In the vast, swirling expanse of the North Pacific Ocean lies a phenomenon as intriguing as it is troubling – the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). This colossal debris vortex stretching from California to Japan has become the poster child for the planet’s plastic pollution crisis.

Yet, amid this dire scenario, a project called The Ocean Cleanup has emerged as a beacon of hope and a subject of debate.

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The massive island of trash

The GPGP is no ordinary island. It’s an immense floating trash vortex spanning approximately 617,763.454 square miles, with Hawaii nestled in its midst.

Map of the GPGP (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The majority of this debris is plastic, ranging in size from large discarded fishing nets to microplastics that pose a more insidious threat.

U-shaped catchment system (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

While only 8% of the GPGP’s total mass, these tiny plastic fragments represent 94% of the estimated 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic floating in this marine desert. The presence of microplastics highlights the immense challenge of addressing oceanic plastic pollution, as these particles continue to break down but never fully disappear, threatening marine life in profound ways.

U-shaped catchment system (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The Ocean Cleanup’s “Jenny” technology

Enter The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit that uses technology to combat oceanic and riverine trash. Central to their mission is System 002, affectionately dubbed “Jenny.” This innovative U-shaped catchment system, towed by two fuel-powered ships, trawls the ocean surface, collecting debris in its path. Once Jenny is full, the garbage is transferred to a larger vessel and taken ashore for processing.

Underwater view of U-shaped catchment system (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

As The Ocean Cleanup evolves, so do its methods. The upcoming System 03, or “Josh,” promises even greater cleanups, boasting enhancements like the “MASH” – a marine animal safety hatch designed to safeguard sea life during the collection process.

System 03 features an expansive floating barrier spanning roughly 1.4 miles, strategically positioned between a pair of vessels towing it at a reduced speed. Attached to this barrier is a downward-reaching screen that plunges 13 feet beneath the water’s surface, targeting the zone where the majority of floating plastic debris is typically found.

Aerial view of U-shaped catchment system (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What becomes of the collected trash?

A crucial question looms: What happens to the trash once it’s hauled ashore? The Ocean Cleanup asserts that a significant portion of the plastic is recycled and transformed into “durable and valuable” products. The remnants, deemed unrecyclable, are incinerated to generate electricity – a process known as thermal recycling.

However, this approach is not without its critics. Concerns have been raised about the optimistic view of plastic recycling and the potential environmental impact of thermal recycling, including the release of toxins.

Vehicle used to haul trash ashore (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The debate and the path forward

The Ocean Cleanup’s efforts are not unchallenged. Critics argue that while removing trash from the oceans is beneficial, the ultimate solution lies in preventing plastic from entering the waters in the first place.

Vehicle used to haul trash ashore (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Ocean scientists and environmental advocates emphasize the need to reduce our reliance on plastic and to intercept it before it reaches the ocean, citing projects like river interceptors and initiatives like Baltimore’s Mr. Trash Wheel.

Vehicle used to haul trash ashore (The Ocean Cleanup) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and The Ocean Cleanup’s efforts to address it present a microcosm of the broader challenges and debates surrounding oceanic plastic pollution. While the organization’s innovative approaches offer hope, they also spark important conversations about the most effective strategies for preserving our oceans. As we navigate these turbulent waters, the tale of the GPGP serves as a poignant reminder of human activity’s impact on the natural world and the urgent need for collective action to safeguard our planet’s future.

Do you believe technological interventions like ‘The Ocean Cleanup’ are sustainable long-term solutions, or should we focus more on preventive measures? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau wants to propose new regulations that would require data brokers to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. In a speech at the White House earlier this month, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said the agency is looking into policies to “ensure greater accountability” for companies that buy and sell consumer data, in keeping with an executive order President Joe Biden issued in late February.

Chopra said the agency is considering proposals that would define data brokers that sell certain types of data as “consumer reporting agencies,” thereby requiring those companies to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The statute bans sharing certain kinds of data (e.g., your credit report) with entities unless they serve a specific purpose outlined in the law (e.g., if the report is used for employment purposes or to extend a line of credit to someone).

