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Kara Frederick, Director of Tech Policy at The Heritage Foundation & Former Facebook Intelligence Analyst and Taylor Barkley, Technology and Innovation Director at the Center for Growth and Opportunity join us today to discuss the testimony yesterday by Matt Taibi exposing the partnership between Big Tech and Biden's administration. They will also touch on Tik Tok and the real threat posed by China through Americans' devices. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On March 2, the Biden administration released its long-awaited National Cybersecurity Strategy. The new strategy comes more than two years after President Biden took office and sets out a bold vision to achieve a more cyber-secure future by the end of the decade. Lawfare Legal Fellow Saraphin Dhanani sat down with our in-house cyber experts, Lawfare's Senior Editor Stephanie Pell and Fellow in Tech Policy and Law Eugenia Lostri, to discuss the strategy and their latest piece published on Lawfare, titled “The Biden-Harris Administration Releases New National Cybersecurity Strategy.” Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Characterizing the popular TikTok app as a modern-day “Trojan Horse” because its parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Michal McCaul, aa Texas Republican, introduced the “Deterring America's Foreign Adversaries Act, which would ban TikTok in the United States. Democrats oppose the bill, saying it would go too far in abridging the Freedom of Speech. The American Civil Liberties Union is also pushing back against the bill. Federal courts have previously held that blocking TikTok would violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which limits the president's ability to block informational and personal communications. In the coming weeks, TikTok is expected to release a new feature that notifies kids when they have been using the app over a specified period of time, after which kids can decide if they want to stay logged in. For kids under 13, they'll need a password from mom and dad to keep using TikTok after the allotted time has passed. Critics of these measures say they are meaningless since kids can still claim to be adults when they set up TikTok accounts. A new initiative from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has a new app called ‘Take it Down' that helps kids confidentially remove nude images of themselves that exist online, shared when they were minors. The app is available for download at https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/. It doesn't work with TikTok yet. However, it does work with Facebook, Instagram, OnlyFans, and PornHub. The White House last week released what it is calling a New Initial Blueprint to address online harassment and abuse. The Executive Summary, prepared by a Task Force the Biden Harris Administration established last year, includes provisions for preventing online harassment and abuse, supporting victims, conducting research, and holding platforms accountable. And as prosecutors in states in which abortion has become illegal continue to push for more access to reproductive health data from women seeking abortions, some lawmakers are seeking privacy legislation more suited for our post-Roe v. Wade world. One bill, introduced by Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs from California – the SAFER Health Act – would require patients to provide consent to permit healthcare providers to share data about abortions or miscarriages, even if the data are being sought via court order. And democratic senators Mazie Hirono, Amy Klobuchar, and Elizabeth Warren also introduced a bill – the Upholding Protections for Health and Online Location Data (UPHOLD) Privacy Act - that would also restrict access to patient location data. The new bill comes amid a decision by Walgreens –America's second-largest pharmacy chain – to stop selling abortion prescriptions throughout the United States, even where abortion remains legal. The decision dealt a blow to abortion rights activists. The Federal Trade Commission has proposed a $7.5 million settlement to mental health app BetterHealth for sharing patients' data with marketers even after telling the patients Betterhealth would protect the data. The FTC has also commenced looking into how landlords may use algorithms to screen tenants. In other news … The Inspector General's Office of the Department of Homeland Security issued a report showing federal law enforcement officials with Immigrations & Customs Enforcement, as well as other federal agencies, didn't follow established protocols for using cell-site simulators – or Stingrays – to pursue subjects. Police in the Commonwealth of Virginia are back to using facial recognition software – but the data collection is limited to certain circumstances, which don't include scanning faces in real-time. Algorithms are starting to decide which employees to lay off. And Google has released its civil rights review. House Committee Advances Bill To Ban TikTok "If it's too dangerous to be on our phones, it's also too dangerous to be on our children's phones," Rep. Michael McCaul said at a hearing Tuesday. mediapost.com VIEW MORE TikTok isn't really limiting kids' time on its app Teens can still click right on through the new screen time limit. vox.com VIEW MORE Take It Down This service is one step you can take to help remove online nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit photos and videos taken before you were 18. takeitdown.ncmec.org VIEW MORE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Initial Blueprint for the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse | The White House Online harassment and abuse is increasingly widespread in today's digitally connected world. This can include online threats and intimidation as well as various forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (GBV), such as the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, cyberstalking, and sextortion. Women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals are disproportionately affected. Survivors of online harassment and abuse—especially image-based… whitehouse.gov VIEW MORE Post-Roe, prosecutors can seek unprotected reproductive health data Health privacy in the post-Roe digital age is fraught as prosecutors seeking to enforce anti-abortion laws are free to go after reproductive health data in mobile apps. axios.com VIEW MORE FTC says online counseling service BetterHelp pushed people into handing over health information – and broke its privacy promises In the hierarchy of confidential data, health information ranks right up there. ftc.gov VIEW MORE Democrats' New Bill Could Be the First Real US Privacy Law Did you know there are basically no privacy laws at the federal level? Even HIPAA, the US's big medical privacy rule, lets companies buy and sell your health secrets. The Democrats want to change that with a bill that would protect health and location data. gizmodo.com VIEW MORE AI is starting to pick who gets laid off As layoffs rave the tech industry, algorithms once used to help hire could now be helping to lay people off. washingtonpost.com VIEW MORE Tenant screening practices: the FTC wants to learn more consumer.ftc.gov VIEW MORE Police use of facial recognition tech resumes with guardrails Critics argue the law governing its use is still too broad. vpm.org VIEW MORE Report: ICE and the Secret Service Conducted Illegal Surveillance of Cell Phones The Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General has released a troubling new report detailing how federal agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Secret Service have conducted surveillance using cell-site simulators (CSS)... eff.org VIEW MORE Home Depot, Ring, others allegedly record website visitors' online communications Consumers recently filed multiple class action lawsuits against companies accused of unlawfully recording the online communications of their website visitors. topclassactions.com VIEW MORE Google releases civil rights review, caving to years of pressure Advocacy groups have long called on the tech giant to follow companies such as Meta and Apple and vet its products for racial biases. washingtonpost.com VIEW MORE
What do we talk about when we talk about tech policy? What are the weird corners of the chips and science bill? How is talent policy broken and what can anyone do about it? And broadly, if you want to change the world through better regulatory and executive action, how do you go about this? To discuss all that we have Divyansh Kaushik, a newly minted PhD from Carnegie Mellon currently at the Federation for American Scientists focusing on emerging tech policy. He was also closely involved with the chips and science bill negotiations. We talk about - How to talk to lawmakers and share your thoughts on legislation - The complex visa system for foreign workers in the US - The thousands of green cards that never get used. Outro music: When the Levee Breaks By Led Zepplin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwiTs60VoTM Midjourney art prompted with 'innovation' from this painting https://www.moma.org/collection/works/180114?sov_referrer=art_term&art_term_slug=painting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What do we talk about when we talk about tech policy? What are the weird corners of the chips and science bill? How is talent policy broken and what can anyone do about it? And broadly, if you want to change the world through better regulatory and executive action, how do you go about this? To discuss all that we have Divyansh Kaushik, a newly minted PhD from Carnegie Mellon currently at the Federation for American Scientists focusing on emerging tech policy. He was also closely involved with the chips and science bill negotiations. We talk about - How to talk to lawmakers and share your thoughts on legislation - The complex visa system for foreign workers in the US - The thousands of green cards that never get used. Outro music: When the Levee Breaks By Led Zepplin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwiTs60VoTM Midjourney art prompted with 'innovation' from this painting https://www.moma.org/collection/works/180114?sov_referrer=art_term&art_term_slug=painting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On November 1st, 2022 the XR Association (XRA) trade association for VR, AR, and Mixed Reality companies announced the formation of the XR for All Foundation at XRA's Limitless Future Conference. The press release says, “The XR for All Foundation's main priority will be supporting the development of a diverse and equitable workforce for the immersive technology industry through broad-based research and impactful partnerships for generations to come.” I had a chance to speak with XRA President and CEO Liz Hyman and XR for All Foundation Chair, Jessica Lindl, who also heads up the education and social impact work at Unity Technologies. I was able to get more context on this new 501(c)(3) non-profit, and the various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts that the XR for All Foundation has planned starting with conducting focus group research with aspiring and transitioning workers.
