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If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, who serves as the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, has issued demands to five major tech companies. The prominent lawmaker insisted AT&T, Alphabet – the parent company for Google, Apple, Verizon, and T-Mobile, release information potentially exposing surveillance tactics endorsed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against congressional representatives and their staff. We obtained an example of the letters for you here. The call for transparency comes on the heels of revelations that six-year-old subpoenas had facilitated the department’s breach of personal phone and email accounts for numerous lawmakers and their official aides. The account framing the current plight was provided by Jordan, who propounded that the DID’s intervention strategically targeted the very congressional individuals scrutinizing the agency’s mishandling of the Russia collusion investigation. Jordan’s theory postulates that such actions tampered with the squarely drawn lines of both the Constitution’s principle of separated powers and Congress’s independent oversight of federal agencies. Conveying his objections through letters to the tech CEOs, Jordan stated: “The Justice Department’s efforts to obtain the private communications of congressional staffers, including staffers conducting oversight of the Department, is wholly unacceptable and offends fundamental separation of powers principles as well as Congress’s constitutional authority to conduct oversight of the Department. This revelation also follows news that the Department issued subpoenas to obtain the private emails and records of congressional staffers on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence…Jim Jordan Announces Investigation into DOJ For Spying on Congressional Staffers

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The House Intelligence Committee is currently contemplating a Plan B as they grapple with the deadline surrounding the renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). In the face of the impending year-end deadline, lawmakers may resort to a temporary extension of the current regulations, despite the privacy concerns and the intrusive surveillance issues linked to Section 702. Related: FBI used controversial FISA warrants to spy on over 3 million Americans Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was enacted in 1978 and amended by the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, allows the United States government to collect and analyze communications of foreign nationals living outside the United States for foreign intelligence purposes. However, the law has been used to spy on Americans countless times. The main points of Section 702 include: Targeting Non-US Persons: Section 702 authorizes the targeting of communications of non-US persons located outside the United States for foreign intelligence purposes, which can include gathering information on foreign affairs or national security issues. No Warrant Required: The government does not need a warrant to conduct surveillance under Section 702 on individuals who are not American citizens or permanent residents and who are believed to be outside the U.S. at the time of collection. Use of US Service Providers: It permits the government to compel US electronic communication service providers, such as internet service providers and email…House Intelligence Panel Considers a Deadline Extension For Decision on Controversial Surveillance Laws

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The free press finds itself under escalating attack in Turkey, where government authorities have, in a disturbing development, detained three journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urgently implored the government to reverse this intimidating course of action, to no avail thus far. Independent columnists, Tolga Şardan of T24 and Cengiz Erdinç of Kısa Dalga, have been taken into police custody – a move widely condemned by press freedom and human rights groups. Additionally, Dinçer Gökçe, a news editor with pro-opposition Halk TV, is now subjected to oddly paternalistic court orders to read and summarize books about his profession. Şardan was released on Monday after his recent arrest due to allegations of spreading disinformation, following a report he published on T24 about judicial corruption. This clampdown on free press was enacted under a 2022 legal mandate which curtails the dissemination of information deemed harmful to national security, public order, or even the country’s general health – in essence, anything that may engender worry or fear among the public. Related: Turkey to jail people for spreading “misinformation” The overly broad scope of this law has led to allegations of it serving as a tool to silence critical voices, a sentiment echoed by countless advocates of press freedom. The charges stem from two separate incidents. Şardan has been accused of disseminating disinformation after publishing a column detailing a report on corruption within the Turkish judiciary,…Turkey Detains Journalists For “Disinformation”

