Category «Civil Liberties»

CRS – Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy

Libya: Transition and U.S. Policy, Christopher M. Blanchard, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs. May 13, 2016. “Libya’s political transition has been disrupted by armed non-state groups and threatened by the indecision and infighting of interim leaders. After an armed uprising ended the 40- plus year rule of Muammar al Qadhafi in late 2011, interim authorities …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research

Increase in Civil Immigration Litigation

Via Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse: “The latest available data from the federal courts show that during April 2016 the government reported 235 new civil filings in the immigration category. Such lawsuits have been rising fairly steadily during the past year, and are now up 37.7 percent from a year ago. The number of immigration lawsuits …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Government Documents, Legal Research

The Intercept announces greater access to Snowden archive

Via The Intercept: The Intercept Is Broadening Access to the Snowden Archive. Here’s Why – “Today, The Intercept is announcing two innovations in how we report on and publish these materials. Both measures are designed to ensure that reporting on the archive continues in as expeditious and informative a manner as possible, in accordance with the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Defense, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Patriot Act, Privacy

GAO Reports – Medicare, Military Readiness, Nuclear Security, DC, DOD Advertising, Human Rights in Egypt

Medicare: Claim Review Programs Could Be Improved with Additional Prepayment Reviews and Better Data, GAO-16-394: Published: Apr 13, 2016. Publicly Released: May 13, 2016. Military Readiness: DOD Needs to Incorporate Elements of a Strategic Management Planning Framework into Retrograde and Reset Guidance, GAO-16-414: Published: May 13, 2016. Publicly Released: May 13, 2016. Nuclear Security: Status …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Defense, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

Report – 75 percent of requests to be forgotten denied by Google

Report: 2 years in, 75 percent of Right to Be Forgotten asks denied by Google More than 50 percent of requests come from Germany and the UK. Greg Sterling, Search Engine Land: “Google refuses roughly 70 percent to 75 percent of requests, according to the data. The chart reflects the most common categories or justifications …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy

California’s Legislature Wants to Copyright All Government Works

Via Ernesto Falcon – EFF: “AB 2880 will give state and local governments dramatic powers to chill speech, stifle open government, and harm the public domain. The California Assembly Committee on Judiciary recently approved a bill (AB 2880) to grant local and state governments’ copyright authority along with other intellectual property rights. At its core, …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Copyright, Free Speech, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries

ODNI – Collection, Use, and Retention of Publicly Available Social Media Information in Personnel Security Background Investigations and Adjudications

Via FAS – Collection, Use, and Retention of Publicly Available Social Media Information in Personnel Security Background Investigations and Adjudications, Security Executive Agent Directive 5, May 12, 2016. “…Social media”: Websites, applications, and web-based tools that allow the creation and exchange of user generated content. Through social media, people or groups can engage in dialogue, …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Government, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy, Social Media

If These Canadians Lived in the United States, How Would They Protect Their Privacy?

Regan, Priscilla M. and Bennett, Colin and Bayley, Robin, If These Canadians Lived in the United States, How Would They Protect Their Privacy? The Functional Equivalence of Privacy Redress Mechanisms in Canada and the US (May 10, 2016). 2016 Privacy Law Scholars Conference, George Washington University, June 2-3, 2016. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2778070 “Recent commentary …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Commerce, Economy, Financial System, Legal Research, Privacy, Social Media

GAO Reports – DC Local Budget Autonomy; DOD Advertising, Human Rights Vetting for Egypt, Medicare Advantage, USPS, Medicaid

District of Columbia: Local Budget Autonomy Amendment Act of 2012, GAO-16-663T: Published: May 12, 2016. Publicly Released: May 12, 2016. DOD Advertising: Better Coordination, Performance Measurement, and Oversight Needed to Help Meet Recruitment Goals, GAO-16-396: Published: May 12, 2016. Publicly Released: May 12, 2016. Security Assistance: U.S. Government Should Strengthen End-Use Monitoring and Human Rights …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Health Care

Senate Judiciary Committee Hearings on Mass Surveillance Statute

Via EFF: “The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Amendments Act Tuesday May 10. The Act, passed in 2008, created what is now known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).  Section 702 is used for mass spying, and government surveillance conducted under the law …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Government, E-Mail, E-Records, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy

DOJ Files Complaint Against the State of North Carolina to Stop Discrimination Against Transgender Individuals

“Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announced [May 9, 2016] that the Justice Department has filed a complaint against the state of North Carolina, the University of North Carolina (UNC) and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (DPS) alleging that they are discriminating against transgender individuals in violation of federal law as a result of …

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