Amelia Vance
@ameliaivance.bsky.social
Child & student privacy geek, founder of @pipcprivacy.bsky.social, teach privacy and data protection at William & Mary Law School. Mostly sharing news on privacy, tech, civil rights, & things that make me smile.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
SCOOP: The FTC has removed content critical of Amazon, Microsoft, and AI companies published during the Biden administration from its website.
FTC Removes Posts Critical of Amazon, Microsoft, and AI Companies
Business-guidance content published during the Biden administration has been removed from the Federal Trade Commission website.
wrd.cm
March 18, 2025 at 6:04 PM
SCOOP: The FTC has removed content critical of Amazon, Microsoft, and AI companies published during the Biden administration from its website.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
BREAKING: Judge Ana Reyes blocks Trump’s anti-trans military ban EO and the orders implementing it. She stays her order until 10a March 21 to allow the government to seek a stay from the DC Circuit. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
![Case 1:25-cv-00240-ACR Document 88
Filed 03/18/25 Page 1 of 3
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
NICOLAS TALBOTT, et al,
Plaintiffs,
v.
UNITED STATES, et al,
Defendants.
Civil Action No. 25-cv-00240 (ACR)
ORDER
For the reasons set forth in the accompanying Memorandum Opinion, the Court hereby:
GRANTS Plaintiffs' [72] Renewed Application for Preliminary Injunction; it further
ORDERS that Defendants Peter B. Hegseth, in his official capacity as Secretary of
Defense; the United States Department of the Army; Daniel P. Driscoll in his official capacity as
Secretary of the Army; the United States Department of the Navy; Terence G. Emmert in his
official capacity as Acting Secretary of the Navy; the United States Department of the Air Force;
Gary A. Ashworth in his official capacity as Acting Secretary of the Air Force; the Defense
Health Agency; Telita Crosland in her official capacity as Director of the Defense Health
Agency, are preliminarily enjoined, pending further order of this Court, from implementing
Executive Order No. 14183; as well as "Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military Excellence
and Readiness," Dkt. 63-1; and any other memorandums, guidance, policies, or actions issued
pursuant to Executive Order 14183 or the Additional Guidance on Prioritizing Military
Excellence and Readiness.
The effect of the Court's Order is to maintain the status quo of military policy regarding
transgender service that existed immediately before President Donald J. Trump issued Executive](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreibenjxwrefsixljwu7mvupgwc2x32dodanss27l4ymyem3g62shdq@jpeg)
March 18, 2025 at 11:13 PM
BREAKING: Judge Ana Reyes blocks Trump’s anti-trans military ban EO and the orders implementing it. She stays her order until 10a March 21 to allow the government to seek a stay from the DC Circuit. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Our university’s NIH CTSA (Clinical and Translational Science Award) was just cancelled for having some keywords that just mean it will serve ALL people in Utah. This funds research that moves discovery science into clinical therapies. This is literally the mandate of the NIH! 😰 🧪
March 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Our university’s NIH CTSA (Clinical and Translational Science Award) was just cancelled for having some keywords that just mean it will serve ALL people in Utah. This funds research that moves discovery science into clinical therapies. This is literally the mandate of the NIH! 😰 🧪
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Our incredible editorial team (@annahickey.bsky.social et al.) have been diligently tracking the lawsuits brought against the Trump administration.
The @lawfare.bsky.social litigation tracker now includes 125 cases and counting.
🫡 🫡 🫡
www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-ser...
The @lawfare.bsky.social litigation tracker now includes 125 cases and counting.
🫡 🫡 🫡
www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-ser...
March 19, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Our incredible editorial team (@annahickey.bsky.social et al.) have been diligently tracking the lawsuits brought against the Trump administration.
The @lawfare.bsky.social litigation tracker now includes 125 cases and counting.
🫡 🫡 🫡
www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-ser...
The @lawfare.bsky.social litigation tracker now includes 125 cases and counting.
🫡 🫡 🫡
www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-ser...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Science friends!
Many of you, alarmed by grant funding cuts that make expensive field ecology research difficult or impossible, have been thinking about what to do instead. Great idea.
Some of you have been saying "I'll just do some social science surveys," without learning how. Bad idea! 🧵🧪
Many of you, alarmed by grant funding cuts that make expensive field ecology research difficult or impossible, have been thinking about what to do instead. Great idea.
Some of you have been saying "I'll just do some social science surveys," without learning how. Bad idea! 🧵🧪
March 18, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Science friends!
