The effects of algorithms on human rights were discussed on Sunday in a panel at the Stratcom summit 2021 in Istanbul.

In an address by video link, David Carroll of New York’s Parsons School of Design spoke on “How Algorithms Shape Human Life” moderated by Omer Kablan, a presenter at national broadcaster TRT World.

Asked about the social media companies saying “we are the product,” Carrol said: “This is the business model that was developed almost 20 years ago.”

He added: “The real customers to the platforms are not us, it is the legions of advertisers that increasingly rely on these platforms to acquire and maintain relationships with their customers.”

He explained: “We could say we are the product. But we can also say that the real customers don't have much choice either.”

Struggle for data control

Carroll was featured in the Netflix documentary “The Great Hack” trying to get back his data from Cambridge Analytica – a firm brought down by a scandal over data misuse – showcasing his advocacy for data rights.

He told the panel that this fight was about “testing the data protection regulatory regime.”

“Can it do what it says it can do and (get) an answer to human rights? And unfortunately, I don't feel that it succeeded,” he said.

“If we can't recover our data, then we certainly can't recover how algorithms are interfering with our expression of free will.”

Carrol said he started his Cambridge Analytica fight with “optimism” that it would be a place to find resolution, answers, and truth, but continued: “Unfortunately, the investigation was stymied and obstructed and never resulted in a conclusion, and the regulators never really succeeded at delivering satisfactory results. And so it means my personally feeling disappointed.”

“Ultimately, it took journalists, whistleblowers, leaders of the free press to hold accountable those who are supposed to hold accountable so we're still relying on sort of last resort of free press and whistleblowing. And I feel like that's a sign of a broken system,” he said.

Asked if people’s digital footprint might bite us in the future, Carroll answered: “I think the key thing that I learned is to appreciate fundamental differences between the approach of the EU and the US.”

He explained that EU laws see this information “still belongs to us and though it's out there and that we still maintain rights to it.”

“Whereas in the United States, it's a different philosophy,” he continued. “Once you put your data out there, you lose control of it.”

“I think that the European Union has a much more enlightened vision for this,” he said.

Stratcom

Turkey this weekend is hosting Stratcom 2021, an international gathering to address compelling policies, issues, challenges, and trends of the strategic communication ecosystem.

The two-day summit brought together 112 speakers from over 30 countries and a distinguished audience of over 3,000.

Topics tackled at the summit include strategic communication, public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, the metaverse, nation branding, disinformation, new media, open intelligence, new communication technologies and trends, strategic marketing, and political communication./aa

Leave aside prejudice but do not leave information vacuums and for a good communications strategy, produce “engaging and evergreen content", experts said on Sunday.

“We need to remove our biases; there is an important role of diversity of data, approach, analysis, and analysts,” said Ben Page, the CEO of Ipsos, French-based multinational market research and consulting firm.

Page was virtually addressing the Strategic Communications Summit 2021, hosted by Turkey’s Communications Directorate in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul.

“Focus on key things that drives perception,” Page urged, adding that communications “can change people’s perception.”

Warning that the online environment “threatens our view of reality at a new scale,” he said: “Do not leave information vacuums where people get educated through one-sided perspectives.”

“Be part of the public conversation and understand what to focus on and what to ignore,” he said, adding that opinion polls “remain the best way to understand the public mood.”

Ben said the research helps understand “how people are making decisions.”

On fake news, he said it was better to “get used to living with uncertainty. For example, COVID-19.”

Page said it was important to “understand the channels that are used by different audiences and the measures that work.” “Stick to them,” he insisted, suggesting “simplicity and consistency” in the approach.

‘Create engaging content’

Miklos Gaspar, head of digital media and public information at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), discussed how his office is “communicating nuclear topics” to laypeople.

Nuclear power “is a technical topic… some people like it, some people don’t care (because) they’re not aware of the nuclear potential,” said Gaspar, adding that a quarter of total electricity generated across the world today comes from nuclear sources.

He said digital has become the primary method of communication for the IAEA to “let people see all the potential of nuclear.”

