The Arizona House of Representatives just passed landmark app store legislation in a 31-29 vote on Wednesday that could have far-reaching consequences for Apple and Google and their respective mobile operating systems. From a report: The legislation, a sweeping amendment to Arizona’s existing HB2005 [PDF], prevents app store operators from forcing a developer based in the state to use a preferred…
Tag: House of Representatives
Laptop Stolen From Pelosi’s Office During Storming of US Capitol, Says Aide
A laptop was stolen from the office of U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi during the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, one of her aides said on Friday. From a report: Drew Hammill, an aide to Democrat Pelosi, said on Twitter that the laptop belonged to a conference room and was used for presentations. He declined to offer…
Bridenstine to step down as NASA administrator
Jim Bridenstine is leaving the post of NASA chief administrator. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/bridenstine-to-step-down-as-nasa-administrator…
Former Astronaut Wins US Senate Seat Once Held By Republican John McCain
“Mark Kelly will soon be the fourth NASA astronaut to serve in the U.S. Congress,” writes People magazine. DevNull127 shares their report: In a tweet posted Wednesday, he said he was “deeply honored” to have been elected and to serve in the seat once held by the late Sen. John McCain. A retired U.S. Navy captain and astronaut, Kelly has flown…
For U.S. Space Force Ranks, William Shatner Endorses ‘Starfleet Amendment’
America’s House of Representatives proposed a new structure for the U.S. Space Force in what’s being called “the Starfleet amendment”. Space News reports: Before the House passed the so-called “Starfleet” amendment, Space Force officials had been internally debating a new rank structure to set the space branch apart from its parent service the U.S. Air Force. The amendment in the House…
US Senate Votes To Ban TikTok App On Government Devices
The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously voted to ban federal employees from using TikTok on government-issued devices. Reuters reports: The app has come under fire from U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration over national security concerns because China’s ByteDance owns the technology. The company currently faces a deadline of Sept. 15 to either sell its U.S. operations to Microsoft Corp or…
Microsoft President Raised Apple Issues To House Antitrust Group
Microsoft President Brad Smith raised concerns to U.S. lawmakers about what the company regards as Apple’s anti-competitive behavior around its app store, Bloomberg reports. From the report: Smith, who is also chief legal officer, was invited by the House of Representatives’s antitrust subcommittee to share his experiences around Microsoft’s own antitrust battle with the U.S. government in the late 1990s. During…
Tech Companies Urges US House to Protect the Privacy of Americans’ Browsing and Search History
While reinstating the PATRIOT Act, the U.S. Senate blocked an amendment which would’ve shielded Americans’ browsing and search histories from warrantless searches. But that fight may not be over, reports TechSpot: [S]everal tech companies including Mozilla, Reddit, Twitter, and Patreon have co-signed a letter asking the House of Representatives to tidy up this mess. The House still needs to pass the…
Senate Passes Surveillance Bill Without Ban On Web History Snooping
The Senate has voted to reauthorize the USA Freedom Act without adding an amendment that would have restricted warrantless collection of internet search and web browsing data. It did however adopt an amendment to expand oversight. The Verge reports: The USA Freedom Reauthorization Act restores government powers that expired in March with Section 215 of the Patriot Act. The [Act] lets…
Split Senate Acquits Trump of Impeachment Charges
The Senate on Wednesday acquitted President Donald Trump on two articles of impeachment, rejecting the House’s charges that he should be removed from office for abusing his power and obstructing the congressional investigation into his conduct. Politico reports: The vote capped a frenetic four-month push by House Democrats to investigate and impeach Trump for allegedly withholding U.S. military aid from Ukraine…