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French Government Blocks TikTok To Curb Civil Unrest in New Caledonia (5/15/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. France has imposed a state of emergency in New Caledonia in response to protests and riots, leading to a ban on TikTok as authorities seek to stabilize the region. The French government has taken these measures to address the unrest that erupted after a contentious vote extending voting rights in the territory’s provincial elections and is the latest example of a government restricting internet access as a means to control citizens. The local government …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. France has imposed a state of emergency in New Caledonia in response to protests and riots, leading to a ban on TikTok as authorities seek to stabilize the region. The French government has taken these measures to address the unrest that erupted after a contentious vote extending voting rights in the territory’s provincial elections and is the latest example of a government restricting internet access as a means to control citizens. The local government …
TikTok Users File First Amendment Lawsuit Against US Government Ban (5/15/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Eight TikTok content creators have launched a lawsuit against the US government, challenging a new federal law that could potentially ban the social media platform nationwide. This legal action, echoing TikTok’s own lawsuit filed this month, asserts that the law infringes on the creators’ First Amendment rights to free speech. The outcome of this case could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs represent a broad group, including a rancher from Texas …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Eight TikTok content creators have launched a lawsuit against the US government, challenging a new federal law that could potentially ban the social media platform nationwide. This legal action, echoing TikTok’s own lawsuit filed this month, asserts that the law infringes on the creators’ First Amendment rights to free speech. The outcome of this case could ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs represent a broad group, including a rancher from Texas …
Unpacking Canada’s Controversial Push to Police the Digital World (5/15/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The latest of Canada’s speech-restricting legislative efforts, the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) was introduced and promoted earlier in the year by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as necessary primarily to protect children and vulnerable population categories on the internet. The actual text of the bill, however, reveals broad implications, including sweeping censorship and draconian penalties, as yet another country pushes such measures under the “think of the children” banner. We obtained a copy of …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The latest of Canada’s speech-restricting legislative efforts, the Online Harms Act (Bill C-63) was introduced and promoted earlier in the year by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as necessary primarily to protect children and vulnerable population categories on the internet. The actual text of the bill, however, reveals broad implications, including sweeping censorship and draconian penalties, as yet another country pushes such measures under the “think of the children” banner. We obtained a copy of …
UK Disinformation Unit Minutes Reveal Consideration of Placing Government Employees Inside Social Media Companies (5/15/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Recently released minutes from the UK government’s Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) governing board, the Disinformation Board, provide further evidence of the authorities’ direct involvement in monitoring online speech during the pandemic but also flagging it for removal. But even this wasn’t enough for CDU, which in 2023, after several years of criticism and scrutiny by some media and privacy groups, got rebranded as the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT). One of the moves …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Recently released minutes from the UK government’s Counter Disinformation Unit (CDU) governing board, the Disinformation Board, provide further evidence of the authorities’ direct involvement in monitoring online speech during the pandemic but also flagging it for removal. But even this wasn’t enough for CDU, which in 2023, after several years of criticism and scrutiny by some media and privacy groups, got rebranded as the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT). One of the moves …
Google’s New Conversation-Listening Tech Could Embolden Governments To Mandate On-Device Speech Scanning (5/15/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Digital scams have become increasingly sophisticated and Google’s latest innovation offers a promising defense mechanism. But, like with all things Google promotes as progress, how it impacts lives and the implications of the technology could become a major civil liberties issue – especially anti-privacy EU officials are likely salivating at the idea of the technology. Announced at the I/O developer conference, the company is testing a new call monitoring feature designed to protect Android …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Digital scams have become increasingly sophisticated and Google’s latest innovation offers a promising defense mechanism. But, like with all things Google promotes as progress, how it impacts lives and the implications of the technology could become a major civil liberties issue – especially anti-privacy EU officials are likely salivating at the idea of the technology. Announced at the I/O developer conference, the company is testing a new call monitoring feature designed to protect Android …
YouTube Removes 35,000 EU Videos for “Misinformation,” Enhances Content Censorship Ahead of 2024 Elections (5/14/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. YouTube has (“voluntarily” or otherwise) assumed the role of a private business entity that “supports elections.” Google’s video platform detailed in a blog post how this is supposed to play out, in this instance, in the EU. With the European Parliament (EP) election just around the corner, YouTube set out to present “an overview of our efforts to help people across Europe and beyond find helpful and authoritative election news and information.” The overview …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. YouTube has (“voluntarily” or otherwise) assumed the role of a private business entity that “supports elections.” Google’s video platform detailed in a blog post how this is supposed to play out, in this instance, in the EU. With the European Parliament (EP) election just around the corner, YouTube set out to present “an overview of our efforts to help people across Europe and beyond find helpful and authoritative election news and information.” The overview …
Military Surveillance Tech Prowls US Neighborhoods (5/14/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech, freedom from surveillance, and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Military Surveillance Tech Prowls US Neighborhoods appeared first on Reclaim The Net.
