Live data from Hacker News

U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

washingtonpost.com

61–70 of 377 posts

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#61

The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different from those that would’ve resulted in an autism diagnosis shortly after the abolishment of lobotomy, it is hardly surprising the rate keeps going up as you widen the net.

> The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different Not that much. The difference between now and 50 years ago is that a) we don't just throw them into asylums, b) we actually have accessibility of getting diagnosed, c) employment opportunities suitable for many people with mental disabilities (such as factory line assembly) have gone down the drain.

> Not that much.

Very much so. What we now call Autism Spectrum Disorder was referred to as "childhood schizophrenia" in the DSM-2 [1], things only started moving in the right direction with the DSM-3 [2] when it was finally sort-of recognized as an independent disorder of "infantile autism", but some core elements of ASD like sensory processing differences were only recognized in the DSM-5.

There's a good overview at [3]. It's good that criteria are different today, the criteria from decades ago failed to include majority of ways that autism expresses itself, many of which benefit from support and accommodations even though they're not obviously debilitating.

[1] https://www.madinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/DSM-...

[2] https://aditpsiquiatriaypsicologia.es/images/CLASIFICACION%2...

[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8531066/

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#62

[flagged]

What would you suggest Americans actually do? They voted this in knowing this would happen. It’s one thing to shout into a void about some vague disagreement, but it’s entirely different to actually take some form of real action. What should that action comprise?

> They voted this in knowing this would happen.

Many of them mocked anyone saying this would happen. And even now, there are people cheering on the idea of ignoring due process.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#63

[flagged]

What would you suggest Americans actually do? They voted this in knowing this would happen. It’s one thing to shout into a void about some vague disagreement, but it’s entirely different to actually take some form of real action. What should that action comprise?

If this is all really the case… which is hard to tell these days. You had better get to know your community quick because things they are a coming.

History doesn’t repeat, but it rhymes.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#64

It’s interesting to muse about the larger picture here. What is it that makes autism so dangerous? To me it looks like part of an almost spiritual war against empathy/compassion by traumatized individuals trying to fight their own Jungian Shadow.

"Do not commit the sin of empathy"

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#65

The criteria for diagnosing ASD today are vastly different from those that would’ve resulted in an autism diagnosis shortly after the abolishment of lobotomy, it is hardly surprising the rate keeps going up as you widen the net.

Also... the picture of left-handed people would fit in here.

https://slowrevealgraphs.com/2021/11/08/rate-of-left-handedn...

The very much same applies here I think.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#66
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Calling it a "guess" seems very generous at this point, saying it is a "lie" is more accurate I think.

Never attribute to malice what cannot be adequately explained by stupidity. And he is one stupid fuck.

Never attribute to stupidity what looks ambiguous between stupidity and malice but makes a shit ton of money.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#68

[flagged]

What would you suggest Americans actually do? They voted this in knowing this would happen. It’s one thing to shout into a void about some vague disagreement, but it’s entirely different to actually take some form of real action. What should that action comprise?

if nothing else,vote with your wallet, buy used, eat a bit lower on the food chain, wear t shirts that might get you in trouble, spend more time on personal care so that you have the stamina and energy to help where you see that you can.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#69
post #52
post #15

Aktion T4 next? This is a dark dark road. I suspect the US will become like Germany in the next few decades where the paranoia about handing any data over is justifiably high. I hope this burns the unethical side of the tech industry to the ground. It deserves it.

Already the US can serve as a good example when discussing the need for unbreakable cryptography and e2e systems. The current decline nicely illustrates how quickly you can go from "The police have legitimate needs to break encryption to find heinous criminals" to something far more dystopian.

No amount of crypto is going to protect you from this mess. Technical safeguards work as long as it is backed by the law and the constitution. But when they are suppressed, the people in power will just find someone smarter than you and bribe, gaslight, bully, blackmail or beat them into helping them compromise such safeguards. And not to mention the fact that they love playing hideous psyops games. This is a social and political problem. You need social and political solutions. Technical solutions are just band-aids.

Re: U.S. autism data project sparks uproar over ethics, privacy and intent

#70

It’s interesting to muse about the larger picture here. What is it that makes autism so dangerous? To me it looks like part of an almost spiritual war against empathy/compassion by traumatized individuals trying to fight their own Jungian Shadow.

>What is it that makes autism so dangerous?

That the parents of severe cases eventually pass away and unless they figure out to take the kid with them, he is condemned at best to a life in mental health institutions - and usually they make One Flew Upon Cuckoo's Nest look like Teletubbies.

Add to that more and more people are single kids and usually born out of geriatric pregnancy (which also increases the chances of autism somewhat) - aka above 35, so they really are alone.

There are very good state and society interests in preventing autism. Mental disabilities are way worse than physical in today's society. Thankfully not every case is severe. But severe one's do exist.

Post reply on HN