The FTC vacancy could show how much Republicans are targeting tech giants.

But with one of the agency’s GOP commissioners set to leave, the choice to replace him could illuminate the party’s direction: Republicans could push critics of the tech giants to seek a more aggressive executive — or to stick with their usual playbook.

Noah PhillipsOne of the two Republicans on the five-member FTC, he told Politico that he plans to leave the agency this fall. His departure would leave a vacancy at the critical agency tasked with overseeing competition, privacy and consumer protection violations in the technology sector.

While President Biden He is slated to appoint Phillips’ successor, with the White House typically consulting with opposition parties and even deferring to the opposition to select their nominees.

A senior Senate aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions, said any proposal for a Biden nomination would ultimately be made by the Senate minority leader. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), likely in consultation with key committee leaders.

Analysts and former federal employees say whoever is chosen for the position will show how much attitudes have changed within the GOP about controlling the tech giants.

Nathan LemmerFormer policy adviser to the Republican FCC chairman Ajit PaiIn recent years, he says, attitudes toward growth in tech giants have “changed dramatically.” And that could come up as Republicans look to shape Biden’s eventual FTC nomination.

“This is the first real staff decision that will make a difference on the right side of the Republicans,” said Limmer, who now serves as vice president of public affairs at political consulting firm Target Victory.

He added, “In the past, it would have been a 50-50 shootout between someone who was very free-spirited. [and a] I think he’s traditionally a conservative Republican in the policy world, and now he’s in the other direction.

The GOP’s attitude toward killing big business, especially those in Silicon Valley, has been growing for years. And Republican support for the famous Big Tech critic candidate Lina KhanNow leading the FTC has sent shockwaves through the industry.

But the FTC election could send a big signal of where the party is headed, said Paul Gallant, managing director of analyst firm Cowen Washington Research Group.

“It’s going to be a very interesting conversation about how the party views Big Tech over the next five or 10 years,” he said.

“This is a post-Lena Khan FTC,” Lemer added. “I think it really opened the door for a new direction for Republicans.”

It’s unclear when Biden might name Phillips’ replacement. It has historically taken a long time to appoint several key tech executives, and several nominees have failed in the Senate. And Phillips’ departure likely won’t significantly change Democrats’ ability to push any of their agendas through the agency, which already has a majority.

Gallant argued that appointing a GOP big tech critic could have an immediate effect, shielding Democrats from charges that the agency has become more partisan.

This could be critical, he argued, as the justice system grows increasingly suspicious that federal agencies are expanding their enforcement powers.

“Having a bipartisan vote to regulate Big Tech … gives the agency a better chance of surviving this rigorous legal scrutiny,” he said.

Facebook has provided information to prosecutors regarding the abortion issue

Prosecutor’s case Jessica Burgess and a daughter Celeste Burgess17, based on data from Facebook; MotherboardReporting by Jason Kobler and Anna Merlan. He was accused of using drugs to cause an abortion late in the pregnancy of Celeste Burgess. She then gave birth to the fetuses, which they removed, prosecutors said.

Local news outlets, including the Norfolk Daily News, have previously reported on the case. Jessica and Celeste Burgess pleaded not guilty.

“A court document obtained by Motherboard states that the abortion took place before the Supreme Court overturned it. Roe v. Wade In June, they reveal in shocking detail how abortion is prosecuted and prosecuted in the United States, and how tech companies enlist law enforcement to help them prosecute their cases.

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone commented on the matter.

White supremacy groups are on Facebook, the report said.

The non-profit tech watchdog Tech Transparency Project has identified nearly 120 Facebook pages and 20 Facebook groups affiliated with white supremacist organizations. Naomi Nick Reports. More than a third of the 226 groups the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the leaked Facebook list listed as dangerous organizations and individuals are on Facebook, the study found. Received by mail.

“The findings show the simplicity of bigotry Groups can escape Facebook’s tracking systems despite years of bans on posts that attack people’s race, religion, sexuality and other characteristics. Activists have accused Facebook of allowing hate speech to spread on the network, opening the door for extremist groups to organize deadly attacks on marginalized groups.

Facebook acknowledged being asked for comment but did not respond.

Russia finds loopholes in social media rules around propaganda.

Nearly six months into the war, Russian propaganda and anti-Ukrainian posts continue to circulate on social media platforms, despite the platforms taking steps to limit it. Shall we pray? And Cat Zakrzewski Report it.

Russian embassies’ accounts on Facebook and Twitter have generated more engagement since the start of the war than before Russia invaded Ukraine, according to a study by Advance Democracy Inc., a non-partisan research group. Those accounts used loopholes in the social media platforms’ rules to spread Russian propaganda.

Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation: “Russia is well aware of the vulnerability of the regulations of some media platforms” George Dubinsky he said. Now we have a media war.

Prosecutors’ use of Facebook messages in abortion case has prompted calls for people to use end-to-end encryption. Librarian and technologist Jason Griffey:

Cyber ​​security expert Eva Galperin:

Reporter and podcaster John Fasman:

The DOJ is preparing to sue Google over the ad market as early as September (Bloomberg).

Microsoft tries to reduce business costs by limiting expenses on travel and company meetings (Wall Street Journal)

Elon Musk sells nearly $7 billion worth of Tesla stock amid uncertainty on Twitter (Wall Street Journal)

Former Twitter employee accused of spying for Saudi Arabia (The Verge)

TikTok influencers are coming to the mainstream (The Verge).

How Russia Controlled Ukraine’s Internet in Occupied Territories (The New York Times)

• The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) will honor five people at its annual Independence Champions Awards ceremony next month. EPIC honors the Attorney General of Washington, DC. Carl A. Racine (d), Rep Yvette D. Clark (DN.Y.) and Associate Director and Chief Scientist of the US Census Bureau John Abboud With the Freedom Champion Award. UCLA professor Morning Noble You will receive the EPIC Privacy Champion Award and the MIT Professorship Sherry Turkle A lifetime of success earns its reward.

Google tries to publicly shame Apple into accepting RCS (The Verge).

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