This episode of the Weinberg in the World Podcast features a conversation with Mai Sistla ‘14, who is currently a Deputy Director at the Aspen Tech Policy Hub after Graduating from Northwestern with an Economics Major and a Global Health Studies Minor. Mai shares insights on Important Classes, Extracurriculars, Connections, Grad School, Working in Tech Policy, Good Fellowships, and the Arts & Sciences Background. For more information about the fellowship discussed by Mai during the podcast, click below: http://www.corofellowship.org/ Timestamps: 0:40: Student Experience and Pivoting Majors 4:30: Extracurriculars and Important Connections 8:15: Path to Grad School 14:15: Working in Tech Policy 19:00: Projects in Tech Policy 22:40: Good Opportunities out of Undergrad 24:05: Arts & Sciences Background
Tech policy reform occupies a strange place in Washington, D.C. Everyone seems to agree that the government should change how it regulates the technology industry, on issues from content moderation to privacy—and yet, reform never actually seems to happen. But while the federal government continues to stall, state governments are taking action. More and more, state-level officials are proposing and implementing changes in technology policy. Most prominently, Texas and Florida recently passed laws restricting how platforms can moderate content, which will likely be considered by the Supreme Court later this year.On this episode of Arbiters of Truth, our occasional series on the information ecosystem, Lawfare senior editor Quinta Jurecic spoke with J. Scott Babwah Brennen and Matt Perault of the Center on Technology Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill. In recent months, they've put together two reports on state-level tech regulation. They talked about what's driving this trend, why and how state-level policymaking differs—and doesn't—from policymaking at the federal level, and what opportunities and complications this could create. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Semiconductors are arguably the most important core technology in the modern world. You can't fully understand the current state of politics, economics, or technology until you consider the role they play. Rob and Jackie sat down with economic historian Chris Miller to discuss the extent to which microchips are the new oil. MentionedMiller, Chris. Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. Simon & Schuster, 2022. Remarks by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the Special Competitive Studies Project Global Emerging Technologies Summit. The White House. The United States Government, September 16, 2022. RelatedRobert D. Atkinson. Computer Chips vs. Potato Chips: The Case for a U.S. Strategic-Industry Policy. (ITIF, January 2022).
Tech policy reform occupies a strange place in Washington, D.C. Everyone seems to agree that the government should change how it regulates the technology industry, on issues from content moderation to privacy—and yet, reform never actually seems to happen. But while the federal government continues to stall, state governments are taking action. More and more, state-level officials are proposing and implementing changes in technology policy. Most prominently, Texas and Florida recently passed laws restricting how platforms can moderate content, which will likely be considered by the Supreme Court later this year.On this episode of Arbiters of Truth, our occasional series on the information ecosystem, Lawfare senior editor Quinta Jurecic spoke with J. Scott Babwah Brennen and Matt Perault of the Center on Technology Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill. In recent months, they've put together two reports on state-level tech regulation. They talked about what's driving this trend, why and how state-level policymaking differs—and doesn't—from policymaking at the federal level, and what opportunities and complications this could create.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shane Tews, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Gus to examine several contemporary tech policy issues as we move into 2023. Together they discuss the BEAD program, antitrust, Section 230, the CHIPS Act, cybersecurity, Chat GPT, AI, and more. Shane Tews @ShaneTewsGus Hurwitz @GusHurwitzAmerican Enterprise Institute @AEItech NGTC @UNL_NGTCLinksExplain to Shane (Shane Tews' Podcast)Nebraska Governance and Technology Center
CES 2023 is convening lawmakers from across the halls of Congress in record numbers as tech policy takes priority on legislative agendas nationwide. Don't miss this roundtable with media experts discussing the hot topics dominating their show coverage. Find out who they're talking to and what may lie ahead under new leadership on Capitol Hill.
It's been a big year in tech: the race to build the metaverse, the rise and fall of NFTs, chaos in the crypto sector, amazing views of galaxies far, far, away and research breakthroughs that will change the way we live. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams and Marketplace Tech producers Jésus Alvarado and Daniel Shin discuss what stories they’ll be following in 2023.
It's been a big year in tech: the race to build the metaverse, the rise and fall of NFTs, chaos in the crypto sector, amazing views of galaxies far, far, away and research breakthroughs that will change the way we live. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams and Marketplace Tech producers Jésus Alvarado and Daniel Shin discuss what stories they’ll be following in 2023.
What a year it's been...in this episode, some familiar faces (or rather, voices) from the Tech Policy Grind team of Internet Law and Policy Foundry Class 4 Fellows come together to review the revival of the pod with Season 3 this year. We dive into the original history behind the podcast's conception, what the Foundry has been up to this year, and what we're looking forward to in 2023. Also, we chat over some exciting changes coming to the Foundry Fellowship in 2023. If you're interested in joining the Foundry as a Fellow, make sure to check out ilpfoundry.us and follow us on social media (LinkedIn and Twitter @ILPFoundry) for updates on when the 2023 Fellow Application will be released. It's been a wild ride. Whether you've been tuning in since the beginning or just hopped on, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us at foundrypodcasts@ilpfoundry.us. What are your thoughts on the show this season, and what are you hoping to see in Season 4? That's right; we'll be back in 2023 with some exciting changes for Season 4 of your favorite tech policy podcast. Signing off for now - have a happy new year everyone! Much love, Reema, Meri, Joe, Lama, and the whole Tech Policy Grind Team If you'd like to support the show, please donate to the Foundry here. Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions discussed in this episode do not reflect the views of the organizations and institutions that Reema, Meri, Joe, and Lama are affiliated with.
