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Latest Technology Posts

 

Examining the Integrity of Voting Systems

Brief #73 – Technology Policy
By Steve Piazza

In 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). HAVA’s passage enhanced existing policy established under the 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act, which created the National Clearinghouse for Information on the Administration of Elections.

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A New Book Points the Finger at Social Media

Brief #71 – Technology Policy
By Steve Piazza

One has to wonder how many people would sign on to become addicted to a new technology promising rabbit holes of misinformation and manipulation, alienation from family and friends, and the inability for the government to protect them from it.

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Oh, What a Splintered Web We Weave

Brief #70 – Technology Policy
By Steve Piazza

The Biden Administration recently announced that it was going to ease restrictions on internet usage in Iran following ongoing protests over the killing of Mashi Amini while she was in police custody for violating the country’s stringent dress code. The restrictions had been part of larger sanctions levied against Iran for its nuclear program and for state-supported acts of terrorism around the world.

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Location Tracking Under Scrutiny

Brief #68 – Technology
By Mindy Spatt

All day, every day, our phones are tracking our locations, collecting minute by minute data on our whereabouts that phone companies, apps can use or sell.
Customers may agree to location tracking in order to use a GPS or a fitness monitor, but be less aware of how many others are getting in on the act; Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft are just a few examples of the many apps and services that are continuously keeping track of where we go and what we do. I can’t remember whether I ever gave any of them permission, can you?

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Location Tracking Under Scrutiny

Location Tracking Under Scrutiny

Brief #68 – Technology
By Mindy Spatt

All day, every day, our phones are tracking our locations, collecting minute by minute data on our whereabouts that phone companies, apps can use or sell.
Customers may agree to location tracking in order to use a GPS or a fitness monitor, but be less aware of how many others are getting in on the act; Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft are just a few examples of the many apps and services that are continuously keeping track of where we go and what we do. I can’t remember whether I ever gave any of them permission, can you?

Uber and Lyft Flex Their Lobbying Muscle

Uber and Lyft Flex Their Lobbying Muscle

Brief #66 – Technology Policy
By Mindy Spatt

Who’s Afraid of a President, or a Presidential Front Runner? Uber and Lyft are lobbying to kill legislation supported by President Biden, and Lyft is pushing a California ballot initiative that likely presidential candidate Governor Gavin Newsom is staunchly opposed to.

Misinformation Money

Misinformation Money

Brief #64 – Technology Policy
By Maureen Darby-Serson

Last month, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay the families of the Sandy Hook massacre over $49 million in damages for spreading false claims that the mass shooting was a hoax. He was forced to pay to a group of parents that sued him and to an individual parent that sued him separately. And this is just one recent instance of a conspiracy theorist being forced to face the music after making hurtful claims about individuals or events.

The Banning Surveillance Advertising Act of 2022

The Banning Surveillance Advertising Act of 2022

Brief #63 – Technology Policy
By Mindy Spatt

Internet giants like Google and Facebook are selling our personal data or selling access to the data they collect. The resulting barrage of advertisements are not just annoying, they violate our privacy, perpetuate discrimination and spread misinformation.

The Latest Developments and Applications in 5G Technologies

The Latest Developments and Applications in 5G Technologies

Brief #62 – Technology
By Christopher Quinn

Wireless communications systems use radio frequencies (also known as spectrum) to carry information through the air. 5G operates in the same way, but uses higher radio frequencies that are less cluttered. This allows for it to carry more information at a much faster rate. 5G also works closely with the iCloud to store and retrieve data.

Congressional Effort to  Regulate Internet Algorithms May Impact Efforts that Support Reproductive Rights

Congressional Effort to Regulate Internet Algorithms May Impact Efforts that Support Reproductive Rights

Brief #61 – Technology Policy
By Mindy Spatt

According to a US Surgeon General’s advisory, online misinformation is dangerous to our health. Abortion advocates agree. So does my pregnant daughter whose Tik Tok and Instagram are filled with horror stories of premature births and preeclampsia that just exacerbate the normal anxieties that come with being pregnant. According to a recent LA Times article she is not alone.

Changes in Google Cookie Policy Could Help Improve Consumer Privacy

Changes in Google Cookie Policy Could Help Improve Consumer Privacy

Brief #60 – Technology
By Christopher Quinn

In 2023 Google Chrome is phasing out third party cookies. What this means is the entire global browser market will no longer track users’ every move across the web. Safari, Firefox and Brave already block third-party cookies by default to protect users’ privacy. Google Chrome currently holds 64.9 percent of the global browsing market.

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