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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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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
‘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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
How US Government Could Ban TikTok
Chinese-owned TikTok has made headlines over the past few weeks as bipartisan support grows to ban the popular app. A bipartisan, bicameral trio of lawmakers introduced legislation Dec. 13 aimed at banning TikTok nationwide. The next day, the Senate unanimously passed another bill that would ban the app on government devices. Brendan Carr, a Republican…Samantha Aschieris -
Celebrate Elon Musk, but Don’t Lose Sight of Big Tech’s Structural Problems
The story of Elon Musk’s acquisition, transformation, and public rehabilitation of Twitter is nothing short of remarkable. Here is that rarest of confluences: A right-leaning (or at least right-sympathetic) mega-billionaire privately acquires a disproportionately influential public company out of genuine public-spiritedness, perhaps even a hint of noblesse oblige, and an earnest commitment to preserving open…Josh Hammer -
Here’s Why TikTok’s Days in America May Be Winding Down
Congressional lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation Tuesday aimed at banning the social media app TikTok nationwide. “TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news,” Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., said in a press release. “It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to…Samantha Aschieris -
3 Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ban TikTok Nationwide
A bipartisan trio of lawmakers on Tuesday introduced legislation aimed at banning TikTok nationwide. "TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news. It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party—America’s foremost adversary," Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.,…Samantha Aschieris -
Arizona GOP Seeks Investigation of Katie Hobbs for Pushing Twitter Censorship
Two days after the Arizona Republican Party requested an investigation, the state’s GOP attorney general isn’t saying whether his office will look into specific actions of Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs, a Democrat. Hobbs, Arizona’s outgoing secretary of state, flagged certain tweets last year in her official capacity that Twitter then removed. Her interaction with Twitter was…Fred Lucas -
‘Twitter Files’: Why They Matter and What’s Next for Elon Musk
Elon Musk released bombshell news on Friday night over Twitter’s censorship of The New York Post’s October 2020 article about Hunter Biden. Musk linked to a thread of tweets, being called “The Twitter Files,” curated by independent journalist Matt Taibbi on his Twitter account, writing “Here we go!!” with two popcorn emojis. Taibbi’s thread revealed…Virginia Allen -
Elon Musk Should Tell EU Censors to Get Lost
If Elon Musk truly believes that Twitter is a front in the “battle for the future of civilization,” he has a chance to prove it. The Biden administration has already threatened to investigate Musk on multiple occasions, which isn’t surprising considering its unprecedented antagonizing about free expression. Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts…David Harsanyi