AI that ‘predicts’ criminality based on a face sparks a furor

PLUS: Google's new data policy, the promise of carbon farming, and the US-China internet battle. View this email in your browser  |  Manage newsletter subscriptions 06.24.20   PRIVACY Google Will Delete Your Data by Default—in 18 Months BY LILY HAY NEWMAN Starting today, the search giant will make a previously opt-in auto-delete feature the norm.   SOIL CYCLE 'Carbon Farming' Could Make US Agriculture Truly Green BY ERIC NIILER Today a Senate committee will hear about a bill that would help farmers adopt practices to release less carbon from the soil, reducing planetary warming.   OPINION The US-China Battle Over the Internet Goes Under the Sea BY JUSTIN SHERMAN The DOJ's opposition to Facebook and Google's 8,000-mile cable to Hong Kong highlights how physical infrastructure is as contentious as the virtual world.   SECOND LOOK An Algorithm That 'Predicts' Criminality Based on a Face Sparks a Furor BY SIDNEY FUSSELL Its creators said they could use facial analysis to determine if someone would become a criminal. Critics said the work recalled debunked "race science."   IDEAS It's Ridiculous to Treat Schools Like Covid Hot Zones BY DAVID ZWEIG When students head back to class this fall, they may find themselves isolated from each other and wearing masks. This isn't biosafety—it's pandemic theater.   BRIEF RELIEF How to Suspend Your Phone Service to Save Money BY JULIAN CHOKKATTU You're probably using less cellular data while you shelter in place. Here's how you can temporarily pause your account—or switch to a cheaper network.   AS THE WORLD BURNS Why the Arctic Is Warming So Fast, and Why That's So Alarming BY MATT SIMON When permafrost thaws, sea ice disappears, and wildfires rage in the north, the consequences extend to the rest of the world.   GET OUT Quarantined in New York, We Escape Skyward BY KATE KNIBBS When circumstances beyond our control put adventure on hold, we just climb the stairs to camp out in the urban jungle.   BACKCHANNEL Poker and the Psychology of Uncertainty BY MARIA KONNIKOVA The game has plenty to teach about making decisions with the cards we've been dealt—on and off the table.     This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book.   View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe or Manage your newsletter subscriptions