, and I took my friend to do it. She was like, this is like the happiest I felt in weeks.

Daily News Reporter Rachel Mintz can be reached at mintzrac@umich.edu.

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Once and for all: should we feed the squirrels? - The Michigan Daily

Human Behavior

What to Do If You Cant Afford Therapy – VICE

Some scenarios can be resolved just by talking to someone. Photo: Emma Simpson, Unsplash

There are lots of good reasons to get therapy. An effective session could help you overcome childhood trauma, unearth deeply entrenched emotional baggage, and teach you new coping skills and techniques to manage the stress of everyday life. And if youre dealing with a mental disorder like depression or ADHD, then therapy is often essential in managing symptoms.

Unfortunately, therapy aint cheap. In the Philippines, one session can set you back anywhere between 1,000 to 4,500 Philippine pesos ($17-76). To put that into perspective, the cost of therapy in the United States ranges between $60 and $200, but the estimated average salary in the US is almost ten times more than that in the Philippines.

Therapy also isnt easy to come by.

In our clinic, for example, the average waiting time is three weeks. And thats already very fast, Mary Grace Orquiza, a psychologist based in the Philippines and the director of Gray Matters Philippines, told VICE. Most clients who come to us from referrals from other institutions have been waiting for a schedule for around two months. Its really that long.

Orquiza said that one of the main reasons therapy is so inaccessible is the scarcity of licensed professionals. There are only about 1,000 psychologists and 600 psychiatrists in the Philippines, and not all of them are actively providing their services.

Other countries have this problem too. In Singapore, the ratio between psychiatrists and the countrys population is about 4.5 to 100,000. In Malaysia, its 1 to 100,000. In India, its a grim 0.75 to 100,000.

One of the factors impacting the availability and accessibility of mental health services is the stigma associated with it. In many Asian countries, mental health is still taboo. This influences the number of people willing to get into the industry, and the number of organizations that support such services.

Luckily, times are changing. The pandemic has opened our eyes to the value of mental health. And while institutional change will require more time and investment, there are a few alternatives to therapy that people can explore in the meantime.

Take note that these suggestions are not substitutes for therapy. Theres a chance you may develop one mental health problem or another at some point in your life. So, if you feel like your mental health is disrupting your day-to-day, its best to consult a licensed professional.

Life coaching

Therapy is a scientific thing, Orquiza explained. Professionals attend schools, go through extensive training, and further their education through workshops or training. Its based on science and research, wherein we apply various psychological principles or things that we know about human behavior to help someone alleviate their suffering.

But there are cases where therapy, though helpful, would not be necessary to achieve a certain goal. This includes making decisions, seeking guidance, and dealing with unresolved issues.

Orquiza explained that each person is equipped with unique coping mechanisms, and so some scenarios can be resolved by just talking to someone and getting a nudge in the right direction.

In these cases, life coaching would be a good alternative to therapy.

Life coaches are not licensed professionals like psychologists, psychiatrists, and guidance counselors, but they do have their own functions, said Orquiza, adding that life coaches can help people improve their relationships, careers, and overall well-being.

Its not that life coaches have all the answers. But through a series of conversations, they can help steer people toward answering these tough questions themselves. Need help drawing boundaries between work and life? Cant understand how to beat the procrastination habit? A life coach can help in these regards.

Scientifically-backed breathing and meditation apps

In therapy, distressed people are often advised to meditate or practice breathing exercises because the physical act of calming down can impact mental health.

[Meditation] helps with the physiological responses of the body Once your body is calm and relaxed, you can think better, said Orquiza.

Another good thing about meditation is that, because youre more attuned to yourselfmore aware of whats happening to you, your thoughts, feelings, and emotionsyou process a lot of information and a lot of things about yourself. It can help you reflect, gain insights about yourself, and lessen feelings of threat.

Orquiza recommends meditation apps to her clients, particularly those based on compassion-focused therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

I usually recommend CBT apps because they help people address dysfunctional thoughts. It also helps people identify goals and how they can make it more possible, said Orquiza.

I also recommend compassion-focused apps because they teach you how to be more kind, gentle, and compassionate with yourself[things] you would normally do for another person, but usually have difficulty showing yourself.

Good sleep, lots of water, pockets of rest and relaxation

Just like our physical health, Orquiza said that prevention is better than cure when it comes to our mental well-being.