The CFBP views the buying and selling of consumer data as a national security issue, not just a matter of privacy. Chopra mentioned three massive data breaches — the 2015 Anthem leak, the 2017 Equifax hack, and the 2018 Marriott breach — as examples of foreign adversaries illicitly obtaining Americans’ personal data. “When Americans’ health information, financial information, and even their travel whereabouts can be assembled into detailed dossiers, it’s no surprise that this raises risks when it comes to safety and security,” Chopra said. But the focus on high-profile hacks obscures a more pervasive, totally legal phenomenon: data brokers’ ability to sell detailed personal information to anyone who’s willing to pay for it. 

Citing the February executive order, Chopra noted that data brokers can sell data to “countries of concern, or entities controlled by those countries, and it can land in the hands of foreign intelligence services, militaries, or other companies controlled by foreign governments.” In other words, instead of hacking hotel chains and credit reporting bureaus to get access to millions of Americans’ personal data, intelligence agencies can buy information that is just as detailed, if not more so. 

“For example, data brokers can facilitate the targeting of individuals by allowing entities to purchase lists that match multiple categories, like ‘Intelligence and Counterterrorism’ with ‘substance abuse,’ ‘heavy drinker,’ or even ‘behind on bills,’” Chopra said. “In other contexts, entities can purchase records for pennies per person, allowing relatively small investments to be leveraged into mass collection.” Put another way, the White House is concerned that the US’s adversaries — most explicitly, China — can use Americans’ data to identify targets for blackmail and surveillance.

The government is growing increasingly concerned about foreign governments’ access to Americans’ data. In March, the House passed a bill that would prohibit data brokers from selling Americans’ personally identifiable information to “any entity that is controlled by a foreign adversary.” Under the Protecting Americans’ Data from Foreign Adversaries Act, data brokers would face penalties from the Federal Trade Commission if they sell sensitive information — like location or health data — to any person or company based in certain countries. The Senate has yet to vote on the bill.

US government agencies, too, rely on data brokers to keep an eye on Americans. In 2022, the American Civil Liberties Union published a series of documents that showed how the Department of Homeland Security used location data to track the movement of millions of cell phones — and the people who own them — within the US. 

Frustrated with how often autocorrect is auto-wrong? Even with new AI features included in many platforms’ latest updates, autocorrect remains annoying. Let’s fix that for iOS and Android.

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Go cold turkey

Yes, you can just turn it off — no more bad guesses or awkward corrections. Just type what you mean letter by letter, like in the early days.

Note: Depending on your Android make, model and OS, steps may differ. There are just too many variations to cover all of them.

Start here on your iPhone

• On iOS: Tap Settings > General > Keyboard.
• Toggle Auto-Correction to Off.
• You can always follow the same steps to turn it back on later, if you need it or change your mind.

Bonus tip: In iOS, misspellings are underlined. To turn that off, head to Settings > General > Keyboard again and turn off Check Spelling.

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Using an Android?

• Go to Settings > System > Languages and input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Text correction.
• Here, you can turn off Auto-correction and Show suggestion strip, which displays predictive text.

Bonus tip: Under your keyboard settings, flip the switches next to “Predictive Text” and “Show Predictions Inline.”

Add your own slang

If you’re feeling ambitious, program your phone to replace a phrase with your shorthand. Think turning “brt” into “be right there” or “1234” into “Four Score and Seven Years Ago.” Pretty slick!

• On iOS: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Tap the + (plus sign), then add your word or phrase to the Phrase field (i.e., “On my way”). In the Shortcut field, type your slang of choice (i.e., “OMW”).
• On Android: Go to Settings > System > Languages and input > On-screen keyboard > Gboard > Dictionary > Personal dictionary > English and tap the + (plus sign) in the top right to add a custom word. Put your slang or abbreviation in the Shortcut box to trigger that custom word.

Pro tip: In iOS and Android, if you leave the Shortcut field blank, autocorrect will stop bugging you with alternate spellings.

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Why is autocorrect capitalizing random words?

You may notice that autocorrect capitalizes random words in a sentence. If you are typing something like, “I need to call Mom and ask when She needs to go to the Store,” you’ll have to go back and make a change to all the words that shouldn’t be capitalized.

If you don’t know why autocorrect keeps capitalizing Mom and Store, take a peek at your contact list and see how you’re typing names. If you save certain words in your contact list a certain way, autocorrect assumes this is the way you always want it written.

Another simple fix for this issue is to turn off the auto-capitalization setting in your keyboard tab.

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