The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has sent four request for information letters to Amazon, Facebook, Alphabet, and Apple, asking for closely held details on some of the most powerful companies in Silicon Valley. It released the letters publicly this morning, and the companies must respond by October 14th. “There is growing evidence that a handful of corporations have come to capture an outsized share of online commerce and communications,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in a statement. These letters should help the committee understand “the degree to which these intermediaries...…The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has sent four request for information letters to Amazon, Facebook, Alphabet, and Apple, asking for closely held details on some of the most powerful companies in Silicon Valley. It released the letters publicly this morning, and the companies must respond by October 14th. “There is growing evidence that a handful of corporations have come to capture an outsized share of online commerce and communications,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) in a statement. These letters should help the committee understand “the degree to which these intermediaries...WW…

Filed under:An anti-harassment decision set off a widespread backlashUpdate, 6:45PM ET: Reddit says it’s cut ties with an employee widely identified as former UK politician Aimee Knight, following a shutdown of hundreds of communities. confirming that the site had been overzealous trying to prevent harassment, resulting in a moderator being banned for posting an article that referenced Knight’s name.“We would like to give you all an update on the recent issues that have transpired concerning a specific Reddit employee, as well as provide you with context into actions that we took to prevent...…Filed under:An anti-harassment decision set off a widespread backlashUpdate, 6:45PM ET: Reddit says it’s cut ties with an employee widely identified as former UK politician Aimee Knight, following a shutdown of hundreds of communities. confirming that the site had been overzealous trying to prevent harassment, resulting in a moderator being banned for posting an article that referenced Knight’s name.“We would like to give you all an update on the recent issues that have transpired concerning a specific Reddit employee, as well as provide you with context into actions that we took to prevent...WW…

Filed under:He was already arrested for tax evasionJohn McAfee has been charged with securities fraud over a “pump and dump” cryptocurrency scheme. Federal prosecutors against McAfee and his executive advisor and bodyguard Jimmy Gale Watson Jr., earned nearly $2 million by urging Twitter followers to invest in cryptocurrencies like Reddcoin and Dogecoin, then selling off their own holdings as the price rose.“McAfee and Watson exploited a widely used social media platform and enthusiasm among investors in the emerging cryptocurrency market to make millions through lies and deception,” said...…Filed under:He was already arrested for tax evasionJohn McAfee has been charged with securities fraud over a “pump and dump” cryptocurrency scheme. Federal prosecutors against McAfee and his executive advisor and bodyguard Jimmy Gale Watson Jr., earned nearly $2 million by urging Twitter followers to invest in cryptocurrencies like Reddcoin and Dogecoin, then selling off their own holdings as the price rose.“McAfee and Watson exploited a widely used social media platform and enthusiasm among investors in the emerging cryptocurrency market to make millions through lies and deception,” said...WW…

Filed under:Yes or no?Congressional “Big Tech” hearings often follow a three-step formula.Step one: lawmakers demand that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai answer questions simply with “yes” or “no.” (Sample: “Is YouTube’s recommendation algorithm designed to encourage users to stay on the site?”)Step two: the aforementioned CEOs inevitably say something else, either to inject some legitimate nuance or to dodge obvious, unflattering answers with vague platitudes. (Sundar Pichai’s response to the above question: “Content responsibility is...…Filed under:Yes or no?Congressional “Big Tech” hearings often follow a three-step formula.Step one: lawmakers demand that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai answer questions simply with “yes” or “no.” (Sample: “Is YouTube’s recommendation algorithm designed to encourage users to stay on the site?”)Step two: the aforementioned CEOs inevitably say something else, either to inject some legitimate nuance or to dodge obvious, unflattering answers with vague platitudes. (Sundar Pichai’s response to the above question: “Content responsibility is...WW…

Filed under:Apple probably shouldn’t worry too much yetIn the next week, Utah’s governor will decide whether to make all phones and tablets in the state filter pornography... sort of. The bill, which passed Utah’s legislature earlier this month, would require mobile devices to “automatically enable a filter capable of blocking material that is harmful to minors.” he will “carefully consider” signing it by the March 25th deadline.But the rule won’t change anything in the immediate future — a fact one lawmaker even cited as a benefit.In theory, mandates active adult content filters on all...…Filed under:Apple probably shouldn’t worry too much yetIn the next week, Utah’s governor will decide whether to make all phones and tablets in the state filter pornography... sort of. The bill, which passed Utah’s legislature earlier this month, would require mobile devices to “automatically enable a filter capable of blocking material that is harmful to minors.” he will “carefully consider” signing it by the March 25th deadline.But the rule won’t change anything in the immediate future — a fact one lawmaker even cited as a benefit.In theory, mandates active adult content filters on all...WW…

