Twitter Restricts Retweets from World Leaders That Break Its Rules; LinkedIn Delves Into Real Life Networking; Tech Could End Drunk Driving; Green Economy Easily Outstrips Fossil Fuel Growth

Twitter will restrict interactions by users with world leaders who break its rules. Techcrunch.com reports that Twitter won’t allow users to share, Retweet, like, or reply the rogue Tweets, but will allow users to quote-tweet. The platform noted that ‘accounts of world leaders are not above our policies entirely.’ Twitter will still cut extra slack to leaving up Tweets of world leaders that are inflammatory, saying ‘we will err on the side of leaving the content up if there is a clear public interest in doing so.’ Twitter may mask such Tweets behind a notice that provides context about the violation, and makes users click through to see the content.

LinkedIn is dipping its toe into the real world, adding a new Events feature that lest people plan, announce, and invite people to real life meetups. According to geekwire.com, the new feature will launch on English speaking countries tomorrow, October 17th. It will be expanded to other areas later. This is one of the biggest new feature launches by LinkedIn since they were snapped up by Microsoft in 2016. The feature at launch will not have options for directly booking meeting spaces, ticketing, or promoting events beyond the reach of those initially invited.

Up to now, the only way to restrict repeat drunk driving has been to install an ignition interlock tied to a breathalyzer. Now, new tech may simplify the act, and apparently there will be bipartisan legislation to mandate every new car sold being fitted with the tech. Cnet.com says the sensors are implanted in either the steering wheel or push button ignition. An infrared light shines through the driver’s fingertip, and if the BAC sensor detects too big an alcohol level, the car won’t start. Another method uses sensors to monitor a drivers eye movement and breath. If legislation passes in 2020, every car after 2024 could have the tech built in.

The present administration has been much more supportive of the fossil fuel industry than green tech…there can’t be any doubt of that. Even so, according to new data, the green economy continues to grow at a pace well beyond that of the fossil fuel sector. Arstechnica.com reports that by 2016, green tech was generating more than $1.3 trillion in annual revenue and employing about 9.5 million people. That makes the US market the largest green market in the world with 16.5%. The sector grew by more than 20% between 2013 and 2016. The fossil fuel industry directly employed only about a million over that period…including miners, electrical grid workers, infrastructure manufacturers, and construction workers. The fossil industry received government subsidies on $649 billion in 2015 alone! Switching those subsidies over to green tech could accelerate the move to clean power and be a big help to slowing the rate of global warming.