Its important that we nourish ourselves before we develop mental health problems, said Orquiza, adding that finding a balance between work and rest can help keep our mental health intact.

Work is important because it fosters a sense of achievement. But if we neglect other areas of our life, were more prone to experience burnout and stress. We must allow ourselves rest and relaxation, pleasure, enjoyment.

Mental health hotlines, NGOs, and government units

While therapy can be hard to come by, there are a number of mental health hotlines that you can reach out to for help. But before you do that, Orquiza said its important to understand that the function of a hotline is inherently different from that of therapy. Where the latter provides long-term interventions, hotlines are more for people who face immediate threats, like those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Crisis hotlines function as a brief intervention, said Orquiza, adding that the crisis counselor on the other line will assess the problem and provide a short-term intervention or recommendation.

The goal is really to make you feel better instantly and to lessen the risk to you and your life. So if you are in a crisis situation like that, you can call a hotline.

Crisis hotlines are also useful for referrals. You can reach out to a hotline to get in touch with organizations that offer low-cost or no-cost therapy. In the Philippines, that would include the National Center for Mental Health, the Philippine Mental Health Association, or hospitals like the Philippine General Hospital. Certain local government units also provide counseling services for free.

But individuals should be wary of centers or organizations that offer very cheap services, especially if these centers or organizations are not verified to have licensed professionals, said Orquiza.

Employee benefits

With mental health conditions on the rise,more companies now offer mental health benefits to their employees. For instance, some companies have mental health leaves, in-house counseling sessions, or even therapy stipends.

The same goes for health maintenance organizations (HMOs). Some have begun offering coverage for mental health conditions for the first time.

While a lot of these services can only offer baseline solutions, they can help cut the cost of therapy as a whole. If you havent looked into it yet, it might be worth emailing HR to get an idea of the options available to you.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, help is available. Call 1-800-273-8255 to speak with someone now or text START to 741741 to message with the Crisis Text Line.

Follow Nikki Natividad on Instagram.

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What to Do If You Cant Afford Therapy - VICE

Human Behavior

‘Triangle of Sadness’ Director Ruben stlund on Making the Years Most Disgusting Class Satire – GQ

Midway through the Swedish director Ruben stlunds new film Triangle of Sadness, the passengers on a luxury yacht start vomiting. And vomiting. And vomiting. By the time its all said and done, well have watched 15 balletic minutes of the .01 percent projectile puking and otherwise sloshing around in bodily fluids.

This disgusting, entirely unsubtle bit of class satire marks a turning point in the movie. The first third explores the relationship between Carl, a male model (Harris Dickinson), and his breadwinner girlfriend, a model and influencer named Yaya (the late Charlbi Dean). Thanks to her influencing, they get invited for a ride on a luxury yacht, where they rub elbows with the highest echelons of society: a Russian fertilizer magnate, elderly British arms dealers, all steered by a ship captain who happens to be a Marxist (a delightful Woody Harrelson). When the boat crashes post-vomiting on a desert island, the hierarchies are quickly flipped. A member of the cleaning crew, Abigail (Dolly De Leon), is the only one with practical skills and becomes the de facto leader of all the survivors.

stlund, whose amusingly excruciating explorations of human behavior and modern masculinity made us laugh and squirm in Force Majeure and The Square, won his second Palme D'Or this year for Triangle of Sadness. (And once again led the Cannes audience in a collective primal scream.) In advance of the U.S. premiere, he talked to GQ about his weird YouTube inspirations, why male models fascinate him, and what hed do to survive on a desert island.

GQ: The first thing I need to know is how the disgusting boat scene came together.

Ruben stlund: It actually started with me making research on a luxury cruise. There was an Italian buffet one night, and the weather was getting kind of rough, so the boat was rocking. People were getting more and more silent in this dining room. There was a moment when you heard someone throw up somewhere in the dining room. And it was so interesting to look at how people reacted to it. People were like, I have to get out here. I was, of course ,comparing it with vomiting scenes that have been in film history, and I wanted to go further than anyone had done before.

What were the actual logistics of shooting it?

All the shooting that took place when it came to the vomiting was in the studio, and we had built the dining room on a board so we could rock it. So we spent eight hours a day on a rocking set where part of the film crew had to eat seasick pills because we got seasick. It took almost half a year to edit that scene.

When you write your films, do you start off with the main character or the setting? For instance, in this case were you thinking: I want to explore what its like to be a male model?