The Steak for Breakfast Podcast is heading into the weekend with our big, Christmas Edition of the show. We begin today with our Cold Open that takes a deep dive in the antithesis of the Christmas Spirit and Season, covering the latest with the 1.7 trillion-dollar Omnibus Bill. Country Music Platinum Recording Star, Alexis Wilkins is back on the show today spreading a little holiday cheer with her hit Christmas single, “Old Fashioned Christmas.” Current RNC Lawyer and candidate for the RNC Chair, Harmeet Dhillon makes her Steak for Breakfast debut today on the podcast. Harmeet lays out her entire platform and we ask the questions that others aren't in this exclusive interview. News Block One recaps the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky's tour stop in Washing D.C. earlier this week. We listen to the hottest takes and provide commentary. The most interesting operative in the MAGA movement, Vish Burra returns to the program today. We touch on his NYYRC Gala speech, a Vice Panel on Asian Hate which he participated in, and what Republicans need to be doing heading into 2023. The CEO of XStrategies, Alex Bruesewitz was back on the podcast today. The firebrand discusses his recent speech at the NYYRC Gala, the current Republican Leadership inside the beltway and delivers some commentary on the Omnibus Bill. Tech Policy expert from the Heritage Foundation, Jake Denton returns to the show today with a full slate of topics. Advances in facial recognition technology, Elon Musk and the most recent #twitterfiles updates, TikTok and the latest on the FTX scandal. News Block Two recaps the latest on the crisis down on the U.S. Southern Border. We listen to the highlights and provide analysis. Subscribe to the show, rate it and leave a review on iTunes and Spotify before you download, listen, like follow and SHARE Steak for Breakfast content! Steak for Breakfast: website: https://steakforbreakfastpodcast.com Steak for Substack: https://steakforbreakfastpodcast.substack.com linktree: https://linktr.ee/steakforbreakfastpodcast MyPillow: Promo Code: STEAK at checkout Website: https://mystore.com/steak Website: https://www.mypillow.com/steak Via the Phone: 800-658-8045 My Patriot Cigar Co. Enter Promo Code: STEAK http://mypatriotcigars.com/usa/steak Alexis Wilkins (Country Recording Artist) Twitter / Truth: @AlexisWilkins Website: https://www.alexiswilkins.com/ Harmeet Dhillon (Lawyer and Candidate, RNC Chair) Twitter / Truth: @pnjaban Website: https://www.dhillonlaw.com/ Vish Burra (VP NYYRC) Twitter / Truth: @VishBurra / @vish Website: https://nyyrc.com/ Alex Bruesewitz (CEO XStrategies) Twitter / Truth: @alexbruesewitz Website: https://www.xstrategies.com/ Jake Denton (Tech Policy, Heritage Foundation) Twitter / Truth: @RealJDenton / @JakeDenton Website: https://www.heritage.org/staff/jake-denton
Peter Schweizer and Eric Eggers fill in for the vacationing Sean and dig into social media. The guys are joined by Kara Frederick, the Director of Tech Policy at The Heritage Foundation but before that, she served as a "Facebook Analyst..." She has some really interesting stories to share on just how powerful Social Media can be!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kara Frederick, Director of Tech Policy at The Heritage Foundation & Former Facebook Intelligence Analyst and Carl Szabo, NetChoice VP & General Counsel & Professor of Internet Law at George Mason University's Scalia Law School break down the latest drop from Twitter and the suppression and silencing of opposition voices to the left. Even now the MSM will not cover the news from the Twitter files and internal memos squelching the first amendment for many. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In today's episode of Confluence, host Rana Sarkar and guest Baroness Beeban Kidron discuss her work as a leading global advocate for the rights of children online. They discuss her journey from her time as a photographer and filmmaker to her current position as a policymaker. Baroness Kidron shares lessons from the UK Age Appropriate Design Code, a critical piece of legislation that she has led; discusses the status of similar pieces of legislation around the world; and offers advice for policymakers to learn from each other and safeguard children from the downsides of technology. LINKS:5Rights FoundationUK Parliament: MPs and LordsSeptember 2021 Profile of Baroness Kidron
2022 is nearly over, and it's been a wild year for privacy. In this episode, Reema sits down with Keir Lamont, Senior Counsel and U.S. Legislation Lead at the Future of Privacy Forum. Keir recaps what happened in the world of privacy legislation in 2022, and what the tech policy world can expect out of privacy legislation in the New Year. Keir Lamont, CIPP/US, is a Senior Counsel with the Future of Privacy Forum's U.S. legislation team. In this role, he supports policymaker education and independent analysis concerning federal, state, and local consumer privacy laws and regulations. Previously, Keir held positions at CCIA and the Program on Data and Governance at Ohio State University. He holds a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.A. in Political Science & Economics from the University of Florida. Follow him on Twitter @keir_lamont. Check out Keir's latest blog post, “Five Big Questions (and Zero Predictions) for the U.S. State Privacy Landscape in 2023” on the FPF website. If you would like to sponsor an episode or propose a guest for the show, get in touch with us: foundrypodcasts@ilpfoundry.us If you'd like to support the show, please donate to the Foundry here.