Many of you, alarmed by grant funding cuts that make expensive field ecology research difficult or impossible, have been thinking about what to do instead. Great idea.
Some of you have been saying "I'll just do some social science surveys," without learning how. Bad idea! 🧵🧪
Many of you, alarmed by grant funding cuts that make expensive field ecology research difficult or impossible, have been thinking about what to do instead. Great idea.
Some of you have been saying "I'll just do some social science surveys," without learning how. Bad idea! 🧵🧪
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Scientists that partner with the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute received new instructions that eliminate mention of “AI safety,” “responsible AI,” and “AI fairness” in the skills it expects of members @willknight.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/ai-saf...
Under Trump, AI Scientists Are Told to Remove ‘Ideological Bias’ From Powerful Models
A directive from the National Institute of Standards and Technology eliminates mention of “AI safety” and “AI fairness.”
www.wired.com
March 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Scientists that partner with the US Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute received new instructions that eliminate mention of “AI safety,” “responsible AI,” and “AI fairness” in the skills it expects of members @willknight.bsky.social www.wired.com/story/ai-saf...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
The Trump administration has announced the federal government will no longer unequivocally prohibit contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains.
Trump administration ends "segregated facilities" ban in federal contracts
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 still outlaws segregation in business, but the move is symbolic.
www.axios.com
March 19, 2025 at 1:19 AM
The Trump administration has announced the federal government will no longer unequivocally prohibit contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Says author: “I’ll walk you through what Amazon is changing and help you evaluate how to live with an Alexa device without losing complete control of your privacy.”
Ambitious effort
But WHY?
Why live with an alexa? It’s a #privacy disaster. Full stop
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Ambitious effort
But WHY?
Why live with an alexa? It’s a #privacy disaster. Full stop
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Alexa is getting creepier. Take this one step to improve your privacy.
Amazon is ditching an option to opt out of sending Alexa voice commands to the company. It highlights the growing hunger for our personal data in the AI age.
www.washingtonpost.com
March 19, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Says author: “I’ll walk you through what Amazon is changing and help you evaluate how to live with an Alexa device without losing complete control of your privacy.”
Ambitious effort
But WHY?
Why live with an alexa? It’s a #privacy disaster. Full stop
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Ambitious effort
But WHY?
Why live with an alexa? It’s a #privacy disaster. Full stop
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Just so we’re all clear, the Supreme Court *expressly ruled* that the president cannot fire FTC commissioners without cause in 1935’s Humphrey’s Executor. Trump’s action here is brazenly illegal under any interpretation of the law as it stands. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Exclusive: Trump fires both Democratic commissioners at FTC, sources say
President Donald Trump fired the two Democratic commissioners at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the situation said, in another major test of the independence of regulatory agencies.
www.reuters.com
March 18, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Just so we’re all clear, the Supreme Court *expressly ruled* that the president cannot fire FTC commissioners without cause in 1935’s Humphrey’s Executor. Trump’s action here is brazenly illegal under any interpretation of the law as it stands. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
The two Democratic commissioners at the FTC said they were illegally fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, in another major test of the independence of regulatory agencies. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Exclusive: Trump fires both Democratic commissioners at FTC, sources say
President Donald Trump fired the two Democratic commissioners at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday, two sources familiar with the situation said, in another major test of the independence of regulatory agencies.
www.reuters.com
March 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
The two Democratic commissioners at the FTC said they were illegally fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, in another major test of the independence of regulatory agencies. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
SCOOP: Now that Linda McMahon is confirmed/sworn in as secretary, Trump will be imminently issuing an executive order eliminating the Department of Education.
I’ve obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department’s “final mission”.
Here is a portion:
I’ve obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department’s “final mission”.
Here is a portion:
![After President Trump's inauguration last month, he has steadily signed a slate of executive orders to keep these education promises: combatting critical race theory, DEl, gender ideology extremism, and discrimination in admissions. President Trump has also been focused on eliminating wasteful bureaucracy and harmful programs in the federal government. To that end, today he signed [Executive Order XYZ, entitled "Eliminating the Department of Education,] which has given us a clear and final mission.
We are to identify which of the Department's functions, programs, and offices are not mandated by statute, and eliminate them. This reorganization will impact staff, budgets, reporting, and more —and in coming months, we will determine how it can be accomplished with minimal delay and disruption. The President further tasked us with creating a plan to reallocate and reassign functions of the Department of Education that would be more effectively managed by other agencies. This plan will offer Congress a road map toward fulfilling the expectations of the President and the American people.
