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See inside the top-secret museum you can’t enter

<p dir="ltr">While most museums aim to educate the public, there’s one that most of us won’t be allowed to enter that holds artefacts that have shaped key historical moments - and it’s located in the headquarters of the CIA.</p> <p dir="ltr">The US intelligence agency has its very own in-house museum at its headquarters in Langley, Virginia, with a collection recently renovated to mark its 75th anniversary.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63023876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em>, whose journalists were among a select group given access during a media tour, the 600 artefacts on display include everything from old-school spy gadgets to models of the compound that housed Osama bin Laden.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c8978b1b-7fff-2994-e40b-b873b130bcef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The Cold War gadgets included the likes of a ‘dead drop rat’, in which messages could be hidden, a covert camera inside a cigarette packet, an exploding martini glass and even a pigeon with its own spy camera.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/cia-display.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A pipe radio receiver is among the hundreds of items on display in the museum. Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Some artefacts have never gone on display before, such as a model of the sunken Soviet K-129 submarine created for the expedition the CIA embarked on with billionaire Howard Hughes to recover the ship.</p> <p dir="ltr">That mission was only partially successful since the submarine broke apart while a ship called the Gomar Explorer was trying to bring it up from the ocean’s depths.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Most of what they found aboard that submarine is still classified to this day," Robert Z Byer, the museum’s director, told the BBC.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-36956bbb-7fff-426e-b622-1531a77f9952"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The mission also marked the creation of an iconic phrase the CIA still uses; after news broke of the mission before the rest of the submarine could be extracted, officials were told to say they could “neither confirm nor deny” what had happened.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/cia-display1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A model of the K-129 submarine was created by the CIA during the mission to recover the sunken Soviet vessel and has never been displayed before. Image: Central Intelligence Agency</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Others have only been declassified recently, including a model of the compound where al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed earlier this year. The model was used to brief President Joe Biden on the proposed mission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the museum moves chronologically through the CIA’s successes and failures, including the failed Bay of Pigs mission to overthrow Fidel Castro, some of the agency’s more controversial acts are less visible, such as the 1953 joint operation with Mi6 to overthrow a democratically-elected government in Iran, or recent involvement in the torture of terrorist suspects after 9/11.</p> <p dir="ltr">The museum’s visitors are restricted to CIA staff and official visitors, with Mr Byer saying it serves to educate CIA officers on the agency’s history.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This museum is not just a museum for history's sake. This is an operational museum,” he explained. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are taking CIA officers [through it], exploring our history, both good and bad," says Mr Byer. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We make sure that our officers understand their history, so that they can do a better job in the future. We have to learn from our successes and our failures in order to be better in the future."</p> <p dir="ltr">While the public isn’t allowed to visit it currently, officials say some exhibits will be available to view online.</p> <p dir="ltr">Images of the museum are also expected to be shared on social media, with the aim being that members of the public are given the chance to unscramble the various coded messages displayed on the museum’s ceilings.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-3a1e4815-7fff-5d89-765c-c4112d2ebddb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Man shot dead after trying to enter school

<p dir="ltr">A man who was seen trying to enter a primary school where a summer class was being held has been shot dead by police. </p> <p dir="ltr">Robert Tyler White, 32, was spotted trying to get into numerous doors at Walnut Park Elementary School in Alabama when the principal raised the alarm.  </p> <p dir="ltr">A police officer who was working as a school resource officer encountered Robert trying to break into a ​​marked Rainbow City police car near the school.</p> <p dir="ltr">The officer raised the alarm before he was joined by one other colleague who attempted to arrest Robert.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man was then shot dead after resisting and trying to take the police officer’s gun. </p> <p dir="ltr">Officials did not reveal how many times they shot Robert, whether or not he was armed, and whether he was an intruder or passerby. </p> <p dir="ltr">Gadsden City Schools Superintendent Tony Reddick said the school resource officer sustained minor injuries and all 34 children were safe. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Our primary concern was just making sure that someone who wasn't authorised to be in our building does not enter and our kids are safe," he told local media. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

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Alcohol marketing has crossed borders and entered the metaverse – how do we regulate the new digital risk?