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'Triangle of Sadness' Director Ruben stlund on Making the Years Most Disgusting Class Satire - GQ

Human Behavior

Cryptocurrency users with gambling affinity are more involved mentally and financially than non-gambling users – PsyPost

Cryptocurrency users who also gamble tend to be more mentally involved compared to their non-gambling counterparts, according to new research published in Computers in Human Behavior. The new study provides insight into some of the psychological patterns that characterize heavy cryptocurrency users.

Cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses strong cryptography to secure financial transactions, control the creation of additional units, and verify the transfer of assets. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009. Since then, cryptocurrencies have become increasingly popular. But prices can fluctuate rapidly and investing in cryptocurrencies involves substantial risk.

The risk-taking aspect of cryptocurrencies has led researchers to examine the potential link between cryptocurrency trading and problem gambling. Study author Fred Steinmetz noted that trust in cryptocurrency and ideological motivation might play a substantial role in the use of cryptocurrency. Furthermore, little is known about cryptocurrency users who also gamble

Since the beginning of my research journey in 2015, my research topics included blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and gambling. It was only logical for me to start investigating the intersections between these topics, said study author Fred Steinmetz, co-founder of the non-profit Blockchain Research Lab and author of Blockchain and the Digital Economy: The Socio-Economic Impact of Blockchain Technology.

For his study, Steinmetz analyzed a representative sample of 3,864 Germans regarding their use of cryptocurrency and engagement in gambling over the past year. The data was collected in 2019.

The participants were categorized into four separate groups: there were 1,844 non-users (who neither gambled nor ever used cryptocurrency), there were 1,312 gamblers (who had gambled recently but never owned cryptocurrency), there were 708 crypto-users (who at some point owned cryptocurrency but had not gambled recently), and there were 435 crypto-gamblers (who at some point owned cryptocurrency and had also gambled recently).

Crypto-gamblers reported having significantly higher levels of knowledge about blockchain technology along with higher levels of trust in cryptocurrency. Crypto-gamblers were also much more likely, compared to regular crypto-users, to consider their ownership of cryptocurrency to be ideologically motivated.

Cryptocurrency is not only about trading alternative financial assets. In differentiation to, e.g. trading stocks, cryptocurrency users experience a different mental involvement, which relate to the narratives and ideologies which permeate the industry, Steinmetz told PsyPost. Cryptocurrency users with gambling affinity are more involved mentally, proactively and financially than non-gambling users.

In addition, crypto-gamblers tended to be younger, more likely to be male, better educated, and better off financially than non-gambling crypto-users. The profiles of crypto-gamblers resemble those of skill-based gamblers and stock traders but differ in terms of their average young age, Steinmetz wrote in his study.

The crypto-gamblers were further broken down into three distinct clusters. One cluster consisted of those with high ideological motivation and trust toward cryptocurrency and a moderate level of financial investment who used their cryptocurrency for the purpose of speculating relatively infrequently. The second cluster had high ideological motivation and trust, a high level of investment, and frequently engaged in cryptocurrency speculation. The third cluster consisted of crypto-gamblers with low ideological motivation and trust, low levels of investment, and low levels of cryptocurrency speculation.

Among crypto-users who also gamble, I identified a group which comprises the heavy users, who are highly engaged and potentially consider cryptocurrency and gambling substitutes, Steinmetz told PsyPost. The interrelations among the investigated variables suggest that high levels of mental involvement among crypto-users who also gamble induces higher engagement in terms of owning more cryptocurrencies and speculating more often.

The second cluster of heavy users accounted for a sizable share of crypto-gamblers. A ~35% share of heavy users among all cryptocurrency users who also gamble was not expected. This warrants further research on the domain, Steinmetz said.

The results suggest that rather than focusing solely on trading frequencies of cryptocurrency, researchers should broaden their scope by recognizing the importance of mental involvement of cryptocurrency users, e.g. trust-perceptions, proclaimed knowledge about cryptocurrency and ideological motivation, the researcher said.

The study, The interrelations of cryptocurrency and gambling: Results from a representative survey, was published online on August 22, 2022.

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Cryptocurrency users with gambling affinity are more involved mentally and financially than non-gambling users - PsyPost

Human Behavior

The long-term answer to fixing bias in AI systems – TechTarget

A new AI system or tool pops up every day.

AI systems are more popular than ever -- and smarter.

