#censorship fisa

[thefreethoughtprojectcom]

The NSA is just DAYS from taking over the internet, and it’s not on the front page of any newspaper–because no one has noticed.

Read More: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/government-surveillance/congress-is-about-to-pass-a-massive-expansion-to-illegal-surveillance-and-most-havent-noticed

#TheFreeThoughtProject

[lokiinmediasideblog]

FISA 702 HAS PASSED THE HOUSED. WE MUST STOP IT!

Fax your legislators! TELL THEM YOU WON'T VOTE FOR THEM IF THEY VOTE YES ON FISA (Fy-zah) 702!

You can also fax your legislators for FREE at:

From Edward Snowden's Twitter:

If you were mad about your House rep voting to let the government spy on you without a warrant ("FISA 702" - fy-za seven-oh-two), we may have one last shot. CALL YOUR REP @ (202) 224-3121 and say "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟳𝟬𝟮, 𝗜 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂."

From the article link:

House lawmakers voted on Friday to reauthorize section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or Fisa, including a key measure that allows for warrantless surveillance of Americans. The controversial law allows for far-reaching monitoring of foreign communications, but has also led to the collection of US citizens’ messages and phone calls.

Lawmakers voted 273–147 to approve the law, which the Biden administration has for years backed as an important counterterrorism tool. An amendment that would have required authorities seek a warrant failed, in a tied 212-212 vote across party lines.

Donald Trump opposed the reauthorization of the bill, posting to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday: “KILL FISA, IT WAS ILLEGALLY USED AGAINST ME, AND MANY OTHERS. THEY SPIED ON MY CAMPAIGN!!!”

The law, which gives the government expansive powers to view emails, calls and texts, has long been divisive and resulted in allegations from civil liberties groups that it violates privacy rights. House Republicans were split in the lead-up to vote over whether to reauthorize section 702, the most contentious aspect of the bill, with Mike Johnson, the House speaker, struggling to unify them around a revised version of the pre-existing law.

Republicans shot down a procedural vote on Wednesday that would have allowed Johnson to put the bill to a floor vote, in a further blow to the speaker’s ability to find compromise within his party. Following the defeat, the bill was changed from a five-year extension to a two-year extension of section 702 – an effort to appease far-right Republicans who believe Trump will be president by the time it expires.

Section 702 allows for government agencies such as the National Security Administration to collect data and monitor the communications of foreign citizens outside of US territory without the need for a warrant, with authorities touting it as a key tool in targeting cybercrime, international drug trafficking and terrorist plots. Since the collection of foreign data can also gather communications between people abroad and those in the US, however, the result of section 702 is that federal law enforcement can also monitor American citizens’ communications.

Section 702 has faced opposition before, but it became especially fraught in the past year after court documents revealed that the FBI had improperly used it almost 300,000 times – targeting racial justice protesters, January 6 suspects and others. That overreach emboldened resistance to the law, especially among far-right Republicans who view intelligence services like the FBI as their opponent.

Trump’s all-caps post further weakened Johnson’s position. Trump’s online remarks appeared to refer to an FBI investigation into a former campaign adviser of his, which was unrelated to section 702. Other far-right Republicans such as Matt Gaetz similarly vowed to derail the legislation, putting its passage in peril.

Meanwhile, the Ohio congressman Mike Turner, Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, told lawmakers on Friday that failing to reauthorize the bill would be a gift to China’s government spying programs, as well as Hamas and Hezbollah.

“We will be blind as they try to recruit people for terrorist attacks in the United States,” Turner said on Friday on the House floor.

The California Democratic representative and former speaker Nancy Pelosi also gave a statement in support of passing section 702 with its warrantless surveillance abilities intact, urging lawmakers to vote against an amendment that would weaken its reach.

“I don’t have the time right now, but if members want to know I’ll tell you how we could have been saved from 9/11 if we didn’t have to have the additional warrants,” Pelosi said.

Debate over Section 702 pitted Republicans who alleged that the law was a tool for spying on American citizens against others in the GOP who sided with intelligence officials and deemed it a necessary measure to stop foreign terrorist groups. One proposed amendment called for requiring authorities to secure a warrant before using section 702 to view US citizens’ communications, an idea that intelligence officials oppose as limiting their ability to act quickly. Another sticking point in the debate was whether law enforcement should be prohibited from buying information on American citizens from data broker firms, which amass and sell personal data on tens of millions of people, including phone numbers and email addresses.

Section 702 dates back to the George W Bush administration, which secretly ran warrantless wiretapping and surveillance programs in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks. In 2008, Congress passed section 702 as part of the Fisa Amendments Act and put foreign surveillance under more formal government oversight. Lawmakers have renewed the law twice since, including in 2018 when they rejected an amendment that would have required authorities to get warrants for US citizens’ data.

Last year Merrick Garland, the attorney general, and Avril Haines, director of national intelligence, sent a letter to congressional leaders telling them to reauthorize section 702. They claimed that intelligence gained from it resulted in numerous plots against the US being foiled, and that it was partly responsible for facilitating the drone strike that killed the al-Qaida leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in 2022.

