Earlier this month, all of the employees at 18F, a unit of government technologists under the General Services Administration, awoke to a surprise. The entire department — which helps build, buy, and share technological products across government agencies — discovered they’d been placed on administrative leave. 18F, named after its headquarters at 18th and F…
Category: Politics
Exploits, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
DEA Insiders Warned About Legality of Phone Tracking Program. Their Concerns Were Kept Secret.
When the Drug Enforcement Administration’s access to a secret trove of billions of American phone records was exposed in 2013, the Obama administration said the data had been collected under a perfectly legal program. Civil liberties advocates, however, were not convinced about that the data collection program — which let the DEA see who you…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Here’s How Much the Guests at Trump’s Crypto Summit Donated to His Inauguration
The cryptocurrency investors and executives who crowded into the White House for a summit with Donald Trump on Friday represented billions in net worth. They also represented more than $11 million in donations to Trump’s inaugural committee, a review of the guest list by The Intercept shows. The list of invitees to the crypto summit…
Global Security News, North America, Politics, Technology
It’s Tax Season — The Perfect Time for Trump to Sell This “Critical” IRS Computing Center
The Trump administration is planning to sell a major IRS computing center crucial to processing the tax returns of millions of Americans — just in time for tax season. The IRS Enterprise Computing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, is included on a list of over 400 “empty and underutilized” federal properties marked for liquidation. It…
Emerging Tech, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
“Opportunism and Fear”: Crypto Industry Sets Its Sights on Governors’ Mansions
Mayor Steve Fulop of Jersey City, New Jersey, was running for governor when he announced that he would invest part of his city’s pension fund in bitcoin. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., was toying with a challenge to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul when he co-sponsored a resolution calling blockchain technology “the future of innovation.” Between…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Democrats Swear They’ll Fight Elon Musk. But What About the Cash They Took From SpaceX?
There’s a pesky fact for congressional Democrats crying foul about Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of the U.S. government: Many of them took campaign cash from a Musk company PAC. The SpaceX political action committee doled out more than half a million dollars to Democrats during the last campaign cycle — including thousands that flowed to…
AI, ChatGPT, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, model spec, openai, Politics, sensitive topics
OpenAI pledges that its models won’t censor viewpoints
Possibly in response to political pressure, OpenAI is making clear that its AI models won’t shy away from sensitive topics while refraining from making assertions that might “shut out some viewpoints.” In an updated version of its Model Spec, a collection of high-level rules that indirectly govern OpenAI’s models, OpenAI says that its models “must…
Commerce, de minimis, ecommerce, foreign policy, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government, Government & Policy, imports, online shopping, Politics, retail, Shopping, trade, Trump, Trump Administration
Shopify pushes for ‘open trade’ as Trump delays import exemption
On the same day that President Donald Trump delayed ending a trade exemption targeting certain Chinese imports, ecommerce company Shopify published a blog post making its stance on U.S. trade policy clear. In the post, Shopify endorsed “open trade,” calling for regulators to give online merchants the “freedom to expand without constraints imposed by geopolitical…
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Politics, Starlink, trade tariffs
Ontario cancels, then restores, $68 million Starlink contract after protesting US tariffs
On Monday, Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, one of Canada’s most populous provinces, announced on X that the province’s government would be “ripping up” its $68 million ($100 million CAD) contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service. The news came soon after President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on nearly all Canadian…
Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, Politics, Starlink
Ontario cancels $100 million Starlink contract in protest at U.S. tariffs
Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, one of Canada’s most populous provinces, announced on X that the province’s government would be “ripping up” its $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service. The news comes soon after President Donald Trump announced this weekend a 25% tariff on nearly all Canadian imported goods, causing…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Proton Mail Says It’s “Politically Neutral” While Praising Republican Party
Proton, the company behind the eponymous email provider Proton Mail, has won itself a loyal fanbase of dissidents, investigative journalists, and others skeptical of the prying eyes of government or Big Tech. Headquartered in Switzerland, the service describes itself as “a neutral and safe haven for your personal data, committed to defending your freedom.” So…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump Appointees Can’t Own Crypto. That Rule Doesn’t Apply to Trump Himself.