Through its website and social media accounts, the IAEA reaches “about 6 million a month,” said Gaspar, adding that this “is more than five times we would do few years ago.”

“To catch, grab and keep the attention of people who are not interested in your topic, you need to be innovative in terms of content creation and also distribution mechanisms,” he said.

He said it was necessary to make websites “search engine optimized… in fact, hyper search engine optimized both in terms of the content.”

“We also make sure we are compatible with the evolving algorithm of Google and other search engines.”

Gaspar said the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR, which has almost become a household term due to COVID-19, “is actually a nuclear-derived technology.”

“The IAEA has been helping countries for decades to use PCR to detect viruses,” he said.

When the pandemic began, Gaspar said: “The IAEA put out an article explaining how the RT-PCR works … And it got us 1.3 million new visitors.”

“But it’s not enough to optimize for search engines,” he added, urging the use of “simple language, infographics, videos and embed them in the story,” as these factors will make them “evergreen,” he added.

He said times are changing and now is the time when “we use social media first content strategy.”

Gaspar also suggested producing content that is not specifically about one’s organization, saying: “We produce one-third of our content that is not about the IAEA but is about nuclear.”

Another way to increase engagement, he said, is working with other organizations and “cross-sharing our posts.”

Turkey this weekend is hosting Stratcom 2021, an international gathering to address compelling policies, issues, challenges, and trends of the strategic communication ecosystem.

The two-day summit brought together 112 speakers from over 30 countries and a distinguished audience of over 3,000.

Topics tackled at the summit include strategic communication, public diplomacy, digital diplomacy, the metaverse, nation branding, disinformation, new media, open intelligence, new communication technologies and trends, strategic marketing, and political communication./aa

Following a month of protests, Pakistan's premier on Sunday ordered "strong" steps against illegal fishing off the coast of Gwadar, a key route of the multibillion-dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Tens of thousands of fishermen and locals have been on the streets demanding a ban on illegal fishing, the removal of security checkpoints from within the city, and action against drug smuggling and wine shops.

"I have taken notice of the very legitimate demands of the hardworking fishermen of Gwadar. Will be taking strong action against illegal fishing by trawlers and will also speak to CM (Chief Minister) Balochistan," Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a much-awaited announcement on Twitter.

The local fishermen accuse Chinese fishing companies of being involved in illegal fishing, which they say has deprived them of their only source of income.

With its 600-kilometer (373-mile) coastline, Gwadar is a key deep seaport currently operated by China, which seeks to gain direct access to the Indian Ocean via Gwadar in line with its $64 billion CPEC mega-project.

The economic corridor is hoped to provide China cheaper access to Africa and the Middle East and also earn Pakistan billions of dollars to provide transit facilities to the world’s second-largest economy.

Many, nonetheless, complain that locals have benefited little from the project.

The government of the southwestern Balochistan province, of which Gwadar is a district, says that the protesters' four major demands, including the closure of wine shops and removal of the "additional" security checkpoints, have been met.

Islamabad, for its part, has recently announced several solar power and potable water projects for Gwadar, an otherwise less-developed district of the southwestern Balochistan province, which borders both Afghanistan and Iran.

Fisherman leads protests

Maulana Hidaytullah, a leader of Jamat-e-Islami, the country's mainstream religious party, has been leading the mammoth protests for the last 28 days.

The son of a fisherman hit the limelight a few months ago when his message on social media platforms "I’m coming this evening. Are you too?" went viral, prompting thousands of locals to take part in a protest rally, which is viewed as the starting point of the ongoing movement.

His party has never been politically influential in Gwadar, but his popular stand has put him at the center of the region's politics.

Contrary to centuries of local traditions, thousands of women attended a rally to support Baloch in Gwadar last week.

The large Balochistan province, which is also considered to cover parts of neighboring Iran and Afghanistan, is strategically important due to its rich copper, zinc, and natural gas reserves.

The province has long witnessed a low-intensity separatist movement, with Baloch separatists claiming the region had been "illegally" incorporated into Pakistan in 1947, following the end of the British colonial era.

