Via LLRX – As U.S. Capitol investigators use facial recognition, it begs the question: Who owns our faces? – In the age of Big Tech, we need to grapple with what expectations we can and should have about who has access to our faces. The recent riot at the U.S. Capitol has put the question… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
Stimulus check details keep changing. Here are the top things to know today
CNET: “Talks around stimulus checks are heating up this month: The House of Representatives is preparing to work on President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-relief proposal, and Democrats are looking to use a legislative tool called budget reconciliation to potentially speed up passage of the bill. However, a group of 10 Senate Republicans (PDF) is also ready… Continue Reading
E&C Committee Leaders Investigate COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation Online
“Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA), and Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) demanded answers from Facebook, Twitter, and Google today as part of their ongoing investigation… Continue Reading
What Facebook’s Privacy Policies Don’t Tell You
Gizmodo – Shoshana Wodinsky: “Folks, I’m gonna be honest with you. Over my (short) tenure covering digital privacy, I’ve seen my fair share of deeply shitty tech companies pulling deeply shitty stunts in attempts to profit off our personal data. Facebook is one of the names that comes up most frequently here, and that’s partially… Continue Reading
An Extremely Detailed Map of the 2020 Election
The New York Times [paywall] – “This map has detailed data from 1,788 of 3,143 counties in 40 states, representing 62% of all votes cast. It was last updated on Feb. 2, 2021.” Search an address, city or zip code. Includes 2020 results and changes from 2016 election. Continue Reading
House brief for Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial
Impeachment Managers File Trial Brief, Explain Senate’s Obligation to Hear Case Against Donald Trump February 2, 2021 – Press Release – “The brief lays out the case for the conviction of former President Trump for “incitement of insurrection against the Republic he swore to protect. “Today, the House Impeachment Managers filed their Trial Memorandum of… Continue Reading
1983: The Bombing of the U.S. Capitol
“As many have noted, the January 6th storming of the U.S. Capitol by a violent right-wing mob was the first successful seizure of the structure since it was taken by the British in 1814. However, it was not the first time that domestic extremists had targeted the capitol building. In 1954, armed Puerto Rican nationalists… Continue Reading
Codifying Constitutional Norms
Gould, Jonathan, Codifying Constitutional Norms (January 19, 2021). Georgetown Law Journal, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3769465 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3769465 “Ours is an era of fraying constitutional norms. Norms that long governed the conduct of elected officials have been violated by the White House, in Congress, and in the states. In the face of threats to constitutional… Continue Reading
New study: Social media’s alleged anti-conservative bias is ‘disinformation’
Fast Company: “Many Republicans routinely complain that the big social networks systematically suppress right-wing viewpoints, but they’ve produced little real evidence of it. A new study from New York University finds that there is no evidence of it, and in fact finds the opposite—that social media has spread right-wing viewpoints to wider audiences than ever… Continue Reading
Resolutions to Censure the President: Procedure and History
CRS Report – Resolutions to Censure the President: Procedure and History Updated, February 1, 2021: “Censure is a reprimand adopted by one or both chambers of Congress against a Member of Congress, President, federal judge, or other government official. While Member censure is a disciplinary measure that is sanctioned by the Constitution (Article 1, Section… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, January 31, 2021
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, January 31, 2021 – Privacy and security issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the increasingly… Continue Reading
Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending
CRS Report – Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending, Updated February 1, 2021: “Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with supplemental appropriations measures providing relief and assistance to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. For more information, see CRS Report R46474, Laws Enacted… Continue Reading
