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Big Tech Could Be Forced to Give Up Algorithms Alongside Data and Money in Data Abuse Cases, FTC Official Says
Big Tech companies such as Facebook and Google could be forced to give up proprietary algorithms, at the heart of their business, if they abuse privacy to gather user data, a top official at the Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday.
The chief technologist at the trade commission, Erie Meyer, said at a privacy conference on Tuesday that tech companies that gather user data illegally could face traditional penalties, such as paying fines and disclosure of data, but also could be forced to give up “algorithms that were juiced by ill-gotten data.”
Biden Expected to Announce Vaccine Mandates for All Federal Employees After DOJ Declares Mandates Legal
After Justice Department officials on Monday said federal law doesn’t prohibit mandating COVID vaccines, President Biden on Tuesday signaled he may require all federal employees to get the vaccine, or undergo repeated testing for the virus.
White House officials said Biden is considering requiring all civilian federal employees to be vaccinated or be forced to submit to regular testing, social distancing, mask requirements and restrictions on most travel.
University of California Vaccine Mandate Violates Students’ Civil Rights, Lawsuit Says
America’s Frontline Doctors reported:
With supporting declarations from top medical experts and students, America’s Frontline Doctors (AFLDS) on Monday filed a civil rights lawsuit in Federal Court against the University of California (UC), targeting the university system’s plan to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for all students regardless of natural immunity.
AFLDS, students and even the UC’s own top doctors, are criticizing the rushed mandate as arbitrary, unscientific, not medically necessary.
So Now Students Need a Vaccine Passport to Attend University? Stop Patronising Young People
This allegedly Conservative government has been patronising young people with the threat of coercive vaccine passports for over a week. Though I was open to vaccine passports at first, it’s now clear to me that this government is using them to target and mistreat young people. Again.
Since the beginning of this pandemic young people have been let down by the government. I personally lost about half of my university experience to lockdown and this pandemic. It’s ludicrous that students, who have sacrificed their teens and early 20s for this government’s COVID strategy, might now be locked out of lecture theatres. Has our education not suffered enough?
Washington Post to Mandate COVID Vaccinations for Reporters and Staff
All Washington Post employees will be required to present proof of full COVID-19 vaccination by mid-September as a condition of employment, with exceptions for medical and religious concerns, Publisher Fred Ryan announced on Tuesday in a memo to staff.
These Cities Are Reviving Mask Mandates With New CDC Guidance, Delta Surge
Following updated mask guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as a surge of COVID-19 Delta variant cases, several cities and counties across the nation have revived mask mandates.
One of the most recent cities to reinstate a mask mandate is Kansas City, Missouri. In a tweet on Tuesday evening, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas wrote, “I have stuck with CDC guidance throughout the pandemic and today is no different. I will return Kansas City to a mask mandate indoors based upon national and regional health guidance and discussion with other Kansas City leaders. I will provide further details in the morning.”
Google, Apple and Microsoft Report Record-Breaking Profits
Google, Apple and Microsoft reported record-breaking quarterly sales and profits on Tuesday night as the firms continue to benefit from a pandemic that has created a “perfect positive storm” for big tech.
Apple made a $21.7bn (£15.6bn) profit for the three-month period that ended in June, its best fiscal third quarter in its 45-year history, boosted by strong sales of the iPhone 12 and growth in its services business.
IOS 15: Apple Could Use Selfies to Validate Your ID Cards in Updated Wallet App
IOS 15 is officially on the way, with a bunch of new features including an update to the Wallet app that lets you carry digital versions of government issued ID cards like your drivers license on your iPhone. We don’t know much about the update right now, but according to code uncovered by 9to5Mac in the latest version of iOS 15 for developers, Apple could be using facial recognition selfies to validate your digital ID cards when adding them to your wallet.
3 Downsides to Those QR Codes You’re Seeing Everywhere
From restaurant menus to the Olympics, QR codes are showing up everywhere. The handy “quick response” barcodes can pull up a menu, a payment system, or any number of websites and widgets on your smartphone. While they’ve been around since 1994, the pandemic prompted more businesses to adopt QR codes — first as a safety precaution but now in other ways, such as for personalizing orders or tracking customer information.
But as with any new advancement in technology, QR codes come with some downsides. Here’s what you need to know if you use the barcodes in your business.
DeSantis Blasts CDC for K-12 Mask Recommendation: ‘It Isn’t Based in Science’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office sharply rebuked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for urging that all children, regardless of vaccination status, be required to wear masks when school returns in the fall.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Tuesday cited an increase in COVID-19 cases from the delta variant for the changes, which also recommend some vaccinated individuals to resume wearing masks in certain situations to protect against COVID-19. “It isn’t based in science. There is no indication that areas with mask mandates have performed any better than areas without mask mandates. In fact, this policy could actually backfire,” DeSantis press secretary Christina Pushaw told Fox News.
UK Opens Doors to Fully Vaccinated U.S. and EU Visitors, No Quarantine Required
U.S. and European Union residents who have been fully vaccinated will be able to visit the UK without quarantining beginning Monday, Britain’s top transportation official said Wednesday, opening up a key transportation route for business and tourism even as coronavirus cases remain high across all three regions.