Groups file flurry of Section 230 briefs with the Supreme Court What's going on? Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act shields platforms like Google and Twitter from liability for content posted by internet users. Republicans and Democrats want the rule changed. It's important to note that Section 230 protects only publishers of information. The central question here is – at which point do platforms lose their status as publishers and actually become creators of content? Once they're deemed to be creators, they would lose protection under Section 230. Generally, Republicans like Josh Hawley say platform liability should be a state issue because they think tech companies lean progressive and that seeking to ban harmful content discriminates against conservatives. Democrats argue that Section 230 doesn't hold platforms accountable enough, especially in the context of how marketers target children. How are politicians trying to change the law? The Supreme Court is set to decide Gonzalez v. Google in which the family of a young woman killed in the 2015 Paris Terror Attacks argues that Google should be liable for aiding and abetting the attack by hosting terror-related videos on YouTube. There are 2 parts to this – one is whether Google should be held liable for merely hosting terror-related videos the family alleges groomed terrorists involved. Google is arguing that hosting the videos simply makes them publishers and thus they would still be entitled to protection under Section 230. The other is whether recommending content – converts platforms to content creators – in which case the Gonzalez family argues Google should be held liable since Section 230 wouldn't apply to instances in which people predisposed to terrorism-related content puts Google in the position of being a content creator, in which case Google wouldn't be shielded from liability under Section 230. How does this affect you? Keep an eye on what your state is doing to change the way content platforms moderate content. For example, Texas and Florida passed statutes preventing platforms from discriminating against so-called “anti-conservative bias.” This has a direct impact on what people see and hear, which directly impacts elections since a scourge of harmful content, such as Trump's tweets leading up to the Capitol Hill insurrection, have dominated our politics for many years. Big name advertisers are showing up in white nationalists' Twitter feeds again Why are white nationalists on Twitter? Elon Musk fired Twitter's entire content moderation team and reinstated the accounts of white nationalists. Which companies showed up in white nationalist's accounts? Ads for Uber, Amazon, Snap, and even the US Department of Health and Human Services showed up in these accounts. But the Washington Post reports that it saw some 40 advertisers showing up next to content posted by reinstated white nationalists. What are the policy implications? White supremacist content is an example of the type of content Republicans in states like Texas and Florida think internet platforms shouldn't be allowed to ban. Right now, only advertisers have the ability to discipline Twitter by removing their ads on the platform. What are the real-world effects of white supremacists online? The Department of Homeland Security issued a report in late November expressing urgent concern about the fact that antisemitism online, and in the real world, are reinforcing each other, leading to an increase in hate crimes. DC Attorney General is suing Amazon over driver tips What's going on? DC Attorney General Karl Racine filed a consumer lawsuit on Wednesday alleging that Amazon basically stole tips from its Flex drivers by hiding from drivers the amounts they were getting in tips and pocketing them. And then Amazon hid the fact that they were doing this from its customers. What is Amazon saying? Amazon is saying it built the tips into drivers' hourly compensation, which it says is above DC's minimum wage of $16.10 per hour. What happens next? We'll see. The DC Circuit Court of Appeals will review Racine's complaint and that process will start early next year. – In other tech law & policy news … Women are suing Elon Musk for discrimination against them in layoffs. Staten Island Union organizer lost his lawsuit against Amazon for race discrimination. The court says he was fired for exposing co-workers to COVID during the pandemic lockdowns. The Senate Banking Committee appears likely to subpoena Sam Bankman-Fried after he ignored a request to testify regarding the implosion of crypto-currency exchange FTX. The FTC is suing to prevent Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, the maker of Modern Warfare and Candy Crush, as well as Facebook's acquisition of virtual reality firm Within. Apple announced that it will fully encrypt iCloud data, raising alarm from law enforcement officials. States are now joining the federal government in banning government employees from downloading TikTok on their phones because TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, is based in China. Officials are concerned China will gain access to sensitive data.
The Steak for Breakfast Podcast is kicking off the week coming out of a big news weekend, and today's is packed with three big guests, three big news blocks and all the breaking news that's impactful to you. We begin the show with our cold open begin to unpack the twitter Hunter Biden Laptop suppression disclosure via Elon Musk and Matt Tiabbi that was released over the weekend. Former Chief of Staff to the DOD and top Trump Assistant Kash Patel joined us on the show today. Kash drops some big Truth bombs on the twitter / Elon / Taibbi disclosure narrative surrounding the repression of the Hunter Biden laptop and how at least one of Russiagate's key players are still freely operating (until today) at twitter. New Block One splits coverage between previewing the Georgia Senatorial Runoff Election and the fight for leadership in the GOP regarding the Chair and House Speaker. Tech Policy writer at the Heritage Foundation, Jake Denton hopped back on with us today to discuss a full slate of topics. We discuss the CCP ties to Apple and how this is becoming a larger issue as time moves on, the twitter files disclosure, Elon Musk's content moderation since taking over the app and the latest in the FTX scandal. News Block Two takes a look at Joe Biden's trip to AZ - not to the the Southern Border but to visit a Chinese chip manufacturing plant there, Mitch McConnell weighs in on candidate quality for 2024 and Tom Cotton nukes the woke grocery chain, Kroger. Former Trump White House attorney, Andrew Kloster was back on the show today. Andrew gives us his hot takes on the twitter files disclosure, the current fight for both Republican House Speaker and the GOP Chair and talks about all the good works that he is doing within the legal community, especially regarding a recent event for January 6th families . Subscribe to the show, rate it and leave a review on iTunes and Spotify before you download, listen, like follow and SHARE Steak for Breakfast content! Steak for Breakfast: website: https://steakforbreakfastpodcast.com linktree: https://linktr.ee/steakforbreakfastpodcast MyPillow: Promo Code: STEAK at checkout Website: https://mystore.com/steak Website: https://www.mypillow.com/steak Via the Phone: 800-658-8045 My Patriot Cigar Co. Enter Promo Code: STEAK Website: http://mypatriotcigars.com/steak Kash Patel (Former COS to the DOD) Truth: @kash Website: https://fightwithkash.com Jake Denton (Tech Policy, Heritage Foundation) Twitter: @RealJDenton Website: https://www.heritage.org/staff/jake-denton Andrew Kloster (Former Trump WH Legal) Twitter: @ARKloster Website: http://arkloster.hns.to/
Kara Frederick, Director of Tech Policy at The Heritage Foundation & Former Facebook Intelligence Analyst and Craig Parshall, Special Counsel with the American Center for Law and Justice and Internet Free Speech Advisor for the American Principles Project, discuss this weekend's dump of information exposing the manipulation of delivery and suppression of information to the American people. The coordination between democrats, socialists and big tech is everything we surmised and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guests: Kara Frederick, Director of Tech Policy at the Heritage Foundation, On to discuss Kanye West's comments on Nazis and the latest developments with Twitter. Josh Block, Adjunct Fellow at the Hudson Institute, On to discuss Iran. Joon Bai, North Korean Refugee, On to discuss how he became a filmmaker and his memoir "Promises." And ... Your phone calls in open phones across AmericaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Former Ambassador and Senior Fellow at the German Marshall Fund, Karen Kornbluh, joins Niki in the Tech'ed Up studio for a rollicking conversation about whether tech policy is passé, the ongoing Twitter implosion, and misinformation being a loser. This conversation covers the erosion of trust in institutions, cynicism as a by product of social media, and the power of storytelling to combat both.○ Read Karen's New York Times profile○ Donate to Wikipedia○ Follow Niki on Twitter
Adam Kovacevich: Balancing Tech, Business & Progressive Policymaking Bio Adam Kovacevich (Kuh-VACK-uh-VITCH) is the Founder and CEO of Chamber of Progress, a new centre-left tech industry policy coalition promoting technology's progressive future. Before starting the Chamber of Progress, Adam served as Head of North America and Asia Pacific Government Relations for Lime, the shared scooter mobility company. Prior to that, Adam led Google's U.S. policy strategy and external affairs team. In that role, he drove Google's U.S. public policy campaigns on privacy, security, antitrust, intellectual property, intermediary liability, telecommunications, advertising, taxation and workforce issues. Adam lives in Arlington, Virginia with his family. LinkedIn Twitter Website Resources http://progresschamber.org/
