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Fauci Warns Americans Could Face More Lockdowns Amid Spread of New COVID Variant + More
Fauci Warns Americans Could Face More Lockdowns Amid Spread of New COVID Variant
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warned Americans this week that they could soon face additional COVID-19 lockdown measures should a new strain of the virus cause case numbers to increase.
Fauci, who also serves as an adviser to President Biden, said the BA.2 subvariant could soon increase the rate of infections in America. He suggested that Americans should “be able to pivot” back and forth between a more common way of life and the measures that were taken in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus at the height of the pandemic.
“We can’t just say, ‘We’re done. We’re going to move on.’ We’ve got to be able to be flexible because we’re dealing with a dynamic situation,” he added, noting the new variant to be less fatal than the Omicron variant. “The overall mortality is actually down. It’s a very interesting situation where the cases are going up, but it does not, at this point in time, appear to be any degree of severity.”
During the segment on CNN, Fauci seemingly dismissed concern over the crippling economic burdens associated with lockdown measures or other precautions.
Major Government Surveillance Revelations Fail to Make a Big Splash
Multiple covert government surveillance operations hoovering up Americans’ information without oversight have been exposed in the last year. Those not following closely may not have noticed. Recent revelations about government spying have failed to make a major splash in Congress, the media or public discourse.
Over the past several months, lawmakers and reporters have revealed that the country’s intelligence agencies have been using broad executive authority and taking advantage of a loophole in the Fourth Amendment to obtain much more data than was previously known.
Three of these major discoveries, all made public by Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) office, concern the CIA gathering American data, a defense agency buying consumer data from a third-party broker and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) participating in a program stealthily compiling money transfer records.
The Mask Mandate Returns to Six Chicago Public School Classrooms Amid COVID Spike at School
At Chicago’s John C. Coonley Elementary School, six classrooms have reverted to universal masking, a Chicago Public Schools spokesperson confirmed, amid a spike in cases at the school.
The pivot back to required masking in the Coonley classrooms is apparently the first in CPS since it dropped its universal mask mandate a week ago, though it continues to recommend masks. After announcing that shift, CPS later clarified that masks would still be required in certain circumstances, such as when someone is exposed to a person with COVID-19.
The Chicago Teachers Union has also fought the end of universal masking, saying it’s a breach of a safety agreement forged after a January standoff that prompted the cancellation of five days of classes. The state’s Educational Labor Relations Board last week narrowly declined the CTU’s request for an emergency injunction as the union’s complaint is considered.
But many parents had pushed for and have welcomed the end of CPS’ mask mandate; some participated in a lawsuit that prompted school systems around the state to ditch the requirement.
Amici for Freedom and the Fate of Free Speech
What will be the fate of free speech in the United States? The answer is coming soon from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Netchoice v. Paxton.
Last year, Texas protected free speech from Big Tech censorship by passing a statute finding that the largest social media platforms are “common carriers” and barring them from discriminating against speech on grounds of viewpoint.
Rather than comply with the Texas law, the social media platforms secured a preliminary injunction against its enforcement. A district court judge granted the injunction, saying the anti-discrimination regulation violated the social media platform’s First Amendment rights. It is no surprise that Texas is appealing the injunction, taking the question up the ladder to judges who will give it more serious attention.
We depend on dissent to hold ourselves accountable. The freedom to tell the truth — even more fundamentally, the freedom to speak even if it turns out to be in error — is the foundation of modern society. It is the crucible of our science, literature and politics. It is part of the give and take of life itself. So it is worth fighting for.
Los Angeles Schools Announce End of Classroom Mask Mandate
The Los Angeles Unified School District — the largest U.S. school district still requiring masks for staff and students — announced Friday that it will lift the mandate as COVID-19 infection rates continue to plunge.
The nation’s second-largest school district said it will drop the requirement by next Wednesday after reaching an agreement with the teachers union, although other virus safety measures such as weekly testing will remain in place through the school year.
Judge: Montana Can’t Enforce Ban on Mandating Vaccines
Montana cannot enforce a state law that prevents most healthcare facilities from mandating vaccines while an interim federal rule is in place requiring millions of healthcare workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, a federal judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula said his preliminary injunction applies only while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid interim rule is in effect because the federal rule takes precedence over the state law.
The rule, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in January, requires COVID-19 vaccinations or religious or medical exemptions on file for staff at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers.
