Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation
by Cindy Cohn & Betty Gedlu
“For years, EFF has pushed technology companies to make real human rights commitments—and to live up to them. In response to growing evidence that Palantir’s tools help power abusive immigration enforcement by ICE, we sent the company a detailed letter asking how the promises in its own human rights framework extends to that work. This post explains what we asked, how Palantir responded, and why we believe those responses fall short.” (04/20/26)
“Satirical news website The Onion announced Monday what might seem to many like one of the media outlet’s signature jokes: it’s in the final stages of an agreement to take over Infowars, the far-right website founded by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. But The Onion — for once — was dead serious. The new deal would see The Onion’s parent company pay an $81,000 monthly licensing fee to Gregory Milligan, the court-appointed bankruptcy manager for the website. It’s a Hail Mary bid by the farcical publication after a judge blocked its initial plan to acquire Infowars in 2024 during a bankruptcy auction. The Onion had offered $1.75 million for Infowars’ assets — hoping to relaunch the site as a parody of itself — during a bankruptcy auction and was declared the winning bidder, but Jones was able to block the acquisition by arguing before the court that the bidding process was tainted by illegal collusion.” (04/20/26)
“In recent weeks, a growing number of Democrats and progressives have called on federal officials to invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove President Donald Trump from office. Even some of Trump’s most stalwart onetime allies are joining in. While it may feel good to wishcast about booting Trump from the presidency, the 25th Amendment is perhaps the most unlikely strategy possible.” (04/20/26)
“Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports, clearing the way for it to sell weapons to more than a dozen countries. The announcement on Tuesday marks a milestone in Tokyo’s shift away from the pacifism that has characterised its post-war defence policy. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region. Restrictions that limit arms exports to just five categories — rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping — will be lifted. This means Japan can now sell lethal weapons to the 17 countries with which it has defence agreements, including the US and the UK. … Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said in a press briefing that the move was ‘intended to safeguard Japan’s security and further contribute to the peace and stability of the region.'” (04/21/26)
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by James Bovard
“Presidents perennially claim that they possess their power thanks to ‘the consent of the governed.’ This phrase, a signature line of the Declaration of Independence, has echoed in official declarations ever since Jefferson’s time. President Harry Truman assured Congress in 1952, ‘No government can be invested with a higher dignity and greater worth than one based upon the principle of consent.’ But this has long since been a charade. As the federal government has become far larger and more heavy-handed, it is ever more important to persuade people that they consented to their oppression. But political consent is gauged very differently than consent in other areas of life.” (04/20/26)
“President Trump said Monday he’ll use a Cold War-era national security law to try and bolster domestic production of motor fuels and electricity. His use of the Defense Production Act comes amid high gasoline prices during the Iran war, and rising power costs. … The memos address petroleum production and refining, coal-fired power, natural gas pipelines and processing, and more. They invoke the 1950 law that gives presidents substantial powers to try to bolster private industrial production of materials and supply chains deemed vital to U.S. security.” [editor’s note: Trump and Biden both used the DPA during COVID as well. It doesn’t accomplish much, other than signaling to the serfs who claims to be in charge – TLK] (04/20/26)
“I might not win an argument explaining how San Jose’s public surveillance relates to the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution. But. … That amendment insists that people have a right ‘to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,’ and that governments may not search and seize property without a warrant ‘upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.’ … I’m biased: mass surveillance is Orwellian. Do we want our government keeping track of us that much? Especially as in San Jose, where not only can over a thousand police department employees scour the data sans any legal warrant, but the department also shares this resource with over 300 agencies across the state. Creepy. That’s the word for it.” (04/20/26)
“China’s President Xi Jinping on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Iran War and said the Strait of Hormuz should be reopened for shipping traffic, in his first public remarks calling for the critical waterway to be opened just weeks before he is set to host President Donald Trump in Beijing. Xi’s remarks were included in a readout of a call between him and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, released by Chinese State media. Xi said the strait should ‘remain open for normal passage,’ without singling out either Iran or the U.S. blockade. The Chinese leader also added that his country wants an ‘immediate and comprehensive ceasefire’ and is willing to support all diplomatic efforts to restore peace.” (04/21/26)