[immaculatasknight]

Freedom doesn't come without a fight

[darkmaga-returns]

This plan should keep him fully occupied on the home front:

Truth Justice ™ @SpartaJustice

THE END OF THE DEEP STATE: President Trump’s Plan to Dismantle the Deep State and Return Power to the American People.

Here's my plan to dismantle the deep state and reclaim our democracy from Washington corruption once and for all, and corruption it is.

First, I will immediately re-issue my 2020 Executive Order restoring the President's authority to remove rogue bureaucrats. And I will wield that power very aggressively.

Second, we will clean out all of the corrupt actors in our National Security and Intelligence apparatus, and there are plenty of them. The departments and agencies that have been weaponized will be completely overhauled so that faceless bureaucrats will never again be able to target and persecute conservatives, Christians, or the left's political enemies, which they're doing now at a level that nobody can believe even possible.

Third, we will totally reform FISA courts which are so corrupt that the judges seemingly do not care when they are lied to in warrant applications. So many judges have seen so many applications that they know were wrong, or at least they must have known. They do nothing about it, they're lied to.

Fourth, to expose the hoaxes and abuses of power that have been tearing our country apart, we will establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to declassify and publish all documents on Deep State spying, censorship, and corruption, and there are plenty of them.

Fifth, we will launch a major crackdown on government leakers who collude with the fake news to deliberately weave false narratives and to subvert our government and our democracy. When possible, we will press criminal charges.

Sixth, we will make every Inspector General's Office independent and physically separated from the departments they oversee so they do not become the protectors of the Deep State.

Seventh, I will ask Congress to establish an independent auditing system to continually monitor our intelligence agencies to ensure they are not spying on our citizens or running disinformation campaigns against the American people, or that they are not spying on someone's campaign like they spied on my campaign.

Eighth, we will continue the effort launched by the Trump administration to move parts of the sprawling federal bureaucracy to new locations outside the Washington Swamp. Just as I moved the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado, as many as 100,000 government positions can be moved out. And I mean immediately out of Washington to places filled with patriots who love America, and they really do love America.

Ninth, I will work to ban federal bureaucrats from taking jobs at the companies they deal with and that they regulate. So they deal with these companies and they regulate these companies and then they want to take jobs from these companies. Doesn't work that way—such a public display cannot go on and it's taking place all the time, like with Big Pharma.

Finally, I will push a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress.

This is how I will shatter the deep state and restore government that is controlled by the people and for the people.

Thank you very much.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

THIS IS THE LAST DAY FOR MY KICKSTARTER for the audiobook for "The Internet Con: How To Seize the Means of Computation," a Big Tech disassembly manual to disenshittify the web and make a new, good internet to succeed the old, good internet. It's a DRM-free book, which means Audible won't carry it, so this crowdfunder is essential. Back now to get the audio, Verso hardcover and ebook:

http://seizethemeansofcomputation.org

#20yrsago Out of Blue Six: a lost gem https://memex.craphound.com/2003/08/21/out-of-blue-six-a-lost-gem/

#20yrsago Paramilitary wing of the usability movement https://web.archive.org/web/20030823183246/http://www.oblomovka.com/entries/2003/08/19#1061283840

#20yrsago Anal Fissures in a nutshell http://www.ambiguous.org/quinn/medical/fissure.html

#20yrsago Beyond Fear: Required reading for Ashcroft’s America https://memex.craphound.com/2003/08/21/beyond-fear-required-reading-for-ashcrofts-america/

#15yrsago UK gov’t loses 4 million citizens’ personal info https://cdn.computerworld.co.nz/article/494185/data_four_million_lost_one_year_uk/

#15yrsago Slim Gaillard’s Vout dictionary: jazz hipster argot from the 30s https://web.archive.org/web/20080913131050/http://www.pocreations.com/vout.html

#15yrsago Are images of the early Mickey Mouse still copyrighted? https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-22-fi-mickey22-story.html

#10yrsago EFF wins big: secret FISA court opinion will be released https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/08/eff-victory-results-expected-release-secret-court-opinion-finding-nsa-surveillance

#10yrsago UK Serious Crime Agency proposes ban on small cellphones that don’t look like cellphones https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-23782136

#10yrsago Swedish seventies neoretrofuturism: the paintings of Simon Stålenhag http://www.simonstalenhag.se/index.html

#10yrsago How British spies exorcise a leak-haunted laptop https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/20/nsa-snowden-files-drives-destroyed-london

#10yrsago David Miranda’s lawyers nastygram the UK government https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/aug/20/david-miranda-letter-home-office

#10yrsago EFF and Public Resource fight back against copyrighted, paywalled laws https://www.eff.org/press/releases/publicresourceorg-fights-back-against-copyright-lawsuit

#10yrsago Monster and Chips: fun, gross-out chapter books https://memex.craphound.com/2013/08/21/monster-and-chips-fun-gross-out-chapter-books/

#5yrsago European lawmaker writes post warning about dangers of automatic copyright filters, which is taken down by an automatic copyright filter https://www.techdirt.com/2018/08/21/automated-filter-removed-parliament-members-article-warning-about-censorship-automated-filters/

#5yrsago The peculiar hazards of megaprojects https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2424835