New Orleans Lifts Proof-of-Vaccine Rule for Bars, Eateries
Bars, restaurants and other businesses in New Orleans are no longer required to make patrons show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test for the disease, the city said Monday in a news release.
The mandate, which dates back to August, was officially lifted at 6 a.m.
The move comes nearly three weeks after locals and tourists crowded onto city streets — and into restaurants and bars — for the annual Mardi Gras celebration. An end to a citywide indoor mask mandate was announced on March 2, the day after Mardi Gras.
Austria to Reinstitute Face Mask Requirements as COVID Surges
Well, that didn’t last too long. Less than two weeks after lifting face mask mandates on March 5, the Austrian government announced on Friday that they will be reinstituting such requirements on March 23. That’s because Austria is in the midst of, guess what, a COVID-19 coronavirus surge.
The fact that Austria is having such a surge should be about as surprising as leaving your cat in charge of your tax return and finding some very strange deductions.
So starting this coming Wednesday if you go to the Sigmund Freud Museum in Vienna, don’t slip up and forget your FFP2 respirator. In fact, if you go to any indoor public location in Austria, you’re gonna be required to wear such a face mask.
The Austrian government will be requiring face masks with the more stringent FFP2 designation, which are supposed to filter out at least 94% of particles in the air. That’s just one percent lower than what masks with the N95 designation are supposed to do.
New Brunswick Lifts COVID Vaccine Requirement for Some Civil Servants
New Brunswick has announced vaccination against COVID-19 will no longer be a condition of employment with the provincial government as of March 28.
That doesn’t include workers at health facilities, Ambulance NB and corrections, which the province says “remain vulnerable sectors.”
Unvaccinated employees who work in health and corrections will remain on leave without pay until they receive two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. All other unvaccinated employees who are on leave without pay will be able to return to work March 28.
Parents up in Arms Against an Ontario School Board’s Move to Keep Masks on
As students in Canada’s most populous province return to mask-free classes after two years on Monday, one Ontario school board is facing backlash for defying the province’s decision to drop masks, potentially setting the stage for a clash on a contentious pandemic issue.
The mask mandate and other pandemic measures have become a lightning rod in Canada for an anti-government movement, sparking a three-week protest in capital Ottawa last month.
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) voted against removing the mask mandate and proposed keeping students and teachers masked until April 1 to protect the medically vulnerable.
Why WhatsApp Wants to Convince Americans to Stop Sending Text Messages
WhatsApp, the mobile messaging service acquired by Facebook in 2014, has grown into a formidable force since then. Used by more than a quarter of the world’s population, the platform’s reach in its home market remains comparatively small.
While apps such as Facebook and Instagram are already widely used in the United States and don’t have much room to grow, the potential for WhatsApp is much larger. The messaging app cost Facebook $19 billion almost a decade ago but generates little revenue. Meta is now trying to change that.
Boosting WhatsApp in the United States could have positive ripple effects on its other platforms and create new monetization opportunities in a lucrative market. But to get there, WhatsApp must fight an uphill battle to change how Americans text and, perhaps, how they view WhatsApp’s parent company.
Brazil’s Supreme Court Suspends Telegram, a Key Bolsonaro Platform
Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Friday ordered the suspension of messaging app Telegram, saying it had repeatedly refused to adhere to judicial orders to freeze accounts spreading disinformation or comply with the country’s laws, according to a copy of the ruling seen by Reuters.
Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and his supporters have increasingly relied upon Telegram as a form of mass communication as larger tech companies like Meta (FB.O), which owns messaging app WhatsApp, Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google and Twitter (TWTR.N) have adhered to Supreme Court orders to drop offending accounts over allegedly spreading disinformation.
Biden’s Plan for a Digital Dollar Is a Massive Threat to Freedom + More
Biden’s Plan for a Digital Dollar Is a Massive Threat to Freedom
If the federal government and Federal Reserve were to ultimately issue a central bank digital currency (CBDC), it would be the first time in a century that America has released an entirely new currency.
Although the Biden administration’s executive order’s language leaves the door open for federal agencies to recommend against the creation of a digital dollar, the evidence strongly suggests this will not occur, and that the White House will formally propose a plan for a digital currency by the end of the year.
Once the transition to a digital dollar is complete, you wouldn’t be able to go to the bank or an ATM and get physical cash out of an account that contains your digital currency.
More importantly, a digital currency would likely be designed in a way that would give government and/or the Federal Reserve substantial control over its use and supply.
