government

In the always-tumultuous world of content that is the internet, today Google has pledged with YouTube to tackle "terror content." This means that Google and YouTube are, as they said today, "working with government, law enforcement and civil society groups to tackle the problem of violent extremism online." This is in addition to the already-massive effort the company(s) make to root out and stop content from being shared on their networks that violate their use policies.

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The US government has approved social media background checks applied to individuals applying for a visa, it has been announced. The controversial move will require visa applicants to provide a list of their social media handles from the past half-decade, as well as 'biographical information' from the past 15 years. The decision to approve this new vetting method was made by the Office of Management and Budget.

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Warrantless laptop and phone searches at the border are a problem, and a new bill aims to stop them. The bipartisan bill is designed to protect the devices of Americans who are passing through the US border, and would require border patrol agents to get a proper warrant before searching the devices. The bill was introduced earlier today by a handful of Republican and Democrat politicians from the House and the Senate.

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As you've likely heard by now, Congress voted earlier this week to reverse FCC rules that prevented internet service providers from selling personal customer data like browsing history. Understandably, many Americans are upset by this. Now several ISPs like Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon are getting proactive in reassuring customers that their privacy matters, releasing statements that say they will not be selling users' internet browsing data.

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Both the U.S. and the U.K. recently banned most consumer gadgets from flights originating from several countries, a move that Canada is also considering implementing. The move is unusual given that the bans went into effect only hours apart, leading to speculation about possible security threats that had been discovered. Now, according to a new report, we have more info on that -- sources say the threat of a bomb disguised as an iPad had spurred the restriction.

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The Senate just voted in favor of a resolution that, if likewise approved by the House and then signed by Trump, will block FCC privacy rules designed to protect consumers’ sensitive Internet data. The resolution was passed with a 50-48 vote split along party lines; if it receives ultimate approval, ISPs will be able to share and/or sell their customers’ private data, such as their Web browsing history, to private companies without the customers' consent.

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An encrypted Secret Service agency laptop was stolen from an agent’s vehicle recently, it has been revealed, potentially giving the thief access to classified data located on agency servers. According to one source speaking about the theft, this laptop contains Trump Tower floor plans and ‘national security information,’ though the Secret Service stresses that its laptop has ‘multiple layers of security.'

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One of the more effective weapons the US military and its allies have at their disposal is the MIM-104 Patriot missile system. The surface-to-air missile is primarily used as an anti-ballistic missile these days, but one unnamed US ally recently found an unintended use for the system: shooting down quadcopter drones obtained from Amazon.

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You may not know this if you live elsewhere in the world, but South Australia has something of an energy problem at the moment. Energy shortages have been causing blackouts across the state, and now Tesla sees the opportunity to step in. Yesterday, Tesla vice president of energy products Lyndon Rive said that Tesla could solve SA's energy problems in 100 days through the installation of battery packs, which is a pretty big promise all its own.

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Employees with the Department of Homeland Security are having trouble logging into some of the agency’s computer networks, according to sources that have surfaced, an issue that doesn’t have a readily apparent cause. The problem is said to have started around 5AM this morning, and can reportedly be bypassed in some cases by using a VPN. Sources state that login troubles have resulted due to an inability to validate personal identity verification cards for employees.

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Samsung is involved in an alleged bribery scandal that includes the president of South Korea, $36m in funds, and an equestrian horse. The scandal involves Samsung's de-facto leader Lee Jae-yong (aka Jay Y. Lee), the grandson of the founder of the company*. It also involves South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her suspension from power amid impeachment proceedings - also as a result of bribery schemes involving "dozens of Korean companies".

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The population of the rusty-patched bumble bee has been noticeably decreasing over the past couple decades, a worrisome trend that sparked federal conservation efforts. Among those efforts was a decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to add the bumble bee to the endangered species list with the ultimate goal of determining how to increase the bee’s population numbers. All that has been halted, however, by the Trump administration.

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