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
James Damore: ‘Certain Dogmas You Can’t Dissent Against at Google’
Google officials did not tell him what was incorrect in his research-based observations about men and women before firing him, software engineer James Damore said in an interview Monday night on Fox News Channel. Instead, Damore told Tucker Carlson, colleagues tried to “shame” him amid “huge, emotional outrage” rather than discuss the 10-page memo he… -
opinion
Google Employee Goes to the Chopping Block for Sharing Politically Incorrect Memo
Silicon Valley prides itself on diversity, tolerance, and an adherence to science-based politics. But woe to you if you work for one of the booming tech corridor’s top companies and profess anything other than region’s narrowly constructed political ideology. At least, that’s the message Google sent its employees after firing a top programmer for challenging… -
opinion
Why Did Google Freak Out and Fire an Employee for Spurring ‘Honest Discussion’?
The tolerance police at Google just struck another blow against increasing diversity in Silicon Valley by firing an employee who wrote a memo critiquing the company’s politically correct culture. Now, let’s be clear: While the Google software engineer who authored the memo had the right to say and write what he did—it’s called free speech—Google… -
news
Female Leaders Say Google ‘Intolerant’ in Firing Engineer for Memo on Gender Differences
Women in leadership roles are among those expressing disappointment that tech giant Google fired a senior software engineer for writing and distributing a memo ruminating on evidence that men and women are different. Heather Mac Donald, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute and contributing editor to City Journal, told The Daily Signal in an email… -
news
Why Google Wants to Help Law Enforcement Access Personal Data on the Internet
The challenges of the digital age warrant an updated international legal framework for governments to access important data, Google’s top lawyer argues. Democratic governments and communications companies should work together to simplify data access processes while protecting privacy rights on the internet, Kent Walker said in a speech at The Heritage Foundation. Walker, senior vice… -
opinion
Ukraine Was Hit by a Massive Cyberattack. Why the US Must Keep Up Support for This Key Ally.
Large-scale cyberattacks against Ukraine on Tuesday reportedly hit government ministries, including the Cabinet of Ministers, several banks, a state power distributor, the Ukrainian postal service, a state-run aircraft manufacturer, and Boryspil airport in Kyiv, among other targets. The cyberattacks have also affected companies outside of Ukraine, including an advertising firm in the United Kingdom; Maersk,… -
opinion
The European Commission Just Fined Google $2.7 Billion. Such Foreign Antitrust Attacks Threaten US Innovation and Prosperity.
On June 27, the European Commission—Europe’s antitrust enforcer—fined Google over $2.7 billion for a supposed violation of European antitrust law that bestowed benefits, not harm, on consumers. And that’s just for starters. The commission is vigorously pursuing other antitrust investigations of Google that could lead to the imposition of billions of dollars in additional fines… -
opinion
How New Social Media Background Checks Could Enhance Homeland Security
Terrorist travel just got a little bit harder, as selected visa applicants are now being asked to turn over their social media information to State Department officials. While this new process is only expected to impact 0.5 percent, or 65,000 of the 13 million annual visa applications to the U.S., it still presents questions of… -
news
As Russia Uses Cyberattacks, Ukraine Bans Some Social Media Sites
KYIV, Ukraine—Citing Russian cyberattacks as a national security threat, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree on Tuesday banning several popular Russian social media sites, as well as other Russian websites and news outlets, for three years. The move was part of a comprehensive cyber sanctions package against Moscow, which included a ban on VKontakte,… -
opinion
As World Reels From Cyberattack, Trump Executive Order Could Help Counter Threats
A new executive order from the White House could help the U.S. defend against future cyberattacks, much like the one currently affecting 150 countries. President Donald Trump signed the order Thursday after a series of delays, but it was ultimately overshadowed by the worldwide ransomware attack that hit thousands of computers across the globe. The… -
opinion
A Massive Cyberattack Has Hit Over 150 Countries. Here’s How to Protect Your Computer.
A cyberattack is currently hitting countries from Great Britain to Russia, affecting hospitals, businesses, and home computers. The attack, also known as WannaCry, has reportedly affected over 200,000 businesses across 150 countries since initially being reported on Friday. In Great Britain alone, 16 National Health Service hospitals were hit. The number of those affected is likely… -
news
Google Asked to Label Anti-Fracking Websites as ‘Fake News’
An oil and gas drilling advocacy group published an open letter to Google asking the search engine giant to consider “purging or demoting” websites spreading misinformation about hydraulic fracturing. Google rewrote its search engine algorithm to bury “fake news” websites in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Now the industry-funded Texans for Natural Gas… -
news
Trump: ‘No One Should Be Censoring Sermons or Targeting Pastors’
President Donald Trump asked two nuns with the Little Sisters of the Poor to join him in front of a Rose Garden audience Thursday before he signed an executive order easing enforcement of Obamacare regulations forcing religious organizations to pay for employee health plans covering contraception and abortion-inducing drugs. “Freedom is not a gift from government…. -
news
Senator Explains Why the Susan Rice Surveillance Allegations Are a Big Deal
Hearings are being planned to find out more about whether Obama political officials obtained intelligence to use against President Donald Trump’s associates during the campaign. News reports recently alleged President Barack Obama’s national security adviser, Susan Rice, asked to see names of U.S. citizens captured incidentally in surveillance—names normally “masked” for privacy reasons. I recently… -
opinion
By Choosing Trump Hater as Dinner Speaker, Mainstream Media Embraces ‘Opposition Party’ Status
Apparently the mainstream media doesn’t have a problem being seen as the “opposition party” to President Donald Trump, to use the phrase of Trump adviser Stephen Bannon. On Tuesday, the White House Correspondents’ Association announced that the comedian to be featured at the group’s fundraising dinner—the biggest annual event for D.C. political journalists—is Hasan Minhaj…. -
opinion
The Myth of an Unbiased Mainstream Media
The attention on The Daily Signal’s Fred Lucas’ role as occasional White House pool reporter has made one thing very clear: For many, the illusion still remains that the mainstream media is unbiased. “It’s concerning that news organizations with a clear and stated bias are serving as the eyes and ears of the White House… -
news
Alleged Surveillance of Trump Team Fuels Debate Over Government Spying
The chairman of the House intelligence committee surprised colleagues by saying he has evidence suggesting intelligence agencies may have misused and spread information legally obtained through surveillance of President Donald Trump or those close to him as they communicated with foreigners after the election. The disclosure Wednesday fed a debate over the government’s surveillance powers… -
news
Who Knew What About Trump Surveillance? New Details Raise More Questions
The chairman of the House intelligence panel acknowledged Wednesday that President Donald Trump and members of his team were likely under surveillance, at least incidentally, between Election Day and the presidential inauguration. Rep. Devin Nunes, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, also refused to rule out the involvement of senior Obama administration… -
news
Sharyl Attkisson on Trump Surveillance Claims: ‘I Don’t Think It’s Outside Realm of Possibility’
Veteran investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson said Thursday it’s possible President Donald Trump is right about government surveillance. “I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility, especially considering The New York Times and USA Today reported that there was wiretapping going on of some of his top people,” Attkisson told “Fox & Friends.” Attkisson, who… -
news
Trump Surveillance Allegation Could Trace to Reported Court Order
There isn’t yet a paper trail, but there is a potential press trail to follow on President Donald Trump’s claim of surveillance by the Obama administration. Still, there’s a question about whether this action was illegal and whether the former president directed it—as Trump asserted in a series of tweets Saturday. “President Trump is onto…