NYC Keeping Private-Sector COVID Vaccine Mandates, School Masks for Kids Under 5
Private-sector vaccination mandates will continue indefinitely in New York City, Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said Friday, and masks will continue to be worn by children under 5 in public schools.
His announcement comes as concerns are growing over the new BA.2 Omicron subvariant, which is expected to become the dominant strain of the coronavirus.
Dr. Vasan also said masks will remain mandatory for public school students under 5, noting their lack of vaccination makes them most vulnerable.
Dr. Anthony Fauci told ABC News that we should not be surprised to see an increase in cases in the next few weeks.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s Archewell Audio Staying at Spotify After COVID Misinformation Concerns Resolved
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are keeping their podcast studio at Spotify after reportedly considering leaving the streaming platform. The Sussexes had concerns about the manner in which Spotify handled the spreading of information regarding the coronavirus.
A spokesperson for the production company, Archewell Audio, told FOX Business on Thursday that in an effort to mitigate the spread of misinformation, they are committed to working with the content streamer to continue the conversation surrounding transparency regarding Spotify’s policies and practices.
Spotify found itself in hot water last month when musician Neil Young accused the streamer’s podcast host Joe Rogan of spreading false information about COVID-19 vaccines through Rogan’s exclusive Spotify show.
HHS Launches Vaccine Ad Campaign Targeting Parents
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) this week launched an ad campaign featuring medical professionals and aimed at encouraging parents to get their kids vaccinated.
In the videos, the healthcare leaders tapped by HHS stressed that the vaccine is safe, while contracting COVID-19 is not.
According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January, 31% of parents for children aged 5-11 said they would probably or definitely will not vaccinate their child against COVID-19. Another 26% said they would probably get their child vaccinated or were still unsure.
Among older children, these percentages were lower, though less than 10% of parents among older age groups of children said they would “definitely” get their child vaccinated.
GOP Revives Anti-Vax, Pro-Ivermectin Measure in Kansas
Conservative Republican lawmakers on Thursday revived a proposal to weaken Kansas’ vaccination requirements for children enrolling in school and daycare and to make it easier for people to get potentially dangerous treatments for COVID-19.
The Senate health committee approved a bill that would allow parents to get a no-questions-asked religious exemption from requirements to vaccinate their children against more than a dozen diseases, including measles, whooping cough, polio and chickenpox.
The measure also would limit pharmacists’ ability to refuse to fill prescriptions for the anti-worm treatment ivermectin and other drugs for off-label uses as COVID-19 treatments.
Texas Appeals Court Sides With Schools in Fight Over Whether Districts Can Require Masks
The Dallas Morning News reported:
A new Texas appeals court decision issued Thursday sided with school districts in the ongoing battle over mask mandates.
The decision came after 19 school districts — including Dallas, Lancaster, DeSoto and Fort Worth — sued the state last year over the governor’s ban on mandating face coverings in schools.
A trial court previously granted a temporary injunction on Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates, but attorneys for the state appealed. On Thursday, Texas’ Third Court of Appeals agreed with the trial court’s decision, reinforcing the injunction.
Army Kicks Out Its First Three Coronavirus Vaccine Refusers
The Army has issued its first three separations for soldiers who refused to get their mandatory coronavirus vaccinations, the service announced Friday.
The Army is the last of the service branches to begin kicking out troops who do not get the shots. Technically, the three soldiers were separated for “refusing a lawful order” to receive the vaccine, according to the Army.
The announcement comes more than six months after the Army’s deadline to receive the vaccine, and about six weeks after Army Secretary Christine Wormuth ordered service commanders on Jan. 31 to begin the process of involuntarily separating vaccine refusers “as expeditiously as possible.”
Last week, the Army approved its first permanent religious waiver for the vaccine order. The service has granted one more as of Friday, according to an Army statement released Friday.
DC Residents Heard Shouting Profanities at Trucker Convoy on Streets
After working around the various trucker convoys in Washington, DC, since early March, residents have reached their boiling point and can be heard screaming for them to “go home!”
The convoy is part of a larger movement of conservative truckers that began in Canada. Originally formed in protest of COVID-19-related mandates, the convoys soon spread to other countries, including the U.S., where they have caused traffic disruptions in cities around the world.
The People’s Convoy, which has been held mostly to the edge of DC this past week by law enforcement, is reportedly made up of around 500 trucks that have been circling a number of highways in the DC metropolitan area, according to WJLA-TV. This has led to significant delays in traffic, according to local news outlets.