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech, freedom from surveillance, and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Military Surveillance Tech Prowls US Neighborhoods appeared first on Reclaim The Net.
Controversial FAA Bill Passes Senate, Promotes Digital IDs and Mobile Licenses, Facial Recognition Concerns Ignored (5/14/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The US Senate has passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization act, which enjoyed bipartisan support, with an overwhelming majority (88-4). The legislation includes a push to introduce digital ID and digital or mobile driver’s licenses, and will be considered by the House this week – the final hurdle before, if approved, it gets signed by President Biden. The section dealing with acceptance of digital IDs and driver’s licenses is buried and we found …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The US Senate has passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization act, which enjoyed bipartisan support, with an overwhelming majority (88-4). The legislation includes a push to introduce digital ID and digital or mobile driver’s licenses, and will be considered by the House this week – the final hurdle before, if approved, it gets signed by President Biden. The section dealing with acceptance of digital IDs and driver’s licenses is buried and we found …
Meta’s Oversight Board Adopts International “Norms” Instead of US Free Speech Principles (5/14/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a world where international law (a set of ratified documents) is being rapidly replaced with narratives about a “rules-based system,” it is no wonder that US tech giants like Meta choose to set their free speech “baseline” not on their country’s Constitution, but on “international human rights norms.” The less clarity there is, the more space for abuse and biased interpretation, critics might say. But Meta Oversight Board member Kenji Yoshino is satisfied …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a world where international law (a set of ratified documents) is being rapidly replaced with narratives about a “rules-based system,” it is no wonder that US tech giants like Meta choose to set their free speech “baseline” not on their country’s Constitution, but on “international human rights norms.” The less clarity there is, the more space for abuse and biased interpretation, critics might say. But Meta Oversight Board member Kenji Yoshino is satisfied …
RFK Jr. Files Lawsuit Against Meta, Alleging Censorship of Presidential Campaign Video (5/14/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running as an independent candidate in the upcoming US presidential election, has announced that he filed a lawsuit against Meta (Facebook and Instagram) in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Kennedy alleges that the two platforms censored a video, the documentary “Who is Bobby Kennedy,” that is part of his presidential campaign. We obtained a copy of the lawsuit for you here. The filing, …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running as an independent candidate in the upcoming US presidential election, has announced that he filed a lawsuit against Meta (Facebook and Instagram) in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Kennedy alleges that the two platforms censored a video, the documentary “Who is Bobby Kennedy,” that is part of his presidential campaign. We obtained a copy of the lawsuit for you here. The filing, …
Rumble Files Billion-Dollar Lawsuit Against Google for Lost Ad Revenue and Exploiting Ad Tech Dominance (5/13/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Rumble, one of the most prominent competitors to YouTube, has launched a new legal challenge against Google and its parent company, Alphabet. This lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California—the same court where Rumble’s earlier case was initiated—seeks damages exceeding $1 billion from Google. These damages pertain to lost advertising revenue, alleging that Google misused its dominant position in advertising technology to undercut Rumble’s competitive edge. The company contends that Google’s actions have …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Rumble, one of the most prominent competitors to YouTube, has launched a new legal challenge against Google and its parent company, Alphabet. This lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California—the same court where Rumble’s earlier case was initiated—seeks damages exceeding $1 billion from Google. These damages pertain to lost advertising revenue, alleging that Google misused its dominant position in advertising technology to undercut Rumble’s competitive edge. The company contends that Google’s actions have …