#5yrsago The Clown Egg Register: photos of the painstakingly painted eggs that English clowns stake their faces on https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/8/20/17719884/clown-egg-register-luke-stephenson-helen-champion

#5yrsago How much would universal health care really cost? https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2018/08/calculate-costs-medicareforall-properly.html

#5yrsago 22 states jointly petition the Federal Circuit appeals court to reinstate Net Neutrality https://web.archive.org/web/20181109180138/https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/ag-schneiderman-files-suit-stop-illegal-rollback-net-neutrality

#5yrsago Amazon’s cloud business leads American companies in shifting its electric cost to taxpayers https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-20/amazon-isn-t-paying-its-electric-bills-you-might-be

#5yrsago Touring the haunting ruins of abandoned Second Life university campuses https://splinternews.com/we-took-a-tour-of-the-abandoned-college-campuses-of-sec-1793849944

#5yrsago Elizabeth Warren’s anti-corruption bill bans foreign lobbyists, subjects domestic lobbyists to strong oversight https://theintercept.com/2018/08/21/elizabeth-warren-unveils-radical-anti-corruption-platform/

#5yrsago Verizon to fire department: you’re exceeding your bandwidth while you fight wildfires, so we’re throttling you https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/verizon-throttled-fire-departments-unlimited-data-during-calif-wildfire/

#1yrago Workplace surveillance is coming for you: Empricism-washing as a form of wage-theft https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/21/great-taylors-ghost/#solidarity-or-bust

Back my anti-enshittification Kickstarter here!

[yellingintothedarkness]

BOOM!!! JUST NOW: President Trump Releases His Plans to Dismantle the DEEP STATE!

THE END OF THE DEEP STATE: President Trump unveils a groundbreaking plan to obliterate the Deep State, purge corruption, and restore power to the American people! From firing rogue bureaucrats to enforcing term limits, Trump’s battle against the elites is relentless, fearless, and exactly what America needs. Discover how Trump is taking on Washington’s entrenched corruption with unmatched aggression to reclaim our democracy! #DeepState

America Rallies Behind Trump’s Battle to Eradicate Corruption! The People’s President is taking a stand against corruption—leading a revolution to tear down the Deep State and give power back to the people. This isn’t politics as usual; it’s Trump fighting for us all, standing as a hero against Washington’s deeply rooted corruption.

Restoring Power to the Presidency Trump’s executive order reinstates the right to remove rogue bureaucrats. Trump’s bold move is clear: no more bureaucrats undermining his vision for America. This isn’t just policy—it’s Trump taking on the establishment, restoring respect for the office and ending their control.

Overhauling National Security and Intelligence Agencies Trump knows the Intelligence Community has become a tool for elites, not patriots. He’s promising a complete overhaul, making these agencies loyal to the Constitution. He’s the only leader brave enough to stand against those who’ve misused their power.

Reforming FISA Courts to Protect Americans’ Rights Trump won’t allow FISA courts to be weaponized. His reforms ensure no American will be spied on by corrupt officials pushing false narratives. This isn’t just about reform—it’s Trump’s promise to protect our rights.

Unveiling Deep State Secrets with a Truth Commission Trump has pledged to open the vaults on government corruption, launching a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to reveal the hidden history of betrayal and censorship. He’s ready to lay bare the secrets that fractured our nation, giving Americans the truth they deserve.

Crackdown on Leakers and Media Manipulation Trump promises to prosecute insiders leaking false stories that undermine democracy. He’s committed to an administration of integrity, fighting the media manipulation that’s divided us.

Independent Inspector Generals for Real Accountability By separating Inspectors General from political pressure, Trump is ensuring they serve the people, not special interests. This bold change is classic Trump—making the government accountable and honest.

Independent Audits on Intelligence Agencies Only Trump is brave enough to demand accountability from intelligence agencies. His plan for independent audits will ensure these agencies work to protect us, not control us, and put a stop to illegal surveillance.

Decentralizing Power from Washington Trump is relocating agencies out of D.C. to reflect real American values. By bringing government closer to the heartland, Trump is draining the Swamp and restoring power to patriots.

Term Limits for Congress Trump is pushing for term limits to end lifelong political careers. Trump’s call for change means a Congress that works for us, not for itself.

Conclusion: Trump’s Historic Fight to Free America Trump’s plan to dismantle the Deep State isn’t just reform—it’s a battle for America’s greatness. He’s fighting alone against powerful forces to restore honesty, accountability, and loyalty to the people. With America behind him, we are ready for the fight to free our country from the Deep State and return power to the American people. Trump will never back down, and neither will we!

[dixiedrudge]

House Reauthorizes FISA; Texas Nationalist Movement Cites Invasion of Privacy and Calls for #TEXIT

Help Dixie Defeat Big-Tech Censorship! Spread the Word! Like, Share, Re-Post, and Subscribe! There’s a lot more to see at our main page, Dixie Drudge! (TNM News) – In the latest display of governmental overreach, the US House of Representatives has opted to reauthorize the controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), particularly the notorious Section 702. This decision comes as a…

[howdoigetavastfreevpn]

is vpn legal in america

🔒🌍✨ Get 3 Months FREE VPN - Secure & Private Internet Access Worldwide! Click Here ✨🌍🔒

is vpn legal in america

VPN laws in the US

In the United States, VPN laws navigate a complex landscape influenced by various factors, including privacy rights, cybersecurity concerns, and international regulations. VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, are utilized by individuals and businesses to enhance online privacy and security by encrypting internet connections and masking IP addresses.

