Publisher’s Weekly: “After a favorable legal ruling in August, freedom to read advocates in Alaska have scored a significant victory in court over would-be book banners. In an October 31 filing, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District in Alaska agreed to pay $89,000 to settle claims that the district improperly removed dozens of books, including several… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Civil Liberties
Justice Department to Monitor Polls in 27 States for Compliance with Federal Voting Rights Laws
Federal prosecutors are on call in every district in the country. Interfering with voting rights is a federal offense. Any effort to intimidate, harass, threaten or harm voters will result in a visit from the FBI. Witnesses or victims may call 9-1-1. (Making a false report is a crime, too!) Let’s keep voting safe, free,… Continue Reading
What is voter turnout like in recent elections? How do Americans vote? How are Americans represented in government?
USA Facts – What are the basics of elections and voting in the US? Explore data on turnout rates, representation, and methods of voting. Turnout rate in federal elections for citizen voting-age population In 2020, 66.8% of the citizen voting-age population voted in the presidential election, the highest turnout since 1992. Table of Contents What… Continue Reading
The Powerful Density of Hypertextual Writing
Kottke: “The NY Times has had a difficult time covering the 2024 election in a clear, responsible manner. But I wanted to highlight this short opinion piece from the paper’s editorial board, which I’m reproducing here in its entirety: You already know Donald Trump. He is unfit to lead. Watch him. Listen to those who… Continue Reading
Nearly 200 Percent Surge in School Book Bans (2023-2024 School Year)
“PEN America today released new documentation of public school book bans for the full 2023-2024 school year, recording 10,046 instances of books banned nationwide, a dramatic 200 percent rise over the previous school year. Since 2021, the free expression organization has counted close to 16,000 instances of book bans in public schools.” “Nineteen Minutes by… Continue Reading
LLRX October 2024 Columns and Articles
Artificial Intelligence and Unconscious Bias Risk – Elizabeth Sweetland reviews: Meredith Broussard, More than a Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech (MIT Press 2023). 248 Pages. Trump’s Election Lawyers Must Heed Their Ethical Duties – Attorneys Stephen Marcus and Bruce Kuhlik discuss the ethical responsibilities of lawyers in the context of predicted attempts… Continue Reading
ProPublica’s Coverage of the Election Issues That Matter to Voters
With just days to go before Election Day, political coverage is everywhere. ProPublica avoids horse race coverage of the election, instead deeply exploring issues that voters care about, like immigration, abortion, health care, the economy, extremism and education. Continue Reading
Vanishing Culture: A Report on Our Fragile Cultural Record
Internet Archives Blogs: “In today’s digital landscape, corporate interests, shifting distribution models, and malicious cyber attacks are threatening public access to our shared cultural history. The rise of streaming platforms and temporary licensing agreements means that sound recordings, books, films, and other cultural artifacts that used to be owned in physical form, are now at… Continue Reading
How Much Farther Do Rural Women Have to Travel for an Abortion?
Daily Yonder – The distance rural women must travel for abortion care increased since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, with new ballot measures set to shape the future of abortion access. Continue Reading
Librarians Face a Crisis of Violence and Abuse
The New York Times [unpaywalled] – As libraries become public stages for social problems – homelessness, drug use, mental health – the people who work there are burning out: “…Like Mr. [Mychal] Threets. [a supervisor at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in Solano County, Calif], librarians around the country are struggling to reconcile their desire… Continue Reading
LinkedIn sued for tracking user health data
ALM Benefits Pro: “Business-focused social media platform LinkedIn has been slapped with three digital privacy class actions contending that it illegally intercepted users’ sensitive health care information to use in targeted advertising. All three cases, filed by Bursor & Fisher in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California and the Santa Clara County… Continue Reading
The Verge’s guide to the 2024 presidential election
The Verge: “A presidential campaign is an expression of ideology, often vocalized as a number of promises. Sometimes, those promises are made even when they’re outside the scope of what a president can enact. With Vice President Kamala Harris taking on former President Donald Trump, The Verge’s election guide attempts to cut through the noise… Continue Reading