<p>The World Health Organization’s newly <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240046504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released report</a> on regulating cross-border alcohol marketing raises the alarm for countries like Australia and New Zealand, given their light touch towards alcohol advertising.</p> <p>Alcohol is widely consumed in Australasia but there is ongoing tension over how much restraint, if any, should be placed on the marketing of these products.</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand are at the unrestrained end of the marketing continuum. Both countries rely on industry-led policy in the form of voluntary codes – an approach identified as insufficient by the WHO report.</p> <p><strong>What is cross-border alcohol marketing?</strong></p> <p>Alcohol marketing, created and disseminated in one country and spread across borders into others, is commonly used by multinational corporations striving to increase sales and normalise alcohol as an everyday product. Much of this advertising is taking place in the digital media sphere.</p> <p>The increased use of these media platforms by alcohol corporations allows them access to cheap advertising opportunities. For as <a href="https://au.reset.tech/uploads/resettechaustralia_profiling-children-for-advertising-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">little as US$2</a>, an advertising campaign based in Australia could reach a thousand young people profiled as interested in alcohol, for example.</p> <p>Marketing across digital media has also increased the impact of those messages.</p> <p>Brands interact with users on social media platforms, encouraging the posting, sharing and liking of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33573719/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">branded images and messages</a>. Higher user engagement is associated with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32079562/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more drinking</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464113/original/file-20220518-21284-beeqsu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="AB InBev logo behind a smartphone also showing the logo" /><figcaption><em><span class="caption">Multinational corporations like AB InBev have been quick to embrace digital platforms as a new way to advertise alcohol products.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/in-this-photo-illustration-an-ab-inbev-logo-is-seen-on-a-news-photo/1234971135?adppopup=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Targeting the individual</strong></p> <p>The increased power of these advertisements reflects the effectiveness of “personalised marketing”. Companies can now target individuals and “look alike” audiences.</p> <p>This approach is made possible thanks to the enormous amount of data collected as we interact together, purchase products and indicate our interests and passions through our clicks and likes.</p> <p>This data is extremely valuable to marketers and alcohol corporations. It gives them insight into the best time of day, the best brand of alcohol and the best type of marketing message to send our way.</p> <p>All groups across society are vulnerable to being bombarded by messages encouraging the purchase and consumption of alcohol.</p> <p>Digital advertising can target everyone: teenagers looking for brands which exemplify their identity; young adults, the heaviest “occasion drinkers” in Australia and New Zealand, some of whom are developing drinking habits that may be hard to change in later life; and adults of all ages who wish to reduce their consumption, often for health reasons.</p> <p>Digital media has become an all-encompassing marketing environment in which the “buy” button – with home delivery and often no checks on age or intoxication – provides a seamless marketing and distribution system.</p> <p>In New Zealand, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.13222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online sales</a> increased significantly during the COVID-19 lockdowns, particularly among heavier drinkers.</p> <p><strong>Entering the metaverse</strong></p> <p>The alcohol industry is now showing its initiative by entering the emerging <a href="https://www.ypulse.com/article/2022/02/03/metaverse-mansions-more-tiktok-how-brands-are-marketing-for-this-years-super-bowl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">metaverse</a>. To understand the metaverse, <a href="https://thedecisionlab.com/insights/technology/brave-new-world-how-the-metaverse-may-shape-our-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to one commentator</a>, you should</p> <blockquote> <p>take today’s social media, add a splash of sophisticated 3D, fold in a plethora of options for entertainment and gaming, garnish it all with data-driven personalisation, and you are all set to take away your order of a supersized social media network, the metaverse.</p> </blockquote> <p>In terms of marketing, this provides a new opportunity. The biometric data essential to a virtual reality experience is also available to develop “<a href="https://scholarship.law.vanderbilt.edu/jetlaw/vol23/iss1/1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biometric psychographics</a>”, allowing for the even greater personalisation of advertising.</p> <p>Virtual alcohol brands created and used by avatars in the metaverse support the development of brand allegiance in real life, and virtual reality will transform e-commerce experiences and increase the power of sponsorship.</p> <p>AB InBev, the largest global alcohol corporation, was an early adopter of the metaverse. One of its brands, <a href="https://sifted.eu/articles/metaverse-brands-nft/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stella Artois</a>, is sponsoring the Australian Zed Run platform on which virtual horses can be raced, bred and traded. The Zed Run platform experienced 1,000% growth in early 2021.</p> <figure class="align-center "><em><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/464116/original/file-20220518-23-f6cjil.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Two people stand in front of a screen with a digital image of a horse." /></em><figcaption><em><span class="caption">Digital horse racing game Zed Run has exploded in popularity, with alcohol companies using the digital platform to reach a new audience.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/performers-tyra-cartledge-and-kendall-drury-takes-part-in-a-news-photo/1329475903?adppopup=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Regulating to reduce alcohol harm</strong></p> <p>The digital world is extremely dynamic. It is also opaque to most policy makers and public health practitioners. It is telling that there is no reference to the metaverse as a cross-border alcohol marketing opportunity in the WHO report.</p> <p>There is an urgent need for debate regarding how policy makers should better understand the risks involved with the targeted marketing of hazardous products such as alcohol.</p> <p>The WHO report outlines various partial and unsuccessful approaches to regulating marketing in the digital media.</p> <p>Attempts, such as <a href="https://helda.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10138/303690/Alcohol_marketing_on_social_media_sites_in_Finland_and_Sweden_2019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Finland’s</a> regulation of user-shared branded material, have failed because they did not interfere with the basic architecture of the social media platforms, which is predicated on engagement via sharing and liking.</p> <p>The most successful examples offered by the WHO report have been countries like Norway, which have imposed a complete ban on alcohol marketing including in the digital media.</p> <p>The report emphasises the need for surveillance and enforcement, suggesting ways in which alcohol companies could be penalised for marketing breaches.</p> <p>The support provided by international agreements such as the <a href="https://fctc.who.int/who-fctc/overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Framework Convention on Tobacco Control</a> is identified as a possible template for future discussions.</p> <p>The response to tobacco marketing provides a good and largely effective model for officials and policy makers. That said, the public health goal for alcohol is not equivalent to the smokefree goal. Advocates are not trying to eliminate alcohol altogether.</p> <p>However, there are parallel arguments in favour of creating a healthier media environment through regulation to prevent the promotion of alcohol products via increasingly sophisticated technological and psychological tools.</p> <p>These products are significant causes of reduced well-being, and this marketing increases consumption and therefore harm. The messages of the WHO report are timely and should be heeded.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183334/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sally-casswell-862029" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sally Casswell</a>, Professor of public health policy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massey University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alcohol-marketing-has-crossed-borders-and-entered-the-metaverse-how-do-we-regulate-the-new-digital-risk-183334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Digital inequality: why can I enter your building – but your website shows me the door?