The legal framework surrounding VPN usage in the US primarily revolves around privacy laws and regulations governing internet service providers (ISPs). While the US does not have specific laws prohibiting VPN usage, there are regulations that VPN providers must comply with, particularly concerning data retention and privacy policies.

One significant aspect impacting VPN laws in the US is the debate over net neutrality. Net neutrality principles advocate for equal access to all online content and services without interference or discrimination by ISPs. VPNs play a role in preserving net neutrality by allowing users to bypass potential throttling or censorship imposed by ISPs.

Additionally, concerns about digital privacy have prompted discussions about the legality of government surveillance and data collection practices. The USA PATRIOT Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) grant authorities broad powers to monitor online communications, raising questions about the effectiveness of VPNs in protecting user privacy from government surveillance.

Moreover, the US government's stance on encryption technologies and backdoor access further influences VPN laws. While encryption is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data, government agencies have advocated for mechanisms to bypass encryption for law enforcement purposes, potentially undermining the security provided by VPNs.

In conclusion, VPN laws in the US intersect with a variety of legal, technological, and policy considerations. As technology continues to evolve and privacy concerns persist, the legal landscape surrounding VPNs is likely to undergo further scrutiny and adaptation to address emerging challenges in the digital age.

Legality of using VPN in America

In America, the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) is generally legal. VPNs are powerful tools that encrypt your internet connection, providing security and privacy by masking your IP address and online activities. While the legality of VPNs themselves is not in question, their usage can sometimes tread into gray areas, depending on the activities conducted through them.

One common concern is whether using a VPN to access geo-restricted content violates copyright laws. While circumventing geographical restrictions to access content may go against the terms of service of certain streaming platforms or websites, it's not inherently illegal under U.S. law. However, streaming copyrighted content without proper authorization is illegal, regardless of whether a VPN is used.

Another consideration is the use of VPNs for illegal activities, such as hacking, fraud, or the distribution of malicious software. Engaging in such activities is against the law, and using a VPN to conceal one's identity while committing these crimes does not absolve individuals of legal responsibility.

Additionally, some employers and educational institutions may have policies against the use of VPNs on their networks, so it's essential to be aware of any restrictions in place.

Overall, while the use of VPNs itself is legal in America, individuals should exercise caution and ensure they are not using VPNs to engage in illegal activities. It's also essential to respect the terms of service of websites and platforms when using a VPN to access geo-restricted content. As technology continues to evolve, staying informed about the legal implications of VPN usage is crucial for internet users in America.

Regulations on VPN in the United States

In the United States, regulations regarding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) primarily revolve around issues of legality, privacy, and security. While VPNs are legal to use in the US, their usage is subject to certain regulations, particularly in the context of copyright infringement and unlawful activities.

One of the key aspects of VPN regulation in the US is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which addresses copyright infringement online. VPN services can be used to bypass geographical restrictions on content or engage in illegal downloading of copyrighted material. Therefore, VPN providers may be subject to legal action if they knowingly facilitate copyright infringement.

Additionally, there are concerns about the potential misuse of VPNs for criminal activities such as hacking, fraud, or accessing illicit content. Law enforcement agencies may collaborate with VPN providers to track and investigate individuals involved in illegal activities.

On the other hand, VPNs are also recognized as essential tools for safeguarding online privacy and security. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of protecting personal data from surveillance and cyber threats. As a result, there is ongoing debate about striking a balance between regulating VPNs to prevent abuse and preserving the right to privacy for legitimate users.

Overall, while there are regulations in place to address potential misuse of VPNs, they remain widely available and legal for individuals and businesses to use in the United States. However, users should be aware of the legal implications of their actions when using VPN services, particularly in relation to copyright and unlawful activities.

Permissibility of VPN services in the US

Virtual Private Network (VPN) services have become increasingly popular in the United States and around the world as a means to enhance online privacy and security. But what is the permissibility of VPN services in the US?

It is important to note that using VPN services in the US is legal. VPNs are widely used by individuals, businesses, and organizations for various reasons, including accessing geo-restricted content, enhancing online security, and protecting sensitive information from potential cyber threats.

While the use of VPN services is legal in the US, it is crucial to understand that the technology should not be misused for illegal activities. For example, using a VPN to engage in illegal activities such as hacking, fraud, or copyright infringement is prohibited under US law.

Moreover, some companies and institutions may have policies restricting the use of VPN services on their networks. It is essential for users to be aware of any such restrictions and comply with the rules set forth by their employers or organizations.

Overall, VPN services are a valuable tool for enhancing online privacy and security in the US. As long as they are used responsibly and in accordance with the law, VPNs can provide users with added protection and peace of mind while browsing the internet.

