Tag: background checks

Catfished?

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Remember when I posted about Epieos? I looked up a couple of email addresses besides my own. That was after I used InfoTracer (a data broker). It was only $2 to do a search. Be sure to cancel right afterward, or you’ll end up paying a monthly fee. I still need to opt out so they don’t sell my personal data.

Do they really think that I’m stupid, though? I do online research for a hobby. The Substack subscription came the day after my article was published on Antiwar.com. My blog gets spammed every week, sometimes twice a week. Every week, someone tries to shut my blog down with a denial-of-service attack. This, ever since I started researching “Project Myoushu,” last year. Of course, I’m going to be suspicious!

This particular scam may be unrelated, but I’ve been suspicious ever since they contacted me. I’ve only told them what I’ve said here, in personal posts that are now private. No, I didn’t fall for the bullshit about me being interesting (or being beautiful), and them wanting to be in a relationship, when they don’t even know me!

Their email doesn’t come up with anything, except for their Google Maps and Calendar, which are both empty. Their IP is located at Google. The Dalles Google Data Center in Oregon to be exact (per InfoTracer). Google is registered with MarkMonitor (a U.S. government contractor).

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What State Action Doctrine? Biden Administration Renews Push For Deal With TikTok, Where US Government Would Oversee Content Moderation On TikTok

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

What State Action Doctrine? Biden Administration Renews Push For Deal With TikTok, Where US Government Would Oversee Content Moderation On TikTok

For all the (mostly misleading) talk of the US government having too much say in content moderation decisions, this move would literally put US government officials effectively in control of content moderation decisions for TikTok. Apparently the thinking is “welp, it’s better than the Chinese government.” But… that doesn’t mean it’s good. Or constitutional.

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Honestly, what this reads as is the moral panic over China and TikTok so eating the brains of US officials that rather than saying “hey, we should have privacy laws that block this,” they thought instead “hey, that would be cool if we could just do all the things we accuse China of doing, but where we pull the strings.”

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So, look, if we’re going to talk about US government influence over content moderation choices, why aren’t we talking much more about this?

Related:

TikTok and U.S. rekindle negotiations, boosting app’s hopes for survival

CFIUS monitoring agencies, including the departments of Justice, Treasury and Defense, would have the right to access TikTok facilities at any time and overrule its policies or contracting decisions. CFIUS would also set the rules for all new company hires, including that they must be U.S. citizens, must consent to additional background checks and could be denied the job at any time.

A Draft Of TikTok’s Plan To Avoid A Ban Gives The U.S. Government Unprecedented Oversight Power

U.S. Government Seeks Extensive Oversight over TikTok

‘When it’s anyone but white Christian cis men, it’s not a right anymore’: Conservatives finally want gun control—for trans people

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

The Nashville school shooting is leading conservatives to finally call for gun control. Their newfound enthusiasm for reforming gun laws is based on transphobia, but some of their suggestions are also supported by gun control advocates.

‘When it’s anyone but white Christian cis men, it’s not a right anymore’: Conservatives finally want gun control—for trans people

Related:

Ben Shapiro: Ban Trans People From Owning Guns

Not surprising, Shapiro didn’t mention Trump getting rid of a mental health regulations for owning firearms in 2018.

Did President Trump Revoke Gun Background Checks for Mentally Ill People?

While the law did not change who is required to be the subject of background checks, it is true that Trump signed the repeal of a measure that would have plausibly prevented certain classes of mentally ill people from purchasing firearms by allowing a new data source to be included the system that runs those background checks. As such we rank the claim mostly true.

Dems, Unions Spar Over Gun Laws While Deciding Location For 2024 Democratic Convention

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Dems, Unions Spar Over Gun Laws While Deciding Location For 2024 Democratic Convention

Lawmakers in Chicago, Illinois, and Atlanta, Georgia, are deep in debate over the 2024 national convention, with Illinois lawmakers concerned that Georgia gun laws will fail to protect attendees, and Georgia Democrats saying that gun laws have “no particular impact” on the decision, according to the NYT. Alongside Georgia and Illinois, union leaders are arguing that the convention should be held in Chicago, as the city aligns with President Joe Biden’s stance on unions, saying he is the “most pro-union president in history.”

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“Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in history, and having it in a pro-union town reinforces that record and sends a message,” political and legislative Director of the International Association of Iron Workers Ross Templeton told the NYT.

Pro-union?!

Woman Calls 911 for Help, has Firearms Confiscated by Police

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

The area around New York City is known for being anti-gun, but Nassau County’s latest move takes gun control to a whole new level. Nassau County had suspended a pistol permit and confiscated a citizen’s firearms for calling 911 when her life was threatened and not reporting the call to the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) Pistol License Section.

Woman Calls 911 for Help, has Firearms Confiscated by Police

H/T: John Crump News

New York State requires three years of social media posts, to be turned in to law enforcement, 18 hours of firearms safety training, character references, and drug tests in certain counties. I’d never be able to get a concealed carry permit just because I post memes criticizing the government! 😂