If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Australia on Thursday introduced a new version of the upcoming legislation – slated to become law by the end of the year – targeting tech companies that are not tackling what the authorities decide to consider misinformation and disinformation. We obtained a copy of the bill for you here. While the government explains the new bill as necessary to “crackdown on misinformation” – opponents see it as just the latest example of the government scheming to crack down on online speech. The ruling Labor party is tabling this latest draft as a way to address previous criticism of the bill. It would give the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) the right to monitor online platforms and enforce new codes or standards on the industry – in case their actions are seen as inadequate under the “self-regulating voluntary” rules. So much for the “voluntary” component of the narrative (also to be found in various EU directives). Long story short, in Australia with the new proposal of the bill – if tech platforms are found to be in breach of it, they will be fined the equivalent of 5% of their global revenue. Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland is behind this draft as well, and this time around she is sugarcoating it as featuring “a very high threshold” for serious harm and verifiably false content. Sadly, the reports out of Australia do not dwell on what exactly passes off as “high threshold” in Australia these days. Instead, there are a lot of quotes that all seem to come from one and the same global memo. And let nobody conflate this kind of legislative effort with, say, government-empowered censorship. Michelle Rowland said not to. “This is not about individual pieces of content, it’s not about the regulator being able to act on those, it’s about the platforms doing what they said they’ll do,” the official is quoted as saying. In other words, platforms better self-censor (the exact same sentiment behind all those “voluntary codes”) – to save the Australian government the grief of openly censoring them instead. Meanwhile, Rowland made it clear that the platforms, at least in her country, are seen as curators, rather than “passive purveyors of content.” … When that suits the government, that is. All we can do is wait and see how all this pans out. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post Australia’s Latest Censorship Bill Threatens Big Fines Over Online “Misinformation” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has penned a letter to major social media and “AI” companies. And Bonta’s not urging them to “do better” on innovation, competition, and the like. No – the letter is all about “election misinformation.” It’s becoming almost pathological at this point, but the entire ruling apparatus in the US (and that includes not only officials but also politically and ideologically affiliated media outlets) is hammering in the message of that being an actual “threat to democracy.” As if the largest companies in the said industries didn’t hear all this already dozens of times, Bonta goes out of his way to repeat the message to Alphabet, Meta, Microsoft, Open AI, Reddit, TikTok, X, and YouTube – (wouldn’t that one fall under the Alphabet category? But Bonta lists the video platform separately). We obtained a copy of the letter for you here. California state laws, Bonta writes, prohibit “certain” types of “voter intimidation, deception, and dissuasion.” And that applies to “AI-generated content” (Are we talking memes here as well?) That’s not explicitly mentioned in Bonta’s letter, which is framed to look like a serious piece of correspondence. Despite the rules already in place in California, of which these companies must be painfully aware, the AG says, “the big 8” (or 7, depending on how you count) continue to allow misinformation to spread just before an election. An observer now may observe – given all that we know about the roundabout (if true, unlawful) censorship of the past, detailed in the Twitter Files – could this be one way to exert, or reaffirm pressure ahead of an election, this time publicly? But one also has to ask oneself – if this kind of letter is now made public – what, taking into account the recent experience, might/must be going on in the shadows? “I am urging social media and AI companies to understand existing California laws and address the deception that our voters are being exposed to when it comes to their constitutional right to vote,” Bonta writes. “Those deceptive activities must be better identified and reported to law enforcement — I am fully committed to working with the companies to that end. We cannot allow bad actors, whether foreign or domestic, to continue to threaten the sanctity of our democracy,” the letter goes on. Not a word is spared for the constitutional right to free speech, though – or “working with the companies” on that. But what election – or democracy – is credible without access to a plurality of opinion – i.e., without first defending against censorship? Not something Bonta appears worried about right about now. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post California Attorney General Bonta Pressures Top Social Media and AI Executives to Address “Misinformation” appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

