Category «Congress»

How to Inoculate against Midterm Misinformation Campaigns

Scientific American: “A New York University professor advocates “prebunking”—sounding the alarm before a conspiracy theory spreads too widely.“We the People,” as we self-identify in the preamble to the Constitution, are more polarized than ever in these ostensibly United States. When it is misinformation that fosters this polarization, all eyes immediately turn to social media. Research …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Social Media

Online Consumer Data Collection

CRS Report – Online Consumer Data Collection, October 31, 2022 – “Large amounts of consumer data can be collected, processed, and analyzedby operators of websites and mobile applications (apps) and third parties, which are entities otherthan the website or appprimary operator (e.g., data brokers). Operators collect data for multiple purposes, including providing services, selling user …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, E-Commerce, E-Records, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy

Trump lawyers saw Clarence Thomas as key to stop Biden electoral count

Washington Post: “Lawyers for President Donald Trump saw Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as key to overturning the results of the 2020 election, according to a set of emails provided to congressional investigators. Eight emails, ordered released by U.S. District Judge David O. Carter of California, include correspondence between Trump lawyers Kenneth Chesebro, John Eastman …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, E-Mail, Government Documents, Legal Research

Fortune 500 Companies Have Given Millions to Election Deniers Since Jan.

Pro Publica – “In the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, more than 100 major companies pledged to suspend political giving to the members of Congress who voted to invalidate Joe Biden’s presidential victory. Since then, many have resumed funding this group of lawmakers, often with little to no explanation. …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Legal Research

First-of-its-kind database tracks threats against public officials

Princeton Univeristy: “Threats to and harassment of local officials present a significant challenge to American democracy by discouraging civic engagement, undermining the work of public servants, and creating unprecedented stress on the cornerstones of democratic society including elections, education, and public safety processes. A heightened environment of fear among local officials seems ubiquitous, but the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Education, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research

Americans Value U.S. Role as Scientific Leader, but 38% Say Country Is Losing Ground Globally

Report – Widening partisan divide over scientists’ place in policy debates – “Large majorities of Americans value government investments in the scientific enterprise and consider it important for the United States to be a world leader in scientific achievement. However, on the heels of a global coronavirus outbreak that put scientific research and understanding in …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Education, Government Documents, Health Care, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

Select Subcommittee Details Trump Administration’s Assault On CDC And Politicization Of Public Health During The Coronavirus Crisis

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus – Oct 17, 2022 – Press Release – “Report is the third installment detailing findings from investigation into Trump Administration’s political interference with federal coronavirus response…the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, chaired by Rep. James E. Clyburn, released a staff report detailing efforts by the Trump Administration to compromise …

Subjects: Congress, Government Documents, Health Care, Internet, Legal Research, Medicine, Social Media

Americans remain critical of state of US democracy

AP: “Many Americans remain pessimistic about the state of U.S. democracy and the way elected officials are chosen — nearly two years after a divisive presidential election spurred false claims of widespread fraud and a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. Only about half of Americans have high confidence that votes in the upcoming midterm …

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

Data Protection and Privacy Law: An Introduction

CRS in Focus – Data Protection and PrivacyLaw: An Introduction, Updated October 12, 2022 – “Recent controversy surrounding how third parties protect the privacy of individuals in the digital age has raised national concerns over legal protections of Americans’ electronic data. The current legislative paradigms governing cybersecurity and data privacy are complex and technical and …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Cybersecurity, Internet, Legal Research, Legislation, Privacy, Social Media

Threats to the US Midterm Elections Have Been Building for Years

Freedom House – The festering problems that erupted after the last presidential election are still unresolved. “As the United States heads toward midterm elections on November 8, the political environment remains haunted by the coup attempt that culminated in a violent attack on the Capitol in January 2021. Social and mainstream media are overrun with …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Congress, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Social Media

Exploring gaps in city climate planning and the need for regional action

Brookings: “The growing threats from climate change leave the global population no choice: We must decarbonize human activity as soon as possible. That includes changing how we build, travel, generate power, and more to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Achieving such transformative change will require a mix of policy reforms, new technologies, and significant capital …

Subjects: Climate Change, Congress, Economy, Education, Energy, Environmental Law, Housing, Legal Research, Legislation, Transportation