Author: cmackenzie

As Maryland lawmakers prepare today for a hearing on social media legislation, a coalition of LGBTQ+ and tech organizations are pushing back on their proposed bill. In a letter sent this week, the coalition urges Maryland legislators to consider how SB 571 / HB 603 would isolate and censor marginalized youth, including members of the… Continue reading LGBTQ and Tech Groups Push Back on MD Social Media Bill

On Thursday, Sen. Scott Weiner introduced artificial intelligence legislation (SB 1047) that would create a new division within the Department of Technology to certify AI models before they can be trained. Under the legislation, certification requirements would apply to AI models that exceed the performance benchmarks set by other AI models subject to certification. The… Continue reading New Calif. Bill Requires AI Licensing

On Tuesday, Sens. Josh Hawley and Dick Durbin pushed for fast-tracked passage of the STOP CSAM Act, legislation that would enable individuals to sue online platforms for hosting CSAM content. The legislation, which has faced opposition from a range of civil liberties organizations for its impacts on marginalized youth, was blocked by Sen. Ron Wyden.… Continue reading STOP CSAM Bill Fails in Senate Fast-Track Attempt

At a press conference on Friday, Senator Dave Cortese pushed for new legislation allowing local cities and municipalities to ban autonomous vehicles (AVs) on local streets, despite new research showing that AVs are safer than human drivers. Last year was one of California’s deadliest for roadway fatalities, largely because of human behaviors including distracted driving,… Continue reading CA Autonomous Vehicle Ban Would Perpetuate Traffic Safety Crisis

On Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, Senator Nancy Skinner, and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks introduced two new social media bills limiting access to social media for users who are minors.  SB 976 would default social media users under 18 to a chronological feed, rewarding posters who upload high volumes of content rather than quality content.… Continue reading CA Lawmakers Intro Social Media Bills Censoring Teen Access to Digital Content

On Tuesday, the “neo-Brandeisian” organization Open Markets Institute submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in the cases of NetChoice & CCIA v. Moody / Paxton, endorsing “common carrier” legal theories spread by the far-right – even adding that it would like to see more states pass similar laws. The application of common carrier… Continue reading Open Markets Institute Aligns with Far-Right in FL/TX SCOTUS Case

On Tuesday, the Department of Labor (DOL) finalized its new rule on employee and independent contractor classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Depending on how DOL implements the rule, the new worker classification standard could impact a range of professionals, from gig workers to home nurses to construction contractors. During its comment period, DOL… Continue reading DOL Finalizes Worker Classification Rule

On Friday, Chamber of Progress released new research using an AI topic analysis model to analyze trends in this year’s AI hearings. The research, which examined testimony from 28 AI hearings this year, found stark differences in the way Republican and Democratic lawmakers talk about AI and also found changes in Congress’s regulatory focus in… Continue reading New Research Examines 2023 AI Hearings

On Friday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected a petition by Coinbase urging the agency to create new rules for the digital asset industry. The crypto exchange’s petition noted the difficulty of applying old rules tailored for the banking industry to a new class of digital assets. That challenge was also highlighted this year… Continue reading SEC Rejects Coinbase Petition for Crypto Rules