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Bernie Sanders bill would tax Amazon and others over low wages
Critics have frequently accused Amazon of underpaying warehouse employees to the point where staff must live on food stamps and other government subsidies, and there's now a Senate bill that puts some added weight behind that criticism. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act (aka the not-so-subtle Stop BEZOS Act), a measure that would place a 100 percent tax on the government assistance workers receive at companies with over 500 employees. If an Amazon staffer had to live in public housing, for instance, the internet giant would have to either foot the bill or pay the person well enough that they didn't need help.
Lawmakers demand answers after Verizon throttled firefighter data
Lawmakers have asked Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai to investigate after Verizon throttled the data of firefighters who were tackling wildfires in California. The company was criticized this month for throttling Santa Clara County Fire's unlimited data plan to the point that it made the service essentially useless, hampering the department's response to the Mendocino Complex Fire. Verizon later removed speed caps for first responders on the West Coast and in Hawaii.
Senators grill Google over rumored China search engine
Google refused to confirm if it's truly been developing a censored search engine for China after reports about the project's existence came out, but it might soon have no choice but to come clean. A group of six Democratic and Republican Senators led by Marco Rubio has penned a letter addressed to Google chief Sundar Pichai demanding concrete answers. They want to know once and for all whether the tech giant is conjuring up a version of its search engine that'll work behind the Great Firewall. The Senators called the move "deeply troubling" if true, pointing out that that it "risks making Google complicit in human rights abuses related to China's rigorous censorship regime."
Congress passes data security bill for small businesses
The US government doesn't have the strongest cybersecurity policy right now, but there's at least some progress on that front beyond what's happening at security agencies. The US Senate has passed its version of the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Act, clearing the way for the bill to become law if and when the President signs it. The bipartisan measure promises smaller companies a consistent, relevant and universal set of NIST-based guidance and resources for protecting their data against online threats.
Senate sets election hearing with Twitter, Facebook and Google execs
Today, Mark Warner (D-VA) announced that the Senate Intelligence Committee will hear testimony from Facebook, Google and Twitter executives on September 5th. The committee wants to hear about what these companies are doing to prevent foreign influence over and meddling in the 2018 US midterm elections.
The US is not prepared to shape global internet policy
This is a critical moment in global internet policy. The world is awake to the power of connected online systems, and the United Nations agrees that access to the internet is a human right, tied irrevocably to the tenets of free thought and expression. The European Union has just implemented strict data-protection policies under the GDPR, influencing businesses around the world in the process. Russia has been caught hacking into critical US systems, including utility companies, nuclear facilities and routers, and using social media to undermine the 2016 presidential election. Just this week, Facebook announced it had discovered another, similar influence campaign aimed at continually disrupting American democracy. As leaders around the world turn their attention to cybersecurity, the US lacks the resources and reputation to properly lead the conversation. That's the message out of Tuesday's Senate hearing, The Internet and Digital Communications: Examining the Impact of Global Internet Governance.
Russian hackers targeted Democratic senator ahead of midterms
Russian hackers targeted the campaign of Sen. Claire McCaskill in the Kremlin's first identified attempt at interference this midterm election season, The Daily Beast reports. "While this attack was not successful, it is outrageous that [Russia thinks it] can get away with this. I will not be intimidated. I've said it before and I will say it again, Putin is a thug and a bully," Missouri Democrat McCaskill said in a statement.
Bipartisan bill aims to study how tech is affecting kids
A bipartisan group of senators and representatives has introduced legislation that would fund research into the effects technology and media have on infants, children and adolescents. The funding would support research into the use of mobile devices, computers, social media, apps, websites, TV, films, AI, video games, VR and AR with a focus on cognitive, physical and socio-emotional development. "While technology educates and entertains our children every day, we need a better understanding of how it impacts their social, psychological and physical well-being," Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) said in a statement. "This bill will enable experts to conduct critical research that will inform parents and policymakers about how best to protect American children's bodies and minds from issues such as tech addiction, bullying and depression in the digital age."
Senate gives up on ZTE sanctions
Though a number of US senators have been seeking to block President Trump's deal with ZTE that lets the Chinese firm circumvent sanctions put into place by US officials earlier this year, they have now backed off on that effort. In June, the Senate passed a version of the National Defense Authorization Act that reinstated sanctions against ZTE and would effectively nullify the president's and Commerce Department's deal with the firm. However, the House of Representatives passed a version of the bill without such language and the two chambers have been working on a compromise bill that marries each of their versions. Senators have now decided to abandon the ZTE sanctions in exchange for more oversight for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS).