Ashkhen Kazaryan: Tech Policy, the New Congress, and the Supreme Court Bio Ashkhen Kazaryan is a tech policy expert. She manages and develops policy projects on free speech, content moderation, surveillance reform and the intersection of constitutional rights and technology. Ashkhen joined Facebook in November of 2020 as Content Policy Manager on the Content Regulation team for two years. Before that she was the Director of civil liberties at TechFreedom from July 2016 till November 2020. At TechFreedom she also managed outreach and coalition building for the organization and hosted The Tech Policy Podcast. Ashkhen is regularly featured as an expert commentator in news outlets across television, radio, podcasts, and print and digital publications including CNBC, BBC, FOX DC, Newsy, Politico, Axios, The Information, Protocol, The Washington Examiner and many others. Twitter LinkedIn Resources Ashkhen Kazaryan
Hey everybody, I'm Joe Miller and here's what's going on in the world of tech law & policy this week. It's a lot. Where should we start? Let's start with Twitter - which continues to meltdown after Elon Musk's acquisition of the company last month to the tune of $44 billion. Employees are fleeing the company in droves after Elon challenged them with the ultimatum of taking either a three-month severage package or staying with the new “hard core” version of the company, whatever that means. As of Friday afternoon, Twitter workers were still heading for the exit doors. Also, Senators Blumental, Menendez, Booker, Markey, Lujan, and Feinstein sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Kahn, expressing concern that Twitter may already have violated the agency's consent decrees for privacy violations. These lawmakers urged the FTC to step up enforcement of the decrees. And Twitter has also suspended its roll out of verified blue checks because it and outside researchers found that a high number of them are pornographers, crypto scammers, and right-wingers. – Color of Change released a report card on politicians' performance on civil rights-related tech issues like discriminatory surveillance. Anna G. Eshoo (Calif.), Cori Bush (Mo.), Jamie Raskin (Md.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) and Yvette Clarke (N.Y.) and Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Edward J. Markey (Mass.), and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) – all got perfect scores. More than 40 Republicans, though, got zeros. – The Senate released a report showing social media's ongoing failure at curbing extremism happening online. Most of that is coming from white supremacists, according to the FBI, DHS. So the Senate, which will remain under democratic control, is investigating why social media companies have been so slow to respond. – And the fallout from the FTX crypto exchange debacle is expanding, with a hearing scheduled for next month before the House Financial Services Committee. —- A coalition of parents whose children have died from suicides, using drugs purchased online, and viral challenges, wrote a joint letter to Congressional leaders under the auspices of Fair Play, Parents Together Action, and the Eating Disorders Coalition. They're pushing Congress to pass both the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act. Some hope for a markup by the end of this year. —- Also Brutal caste discrimination in India against gig workers. Attackers are going after Muslims and Dalits in particular. Privacy advocates including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and American Civil Liverties Union are suing San Francisco Mayor London Breed for allowing the San Francisco Police Department to gain essentially unfettered access to live surveillance cameras. People under house arrest in Chicago are getting erroneous messages from their ankle bracelets saying they may end up back in jail. Scientific American highlights concerns about mental health apps. Some 85 industry-funded studies didn't explore potential harms of these platforms. To go deeper, you can find links to all of these stories in the show notes. Stay safe, stay informed, have a great week. Ciao.
Bio Chuck is one of the country's foremost experts on all aspects of federal and state universal service programs. Chuck had a leadership role at the FCC in the implementation of the universal service provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Since joining WBK in 2001, he has helped clients craft policy recommendations in every universal service rulemaking at the FCC and in several states. He also fields compliance questions from clients on universal service contribution requirements, E-rate funding, Connect America Fund (“CAF”), Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (“RDOF”), as well as recent broadband deployment affordability programs including NTIA's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (“BEAD”) program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (“ACP”). Innovative companies operating on the ever-evolving line between communications services and technology also come to Chuck for help in ascertaining whether and how FCC and state communications regulatory requirements affect their businesses. Chuck is an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and has served as a Co-Chair of its Wireline Practice Committee and State and Local Practice Committee. He serves on the Board of the LGBT Technology Partnership. He also represents several clients on a pro bono basis in political asylum cases on referral from Whitman Walker Legal Services of Washington, DC. Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Website Resources Wilkson Barker Knauer
Voting in the U.S. midterm elections closed on Tuesday, and as of Sunday morning, November 13, Democrats secured another majority in the Senate. But ballots are still being counted in key races that will determine which party controls the House. It is clear, however, that the margins determining leadership in both chambers will be extremely small. In order to explore how the elections may impact the legislative debate over tech policy issues, Tech Policy Press editor Justin Hendrix spoke with three experts from civil society groups that regularly engage with lawmakers to find what scenarios and considerations are front of mind, even as we wait for the final tally:Emma Llansó, Director of the Free Expression Project, Center for Democracy and TechnologyYosef Getachew, Director of the Media and Democracy Program, Common CauseMatt Wood, Vice President of Policy and General Counsel, Free Press
Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: Apply now for the EU Tech Policy Fellowship 2023, published by Jan-WillemvanPutten on November 11, 2022 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Announcing the EU Tech Policy Fellowship 2023, an 8-month programme to catapult ambitious graduates into high-impact career paths in EU policy, mainly working on the topic of AI Governance. Summary Training for Good is excited to announce the second edition of the EU Tech Policy Fellowship. This programme enables promising EU citizens to launch careers focused on regulating high-priority emerging technologies, mainly AI. Apply here by December 11th. This fellowship consists of three components: Remote study group (July - August, 4 hours a week): A 6 week part-time study group covering AI governance & technology policy fundamentals. 2 x Policy training in Brussels (June 26-30 and September 3 - 8 exact date TBC): Two intensive week-long bootcamps in Brussels featuring workshops, guest lectures from relevant experts and networking events. Fellows will then participate in one of two tracks depending on their interests. Track 1 (September - February full time): Fellows will be matched with a host organisation working on European tech regulation for a ~5 month placement between September 2023 and February 2024. Host organisations include The Future Society, Centre for European Policy Studies, and German Marshall Fund (among others). Track 2 (September): Fellows will receive job application support and guidance to pursue a career in the European Commission, party politics or related policy jobs in Europe. This may include career workshops, feedback on CVs, interview training and mentorship from experienced policy professionals. Other important points: If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the program and whether or not it's the right fit for you, Training for Good will be hosting an informal information session on Thursday November 24 (5.30pm CET), please subscribe here for that session. This fellowship is only open to EU citizens. Modest stipends are available to cover living and relocation costs. We expect most stipends to be between €1,750 and €2,250 per month For track 1, stipends are available for up to 6 months while participating in placements. For track 2, stipends are available for up to 1 month while exploring and applying for policy roles. Apply here by December 11th. The Programme The programme spans a maximum of 8 months from June 2023 to February 2024, is fully cost-covered, and where needed, participants can avail of stipends to cover living costs. It consists of 4 major parts: Policy training in Brussels (June 26-30, dates TBC): An intensive week-long bootcamp in Brussels featuring workshops, guest lectures from relevant experts and networking events. Main focus: Understanding Brussels bubble (including networking) and creating your own goals for the Fellowship All accomodation, food & travel costs will be fully covered by Training for Good Remote study group (July - August): A 7 week study group covering AI governance & technology policy fundamentals. Every week consists of ~4 hours of readings, a 1 hour discussion and a guest lecture. Policy training in Brussels (September 3-8, dates TBC): An intensive week-long bootcamp in Brussels featuring workshops, guest lectures from relevant experts and networking events. The goal of this week is to come up with a policy proposal, inspired by the latest insights from governance research covered in the 7 week reading group. All accomodation, food & travel costs will be fully covered by Training for Good Fellows will then participate in one of two tracks depending on their interests. Track 1 (September - February): Fellows will be matched with a host organisation working on European tech regulation for a ~5 month placement between September 2023 and February 202...
