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
Graham to Social Media Execs: ‘You Have Blood on Your Hands’
Sen. Lindsey Graham on Wednesday told Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other social media executives to their faces, “You have blood on your hands” and that their product “is killing people.” The CEOs of the largest social media companies testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee about online child exploitation. The CEOs in the committee hot…Fred Lucas -
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Americans Turn on TikTok: 54% Support Banning Social Media App
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—TikTok might be popular among America’s youth, but a majority of voters view it as a threat to the United States. An even higher percentage favor a federal ban of the social media platform. RMG Research, a polling firm led by Scott Rasmussen, shared its latest survey data exclusively with The…Robert B. Bluey -
- Opinion
‘Fog of War’ Intensified by AI and Social Media, Tech Policy Expert Says
As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, Jake Denton, research associate for The Heritage Foundation’s Tech Policy Center, breaks down the role of artificial intelligence in the conflict. “I think the one that everyone jumps to is the AI-generated content, deepfakes, things of that nature,” Denton says on this episode of “The Daily…Samantha Aschieris -
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EXCLUSIVE: As White House Pushed Facebook to Censor COVID-19 Vaccine Content, Facebook Employees Leaked to White House
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL: Facebook staffers were leaking to the White House as the tech company and the Biden administration battled over COVID-19 vaccine content and whether Facebook should be censoring it, according to emails obtained by The Daily Signal. In an April 18, 2021, email that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, produced…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
Popular Social Media Platform’s New AI Feature Gives ‘Advice’ to Kids About Gender Confusion
It’s attractive, easily accessible, and easily understood. It’s also nearly impossible to remove from this popular social media app. And it’s primed to deliver dangerous gender ideology narratives to vulnerable children. Meet Snapchat’s latest feature, which goes by the catchy name “My AI” (artificial intelligence). Snapchat is an instant messaging smartphone application that allows users…Madeline Narduzzi -
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‘Incredibly Irresponsible,’ Tech Expert Says of Whitmer’s TikTok Use After Michigan’s Ban
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is still using the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok despite a ban in her state for state-owned devices that went into effect on March 1. “It is banned for state devices,” Jayson Cavendish, Michigan’s acting chief security officer, said in an interview with the MLive media group. The ban applies to state-owned devices except…Samantha Aschieris -
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Google Tries to Discredit Study Showing Google News’ Left-Wing Bias
Google News heavily skewed in favor of left-leaning media outlets—both in the news articles featured on its homepage and in the search results for specific topics—in five of the days leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, according to an AllSides study Google criticized as "deeply flawed" in comments to The Daily Signal. "Imbalanced or…Tyler O’Neil -
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Federal Agencies Must Ban Chinese-Owned TikTok, White House Memo Says
Government agencies have less than a month to ban the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok from federal devices, according to an Office of Management and Budget memorandum issued Monday. OMB Director Shalanda Young issued the memorandum for executive departments and agency heads about implementation guidance for banning TikTok on government-issued devices, Reuters first reported. "The Consolidated…Samantha Aschieris -
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Libs of TikTok Creator’s New Book Aims to Protect Kids From ‘Predators’ Who Seek to ‘Sexualize Them, Confuse Them About Their Identity’
Libs of TikTok creator Chaya Raichik is set to release a children’s book aimed at protecting children from those who she says want to “sexualize them and confuse them about their identity.” “We need to be proactive in this fight. Instead of reacting to all the new ideas from bad actors who are talking to children, we need to…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
Supreme Court to Decide Future of Section 230 Protection for Social Media Platforms
Social media companies might have to make significant changes to their platforms, depending on the outcomes of two Supreme Court cases. This week, the justices hear arguments in two cases that involve a federal law referred to as Section 230, which protects social media platforms from being held liable for the content users post. The…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Rogue Censorship Regime Tries to Shut Down Conservative News Sites Using ‘Disinformation’ Label
