Do you really know?

What are tracking apps? Thanks for asking! Exceptional times call for exceptional measures, as they say. Tracking apps are now being used by governments to combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In several countries, they are already live, while elsewhere, the apps are still at the development stage. Despite the obvious importance of stemming the spread of the virus, there has been much debate about resulting privacy issues.Why do we need tracking apps then? Many people with coronavirus experience only mild symptoms, or none at all. The problem is they are still able to transmit the disease to other people unknowingly. If a person later experiences symptoms, contact tracing can be used to help others realise they are at risk. In turn, they can then self-isolate for the required amount of time to avoid potentially spreading the disease. The smartphone is perhaps the one item that almost all of us have in our possession constantly. It will come as no surprise to younger generations that their geolocation data is regularly collected by smartphone apps. Manufacturers and app providers have access to information on our whereabouts all the time. The difference is at the moment apps are being designed specifically for tracking purposes. What about governments then? Do they track us in the same way as brands? And do citizenshave a say in the matter at all? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! For other questions about the coronavirus pandemic, you can click here:What is lockdown? What is chloroquine? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is care work? Thanks for asking! This subcategory of the workforce includes jobs that provide services to other people. Despite doing work that is physically and emotionally demanding, care workers have long been underpaid and underappreciated in society. But since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, they have been widely hailed as heroes. In many countries, citizens under lockdown have been holding a minute’s applause from their balconies on a daily basis, in honour of care workers.So, who exactly are we talking about? Of course, anyone in the healthcare sector is by definition a care worker. Through the nature of their work, people working in a hospital are at a greater risk of being infected. That’s especially true for those who have hands-on contact with infected patients, like nurses, doctors and their assistants. They are frequently referred to as being the “front line” in the fight against coronavirus. But sometimes they are being sent into battle without adequate protective equipment, like masks and gloves.The role of workers in care homes is just as important. The older a person infected with coronavirus is, the more likely they are to have serious symptoms. Anyone who looks after one or more dependent people can be considered a care worker. So that includes childcare workers, although schools and nurseries are closed in many places for the time being. What are the demographics of care workers? And will care workers get greater recognition once the coronavirus pandemic calms down? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! For other questions about the coronavirus pandemic, you can click here:What is lockdown? What is chloroquine? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a lockdown? Thanks for asking! It’s estimated that up to 50% of the world’s population has been under some form of lockdown since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Governments have imposed these measures to reduce physical contact and stop the disease from spreading. The current lockdown in India, which has a population of 1.3 billion people, is reported to be the largest in human history. Although restrictions vary from country to country, the general principles of a lockdown remain the same. Only essential businesses are allowed to remain open. People are being ordered or advised to stay in their homes all the time apart from certain exceptions. Those include going to work if remote work isn’t an option, buying essential supplies like food, and helping vulnerable people like elderly family members. Some countries require their citizens to print and sign an official form any time they go out. Law enforcement officers can then carry out spot checks.  So schooling, exercise, watching movies and dining are all exclusively home-based activities for the time being. Towns and cities across the world are practically deserted. So, what’s the best advice for those living in lockdown? It's best to not to let yourself go during the lockdown period. It’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, by getting regular exercise, sticking to a balanced diet and sleeping well. In most countries, citizens are allowed to do some daily exercise outdoors, as long as they avoid other people and don’t go too far from their homes.You also need to protect your mental health. Being in lockdown and aware of the Coronavirus threat is a stressful situation for many. It’s important to get the facts from a trustworthy source of information. But if you feel anxious, consider limiting the time you spend following media coverage, especially when you’re feeling anxious.And while we may not be able to see friends and loved ones in person, we can still stay in contact via social media and video calling apps. When’s it all going to end then? And could we go back into lockdown mode at any time? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! If you want to know what is lockdown in french : https://podcasts.ba-ba-bam.com/maintenant-vous-savez/202004060500-quest-ce-que-le-confinement.htmlSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is HouseParty? Thanks for askingHouseParty is a video chat app that was created in the United States in 2016 and became particularly popular among millennials. Those who download it use it for an average of 51 minutes per day. That’s comparable to Facebook and higher than other popular apps like Instagram, Messenger and Snapchat. The current coronavirus-related lockdowns have led to a resurgence in the app’s popularity around the world. It was downloaded 50 million times in the space of just a month, which is 70 times more than usual.Other video chat services, like Zoom and Skype, are often used by companies for remote work, whereas HouseParty is mainly aimed at younger generations. That gives it more of a fun image than its rivals. OK so what can I do with HouseParty then?It’s fairly basic compared to a lot of messaging apps, not having any emojis, stickers or filters. The main purpose of the app is to make video calls between up to 8 devices. You can also play games and quizzes like Time Up and Trivial Pursuit. When one of your friends opens the app, you instantly get a notification. As you can imagine that can get pretty irritating if you have a lot of contacts, but thankfully you can turn notifications off for selected or all contacts.To download HouseParty, you need to set up a username and verify your cell phone number. The app accesses your phone contacts in order to find people you know. You also have the option to connect to Facebook or share your HouseParty profile link on Snapchat.One big difference with other social media apps is that friends of friends can join video chats and games. By default when you open the HouseParty app, your personal video room goes live and any of your contacts can join. But, are there any privacy issues ? Should I avoid using HouseParty then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! If you want to know what is HouseParty in french : https://podcasts.ba-ba-bam.com/maintenant-vous-savez/202004080500-quest-ce-que-houseparty.htmlSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are neobanks?Neobanks are 100% digital. They run exclusively through mobile apps, with no brick-and-mortar premises. They offer customers a user-first design, and promise low cost banking operations. There are more and more neobanks around, drawing in millions of users and rivalling traditional banks, although they don’t technically hold the same status. Don’t confuse neobanks with digital banks, which are usually the online-only arms of bigger players in the banking sector. You may have heard of the San Francisco based neobank Chime, which is the leader in the US at the moment. But brands like N26, Revolut and Monzo are also bringing over their expertise from Europe, where the online-only trend is further ahead. All were created in the late 2010s.Ease of use is one of the main advantages with neobanks. New customers just need to download an app and can open an account without too much hassle. Other services like fund transfers, online payments and cash withdrawals are similarly user-friendly and inexpensive. Most of the time, there aren’t any income requirements or monthly maintenance fees. The interfaces are simple and foreign exchange fees are low. Some even have features enabling users to monitor their spending in certain areas and set monthly limits.A recent neobank adoption study by Finder estimates that 54.4 million Americans already use digital-only banking services. falling coins That’s over 20% of the population. What’s more, a further 22.5 million intend to open a neobank account in the coming months.While the digital-only nature of neobanks may seem most suited to millennials, it’s actually Generation X who use them the most. 30% of Gen Xers have made the transition to neobanks, compared to 27.2% of millennials. Baby boomers are the least likely to have a neobank account, with an adoption rate of just 8.4%.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is chloroquine? Thanks for asking! Chloroquine is a prescription drug which has been used for many decades to treat malaria. It’s included on the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines, which means it should be kept widely available at an affordable price for all. Due to its antiviral properties, it has been getting a lot of attention from medical researchers as a potential treatment for Covid-19 patients.Chloroquine was discovered in the 1930s and has been widely used to treat malaria since 1945. Malaria is a disease which humans pick up from mosquito bites in tropical regions of the world. mosquito To combat malarial parasites, the drug interferes with their essential processes while they are inside red blood cells.Scientists discovered that a derivative of chloroquine, known as hydroxychloroquine, could be used to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Its antiviral effects can increase the pH inside cells, preventing a virus from replicating.So could hydroxychloroquine help us in the fight against the coronavirus?The problem is that the antiviral effect is still somewhat theoretical. It’s rarely been confirmed outside of in vitro experiments. That’s because chloroquine is toxic in very small doses and can cause serious side effects. An overdose could potentially lead to fatal heart problems. When looked at for potential use against chikungunya, dengue fever, Ebola and the flu, all tests were unsuccessful.Since the start of the current outbreak, some initial studies suggested that chloroquine could be effective in curing coronavirus sufferers. In early March, researchers at the University of Beijing were able to demonstrate its effectiveness through an in vitro trial.And the most publicised trial was in Marseille, France. Among those who received chloroquine, 75% no longer had the virus six days later.So why aren’t we doing everything we can to treat coronavirus patients with chloroquine? