🐤 It's time to go

🏦 Markets: Wall Street is on its way to wiping out all of the gains it saw at the beginning of the year as the stock market closed down yet again yesterday.

Among the factors that led to the sell-off was an employment report that showed new unemployment claims dropped significantly, which might be good for workers in the short term but signals that efforts to stave off inflation haven’t yet hit the mark. Additionally, new residential construction took a 1.4% dip in December.

⚖️ Charges filed: More than a year after a mishap on the scene of the western film “Rust” left cinematographer Halyna Hutchins dead, actor Alec Baldwin learned this week that he would face criminal charges of involuntary manslaughter. He was holding the gun that fired the fatal bullet but has maintained that he was assured the prop did not contain live ammunition. Hanna Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer working on the film who was paid to oversee the weapons used in filming, is also facing similar charges. While involuntary manslaughter typically carries a maximum sentence of 18 months behind bars, an enhancement based on the use of a firearm could extend that maximum to as many as five years. Baldwin’s attorney reacted to the news by asserting that it “distorts Halyna Hutchins’ tragic death and represents a terrible miscarriage of justice.”

🏛️ Cory goes to Washington: Those in my generation remember him from “Boy Meets World.” Younger folks saw him in the recent reboot “Girl Meets World.” Now, Ben Savage, who played Cory Matthews in both shows, is reportedly mulling a bid for U.S. Congress. While records indicate he registered to run in California’s 30th district as a Democrat, his representative was coy in a statement on the matter, confirming only that “he is focused on his upcoming wedding” and “still making decisions” about how he might “give back and serve the community” in the future. Savage, the younger brother of “The Wonder Years” star Fred Savage, previously launched an ultimately unsuccessful campaign to serve on the West Hollywood city council.

✂️ Cutting costs: With the threat of a global recession looming, companies of all types are looking for ways to reduce expenditures — but Amazon’s solution might not go over all that well. According to the massive online retailer, it’s ending a charity program that allows shoppers to donate a portion of certain purchases to an approved organization of their choice. Since it was launched about a decade ago, AmazonSmile has reportedly sent roughly $500 million to various charities. Nevertheless, the company said that “the program has not grown to create the impact that we had originally hoped” and confirmed that it would be phased out entirely next month.

🆘 Sending out an SOS: Notorious Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has been behind bars in a maximum-security prison in Colorado since he was convicted on multiple charges in 2019 — and now he wants to be returned to his home country. According to his attorney, he has been subjected to “psychological torment” since he was locked up and has been denied basic necessities such as proper food, medical care, and access to sunlight. Of course, he might also be interested in returning to Mexico because he was able to escape from prison in that country twice while no one has ever mounted a successful escape from the Supermax facility where he is currently being held. Although Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said his country is “going to review” the request, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that he doesn’t “see any possibilities” that Guzman will be extradited.

Although Jacinda Ardern was widely praised around the world for her response to crises including COVID-19 and a deadly mass shooting, many in her own country were bitterly opposed to some of her decisions.

Without citing the growing disdain directly, the prime minister of New Zealand announced this week that she would be stepping down effective Feb. 7.

A mixed legacy

Ardern had previously signaled her intention to seek another term in her leadership role, but in an unexpected announcement on Thursday, she confirmed her decision to leave the role she has held since 2017. At that time, she became the youngest female head of state in the world.

In the years since, she has encountered both highs and lows on professional and personal fronts, including:

• Becoming just the second head of state to give birth while in office
• Reaching out to a grieving Muslim population after dozens were fatally shot at two Christchurch mosques in 2019
• Enacting some of the Western world’s strictest mitigation measures during the pandemic

Many New Zealanders went on to protest the initially effective COVID-19 restrictions, particularly after new variants began to spread despite the measures she put in place. This seemed to mark a shift in the once-glowing public persona she had cultivated as prime minister.

A tough decision

She made it clear in this week’s announcement that she didn’t want to resign but felt it was best for the nation.

“I am not leaving because it was hard,” Ardern said. “Had that been the case I probably would have departed two months into the job.”

Admitting that she doesn’t “have enough in the tank to do it justice,” she decided to step down.

It is unclear who will be taking over for her on an interim basis until October’s election.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision last year, states across the country cracked down on abortion rights — in some cases essentially outlawing the procedure in most cases.

Many individuals in search of abortion pills have turned to online pharmacies, but new reports indicate that might come with some unforeseen privacy concerns.

Sharing patient data

According to researchers who looked into the practices of nearly a dozen online pharmacies, most of the companies that provide such medication used third-party trackers that share sensitive information with Google and other tech firms.

Some of the data released through this technology include:

• Web addresses users visit
• What links users click
• Search terms users enter
• The devices being used
• Users’ general location

While many online retailers use similar trackers in order to provide personalized ads, the especially sensitive abortion industry comes with unique inherent risks.

Since Google and other companies reserve the right to share data with law enforcement, the possibility exists that individuals could face legal repercussions for seeking abortion pills online.

What people can do

While it is difficult, if not impossible, to completely erase your private data from the sites you visit, some tools exist that can help people retain some anonymity when visiting online pharmacies and other sites.

Experts recommend using a privacy-focused web browser like Firefox or Bravo as well as installing extensions to those browsers that can block trackers. There are hidden features that retailers can use to bypass these safeguards, though, so it is important to proceed with caution.

Northeastern University law and computer science professor Ari Waldman called it “an entirely new era,” adding that the “mere fact that you’ve used the online pharmacy” might be enough for Google to gather information about you.

Modern society has erased many of the taboos surrounding mental health, meaning that more people are receiving the treatment they need to live fulfilling, happy lives. At the same time, artificial intelligence is becoming a more prominent feature in industries of all types.

It was only a matter of time before the two trends collided.

The rise of chatbot therapy

To be clear, serious issues should always be handled by a trained professional. Nevertheless, companies like Wysa are offering AI-powered programs that can offer some guidance and advice that might just be enough to bring things back on track.

As Chukurah Ali, one user of the chatbot, explained, it was uniquely beneficial after a car crash left her feeling “worthless” and unable to get around.

Her orthopedist suggested Wysa, which offers chatbot services for free. While there is an option that includes human therapy for a weekly fee of between $15 and $30, Ali said the insight she received from the AI app was just what the doctor ordered.

Weighing the pros and cons

Although a free app is clearly intriguing, particularly among those without insurance coverage, it’s important to note that AI cannot replace a human therapist. As Early Chirp has previously reported, chatbots are not infallible and can even provide unreliable information from time to time.

Nevertheless, when used as directed, programs like Wysa might make sense in certain situations. As company co-founder Ramakant Vempati explained, it is programmed to not only be able to analyze users’ responses to provide relevant responses that were written by trained psychologists, but it does so in a “friendly” and “empathetic” way.

The biggest concern for some professionals is that people — especially teens — will misuse the app and, when it doesn’t provide the desired result, give up on mental health entirely.