<p>When people hear the term “accessibility” in the context of disability, most will see images of ramps, automatic doors, elevators, or tactile paving (textured ground which helps vision impaired people navigate public spaces). These are physical examples of inclusive practice that most people understand.</p> <p>You may even use these features yourself, for convenience, as you go about your day. However, such efforts to create an inclusive physical world aren’t being translated into designing the digital world.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463211/original/file-20220516-25-nl8hd8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A large wheelchair sign is visible to the left of a wheelchair ramp." /></a><figcaption><em><span class="caption">New buildings are required to comply with a range of physical access requirements, which may include tactile paving (seen in yellow).</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Accessibility fails</strong></p> <p>Digital accessibility refers to the way people with a lived experience of disability interact with the cyber world.</p> <p>One example comes from an author of this article, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-07-13/dark-patterns-online-captcha-accessibility-disability-community/11301054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott</a>, who is legally blind. Scott is unable to purchase football tickets online because the ticketing website uses an image-based “CAPTCHA” test. It’s a seemingly simple task, but fraught with challenges when considering accessibility issues.</p> <p>Despite Scott having an IT-related PhD, and two decades of digital accessibility experience in academic and commercial arenas, it falls on his teenage son to complete the online ticket purchase.</p> <p>Screen readers, high-contrast colour schemes and text magnifiers are all assistive technology tools that enable legally blind users to interact with websites. Unfortunately, they are useless if a website has not been designed with an inclusive approach.</p> <p>The other author of this article, Justin, uses a wheelchair for mobility and can’t even purchase wheelchair seating tickets over the web. He has to phone a special access number to do so.</p> <p>Both of these are examples of digital accessibility fails. And they’re more common than most people realise.</p> <p><strong>We can clearly do better</strong></p> <p>The term “disability” covers a spectrum of <a href="https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/diversity-and-inclusion/disability/definition-disability" target="_blank" rel="noopener">physical and cognitive conditions</a>. It can can range from short-term conditions to lifelong ones.</p> <p>“Digital accessibility” applies to a broad range of users <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/people-use-web/abilities-barriers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">with varying abilities</a>.</p> <p>At last count, nearly <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-ageing-and-carers-australia-summary-findings/2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one in five Australians (17.7%)</a> lived with some form of disability. This figure increases significantly when you consider the physical and cognitive impacts of ageing.</p> <p>At the same time, Australians are becoming increasingly reliant on digital services. According to a <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/consulting/connected-government/potential-of-digital-inclusion.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 survey</a> by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, 45% of respondents in New South Wales and Victoria increased their use of digital channels during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p>In contrast, research undertaken by <a href="https://www.infosys.com/australia/digital-accessibility-journey/executive-summary.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Infosys in December 2021</a> found only 3% of leading companies in Australia and New Zealand had effective digital accessibility processes.</p> <p><strong>But have we improved?</strong></p> <p>Areas that <em>have</em> shown accessibility improvement include <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/inclusive-design-social-media/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media platforms</a> such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, food ordering services such as <a href="https://www.afb.org/aw/20/4/16411" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uber Eats</a>, and media platforms such as the ABC News app.</p> <p>Challenges still persist in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognizant/2022/03/03/how-to-make-online-banking-disabled-people-friendly/?sh=21a3d5dda4a5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online banking</a>, <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Travel-Agent-Issues/Websites-critiqued-on-accessibility-to-disabled-customers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">travel booking sites</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahkim/2020/12/30/accessibility-of-online-shopping/?sh=66a9d883e49e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shopping sites</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10209-021-00792-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">educational websites and content</a>.</p> <p>Data from the United States indicates lawsuits relating to accessibility <a href="https://www.essentialaccessibility.com/blog/web-accessibility-lawsuits">are on the rise</a>, with outcomes including financial penalties and requirements for business owners to remedy the accessibility of their website/s.</p> <p>In Australia, however, it’s often hard to obtain exact figures for the scale of accessibility complaints lodged with site owners. <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/publications/overlooked-consumers-20-australian-population-disabilities" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This 1997 article</a> from the Australian Human Right Commission suggests the conversation hasn’t shifted much in 25 years.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><em><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=257&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=257&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=257&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=323&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=323&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463213/original/file-20220516-19-vjfht8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=323&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A rendered illustration of a disabled man in a wheelchair and woman with a hearing aid lifting weights." /></a></em><figcaption><em><span class="caption">It’s a human right to have fair and equal access to the web and all its services.