A cat bonded with a kitten who filled him with joy. When a family met them through a rescue, they knew these two were meant to stay together. Shirley and BarrettMeowVillageBarrett, the tuxedo cat, and Shirley, the kitten, met in a foster home through Meow Village (an all-foster-based rescue) and formed an extraordinary bond.They began following each other everywhere and became a source of comfort for one another. Before their paths crossed, Barrett had gone through quite the recovery journey with remarkable resilience and a courageous spirit.Despite the unthinkable ordeal, he continued to trust and showed a mellow and sweet demeanor. Barrett was rescued with an injured armMeowVillageBarrett arrived at the rescue needing surgery to remove a bullet from his leg. During his 10-week recovery in a loving foster home, his purr engine never seemed to stop running. He enjoyed post-meal petting and brushing, basking in all the affection."It's heartwarming to see what a loving personality he has and how excited he is to be part of a family," Meow Village shared. He made a full recovery in foster careMeowVillageBarrett didn't mind the cone or the contraption that stabilized his arm. He was simply content to have his favorite treats.While recuperating, he met a few kittens and treated them like a big brother. He kept them company and showered them with purrs and snuggles. MeowVillage"He's a big guy with a soft, loving purr who just wants to be loved as much as possible," Shannon, a foster carer specializing in critical cats/dogs, shared.When Shirley, the kitten, arrived, she was sickly and just skin and bones. Thanks to Shannon's expertise, she was nursed back to health and gained plenty of energy. When she was well enough to interact with other cats, she immediately gravitated towards Barrett. Shirley immediately gravitated towards Barrett when they metMeowVillageBefore long, the two were cuddled up side by side as if they had always belonged together, filling the room with a symphony of purrs."Shirley's playful nature brightened Barrett's days, while Barrett's calm presence comforted Shirley. They played, explored, ate, napped together, and helped each other heal. We love seeing such close bonds form in foster care." They became fast friends, cuddling with each other all dayMeowVillageIt takes Barrett a moment to warm up to new people, but he feels reassured and encouraged with Shirley, his rambunctious friend, by his side."He has a soft purr motor that runs 24/7, especially when you're brushing his classically formal fur coat or showering him with affection." MeowVillageShirley has become Barrett's little shadow, soulmate in fur, trailing behind him with unwavering loyalty. She looks up to him and tries to imitate everything he does. Barrett looks out for his little protege, doting on her all day long.With their unbreakable bond, Shannon and her rescue hoped to find them a home together. Shirley followed Barrett everywhere in their foster homeMeowVillage"They are always together, snuggling, eating, or drinking. They both have had a tough past and find comfort in each other. It's a beautiful thing," Shannon added.A lovely couple was looking to adopt a cat when they came across the bonded pair. They fell head over heels for them and knew the two couldn't be separated. MeowVillageOver the weekend, after nearly four months in foster care, Barrett's dream came true, along with that of his best friend."They have left the building together. This pair will spend all their days with their wonderful new mom and dad, getting spoiled and even having their own catio." They have found their forever home togetherMeowVillage"Now, they get to continue their journey with a family who adores them both," Meow Village shared. MeowVillageShare this story with your friends. More on Meow Village on Instagram and Facebook. Thanks to Shannon @shannoncuster04.Related story: Stray Cat Shows Up at the Right House on Cold Night, Slowly Finds Confidence When He Decides to be Indoors

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PBS’s coverage of Tuesday night’s Trump-Harris debate included live fact-checking from its partner PolitiFact, which has racked up a liberally slanted record. But when Harris falsely claimed Trump had promised a “bloodbath,” no one at PBS or PolitiFact corrected her. PolitiFact didn’t award Harris a False rating on its Truth-O-Meter for that lie (and went very soft on her otherwise), instead making do with a neutral tweet, and not even mentioning it in its debate roundup. It merely tweeted: Harris said Trump said "there will be a bloodbath" if the "outcome of this election is not to his liking." In an Ohio speech in April, Trump criticized Biden’s plans for electric vehicles. He called out China for building manufacturing plans in Mexico and promised to put a 100% tariff on cars crossing the border. PBS has made the same fake "bloodbath" claim on numerous occasions. Then it was on to abortion, when Donald Trump claimed “radical” Democrats were in favor of “executing” babies after birth. Trump: “….you can look at the governor of West Virginia [sic], the previous governor of West Virginia [sic], not the current governor is doing an excellent job, but the governor before he said, the baby will be born and we will decide what to do with the baby, in other words, we’ll execute the baby -- and that’s why I did that, because that predominates, because they’re radical, the Democrats are radical in that,” PolitiFact rated Trump’s “execute the baby” comment “False,” which itself was falsely confident in giving Northam’s rambling response the benefit of the doubt. PolitiFact huffed: Former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat and a physician, never said he would sanction the execution of newborns….Trump puts words in the then-governor’s mouth, saying doctors would urge the mother to let them forcibly kill the newborn…. Context: Virginia’s then-Democratic governor Ralph Northam was doing a live radio interview with D.C.’s WTOP in January 2019. The host asked the governor to explain what Fairfax County Delegate Kathy Tran meant when she said her bill to lift restrictions on third-trimester abortions would permit an abortion even if a woman was ready to give birth. Here's what the former governor said: Northam: ….it's done in cases where there may be severe deformities, there may be a fetus that's non-viable….The infant would be delivered, the infant would be kept comfortable, the infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother. So I think this was really blown out of proportion…. Later on debate night, PBS News' digital producer Deema Zein hosted a post-debate chat on YouTube with PBS political reporters Laura Barron-Lopez and Lisa Desjardins. Trump’s “execute the baby” comment came up again. Zein forwarded a reader question about Trump’s “claims that executing babies after birth is allowed under Democrats.” Barron-Lopez seemed ignorant of the Northam context Trump had clearly been using. Laura Barron-Lopez: It’s not true that Democrats support or that there is any execution of babies by any means whatsoever. I mean it’s a ludicrous claim and it’s just not true and Donald Trump and Republicans know that it’s not true and yet they continue to repeat it. Desjardins agreed, paraphrasing debate moderator Linsey Davis saying “that it’s not legal in any state.” Then the big news: Pop star endorses Harris! Barron-Lopez: We did have some breaking news as we were going live right now and I just wanted to get it in, speaking of young voters and who could potentially help Harris rally them Taylor Swift don’t think she needs an introduction and explanation of who that is, but she endorsed Vice President Harris right after the debate, on Instagram. Desjardins added an odd talking point, saying "Democrats are going to love" that Swift is playing concerts in Miami near Election Day. Desjardins: And now she is not someone who has really brought politics usually into her shows. But her Eras tour is still going on, her next three dates, by the way, are the end of October or in the middle of October, in Florida. Now that’s now pretty a reddish, red state, but there are congressional races in that state, I think she’s going to be in Miami, there a congressional race right there that Democrats would love to see their folks supercharged, and her audience, a hundred-thousand people, that -- campaign is very hard of them to reach that kind of engaged audience in that way, so even just her presence there in Miami at that particular time after endorsing Biden [sic] is something Democrats are going to love. As will PBS, no doubt.

Former CNN talking head Don Lemon is facing widespread criticism over his silent mockery of Melania Trump's emotionally charged video discussing the July 13 attempt on her husband's life. In a 30-second video shared to social media Tuesday promoting her forthcoming memoir, Melania Trump briefly discussed the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, and noted that she wants answers. Blaze News previously reported that the U.S. House-appointed Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump is gathering records from local, state, and federal authorities, including the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs investigators have also been conducting transcribed interviews with officials linked to the Butler rally. Prior to this week, the former first lady had not spoken on camera about her husband's shooting by Thomas Mathew Crooks. She had, however, issued a heartfelt statement on July 14 noting, "When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron's life, were on the brink of devastating change." Now, months later and still without critical information about the attempted assassination, Melania stated, "The attempt to end my husband's life was a horrible, distressing experience. Now, the silence around it feels heavy." "I can't help but wonder: Why didn't law enforcement officials arrest the shooter before the speech?" continues Melania Trump. "There is definitely more to this story, and we need to uncover the truth." The video was shared just hours before President Trump debated Kamala Harris and told the nation, "I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that [Democrats] say about me." Lemon, who claimed that Trump was a "bully" in Tuesday's debate, was among the liberals who rushed to mock the former first lady. 