Category «Civil Liberties»

We invited some of the best musicians in the world to create songs inspired by each of the 27 amendments

Jad Abumrad – host, Radiolab & More Perfect: I’d venture a guess that most Americans (like us, before we started this project) can’t name more than one or two amendments to the Constitution, let alone remember that there are 27 of them.  But these 27 “insertions” to our founding document outline our basic rights as Americans.  Not only …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Government Documents, Legal Research

Access to Justice Commissions: Increasing Effectiveness Through Adequate Staffing and Funding

“The ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives is pleased to announce the release of a first-of-its kind report examining access to justice commissions nationwide, offering an in-depth analysis of their structures, activities, staffing, and funding, as well as best-practice recommendations.” Download our 2018 report: Access to Justice Commissions: Increasing Effectiveness Through Adequate Staffing …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Legal Research

Want to defend democracy? Start with your public library.

Washington Post Opinion: “In “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” the character Ron — channeling his friend Hermione — says to Harry Potter: “When in doubt, go to the library.” In the United States today, there is plenty to doubt. Complex arguments are being whittled down to 280 characters. And of course, the president …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Economy, Education, Financial System, Internet

Google China Prototype Links Searches to Phone Numbers

The Intercept: “Google built a prototype of a censored search engine for China that links users’ searches to their personal phone numbers,thus making it easier for the Chinese government to monitor people’s queries, The Intercept can reveal. The search engine, codenamed Dragonfly, was designed for Android devices, and would remove content deemed sensitive by China’s …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy, Search Engines

Artificial Intelligence and Policing: Hints in the Carpenter Decision

Joh, Elizabeth E., Artificial Intelligence and Policing: Hints in the Carpenter Decision (August 24, 2018). __ Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law __, 2018. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3238212 “In the 2018 Carpenter case, Chief Justice Roberts focuses on the quality of the information sought by the police as a means of deciding the case in …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Legal Research, Privacy

Anti-Discrimination Center – new page mapping housing segregation

The Anti-Discrimination Center: May 3, 2018 – Segregated, really segregated, or ultra-segregated? — “The 50th anniversary of the passage of the Fair Housing Act has come and gone, but startling new maps from the Anti-Discrimination Center vividly show the depth and breadth of residential segregation in the United States.  Powered by Social Explorer, the maps allow …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Housing, Legal Research

AP – EU proposed to give internet firms 1 hour to remove extremist content

Via ABCNews.com: “European authorities are planning to slap internet companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook with big fines if they don’t take down extremist content within one hour. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said in a speech Wednesday that the Commission is proposing the new rules as part of efforts to step up the bloc’s …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Internet, Privacy, Social Media

An Assessment of Minority Voting Rights Access in the US

Via The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights is an independent, bipartisan agency established by Congress in 1957 – Minority Voting Rights Access – 2018 Report, September 12, 2018: “The report examines the current and recent state of voter access and voting discrimination for communities of color, voters with disabilities, and limited-English proficient citizens. It also …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Legal Research

ABA Bias Interrupters Project – You Can’t Change What You Can’t See

Bias Interrupters Project – You Can’t Change What You Can’t See: Interrupting Racial and Gender Bias in the Legal Profession – “In partnership with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), the Commission is proud to release a new research report to reduce gender and racial bias in law firms and corporate legal departments.  The survey data were …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Education, Legal Research

Who controls your data?

Engadget – We requested our personal information from dozens of companies. Here’s what they gave us — and what they didn’t: “The average American, one study tell us, touches their phone 2,600 times per day. By the end of a given year, that’s nearly a million touches, rising to two million if you’re a power …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Financial System, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Health Care, Internet, Knowledge Management, Privacy, Social Media

ACLU 50 State Blueprints for Smart Justice

“The Smart Justice 50-State Blueprints are the result of a multi-year partnership between the ACLU, its state affiliates, and the Urban Institute to develop actionable policy options for each state that captures the nuance of local laws and sentencing practices. We reviewed data on who’s incarcerated, for what reasons, and for how long. Urban Institute …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Government Documents, Legal Research