A problem family — different problems, same issues

the rulebook was written for a world that no longer exists

38 problems across 15 fields

One of the collection's largest families at 38 problems. Either no regulatory framework exists for a technology already in use, or the frameworks that exist carry assumptions from decades ago. Some members are cases where a technology succeeded and its success caused a harm no rule covered: LED lighting that increased total energy use, biofuel mandates that raised food prices, and wildfire suppression that let fuel build up.

The regulations were written for a world that no longer exists. In some cases the technology succeeded so well that its success created a problem nobody had written rules for.

Ways this family shows up

Technology ahead of the rules. New kinds of technology the framework did not anticipate, so the framework has to be created
Out-of-date standards. Existing standards are decades old and carry assumptions that no longer hold
Standards bodies in deadlock. Standards can't be written because several bodies have overlapping authority
Success with no rule. A technology met its stated objective and created harms no framework anticipated

The 38 problems in this family

run toward the leak to close the valvethe rules got in the wayhigh

also in we can see the danger but the system won’t act

built faster than the law can readthe rules got in the wayhigh

three billion people, no building codethe rules got in the wayhigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

same slab, four rulebooksthe rules got in the wayhigh

certified the day it shipped, never againthe rules got in the wayhigh

nobody regulates the receiverthe rules got in the wayhigh

new skills, old examsmeasured the wrong thinghigh

also in the wrong ruler

fuel in the tank, hunger on the tablethe rules got in the wayhigh

efficiency feeds the machinethe rules got in the wayhigh

green by paperwork, not by physicsthe rules got in the wayhigh

standards written for machines that retirethe rules got in the wayhigh

brighter bulbs, more light, same problemthe rules got in the wayhigh

a century of saving forests built the infernothe rules got in the wayhigh

printed one by one, regulated by nonetested in the wrong worldhigh

also in making one is easy. making a million is the problem

cleared by a ghost devicethe rules got in the wayhigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

approved without proofbuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

the algorithm moved on, the approval didn'tthe rules got in the wayhigh

the implant outlives the companythe rules got in the wayhigh

brain data for sale, no rulesthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

the ventilator has a password problembuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

also in built to be open. now under attack

software trapped in a hardware rulebookthe rules got in the wayhigh

locked into one brand's pancreasbuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

nearly eighty thousand tests, no fda oversightbuilt without the people who'd live with ithigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

stockpiled ventilators that can't ventilatemeasured the wrong thinghigh

no id, no aidthe rules got in the waymedium

also in designed for the wrong person

the levee invited the neighborhoodthe rules got in the wayhigh

injured on the job, invisible to the systemthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

no standard says when a robot falls safelythe rules got in the wayhigh

governments pay to overfishthe rules got in the wayhigh

ammonia fuel, no safety manualtested in the wrong worldmedium

also in it worked in the lab

drone rules that cite standards that don't existthe rules got in the wayhigh

twenty-one years of spectrum, handed to wi-fithe rules got in the wayhigh

no rule says the car must watch the driverthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in we can see the danger but the system won’t act

boats without smoke detectorsthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in we can see the danger but the system won’t act

the pipe leaks, nobody shuts it offthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in built to be open. now under attack, we can see the danger but the system won’t act

the bearing fails between detectorsthe rules got in the wayhigh

also in built to be open. now under attack, we can see the danger but the system won’t act

pipes sized by a 1940s formulathe rules got in the wayhigh

also in the regulator demands evidence that cannot exist

fire codes that protect against the wrong firemeasured the wrong thinghigh

also in we can see the danger but the system won’t act, the wrong ruler

Confidence: high = from a primary expert source (Tier 1) · medium = from an analyst, conference, or community source (Tier 2 or 3) · needs sourcing = flagged until we find a better source · the dot's size is its tier; a dashed dot needs sourcing

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