Editorial by Cory Doctorow: “Audible is a monopolist. The audiobook giant – a division of Amazon – controls more than 90 percent of the audiobook market in most commercially significant categories. Audible built that monopoly the old-fashioned way: by cheating. Audible is part of the Amazon conglomerate. Like all tech giants, Amazon’s growth strategy was… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Legislation
Biden administration launches new income-driven student debt repayment plan
Fact Sheet via WH: “Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, our more than 1,400 employees help make college education possible for more than 10 million students each year. Federal Student Aid is… Continue Reading
EPA Releases New Framework Addressing New Pfas and New Uses of Pfas in The Market
National Law Review: “On Thursday, 29 June 2023, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a new framework (Framework) that will impact manufacturers across the country. The Framework lays out a new process for reviewing and assessing the potential environmental risks posed by new and new uses of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). This PFAS… Continue Reading
A Comparative Perspective on AI Regulation
Lawfare: Itsiq Benizri, Arianna Evers, Shannon Togawa Mercer, Ali A. Jessani – July 17, 2023 – The question isn’t whether AI will be regulated, but how. “On May 30, approximately 350 artificial intelligence (AI) experts penned a letter to express significant concerns about risks associated with AI. The letter stated that “[m]itigating the risk of extinction… Continue Reading
Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, July 15, 2023
Via LLRX – Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, July 15, 2023 – Privacy and cybersecurity issues impact every aspect of our lives – home, work, travel, education, finance, health and medical records – to name but a few. On a weekly basis Pete Weiss highlights articles and information that focus on the… Continue Reading
TikTok: Technology Overview and Issues
CRS Report – TikTok: Technology Overview and Issues, Updated June 30, 2023: “TikTok is a globally popular video-sharing smartphone application (app) owned by ByteDance Ltd., a privately held company headquartered in Beijing, China. It is under increasing scrutiny by the U.S. government as a potential privacy and security risk to U.S. citizens. This is because… Continue Reading
Nine British Banks Sign Up to New AI Tool for Tackling Scams
Bloomberg [alt free link]: “Mastercard Inc. is selling a new artificial intelligence-powered tool that helps banks more effectively spot if their customers are trying to send money to fraudsters. Nine of the UK’s biggest banks, including Lloyds Banking Group Plc, Natwest Group Plc and Bank of Scotland Plc, have signed up to use the Consumer… Continue Reading
Gun homicides have reached rates not seen since the 1990s
USA Facts: “In 2021, 81% of all homicides in the US were due to firearm-related injuries.. In 2020, the national homicide rate increased by 30%. That is the largest single-year increase in over a century. However, not all types of homicide grew at the same rate. Between 2019 and 2021, firearm homicide rates increased 44%,… Continue Reading
How Often Do Health Insurers Say No to Patients?
ProPublica: “It’s one of the most crucial questions people have when deciding which health plan to choose: If my doctor orders a test or treatment, will my insurer refuse to pay for it? After all, an insurance company that routinely rejects recommended care could damage both your health and your finances. The question becomes ever… Continue Reading
Do Foundation Model Providers Comply with the Draft EU AI Act?
Stanford University Center for Research on Foundation Models, Rishi Bommasani and Kevin Klyman and Daniel Zhang and Percy Liang: “Foundation models like ChatGPT are transforming society with their remarkable capabilities, serious risks, rapid deployment, unprecedented adoption, and unending controversy. Simultaneously, the European Union (EU) is finalizing its AI Act as the world’s first comprehensive regulation… Continue Reading
How book bans threaten democracy
Vox: “A popular saying is that public libraries are the last bastion of true democracy.At the library, patrons aren’t really expected to pay for anything; they can use the library’s free services, from unlimited wifi to job application support; and, of course, the thousands of books libraries hold are available to anyone. But in recent… Continue Reading
The Dobbs Divide
Five Thirty Eight – “Percentage change in the number of abortions per month, compared to the average monthly abortions before Dobbs (April and May 2022), through March 2023 by state: “New estimates provided exclusively to FiveThirtyEight by #WeCount — a national research project led by the Society of Family Planning, a nonprofit that supports research… Continue Reading