How to Cope With COVID Anxiety Two Years After Monumental Lockdown
It’s been two years since the historic COVID-19 lockdowns — and as people reflect on what occurred in the spring of 2020, many are experiencing anew the feelings of stress, anxiety and other emotions that they felt back then.
To cope with various levels of emotion and trauma, Itai Danovitch, M.D., chair of the Cedars Sinai Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences in Los Angeles, suggested people first acknowledge that it’s OK to be stressed or anxious. He also shared the reminder that the pandemic era has been a worrisome period of uncertainty — and that the best way to address worry is to address the cause.
German Lawmakers Vote to Abolish Most Pandemic Restrictions
German lawmakers voted Friday to abolish most of the country’s coronavirus pandemic restrictions despite a surge in infections, with almost 300,000 new daily cases reported. The Bundestag passed an amendment to the pandemic rules in a 364-277 vote with two abstentions. The upper house of parliament, made up of Germany’s 16 states, approved the measure later Friday.
The changes mean that the requirement to wear face masks can be dropped for most public settings beginning Sunday, though all German states have said they will keep them in place for up to two weeks. Masks may still be required on public transport beyond then. Visitors to nursing homes will also continue to need negative COVID-19 tests, but these will not be required any longer in other walks of life.
Health minister Karl Lauterbach defended lifting the restrictions. “We can’t continue to put the entire country under a shield in order to protect a small group of people who are unwilling to get vaccinated,” he said. “The balance is being shifted.”
Tens of Millions of Chinese People Are Back in Strict Lockdown. Residents Say They Feel ‘Trapped.’
As people in the U.S. and other countries get rid of masks and plan summer vacations, tens of millions of people in China are back in strict lockdown, causing frustration among residents and hampering global supply chains.
Surging COVID-19 case numbers, driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant, have prompted the new measures, as Chinese health officials stand by what they call a “dynamic” “zero-COVID” policy. That means rapid lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions when clusters emerge.
In Shenzhen, China’s Silicon Valley, 17.5 million people are under stay-at-home orders for at least a week, with exceptions being permitted only for “essential reasons.” In Shanghai, China’s commercial hub of 24 million people, schools and restaurants are closed.
Half of Americans Accept All Cookies Despite the Security Risk
Although cookies have become a normal and necessary part of using the internet, new research from NordVPN has revealed that half of American users ‘accept all cookies’ on every website they visit.
For those unfamiliar, an HTTP cookie or a browser cookie is a piece of data that’s stored in your browser whenever you visit a website. With cookies enabled, a website will remember your preferences as well as any small changes you made during your last visit.
While most cookies are safe and used by companies to offer more personalization on their sites, some can be used to track you without your consent. At the same time, cookies can even be spied upon or used to fake the identity of a user so that an attacker can gain access to their online accounts.
The AI Placed You at the Crime Scene, but You Weren’t There
Like a lot of tech solutions to complex problems, facial recognition algorithms aren’t perfect. But when the technology is used to identify suspects in criminal cases, those flaws in the system can have catastrophic, life-changing consequences.
People can get wrongly identified, arrested, and convicted, often without ever being told they were ID’d by a computer. It’s especially troubling when you consider false identifications disproportionately affect women, young people, and people with dark skin — basically everyone other than white men.
This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior writer Khari Johnson joins us to talk about the limits of facial recognition tech, and what happens to the people who get misidentified.
Meta Has a New Scam Ads Problem Down Under
Australia’s Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instigated proceedings against Facebook owner Meta for allowing the spread of scam ads on its platforms and — it alleges — not taking sufficient steps to tackle the issue.
The watchdog said today that it’s seeking “declarations, injunctions, penalties, costs and other orders” against the social media giant, accusing it of engaging in “false, misleading or deceptive conduct” by publishing scam advertisements featuring prominent Australian public figures — activity the ACCC asserts breaches local consumer laws.
JetBlue, American, Southwest Pilots Sue CDC Over Federal Mask Mandate + More
JetBlue, American, Southwest Pilots Sue CDC Over Federal Mask Mandate
A group of commercial airline pilots filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an attempt to lift the federal transportation mask mandate.
In court paperwork, the 10 commercial airline pilots — who work for American, JetBlue and Southwest — argued that the CDC issued an order “Requirement for Persons to Wear Masks While on Conveyances & at Transportation Hubs” on Feb. 1, 2020, “without providing public notice or soliciting comment.”
