5A-Identifying Local Opportunities

1. Local vape shops lose profits due to recent tobacco law
1. https://www.alligator.org/news/local-vape-shops-lose-profits-due-to-recent-tobacco-law/article_6033000a-42d4-11ea-bd9f-4f3ed2b963e4.html
2. President Trump issued a law in December that would raise the minimum age to purchase vape products to 21. However, Gainesville has enforced this such law since October. Due to this new law, vape shops have lost a large amount of their profits and their customers, most of them ranging from 18-20 years of age. However, many of the vape shop owners argue that introducing this new law, does not prevent kids from purchasing these vape products at all, it just directs the business to online or overseas suppliers.They also argue that this law may be detrimental for people who truly are looking to quit cigarettes.
3. Problem: Local vape shops are struggling as the new law takes away all their younger customers.
4. Who: The owners of the local vape shops who are losing business
2. UF implements two-factor authentication to combat cybercrime
1. https://www.alligator.org/news/uf-implements-two-factor-authentication-to-combat-cybercrime/article_70230c50-4246-11ea-bf84-03d618ab4326.html
2. After the end of this semester, UF will introduce a new two-factor authentication process into students’ accounts in order to prevent cybercrime from taking place. This comes after many students have been reporting an increase in scam emails and hackings. This new process will require the student to authenticate access through his/her smartphone.
3. Problem: There has been a large increase in hackings and scam emails being sent to students.
4. Who: UF students who are being hacked and scammed
3. GPD continues use of highly-criticised facial recognition program
1. https://www.alligator.org/news/gpd-continues-use-of-highly-criticized-facial-recognition-program/article_fda52c94-424a-11ea-a379-5f6e784062d8.html
2. The GPD is beginning to use a program called Clearview AI which uses the profile or partial image of a person to match to their social media pictures or mugshots. The GPD and this program are receiving great backlash as people believe that their privacy is being violated. However, GPD urges that the majority of matches that are obtained are with mugshots rather than social media pictures. They also claim that they will continue to use this program as long as it works properly and allows them to ensure safety throughout the community.
3. Problem: People’s “private” social media pictures are being stored and used, to which they are not so private after all.
4. Who: Anyone who opposes a program storing pictures of them in its database to help solve crimes.
4. Future of Gainesville Lucky’s Market remains unclear
1. https://www.alligator.org/news/future-of-gainesville-lucky-s-market-remains-unclear/article_158d3cc4-426f-11ea-9004-cffc3a103c6e.html
2. Lucky's Market recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and nearly all their stores are expected to close within the next month. There has been some talk that Aldi is purchasing many of the Lucky’s Market spaces, which may also be a possibility for the Gainesville location. However, the staff are just as unaware as the rest of the public, and they are being let go from their current positions and forced to find jobs elsewhere.
3. Problem: An Aldi may or may not replace the Lucky’s Market space in Gainesville, but employees and staff still have no choice but to search for new jobs.
4. Who: Employees of Lucky’s Market
5. New food market and Starbucks to open in Norman Hall Monday
1. https://www.alligator.org/news/new-food-market-and-starbucks-to-open-in-norman-hall/article_34fe1914-43d9-11ea-a457-fb58aac8f509.html
2. For several years now, Norman Hall has just been deteriorating and has been turning into a condition unfit to promote student learning and teaching. Many upgrades have been made throughout the hall over the past two years. The newest upgrade would be the availability of food and coffee directly from the hall.
3. Problem: Students did not have access to food or coffee in Norman and had to walk across the street (or under the tunnel) to the main campus to obtain this.
4. Who: Students and teachers who had class in Norman Hall