Filed under:Amazon has reportedly stated its intent to settleAmazon and US labor regulators are reportedly negotiating a settlement for workers who protested Amazon’s COVID-19 safety standards. that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found merit in a retaliation complaint from Chicago warehouse employees. According to text messages obtained by The Intercept, the NLRB said on March 10th that “Amazon has stated its intent to settle.”Workers have requested, among other things, that Amazon contact employees and “make clear that their rights will not be violated again.” The complaint...…Filed under:Amazon has reportedly stated its intent to settleAmazon and US labor regulators are reportedly negotiating a settlement for workers who protested Amazon’s COVID-19 safety standards. that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found merit in a retaliation complaint from Chicago warehouse employees. According to text messages obtained by The Intercept, the NLRB said on March 10th that “Amazon has stated its intent to settle.”Workers have requested, among other things, that Amazon contact employees and “make clear that their rights will not be violated again.” The complaint...WW…

Filed under:eBay’s then-CEO had told another executive to ‘take her down’Six former eBay employees have been charged with against an e-commerce newsletter. The Department of Justice alleges that James Baugh, David Harville, Stephanie Popp, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Stockwell, and Veronica Zea viciously harassed the couple who published the newsletter for their negative eBay coverage — sending them online threats and abuse, mailing live insects and a “bloody pig face” mask, and driving to their Massachusetts home to surveil them. The plan was allegedly hatched after eBay’s now-former CEO...…Filed under:eBay’s then-CEO had told another executive to ‘take her down’Six former eBay employees have been charged with against an e-commerce newsletter. The Department of Justice alleges that James Baugh, David Harville, Stephanie Popp, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Stockwell, and Veronica Zea viciously harassed the couple who published the newsletter for their negative eBay coverage — sending them online threats and abuse, mailing live insects and a “bloody pig face” mask, and driving to their Massachusetts home to surveil them. The plan was allegedly hatched after eBay’s now-former CEO...WW…

Filed under:An Amazon suspension shut it down in JanuaryThe alternative social network Parler has reopened after a month offline. The company announced in a press release that the site is now accessible for users with existing accounts and will accept new signups starting next week. It’s also announced a new interim CEO: Mark Meckler, who previously cofounded the right-wing group Tea Party Patriots. The relaunch comes after Apple, Google, and Amazon suspended service in the wake of January’s attack on the US Capitol, citing .Old Parler user accounts have been restored, but old “parleys” —...…Filed under:An Amazon suspension shut it down in JanuaryThe alternative social network Parler has reopened after a month offline. The company announced in a press release that the site is now accessible for users with existing accounts and will accept new signups starting next week. It’s also announced a new interim CEO: Mark Meckler, who previously cofounded the right-wing group Tea Party Patriots. The relaunch comes after Apple, Google, and Amazon suspended service in the wake of January’s attack on the US Capitol, citing .Old Parler user accounts have been restored, but old “parleys” —...WW…

Filed under:The case includes a NASA scientist detained in 2017A US appeals court has ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents can conduct in-depth searches of phones and laptops, for civil liberties groups. that both basic and “advanced” searches, which include reviewing and copying data without a warrant, fall within “permissible constitutional grounds” at the American border.Lynch ruled against a group of US citizens and residents objecting to invasive searches of their electronic devices. The group includes Sidd Bikkannavar, a NASA scientist who was a secure government-issued...…Filed under:The case includes a NASA scientist detained in 2017A US appeals court has ruled that Customs and Border Protection agents can conduct in-depth searches of phones and laptops, for civil liberties groups. that both basic and “advanced” searches, which include reviewing and copying data without a warrant, fall within “permissible constitutional grounds” at the American border.Lynch ruled against a group of US citizens and residents objecting to invasive searches of their electronic devices. The group includes Sidd Bikkannavar, a NASA scientist who was a secure government-issued...WW…

Filed under:Lawsuit cites controversial FOSTA-SESTA ruleA woman for allowing an ex-boyfriend to repeatedly post pornographic images of her as a 16-year-old. The lawsuit applies controversial measures to a site that’s drawn particular criticism for child sexualization. The resulting case will test the limits of platforms’ legal shields amid ongoing efforts to pare back the law behind them.The woman, identified under the pseudonym Jane Doe, argues that “Reddit knowingly benefits from lax enforcement of its content polices, including for child pornography.” She claims that in 2019, an abusive...…Filed under:Lawsuit cites controversial FOSTA-SESTA ruleA woman for allowing an ex-boyfriend to repeatedly post pornographic images of her as a 16-year-old. The lawsuit applies controversial measures to a site that’s drawn particular criticism for child sexualization. The resulting case will test the limits of platforms’ legal shields amid ongoing efforts to pare back the law behind them.The woman, identified under the pseudonym Jane Doe, argues that “Reddit knowingly benefits from lax enforcement of its content polices, including for child pornography.” She claims that in 2019, an abusive...WW…