- Friday the 8th of December -

(12pm) 

- Should governments dictate what types of technology companies use?  -

The EU recently ruled that Apple has no choice but to make all new iPhones with a USB-C charger. Until the most recent iPhone, iPhones had for years used Apple's own Lightning charger.

The EU said it was to standardise across the bloc. But should governments have the authority to force companies to change their products? Of course, we aren't talking about dangerous technologies or ones that cause health problems. But the EU has arbitrarily decided that all new phones need to use USB-C. Now, millions and millions of old lightning cables will become useless with new phones, condemning them to landfill and contributing to waste and pollution. 

Does this protect consumers? Does it stifle creativity in tech companies?

Let's discuss this!

- Friday the 8th of December -

(8pm) 

- The hikikomori problem  -

You are all aware of the hikikomori issue in Japan. But is it going to get worse? We've had a generation of kids growing up staying at home, due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the kids who do still go out, many of them still wear masks in Japan which has proven to stunt children's social development.

Japan is a time bomb of social recluses. In the very near future, could there be more people staying at home than going out? Already, the younger generation are going out drinking with friends and colleagues less than previous generations. 

What is the government currently doing or planning to do to fix/prevent this becoming a bigger issue? What else should they be doing? Should families take more responsibility in encouraging their children to move out and get jobs? Can you blame young generations for not wanting to leave their homes when they have less opportunity to start a family and a successful life than previous generations?

 - Sunday the 10th of December -

(11am) 

Japanese companies' continuous usage of fax machines serves as a point of derision from many on the Internet. Since their introduction in the 60s, fax machines have largely been fazed out in lieu of email. However, many companies in Japanese still use fax machines as their communication channel of choice.

Is it time for Japan to stop using fax machines, or is this a situation of "if it isn't broke, don't fix it?". Could there be economic benefits to fazing out fax machines, or would the alienation of those who are accustomed to them outweigh any potential benefit? Are Internet users correct to criticize Japan for their technology of choice, or do they simply not understand the culture?