Welcome to the Tuesday edition of Internet Insider, where we dive into the latest internet rights and big tech news unfolding online.
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Curated by: Andrew Wyrich, deputy tech editor
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TODAY’S TOP STORIES
Congress barrels forward with EARN IT Act, determined to end encrypted messaging online
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance the highly controversial EARN IT Act despite it facing widespread criticism. Critics warn the bill vastly expand the liability risk of hosting user-generated content and destroy end-to-end encryption.
Gigi Sohn calls Republican accusations against her a big telecom-led effort to keep the FCC deadlocked
Gigi Sohn, the long-time public interest advocate who was nominated to be the fifth commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), defended herself against the “false” attacks that have been lobbed at her over the past several weeks
Democrats warn that feds using Clearview AI facial recognition could ‘eliminate public anonymity’
A group of Democrats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives are urging several federal agencies to stop using the facial recognition software by Clearview AI.
MUST-READS
GiveSendGo, the donation service being used by the Canadian trucker protest known as the “Freedom Convoy,” is still leaking sensitive user data despite allegedly fixing the issue earlier this week.
Melania Trump is making Parler her new “social media home,” raising questions on whether she’ll join her husband’s yet-to-be-launched platform Truth Social.
The CIA may have been snooping on more Americans than it let on.
Keep a virtual eye on your kids, even when you’re far away.*
The agency has formed a task force to create rules to combat digital discrimination and digital redlining.
*The Daily Dot may receive a commission in connection with purchases of products or services featured here.
SPONSORED
At-home date ideas that are better than Netflix ‘n chill
Valentine’s Day may be over, but some of us aren’t quite off the hook this week. If you’re looking for new fun ideas to celebrate your love, a great at-home date can turn a drab night into the ultimate date night—as long as the red ‘N’ doesn’t come across the TV screen. Whisk your significant other away on a romantic indoor adventure with these fun at-home date ideas.
INTERNET RIGHTS
A new bill might force data brokers to delete everything they have on you
A newly introduced data privacy bill wants to make it easier for you to delete all the information data brokers have collected about you.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers from both chambers of Congress introduced the “Data Elimination and Limiting Extensive Tracing and Exchange Act,” or DELETE Act on Thursday.
Specifically, the bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create an online dashboard where Americans could submit a one-time request that all data brokers delete information that’s been collected about them.
It would also create a “Do Not Track List,” similar to the “Do Not Call List” for robocalls. The bill notes that data brokers would be prohibited from collecting or retaining personal information on anyone who has submitted a data deletion request.
“Data brokers are buying, collecting, and reselling vast amounts of personal information about all of us without our consent. This bipartisan bill is about returning control of our personal data to us, the American people,” Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement.
Click here to read more.
—Andrew Wyrich
ONE GOOD THING
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel hyped up a recently proposed plan to give people living in multi-tenant buildings more choice for their broadband providers.
It would crack down on what are essentially broadband monopolies made through agreements between landlords and internet service providers (ISPs).
Now Playing: “America (You’re Freaking Me Out)” by The Menzingers