Missed our exciting CYBER CON event with the WiCyS Privacy, Law, and Policy Affiliate?The Tech Policy Grind has you covered. Foundry Fellows Reema Moussa, Allyson McReynolds, Grant Versfeld & Lama Mohammed discuss highlights from the Foundry's first ever virtual cybersecurity convention, starring Amie D'souza, Josephine Wolff, Kassi Burns, Eva Galperin and Siena Anstis. They chat about the event's key theme; cybersecurity risk mitigation in law and policy, as well as particular practices around of cyber insurance, cyber hygiene for lawyers, and spyware. Coming soon from the Foundry: keep an eye out for the next round of applications to become a Foundry Fellow! If you'd like to sponsor an episode or propose a guest for the show, get in touch with us: foundrypodcasts@ilpfoundry.us If you'd like to support the show, consider donating to the Foundry; you can do so here. Resources Mentioned: Scraping Suit Hinges On When LinkedIn Discovered Violations [Law360]
Welcome back to the Tech Policy Grind! This week, Reema chats with former Foundry Fellow Lena Ghamrawi on her pathway to becoming a privacy attorney. In this episode, she shares her experience growing up in the post-9/11 surveillance environment and how her passion for civil rights (and mentorship along the way) cultivated an interest in privacy law. A little more about Lena: she's a privacy lawyer dedicated to ensuring consumer personal data is used responsibly. Lena currently serves as Privacy Counsel and Data Protection Officer for Quora Inc., where she advises on global privacy laws. She has helped Silicon Valley tech companies, federal agencies, and Fortune 500 companies develop privacy programs. In 2020 she helped launch a watchdog dedicated to investigating mobile app privacy practices. There, she worked with regulatory agencies, big tech platforms, and members of Congress to remedy malpractice. Lena founded the Washington DC Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) affiliate and is always looking for ways to provide mentorship. Coming soon from the Foundry: keep an eye out for the next round of applications to become a Foundry Fellow! If you'd like to sponsor an episode or propose a guest for the show, get in touch with us: foundrypodcasts@ilpfoundry.us If you'd like to support the show, consider donating to the Foundry; you can do so here.
Jenna's thoughts on Elon's New Twitter landscape so far, legal issues, and the $8 subscription idea from a capitalist perspective. Jake Denton, Tech Policy for Heritage Foundation, joins to discuss where conservatives should be watching for changes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
One-size-fits-all research approaches are no longer sufficient to effectively address content moderation, fulfill the content preferences of each user, and prevent harmful, false information from undermining democracy. Researchers like Michal Luria are beginning to understand how complex human behaviors should be taken into account in UX design and incorporated into the policymaking process. Bio Dr. Michal Luria is a researcher at the Center for Democracy & Technology. Her work makes use of immersive and human-centered design research methods to envision and critique interactions with emerging technologies. In her work she translates research insights into thought-provoking interactions and necessary discussions of ethics and policy. Website Google Scholar LinkedIn Instagram Resources "This is transparency to me" Center for Democracy and Technology, https://cdt.org/insights/this-is-transparency-to-me-research-prototypes/ (last visited Oct 31, 2022)
How should tech policy guide engineers during development? Fellow Rebecca Kilberg chats policy implementation with technologist Jeremy Avnet.
Listen as Brandon Amacher, Director of the Emerging Tech Policy Lab, discusses his background and role in leading EMTECH as part of Utah's Intermountain Intelligence, Industry, and Security Consortium (I3SC). What necessary services do I3SC and the EMTECH lab provide to Utah's public and private sectors? How do people of all backgrounds, both technical and not, contribute to cyber security? And how have students become policy consultants for Utah's burgeoning Silicon Slopes community? Learn all this and more in this episode of In the Interest of National Security.
The telecommunications, media, and technology sectors are exciting fields, but if you work in public policy, one must constantly adapt. Anisa Green shares with Joe how she built her career and how to find a team that values your presence at work. Anisa Green Anisa Green is Director of Federal Regulatory at AT&T, where she also serves as Chief of Staff for the Executive Vice President and Chief Regulatory Officer in AT&T's DC office. Anisa has over 24 years of expertise in regulatory, legal and advocacy work. She is currently working on universal service regulatory issues, with a focus on consumer broadband affordability, digital equity, and rural healthcare matters. In addition to serving as a Trustee of the Federal Communications Bar Association Foundation, Anisa champions various organizations focused on empowering, encouraging and educating youth, women, and marginalized communities. Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, with roots in the West Indies, Anisa holds a BA in Philosophy and Communication from the George Washington University, is a certified paralegal, and has taken numerous continuing legal education credits to further her knowledge. When she is not running after her children and caring for her family, she takes advantage of a few stolen moments by shopping, reading a book, catching a movie, or taking a long walk or ride. Resources Anisa on LinkedIn FCBA – The Tech Bar
In this episode, Foundry Fellow, Dyllan Brown-Bramble sits down with Gabrielle Hibbert, a Fellow at the Decentralized Future Council and Hillary Brill an Adjunct Professor and Senior Fellow Institute for Technology Law & Policy at Georgetown Law to discuss the work of the Decentralized Future Council, the future of Web3 law and policy, and why early-career professionals should get up to speed on it.
