The Atlantic [read free]: “…Up to this point, much of the attention on AI and elections has focused on deepfakes, and not without reason. The threat—that even something seemingly captured on tape could be false—is immediately comprehensible, genuinely scary, and no longer hypothetical. With better execution, and in a closer race, perhaps something like the… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
Updated calendar of Trump’s upcoming court dates
Vox: “Donald Trump breezed through the first two contests on the 2024 primary calendar. The question, though, is whether he can sustain his momentum through a primary season — and then general election — interrupted by his many upcoming court dates. The former president is fighting a multifront legal war that has consumed millions of… Continue Reading
Wyden Releases Documents Confirming the NSA Buys Americans’ Internet Browsing Records
“U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released documents confirming the National Security Agency buys Americans’ internet records, which can reveal which websites they visit and what apps they use. In response to the revelation, today Wyden called on the administration to ensure intelligence agencies stop buying personal data from Americans that has been obtained illegally by… Continue Reading
How a Good Government Bill Becomes a Law
PopVox – “On Thursday, the House of Representatives did something unusual: it passed a small, bipartisan bill with a substantive and positive impact on policy. The PRESS Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Kevin Kiley [R, CA], Jamie Raskin [D, MD], and eighteen others, is a reporter shield law. The District of Columbia and every state except… Continue Reading
Politico’s new feature creates AI-generated summaries of federal bills for subscribers
“Politico Pro paid subscribers will now see “thousands more Federal bill summaries” generated by AI. The new Legislative Compass feature delivers both brief and in-depth bill summaries of federal bills, which Politico says should help public policy professionals respond to legislative changes faster. The news comes after Politico’s parent company, Axel Springer, and OpenAI announced… Continue Reading
Why the World Is Betting Against American Democracy
Politico: “When I asked the European ambassador to talk to me about America’s deepening partisan divide, I expected a polite brushoff at best. Foreign diplomats are usually loath to discuss domestic U.S. politics. Instead, the ambassador unloaded for an hour, warning that America’s poisonous politics are hurting its security, its economy, its friends and its… Continue Reading
Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave. Here’s a Way Out
Wired [read free]: “The platform is the canonical form of internet business: a two-sided market that facilitates connections between end-users and business customers. Uber connects drivers with riders; Amazon and eBay connect sellers with buyers; TikTok and YouTube connect performers with audiences; social media connects people with something to say with people who want to… Continue Reading
The Sad Truth of the FTC’s ‘Historic’ Privacy Win
Wired: “The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached a settlement last week with an American data broker known to sell location data gathered from hundreds of phone apps to the US government, among others. According to the agency, the company ignored in some cases the requests of consumers not to do so, and more broadly… Continue Reading
Abolishing a Federal Agency: The Interstate Commerce Commission
CRS – Abolishing a Federal Agency: The Interstate Commerce Commission, January 10, 2024. “Congress has, from time to time, enacted legislation to discontinue a federal agency and either redistribute or discontinue its functions. Abolishment of an agency or its functions has often been politically challenging because of the potential impact on stakeholders with competing interests.… Continue Reading
Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement
Via LLRX – Jan. 6 was an example of networked incitement. The shocking events of Jan. 6, 2021, signaled a major break from the nonviolent rallies that categorized most major protests over the past few decades. What set Jan. 6 apart was the president of the United States using his cellphone to direct an attack… Continue Reading
Special counsel probe uncovers new details about Trump’s inaction on Jan. 6
ABC News: “Special counsel Jack Smith’s team has uncovered previously undisclosed details about former President Donald Trump’s refusal to help stop the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol three years ago as he sat watching TV inside the White House, according to sources familiar with what Smith’s team has learned during its Jan. 6 probe.… Continue Reading
White House for Sale: How Princes, Prime Ministers, and Premiers Paid Off President Trump
Staff Report Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Democratic Staff, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member. U.S. House of Representatives, January 4, 2024 “Donald J. Trump’s businesses received at least $7.8 million from 20 foreign governments during his presidency, according to new documents released by House Democrats on Thursday that show how much he received from overseas… Continue Reading