The pilots are asking the court to “vacate worldwide the FTMM (federal transportation mask mandate)” calling the move an “illegal and unconstitutional exercise of executive authority.”
The pilots claim that federal officials adopted the policy despite “countless scientific and medical studies and articles showing that face masks are totally ineffective.” The pilots also argue that it was enacted without “considering the impact on tens of millions of travelers and transportation workers every single day.”
Europe’s COVID Spike Has Biden Officials Concerned, Could Lead to Return of Masks
The surge in COVID-19 cases in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, is prompting urgent conversations among senior Biden health aides about the potential of the U.S. experiencing another wave this spring, according to three senior officials familiar with the matter. Over the past two years, the U.S. has experienced COVID waves similar to those in Europe — only several weeks later.
“You’ve got to at least be prepared that we may see something similar here with some differences, because there’s always differences,” said Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical officer. “We’ve got to not ignore it. We’ve got to monitor it very carefully.”
In recent days, officials from the White House COVID-19 task force and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have met to game out how the administration will respond if cases begin to rise drastically, according to the officials.
The group has discussed the possibility of recommending communities reinstitute mask mandates indoors and how to ensure hospitals across the country are prepared for a potential spike in patients seeking care. Officials have also debated whether and when to recommend a fourth COVID-19 shot.
Americans Are Concerned About Rise of AI and Human Enhancements, Survey Finds
More Americans said they are “more concerned than excited” by the increase of artificial intelligence technology being implemented in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center survey about the rise of AI.
Although there was a more positive outlook for facial recognition, algorithms and exoskeletons, the public was much more wary about the use of computer chip implants in the brain, the future of autonomous passenger vehicles and gene editing.
The researchers surveyed 10,260 US adults from Nov. 1 through Nov. 7. Respondents were asked about six developments: facial recognition technology, social media algorithms, robotic exoskeletons, computer chip implants, driverless cars and gene editing.
Mayor Eric Adams Eyes End to Employer Vaccine Mandate Ahead of MLB Opening Day
Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday he expects to eventually roll back the city’s coronavirus vaccine mandate for private-sector employers — but won’t make any exceptions for star athletes in the meantime.
“We’re going to continue to peel it back,” Adams said of the vaccine rules at an unrelated press conference in Queens. “I’m going to continue to do so. But I’m not going to be rushed in based on a season schedule.”
Earlier this month Adams repealed rules that required fans at sporting events as well as patrons of indoor restaurants and other entertainment and cultural venues to show proof of vaccination. But a separate mandate, requiring private employers to verify that all their workers are vaccinated, remains on the books.
Workers Resist Mandate at Poconos Vaccine Manufacturer
Angela Giaquinto has a choice to make. “Do I take it or do I keep my job? It’s scary. I mean, we have families to provide for.”
She’s one of about 2,500 people employed at Sanofi Pasteur in Swiftwater, Pa. It’s an international pharmaceutical company that makes vaccines, and is currently working on a COVID-19 vaccine.
But a number of employees there are willing to lose their jobs rather than get the shot.
Some employees hoped with COVID-19 cases going down and restrictions easing, Sanofi would drop the mandate. The deadline is April 15. A Sanofi spokesperson tells Newswatch 16: “While the trends are encouraging, we have all experienced the up and downs of this pandemic and the rise of variants. Sanofi U.S. continues to believe that vaccination is the right course of action.”
Majority of U.S. Parents Still Want Kids Masked Up in Schools: Poll
A new poll recently found that 73% of parents in the U.S. think that schools should continue to impose mask mandates among students and staff for as long as the COVID pandemic continues.
In addition to parents wanting to keep masks in schools, the poll results showed that 37% of non-parents share that same view, while 28% of parents don’t think that school mask mandates should continue.
The survey from market research company OnePoll asked 2,000 adults, including 1,000 parents and 1,000 non-parents, about school mask mandates.
Germany to Let Virus Restrictions Expire Even as Cases Surge
The German government on Thursday defended its decision to let many pandemic restrictions expire at the weekend, even as the country hit a new record high for newly confirmed cases.
Germany’s disease control agency reported 294,931 new cases in the past 24 hours. The Robert Koch Institute said there have been a further 278 COVID-related deaths, taking the overall toll since the start of the pandemic to 126,420.