When Tulsi Gabbard filed ethics paperwork to serve as Donald Trump’s director of national intelligence, she promised to sell her holdings of bitcoin, Cronos, Ethereum, and Solana cryptocurrencies. For decades, such pledges have been a routine part of the standard government hiring process. Congress passed a law in 1962 criminalizing conflicts of interest, and the…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
DOGE Got Sued Three Times While Elon Musk Watched The Trump Inauguration
In less than 30 minutes on Monday, Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency were hit with three different lawsuits over the legal status of the effort to find federal regulations to eliminate and federal employees to fire. The lawsuits landed as Musk rubbed elbows with fellow billionaires at President Donald Trump’s inauguration.…
AI, ai bias, ai censorship, bias, economic blueprint, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government & Policy, openai, Policy, policy document, Politics
OpenAI quietly revises policy doc to remove reference to ‘politically unbiased’ AI
OpenAI has quietly removed language endorsing “politically unbiased” AI from one of its recently published policy documents. In the original draft of its “economic blueprint” for the AI industry in the U.S., OpenAI said that AI models “should aim to be politically unbiased by default.” A new draft, made available Monday, deletes that phrasing. When…
Emerging Tech, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
These Are the Members of Congress Who Are Trading Crypto
Three weeks after Donald Trump’s reelection victory sent cryptocurrencies on a bull run, Rep. Mike Collins, R-Ga., spotted an opportunity. Collins started buying thousands of dollars’ worth of a meme coin called Ski Mask Dog. His legally mandated disclosure of those purchases helped drive the coin’s price up more than 100 percent. The purchases once…
Global Security News, Natasha Lennard, Politics, Technology
Facebook Fact Checks Were Never Going to Save Us. They Just Made Liberals Feel Better.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives in Seoul on Feb. 27, 2024. Photo: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images In a shameless act of genuflection toward the incoming Trump administration, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Tuesday that his social media platforms — which include Facebook and Instagram — will be getting rid of fact-checking partners and replacing…
Creators, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, Meta, political content, Politics, Social, Threads
Meta to phase back in political content on Facebook, Instagram and Threads
As a part of a significant overhaul of its content moderation policies announced on Tuesday, Meta admitted that its approach to limiting political content across its platforms had been “pretty blunt” and would now be addressed. The company said it would once again phase in political content into Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, allowing people who…
Asia Pacific, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class”
Donald Trump pitched himself to voters as a supposed anti-interventionist candidate of peace. But when he reenters the White House in January, at his side will be a phalanx of pro-military Silicon Valley investors, inventors, and executives eager to build the most sophisticated weapons the world has ever known. During his last term, the U.S.…
Asia Pacific, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class”
Donald Trump pitched himself to voters as a supposed anti-interventionist candidate of peace. But when he reenters the White House in January, at his side will be a phalanx of pro-military Silicon Valley investors, inventors, and executives eager to build the most sophisticated weapons the world has ever known. During his last term, the U.S.…
Asia Pacific, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump’s Election Is Also a Win for Tech’s Right-Wing “Warrior Class”
Donald Trump pitched himself to voters as a supposed anti-interventionist candidate of peace. But when he reenters the White House in January, at his side will be a phalanx of pro-military Silicon Valley investors, inventors, and executives eager to build the most sophisticated weapons the world has ever known. During his last term, the U.S.…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto Sweep Puts Congress on Notice: Vote With Us or We’ll Come After You With Millions
The cryptocurrency industry took a victory lap Wednesday. Devotees of digital currencies had cause to celebrate: An ally in Donald Trump had taken the White House and a slew of pro-crypto congressional candidates won races that included at least two Senate seats. Only two years after the spectacular collapse of frauds like Sam Bankman-Fried ushered…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto Sweep Puts Congress on Notice: Vote With Us or We’ll Come After You With Millions
The cryptocurrency industry took a victory lap Wednesday. Devotees of digital currencies had cause to celebrate: An ally in Donald Trump had taken the White House and a slew of pro-crypto congressional candidates won races that included at least two Senate seats. Only two years after the spectacular collapse of frauds like Sam Bankman-Fried ushered…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto Sweep Puts Congress on Notice: Vote With Us or We’ll Come After You With Millions
The cryptocurrency industry took a victory lap Wednesday. Devotees of digital currencies had cause to celebrate: An ally in Donald Trump had taken the White House and a slew of pro-crypto congressional candidates won races that included at least two Senate seats. Only two years after the spectacular collapse of frauds like Sam Bankman-Fried ushered…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump Might Get Unfettered Surveillance Powers. How Did We Get Here?