Senate bill could bring emergency alerts to streaming services
You knew it was only a matter of time before legislators pressed for additional reforms to prevent another false missile alert like the one that rattled Hawaii. US Senators Brian Schatz and John Thune have introduced a bill, the READI Act (Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement), that would both reduce the chances of mistaken alerts and explore ways to bring those alerts to more people. It would "compel" FEMA to create best practices for emergency alert systems, encourage states to review their systems and create a false alert reporting method, but its most notable inclusion is the possibility of receiving alerts in more places -- including streaming services.
Lawmakers ask FTC to investigate smart TV data collection
Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to the FTC this week requesting that the agency open an investigation into how smart TVs collect consumer viewing data and whether manufacturers disclose that practice adequately. They wrote that while smart TV advancements have "ushered in a new era of innovation and interactivity," they must not come at the expense of consumer privacy. "Televisions have entered a new era, but that does not mean that users' sensitive information no longer deserves protection," the senators said. "The content consumers watch is private, and it should not be assumed that customers want companies to track and use information on their viewing habits."
US lawmakers urge Google to reconsider Huawei partnership
In the wake of national security concerns over Huawei's interest in entering the US market, legislators from both the Senate and the House sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai urging him to reconsider working with the Chinese phone maker, who made Google's Nexus 6P.
Senate votes to reinstate ZTE ban in the US
The Trump administration's decision to work with Chinese President Xi Jinping to bring ZTE back to business didn't sit well with lawmakers from both sides. A group of Senators from the Republican and Democratic parties recently amended the National Defense Authorization Act to include language that reinstates the sanctions against ZTE. Now, the Senate has overwhelmingly voted in favor (85-10) of restoring those sanctions, going against the president's wishes to save the Chinese tech giant. It will undo the agreement between the US and China to remove those trade sanctions if ZTE pays a $1 billion penalty and adds a US-picked compliance department.
Senate set to call Cambridge Analytica data leaker to testify
The US Senate Commerce Committee wants to question a former Cambridge Analytica contractor over the Facebook data scandal, reports Reuters. The Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security subcommittee is holding a privacy hearing on Tuesday related to Cambridge Analytica, and it will call Aleksandr Kogan to testify, according to the report.
Bipartisan Senate effort aims to override Trump’s deal to save ZTE
A bipartisan group of Senators has added language to the National Defense Authorization Act that would reinstate sanctions on Chinese firm ZTE, the Wall Street Journal reports. The legislation is set to be voted on this week. If it passes in the Senate -- and it's expected to -- it could override a deal that President Trump and the Commerce Department have put in place that would allow ZTE to once again purchase necessary components from US suppliers.
Facebook provides 452-page answer to Congressional questions
Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress was frustrating if you were expecting plenty of immediate answers about Facebook's policies -- he frequently promised follow-ups, and there were questions that went unasked. Facebook is now filling in some of those holes, however. The company has posted responses to questions its CEO didn't answer during the hearings themselves. There's a lot of material to comb through (452 pages' worth without introductions), and not all of it is useful -- some of it is little more than grandstanding. Still, there's already a highlight.
Net neutrality ends today
The FCC's decision to overturn Obama-era net neutrality protections goes into effect today, giving internet service providers leeway to block, throttle and prioritize websites and content. While we may not see the direct effects of this decision immediately, it is, in no uncertain terms, a massively important change that stands to alter the internet as we know and experience it.
Senate bills would make quantum computing a priority
There's a worldwide race to dominate quantum computing, and two new pieces of legislation might help the US claim the lead. Senator Kamala Harris has introduced the first, the Quantum Computing Research Act, to provide a "competitive edge" in development. It would create a Quantum Computing Research Consortium in the Department of Defense to coordinate progress, offer grants and oversee initiatives. The measure would boost the economy, create jobs and bolster national security, if you ask Harris.
Proposed law would give DHS power to seize and destroy drones
The Senate is currently considering a bill that would give the Department of Homeland Security more power to research, surveil, seize and destroy drones flying in the US, Gizmodo reports. Yesterday during a hearing, DHS officials expressed support for the bipartisan legislation, saying current laws prevent the agency from effectively mitigating the potential threats presented by drones.
Senator wants Mark Zuckerberg to testify on Huawei data sharing
Mark Zuckerberg could be in for another Senate hearing if Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) has his way. Today, Markey sent a letter to Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) -- chair and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, respectively -- requesting they call the Facebook CEO to testify about Facebook's practice of sharing private user data with mobile phone companies. Specifically, Markey is concerned about the data provided to four Chinese companies -- Huawei, Lenovo, Oppo and TCL.