From large language models such as GPT-3 to text-to-image models like Dall-E and, most recently, text-to-video systems like Imagen Video -- a system Google introduced on Oct. 5 that takes a text description and generates video -- AI systems have also become more sophisticated.

However, sophistication comes at a cost, according to Chirag Shah, associate professor in the Information School at the University of Washington.

While the systems' creators have tried to make the systems smart, they haven't done the same in making them fair and equitable, Shah said. Problems with how the systems learn and the data they learn on often cause bias to creep in.

In this Q&A, Shah discusses approaches to fixing bias in AI technology.

What are some of the ways to fix the bias problems in AI systems?

Chirag Shah: Are you looking for a quick fix? Those kinds of things can be done relatively quickly. But that doesn't really solve the underlying problem.

For instance, if your search results are biased, you could actually detect that and ... instead of providing the original results, you shuffle them in a way that provides more diversity, more fairness. That kind of addresses the issue. But it doesn't change the fact that the underlying system is still unfair, and it is still biased. It means that you're dependent now on this additional layer of checking and undoing some of the things. If somebody wanted to game the system, they can easily do that, and we've seen this. This is not a long-term solution.

Some of these [long-term fix] recommendations are hard. For instance, one way these systems get biased is they're obviously being run by for-profit organizations. The usual players are Google, Facebook and Amazon. They are banking on their algorithms trying to optimize user engagement, which on the surface seems like a good idea. The problem is, people don't engage with things just because they are good or relevant. More often, they engage with things because the content has certain kinds of emotions, like fear or hatred, or certain kinds of conspiracy.

Unfortunately, this focus on engagement is problematic. It's primarily because an average user engages with things that are often not verified, but are entertaining. The algorithms essentially end up learning that, OK, that's a good thing to do. This creates a vicious cycle.

A longer-term solution is to start breaking the cycle. That needs to happen from both sides. It needs to happen from these services, the tech companies that are targeting for higher engagement. They need to start changing their formula for how they consider engagement or how they optimize their algorithms for something other than engagement.

We also need to do things from the user side because these tech companies are going to argue that, 'Hey, we're only giving people what they want. It's not our fault that people want to click a lot more on conspiracy theories.' Chirag ShahAssociate professor, Information School at the University of Washington

We also need to do things from the user side because these tech companies are going to argue that, 'Hey, we're only giving people what they want. It's not our fault that people want to click a lot more on conspiracy theories. We're simply surfacing those things.' We need to start doing more from the user side, which is user education.

These are not quick fixes. This is, essentially, talking about changing user behavior -- human behavior. That's not going to happen overnight.

How willing are vendors to take the long route in fixing the problems with bias in AI systems?

Shah: They don't have a clear incentive to change their formula for engagement or have their algorithms not optimize on engagement, but rather on authoritativeness or authenticity, or a quality of information or sources. The only way -- or the main way -- they will be compelled to do that is through regulation.

By regulation, I do mean things coming from different government agencies that have the authority to actually impose fines if the businesses don't comply. There has to be some 'teeth in this' policies and, you know, regulations.

There are actually AI-related regulations that the European Union came up with last year. And then the FTC [Federal Trade Commission] here followed, but our side of the policy is not as strong.

I think we need regulations that recognize that anytime an algorithm mediates information being presented to the user, it is equivalent to that mediator actually producing [the information] because they dictate who sees what in which order, and that has a significant impact. So we're nowhere close to that.

Without the proper incentives, will bias in AI systems get worse as more are created?

Shah: It depends. The question is, [are the systems] what we want? This is where some of my colleagues and I would argue that, at least in some of these cases, we have gone overboard -- we have crossed the line already. We have gotten too excited about what technology could do. We're not asking enough for what technology should do.

There are plenty of these cases where you question like, who's asking for this? There are more important problems in the world to solve. Why are we not putting our resources to those things? Why are we not directing our resources to that? So yes, I think that's a bigger question here.

Editor's note: This interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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The long-term answer to fixing bias in AI systems - TechTarget

Human Behavior

11 Career Podcasts To Listen To If You’re Ready To Level Up At Your Job – Evie Magazine

We all love podcasts. Whether youre a true crime junkie, pop-culture fanatic, history nerd, political enthusiast, or simply a Joe Rogan fan, there is a podcast out there for you! One genre of podcast that Id argue doesnt get the love that it deserves are career-minded podcasts.

