IT & Technology News
Reporting on information technology, cybersecurity, and tech policy. The Daily Signal includes analysis, commentary, and opinion on technology’s impact.
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- News
Watch the 21 PragerU Videos That YouTube Is Censoring
YouTube is currently restricting 21 educational videos from PragerU, a conservative advocacy organization. According to YouTube, videos that are restricted contain vulgar language, violence and disturbing imagery, nudity and sexually suggestive content, and portrayal of harmful or dangerous activities. Videos that fit this description are not available to logged-out users, those who are under 18…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
Lawmakers Have a Plan to Stop IRS From Censoring the Free Speech of Pastors
In an effort to give faith communities and nonprofits a voice in the political sphere, two U.S. congressmen have introduced a bill that would expand the ability of these institutions to comment on political matters. The Free Speech Fairness Act, co-sponsored by House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Jody Hice, R-Ga., gives churches…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
Watch Mike Lee Tell Americans to ‘Expect More’ of Congress in Facebook Live Manifesto
Hours after the Senate passed a stopgap spending measure to keep the federal government running, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, logged onto Facebook to record a video diatribe. The short story behind Lee’s 12-minute selfie-video on Facebook Live: The Utah Republican voted against the measure and is frustrated with the way Washington spends taxpayer dollars. Unable…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
Obama’s Radical Proposal Could Result in Censorship Online
This is a portion of remarks Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, delivered on the Senate floor on Thursday. The Obama administration’s proposal to give away control of the internet poses a significant threat to our freedom, and it’s one that many Americans don’t know about. It is scheduled to go into effect on Sept. 30, 2016….Ted Cruz -
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What the WikiLeaks Hack Exposes About Democrat Media Bias
Leaked emails seem to suggest that the Democratic National Committee maintains cozy relationships with mainstream media outlets but takes a more caustic approach with publications it believes to be conservative. According to these emails, party officials stonewalled and blacklisted the Washington Examiner when editors approached the party in May to gather the names of delegates to the Democratic National Convention for…Philip Wegmann -
- Opinion
This Government Agency’s Cover-Up May Have Hindered US Cybersecurity
The Chinese government may have hacked into computers at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on multiple occasions between 2010 and 2013, according to a congressional report. The report describes various instances of in which current or former FDIC employees inadvertently downloaded sensitive data to portable storage devices, which were later removed from the office. Rep. Lamar…Alton Martin -
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Facebook Says Its Integrity Depends on Being ‘a Platform for All Ideas’
Facebook is sharing publicly for the first time the core values that guide its news feed—the main source of news and information from your friends, family, and publications like The Daily Signal. The decision to disclose more information about the news feed comes a month after the social media giant faced accusations of anti-conservative bias….Robert B. Bluey -
- News
Facebook to Provide ‘Political Bias’ Training for Employees
Facebook is adding a training program for its employees to address concerns that the company has a bias against conservatives. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, announced the addition of a “political bias” section to the company’s managing unconscious bias class during a Wednesday event at the American Enterprise Institute. “We have a managing bias class…Robert B. Bluey -
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Why This Senator Is Asking Facebook Tough Questions
The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee defended his inquiry to Facebook over accusations of anti-conservative bias, telling The Daily Signal he simply wants to make sure consumers aren’t being misled by the social media giant. “We’re not interested in regulating any media platform out there. All we want to do is ensure that consumers…Leah Jessen -
- Opinion
Jim DeMint: Why I Met With Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg
This election season has made many Americans even more cynical about our democratic system of government. There is clearly political upheaval underway in America and around the world. This massive disturbance of the status quo has been fueled in large part by more people getting better, faster information from many sources on the internet. Previously,…Jim DeMint -
- Opinion
China’s Challenge to International Cybersecurity
Chinese activities in cyberspace regularly garner a great deal of attention. Chinese hackers have been accused of stealing millions of records from U.S. government databases, such as the Office of Personnel Management, as well as various corporations. Chinese leadership sees information as inextricably linked to not only the broader national interest, but also to regime…Dean Cheng -
- Opinion
Facebook’s War on Conservative News
Maybe we need to start talking about the consequences of living in Mark Zuckerberg’s America. It’s easy to see Facebook as the new town square. Friends, family, and acquaintances may live far apart, but on the Facebook news feed, the mixture of personal updates and news stories allow conversations and exchanges of viewpoints to continue,…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
Why You Can’t Google ‘Panama Papers’ in China
Typing the phrase “Panama Papers” into Baidu (China’s equivalent to Google) will yield the message “The search results may not meet the relevant regulations, and have not been displayed.” The millions of emails leaked last week by a Panamanian law firm revealed information on client investments in the country’s tax-haven investments, including those of high-ranking…William T. Wilson -
- Opinion
University of Michigan Students Call for Police to Censor Classmates’ Political Messages
The University of Michigan is one of our nation’s premier institutions of higher learning. Young people from all over the country move to Ann Arbor every year to obtain an education and to have their ideas challenged by exposure to fellow students from many walks of life. Or maybe not. Last Thursday afternoon, a number of…Andrew Kloster -
- Opinion
Why ISIS Has Threatened the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter
U.S. social media companies are taking steps to curb support for terrorist causes on their websites. According to news reports, both Facebook and Twitter have rooted out thousands of accounts that either advocate or display sympathy for terrorists—and as a result have reduced the groups’ effectiveness on the Internet. In response the Islamic State (also known…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Is Twitter Censoring Non-Politically Correct Viewpoints?
The folks running Twitter may be too young to have heard of George Orwell, or perhaps they simply do not care that their new advisory council sounds frighteningly Orwellian. Either way, the brand new “Twitter Trust and Safety Council” seems like a board ready to censor comments in deference to political correctness. It doesn’t help…Mike Gonzalez -
- Opinion
Why Cybersecurity Information Sharing Is a Positive Step for Online Security
President Obama signed recently into law a new federal spending bill that includes the latest edition of the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA). The Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act seeks to incentivize private companies and government agencies to exchange data on cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. The Heritage Foundation has recommended information sharing policies because they represent the…Evan McDermott -
- News
Top 5 Questions Americans Asked Google During State of the Union
Google was keeping tabs on your searches Tuesday night as President Barack Obama delivered his final State of the Union address. Here were the top five questions Americans asked bout Obama along with other interesting tidbits. Here's what Americans are asking @google about @POTUS since the start of the #SOTU: pic.twitter.com/BIkVbtFDDb — Google Civics (@GoogleCivics)…Robert B. Bluey -
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Eric Metaxas Explains Why a Secular, Liberal Culture Is Bad for America
Bestselling author and talk radio host Eric Metaxas calls religious freedom the core of America’s freedoms. In an interview with The Daily Signal, Metaxas addresses why a secular America is inconsistent with the Founders’ vision and how culture has far-reaching consequences in politics. We also discuss the role of undercover filmmaker David Daleiden and how his…Robert B. Bluey -
- Opinion
Report: EPA Broke Federal Law With ‘Covert Propaganda’ on Social Media
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) broke the law when pushing its controversial water rule, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). As Congress considers whether to include a provision in the omnibus appropriations bill to block funding for the water rule, this should make the issue a no-brainer. As if a rule that attempts to…Daren Bakst