Biden Cybersecurity Plan Vows To Support Development of a “Digital Identity Ecosystem” (5/13/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Biden White House has come up with an updated version of the US National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (NCSIP), that, unlike the first, addresses the issue and commits to “supporting development of a digital ID ecosystem.” We obtained a copy of the report for you here. That initiative is included in the document as one of the strategic objectives, the stated goal being to advance research and guidance “that supports innovation in the …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Biden White House has come up with an updated version of the US National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (NCSIP), that, unlike the first, addresses the issue and commits to “supporting development of a digital ID ecosystem.” We obtained a copy of the report for you here. That initiative is included in the document as one of the strategic objectives, the stated goal being to advance research and guidance “that supports innovation in the …
X Secures Court Victory in Battle With Australia’s Censorship, As Government Plots Inquiry (5/13/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a victory for free speech, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, gained a reprieve from an Australian court’s decision on Monday not to extend a temporary block on the videos of a church stabbing incident in Sydney. The platform issued a challenge against the Australian government’s censorship demands, notably in a post on X, when Elon Musk questioned, “Our concern is that if ANY country is allowed to censor content for ALL countries, …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. In a victory for free speech, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, gained a reprieve from an Australian court’s decision on Monday not to extend a temporary block on the videos of a church stabbing incident in Sydney. The platform issued a challenge against the Australian government’s censorship demands, notably in a post on X, when Elon Musk questioned, “Our concern is that if ANY country is allowed to censor content for ALL countries, …
The Tangled Web of CISA, FBI, and Big Tech “Disinformation” Talks Ahead of Election Showdown (5/13/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Senate Intelligence Committee chair Mark Warner is seeking to justify Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FBI resuming their controversial, to say the least – and subject to legal scrutiny in a number of lawsuits – “talks” with social media companies. What they are “discussing” is the removal of whatever’s labeled as “disinformation” and this resumption of collaboration, collusion, or communication – depending on who you ask – comes at a very sensitive …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Senate Intelligence Committee chair Mark Warner is seeking to justify Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FBI resuming their controversial, to say the least – and subject to legal scrutiny in a number of lawsuits – “talks” with social media companies. What they are “discussing” is the removal of whatever’s labeled as “disinformation” and this resumption of collaboration, collusion, or communication – depending on who you ask – comes at a very sensitive …
Gab Stands Firm Against Australia’s Censorship Demands (5/13/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. After a recent censorship effort by German authorities, yet another government has demanded that free speech platform and Big Tech alternative Gab censor content that the government disapproves of. And once again, the platform is refusing to comply. This time, the demand concerns the removal of content about one of the recent Sydney stabbings – and is part of Australia’s wider censorship drive targeting multiple social sites. And, it comes coupled with a threat …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. After a recent censorship effort by German authorities, yet another government has demanded that free speech platform and Big Tech alternative Gab censor content that the government disapproves of. And once again, the platform is refusing to comply. This time, the demand concerns the removal of content about one of the recent Sydney stabbings – and is part of Australia’s wider censorship drive targeting multiple social sites. And, it comes coupled with a threat …
The Warrantless Surveillance Bill Renewal Is Even Broader Than Many Noticed (5/10/2024)
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA, amended in 2008), as a whole and its Section 702 in particular have been a “gift that keeps on giving” where all manner of controversies are concerned. In late April, it was time to once again reauthorize this legislation whose privacy safeguards have been routinely bypassed by law enforcement for years, and this did happen, with persistent major points of contention being warrantless access to data belonging to …
If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA, amended in 2008), as a whole and its Section 702 in particular have been a “gift that keeps on giving” where all manner of controversies are concerned. In late April, it was time to once again reauthorize this legislation whose privacy safeguards have been routinely bypassed by law enforcement for years, and this did happen, with persistent major points of contention being warrantless access to data belonging to …
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