The new vision—which I hope each of you will embrace going forward—can be expressed as four main convictions:
Parents are the primary decision makers in their children's education.
Students deserve to be protected from physical violence, racial discrimination, medical tyranny, and gender extremism ideology on campus.
Postsecondary education should be a path to a well-paying career aligned with workforce needs.
Taxpayer-funded education should refocus on meaningful learning: proficiency in math, reading, and core subjects, and patriotism in American history and civics.
As we move to reduce the Department's middleman role in education, these four convictions must guide us toward conscientious and pragmatic action. The elimination of bureaucracy should free us, not limit us, in our pursuit of these goals
Removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make th](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ejihld4sywvvqwe67cdkn4jq/bafkreictcxubqhd7foyjwbms62bj3cxmfyepqk2ms3l6ctabsa6fvpm5ju@jpeg)
March 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM
SCOOP: Now that Linda McMahon is confirmed/sworn in as secretary, Trump will be imminently issuing an executive order eliminating the Department of Education.
I’ve obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department’s “final mission”.
Here is a portion:
I’ve obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department’s “final mission”.
Here is a portion:
Webinar: Decoding the New COPPA Rule TODAY at 1pm ET! FTC dropped the final Rule last week and there is A LOT to unpack! Join our experts IAPP's @cobun.bsky.social, SIIA's Sara Kloek, Senior Advisor for Common Sense Media Ariel Fox Johnson, & me to ask questions & learn more. Register bit.ly/40lLTcF
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Decoding the New COPPA Rule: Impacts and Implications. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
The FTC just dropped the final COPPA Rule today, and it's a game-changer for anyone working with children's data. Join our webinar next Tuesday, where an expert panel will discuss the major changes to...
bit.ly
January 21, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Webinar: Decoding the New COPPA Rule TODAY at 1pm ET! FTC dropped the final Rule last week and there is A LOT to unpack! Join our experts IAPP's @cobun.bsky.social, SIIA's Sara Kloek, Senior Advisor for Common Sense Media Ariel Fox Johnson, & me to ask questions & learn more. Register bit.ly/40lLTcF
Reposted by Amelia Vance
New year, new bills, same analysis of state privacy and AI legislative developments.
Don't miss the latest edition of The Patchwork Dispatch!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/state-...
Don't miss the latest edition of The Patchwork Dispatch!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/state-...
State Privacy & AI News - 1/10
Welcome to The Patchwork Dispatch, a fortnightly newsletter that brings you the top 5 recent developments in consumer privacy and AI legislation, regulation, and enforcement from across the U.S.
www.linkedin.com
January 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
New year, new bills, same analysis of state privacy and AI legislative developments.
Don't miss the latest edition of The Patchwork Dispatch!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/state-...
Don't miss the latest edition of The Patchwork Dispatch!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/state-...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Honestly, you can never go wrong by giving the credit to others that they have merited. It acknowledges who has been important to your successes and how, and it reminds people that successes of one person almost never happen without the work of others.
I love you always give credit where credit’s due. :-)
January 2, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Honestly, you can never go wrong by giving the credit to others that they have merited. It acknowledges who has been important to your successes and how, and it reminds people that successes of one person almost never happen without the work of others.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Samsung’s smart fridges will use AI to suggest groceries to buy on Instacart
Samsung’s smart fridges will use AI to suggest groceries to buy on Instacart
More milk, please.
buff.ly
January 2, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Samsung’s smart fridges will use AI to suggest groceries to buy on Instacart
Reposted by Amelia Vance
“Through the screen, I found something unexpected: the chance for technology to offer a different — and sometimes deeper — interaction with patients.”
—@helenouyang.bsky.social
@nytopinion.nytimes.com
gift link www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/o...
—@helenouyang.bsky.social
@nytopinion.nytimes.com
gift link www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/o...
January 2, 2025 at 7:22 PM
“Through the screen, I found something unexpected: the chance for technology to offer a different — and sometimes deeper — interaction with patients.”
—@helenouyang.bsky.social
@nytopinion.nytimes.com
gift link www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/o...
—@helenouyang.bsky.social
@nytopinion.nytimes.com
gift link www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/o...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
For those who don't understand what's at stake in FSC v Paxton, this article is a good place to start.
