The Grayzone’s Max Blumenthal addressed the UN Security Council on the role of US military aid to Ukraine in escalating the conflict with Russia and the real motives behind Washington’s support for Kiev’s proxy war.
‘Why are we tempting nuclear annihilation?’ Watch Max Blumenthal address UN Security Council
Previously:
All aboard the gravy train: an independent audit of US funding for Ukraine
We’ve talked a lot about KOSA, the “Kids Online Safety Act” that has massive bipartisan support in Congress. The latest version was introduced with 26 Senators as sponsors or co-sponsors. We’ve explained over and over again how the bill is unconstitutional and will actually do a lot to harm kids.
Heritage Foundation Says That Of Course GOP Will Use KOSA To Censor LGBTQ Content
Congress has resurrected the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), a bill that would increase surveillance and restrict access to information in the name of protecting children online. KOSA was introduced in 2022 but failed to gain traction, and today its authors, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), have reintroduced it with slight modifications. Though some of these changes were made in response to over 100 civil society organizations and LGBTQ+ rights groups’ criticisms of the bill, its latest version is still troubling. Today’s version of KOSA would still require surveillance of anyone sixteen and under. It would put the tools of censorship in the hands of state attorneys general, and would greatly endanger the rights, and safety, of young people online. And KOSA’s burdens will affect adults, too, who will likely face hurdles to accessing legal content online as a result of the bill.
The Kids Online Safety Act is Still A Huge Danger to Our Rights Online
EARN IT Act Is Back, And It’s Still Terribly Destructive
Related:
The STOP CSAM Act Is An Anti-Encryption Stalking Horse
So: In addition to opening the door to civil and/or criminal liability for E2EE services without ever mentioning the word “encryption” (as explained above), STOP CSAM is trying to lay the groundwork for justifying a later bill to more overtly ban providers from offering E2EE at all.
Senator Brian Schatz is one of the more thoughtful Senators we have, and he and his staff have actually spent time talking to lots of experts in trying to craft bills regarding the internet. Unfortunately, it still seems like he still falls under the seductive sway of this or that moral panic, so when the bills actually come out, they’re perhaps more thoughtfully done than the moral panic bills of his colleagues, but they’re still destructive.
Senator Brian Schatz Joins The Moral Panic With Unconstitutional Age Verification Bill
Related:
Bipartisan Senate bill would ban social media algorithms for minors
Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Murphy (D-Conn), Katie Britt (R-Ala) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark) introduced the Protecting Kids on Social Media Act on Wednesday. The bill would set a minimum age of 13 to use social media sites, and would require parental consent and age verification for users under 18.
from the we-become-what-we-fear dept
Thu, Mar 30th 2023 10:49am – Mike Masnick
Earlier this month, we wrote about Mark Warner’s RESTRICT Act, mainly in the context of how it appeared to be kneejerk legislating in response to the moral panic around TikTok.
Senator Warner’s RESTRICT Act Is Designed To Create The Great Firewall Of America
America with Chinese Characteristics?! /sarcasm
The following is an unhinged rant with a hint of sarcasm (forgive me as I’m not a talented writer):
Just listened to the stupidest press conference with Moms Against Liberty (Moms For Liberty, rebranded as Moms Against TikTok), Libs of TikTok, Heritage Foundation, and select members of Congress. Feigning concern about liberty, and children’s rights, they’re calling for a ban on TikTok!
Rep. Troy Nehls called for the creation of an app, called “AmeriTok”, that advocates for gun ownership, limited government, responsible cigar smoking, freedom, individual rights, and liberty (the irony of advocating for freedom and liberty while calling for censorship)! He seems quite jealous that China puts time limits on children being on social media! Why not advocate for a similar law, considering kids could spend just as much time on Facebook or Instagram (or maybe leave parenting to the parents)?!
The astroturfed Moms Against Liberty campaign has been calling for book bans the last few years! Tell me how you can claim to advocate for freedom and liberty, when you are calling for censorship?! Besides, what will Libs of TikTok do if TikTok is officially banned, besides inciting others to violence?! Banning TikTok sets a dangerous precedent! I doubt that these people are true to their beliefs on children’s rights, though, or else they’d be advocating for a ban on Facebook and Instagram, as well! Of course, this has nothing to do with TikTok, except that Facebook can’t compete!
These radical conservatives are just as bad as those on the ‘radical left’ that they rail against! Their hypocrisy about social media privacy is astounding (trying to figure out how cigar smoking is safer for kids than TikTok)!
Documents obtained by a House panel shed light on the probe into Twitter’s compliance with settlement
FTC Twitter Investigation Sought Elon Musk’s Internal Communications, Journalist Names
Related:
Twitter Comes Under Washington Spotlight With Whistleblower Complaint
CN Editor Joe Lauria was one of 644 Twitter accounts that secretly formed part of Hamilton 68’s fake “dashboard” that wrongly influenced major media about alleged “Russian influence.”
CN Editor Named on Secret ‘Disinfo’ List
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, U.S. officials have watched with some anxiety as billions of American dollars flowed into the country, well aware of Kyiv’s history of political corruption and fearing that aid might be siphoned off for personal gain.
Ukraine Corruption Scandal Stokes Longstanding Aid Concerns in U.S.
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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