Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Daily Archives: June 15, 2021

DuckDuckGo’s Quest to Prove Online Privacy Is Possible

Wired: “…DuckDuckGo is on a mission to prove that giving up one’s privacy online is not, in fact, inevitable. Over the past several years, it has expanded far beyond its original search engine to provide a suite of free privacy-centric tools, including a popular browser extension, that plug up the various holes through which ad tech companies and data brokers spy on us as we browse the internet and use our phones. This year it will roll out some major new products and features, including a desktop browser and email privacy protection. And it will spend more money than it ever has on advertising to get the word out. The long-term goal is to turn DuckDuckGo into an all-in-one online privacy shield—what Gabriel Weinberg, the company’s founder and CEO, calls “the ‘easy button’ for privacy.”…if DuckDuckGo succeeds at bringing simple privacy to the masses, it will mean that the future of privacy might not depend on the relative benevolence of just two corporate overlords…”

Making climate impact science more accessible to the public: ISIpedia launch

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research: “Decision-makers on all levels are provided with a new tool to tackle the climate challenge. Data and explanations on global warming impacts – from floods to droughts – are made more accessible to the public by a team of 12 international research institutes. Today, they launch the online portal… Continue Reading

New website tracks which colleges will use eproctoring software this fall

The Verge: “Privacy-focused nonprofit Fight for the Future has launched a new website that tracks whether certain colleges and universities plan to use virtual proctoring software during the fall semester. The platforms — like ProctorU and Proctorio — often make use of students’ webcams to watch and record them as they work, using automated systems… Continue Reading

Atlantic Council – China-US competition: Measuring global influence

“There is a lot of discussion these days about China’s growing influence around the world relative to America’s—and how this sprawling contest for clout is shaping the future of geopolitics.Now we have a way to track and quantify this intensifying competition across time using the Formal Bilateral Influence Capacity (FBIC) Index, a new measure of… Continue Reading

How to Delete Your Personal Data From Public Record Websites

Make Use Of: “When someone searches for your name, they can find a lot of information about you. Sometimes, these will be things that you want to be found—like links to your personal website or Twitter account. But in worse cases, they can discover your phone number or where you live. Fortunately, there is a way to get this… Continue Reading

Senate approves bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday

S.475 – This Act may be cited as the “Juneteenth National Independence Day Act”. AP: The Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make Juneteenth, or June 19th, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The bill would lead to Juneteenth becoming the 12th federal holiday. It is expected to… Continue Reading

New Documents Show Trump Repeatedly Pressed DOJ to Overturn Election Results Before Inciting Capitol Attack

House Committee on Oversight: “Ahead of Hearing on Insurrection, Oversight Committee Releases New Evidence and Seeks Transcribed Interviews with Key Officials Washington, D.C. (June 15, 2021) — Today, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, the Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, released new documents showing President Trump’s efforts to pressure the Department of Justice (DOJ)… Continue Reading

Final Report -Commission on the Future of US Aerospace Industry

NASA – Final Report of the Commission on the Future Of The United States Aerospace Industry – “Executive Summary: …The industry is confronted with a graying workforce in science,engineering and manufacturing,with an estimated 26 percent available for retirement within the next five years. New entrants to the industry have dropped precipitously to historical lows as… Continue Reading