Brief #29—Technology
By Charles A Rubin
On December 13, 2020 news broke that computer networks at several US government agencies including the Departments of Treasury and Commerce had been compromised by a state actor.
Technology
Facebook Taken to Court Over Antitrust Issues
Brief #28—Technology
By Zach Huffman
Parallel lawsuits from The Federal Trade Commission and multiple state Attorneys General declared Facebook an illegal monopoly and both suits are seeking to break up the social media giant.
Amazon’s Troubling Worker Surveillance Practices
Brief #27—Technology
By Scout Burchill
Over the past few months a number of reports and leaks from Amazon have emerged that expose the shocking lengths that the corporation goes to surveil their workers and quell labor organizing efforts.
Despite Trump Dismissal Christopher Krebs is Still Getting It Right
Brief #26—Technology
By Charles A. Rubin
On November 17, 2020 – two weeks after election day and ten days after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the Presidential race, Christopher Krebs, the head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, was fired in a tweet by President Trump.
California’s Prop 22 and the Gloomy Future of the Gig Economy
Brief #25—Technology
By Scout Burchill
While the presidential election earlier this November was still brimming with controversy and suspense, major tech companies Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart and Postmates were celebrating a massive victory with the passage of California’s Prop 22.
The Google Antitrust Suit and Big Tech’s Fall From Grace
Brief #24—Technology
By Scout Burchill
On Tuesday, October 20th the Department of Justice, along with 11 Republican state attorney generals, sued Google under Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: What is it and Why does Nobody Like it?
Brief #23—Technology
By Scout Burchill
Over the past few months, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which was passed into law in 1996, has become ensnared in controversy from both sides of the political spectrum.
Can Social Media Companies Regulate Their Own Content?
Brief #22—Technology
By Scout Burchill
As the 2020 election approaches, social media platforms have been taking major actions to moderate content in an attempt to combat growing amounts of misinformation.
As Social Media Giants Move to Curtail QAnon Trump Steps Up His Misinformation Campaign
Brief #21—Technology
By Charles A. Rubin
With the U.S. presidential election only weeks away, Facebook and other social media companies are struggling to show that they take the use of their platforms to spread misinformation and hate speech seriously, Facebook announced on October 6, 2020 that it had removed nearly 1,000 QAnon conspiracy theorist groups and promised to halt political ads after the polls close on November 3
Russian Interference at the Highest Level in Presidential Elections
Brief #20—Technology
By Amy Swain
It was confirmed in October of 2016, then explained in 2019 by the Special Counsel Investigation led by Robert Mueller – Russia had interfered with the 2016 presidential election.
Trump’s Obsession with TikTok – A Prelude to a Wider Crackdown?
Brief #19—Technology
By Charles A. Rubin
For the uninitiated, Tik Tok is a smartphone based video sharing app that is most commonly known for sharing dance videos, music, instructional content and comedy among younger digital natives.
Twitter and the Ayatollah
Brief #17—Technology
By Amy Swain
Censorship of politicians has become a hot topic as of late, specifically concerning Twitter vs Trump.











