What's Happening

US News

A High School Football Player’s Death Sparks Yet Another Safety Debate 

What's going on: Health experts are blowing the whistle (again) on how football impacts player health. This renewed call for concern comes after the tragic death of Caden Tellier, a 16-year-old quarterback in Alabama. He suffered a “severe” and ultimately fatal brain injury last Friday night at his season-opening game. That same day, two experts in youth sports participation wrote an article in The Guardian questioning whether high school and young college athletes were safe on the football field — or if the sport was “morally tenable” at all. Tellier is at least the fourth high school football player to have died this month due to a medical emergency related to playing the sport. Last year, there were 16 football player deaths in total (seven of those were among high schoolers), per the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.

What it means: Experts say deaths during football games at all levels are relatively rare, but concerns about the impacts of head trauma and concussions remain. One study found that 40% of contact sport athletes who died under the age of 30 had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disorder believed to be caused by repeated head injuries. Another study found that every 2.6 years of football participation doubles the chances of CTE, and more researchers are worried about kids starting such a dangerous sport at a young age. However, polls show that football is still America’s “favorite” sport, so enacting change could take a real Hail Mary. As this discussion continues, Tellier’s family and friends are grieving and finding ways to honor him. His parents said: “Everyone who knows Caden has known kindness, generosity, and love.” 

Related: How A Buffalo Bills Player's Cardiac Arrest During a Game Changed Football (ESPN)

Technology

What Could The Telegram CEO Arrest Mean For Free Speech & The Internet?

What's going on: Over the weekend, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested in France in connection with criminal activity on his messaging app, which is known to be lax about content moderation. Although he hasn’t been charged yet, French authorities are investigating various alleged offenses, including the sale of drugs, complicity in the distribution of child pornography on the app, and failure to cooperate with law enforcement. This is partially because Telegram has been used by terrorist organizations, illegal weapons suppliers, drug dealers, and far-right extremist groups such as the Proud Boys. ProPublica reported that someone linked to the Jan 6 insurrection tried to use an invitation-only group on the app to recruit a militia to “take up arms against the incoming Biden administration.” Prosecutors said Durov could remain in custody until Wednesday without being charged. 

What it means: This move is almost unprecedented — tech execs in the US have had to answer questions in front of Congress, but it’s incredibly rare for the leader of a major tech company to be arrested because of activities on their platform. In a statement, Telegram said “it is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform.” On that note, the internet has been ablaze with concern about what this arrest signifies for free speech online — both Marjorie Taylor Greene and Edward Snowden tweeted about it. Telegram supporters called the arrest government censorship, and a #FreePavel hashtag started spreading on X. However, France’s President Emmanuel Macron said the arrest was “in no way a political decision.” Meanwhile, Durov has been called “Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg,” and this arrest could spell further turmoil for diplomatic relations between Russia and France, which have been tense, especially since France showed support for Ukraine.

Related: Is Telegram The App Of The Fringe, Right-Wing? (Vox)

Business

Australia Wants to Give Workers the Legal Right to Ignore Their Bosses (Kind Of)

What's going on: Most Australians can now officially clock out after work — and have the right to ignore their bosses' messages (are you jealous yet?). A new law gives workers the “right to disconnect,” meaning they can refuse to respond to work-related calls and emails outside of their scheduled hours. The law doesn’t stop bosses from reaching out, but it does protect employees from any negative consequences if they don’t reply. A commission will handle disputes about what counts as “unreasonable,” considering factors like the nature of the job and whether the employee is paid for overtime. If employers are found in violation, they could face hefty fines: up to nearly $13,000 for an individual.

What it means: Australia joins a growing list of countries like France, Italy, Belgium, and Spain in trying to protect employees’ free time in the age of remote work. Supporters say this law will help redraw the blurred lines between work and personal life that became common during the pandemic. A survey found that 7 out of 10 Australians regularly work outside of their normal work hours, leading to burnout and stress. Now, workers have legal backing to set boundaries and enjoy time off — though employers still have some leeway if a refusal to work is deemed “unreasonable” due to job roles or emergencies. If you’re daydreaming about the idea in the US, an assemblyman in San Francisco pitched the law for California. Don’t get too excited though, as it doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. New York City also thought about the idea, but nixed it. We’ll just keep dreaming (while still checking Slack).

Related: How Some Workers Are Double-Dipping With Remote Jobs — Quite Literally (Fast Company)