The decision to end many pandemic restrictions on Sunday, including the requirements to wear masks in public settings and limit spectators in stadiums, was criticized by the states, who can still introduce their own restrictions in virus hotspots going forward.
Canada Drops COVID Test Requirement for Fully Vaccinated Travelers
Starting next month, Canada will no longer require fully vaccinated travelers to produce a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the country.
Canada will still conduct random PCR COVID tests and require travelers to use the Arrive-Can app to submit information, but the required test for the fully-inoculated will be dropped April 1, CityNews reported.
For the vaccinated travelers who are randomly selected for testing upon arrival in Canada, they will no longer be required to quarantine while they wait for their results, Duclos added.
Italy to Roll Back COVID Restrictions in the Coming Weeks
The Italian government was set to announce a two-step plan on Thursday scrapping most of its coronavirus restrictions as the country nears the end of its state of emergency.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government was to meet to approve a plan to soften the curbs, a cabinet statement said. Draghi and Health Minister Roberto Speranza will hold a news conference afterwards to detail the decisions.
The moves in Italy follow other European countries where most COVID curbs have been lifted. France no longer requires face masks to be worn in most public places and allows people who have not been vaccinated into bars, restaurants and cinemas.
Molly Russell Inquest: Family Frustrated by Wait for Instagram Data
The family of Molly Russell, the 14-year-old who killed herself in 2017 after viewing harmful content online, have expressed frustration at the time taken by Meta to disclose data relevant to her death, a coroner has heard.
Molly, from Harrow, north-west London, viewed an extensive volume of material, including some linked to anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide, in the months before she died in November 2017. Her inquest will look at how algorithms used by social media firms to keep people hooked may have contributed to her death.
Oliver Sanders QC, representing Molly’s family, said the family also wanted to review 29 internal Meta documents “setting out research into the impact of self-harm and suicide of material online on teenagers.”
Amazon Closes $8.5 Billion Deal to Acquire MGM
James Bond is now an Amazon employee.
The tech giant has closed its $8.5 billion deal to acquire MGM, the home of the Bond franchise and one of the most iconic movie studios in Hollywood history, Amazon announced Thursday.
The move looks to bolster the company’s position in the entertainment world while giving its streaming service, Amazon Prime Video, even more content to fill its already extensive library. This should help Amazon challenge rivals such as Netflix (NFLX) and Disney+ in the hyper competitive streaming market.
UK Threatens Tech Execs With Jail Time if They Fail to Meet Online Safety Standards
The UK has outlined new legislation that could see top managers at tech companies sent to jail if they fail to meet the demands of regulators. The rules are part of the government’s mammoth Online Safety Bill, a new draft of which was introduced to Parliament today — a major milestone to the bill becoming law.
Tech execs could be jailed if they fail to respond to requests for information from newly-empowered regulator Ofcom “in an accurate and timely manner,” according to the bill. The latest draft stipulates that senior managers will be liable for criminal prosecution just two months after the bill becomes law (instead of two years, as previously outlined).
Investigations led by Ofcom will be tackling the broad range of offenses outlined in the Online Safety Bill. These measures include:
Face Recognition’s Staying Power
U.S. adoption of facial recognition software hit a speed bump recently when the Internal Revenue Service dropped one controversial plan, but public and private institutions are charging ahead with deploying the technology anyway.
Facial recognition systems solve thorny identification problems for government agencies and businesses, but they also raise concerns over bias and privacy, particularly since the U.S. lacks strong data regulations.
Despite the concerns, government use of facial recognition continues to grow in the U.S. and abroad.
Twenty-seven U.S. states already use ID.me’s services to assist with verifying identification for unemployment benefits and other services. And this month, Washington state said it would start using ID.me in June.
Why the Kremlin Is Still Active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
Western political leaders have hailed decisions by tech companies to suspend or muffle Russian state media such as RT and Sputnik amid the war in Ukraine, and there’s evidence those moves are having an impact.
Yet official Kremlin accounts have largely escaped such restrictions, continuing to post freely on Twitter and other U.S.-based social platforms even as their owners rain bombs on Ukrainian cities.
With some exceptions, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok have largely treated Russian government accounts like any other user, taking enforcement actions only when their posts violate specific rules, such as prohibitions on inciting real-world violence.
Unvaccinated Yankees and Mets Can’t Play at Home Under Current NYC Rules + More
Unvaccinated Yankees and Mets Can’t Play at Home Under Current NYC Rules
Unvaccinated players on the Yankees and Mets are covered by the same private-sector employer mandate that is keeping Kyrie Irving off the court in Brooklyn, a City Hall spokesperson told the Daily News.