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>There are solutions at hand</strong></p> <p>There’s a clear solution to the digital divide. The World Wide Web Consortium’s <a href="https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Web Content Accessibility Guidelines</a> (WCAG) standard has been widely adopted across the globe. It’s universally available, and is a requirement for all Australian public-facing government websites.</p> <p>It guides website and app developers on how to use web languages (such as HTML and CSS) in ways that enable end users who rely on assistive technologies. There are no specialist technologies or techniques required to make websites or apps accessible. All that’s needed is an adherence to good practice.</p> <p>Unfortunately, WCAG is rarely treated as an <a href="https://www.rev.com/blog/web-accessibility-laws-australia-new-zealand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enforceable standard</a>. All too often, adherence to WCAG requirements in Australia is reduced to a box-ticking exercise.</p> <p>Our academic work and experience liaising with a range of vendors has revealed that even where specific accessibility requirements are stated, many vendors will tick “yes” regardless of their knowledge of accessibility principles, or their ability to deliver against the standards.</p> <p>In cases where vendors do genuinely work towards WCAG compliance, they often rely on automated testing (via online tools), rather than human <a href="https://zoonou.com/resources/blog/why-automated-accessibility-testing-tools-are-not-enough/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">testing</a>. As a result, genuine accessibility and usability issues can go <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262352732_Benchmarking_web_accessibility_evaluation_tools_Measuring_the_harm_of_sole_reliance_on_automated_tests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unreported</a>. While the coding of each element of a website might be WCAG compliant, the sum of all the parts may not be.</p> <p>In 2016, the Australian government adopted <a href="https://www.accessibility.org.au/policy-and-research/australian-policy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">standard EN 301549</a> (a direct implementation of an existing European standard). It’s aimed at preventing inaccessible products (hardware, software, websites and services) entering the government’s digital ecosystem. Yet the new standard seems to have achieved little. Few, if any, references to it appear in academic literature or the public web.</p> <p>It seems to have met a similar fate to the government’s <a href="https://www.governmentnews.com.au/national-transition-strategy-web-accessibility-in-transition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Transition Strategy</a> for digital accessibility, which quietly disappeared in 2015.</p> <p><strong>The carrot, not the stick</strong></p> <p>Accessibility advocates take different approaches to advancing the accessibility agenda with reticent organisations. Some instil the fear of legal action, often citing the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1RbzjUBT1s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Maguire v SOCOG case</a>, where the 2000 Olympic website was found to be inaccessible.</p> <p>In a more recent example, the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-05/blind-woman-launches-court-action-against-coles-over-its-website/5869874?nw=0&amp;r=HtmlFragment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Manage v Coles settlement</a> saw Coles agree to make improvements to their website’s accessibility after being sued by a legally blind woman.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=448&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=448&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=448&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=563&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=563&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/463210/original/file-20220516-21-7tu89a.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=563&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Screenshot of the top of Coles's 'accessibility' section on the company's website, with a red Coles logo on the top-left." /></a><figcaption><em><span class="caption">After getting sued by a legally blind customer in 2014, Coles made improvements to its website’s accessibility features.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Screenshot/Coles</span></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p>In the Coles case, the stick became the carrot; Coles went on to win a <a href="https://www.accessibility.org.au/award-winners-2019/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national website accessibility award</a> after the original complainant nominated them following their remediation efforts.</p> <p>But while the financial impact of being sued might spur an organisation into action, it’s more likely to commit to genuine effort if this will generate a <a href="https://www.w3.org/WAI/business-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">positive return on investment</a>.</p> <p><strong>Accessible by default</strong></p> <p>We can attest to the common misconception that disability implies a need for help and support. Most people living with disability are seeking to live independently and with self-determination.</p> <p>To break the cycle of financial and social dependence frequently associated with the equity space, governments, corporations and educational institutions need to become accessible by default.</p> <p>The technologies and policies are all in place, ready to go. What is needed is leadership from government and non-government sectors to define digital accessibility as a right, and not a privilege. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182432/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/scott-hollier-1337594" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Hollier</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer - Science and Mathematics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edith Cowan University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-brown-1344442" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justin Brown</a>, Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning), School of Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/edith-cowan-university-720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edith Cowan University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-inequality-why-can-i-enter-your-building-but-your-website-shows-me-the-door-182432" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Anger after "fan" enters van carrying Shane Warne's body