Thats probably because we listen to podcasts so that we can relax, unwind, or learn something interesting. Few people want to be thinking about work on the weekends when theyre trying to relax or catch up on the latest episode of Morbid. But career podcasts arent as dull as they might seem at first, and many of them are actually applicable to far more things in life than just your job.

In fact, some of the podcasts on this list arent technically career podcasts at all, in that theyre not marketed that way. However, many of the guests that these podcasts have on and advice that they dole out will 100% help you in your career because a lot of career advice is really just life advice thats applied in a different context. So here are 11 podcasts that will help you level up at your job (and in your life)!

Read that title twice before you skip this one! Host Jenna Kutcher is here to help you dig into your goals, enrich your mind, and unlock your more successful self. Jenna is the author of the best-selling book How Are You, Really?, and true to the title, you get the sense that Jenna genuinely cares about each and every person listening to her show and wants them to be successful and happy. If you have a dream of leaving your 9-5, starting your own business, or simply feeling more fulfilled at work, then this is the podcast for you.

This isnt your typical career podcast because Jordans guests are all over the map, from detectives to psychologists to former mob bosses. But its important to listen to people whose experiences are completely different from your own because it broadens your perspective and makes you realize you have so many unknown unknowns or questions you never even thought to ask. Learning about things like human psychology is critical to succeeding at work because it helps you understand why people act the way they do and how to navigate the intricacies of human behavior. Even if you deserve that raise at work, if you dont go about asking for it the right way, you probably wont get it. Also, Jordan is hilarious and a great interviewer, so no matter what guest he has on that week, you know youll be entertained.

Ever wonder how some of the worlds most renowned boss babes came to be so successful? Then look no further! In this podcast from the Wall Street Journal, youll learn about things like how to master a side hustle, build a business, and feel empowered financially. Whether youre an entrepreneurial-minded gal or simply like hearing from successful women in a variety of fields, this podcast has something to offer you.

Lewis Howes wants to help you be great. Hes a professional athlete-turned entrepreneur who uses his platform to speak with leaders in business, entertainment, sports, and science. The self-stated goal of his podcast is to inspire YOU to unlock your inner greatness and live your best life. With guests like fashion phenom Kendra Scott and Master Negotiator Chris Voss, youre certain to learn a thing or two about success!

What does a retired Navy SEAL have to teach you about how to succeed at the office? As it turns out, a lot! Jocko Willinks podcast covers a host of topics like discipline, leadership, and accountability. Jockos known for speaking bluntly about extreme ownership and how Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.While its certainly not a traditional career podcast, Jockos and his guests wisdom can often be applied to the boardroom.

Whether you need advice on how to update your resume, negotiate a raise, feel more confident at work, or where to find interesting job openings, The Career Contessa has got you covered. Its a weekly podcast by women, for women, to help us feel more fulfilled, successful, and happy in the workplace. In a world where were often inundated with professional advice on social media, the advice doled out on this podcast is refreshingly actionable.

Its very likely that even if you dont realize it, youve read or heard something by Adam Grant. Hes a best-selling author who, in addition to his books and highly-viewed Ted Talks, has been featured in publications like The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. As you might have guessed from the title, his podcast aims to help you create a better work life. Hes got a range of great guests like Mark Cuban, Dolly Parton, and Michael Schur (the writer behind beloved shows like The Office and Parks and Rec!) who offer advice on morality, emotional intelligence, and why you shouldnt follow your passions.

Jenny Blake is of the belief that if change is the only constant, wed better get good at it. Shes the author of the award-winning book Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One, and her podcast is in the same vein. Jenny hosts her friends, fellow authors, and other successful business people as they discuss topics like imposter syndrome, trust building, and how stealing wifi can be a great career strategy.

This is another podcast that, on the surface, might not seem like a traditional career podcast, but the advice offered on how to hustle, invest wisely, and find financial freedom can definitely aid your success in both work and life. BiggerPockets started out as a podcast about real estate investing, but they now have a number of spin-off shows about money, business, and real-estate for rookies. No matter what professional field youre in, and even if you have zero interest in real estate, theres a lot you can learn from the uber-smart and entertaining folks at BiggerPockets.