If Donald Trump wins on Tuesday, he will regain the keys to a global surveillance apparatus with few limits. Privacy advocates have warned since Edward Snowden’s revelations in 2013 that the government’s surveillance tools could be misused by presidents of any stripe. In the intervening decade, however, Congress has failed to rein in those powers.…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Trump Might Get Unfettered Surveillance Powers. How Did We Get Here?
If Donald Trump wins on Tuesday, he will regain the keys to a global surveillance apparatus with few limits. Privacy advocates have warned since Edward Snowden’s revelations in 2013 that the government’s surveillance tools could be misused by presidents of any stripe. In the intervening decade, however, Congress has failed to rein in those powers.…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto PAC Throws a Lifeline to Ted Cruz in Tightening Senate Battle
Two political action committees with ties to the cryptocurrency industry are coming off the sidelines to help Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as he faces an unexpectedly tight reelection fight with Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. Allred is not known as a crypto skeptic; he voted for the industry’s top-priority bill this year. That has not…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto PAC Throws a Lifeline to Ted Cruz in Tightening Senate Battle
Two political action committees with ties to the cryptocurrency industry are coming off the sidelines to help Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, as he faces an unexpectedly tight reelection fight with Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. Allred is not known as a crypto skeptic; he voted for the industry’s top-priority bill this year. That has not…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
After Major Industry Donor Pops Up, Harris Makes Bizarre Proposal: Crypto for Black Men
Days after a leading crypto industry figure endorsed her, Vice President Kamala Harris gave cryptocurrencies a vague embrace this week — as part of a pitch to Black men. Along with a pledge to legalize weed, the policy document released by Harris’s campaign Monday made a bid for Black men’s votes with ambiguous wording about…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Politics, Technology
After Major Industry Donor Pops Up, Harris Makes Bizarre Proposal: Crypto for Black Men
Days after a leading crypto industry figure endorsed her, Vice President Kamala Harris gave cryptocurrencies a vague embrace this week — as part of a pitch to Black men. Along with a pledge to legalize weed, the policy document released by Harris’s campaign Monday made a bid for Black men’s votes with ambiguous wording about…
Global Security News, North America, Politics, Technology
Pegasus Spyware Maker Said to Flout Federal Court as It Lobbies to Get Off U.S. Blacklist
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, serves a primarily rural district anchored in Waco, a city of 150,000. It’s unclear why he is so interested in NSO Group, the infamous Israeli spyware firm that was blacklisted by the U.S. for its role in human rights abuses. Between February and July, though, Sessions and his team met eight…
Global Security News, North America, Politics, Technology
Pegasus Spyware Maker Said to Flout Federal Court as It Lobbies to Get Off U.S. Blacklist
Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, serves a primarily rural district anchored in Waco, a city of 150,000. It’s unclear why he is so interested in NSO Group, the infamous Israeli spyware firm that was blacklisted by the U.S. for its role in human rights abuses. Between February and July, though, Sessions and his team met eight…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Elizabeth Warren’s Crypto Haters Are Burning Cash in Her Senate Race
There’s zero chance that a Republican will win this year’s Senate election in Massachusetts. That hasn’t stopped the crypto industry from lighting money on fire in a doomed bid to defeat Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Cryptocurrency figures have given the majority of the donations or loans to the effort to replace Warren, an industry scourge, with…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Elizabeth Warren’s Crypto Haters Are Burning Cash in Her Senate Race
There’s zero chance that a Republican will win this year’s Senate election in Massachusetts. That hasn’t stopped the crypto industry from lighting money on fire in a doomed bid to defeat Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Cryptocurrency figures have given the majority of the donations or loans to the effort to replace Warren, an industry scourge, with…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto Billionaires Could Flip the Senate to the GOP. Here’s What They Want.
After two elections where he bucked Ohio’s rightward trend, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is clinging to the narrowest of polling leads. If he loses to unpopular car salesman Bernie Moreno next month, he might have crypto to blame. Cryptocurrency companies are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the race through a super PAC in…
Global Security News, Politics, Technology
Crypto Billionaires Could Flip the Senate to the GOP. Here’s What They Want.
After two elections where he bucked Ohio’s rightward trend, Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown is clinging to the narrowest of polling leads. If he loses to unpopular car salesman Bernie Moreno next month, he might have crypto to blame. Cryptocurrency companies are pouring tens of millions of dollars into the race through a super PAC in…