“In the wake of the 2024 election in the United States, many people are concerned about tightening up their digital privacy and security practices. As always, we recommend that people start making their security plan by understanding their risks. For most people in the U.S., the threats that they face and the methods by which… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Government Documents
US officials urge Americans to use encrypted apps amid unprecedented cyberattack
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), National Security Agency (NSA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and international partners published today a joint guide, Enhanced Visibility and Hardening Guidance for Communications Infrastructure, that provides best practices to protect against a People’s Republic of China (PRC)-affiliated threat actor that has compromised networks of major global telecommunications… Continue Reading
Becoming a Gettysburg Guide Is Almost Impossibly Hard
Newser: “On Saturday, the National Park Service will administer the exam one must pass to become a guide at Gettysburg National Military Park—and to say that it’s difficult would be a wild understatement. The Wall Street Journal reports the 180-question, three-essay test “requires an encyclopedic knowledge of the 1863 battle, as well as a firm… Continue Reading
FTC Bans Location Data Company That Powers the Surveillance Ecosystem
“The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed order bans use or sale of data associated with military installations, churches, healthcare facilities, or other sensitive locations. The Federal Trade Commission will prohibit data broker Mobilewalla, Inc. from selling sensitive location data, including data that reveals the identity of an individual’s private home, to settle allegations the data… Continue Reading
FTC – Examining the Data Practices of Social Media and Video Streaming Services
Examining the Data Practices of Social Media and Video Streaming Services, September 2024. In December 2020, the Federal Trade Commission issued 6(b) Orders to nine of the largest social media and video streaming services—Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Snap, ByteDance, Discord, Reddit, and WhatsApp (“Companies”). At the time, a bipartisan group of Commissioners issued a joint… Continue Reading
The Navy’s Amphibious Fleet Is In Really Bad Shape
Via The Warzone – Per new GAO report – https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-106728 – Navy’s amphibious fleet is in such a sorry state that half of the ships are declared to be in “poor condition” and not on track to serve for the entirety of their service lives. In addition, the sea service will struggle to maintain a… Continue Reading
FBI releases PSA warning about all the ways that cybercriminials are using AI to commit fraud
Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud – The FBI is warning the public that criminals exploit generative artificial intelligence (AI) to commit fraud on a larger scale which increases the believability of their schemes. Generative AI reduces the time and effort criminals must expend to deceive their targets. Generative AI takes what… Continue Reading
Book Review – Watchdogs: Inspectors General and the Battle for Honest and Accountable Government
Via LLRX – Book Review – Watchdogs: Inspectors General and the Battle for Honest and Accountable Government – The 2024 election results have prompted discussion about the effectiveness of “guardrails” that might restrain Presidential activities that could harm the nation. Jerry Lawson’s review notes that Glenn Fine’s new book, Watchdogs: Inspectors General and the Battle of… Continue Reading
Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts and how?
Via LLRX – Why does the Senate confirm Trump’s picks for key posts — and how? – Legal scholar Jennifer L. Selin explains the confirmation process and the ‘constitutional loophole’ of recess appointments. Continue Reading
Inside the Massive U.S. ‘Border Zone’
Bloomberg [May 14, 2018 article worth revisiting now] All of Michigan, D.C., and a large chunk of Pennsylvania are part of the area where Border Patrol has expanded search and seizure rights. Here’s what it means to live or travel there…the border zone is home to 65.3 percent of the entire U.S. population, and around… Continue Reading
The intensifying threat of Donald Trump’s emolument
CREW: Donald Trump will violate the Foreign and Domestic Emoluments Clauses if he serves as president and fails to divest from his businesses. Likely sources of his illegal emoluments would include, but not be limited to: Truth Social parent company, Trump Media and Technology Group Trump World Tower Saudi-funded LIV Golf league and Real estate… Continue Reading
End of Trump Cases Leaves Limits on Presidential Criminality Unclear
The New York Times [free to read]: “The end of the two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald J. Trump on Monday left momentous, unsettled questions about constraints on criminal wrongdoing by presidents, from the scope of presidential immunity to whether the Justice Department may continue to appoint outside special counsels to investigate high-level wrongdoing.… Continue Reading
