Category «Free Speech»

Twitter pushes back on revealing anti Trump account identity

Reuters: “Twitter Inc on Thursday filed a federal lawsuit to block an order by the U.S. government demanding that it reveal who is behind an account opposed to President Donald Trump’s tough immigration policies. Citing freedom of speech as a basis for not turning over records, Twitter filed the lawsuit in federal court in San …

Subjects: Blogs, Courts, Free Speech, Legal Research, Social Media

For April Ryan, Clashes With WH Bring a New Kind of Prominence

The New York Times – “…One of the few black journalists in the White House press corps, Ms. Ryan has covered presidents and clashed with press secretaries for 20 years. But her encounters with the Trump administration are propelling the 49-year-old, Baltimore-bred journalist to a new level of prominence — and into a contentious debate …

Subjects: Censorship, Free Speech, Government Documents, Knowledge Management

Energy Department climate office bans use of phrase ‘climate change’

Politico, Eric Wolff – “The Office of International Climate and Clean Energy is the only office at DOE with the words ‘climate’ in its name, and it may be endangered as Trump looks to reorganize government agencies. A supervisor at the Energy Department’s international climate office told staff this week not to use the phrases “climate …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Climate Change, Energy, Environmental Law, Free Speech, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

MIT announces prize for responsible civil disobedience

“On July 21, 2016 we announced the creation of a $250K cash prize award for responsible disobedience. This idea came after a realization that there’s a widespread frustration from people trying to figure out how can we effectively harness responsible, ethical disobedience aimed at challenging our norms, rules, or laws to benefit society. And so …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Freedom of Information

Knight Foundation – Forecasting Freedom of Information

Forecasting Freedom of Information – Why it faces problems—and how experts say they could be solved, March 2017 — By David Cuillier, University of Arizona School of Journalism. A study commissioned by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. “People must have access to reliable public information to make informed decisions and hold their …

Subjects: E-Government, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management

Study – Feminism and Gender Equality Around the World

Ipsos Global Advisor/Public Affairs Study  – “Four in ten women around the world say they don’t have equality with men or the freedom to reach their full dreams and aspirations…Most believe in equal rights – butfew think it exists…in most countries, women are more likely to describe themselves as feminist – especially Britain, South Africa, …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Free Speech, Government Documents, Legal Research

Large Majorities See Checks and Balances, Right to Protest as Essential for Democracy

77% say it would be ‘too risky’ to give presidents more power – “Large majorities of the public, Republicans and Democrats alike, say open and fair elections and a system of governmental checks and balances are essential to maintaining a strong democracy in the United States. However, there is less consensus about the importance of …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Congress, Free Speech, Government Documents, Legal Research

Paper – Right to Be Forgotten: Much Ado About Nothing

Frosio, Giancarlo F., Right to Be Forgotten: Much Ado About Nothing (January 31, 2017). 15(2) Colorado Technology Law Journal (2017 Forthcoming). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2908993 “In the information society, the role of private sector entities in gathering information for and about users has long been a most critical issue. Therefore, intermediaries have become a main …

Subjects: Free Speech, Internet, Legal Research, Privacy, Search Engines

Microsoft Corporation v. DOJ on sneak-and-peek searches

Via Bloomberg – “Microsoft Corp. persuaded a judge not to let the U.S. government out of a lawsuit alleging the company’s free-speech rights are violated by a law that blocks it from alerting users to the clandestine interception of their e-mails. The judge said Microsoft has at least made a plausible argument that federal law …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, E-Mail, E-Records, Free Speech, Legal Research, Privacy

Politico – Federal workers turn to encryption to thwart Trump

Via Politico: “Federal employees worried that President Donald Trump will gut their agencies are creating new email addresses, signing up for encrypted messaging apps and looking for other, protected ways to push back against the new administration’s agenda. Whether inside the Environmental Protection Agency, within the Foreign Service, on the edges of the Labor Department …

Subjects: E-Mail, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Privacy, Social Media

Reporters Committee releases report on Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch

February 2, 2017 – “U.S. Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch does not have an extensive history of cases involving free speech, free press, and freedom of information issues, but the opinions he authored or joined during his more than 10 years on the Tenth Circuit that do touch upon those issues reflect the application of …

Subjects: Courts, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Knowledge Management, Privacy

Human Rights Watch World Report 2017

“In the 687-page World Report, its 27th edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 90 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth writes that a new generation of authoritarian populists seeks to overturn the concept of human rights protections, treating rights not as an essential check on official power …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Free Speech, Government Documents, Legal Research, Poverty, Privacy