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! If you want to know what is chloroquine in french : https://podcasts.ba-ba-bam.com/maintenant-vous-savez/202003300500-quest-ce-que-la-chloroquine.htmlSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are conlangers? Thanks for asking ! A conlanger is a person who creates one or more constructed languages. These are different to most languages in that they are devised for a particular purpose, rather than evolving naturally. Most notable examples come from science fiction or fantasy franchises, like Lord of the Rings and Star Trek. Their depicted characters often communicate in constructed languages.  A first impression might lead us to believe that the incomprehensible words we hear are just a series of meaningless sounds. But in reality, these languages can actually be spoken. They have syntax, grammar and all the other necessary ingredients to be considered a language.So could we learn a constructed language in the same way as we would learn Italian for example ? David Peterson is one of the most well-known conlangers out there. He started out his career as a linguist and has invented 13 languages over the years, including the dothraki language spoken in Game of Thrones. HBO hired the Language Creation Society in anticipation of the series launch, and Peterson came through a competitive application process to be selected. In several interviews Peterson has explained that the most difficult part of being a conlanger is deciding whether a particular word should exist or not. For example, the nomadic dothraki warriors don’t carry around smartphones or books with them when going into battle. So there was no need to invent a word for those objects. On the other hand, they do have 14 different words for horse.Peterson created the roots of the language by playing around and combining letters with sounds. After building up a small amount of vocabulary, he scribbled down basic sentences, then added suffixes and prefixes to increase the number of words.But what's the point of inventing a language that won't survive to be used in everyday life ? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! If you want to know what are conlangers in french : https://podcasts.ba-ba-bam.com/maintenant-vous-savez/202003280600-quest-ce-quun-conlanger.htmlSee acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is anthropomorphism?Anthropomorphism means transferring human forms or emotions onto animals and other non-human entities. It has its origins in ancient mythology, where deities were often represented with human forms and qualities. Think of many ancient Roman or Greek gods; when they weren’t fighting battles on horseback, they were at home falling in love, getting married and having children. Even in the Bible, Genesis talks about God creating humankind in his own image. Over time, the use of anthropomorphism has become more linked to animals. We use personal pronouns like “he” or “she” to refer to pets, and like to imagine how our furry friends are feeling, in a range of situations. We might say a dog is smiling when it bears its teeth, or that a cat is bored because it doesn’t react to our attempts to get its attention.The trend grew bigger and bigger with the explosion of social media. Everywhere you look online, you see photos and videos of cats, dogs, and almost any kind of animal. These pictures give us the impression that animals love, think and live in the same way that we humans do. The Buzzfeed Animals Facebook page has amassed more than 4 million fans and counting.The idea that animals have emotions and free will is seen by some as being unscientifically sentimental, or showing a lack of objectivity.And anthropomorphism isn’t just limited to living things - it can apply to inanimate objects too. Marketing studies have shown that products which resemble a human schema in some way are seen more positively by potential buyers. That could be the front of a car appearing similar to a human face, for example. Robots are also seen to be more trustworthy and competent when they have a face, voice and name, like humans do.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is Misophonia?You probably won’t find it on autocorrect or spell check, but misophonia is a condition which affects up to 15% of adults. The term literally means “hatred of sound” and it was coined in the 2000s by Margaret and Pawel Jastreboff, audiologists at the University of Atlanta. Misophonia is a condition when specific sounds trigger negative emotions, thoughts and even physical reactions.For example, it could be the sound of a person whistling, chewing or tapping which just drives you nuts. An alternative name for misophonia is Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome, or 4S for short.Some scientists believe that it’s a neurological disorder while others see it as an anxiety problem. Studies have shown that misophonia sufferers display high levels of activity in the anterior insular cortex when subjected to trigger sounds. That’s a part of the brain that processes emotions and how our attention is directed.Like with most psychiatric problems, misophonia affects people with varying degrees. Not everyone has symptoms to the same extent. Think of that person who complained when you ate an apple too loudly in their proximity. They probably don’t need therapy. SON Even if by simply avoiding the problem, they risk disturbing social or professional relationships. Many misophonia patients talk of a startling jolt when they hear trigger sounds, instantly taking them out of a relaxed state. It’s known as a reflexive aversive response, and they experience strong feelings like rage and disgust.Many with the disorder report that their reactions intensify over time. There are a few options for treating or managing it. Some of the most common are antidepressants, neurofeedback, earplugs and soundproofing.See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The podcast discusses dark patterns, online interfaces designed to trick users, with examples from a study on e-commerce sites. It explores techniques like confirm-shaming and scarcity alerts used to manipulate user behavior. The researchers hope their algorithm will aid government regulators.