Russian Disinformation in Africa, US Privacy Rulemaking, and More

Sea level rise threatens home septic systems and public health, Russia's Ukraine propaganda effort, and the FTC's next steps on privacy.

View in browser June 30, 2022 Sea level rise from climate change is threatening home septic systems and public health   Dramatic storms, wildfires, and floods often generate headlines, but more subtle, persistent changes in the environment are also creating health and safety hazards across the United States. Rebecca Mann, Cassidy Pearson, and Jenny Schuetz warn that older home septic systems were not designed to withstand today's rising water levels—and the risks will only increase without major policy action.   Read more Russia's narratives about its invasion of Ukraine are lingering in Africa   As part of its disinformation campaigns around the war in Ukraine, Moscow has attempted to sway African countries and secure influence over the region, especially as Russia becomes increasingly isolated from the U.S. and Europe. Mary Blankenship and Aloysius Uche Ordu analyze Twitter data to gain insights into the broader Russian narratives that continue to proliferate throughout the African continent.   Read more Why the FTC should proceed with a privacy rulemaking   "An unachievable better path is the enemy of a good one." While congressional legislation would be the ideal way to address U.S. privacy concerns, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should still proceed with rulemaking around binding privacy federal regulations for all the industries under its jurisdiction, Mark MacCarthy argues.    Read more The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars. The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20036 Unsubscribe Manage your newsletter subscriptions | Receive the Brookings Brief less often