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Daily Archives: November 12, 2019

Next in Google’s quest for consumer dominance – banking

WSJ via FoxNews: “Google will soon offer checking accounts to consumers, becoming the latest Silicon Valley heavyweight to push into finance. The project, code-named Cache, is expected to launch next year with accounts run by Citigroup Inc. and a credit union at Stanford University, a tiny lender in Google’s backyard. Big tech companies see financial services as a way to get closer to users and glean valuable data. Apple Inc. introduced a credit card this summer. Amazon.com Inc. has talked to banks about offering checking accountsFacebook Inc. is working on a digital currency it hopes will upend global payments. Their ambitions could challenge incumbent financial-services firms, which fear losing their primacy and customers. They are also likely to stoke a reaction in Washington, where regulators are already investigating whether large technology companies have too much clout…

Google’s approach seems designed to make allies, rather than enemies, in both camps. The financial institutions’ brands, not Google’s, will be front-and-center on the accounts, an executive told The Wall Street Journal. And Google will leave the financial plumbing and compliance to the banks—activities it couldn’t do without a license anyway. “Our approach is going to be to partner deeply with banks and the financial system,” Google executive Caesar Sengupta said in an interview…Checking accounts are a commoditized product, and people don’t switch very often. But they contain a treasure trove of information, including how much money people make, where they shop and what bills they pay…”

FedBizOpps migrated to SAM.gov Contract Opportunities

NextGov – ..but a slow site and data migration issues made for some disgruntled users. “The new website for posting federal market research and solicitation opportunities is now live on beta.SAM.gov … if you can get the page to load. The government’s longtime go-to website for contracting opportunities, Federal Business Opportunities, also known as FedBizOpps… Continue Reading

Federal Court Rules Suspicionless Searches of Travelers’ Phones and Laptops Unconstitutional

EFF – Government Must Have Reasonable Suspicion of Digital Contraband Before Searching People’s Electronic Devices at the U.S. Border – “In a major victory for privacy rights at the border, a federal court in Boston ruled today that suspicionless searches of travelers’ electronic devices by federal agents at airports and other U.S. ports of entry… Continue Reading

76 things you can do to boost civic engagement

Brookings: “The year 1776 was an auspicious year for democracy. The idea that a people could govern themselves was radical at the time. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that followed are for most Americans revered documents and a cornerstone of our democracy. Over the years, this idea of democratic republicanism has become central… Continue Reading

Chicago book returns surge 240% after city eliminates fines

AP: “Chicago public libraries have seen a 240% increase in the number of books returned since the city’s mayor eliminated overdue fines, according to a library official. Library Commissioner Andrea Telli testified at a budget hearing Wednesday, telling City Council members that abandoning the library fines policy has been instrumental in luring in both patrons… Continue Reading

Local journalism in crisis: Why America must revive its local newsroom

Brookings: “Thousands of local newspapers have closed in recent years. Their disappearance has left millions of Americans without a vital source of local news and deprived communities of an institution essential for exposing wrongdoing and encouraging civic engagement. Of those still surviving, many have laid off reporters, reduced coverage, and pulled back circulation. Over 65… Continue Reading

National Library of Israel uploads 120,000 historic books online

The Jerusalem Post: “The National Library of Israel (NLI) and Google have announced that 120,000 books from the library’s collection will be uploaded to Google Books for the first time as part of their collaboration. The books that are expected to be uploaded will, according to NLI, include all of the library’s out-of-copyright, royalty-free books… Continue Reading

Business Roundtable Ranked How Well Apple, IBM, and Amazon Actually Serve Stakeholders

Fortune: “In August, almost 200 leading business executives—including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty—made news headlines by offering a new definition for the purpose of a corporation that challenged long-held corporate orthodoxy. These chief executives, collectively known as the Business Roundtable, argued that… Continue Reading

E.P.A. to Limit Science Used to Write Public Health Rules

The New York Times: “The Trump administration is preparing to significantly limit the scientific and medical research that the government can use to determine public health regulations, overriding protests from scientists and physicians who say the new rule would undermine the scientific underpinnings of government policymaking. A new draft of the Environmental Protection Agency proposal,… Continue Reading

Six Ways for Election Officials to Prepare for High Voter Turnout in 2020

The Brennan Center for Justice – From early voting to streamlined registration, there are clear steps that will help shorten lines on Election Day. “We are now less than one year away from Election Day 2020, and Americans are projected to turn out at levels not reached since the early 20th century. Voter turnout has been steadily on… Continue Reading