

Discover more from AGREEN1 Newsletter
The forward-leaning morning newsletter for those
who love all things green
March 27, 2023
Topics: Tech, Google, FCC, Cerebral, patient privacy, cannabis, California, Raphael Mechoulam
Image: Robert Hill
Your
participation
is what makes
AGREEN1 run and grow.
We are a community, staying informed
so more can have a seat at the table
and keep our planet sustainable for future
generations.
We are the green ones who give a damn
about the Earth and our strength
outnumbers those who don’t.
Thank you, AGREEN1 subscribers
#GRASSROOTS
🌎💚🌍💚🌏
Image: AFP via Getty Images GIF: AGREEN1
👉Google's warning Technology solves many problems and makes life better on many levels, but it is full of vulnerabilities and is prone to attack. We need tech security departments from Google and the like to keep the world informed, and to fix these constant vulnerabilities. Last week, Google alerted the community that there are 18 vulnerabilities in Samsung chips used in several Android devices and even in cars.
According to Google, these vulnerabilities could let attackers access people's mobile phones and other devices with the Samsung Exynos Modems without people's knowledge. The only thing they would need is your phone number, the tech company said. Attackers gain access to the all the device's data, such as texting, searches, phone calls, subscriptions and more. Google used the Exynos chip in its Pixel 6 and 7 series and has fixed the bugs. And other affected manufacturers, such as Vivo and even Samsung, will fix the bugs on their devices.
To ensure that you are safe as an android user, Google said you should switch off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) in your device settings.
⏰Finally the FCC's new rules Scamming consumers through text messages happens more often than people think in the United States and around the world. In the U.S. for instance, $86 million was reportedly stolen from 56 million people in 2020 from frauds originating in scam texts. Also, the annual "Insight U.S. Spam & Scam Report" published by Truecaller last year, the world's leading caller ID and spam-blocking technology platform, showed 68.4 million Americans lost around $39.5 billion to scam texts in 2022.
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission voted 4-0, adopting new rules to tackle the problem. The regulations require mobile technology companies and telecom service providers in the U.S. to block text messages from suspicious sources, including phone numbers that appear to be "invalid, unallocated, or unused." They must also block text messages from phone numbers that claim not to send text messages or that the government has identified as numbers not used for texting. The FCC is also considering more rules to protect consumers, so stay tuned.
😡Medical data breach Calling out big tech companies who misuse and sell people's information is something AGREEN1 does to inform and help protect our subscribers. In 2022 alone, Meta (Meta owns Facebook, Instagram, What'sApp and over a dozen more tech companies) faced multiple lawsuits across the United States and Europe, and paid over $1 billion U.S. dollars in settlements. It seems their deceptive practices have extended into the healthcare sector.
At the beginning of last month, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) slapped GoodRx, a California-based online pharmacy, with a fine of $1.5 million for years of selling their patients’ data to third-party platforms. It was the first time the FTC acted under its Health Breach Notification Rule. Last week another violation reported. The mental health platform, Cerebral disclosed that it has been sharing the data of over 3 million patients with third-party sites via tracking technologies. Considering the sensitivity of people's medical information, one can't help but express how scary and unpleasant the illicit activities of these platforms have gotten. We promise to keep calling them out one by one.
🌿California cannabis farmers The state has been slowly supporting the sector through different grant programs since adult-use legalization in 2018. The Cannabis Restoration Grant Program was launched in 2020 by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to support legal cannabis growers and conservation by repairing damaged lands. Since then, CDFW has devoted millions of dollars each year. The Department announced last week that it is earmarking more than $20 million for 2023.
A $20 million grants program was also launched last month by the California Department of Cannabis Control to increase consumer access to legal cannabis in cities and counties yet to license cannabis retailers in their jurisdictions.
Image: Getty Images
🍁Mourning the Father of Cannabis In 1930, a man was born in Sofia, Bulgaria and his name was Raphael Mechoulam. His father was a doctor who survived a Nazi concentration camp and the family fled to Israel in 1949. Young Raphael earned his masters degree in biochemistry in his new homeland.
In a CNN interview with Dr. Gupta, Professor Mechoulam said he decided to research cannabis because; "... here we were, mid-20th century, and yet the chemistry of cannabis was not known. So it looked like an interesting project.” He earned his PhD and blazed trails in cannabis research. He isolated THC, CBD and anandamide three very prominent cannabinoids in the cannabis plant.
His research helped to significantly deeply our understanding of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that is present in all mammals. This system is vital in regulating sleep, appetite, pain, memory, immunity, learning, body temperature, inflammation and other bodily functions. Raphael Mechoulam passed away at 92 years old on March 9, 2023.
Stay Curious... Who are we?
Fun question of the day: Are you pro-cannabis?
Who are we?
Last fun question of the day: Are you interested in working in a green industry job?
55% of respondents said YES
Thanks again for being you. Until the next issue, be sure to add more green to your life!
Enjoy this issue?
Subscribe here and never miss out again.
*Add AGREEN1 to your contacts: info@agreen1.com
* If you use Gmail,
move AGREEN1 emails
to your Primary Inbox
* If you use Apple Mail,
add info@agreen1.com
to your VIP List
* If you use Outlook,
add info@agreen1.com
to your Favorites.
Copyright © 2022 AGREEN1 All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
PO Box 19754, Las Vegas, NV 89132
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.