The Steak for Breakfast Podcast is back with a loaded show that's packed with America First goodness We open the show with our cold open focusing in on the sham January 6th Unselect Committee narrative for the second episode in a row. See how the legacy, fake news media spun wild theories about the committee while the midterms are coming like a freight train. The America First, Trump endorsed Republican Nominee for GA-10, Mike Collins was back on the show today. It was great to catch up with Mike and discuss the situation Georgians are facing in his district. We also discussed Mike hitting road to ensure that future congressional partners in NH, OH and AZ all win on November 8th. We also talk about what congress is set to be working on once the Republicans win back the House this winter. News One is a Battleground Block that zeroes in on several of the highest profile debate and television appearances for the America First candidates from the weekend and to start the week. Tech Policy expert for the Heritage Foundation and great friend of the show, Jake Denton joined us again today. We're taking the twitter bot issue, Kanye and Elon, the RNC vs Google and more in a heater of a segment. Commentator for the Daily Caller, JW Gibbons was back on the podcast today to talk current events. We dove into the midterm elections, the recent and very disturbing news surround Dr. Fauci and the gain of function research at Boston University and talk about the overall temperature of the nation. News Block 2 jumps between the past two White House press conferences, the rising cost of ice cream and ends back with the midterms. Subscribe to the show, rate it and leave a review before you download, listen, like follow and SHARE Steak for Breakfast content! Steak for Breakfast: website: https://steakforbreakfastpodcast.com linktree: https://linktr.ee/steakforbreakfastpodcast MyPillow: Promo Code: STEAK at checkout Website: https://mystore.com/steak Website: https://www.mypillow.com/steak Via the Phone: 800-658-8045 Mike Collins (R-nominee, GA-10) Twitter: @MikeCollinsGA Website: https://mikecollinsga.com/ Jake Denton (Tech Policy, the Heritage Foundation) Twitter: @RealJDenton Website: https://www.heritage.org/ J.W. Gibbons (Commentator, the Daily Caller) Twitter: @JoelWGibbonsV Website: https://dailycaller.com/subscribe/
Lundi 17 octobre, François Sorel a reçu Pauline Ducamp, journaliste auto de BFM Business, Alexandre Borgoltz, directeur général du groupe DBT, Julien Lardé, président et cofondateur de Cocolis, Frédéric Simottel, journaliste à BFM Business, Asma Mhalla, spécialiste en Tech Policy et enseignante à Sciences Po Paris, ainsi que Guillaume Grallet, journaliste Tech chez Le Point, dans l'émission Tech & Co sur BFM Business. Retrouvez l'émission du lundi au jeudi et réécoutez la en podcast.
Technology is transforming every sector of society and the economy. For example, think about how e-commerce has disrupted retail, artificial intelligence is changing healthcare, and autonomous vehicles will reshape transportation. In an increasingly digital world, technology companies are aggressively lobbying policymakers to advance their interests. This means that tech policy needs social innovation rather than just a new set of policies that favor the interests of a few well-connected tech titans. Unfortunately, many tech policy debates have been framed as if there are only two options: Either support the interests of big tech corporations or lose out on the economic benefits that come with technological innovation. But what if there's a third way? We need policies that encourage broad adoption of beneficial technologies without favoring one company over another or creating anti-competitive market conditions. In other words, we need social innovation in tech policy. Shahed Amanullah Website Twitter LinkedIn Shahed Amanullah serves as Global VP of Customer Experience at growth strategy consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. He is also Managing Director of Frost Capital, a Palo Alto-based private equity fund manager that acquired Affinis Labs, an award-winning social innovation firm he co-founded. Shahed also founded Zakatify, a social impact fintech startup, and Zabihah, the world's first global Halal restaurant guide. Resources Home, Frost & Sullivan (2022), https://www.frost.com/ (last visited Oct 14, 2022).
Reema and former Foundry Fellow Patrick Kyhos chat about his career in cyber public service and the evolution of the Foundry.
In today's episode Thamarrah (she/her) and Joe (he/him) discuss the role legislators play in protecting us online and how we can stay informed about the policy changes that dictate what tech companies can and cannot do with our data. Resources mentioned: 5 Easy Steps to Keep Your Kids Safe Online Joseph Shepherd Miller, Esq. is the Founder of The Washington Center for Technology Policy Inclusion (WashingTech). Through his work at WashingTech, Joe advocates for diversity and inclusion in technology public policymaking and hosts Tech Policy -- a top podcast offering practical and actionable advice to protect yourself and your family from online safety threats. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's episode is brought to you by the Integrated Schools podcast. Find more As It Should Be at asitshouldbepod.com Support the show: Join the Collective for only $3 a month
Tech sector asks Fifth Circuit to stop Texas's social media law from taking effect The State of Texas's social media law which stops tech companies from taking down hate speech and misleading information has reached the Fifth Circuit in a motion that this organization – WashingTech – has participated in amicus filings for. We agree with NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) that this law impinges on platforms' First Amendment rights and the discretion Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act affords them to moderate content posted by third parties. It would allow traditional media platforms, like Fox News, to ban progressive voices but require competing online platforms to host politically-motivated harmful content, including election misinformation. Abortion advocates pushback against “people search” websites Cyberscoop notes that abortion rights adovocates' privacy rights are put in jeopardy by people search websites, like BeenVerified, which share their personal contact information. Maleeha Aziz, deputy director of the Texas Equal Access Fund, told Cyberscoop that she installed security cameras around her home because she lives in constant fear, because of her abortion advocacy, that anti-abortion extremists or solicitors will come knocking on her front door at any moment. Reuters exclusive: child pornography solicitations on Twitter have been showing up next to PBSKids ads Several brands, as many as 30, to be exact, have had to limit their advertising on Twitter after Reuters found their ads showing up next to solicitations by pedophiles for content depicting child abuse. Disney, Coca Cola, NBCUniversal, PBS – are just some of the companies that were affected. Privacy advocates want the FTC to tamp down on daycare apps Privacy advocates are pushing back about daycare apps that let parents and caregivers stream videos of their babies in daycare. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) argues that these platforms host images of kids in unsecure, cloud-based storage apps, and, in one case, an app called Tadpoles for Parents, shared these images on Facebook without notifying parents of their privacy policy.
Class 4 Fellow Ashwini Natesan chats with a variety of stakeholders and professionals in the Metaverse space on their differing perspectives.