BossBabe is more than just a podcast, its an entire online community of ambitious women focused on achieving success and happiness in life. Hosted by co-founders Natalie Ellis and Danielle Canty, The BossBabe Podcast gets candid about how to navigate the realities of work and life, and how to find balance in our crazy world. One thing I love about this podcast is that in addition to hosting amazing guests, they also release one short episode each week called BossBabe Business School where Danielle or Natalie will dig into one specific, relatable topic and offer actionable advice about how to change bad habits, try something new, or shift your mindset.

Jay Shetty is a former Hindu monk whose guests run the cultural gambit. On his podcast, he speaks with everyone from Dave Ramsey to Kendall Jenner about things like success, relationships, finding the right work-life balance, and more. While every episode is a little different and you may never know what to expect, you do know that regardless of who his next guest is, youll learn some valuable lessons.

The next time youre going for a walk or commuting to work, try putting on one of these podcasts so you can learn something along the way! Using your commute as a time to learn and better yourself is a great hack to help you level up at your job and in life.

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11 Career Podcasts To Listen To If You're Ready To Level Up At Your Job - Evie Magazine

Human Behavior

What Are the Brits Mad at Meghan Markle for This Time? – The Cut

Photo: Gregorio Borgia/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal responsibilities, the only thing more inescapable than bean drama in England is all the silly reasons people are mad at Meghan. The period of national mourning over Queen Elizabeth IIs death has proven no exception. From the moment news broke that the queen was critically ill and that the royal family was en route to Balmoral Castle to be with her, Meghan became the subject of obsessive speculation. In those first few hours, her critics were mostly concerned with her decision not to join the family at the queens side. While some reports claimed Harry was told his wife wasnt welcome, other British media outlets attacked Meghan for choosing to stay back, all while praising Williams wife, Kate, for choosing to stay back. (Kate was said to have stayed home to care for their children on their first day of school.)

After the queens death, Meghan joined Harry in England (a presumably painful and difficult decision considering how she has described her time there) and spent the weekend appearing at various royal engagements. Unsurprisingly, her entirely neutral presence at these events has offered many new opportunities for people to take issue with totally normal human behavior. It didnt take long for the hashtag #GoHomeMeghanMarkle to trend on Twitter alongside accusations that Meghan was pretending to mourn for attention after causing the queen so much pain, even as she and Harry joined William and Kate for a walkabout outside Windsor Castle. (It was the first time the couples have appeared together in over two years.)

For what its worth, Meghan and Harry seemed to be on fairly good terms with the queen; the couple told Oprah in 2021 that they were still chatting with her regularly, even while Charles was ignoring Harrys calls, and Meghan said the queen has always been wonderful to her. The queen released an official statement at the time saying that Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved family members. But why would that stop anyone from getting pissy for no reason? Below, every other ridiculous reason people have found to criticize Meghan since the queens death.

Saying hello. While Meghan was shaking hands with mourners gathered outside Windsor Castle last Saturday, several women refused to engage with her, looking down to avoid eye contact and ignoring Meghans hand when she reached out for a handshake. The women got plenty of support on Twitter, where one user called the person who rejected her handshake her spirit animal.

Having flowers. Another point of scrutiny while Meghan greeted the public was her decision to hang on to a bouquet of flowers that had been handed to her by a fan in the crowd. One video shows a royal aide trying to take the flowers over to the rest of the queens tributes on Meghans behalf, and she seems to kindly tell him she wants to do it herself. In another video taken shortly after this exchange, a new aide takes bouquets from both Meghan and Harry after a brief exchange in which Meghan seems to be reiterating that she wanted to hold the flowers herself.

Apparently, protocol dictates that royals arent supposed to hold bouquets, which could contain small bombs or other weapons inside. That didnt stop people from calling the mix-up awkward and accusing her of wanting to place the flowers down herself for a photo op.

Wearing a dress. In the most, um, creative takeaway from the same appearance outside Windsor Castle, a handful of conspiracy theorists have become convinced that a crease on Meghans dress was actually a microphone she wore to help her turn the queens funeral into content for her podcast and/or Netflix deal. Do they think she doesnt have enough material?

Holding Harrys hand. At a service marking the beginning of the queens lying in state, Harry and Meghan held hands, which was, per Twitter, inappropriate, disrespectful, and a disgrace. While its true that PDA is generally looked down upon in the royal family, Princess Annes daughter, Zara Tindall, also held hands with her husband, Mike, at the exact same event something no one seems to have had an issue with. Hmmm!

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What Are the Brits Mad at Meghan Markle for This Time? - The Cut