There’s a movement brewing to shut down conservative websites that offer views and information contradicting left-wing orthodoxy. Investigative reporter Gabe Kaminsky did an excellent job of uncovering how activist organizations, some partnered with the State Department, work to blacklist and defund conservative media. His ongoing series at the Washington Examiner is worth reading and explains…Jarrett Stepman -
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‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’: Cybersecurity Expert Raises the Alarm About China’s Cyber Actors
FBI Director Christopher Wray is re-upping concerns over how “non-Chinese companies operating in China” are treated, specifically noting that “the Chinese government takes advantage of its laws and regulations to enable its stealing.” A Heritage Foundation expert highlighted these concerns, warning of China’s cyber actors as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Wray zeroed in on…Samantha Aschieris -
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House Republicans Subpoena Big Tech to Reveal How the Government ‘Coerced and Colluded’ With Them to Censor Speech
The House Judiciary Committee has subpoenaed five Big Tech executives to produce documents by late March about collusion with federal government agencies to suppress free speech. “To develop effective legislation, such as the possible enactment of new statutory limits on the Executive Branch’s ability to work with Big Tech to restrict the circulation of content…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
CNN Remains Unreliable Source on Conservatives Being Censored by Big Tech
In the Trump years, CNN oppressively promoted the conspiracy theory of Donald Trump’s “collusion” with the Russian government to get elected in 2016. So, it was heartbroken when Robert Mueller’s investigation ended with a negative verdict: “The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in…Tim Graham -
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Texas to Ban Use of Chinese-Owned TikTok by State Workers
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has announced that state agencies will ban the popular, Chinese-owned social media app TikTok on both state-issued and personal devices used by state employees. “The security risks associated with the use of TikTok on devices used to conduct the important business of our state must not be underestimated or ignored,” Abbott,…Samantha Aschieris -
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Big Tech Firm Temporarily Censors Former GOP Nominee for Minnesota’s Top Elections Office Over Election Integrity Post
LinkedIn initially removed a post from former Minnesota Republican Secretary of State nominee Kim Crockett regarding potential noncitizen voting in the state, claiming it was “misinformation.” But the social media site restored the post about an hour after an inquiry from The Daily Signal about the removal. The network notified Crockett that it removed the…Fred Lucas -
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Facebook’s Big Announcement on Trump’s Account Is ‘Encouraging,’ but There’s a Catch, Expert Says
Meta Platforms announced Wednesday that it would end the suspension of former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, but a Heritage Foundation expert warns that this move does not excuse the company’s “deliberate interference” in the 2020 presidential election and other races. “We will be ending the suspension of Mr. Trump’s Facebook and Instagram…Tyler O’Neil -
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EXCLUSIVE: Georgia Police Officer Resigns After Being Put on Leave for Facebook Post on Traditional Marriage
A Georgia police officer has resigned after he was told by superiors that he could not share his personal religious views on social media. “If someone somewhere considers an opinion I have—that isn't a direct quotation from Scripture—to be offensive, then that would be a fireable offense,” Jacob Kersey, the former officer, told The Daily…Virginia Allen -
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These 31 States Have Banned TikTok on Government-Issued Devices, Networks
31 states, led by Democrats and Republicans alike, have taken action to ban the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok on some or all state-issued devices and networks. 1. Nebraska Then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, a Republican, banned TikTok for state devices on Aug. 12, 2020, citing "security concerns," Fox Business reported. "The Chinese government has long engaged in…Samantha Aschieris -
- Opinion
Social Media Gave Me the Idea ‘I Could Be a Boy.’ Chloe Cole’s Journey Into and Out of Transgenderism.
“Social media introduced this idea that I could be a boy,” Chloe Cole says. Cole began telling her friends and family that she was a boy when she was 12 years old after she was introduced to gender-identity ideology through social media. She started taking testosterone and puberty blockers at 13 and had a double…Virginia Allen