<p>Thailand police have revealed they will not be charging a mysterious woman who was spotted entered an ambulance carrying the body of Shane Warne, because she did not break the law.</p> <p>There has been widespread outrage after it was discovered that the mystery blonde woman was allowed into the white van as it transported the body of the late cricket great on a ferry from Koh Samui to the Thai mainland on Sunday.</p> <p>Local police in Thailand launched an investigation into why the woman was allowed to spend time with Shane Warne's body ahead of his autopsy, and brought her in for questioning. </p> <p>At a press conference on Monday, they said they have dropped the investigation as they believed she had not broken any rules. </p> <p>The woman, a German ex-pat who lives in Koh Samui, was seen carrying flowers near the van as it sat on the ferry, before speaking with a local immigration officer. </p> <p>The woman then approached the driver's side of the van and spoke to the driver, who left the vehicle, allowing her to get in and then shut the doors behind her.</p> <p>It’s understood she spent more than 30 seconds inside the vehicle.</p> <p>The woman later told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-07/shane-warne-body-incident-thailand/100887050" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a> that she just wanted to pay her respects to the cricketer and didn't mean to cause any offence. </p> <p>“I am a big fan of him. It’s very sad that we lost him,” she said.</p> <p>“I just took the flowers to pay condolences."</p> <p>“I am sorry about yesterday but I [did] not mean [any] negative act by that. I am a big fan, he is a great player.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: ABC News footage</em></p>

