Topic: civil liberties
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Redditors Launch Resistance Against ICE
A Minneapolis subreddit has become a vital hub for documenting federal occupation and resistance after a widely-shared video showed ICE agents fatally shooting a local man, sparking immediate outrage. The incident has spurred cross-community mobilization on Reddit, with typically apolitical forum...
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New York Moves to Regulate Roblox Gaming Platform
New York is proposing new regulations, led by Governor Kathy Hochul, to enhance children's digital safety on online gaming platforms like Roblox, filling gaps left by stalled federal action. The proposed rules would require platforms to verify user ages, set the strictest privacy defaults for min...
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Our Political Language Is Breaking Down, Too
The assassination of Charlie Kirk in 2025 was immediately met with online desecration and memes, reflecting a society where public tragedy is processed as viral content rather than through solemn discourse. The political climate entered a "post-literate era," where communication is fragmented and...
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You Are the New Surveillance State
The widespread public practice of recording law enforcement, especially during immigration operations, acts as a powerful form of community-led accountability and a protected exercise of free speech. This documentation is enabled by technology, as smartphones and social media democratize oversigh...
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Congressional Alarm Grows Over US Wiretap Expansion
A bipartisan coalition is urgently warning that Section 702 of FISA, a foreign surveillance law up for reauthorization, risks being turned into a tool for warrantless domestic spying on American citizens. During a hearing, witnesses and lawmakers demanded a warrant requirement for searching the S...
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DHS Data Collection Endangers US Citizens
Recent immigration enforcement actions have detained U.S. citizens, as illustrated by the case of Leonardo Garcia Venegas, who was reportedly detained twice despite presenting proof of citizenship. The Department of Homeland Security denies racial profiling, stating enforcement is based solely on...
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Police Privacy Limits: How Far Is Too Far?
Advanced surveillance tools like drones and license plate readers spark debate over public safety versus privacy, with critics highlighting risks of extensive data collection and insufficient oversight that disproportionately affect marginalized groups. Data security and control are major concern...
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Kids' Safety Bill Faces Major Cuts, Sparking Outrage
The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) may undergo revisions that remove its central "duty of care" provision, which would require digital platforms to proactively prevent harm to minors online. Supporters argue the duty of care is essential for protecting children from online dangers, while opponents...
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ICE's Social Media Surveillance: A Digital Panopticon
ICE is deploying an advanced AI-powered surveillance platform from Zignal Labs to monitor billions of social media posts daily, using machine learning and computer vision to identify individuals for deportation. Critics warn this technology threatens democracy and free speech by potentially targe...
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Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act Set to Expire
The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) is set to expire in September 2025 unless renewed, and it currently provides legal protections to organizations that voluntarily share cyber threat information. Experts believe CISA will likely be renewed, possibly with retroactive effect, but poli...
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Oregon Guard lawsuit targets Trump's Truth Social posts
Following a phone conversation, Oregon's governor resisted federal plans for National Guard deployment, leading the Department of Defense to federalize 200 Oregon Guard members and prompting the state to file a lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order. During the hearing, Justice Department ...
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UK Renews Push Against Apple Encryption
The UK government has renewed demands for Apple to provide special access to encrypted iCloud user data, specifically targeting British citizens' backups, reversing earlier indications that the effort was dropped. Despite previous reports that the UK had dropped the mandate due to US pressure and...
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Groypers Are Going Mainstream: A WIRED Roundup
CBP's collection of DNA from individuals not formally charged, including minors, challenges privacy norms and expands law enforcement authority beyond typical criminal procedures. Larry Ellison shifted from Democratic support to a key Trump ally, driven by his pro-Israel stance and strategic poli...
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Inside Charlie Kirk's Memorial Service at a Megachurch
The memorial for Charlie Kirk framed his death as a religious sacrifice, blending grief with political messaging to secure evangelical Christian support, though the event's tone shifted when Trump's speech on animosity contrasted with earlier themes of forgiveness. Political actions included prop...
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America's War on Anonymity: Why Your Privacy Is at Risk
The U.S. Supreme Court has enabled widespread age verification mandates for adult websites and social media, raising concerns about free speech and privacy despite the goal of protecting minors. Government agencies are increasingly monitoring and pursuing individuals based on social media content...
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