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Following censorship from Facebook over the same reporting, YouTube has deleted a video by the conservative commentator Steven Crowder, in which he discussed the leaked manifesto of Nashville school shooter Audrey Hale. Crowder’s video brought to public attention parts of a document that appears to shed light on the shooter’s motivations and planning behind the tragic event that resulted in six deaths. The video’s removal from YouTube has ignited a firestorm of debate over the digital regulation of sensitive content. Crowder, had obtained and broadcasted three pages of what is claimed to be Hale’s manifesto, inciting a conversation about the balance between the public’s right to information and the potential risks of propagating harmful ideologies. YouTube’s decision to take down Crowder’s content under its “criminal organizations” policy was one that drew criticism from Crowder. “Investigative journalism is now considered a ‘criminal organization’ according to @YouTube,” Crowder posted on X. YouTube’s policy is viewed by some as a protective measure against the dissemination of a document that could inspire similar acts of violence. Critics, however, see the platform’s action as a disturbing infringement on free speech, with accusations that YouTube is policing content based on an opaque set of standards that suppress certain viewpoints and that restricts reporting critical of the views expressed in the manifesto. In the midst of this controversy, Rumble, an emerging platform positioning itself as a haven for free speech, has…Rumble Supports Steven Crowder’s Nashville Shooter Manifesto Story After YouTube Censorship

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The star-studded festive comedy, “Jingle Smells,” backed by executive producers Logan Sekulow and Sean Hannity, is gearing up for its exclusive premiere on Rumble this Thanksgiving. The upcoming family-friendly flick boasts an ensemble cast including John Schneider from “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Smallville,” Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts of “The Dark Knight” and “The Expendables,” and Ben Davies from “Courageous” and “War Room,” among other eminent names. In a bid to shake up the traditional Hollywood construct, “Jingle Smells” unfolds the amusing tale of war veteran Nick Gutman, portrayed by Ben Davies. Upon his reluctant employment with his father’s eccentric garbage crew, Nick dives into their ludicrous secret mission: the destruction of popular toys before Christmas Eve. The twist lies in the reason these toys are destined for destruction – their erstwhile film star influencer, James Storm, facing cancelation due to his patriotic sentiments. Defying the task, however, Nick dons the alter-ego persona, “Jingle Smells” and takes it upon himself to salvage the toys, much like a Yuletide Robin Hood. Other notable stars embellishing the cast include Jim Breuer and Victoria Jackson from “Saturday Night Live,” Dylan Postl from “WWE,” Brad Stine, Jaclyn Stapp and Sean Hannity, with special appearances from the Jay Sekulow Band and Governor Mike Huckabee. Aiming to offer a hilarious yet heartwarming narrative bereft of the agendas reflective of mainstream platforms, as articulated by Sean Hannity, “Jingle Smells” aims…Rumble Takes on Hollywood With Feature Film “Jingle Smells”

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Fresh revelations have been loaded into the canon of public discourse around censorship, ready for primed debates on free speech and censorship in light of disturbing findings. As per a report from the House Judiciary Committee, it appears that speech around US election integrity was potentially compromised before the 2020 polls. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials are implicated in the birth of a “disinformation” team at Stanford University. The ominously titled “Election Integrity Partnership,” based on newly uncovered emails and inside communications, apparently colluded with the DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to monitor and pressure the scrubbing of the digital landscape of certain online speeches alongside big tech cohorts. The collaboration’s alleged censorship maneuver was revealed by a founding partner of the EIP, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. It was here in an email, dated 31 July 2020, that the EIP’s origin at the behest of DHS/CISA was acknowledged by Graham Brookie, Senior Director of the lab, who stated they were involved in a continuous discussion surrounding “disinfo.” Notably, the inquest further concluded that the EIP’s operations were biased, leading to the censure of factual content, humorous commentary and political beliefs. Claiming a significant tilt towards the Democrats, the report accused the censors of brushing information under the rug while assuming the role of arbiters of truth. This led to Republican leaders, conservative media and even satire sites like…Revealed: How The DHS’ Stanford “Disinformation” Group Censored 2020 Election-Related Online Speech