Legal boundaries of VPN in America

In America, the legal landscape surrounding Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) is a complex intersection of technology, privacy rights, and regulatory frameworks. While VPNs are commonly used to enhance online security and privacy by encrypting internet traffic and masking IP addresses, their legality and permissible use vary depending on several factors.

Firstly, it's important to note that using a VPN itself is not illegal in the United States. However, the activities conducted through a VPN may fall under both legal and illegal domains. For instance, VPNs are often utilized by individuals to access geo-restricted content or evade censorship, which can potentially infringe upon copyright laws or violate terms of service agreements.

Furthermore, the legality of VPN usage can be influenced by the intended purpose. Businesses frequently use VPNs to secure communications and protect sensitive data, which is generally considered lawful. Conversely, using a VPN to engage in illegal activities such as hacking, fraud, or the distribution of illicit content is unequivocally prohibited and subject to prosecution under existing laws.

Moreover, while VPN providers themselves are not typically held responsible for the actions of their users, they may be required to comply with legal obligations such as data retention laws and court-ordered disclosures. Additionally, some jurisdictions have introduced regulations regarding VPN services, particularly in relation to data privacy and logging practices.

In summary, the legal boundaries of VPN usage in America are nuanced and contingent upon various factors including the nature of activities conducted, compliance with existing laws, and jurisdictional considerations. While VPNs can offer significant benefits in terms of privacy and security, users should exercise caution and ensure their actions remain within the bounds of the law.

[seedsofenlightenment]

You might not know it these lazy, hazy, muggy days of midsummer, but things are getting pretty wildly out-of-hand in our republic. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. blew up the Democratic Party yesterday in the House Subcommittee on Weaponization of Government hearing, acting like a normal human while being set upon by a flock of harpies desperately screeching “Russia, Russia, Russia,” as if that means anything anymore. He branded them as worse than the McCarthyites of the 1950s, rebuked their insane scurrilities supporting censorship, and left them in a state of exhausted disgrace.

It happens that he is running for the nomination of that very party knocking itself out to destroy him. To win that prize he would have to put a thousand top Democrats through some grueling act of repentance and contrition — and then you’ve got to ask yourself: who would even want to win the support of such vile creatures as Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jerrold Nadler, and Adam Schiff, let alone be associated with them in the same club?

Elsewhere around the scene this week, we have the ever more degenerate antics of the FBI on view as whistleblowers pour out of the woodwork disclosing the rot behind Director Chris Wray and his boss AG Merrick Garland. This Deep State Blob of turpitude has been growing and festering with so many overlapping cover-ups that they’ve run out of rugs to sweep their crimes under. The massive money-grubbing misdeeds of Hillary Clinton from Skolkovo and Uranium One beat a direct path through the Ukraine coup of 2014, to Russia-Gate, to the Biden Family’s global influence-peddling operation and every mendacious act in-between including the FISA falsehoods, the J-6 entrapment caper, hundreds of malicious and deceitful prosecutions, the Covid-19 fraud, the censorship and medical tyranny, and God-knows how many ensuing deaths from a poisonous vaccine… and now, a brain-dead government trifling with nuclear war.

[ph4z0n]

If they want to really train their agents, they should thoroughly examine the Bureau's own past abuses.

In the wake of former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleading guilty to illegally altering a document submitted to the FISA court, it’s natural to ask, “Don’t they teach them not to break the law? Don’t they teach them about past FBI abuses so they won’t repeat the same mistakes and crimes?” According to documents obtained by the Cato Institute via the Freedom of information Act (FOIA), the short answer is: not really...

[griffith-ben]

TED Talk: How Social Media Change the World - Reflection

For BIS315: Social Media and Emerging Technologies, this week’s assignment was to watch Clay Shirky’s Ted Talk on the impact of Social Media. To give context he began with explaining the evolution of technology that changed the world. From the mass printing, telegram, to television, Clay Shirky highlights how all of that all of these do not have the same ability to have unlimited consumers and producers. The example he gave was in rural China when there was an earthquake that was reported via Social Media faster than even the National Geological service or national news could capture. This prompted the Chinese government to reevaluate this growing free-speech market that is social media. There is a lot of good that came about sharing the earthquake information quickly, but the reality is that anti-government movements could use these platforms to go against the Communist regime in power.

On the other hand, Clay Shirky shared that the positives that came out best demonstrated on Barack Obama’s supporter website. He gives the example of when President Obama declares his change in vote to favor the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Immediately there was an uproar on his website with groups that were vehemently against this decision by President Obama. Though his campaign had the ability to cut off members of the group, make it difficult to join the group, or even delete the group in its entirety, the team decided that they were not going to. “...their [Barack Obama’s website team] role was to convene their supporters, but not to control their supporters.”

Even though we are more than ten years into the future of when this video was made there are still many things that ring true. Clay Shirky uses the analogy of a spigot; that cutting off access to a social media platform is cutting off a spigot. Think about in January 2021, one of the greatest events of censorship in the United States’ history: the deactivation of President Donald Trump’s Twitter account. Regardless of where on lies on the political spectrum, this is awe-inspiring the amount of silencing that has been done from removing one person from the social media outlet. Since other platforms have banned President Trump off their’s as well. The reasoning behind this according to Twitter is as follows: “ After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them — specifically how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” This was not the government deciding to do this to protect national security, it was a private entity. Here lies the difference in the current day versus what Clay Shirky has been afraid of. Government Censorship versus non-government censorship. Should a private company have that much power? Oh, wait they already do. Is that all right? Who is to say?

