Day archives: February 18th, 2025

Climate and DEI Deleted From Government Websites, Federal Workers Fired

Via LLRX – Climate and DEI Deleted From Government Websites, Federal Workers Fired – Since January 20, 2025 America has been catapulted into an unimaginable inflection point. Sabrina I. Pacifici chronicles seismic events in recent weeks which have upended America’s democracy, jeopardized our economy, financial system, national security, science and medical communities, and fractured our …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Climate Change, E-Government, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy

Trump Orders US to Cancels Critical News Subscriptions for Diplomats Worldwide

RegTech Times via MSN: “The U.S. State Department has issued a directive to cancel all news subscriptions deemed “non-mission critical” across embassies and consulates worldwide. The move is part of a broader cost-cutting initiative, aligning with efforts to reduce government spending on media contracts. Sweeping Cancellation of News Subscriptions – Internal emails revealed that diplomatic …

Subjects: Censorship, Education, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

Google’s new policy tracks all your devices with no opt-out

digitaltrends: “Google has begun enforcing new tracking rules across connected devices, such as smartphones, consoles, and smart TVs, as BBC reports. The tech giant once called the fingerprint tracking technique “wrong” in 2019, but has since reintroduced it.Google has commented that other companies broadly use the data, and it started using it on February 16, …

Subjects: E-Commerce, E-Records, Internet, Search Engines

Trump signs executive orders limiting power of agencies

Washington Times: “President Trump on Tuesday [February 18, 2025] signed an executive order [Ensuring Accountability For All Agencies] declaring that only the attorney general or the president, instead of federal regulators or bureaucrats, can speak for the U.S. when interpreting the meaning of laws carried out by the executive branch. The order was among three …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Congress, Courts, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

As measles outbreak rages in Texas, RFK Jr. pushes anti-vaccine message

Popular Information: “The largest measles outbreak Texas has seen in over 30 years is sweeping through the western part of the state. According to information released yesterday by the Texas Department of State Health Services, 58 cases have been confirmed throughout five counties. The total number of cases is likely much higher, however, with “health …

Subjects: Government Documents, Health Care

AI in Finance and Banking, February 17, 2025

AI in Finance and Banking, February 17, 2025 – This semi-monthly column by Sabrina I. Pacifici highlights news, government documents, NGO/IGO papers, conferences, industry white papers and reports, academic papers and speeches, and central bank actions on the subject of AI’s fast paced impact on the banking and finance sectors. The chronological links provided are to …

Subjects: AI, blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Economy, Financial System

The war on DEI is a smoke screen

The Verge – [unpaywalled] “Violent metaphors abound for what’s happening in Washington: Elon Musk and his allies have taken a “slash-and-burn” approach to the government and a “sledgehammer” to government institutions, doing away with supposed waste and excess while leaving the fundamental structure intact. All of this is being done with the stated goal of …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Congress, Courts, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research