Category «Economy»

Hacker has dumped nearly 1B user records over past two months

ZDNet: “A hacker who spoke with ZDNet in February about wanting to put up for sale the data of over one billion users is getting dangerously close to his goal after releasing another 65.5 million records last week and reaching a grand total of 932 million records overall. The hacker’s name is Gnosticplayers, and he’s …

Subjects: Cybercrime, E-Commerce, E-Mail, E-Records, Economy, Internet, Privacy

Can the President Close the Border? Relevant Laws and Considerations

CRS Legal Sidebar via LC – Can the President Close the Border? Relevant Laws and Considerations, April 12, 2019: “Does the executive branch have authority to “close” the southern border? Recently, President Trump declared that he would order the closure of the U.S.-Mexico border or at least “large sections” of it, unless Mexico acts to …

Subjects: Congress, Courts, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research

GAO – Action Is Needed to Address the Federal Government’s Fiscal Future

The Nation’s Fiscal Health: Action Is Needed to Address the Federal Government’s Fiscal Future, GAO-19-314SP: Published: Apr 10, 2019. Publicly Released: Apr 10, 2019. “This report provides an update on the nation’s fiscal health as of the end of FY 2018, and describes its likely fiscal future if policies don’t change. Among its findings: The …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

You elected them to write new laws. They’re letting corporations do it instead.

This story was published in partnership with USA TODAY and The Arizona Republic: “Each year, state lawmakers across the U.S. introduce thousands of bills dreamed up and written by corporations, industry groups and think tanks. Disguised as the work of lawmakers, these so-called “model” bills get copied in one state Capitol after another, quietly advancing …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

Ten-Fold Difference in Odds of ICE Enforcement Depending Upon Where You Live

“The odds of being arrested and deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vary greatly depending upon where an individual lives. Sanctuary jurisdictions that limit local cooperation with ICE enforcement officers often reduce these odds. Despite ICE statements that the agency uses stepped-up arrests out in the community when local jurisdictions fail to cooperate, ICE …

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

To Purge Some of Social Media’s Ugliness, an Unlikely Lesson From Wall St.

The New York Times Deal Book – A simple rule that bolsters the banking system – “know your customer” — could help combat fake news and hate speech online if companies like Facebook and Twitter embraced it. “…The concept is “know your customer” — or KYC, as it’s called on Wall Street — and it’s …

Subjects: Congress, Cybercrime, Economy, Financial System, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Marketing, Privacy, Social Media

OECD – Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle Class

“Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle Class: “Middle-class households feel left behind and have questioned the benefits of economic globalisation. In many OECD countries, middle incomes have grown less than the average and in some they have not grown at all. Technology has automated several middle-skilled jobs that used to be carried out by middle-class workers …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

In a world of Google and Amazon libraries rethink their role

cent.com: More information is available online than ever. Libraries are stepping in to make sure everyone can access it. “…NYPL has rolled out a host of services aimed at closing the digital divide, which is exactly what it sounds like: the gap between those who can easily get online and those who can’t. The famous …

Subjects: E-Commerce, Economy, Education, Freedom of Information, Internet, Knowledge Management

Congress Is About to Ban the Government From Offering Free Online Tax Filing

ProPublica: “Just in time for Tax Day, the for-profit tax preparation industry is about to realize one of its long-sought goals. Congressional Democrats and Republicans are moving to permanently bar the IRS from creating a free electronic tax filing system. Last week, the House Ways and Means Committee, led by Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., passed …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legal Research

State of America’s Libraries Report 2019

“The State of America’s Libraries report is a summary of library trends released during National Library Week, April 7 – 13, that outlines statistics and issues affecting all types of libraries. Never have our nation’s libraries played such a pivotal role in strengthening communities through education and lifelong learning. Libraries are a microcosm of the …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Economy, Education, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Libraries

Aspen Institute – Automation and a Changing Economy

Automation is an important ingredient driving economic growth and progress. “Automation has enabled us to feed a growing population while allowing workers to transition from subsistence farming to new forms of work. Automation helped moved us from a craft system to mass production, from blue-collar to white-collar to “new collar” work—with better work, higher wages, more jobs, and …

Subjects: AI, Economy, Financial System