CNN – The US government is coming for them – ” For decades, many of the biggest names in tech have leaned on a little-known law to avoid being held responsible for some of the most controversial content on their platforms. The companies have invoked this federal law, known as Section 230 of the Communications… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
When Speakers Are All Ears
When Speakers Are All Ears – Understanding when smart speakers mistakenly record conversations. Daniel J. Dubois (Northeastern University), Roman Kolcun (Imperial College London), Anna Maria Mandalari (Imperial College London), Muhammad Talha Paracha (Northeastern University), David Choffnes (Northeastern University), Hamed Haddadi (Imperial College London) Last updated: 02/14/2020 Summary – Voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa, OK… Continue Reading
The Lost 110 Words of Our Constitution
Politico – “The U.S. Constitution is famously short—a mere 7,591 words, including its 27 amendments. That makes it all the more remarkable that 110 of those words have been, in effect, lost to the ages. These forgotten words form Section 2 of the 14th Amendment, which was designed to guard against the infringement of voting… Continue Reading
Oversight Subcommittee Seeks Information About Ring’s Agreements with Police, Local Governments
Washington, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2020)—”Today, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent a letter to Amazon seeking information about its subsidiary Ring Inc.’s partnerships with city governments and local police departments, along with the company’s policies governing the data it collects. Ring sells internet-connected home surveillance equipment, such… Continue Reading
LC Webinars on Legal Research – US Case Law and Comparative Law
Via Emily Carr – “The Law Library of Congress will be offering the following webinars in the next three weeks. Please join us! Orientation to Legal Research Webinar Series: U.S. Case Law, Thursday, February 20, 2020 – The Orientation to Legal Research Series of webinars reflect the content in the in-person series of classes, and… Continue Reading
ABA House approves measures at Midyear Meeting to expand access to justice, voting rights
ABA news release: “The American Bar Association House of Delegates approved a resolution today that would encourage states and other jurisdictions to consider innovative approaches to expanding access to justice with the goal of improving affordability and quality of civil legal services. By voice vote, the 596-member House, which is the association’s policy-making body, overwhelmingly… Continue Reading
LC – New Online Collection: Military Legal Resources
In Custodia Legis: “This collection includes material from the William Winthrop Memorial Library at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG) is the legal arm of the United States Army, established on July 29, 1775 by General George Washington. Judge Advocates are stationed… Continue Reading
Environmental Protection Rises on the Public’s Policy Agenda
“Reflecting a strong U.S. economy, Americans’ policy priorities have changed in recent years. The public now places less priority on economic and job concerns than it did just a few years ago. At the same time, environmental protection and global climate change are rising on the public’s agenda for the president and Congress. For the… Continue Reading
Siri will now answer your election questions
TechCrunch: “Apple’s built-in voice assistant won’t help you figure out who to vote for, but it will be able to update you on different races around the U.S. during election season, as well as deliver live results as votes are counted. The new feature, announced today, is part of Apple News’ 2020 election coverage, which… Continue Reading
Trump’s 2021 budget drowns science agencies in red ink again
Science: “It’s another sea of red ink for federal research funding programs in President Donald Trump’s latest budget proposal. The 2021 budget request to Congress released today calls for deep, often double-digit cuts to R&D spending at major science agencies. At the same time, the president wants to put more money into a handful of areas—notably artificial… Continue Reading
Almost half of Americans have stopped talking politics with someone
“At a time when the country’s polarizing politics and public discourse are dividing many Americans, close to half of all U.S. adults acknowledge that they have stopped discussing political and election news with someone, according to a new analysis of data from Pew Research Center’s Election News Pathways project. In total, 45% of the nation’s… Continue Reading
Senate Intel Releases Bipartisan Report on Obama Admin Response to Russian Election Interference
“Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) today released the third volume in the Committee’s bipartisan investigation into Russian election interference, “U.S. Government Response to Russian Activities.” The report examines the Obama Administration’s reaction to initial reports of election interference and the steps officials took or did… Continue Reading
