Fitbit takeover by google worries consumer users

Health

The planned takeover of fitness watch manufacturer fitbit by online giant google worries consumer and data protection experts worldwide. Google could use fitbit’s valuable health and position data to strengthen its already dominant position in the market for online advertising, 20 organizations warned in a joint statement on thursday.

Antitrust, supervisory and data protection authorities worldwide had to pay the utmost attention to this, demanded, among others, the european consumer association beuc, the u.S. Consumer association and the data protection organization european digital rights.

At the beginning of november last year, google had announced plans to take over fitbit for a good two billion dollars. It was agreed that the data of the fitness specialist will not be used for personalized advertising. Earlier this year, european privacy advocates warned that yet another collection of user information in the hands of a big tech company poses a risk to the protection of privacy.

According to a report in the "financial times" on thursday, the EU commission’s competition watchdogs signaled their intention to investigate the planned takeover more closely. According to the report, the brussels authorities sent questionnaires to google’s and fitbit’s rivals asking, among other things, whether the takeover would destroy competition and whether it would give google access to data it could use to improve its advertising business. A spokeswoman for the EU commission declined to comment on the report when asked.

May 19, 2023 by 0Comments
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The bee love drives strange bleedings

So that no wrong impression arises: "we see it very gladly, if bees are held", says the chairman of the beekeepers’ association of munnerstadt and the surrounding area, dieter scholzke. But when he runs into a swarm of bees on his way home from work, he knows something is wrong. "The bees were completely disoriented, normally now no more black bees fly, that is totally unusual", he says. The experienced beekeeper knows the term for such a case. "This was a hunger swarm."

Such a swarm can only occur with improper beekeeping, female dieter scholzke. The bees were obviously not fed. It is becoming more and more common for people to put a hive in their garden, not care about it, and then go on vacation. This is how these hungry bees. "Before they starve, they leave the hive", says dieter schozke. "Then they beg into other colonies and maybe bring the varroa mite with them." Or even the foulbrood, a bee disease. As chairman of the beekeepers’ association with the educational apiary, he couldn’t accept that.

Although training is not mandatory for keeping bees, there are regulations that must be followed, informs the chairman of the bad kissingen district association, erhard bieber. "Beekeeping must generally be reported to the veterinary office", he says. The point here is that the employees of the office need to know where there are beehives in order to be able to inform the keepers, for example, in the event of an outbreak of disease. In addition, beekeepers must obtain a farm number. You can get them from the agricultural office. "Both are free of charge", emphasizes erhard bieber. There are also other regulations. "We are happy to have beekeepers, but the legal aspects must be respected", says dieter scholzke.

But the regulations are only one side of the coin. It is not compulsory, but: "it would be desirable if all beekeepers took a basic course", says dieter scholzke and erhard bieber adds: "there are nine local associations in the district, all of them are happy to provide information." So there are also regular courses for beginners. The two beekeepers ask that new beekeepers simply find out more about the subject. "You don’t have to become a member just because of that."

Dieter scholzke gives an example of why such basic training is so important: the bees had to be treated against the varroa mite in autumn and winter. "If you haven’t attended a training course, you can’t know that", he says. This also includes, for example, that a health certificate must be presented when selling bee colonies.

The referendum and other actions on bees have obviously led to actionism among some people. The "wild beekeeping is also not a phenomenon that exists only in the district of bad kissingen. "At a meeting of the district associations, other chairmen reported similar problems", says erhard bieber.

"Of course, we see it as a positive thing when citizens get involved with bees," says, it says in addition from the landratsamt. "Before one acquires animals, one should concern oneself however fundamentally with the topic." Legal requirements must be observed when keeping animals – for example, the obligation to register with the veterinary office and the office for agriculture. Registration is free of charge. "We recommend that beginners join a beekeepers’ association or a beekeepers’ association. To inform there in detail, because at this place there is professional and financial support." In so-called "honey courses learn as a newcomer everything important about beekeeping. In addition, there are further training courses and the possibility of acquiring licenses at a favorable price, according to the district administration office.

April 11, 2023 by 0Comments
Giant cash theft: tuckish poisonous plant spreads

Not only the people feel good in this midsummer. Nature also bleeds, unfortunately also those plants, on which one can do without gladly. In munnerstadt, the giant periwinkle has spread – this is bad, because the plant is poisonous and can cause very unpleasant skin lesions. The gardeners of the city's building yard have had to go out several times this summer to remove the perennials. At the same time, the city workers have to work very carefully. They protect themselves with protective suits so that they do not injure themselves on the plants. "They are dangerous", also confirmed by stefan sluzar, head of the city's building department.

He attributes the fact that the plants are thriving so well this year to the wet spring and the warm summer. "Last year it was not so bad", says the head of the building yard. The city's gardeners and the forestry workers had an eye for the places where the shrubs particularly like to grow. But they have also received tips from the public. This was gladly accepted, assures reiner straub from the city's building department. "We can not be everywhere", he says. Therefore one is glad about such tips. It is important that the shrubs are removed, adds straub. Stefan sluzar and the workers in the building yard have observed that the giant cash thief grows especially frequently near beehives. 30 or 40 years ago the barenklau was a popular bee pasture. At that time, no one could have imagined how problematic this plant could become.

"At the old schindberg we had a real plantation", female stefan sluzar. In reichenbach, too, the construction team has already been on the job this year in connection with the theft of cash. Several flowered perennials are currently still standing in the maital. While the first plants are already scattering their seeds, the next generation of the poisonous immigrant from the caucasus is already growing again on the ground.

Assistance from authorities
The lower nature conservation authority at the district office of bad kissingen and the health department of bad kissingen advises private citizens if giant cash theft has spread on their properties and needs to be eliminated, explains the press spokesman of the district office, stefan seufert. Both sites offer help on how to permanently remove the plants and protect yourself from injury at the same time. Dr. Matthias hahn of the health department has not received any inquiries from the public so far, however. The giant cash theft has not yet been a burning issue, at least for the health authorities.

The spread of the giant barcus is a european-wide problem, not only because the plant is so poisonous, but also because it is a threat to native flora. There is even a european union project that deals with the plant. On the internet you can find a multilingual information brochure about it.

May 30, 2023 by 0Comments
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