Mark Brennan: Sephora (Privacy Case Study) In late August, the California Attorney General's office issued its first public, monetary penalty against cosmetics giant Sephora, for violating the California Privacy and Protection Act (CCPA), which went into effect in 2018 and is one of several state-level privacy laws that have been cropping up across the country. Mark Brennan joined Joe to talk about what happened in this case and the lessons learned for retailers as U.S. privacy laws become more complex. Bio Mark Brennan (@MWBrennanDC) is a Partner at Hogan Lovells and leads their global Technology and Telecommunications industry sector group. He has a truly unique global regulatory and policy practice and advises clients on data protection, artificial intelligence, biometric data and facial recognition, Internet of things, and other technology and consumer protection matters. LinkedIn Resources California Attorney General settles with Sephora in first CCPA fine, Engage.hoganlovells.com (2022)(last visited Sep 26, 2022).
Spandana Singh: Content Moderation Beyond the US Social media platforms have played a central role in recent crises in the U.S., such as the Capitol Hill insurrection of 2021, and in Europe, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. These developments underscore the power that unelected, big technology companies wield on the geopolitical landscape. But the discussion around how social media companies function in the global south, such as their impact on the proliferation of Hindu nationalism in India or state violence against the Rohingya people of Myanmar, remains largely absent from policy discussions in the west. New America's Spandi Singh joined Joe Miller this week to discuss her current work – not just to prevent the spread of mis- and dis- information regarding upcoming elections in the U.S. – but also to foster a tech policy discussion that includes the unique perspectives of marginalized voices abroad. Bio Spandi Singh works at New America's Open Technology Institute where she leads a portfolio of work focused on content moderation, disinformation, algorithmic accountability, and transparency. Singh is also currently a Non-Resident Fellow at the Esya Centre in New Delhi and a member of the World Economic Forum's Expert Network. Linked In Resources Open Technology Institute at New America Judging Platform Responses to Election Mis- and Disinformation, New America (2022), https://www.newamerica.org/oti/in-the-news/judging-platform-responses-to-election-mis-and-disinformation/ (last visited Sep 19, 2022).
Hey everybody, I'm Joe Miller and here's what's going on in the world of online safety and free speech this week. Sen. Wyden: CBP has massive trove of American's cellphone data Senator Ron Wyden sent a letter to Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus on Thursday revealing that CBP has a massive amount of Americans' data from millions of drivers' license photos, license plate readers, mobile devices, and who knows what else. Some 3,000 CBP operations employees apparently have access to the data, and CBP doesn't need probable cause to obtain warrants to search the data – they only need reasonable suspicion. Brennan Center scholar Faiza Patel told the Washington Post that the database goes far beyond reasonableness. Patel joined me on this podcast back in 2017 to discuss how the government's surveillance of Muslims negatively impacts innocent civilians. New York City's Metro Transit Authority's switch to tap-to-enter system raises surveillance alarms The City of New York will be moving away from Metro Cards and towards a new tap-to-enter system called OMNY. Surveillance and privacy experts are concerned that the new system will be able to track anyone wherever they go within the nation's largest public transportation system. The system will also be a public-private partnership between the City and a company called Cubic Corp. even though the State of New York has not yet updated its 1984 privacy law. No one knows what the government will do with that data, much less what Cubic Corp will do with it, since nondisclosure agreements often govern these types of partnerships. California becomes first state to pass Children's Online Privacy law The California legislature has passed a landmark Children's Online Privacy law that directs tech companies to follow age-appropriate design principles to protect children online. The bill, modeled after a bill in the UK, passed the California Senate unanimously and is the first in the US to address children's online safety directly, beyond the weaker standards imposed by the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act, which Congress passed back in 1998 before it had any idea what the internet would become. California Governor Gavin Newsom hasn't yet indicated whether he plans to sign the new legislation. California enacts new social media moderation disclosure law The state of California is also leading the way when it comes to state-based efforts to establish content moderation standards. California governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on Tuesday a new bill requiring social media companies to file semiannual reports on how they moderate hate speech, disinformation, and extremism. The California law differs from Republican-led efforts, particularly in Texas and Florida, to tamp down on social media companies' content moderation in general, and instead requires social media companies to report on what they're actually doing. The new law is expected to face resistance from the tech industry. Separately, the Wall Street Journal's editorial board seems to believe that the federal government and Facebook collude on content moderation. Color of Change launches ‘Black Tech Agenda' Color of Change has launched a Black Tech Agenda that centers racial justice in technology policymaking. The agenda includes a vision for robust antitrust policy, better privacy protections and an end to surveillance, preventing algorithmic discrimination, expanding broadband access, protecting net neutrality, and addressing misinformation and disinformation. The agenda is supported by Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Representatives Robin Kelly and Pramila Jayapal. Facebook reverses ban on Holocaust film Facebook reversed a ban on an holocaust film starring Roy Schneider, who played the police chief in Jaws. The filmmaker, Joshua Newton, based the movie on his father's life after he survived the holocaust. Facebook pulled the movie because its name is Beautiful Blue Eyes, which Facebook's moderators found contained a racist connotation that violated its community standards. The movie Newton wants to advertise on Facebook is actually a re-release of a 2009 version of the film which now includes previously lost footage. It was Schneider's final film. White House issues new digital assets development framework Following President Biden's March Executive Order to streamline regulation of digital assets, the White House on Friday released a fact sheet laying out a framework for interagency coordination to protect consumers and larger stakeholders, make financial services safe and affordable, encourage responsible innovation, ensure financial stability and protect America's financial competitiveness globally, fight illicit financial activities, and develop a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). Part of the list of to-dos is a call for federal agencies to consider the environmental implications of digital finances. To go deeper, you can find links to all of these stories in the show notes. Stay safe, stay informed, have a great week. Ciao.
Jon Roozenbeek: How to Pre-Bunk Misinformation and Disinformation Misinformation and disinformation are two of propagandists' most important weapons in today's “information war.” From the war in Ukraine to civil rights violations in the United States, political operatives leverage false information to engender support and suppress votes. Misinformation is false information or information that is not true. Disinformation is false information created with a specific intent to deceive. Political elites use misinformation and disinformation as part of a strategy to influence public perception about a person, organization, or public policy. Jon Roozenbeek joined Joe this week to discuss his work on how advertising can help inoculate the public against false information. Bio Jon Roozenbeek is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. His research focuses on building resilience against misinformation and extremism. He is currently writing two books with Cambridge University Press: The Psychology of Misinformation, and Influence, Information and War in Ukraine. Website Twitter LinkedIn Resources Inoculation Science - Home, Inoculation Science (2022), https://www.inoculation.science (last visited Sep 12, 2022).