Legal

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Djokovic enters vaxxed-only event

<p>Tennis champion Novak Djokovic has entered into next month's Indian Wells ATP event in California, just weeks after he was prevented from competing in the Australian Open. </p><p>Organisers for the ATP event announced the player entry list on Thursday, and said proof of full vaccination will be required to enter the grounds for the event that runs from March 7th to March 20th. </p><p>Many tennis fans have taken Novak's registration in the event as a sign the Serbian star has finally received his Covid-19 vaccinations. </p><p>Organisers at Indian Wells released a statement saying vaccines will be required for the event, but also said player protocols for Djokovic and other men’s players will be decided by the ATP in line with US restrictions.</p><p>“With health and safety as the tournament’s top priority, the BNP Paribas Open will require valid proof of full vaccination to enter the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the tournament,” a statement said.</p><p>“The guidelines for the players are governed by the protocols established by their respective governing bodies, the WTA and ATP, as well as any restrictions established by the United States of America in regard to the vaccination status of international travellers entering the country.”</p><p>Novak was set to compete for his fourth consecutive Australian Open title in January, before being turned away at the border for his invalid visa and vaccination passport. </p><p>Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who is also on the Indian Wells entry list, won the Australian Open to set the record with his 21st career slam singles crown.</p><p>Last week, author of Novak's biography <em>A Lifetime At War</em>, suggested that seeing Nadal take out the Australian Open win may have been a motivating factor for the Serbian to get vaccinated. </p><p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Afterpay enters Aussie pubs, experts warn of “debt spiral”

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Afterpay – the popular buy now, pay later (BNPL) service – has made the jump from retail stores to over 160 Aussie pubs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But consumer advocates are worried that the move could send some people into a “debt spiral”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian Venue Co (AVC) has become the first hospitality group to partner with Afterpay as part of its ‘Dine Now, Pay Later’ offering – which rolls out across its venues from November 15.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">AVC CEO Paul Waterson said the decision was driven by customer demand, who he said have shifted away from credit cards, as well as a desire to offer convenient experiences for guests, </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re not afraid to go first. As a group, we seek out other industry leaders who we can work with to innovate on behalf of our customers,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are looking forward to our guests being able to choose an alternative, innovative way to pay for dining out at our pubs.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However Katherine Temple, the policy and campaigns director at the Consumer Action Law Centre, said the centre has seen more people struggling with BNPL debts, making the move from AVC all the more concerning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Often buy now, pay later is part of a larger debt so people are also struggling with existing credit card debts or personal loans or utility loans, so it’s rarely the only type of debt when they come to us,” she told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/costs/afterpay-moves-into-hospitality-with-australian-venue-co/news-story/b569dcf94efcde0e5eef2ba79852c24f" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The debt varies but it can be [from] a couple of thousand dollars up to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt and we are hearing from people of all ages and walks of life that are using these products now.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">James Hunt, a policy advisor at Financial Counselling Australia, told </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/twobeer-pub-trip-or-sixweek-hangover-afterpay-comes-to-the-pub-20211104-h1zlwk" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good Food</span></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">that Afterpay and other BNPL companies aren’t required to check if customers can afford the repayments, “so unfortunately many people are ending up with unmanageable debt”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Temple shares those concerns, citing a lack of safeguards “to ensure people can afford to make repayments”, which she says exacerbates “financial hardship and money problems”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Buy now, pay later is everywhere now and is normalising debt particularly for younger people,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A spokesperson for Afterpay said the company enters new consumer markets based on demand.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As credit cards steeply decline, Australians are looking for smarter ways to manage their budget, using their own money, and avoiding interest and debt traps,” they said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They also said the Afterpay’s product has built-in spending rules to ensure customers don’t pay interest or revolve in debt.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Customers are unable to continue using Afterpay if they are late on a single instalment,” they added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, customers do pay some fees if they miss a payment, with Afterpay collecting a whopping $70 million in late fees in 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) also criticised Afterpay, Zip, and other BNPL providers for charging excessive fees.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a report released last year, the regulator found that one in five BNPL users are missing payments.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It also found that 15 percent of users had taken out additional loans to pay for the services.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As for Afterpay’s place in pubs, chief spokesperson for CANSTAR Steve Mickenbacker said it could be especially challenging to navigate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You visit a pub, perhaps budgeting to buy two drinks … BNPL puts you in a position to turn those two drinks into eight,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Without self-discipline, that two-beer pub trip could become a six-week hangover.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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The first thing you should do when entering your hotel room

