Twitter accounts and social media bots operated by Russian trolls intentionally sparked online debates about vaccinations, while also meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a study by the American Journal of Public Health.
The details: The bots were in operation from 2014 to 2017, disseminating messages both for and against vaccines with the main purpose of spreading discord, the study says. "Accounts masquerading as legitimate users create false equivalency, eroding public consensus on vaccination."
Opioid addiction has been one of America's deadliest issues — 72,000 citizens died last year driven by a surge in synthetic opioids. Rhode Island, the country's smallest state, may have found a solution that other states can adopt, Erick Trickey of Politico reports.
What they're doing: In 2016, the state began offering prisoners methadone, suboxone and vivitrol — three medications approved to treat opioid addiction. "About 350 Rhode Island prisoners each month take one of the three medicines," Trickey writes. Inmates are also allowed to continue their treatment after being released.