Elon Musk launched a new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that boasts a “rebellious streak” and real-time access to information on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Musk, the owner of X, said in a Sunday post the new Grok AI tool will be integrated with the social media website and be a stand-alone app.   At the moment, Grok is in a “very early beta product stage,” Musk’s xAI company said in a blog post.   The company said it is the “best we could do with 2 months of training — so expect it to improve rapidly with each passing week with your help.”   Musk said Grok’s “real-time access to info” from X will give it a “massive advantage” over other platforms.   The Grok AI assistant will be provided to X users who pay for the Premium+ subscription, which is $16 per month, Musk said. Users can also sign up for a waitlist to get access to Grok as the company builds on the prototype.   Grok, which appears to be part of a growing list of chatbots looking to rival OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT, is “designed to answer questions with a bit of wit and has a rebellious streak.” In a post, xAI warned users, “don’t use it if you hate humor!”  The tool will also “answer spicy questions that are rejected by most other AI systems,” according to xAI.  Musk’s launch of Grok comes as global leaders have been mulling ways to add guardrails for AI…Musk launches rival AI chatbot ‘with a rebellious streak’ 

Itxaso Domínguez de Olazábal is the EU Advocacy Officer at 7amleh – The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to defending Palestinian digital rights. Shutterstock Amid the much-anticipated implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) as a cornerstone in fortifying digital rights for European Union (EU) citizens, a significant concern arises. While the text is heralded as a positive step in addressing illegal and harmful content, there is growing apprehension about its unintended repercussions on the digital rights of Palestinians and other vulnerable communities, notably those in the Global South. 7amleh-The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media has vigilantly monitored this issue since the onset of negotiations around the DSA, emphasizing the intricate relationship between the Israel/Palestine context, the Global South as a whole, and EU legislation. Unfortunately, as the invasion of Gaza and the violence against Palestinians everywhere else unfold our concerns have been validated. The current realities on the ground underscore the global and potentially adverse implications of the DSA for those already grappling with power imbalances. As part of the DSA Human Rights Alliance, we have consistently urged EU institutions to prioritize the risks confronting vulnerable or marginalized communities, both within and beyond the EU’s borders. While initial concern about the DSA from civil society groups focused on the potential replication of laws empowering illiberal regimes, the dark side of the so-called ‘Brussels effect’, what we observe today is the DSA’s adverse impact stemming from content moderation decisions that extend…The Digital Services Act and Palestinian Digital Rights: A Complex Intersection

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Tech giant Facebook is censoring a leaked copy of Nashville transgender school shooter Audrey Hale’s manifesto that was obtained and published by conservative commentator Steven Crowder. The manifesto was collected in the immediate aftermath of the March 27, 2023 mass shooting at Nashville’s The Covenant School, which left six people dead. Usually, these types of manifestos are released within days of the shooting. However, local and federal authorities have spent months refusing to release this manifesto, causing lawsuits to be filed with the hope of forcing transparency. With no sign of the manifesto being released through official channels any time soon, this leaked copy of the manifesto is the first time, after more than seven months of waiting, that the public has been able to see the contents of the manifesto that authorities are seemingly trying to conceal. The three pages published by Crowder contain Hale’s timeline for the day of the shooting and projections for how long the shooting will take. Hale also expresses a desire to “kill all you little crackers…bunch of little faggots w/ your white privileges” in the three pages. But shortly after Crowder shared the reporting on the manifesto, Facebook flagged a post that linked to the manifesto and claimed that the post may go against Facebook’s Community standards on “violence and incitement.” Facebook’s censorship means that even though a leaked copy of the manifesto is now public, it’s…Facebook Censors Leaked Copy of Nashville Shooter’s Manifesto

If you’re tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Sign Up To Keep Reading This post is for Reclaim The Net supporters. Gain access to the entire archive of features and supporters-only content. Help protect free speech, freedom from surveillance, and digital civil liberties. Join Already a supporter? Login here The post USA v. Google – Week 8 appeared first on Reclaim The Net.USA v. Google – Week 8