It’s unclear exactly which players on the New York baseball teams are unvaccinated, but Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is widely believed to have not received the shot. When news came out that unvaccinated players could not play road games in Toronto, it was reported that the Yankees “would miss a chunk of the middle of their order,” implying star hitters other than Judge were unvaccinated.
Several prominent Mets, like Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Max Scherzer, took the vaccine in 2021. But the Mets were also one of the least-vaccinated teams in baseball last year, never hitting the 85% threshold to loosen COVID protocols. Multiple Mets leaned on “personal choice” rhetoric when asked directly about the vaccine last year, including JD Davis, James McCann and now-free agent Michael Conforto.
Meet the Primary Care Doc Who Wants the World to Go Back to Normal — Lucy McBride, MD, Has Become a Loud, Controversial Voice in the Debate on COVID Precautions
Washington, DC-based internist Lucy McBride, MD, has become a controversial figure in the conversation around COVID-19 precautions, primarily due to her outspoken opposition to in-school mask mandates and school closures. She is a founding member of a group of doctors and scientists known as “Urgency of Normal,” which recommends that schools remain open and in-person regardless of COVID case counts and vaccination rates.
She was recently invited to testify before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, articulating how social isolation, the fear of contracting and spreading COVID-19 and the overall confusion around how best to move through the pandemic has had serious health effects on a number of her patients.
In her written testimony, McBride noted that school closures and mask mandates have disproportionately hindered children with learning disabilities and autism, as well as English language learners, in addition to preventing kids from being able to “appropriately connect with peers, teachers, coaches and mentors.”
SEALs Who Say Navy Punished Them for Refusing COVID Shot Ask Supreme Court to Uphold Injunction
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported:
More than two dozen Navy SEALs and other service members, who said the Department of Defense has punished them for refusing the COVID-19 vaccination due to religious reasons, are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a preliminary injunction issued in January that sided with the military members.
“The Navy service members in this case seek to vindicate the very freedoms they have sacrificed so much to protect,” wrote U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, of Fort Worth, who issued the injunction, which has been upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Thirty-five military members, including SEALs and other special forces members represented by First Liberty Institute in Plano and Hacker Stephens LLP, are asking the Supreme Court to reject an emergency motion from the Biden administration that’s seeking to stop the injunction.
MLB Drops Regular COVID Tests, Can Move Games for Health
Major League Baseball is dropping regular COVID-19 testing for all but symptomatic individuals while maintaining an ability to move games if the public health situation in an area deteriorates.
MLB and the players’ association finalized their 2022 COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday, easing pandemic restrictions five days after reaching a collective bargaining agreement. Some on-field issues have not yet been addressed, such as whether to continue the pandemic rule calling for “ghost runners” at second base in extra innings.
Restrictions, such as wearing facemasks in dugouts, were eased during the 2021 season when a team reached 85% vaccination among players, coaches and other staff with field and clubhouse access. Six of the 30 teams did not reach 85% last year: Arizona, Boston, the Chicago Cubs, Kansas City, the New York Mets and Seattle.
Uniformed personnel “are not required to wear face coverings while on the field or in the dugouts and bullpens,” the protocols state. The same applies to “team charters, trains, buses, etc.”
Senate Passes Resolution That Would Undo Extension of Transit Mask Rule
The Senate passed a resolution Tuesday that would undo the extended federal regulation requiring masks on planes, trains, subways and other modes of public transportation.
The Senate approved the measure in a 57-40 vote, with eight Democrats joining Republicans to pass the resolution. Mitt Romney of Utah was the only GOP senator to oppose the measure.
It now heads to the House, where it’s unclear whether Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will allow a vote.
TSA Has Investigated 3,800 Mask-Related Incidents, Issued $644,000 in Fines
The Transportation Security Administration has investigated more than 3,800 incidents of potential violations involving the federal mask mandate, assessing more than $644,000 in civil penalties, according to a report this week by the Government Accountability Office.
The TSA, charged with enforcing the mandate in airports and other public transportation settings, has issued more than 2,700 warning notices, the report said. It issued civil penalties in about 900 instances, roughly 24% of cases that occurred between Feb. 2, 2021, and March 7, 2022.
The average civil fine for violators was $699, the report said.