<p>After getting off your flight, navigating through a busy terminal, hailing a taxi and lugging your bags to your hotel room, you’d be excused for wanting a bit of a lie down.</p> <p>But many travel experts think this is a bad idea.</p> <p>Before you do anything else, the first thing you should do when entering a new hotel room, is peeling back the bedding, and checking for any traces of bed bugs.</p> <p><a href="http://www.time.com/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Time Magazine travel writers</span></strong></a> Brad Tuttle and Erik Torkells explain: “The first thing you should do in a new room: peel back the bedding and check the seams of the mattress for traces of bedbugs — bloodstains or actual bugs.”</p> <p>It goes without saying that bedbugs are probably the last souvenir you want to be bringing home from your trip, which is why you must also be cautious about your bag.</p> <p>“The main way travellers bring bedbugs home is when their bags get infested after touching bedspreads or mattresses,” Tuttle and Torkells write.</p> <p>“When packing or unpacking your bag, put it on an upholstered piece of furniture — a dresser or one of those folding luggage stands. Also, avoid putting your clothes into dresser drawers, if possible. Keep your possessions in your luggage or hang things up in the closet instead.”</p> <p>Were you aware of this tip? Have you ever brought bed bugs home?</p>

Travel Tips

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Country Women’s Association enter demolition derby

<p>The Kyogle Evening Branch of the Country Women's Association in northern New South Wales is proving to the community they do "more than just tea and scones” by entering the local demolition derby.</p> <p>President Odette Nettleton told <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-10/cwa-demolition-derby-nsw-north-coast/7917292">ABC North Coast</a> she had always thought the derby was the most entertaining part of the show.</p> <p>"I don't think there's many opportunities to get in and do this stuff generally for women and why not create some more," she said.</p> <p>"I'm sure we'll be baking as well, but there's no reason why we can't bake and smash cars."</p> <p>The CWA, which traditionally has a conservative image, has in recent years surprised some by voting in favour of gay marriage and medicinal cannabis in some branches.</p> <p>"The CWA is Australia's largest women's lobbying group and has a really powerful voice in parliament and to the government," Ms Nettleton said.</p> <p>"And the government does take notice."</p> <p><img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28634/7916652-3x2-700x467_500x334.jpg" alt="7916652-3x 2-700x 467" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The CWA car wasn’t your standard demolition derby car though, decorated by members using decoupage, crochet and doilies. The tagline “more than just tea and scones” was painted on the ar.</p> <p>Derby organiser Pete Graham said the car was a hit with fans on the showground on Saturday night.</p> <p>"I've been in every race from the start to the finish here and haven't seen something like this before."</p> <p>The CWA team didn’t win, but driver Adel Wynd said she’d love to do it again.</p> <p>"I'd love to do it for longer because it was so much fun."</p> <p><em>Photos: Samantha Turnbull</em></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/08/common-myths-about-retirement/"><em>6 myths about life after retirement</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/08/perks-of-getting-older/">8 perks of getting older you might not know about</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/07/yazemeenah-rossi-60-year-old-model/"><em>Meet the 60-year-old model disrupting ageing</em></a></strong></span></p>

News

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Dog wipes his paws before entering

<p>Bentley is shown in the video to be running excitedly toward the back door of the house before being gently reminded that he should wipe his paws. You don’t have to tell him twice! The grandchildren could take a leaf out of Bentley’s book. </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/photos-of-animals-hitchhiking/">Hilarious photos of animals hitchhiking</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/animals-who-love-warm/">In pictures: 12 animals who love warmth more than anything</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2015/10/why-dogs-so-happy-to-see-you/">The science behind dogs being so happy to see you</a></strong></span></em></p>