Here is the link to the TED Talk to watch for yourself: https://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_social_media_can_make_history?language=en#t-847391

[thefreethoughtprojectcom]

The FISA court has perpetually dismally failed to defend Americans’ constitutional rights. Washington must finally admit that there is no secret “doing God’s work” clause in the Constitution that entitles FBI agents to trample Americans’ privacy and liberty.

Read More: https://thefreethoughtproject.com/government-surveillance/the-never-ending-federal-surveillance-crime-spree

#TheFreeThoughtProject #TFTP

[megashadowdragon]

He noted that Trump asked for peaceful and patriotic demonstrations. And in America, it has been a custom to differentiate the advocate and the actor, meaning the law should go after the people who commit the crimes, and not the speaker, saying that this principle goes back to a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1801.

He commented on what options the Senate could take.

“They also have the option of voting against trying the case, they won’t do that, because all you need is a majority, to try the case you need two thirds to convict. But they have a majority now and they will vote to have a trial and that trial will be unconstitutional,” he commented.

The law professor also gave his personal views on what the Senate could do at this juncture, he said:

“My own view, and it’s not a view shared by other liberal academics, is that a Senate conviction would be null and void and Mr. Trump, citizen Trump could simply ignore the consequences. And if he decides to run for president in 2024, he should be free to do it. And the courts will have to decide whether the Senate had any authority to determine who the presidential candidates in 2024 are.”

Dershowitz thinks that if the trial goes on it would take a long time and the spotlight would go back to Trump, which would not be beneficial for Democrats or America.

Finally, on the question of what recourse Trump could follow to uphold the Constitution, Dershowitz said that he could file a lawsuit in the federal district court, stating that he’s been subject to an unconstitutional bill of attainder.

Dershowitz also noted the “massive movement” in the direction of censorship from a group of people that are of “goodwill, zealous, but without understanding,” rendering it more difficult to counter.

He believes that since those people are cloaked with a veil of progressivism and have good intentions, the movement becomes vastly more dangerous than McCarthyism, which didn’t have the backing of the mainstream media.

comment on the page: 

The dems are trying so hard to keep the conversation away from the election fraud. Fact 88 million Twitter followers and 75 million votes? Ten people in my family voted for Trump and do not follow Twitter. No forensic vote audit in Fulton County Georgia. Hundreds of cases of alleged voter fraud sworn statements. Trump ahead by hundreds of thousands of votes in each swing state until they stop counting. Mysteriously in the morning he is behind. Fair elections in Florida and Ohio he wins. Other proof Dems/FBI/CIA and FISA LIE Russia collusion for 3 years when insiders had proof that it was made up. They CHEAT look what they did to their own in Sanders when Wasserman wanted Hillary to win. STEAL Look at Biden funneling money to son Hunter. 

[immaculatasknight]

Your bleak future

[coloradoron]

Newt Gingrich will not Accept Joe Biden as President

Why I will not accept Joe Biden as president

Unwillingness to accept election result grows out of a level of outrage unlike anything previously experienced

By Newt Gingrich - - Washington Times, Monday, December 21, 2020

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

A smart friend of mine who is a moderate liberal asked why I was not recognizing Joe Biden’s victory.

The friend made the case that Mr. Biden had gotten more votes, and historically we recognize the person with the most votes. Normally, we accept the outcome of elections just as we accept the outcomes of sporting events.

So, my friend asked why was 2020 different?

Having spent more than four years watching the left #Resist President Donald Trump and focus entirely on undoing and undermining the 2016 election, it took me several days to understand the depth of my own feelings.

As I thought about it, I realized my anger and fear were not narrowly focused on votes. My unwillingness to relax and accept that the election was over grew out of a level of outrage and alienation unlike anything I had experienced in more than 60 years involvement in public affairs.

The challenge is that I — and other conservatives — are not disagreeing with the left within a commonly understood world. We live in alternative worlds.

The left’s world is mostly the established world of the forces who have been dominant for most of my life. My world is the populist rebellion which believes we are being destroyed, our liberties are being cancelled and our religions are under assault. (Note the new Human Rights Campaign to decertify any religious school which does not accept secular sexual values — and that many Democrat governors have kept casinos open while closing churches though the COVID-19 pandemic.) We also believe other Democrat-led COVID-19 policies have enriched the wealthy while crushing middle class small business owners (some 160,000 restaurants may close).

In this context, let’s talk first about the recent past and the presidency.

In 2016, I supported an outsider candidate, who was rough around the edges and in the Andrew Jackson school of controversial assaults on the old order. When my candidate won, it was blamed on the Russians. We now know (four years later) Hillary Clinton’s own team financed the total lie that fueled this attack.

