Safety measures have been implemented since society began to organize themselves. When you ran out to jump on your bike, a helmet was pushed onto your head. Traffic lights were installed so that you knew when to cross the street. Gates are put up in homes to keep babies from tumbling down the stairs!
As the world has progressed, we've had to implement safety measures on a larger scale, such as longer security checks in airports and firewalls on our internet browsers. Recently, it feels like there's been a boom in security measures and defenses. Due to wars, attacks, and hackers, we've seen a dramatic increase in safety measures in both the public and private sectors. Even if they're not the most obvious, they've been seamlessly implemented into our day to day existence.
It's in our best interest to take threats seriously and remain as safe as possible. However, in order to adapt to these changes, we have to be aware of what they are. And we're here to lend a helping hand! Here are just a few safety measures that didn't exist twenty years ago.
24/7 Symptom Checks
With the recent outbreak of the coronavirus (and general paranoia about hygiene and health) airplanes have become stricter about their health guidelines.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration and the Centers for Disease Control, cabin crew in airplanes have to take particular precautions when it comes to their health, especially if they are traveling in and around China.
For example, if they absolutely need to mingle with the general population, they have to keep a distance of at least 6 feet. They also should avoid touching their face and they must wash their hands often. As an added precaution, they should use a sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol-based.
They need to constantly be monitoring their health, such as taking their temperature twice daily and reporting any coughs or difficulty breathing. They must report any symptoms of an illness to their local health department and the CDC.
Is Virtual Reality Safer? (Spoiler: It's Not)
As the internet's influence has spread to the masses, so has the number of people who are able to hack into your databases and extract your private information.
Many international powers, including Canada, have begun to take initiatives in the realm of cybersecurity. According to Public Safety Canada, the Canadian Government "is taking on a leadership role in cybersecurity to help organizations and Canadians recognize the value of cybersecurity and to support efforts to raise the baseline of cybersecurity in Canada."
One of these ways is through blockchain technology. Blockchain is a database that keeps itself secure by using encryptions that are unable to be deciphered through an outside party. This database is shared only among a small network of similar computers. The goal is to increase the security of businesses and organizations and decrease cybercrime and fraud.
Specifically in 2013-14, The Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Canada began working on a plan to establish a cybersecurity foreign policy with other international allies. They also partook in and signed the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime.
Related: 25 Surprising Things About Airport Security (We Wish We Knew Before)
Keep Others On Your Radar
It's no secret that 9/11 was one of history's most impactful tragedies. Not only did this trauma impact how we view immigrants, but it also impacted how safe we felt on planes. 9/11 lead to very drastic changes in airplane security that are still felt more than 15 years later.
Nowadays, whenever you fly, you're subjected to long security lines. This is so your bags (and your person) can be scanned for any semblance of a suspicious object. If you're "lucky", after walking through a metal detector, you'll get a pat-down, which many have criticized for being invasive.
As far as what you can bring on the plane, liquids used to be allowed, as well as knives, clipped, even small handguns! Now, liquids have to be triaged in plastic bags and not even nail clippers can make it onto the aircraft.
Security detail has also increased dramatically. According to the infamous whistleblower, Edward Snowden, the American intelligence organizations began to grow exponentially, as well as a $52.6 billion budget to survey citizens through both their phones and the web.