Fisherman leads protests

Maulana Hidaytullah, a leader of Jamat-e-Islami, the country's mainstream religious party, has been leading the mammoth protests for the last 28 days.

The son of a fisherman hit the limelight a few months ago when his message on social media platforms "I’m coming this evening. Are you too?" went viral, prompting thousands of locals to take part in a protest rally, which is viewed as the starting point of the ongoing movement.

His party has never been politically influential in Gwadar, but his popular stand has put him at the center of the region's politics.

Contrary to centuries of local traditions, thousands of women attended a rally to support Baloch in Gwadar last week.

The large Balochistan province, which is also considered to cover parts of neighboring Iran and Afghanistan, is strategically important due to its rich copper, zinc, and natural gas reserves.

The province has long witnessed a low-intensity separatist movement, with Baloch separatists claiming the region had been "illegally" incorporated into Pakistan in 1947, following the end of the British colonial era./aa

India’s government needs to put more focus on the primary healthcare system and inject additional funds to provide quality and affordable services, according to healthcare analysts.

Coinciding with Universal Health Coverage Day, observed Sunday, experts urged provincial governments to play a role in ensuring people have access to comprehensive health care.

"The federal government has started down the path of universal health coverage, but there’s a lot to go in terms of strengthening health systems, and state governments must play a critical role in that," public health expert Dr. J.S. Thakur told Anadolu Agency.

"Universal health coverage in India cannot happen in isolation. The funds spent on health care presently are low, and the states should start investing in health, especially with a focus on universal health coverage."

India earlier this year was hit by a deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, severely straining its healthcare system and highlighting the need to revamp the health infrastructure. The pandemic brought to the fore weaknesses of the three-tiered Indian health system.

Thakur, who is head of the India-based World Noncommunicable Disease Federation, said post-pandemic there has been increased investments in the health infrastructure in the country but a lot more has to be done.

"There should be a budget earmarked especially for strengthening primary health care and health promotion,” he said. “India is a populous country and it’s important that we strengthen primary health care. If it is improved, 70%-80% of the population can be helped, as most of their health problems can be addressed at this level.”

The public health expert also said that health is a state subject in the country and implementation of programs has to be strengthened.

"There is a shortage of human resources, and even progressive states have a shortage of human resources. We need to address this,” he said. “We need to improve health governance and similarly, the states, too, need to increase the health allocation of funds.”

India currently has the Ayushman Bharat program, which also aims at providing healthcare coverage to more than 100 million poor and vulnerable families.

In 2018, the government had announced Ayushman Bharat health reform with two components: Health insurance and reinvestment in primary care by transforming existing facilities into new health and wellness centers that provide comprehensive primary care.

Last month, the government and the Asian Development Bank agreed to a $300 million loan to strengthen and improve access to comprehensive primary health care in urban areas of 13 states.

Workforce problem

K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India think-tank, told Anadolu Agency that while things are improving in terms of greater investment in infrastructure and digital health, efforts are required for investment in the health workforce.

A study in the international journal Humans Resources for Health highlighted that the health workforce estimates in the country are well below the World Health Organization’s "threshold of 44.5 doctor, nurses and midwives per 10,000 population."

"While investing in infrastructure as well as in digital health, we need to focus a lot on strengthening and health workforce, particularly at the primary healthcare level," said Reddy.

The renowned health expert said the health insurance program has yet to cover all the aspects it should.

"It doesn't yet cover primary health care, it doesn't cover outpatient care medicine. We must bridge those cases as well,” he explained.

“It doesn't cover all conditions. In COVID, it didn’t cover much of COVID, it didn’t cover post-COVID care."

He added that "empaneled hospitals are not adequate to cover the entire population."

A survey released last week by the Indian community platform LocalCircles revealed that 39% of respondents paid bribes for COVID-19 treatment at a hospital during the second wave.

Reddy noted that a lot needs to be done at the federal and state government levels.

"We need to definitely enhance infrastructure and workforce because you may create demand but until the supply matches the demand, you may not be able to sufficiently cover and service coverage," said Reddy.