Members of the FBI twice engaged in criminal acts to help it along — once in avoiding prosecution of someone who had deleted 33,000 emails and had a subordinate use a hammer to physically destroy hard drives, and a second time by lying to FISA judges to destroy Gen. Michael Flynn and spy on then-candidate Donald Trump and his team. The national liberal media aided and abetted every step of the way. All this was purely an attempt to cripple the new president and lead to the appointment of a special counsel — who ultimately produced nothing.

Now, people in my world are told it is time to stop resisting and cooperate with the new president.

But we remember that the Democrats wanted to cooperate with Mr. Trump so much that they began talking about his impeachment before he even took office. The Washington Post ran a story on Democrat impeachment plots the day of the inauguration.

In fact, nearly 70 Democratic lawmakers boycotted his inauguration. A massive left-wing demonstration was staged in Washington the day after, where Madonna announced she dreamed of blowing up the White House to widespread applause. These same forces want me to cooperate with their new president. I find myself adopting the Nancy Pelosi model of constant resistance. Nothing I have seen from Mr. Biden since the election offers me any hope that he will reach out to the more than 74 million Americans who voted for President Trump.

So, I am not reacting to the votes so much as to the whole election environment.

When Twitter and Facebook censored the oldest and fourth largest newspaper (founded by Alexander Hamilton) because it accurately reported news that could hurt Mr. Biden’s chances — where were The New York Times and The Washington Post?

The truth of the Hunter Biden story is now becoming impossible to avoid or conceal. The family of the Democrat nominee for president received at least $5 million from an entity controlled by our greatest adversary. It was a blatant payoff, and most Americans who voted for Mr. Biden never heard of it — or were told before the election it was Russian disinformation. Once they did hear of it, 17% said they would have switched their votes, according to a poll by the Media Research Center. That’s the entire election. The censorship worked exactly as intended.

Typically, newspapers and media outlets band together when press freedom is threatened by censorship. Where was the sanctimonious “democracy dies in darkness?” Tragically, The Washington Post is now part of the darkness.

But this is just a start. When Twitter censors four of five Rush Limbaugh tweets in one day, I fear for the country.

When these monolithic Internet giants censor the president of the United States, I fear for the country.

When I see elite billionaires like Mark Zuckerburg are able to spend $400 million to hire city governments to maximize turnout in specifically Democratic districts — without any regard to election spending laws or good governance standards — I fear for the country.

When I read that Apple has a firm rule of never irritating China — and I watch the NBA kowtow to Beijing, I fear for our country.

When I watch story after story about election fraud being spiked — without even the appearance of journalistic due diligence or curiosity — I know something is sick.

The election process itself was the final straw in creating the crisis of confidence which is accelerating and deepening for many millions of Americans.

Aside from a constant stream of allegations of outright fraud, there are some specific outrages — any one of which was likely enough to swing the entire election.

Officials in virtually every swing state broke their states’ own laws to send out millions of ballots or ballot applications to every registered voter. It was all clearly documented in the Texas lawsuit, which was declined by the U.S. Supreme Court based on Texas’ procedural standing — not the merits of the case. That’s the election.

In addition, it’s clear that virtually every swing state essentially suspended normal requirements for verifying absentee ballots. Rejection rates were an order of magnitude lower than in a normal year. In Georgia, rejection rates dropped from 6.5% in 2016 to 0.2% in 2020. In Pennsylvania, it went from 1% in 2016 to .003% in 2020. Nevada fell from 1.6% to .75%. There is no plausible explanation other than that they were counting a huge number of ballots — disproportionately for Mr. Biden — that normally would not have passed muster. That’s the election.

The entire elite liberal media lied about the timeline of the COVID-19 vaccine. They blamed President Trump for the global pandemic even as he did literally everything top scientists instructed. In multiple debates, the moderators outright stated that he was lying about the U.S. having a vaccine before the end of the year (note Vice President Mike Pence received it this week). If Americans had known the pandemic was almost over, that too was likely the difference in the election.

The unanimously never-Trump debate commission spiked the second debate at a critical time in order to hurt President Trump. If there had been one more debate like the final one, it likely would have been pivotal.

This is just the beginning. But any one of those things alone is enough for Trump supporters to think we have been robbed by a ruthless establishment — which is likely to only get more corrupt and aggressive if it gets away with these blatant acts.

For more than four years, the entire establishment mobilized against the elected president of the United States as though they were an immune system trying to kill a virus. Now, they are telling us we are undermining democracy.

You have more than 74 million voters who supported President Trump despite everything — and given the election mess, the number could easily be significantly higher. The truth is tens of millions of Americans are deeply alienated and angry. If Mr. Biden governs from the left — and he will almost certainly be forced to — that number will grow rapidly, and we will win a massive election in 2022.

Given this environment, I have no interest in legitimizing the father of a son who Chinese Communist Party members boast about buying. Nor do I have any interest in pretending that the current result is legitimate or honorable. It is simply the final stroke of a four-year establishment-media power grab. It has been perpetrated by people who have broken the law, cheated the country of information, and smeared those of us who believe in America over China, history over revisionism, and the liberal ideal of free expression over the cancel culture.