The huge stakes in a new Supreme Court case about pornography
Texas asks the justices to abandon longstanding First Amendment protections for sexual speech.
www.vox.com
January 2, 2025 at 10:24 PM
For those who don't understand what's at stake in FSC v Paxton, this article is a good place to start.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
I swear to god you all better be making PDF of every single thing you have published and saving them somewhere you fully own.
What happens when the internet disappears?
Huge swaths of the web are vanishing. What does that do to our culture?
www.theverge.com
January 2, 2025 at 9:50 AM
I swear to god you all better be making PDF of every single thing you have published and saving them somewhere you fully own.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
As far as Siri recording conversations in error, that came out five years ago. It's wrong, and Apple should be held accountable, but it doesn't mean they've admitted to using it for ad targeting.
Apple contractors 'regularly hear confidential details' on Siri recordings
Workers hear drug deals, medical details and people having sex, says whistleblower
www.theguardian.com
January 2, 2025 at 9:15 PM
As far as Siri recording conversations in error, that came out five years ago. It's wrong, and Apple should be held accountable, but it doesn't mean they've admitted to using it for ad targeting.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
I'm no Apple defender but it seems like this is quite a key point. Yes, there were recordings. No, there is no evidence they were sold to advertisers. Apple is just paying to make this go away. You can choose to believe it is doing so so that it isn't forced to reveal it's evil plan, but 🤷
January 2, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I'm no Apple defender but it seems like this is quite a key point. Yes, there were recordings. No, there is no evidence they were sold to advertisers. Apple is just paying to make this go away. You can choose to believe it is doing so so that it isn't forced to reveal it's evil plan, but 🤷
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Stupidest hill to die on, but: people are concluding from this story that Apple is serving ads based on overheard conversations, and that is *not* what the article or the settlement say.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Siri “unintentionally” recorded private convos; Apple agrees to pay $95M
Apple users may get $20 each for up to five Siri-enabled devices.
arstechnica.com
January 2, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Stupidest hill to die on, but: people are concluding from this story that Apple is serving ads based on overheard conversations, and that is *not* what the article or the settlement say.
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Cybersecurity people loves to focus on zeroday exploits instead of basic security hygiene, but in a lot of cases where threat actors do actually use zeroday exploits, their impact would have been significantly blunted by basic security hygiene.
Neuberger explained that, in one telecom company’s case, a single administrator account had access to over 100,000 routers, so when the Chinese compromised the account, they gained broad access across the entire network.
therecord.media/nine-us-comp...
therecord.media/nine-us-comp...
December 27, 2024 at 9:58 PM
Cybersecurity people loves to focus on zeroday exploits instead of basic security hygiene, but in a lot of cases where threat actors do actually use zeroday exploits, their impact would have been significantly blunted by basic security hygiene.
Reposted by Amelia Vance
Thank you @natureportfolio.bsky.social for making my review of the Anxious Generation open access for parents, policy-makers, and the public. The story told in this book runs counter science and is leading to poor policy decisions that will ultimately fail our kids. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The great rewiring: is social media really behind an epidemic of teenage mental illness?
The evidence is equivocal on whether screen time is to blame for rising levels of teen depression and anxiety — and rising hysteria could distract us from tackling the real causes.
www.nature.com
December 11, 2024 at 3:03 AM
Thank you @natureportfolio.bsky.social for making my review of the Anxious Generation open access for parents, policy-makers, and the public. The story told in this book runs counter science and is leading to poor policy decisions that will ultimately fail our kids. www.nature.com/articles/d41...
Reposted by Amelia Vance
I made a list of 5 actually GOOD THINGS that happened in tech this year.
None involve AI chatbots or tech gadgets.
Progress on privacy (really)! Whole Olympics memes! AI that is designed for the public good!
wapo.st/4gJjl3l
None involve AI chatbots or tech gadgets.
Progress on privacy (really)! Whole Olympics memes! AI that is designed for the public good!
wapo.st/4gJjl3l
5 actually good things that happened in technology this year
This best-of technology list for 2024 has zero gadgets or AI chatbots.
wapo.st
December 20, 2024 at 8:21 PM
I made a list of 5 actually GOOD THINGS that happened in tech this year.
None involve AI chatbots or tech gadgets.
Progress on privacy (really)! Whole Olympics memes! AI that is designed for the public good!
wapo.st/4gJjl3l
None involve AI chatbots or tech gadgets.
Progress on privacy (really)! Whole Olympics memes! AI that is designed for the public good!
wapo.st/4gJjl3l