He said universal healthcare coverage is essential as a part of our developmental investment.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into very clear focus the need for building strong health systems which are efficient, equitable, and empathetic and can deliver reliable health services of high quality even when there is no pandemic," he said. "Only then can we meet public health emergencies."

More centers

On Friday, the government said it is aiming to set up 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) by December 2022 "to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care closer to the home."

"Under Ayushman Bharat, the existing Sub-health Centres and Primary Health centers are being transformed into AB-HWCs to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care that includes preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and rehabilitative services which is universal, free and close to the community," the Health Ministry told parliament, adding that currently, 80,545 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres are operational./aa

Over half a billion people have been pushed into poverty by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression, reports by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank said Sunday.

The findings are contained in two reports published on Universal Health Coverage Day, which illustrate the disastrous impact of COVID-19 on people's capacity to get and pay for health care.

The pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress toward universal health coverage, triggering declining immunizations and increased tuberculosis and malaria deaths, the global health body said.

The new evidence compiled with the World Bank reveals that more than half a billion people are being pushed into extreme poverty because they must pay for health services out of their own pockets, the WHO raised alarm.

"The pandemic also triggered the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, making it increasingly difficult for people to pay for care," said the WHO.

"All governments must immediately resume and accelerate efforts to ensure every one of their citizens can access health services without fear of the financial consequences," said WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus.

"This means strengthening public spending on health and social support and increasing their focus on primary healthcare systems that can provide essential care close to home."

Tedros said before the pandemic, many countries made progress, but the world needs to build health systems strong enough to withstand shocks, such as the next pandemic, and move to universal health coverage.

In 2020, COVID-19 disrupted health services and stretched countries' health systems beyond their limits as they struggled to deal with the pandemic's impact.

As a result, immunization coverage dropped for the first time in 10 years, and deaths from tuberculosis and malaria increased.

Worst yet to come, reports warn

The new WHO and World Bank reports warn that financial hardship is likely to become more intense as poverty rises, incomes fall, and governments face tighter fiscal constraints.

"Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, almost 1 billion people were spending more than 10% of their household budget on health," said Juan Pablo Uribe, World Bank's health, nutrition and population director.

"This is not acceptable, especially since the poorest people are hit hardest. Within a constrained fiscal space, governments will have to make tough choices to protect and increase health budgets," he said.

Many governments made progress on service coverage throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, the WHO said, adding that before the pandemic, essential health services covered 68% of the world's population in 2019.

Services included pre- and post-natal care and reproductive health services, immunization services, treatment for diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, and services to diagnose and treat noncommunicable diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

But the reports note they have not made such advances in ensuring affordability.

"Up to 90% of all households incurring impoverishing out-of-pocket health spending are already at or below the poverty line," said the WHO, underscoring the need to exempt poor people from out-of-pocket health spending./DS

Early evidence suggests omicron causes "a reduction in vaccine efficacy against infection and transmission," the World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday in a technical brief.

The delta variant, first identified in India earlier this year, is responsible for most of the world's coronavirus infections.

But South Africa's discovery of omicron – which has a large number of mutations – last month prompted countries around the world to impose travel bans on southern African countries and reintroduce domestic restrictions to slow its spread.

The WHO said omicron had spread to 63 countries as of Dec. 9. Faster transmission was noted in South Africa, where delta is less prevalent, and in Britain, where delta is the dominant strain.

But it stressed that a lack of data meant it could not say if omicron's rate of transmission was because it was less prone to immune responses, higher transmissibility or a combination of both.

The omicron coronavirus variant is more transmissible than the delta strain and reduces vaccine efficacy but causes less severe symptoms according to early data, the WHO said.

"Given the current available data, it is likely that omicron will outpace the delta variant where community transmission occurs," it added.

Omicron infections have so far caused "mild" illness or asymptomatic cases, but the WHO said the data was insufficient to establish the variant's clinical severity.

South Africa reported omicron to the WHO on Nov. 24. Vaccine manufacturers Pfizer-BioNTech last week said three doses of their jabs were still effective against omicron.

Countries with sufficient vaccine supplies such as Britain and France have encouraged their populations to receive a third "booster" jab to fight omicron./DS