I write this in genuine sorrow, because I think we are headed toward a serious, bitter struggle in America. This extraordinary, coordinated four-year power grab threatens the fabric of our country and the freedom of every American.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

#5yrsago Obama's regressive record makes Nixon look like Che

Redditor Federal Reservations has made a handy post enumerating all the regressive, authoritarian, corporatist policies enacted by the Obama administration in its one-and-a-bit terms. You know, for someone the right wing press likes to call a socialist, Obama sure makes Richard Nixon look like Che Guevara. And what's more, this is only a partial list, and excludes the parade of copyright horrors and bad Internet policy emanating from the White House, via Joe Biden's push for Six Strikes, the US Trade Rep's push for secret Internet censorship and surveillance treaties like TPP and ACTA and TAFTA; the DoJ's push to criminalize every Internet user by expanding the CFAA, and much, much more.

Obama extends Patriot Act without reform - [1] http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-05-27/news/29610822_1_terrorist-groups-law-enforcement-secret-intelligence-surveillance

Signs NDAA 2011 (and 2012, and 2013) - [2] http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/01/02/president-obama-signed-the-national-defense-authorization-act-now-what/

Appeals the Federal Court decision that “indefinite detention” is unconstitutional - [3] http://www.activistpost.com/2013/02/ndaa-hedges-v-obama-did-bill-of-rights.html

Double-taps a 16-year-old American-born US citizen living in Yemen, weeks after the boy's father was killed. Administration's rationale? He "should have [had] a far more responsible father" - [4] http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/anwar-al-awlakis-family-speaks-out-against-his-sons-deaths/2011/10/17/gIQA8kFssL_story.html

Continues to approve drone strikes that kill thousands of innocent civilians including women and children in Pakistan, Yemen, and other countries that do not want the US intervening; meanwhile, according to the Brookings Institute's Daniel Byman, we are killing 10 civilians for every one mid- to high- level Al Qaeda/Taliban operative. This is particularly disturbing, since now any military-aged male in a strike zone is now officially considered an enemy combatant - [5] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/7361630/One-in-three-killed-by-US-drones-in-Pakistan-is-a-civilian-report-claims.html

Protects Bush’s war crimes as State Secrets - [6] [7] [8] http://www.salon.com/2010/09/08/obama_138/ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/04/obama-doj-worse-than-bush http://washingtonindependent.com/33985/in-torture-cases-obama-toes-bush-line

Waives sections of a law meant to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers in Africa in order to deepen military relationship with countries that have poor human rights records -[9] http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/10/26/why_is_obama_easing_restrictions_on_child_soldiers

Appoints Monsanto, GMO company with multiple unsafe practice violations, lobbyist to head the FDA - [10] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/monsanto-petition-tells-obama-cease-fda-ties-to-monsanto/2012/01/30/gIQAA9dZcQ_blog.html

DOJ raids marijuana dispensaries that are now legal pursuant state law - [11] http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=685_1342311527

Obama protects AG Holder from Congressional “Fast and Furious” gun walking investigations - [12] http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/white-house-invokes-executive-privilege-on-fast-and-furious-documents/

Brings no criminal charges against bank executives that misused bailouts - [13] http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/opinion/sunday/no-crime-no-punishment.html

Engages in a war on whistleblowers - [14] http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/31/the-obama-administrations-war-on-whistleblowers/

Grants immunity to CIA torturers - [15] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/31/obama-justice-department-immunity-bush-cia-torturer

Quadruples Bush's warrantless wiretapping program - [16] http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security-technology-and-liberty/new-justice-department-documents-show-huge-increase

Allows innocent man to die at gitmo - [17] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/suzanne-nossel/the-death-of-guantanamo_b_1878375.html

Increases Drug War budget - [18] http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/the-national-drug-control-budget-fy-2013-funding-highlights

Supports intrusive TSA pat-downs and body scans - [19] http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/20/obama.tsa/index.html

Says it’s legal to track individuals by pinpointing their cellphone without warrant - [20] http://www.businessinsider.com/government-says-its-to-track-cell-phones-2012-10

Renews FISA and NSA’s unregulated spying and banking of all wireless communication - [21] [22] http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/us/01nsa.html http://www.democracynow.org/2012/4/20/whistleblower_the_nsa_is_lying_us Appeals SCOTUS ruling that warrantless installation of tracking devices on cars is unconstitutional - [23] http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/11591-obama-admin-argues-no-warrant-required-for-gps-tracking-of-citizens

DOJ overzealously prosecutes [read: persecutes] activist Aaron Swartz, ultimately leading to his suicide in the face of trumped-up charges brought forth to silence his movement for open information - [24] http://rt.com/usa/secret-service-accused-of-misconduct-in-aaron-swartz-case-020/ Obama nominates JP Morgan defense lawyer to head the SEC, the regulatory agency in charge of keeping Wall Street in line - [25] http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/choice-of-mary-jo-white-to-head-sec-puts-fox-in-charge-of-hen-house-20130125

Picks Goldman Sachs partner Bruce Heyman—who, along with his wife, raised $1 million for Obama—as an ambassador to Canada - [26] http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/04/03/pol-us-ambassador-to-canada-obama.html

Thanks Obama!

https://boingboing.net/2013/04/08/obamas-regressive-record-mak.html