News

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Tips on re-entering the workforce

<p>It’s becoming more and more common that New Zealanders over 60 are getting back into some form of work after retirement. This includes everything from doing the odd handyman job to retraining and working a few days a week as a florist.</p> <p>Before you get all putoff by the competition, consider this: In today’s environment people are holding positions for shorter amounts of time, which can work in your favour. Follow these steps if you’re considering re-entering the workforce.</p> <p><strong>Learn a new skill</strong><br />If you were once a flight attendant chances are this time around if you’re coming out of retirement that you will be looking into something new. Decide what you’d like to do and then consider retraining in this area. Positions like a florist, child minder, library assistant, handy man, property caretaker, age-care helper and so on, are great places to start.<strong><a href="http://www.open.edu.au/?mkwid=sc0S6nhSj%7Cdc&amp;pcrid=36512485913&amp;kword=%2Bopenuniversity&amp;match=e&amp;plid=&amp;sctp=ppc&amp;scvn=google&amp;scsrc=google_search&amp;sckw=%2Bopenuniversity&amp;sccm=Search&amp;gclid=CL2-itzl_78CFZcnvQodAQIA6w" target="_blank"><br /></a></strong></p> <p><strong>Be up-to-date with technology</strong><br /> Prepare to demonstrate that not only you are knowledgeable with up-to-date technology, but also that you are comfortable with learning new things. Having a professional presence on the Internet, (a personal LinkedIn profile, a blog, or articles published online) and being able to talk about trends in technology that are relevant to the job will eliminate any doubts about your ability to adapt to rapidly changing technology.</p> <p><strong>Hit the ground running</strong><br /> Businesses are looking for individuals who can have an immediate effect. Be prepared to demonstrate to a prospective employer how you can help the company now. Offering references and success stories from your past that show you are get-things-done kind of person is sure to make a good impact.</p> <p><strong>Exhibit confidence</strong><br /> Once you have decided what area you want to go into, don’t doubt yourself! The skills and experience that made you valuable when you were employed are just as valuable when you return to the workforce. Don’t be afraid to show people what you’re made of.</p> <p><strong>Look into further training</strong><br /> Two things that should be high on your list are training and ensuring that you are given the tools for success. Training is critical to your continued success. While you’re looking for a job, continue your study and the right thing will come along. Once you gain employment don’t stop learning – express your interest in-house training opportunities. </p>

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Is Samsung about to enter the hearing aid market?

<p>Electronics giant Samsung looks set to shake up the hearing aid industry, according to a report from BusinessKorea online. Following on from the success of the collaboration between its rival Apple and GN ReSound and Starkey Hearing Technologies, Samsung looks set to invest in the hearing aid industry.</p> <p>Unlike Apple, Samsung are proposing to actually manufacture its own hearing device. BusinessKorea notes that Samsung recently placed an order for $14 million worth of amplifiers, which are a requirement of any hearing aid.</p> <p>As the largest manufacturer of smartphones, Samsung is also the biggest electronics company in the world. By entering the hearing aid industry, Samsung would be increasing its presence in the mobile health market.</p> <p>With more than 80 different businesses and 275,000 employees around the world, Samsung is ranked as the eighth most valuable brand worldwide according to Forbes magazine. Samsung’s sales are significantly larger than many of its rivals. For instance in 2013, Samsung shipped 281.5 million smartphones worldwide, while its closest rival, Apple, shipped just 43.7 million.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see whether Samsung do better than companies like 3M, Bausch &amp; Lomb and Motorola who all tried and failed in the 80s and 90s to move into the hearing aid market.</p> <p>Samsung’s huge resources and track record of success could make it the right company to add a seventh member to the Big Six group of companies that has dominated the manufacturing of hearing aids for the past decade.</p> <p>Samsung views expansion into the growing hearing aid market as a source of potential growth for the company. It is reported that the new Samsung hearing aid would be developed in time to release at the same time as the new flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S7. The S7 upgrades will mean it can connect directly to the hearing instruments.</p> <p><em>Image credit: <span>Kobby Dagan / Shutterstock.com</span></em></p>

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