'There can't be a more pathetic, attention-starved human being on the planet.' In a reaction video posted to TikTok, Lemon rolled his eyes, shook his head in disapproval, and threw up his hands in frustration during a replay of the former first lady's remarks. Chaya Raichik's Libs of TikTok shared Lemon's video, calling it "sick." Conservative columnist Joe Concha tweeted, "There can't be a more pathetic, attention-starved human being on the planet. What person in their right mind would ever mock a wife over an assassination attempt against her husband? Don Lemon, everyone!" Army veteran Rob Smith suggested that Lemon "is the prime example of someone that needs direction and scripting from cable news overlords." Amidst the backlash, Lemon deleted the video. The Daily Mail indicated that a representative for Lemon has yet to respond to a request for comment. Lemon is hardly the first in liberal media to mock the victims of the Butler rally assassination attempt. The Onion, owned by longtime Democratic donor and Twilio co-founder Jeff Lawson, made a punch line Tuesday evening out of the death of Corey Comperatore — a heroic former firefighter who died trying to save his family during the attempted assassination of President Trump. The Onion joked during the debate that people don't leave Trump rallies; "they're carried out in body bags." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Sylacauga, Alabama, residents were abruptly booted from a recent city council meeting after several asked questions about the uptick in illegal immigrants resettling in the area.Approximately 20 minutes into last week's meeting, Sylacauga City Council President Tiffany Nix demanded the meeting come to an end after three locals raised concerns about Haitian nationals moving to the city.'You're treating them like lawful U.S. citizens, which they are not.'The first resident asked, "I would like to know how they were vetted.""Was everyone vetted? Where are they located?" she continued. "It's said that they have work visas, but the work visas show that the company that they work for is not — it's not a factory that we have here.""Who's heading up watching over this situation? What information can you give me about this situation? I'm just concerned," she added.Nix responded, stating that "unfortunately," the city council does not have information to provide the public about the new arrivals. "We just don't have any information on it," Nix said. "We just know that they are here legally."Councilman Ashton Fowler also chimed into the conversation, telling the resident, "This is above us. We found out when everybody found out."Fowler noted that he had met some of the Haitian nationals when they started attending his church."The ones at church with me are great people," he said. "That's the only interaction I've had with them. I know that there's more than that here in town.""As far as knowing how they got here and what their deal is, we're left out of the loop just as you. That goes way high up," Fowler told the resident.Nix claimed there was "no reason" for the city council to investigate the situation because "no crime has been committed."Councilwoman Laura Barlow Heath told the concerned local that she has attempted to reach out to state and federal leaders for additional information.A second resident asked the city council members why they do not have information about immigrants being bused into the area."We see the stuff on Facebook and social media just like you have. We have no knowledge," Nix replied.The resident asked why the city council members had not reached out to someone to gather information about the busing situation."With all due respect, has anybody seen anybody get bused in here?" Nix questioned. "It's hearsay. But that's the thing, people are posting stuff on social media and people are saying things that they don't know anything about. Nobody has seen any of those things happen."The resident responded, "But I also went by where they're living, some of them. And they're just sitting around outside. They're not working.""But what's wrong with that?" Nix asked."They supposedly came here to work," the resident replied. One of the city council members claimed that the foreign nationals could be working night shifts somewhere."I wasn't going to comment on this, but I am now because I feel like I need to," Nix said. "I want to welcome anybody to Sylacauga that wants to come to Sylacauga.""That's how I feel about it. If people aren't breaking the law, they're not causing any problems, I don't see what the issue is," she added.Later, during the meeting, a third resident, David Phillips, started to raise the immigration issue again but did not get far into his statements before Nix cut him off."The attitude of the council throughout this process is entirely unacceptable," he stated. "You're treating them like lawful U.S. citizens, which they are not.""I'm going to cut it off," Nix retorted, referring to ending the meeting. "We have no reason to want an investigation or treat people differently because of how they look. There's no reason for it."Phillips responded, "Who said that?"Barlow Heath told Nix that residents were raising "valid concerns.""How are they valid concerns, Laura?" Nix asked."We're done," Nix declared. "I'm going to ask all of you to leave because this meeting is over."In an interview with Fox News Digital, Phillips stated that he was "a little shocked" the city council ended the meeting."I've seen some crazy things at the city council meetings in the past, but that was sort of egregious even for them," he told the news outlet. "In this country, we were designed to be able to [have] ... basic fundamental free speech. ... That's the whole point of public comment. That's what they build into the meeting. That's why there's a podium there with a microphone so the people can ask questions. And she just blew that all up."Nix did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!