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Techdirt Podcast Episode 316: Predicting The Future

3 years 1 month ago
Recently, Mike joined Jason Feifer on the Build for Tomorrow podcast for a discussion about predicting the future — and specifically about a prediction that Mike got very wrong. The episode includes interviews with several other guests on the subject, and we’re featuring the whole thing this week on the Techdirt Podcast. Follow the Techdirt […]
Leigh Beadon

Law Prof Suggests Geofence Warrants Are A Net Gain For The Public, Even If They Invert The Probable Cause Standard

3 years 1 month ago
On March 9th, we covered a Virginia court’s decision to reject a geofence/”reverse” warrant as unconstitutional. This was brought to our attention by FourthAmendment.com. Roughly a month later, it’s suddenly news. The belated coverage — most of which is simply a reprint of an Associated Press report — is kind of terrible. So is the […]
Tim Cushing

Florida Has Already Wasted Over $700k Of Taxpayer Funds Defending Its Unconstitutional Content Moderation Bill

3 years 1 month ago
We’ve already talked about how Georgia looks to be moving forward with its clearly unconstitutional content moderation bill. Back when Florida signed its content moderation bill into law (which actually put in a few things to pretend to appear more constitutional, unlike Georgia’s…), we noted that the state was going to waste a ton of […]
Mike Masnick

Daily Deal: Learn The Basics Of Coding And Technology

3 years 1 month ago
Given the ever-changing landscape of technology, it is important to stay abreast with modern innovations in this space. This course explores fundamental technologies used in modern business and society. The aim is to equip students with knowledge in current technology trends while introducing them to the basics of front-end web development using a practical approach. […]
Daily Deal

Rep. Ken Buck Threatens To Use Antitrust To Attack ‘Woke’ Apple

3 years 1 month ago
We’ve noted for a while that DC, and particularly the GOP’s, interest in “antitrust reform” is somewhat hollow. For one, while the United States is rife with heavily monopolized business sectors (insurance, health care, telecom, banking, airlines), this recent batch of “reform” only specifically targets large technology companies. It’s as if these other sectors (most […]
Karl Bode

Top Court In Massachusetts Says Cops Unconstitutionally Obtained Cell Tower Dumps In Homicide Case

3 years 1 month ago
The courts in Massachusetts continue to set the standard for privacy protections. They have handed down several rulings that have expanded residents’ reasonable expectations beyond the baseline set by the Fourth Amendment and federal court rulings. The courts in the state erected a warrant requirement for cell site location data four years ahead of the […]
Tim Cushing

Notorious Human Rights Abuser Is One Of NSO Group’s Main Investors

3 years 1 month ago
It’s more difficult to choose your investors than your customers. Maybe this isn’t entirely NSO’s fault, but it certainly helped make it easier to sell powerful zero-click exploits to the governments most likely to abuse them. Here’s Kaye Wiggins and Mehul Srivastava for the Financial Times. An Abu Dhabi state-owned investment company has been an […]
Tim Cushing

Assholes Are Now Forging ‘Emergency Data Requests’ To Talk Tech Companies Out Of User Data

3 years 1 month ago
Never underestimate the ability of the baddies to exploit the good nature inherent to most people. That’s the takeaway from this latest depressing news that malicious people are abusing law enforcement tools to harvest personal information to exploit. Here’s William Turton, delivering the most recent bit of bad news for everyone everywhere. Apple Inc. and Meta […]
Tim Cushing

Daily Deal: The Complete 2022 Java Coder Bundle

3 years 1 month ago
The Complete 2022 Java Coder Bundle has 9 courses to help you kick-start your Java learning, providing you with the key concepts necessary to write code. You’ll learn about Java, Oracle, Apache Maven, and more. From applying the core concepts of object-oriented programming to writing common algorithms, you’ll foster real, employable skills as you make your way […]
Daily Deal

New Jersey Town Sues 82-Year-Old Woman For Exercising Her Rights

3 years 1 month ago
It’s your right to request records from public agencies. That fact cannot be disputed. The Freedom of Information Act guarantees it in regards to federal agencies and every state has their own laws that guarantee access to public records. The town of Irvington, New Jersey apparently believes it only has to do so much when […]
Tim Cushing

Funniest/Most Insightful Comments Of The Week At Techdirt

3 years 1 month ago
This week, our first place winner on the insightful side is an anonymous comment on our post about why moderating content does more to support free speech: People want different content, gaming or tech forums host tech or gaming duscussions or comments,for example if you post weird extremist content or political content it will be […]
Leigh Beadon

Game Jam Winner Spotlight: Mr. Top Hat Doesn’t Give A Damn!

3 years 1 month ago
We’re now past the halfway point in our series of posts about the winners of the fourth annual public domain game jam, Gaming Like It’s 1926. So far, we’ve looked at The Wall Across The River, The Obstruction Method, and Dreaming The Cave. Today, the spotlight falls on the winner of Best Visuals: Mr. Top […]
Leigh Beadon

Yes, It’s Difficult To Change Cop Culture, But Let’s Not Pretend It’s Too Expensive Or Impossible To Achieve Quickly

3 years 1 month ago
The US Department of Justice has entered into many consent decrees with many, many abusive law enforcement agencies. These decrees have the force of law, supported by court orders. They’re contractual obligations with the federal government — agreements that swear local agencies will comply with directives and do their part to respect not only the […]
Tim Cushing

FCC Inaction On Media Consolidation Continues On Anniversary Of Prometheus Ruling

3 years 1 month ago
One year ago today, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in FCC v. Prometheus Radio Project. The decision provided a reset to a seventeen year long legal dispute over the FCC’s media ownership rules that had its inception in the Third Circuit in 2004. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act included substantial revisions to the […]
Christopher Terry

Judge Says Mayor, Town Can’t Escape 1st Amendment Retaliation Suit Involving 62 Tickets Over Lawn Furniture

3 years 1 month ago
The problem with electing abusive assholes is you may not know they’re abusive assholes until after you’ve elected them. Then you have a problem on your hands, at least until the next election cycle. Until then, rights get violated and people get victimized. And while these abusive officials spend tax dollars getting “I didn’t choose […]
Tim Cushing