Unvaccinated Americans Can Now Travel to France Without Seeking Special Permission
France has moved the United States to a lower-risk category in its international travel restrictions, making entry significantly easier for Americans who are not fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The change outlines testing requirements for travelers who do not have a complete series of coronavirus shots. Previously, when the United States was at an “orange level,” visitors in that category had to obtain approval after submitting “a compelling reason justifying the need for them to come to mainland France.” They were also subject to random testing on arrival.
Unvaccinated travelers will need to show a negative result from a PCR or antigen test taken before departure, or a past positive test as documentation of recovery from the coronavirus. Children under 12 are exempt from those rules.
Djokovic, Russian Players Expected to Compete at French Open
Novak Djokovic will be allowed to play at the French Open even if he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 as long as the coronavirus situation in France remains stable, organizers said Wednesday.
Russian tennis players, including top-ranked Daniil Medvedev, will also be admitted to play in the tournament but as neutral athletes because of the war started by their country in neighboring Ukraine.
Organizers said there is nothing at the moment preventing Djokovic from defending his title at the clay-court Grand Slam. France this week lifted measures requiring the need to wear face masks in most settings and allowing people who aren’t vaccinated back into restaurants, sports arenas and other venues.
Anti-COVID Vaccine Mandate Bishop in Puerto Rico Relieved of Leadership by Vatican
Puerto Rican Catholic Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres was relieved of authority in his dioceses Wednesday, reportedly due to his pastoral opposition to COVID-19 vaccination mandates.
Torres, bishop of the Diocese of Arecibo, was officially relieved of his duties in an early Wednesday statement from the Vatican. The removal of a bishop against his will is an exceptionally rare scenario.
Many have pointed to the bishop’s vocal opposition to vaccine mandates as a possible motive, though the issue remains murky behind the characteristic veil of Catholic politics.
Torres notably declined last year to sign onto a decree issued by the other Puerto Rican bishops advocating for the separation of vaccinated and unvaccinated parishioners during service.
COVID: Hong Kong Gov’t Introduces Bill to Allow Employers to Sack Staff Who Refuse to Get Vaccinated
Hong Kong Free Press reported:
Employers may be allowed to fire workers who refuse to receive a COVID-19 vaccination without reasonable excuses, as the government tabled amendments to the employment bill to the Legislative Council (LegCo) on Wednesday.
If passed, the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2022 will also ban employers from firing or changing employment terms for employees unable to attend work while under quarantine or lockdown.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said in an online LegCo meeting that the amendments were not “requiring or encouraging” bosses to fire workers who could not meet vaccination requirements.
The proposed bill also made exemptions on the vaccination requirement for pregnant or breastfeeding women, and for people who received valid medical exemption proof.
Instagram Releases Tools for Parents to Track Teens’ Activity
Instagram on Wednesday morning launched a “Family Center” with supervisory tools for parents to track their children’s time and activity on the platform. In the new Family Center, parents will be able to view how much time their teens spend on Instagram and set time limits.
They will also be able to monitor their teen’s use on the platform, including being able to view and receive updates on what accounts their teens follow and the accounts that follow their teens. Instagram will also let parents set notifications for when their teens share they’ve reported someone.
The rollout of the Instagram Family Center follows months of increased scrutiny over the impact of the platform on kids’ safety and mental health, sparked by the release of internal research by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
Meta also announced parental supervision tools for its virtual reality (VR) services on Quest which will be introduced in the next couple of months. Meta will allow parents to prevent teens from accessing features they feel aren’t age-appropriate by using an “Unlock Pattern” on the Quest headset to automatically lock access to those apps.
‘They Cannot Be Trusted’: Lawmakers Slam Facebook Over Sale of Deadly Children’s Products
Despite repeated warnings that Facebook Marketplace allows the sale of recalled products that have killed children, the platform’s parent company, Meta, has still failed to prevent such items from being available on its site. Now, members of Congress are demanding the company do more, writing to Meta last week that its “continued failure” to block the sale of recalled items is a “remarkable dereliction of duty by your company on behalf of your users.”
Similar letters members of Congress sent in 2019 and 2020 failed to spark significant action by the social media giant. In addition, pressure from safety advocates, grieving families, federal regulators and a USA TODAY investigation have not led to meaningful changes to how Facebook addresses the danger.
A USA TODAY investigation last year found deadly recalled children’s products regularly change hands through Facebook Marketplace despite available remedies such as photo or text recognition technology.