If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The “new unofficial rules” around US elections were set years ago: if one side wins‚ the integrity of the vote cannot be questioned at all; if they don’t‚ then it must be questioned. And for Democrats the preferred way to do the latter is to bring up “foreign meddling.” This is now also done “preemptively‚” ahead of a ballot. And‚ this is proving to be useful in justifying many things‚ some of which should be considered blatantly illegal‚ such as the government colluding with private tech companies to censor speech online. Related: Shadow Games: Questioning America’s Battle Against “Foreign Disinformation” in the Upcoming Election But‚ if you frame it as spy agencies engaging in “partnership with tech companies‚” and if you explain the need for it as a way to “secure elections” against the ever-meddling foreign bogeyman – the current White House clearly hopes its highly controversial activities can be sold as something positive. However‚ critics and those on the receiving end of such activities in the US – namely‚ political opponents – see this as the Biden administration basically doubling down on tech collusion‚ regardless of the fact that allegations about it are currently being deliberated all the way up in the Supreme Court (the Murthy v. Missouri case). This type of brazen behavior could mean that the ruling apparatus is very sure of itself and its ability to get away with pretty much anything – or‚ that it is not confident at all it can get Biden reelected‚ and is making risky and perhaps desperate moves. Like this: “The US intelligence community is ramping up work with technology companies ahead of the November elections as cybersecurity professionals search for new ways to combat foreign threats to the American electoral system that appeared unthinkable four years ago.” That’s how The Washington Times describes the current state of “partnerships” with tech companies – although it isn’t entirely clear if the “unthinkable” reference is meant to concern the ways foreign threats are allegedly tackled – or the fact the US intelligence community should be “ramping up work with technology companies” in the first place. At the same time‚ NBC is reporting that the FBI – having reportedly “paused” what is called its “outreach” to social platforms (regarding foreign propaganda‚ of course) – is now resuming that effort which involves “sharing information” with some US tech firms. As for what put the efforts on pause in the first place – it was “lawsuits and government scrutiny.” But that is set to the side now that elections are nearing‚ as desperate times appear to call for desperate measures. The post Shifting Election Narratives and Tech Collusion: Federal Government Continues Outreach to Tech Companies appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. Unsealed court documents in California – part of a class action lawsuit filed by consumers against Meta and alleging anti-competitive behavior via deceptive data extraction – have revealed that back in 2016‚ Facebook came up with a secret project dubbed “Ghostbusters.” We obtained a copy of the documents for you here. What Facebook effectively did was use man-in-the-middle attack-style ways to intercept encrypted traffic‚ initially targeting competitor Snapchat (hence the project’s name‚ referring to the Snapchat logo)‚ to later expand this to Amazon and YouTube. An internal Facebook email sent by CEO Mark Zuckerberg included in the now unsealed documents explains why the company decided to take this type of action – apparently‚ to get access to “analytics” regarding Snapchat’s traffic‚ given that Facebook had none up until that point thanks to the app’s encryption. The “analytics” referenced here was necessary for Facebook to improve its targeting signals. “Given how quickly they’re growing‚ it seems important to figure out a new way to get reliable analytics about them. Perhaps we need to do panels or write custom software. You should figure out how to do this‚” Zuckerberg wrote to his underlings in the summer of 2016. And so they set out to find a way to “intercept and decrypt‚” that work being done by the giant’s In-App Action Panel (IAPP). Three years prior‚ Facebook bought Onavo‚ a company in the business of analyzing web traffic sent through its VPN‚ Onavo Protect‚ to gain access to statistics about how other apps are used. We now know why that acquisition happened in the first place. Three years after Ghostbusters was launched‚ in 2019‚ Facebook had to shut down Onavo after yet another unrelated scandal. And this was the same year when IAPP also apparently ceased operations. As for the scandal developing now‚ members of the IAPP project came up with “so-called kits that can be installed on iOS and Android that intercept traffic for specific subdomains‚ ‘allowing us to read what would otherwise be encrypted traffic so we can measure in-app usage‚” TechCrunch writes‚ quoting from one of the emails. However‚ some of Facebook’s top engineers (unsuccessfully) pushed back against the idea‚ calling it “a legal‚ technical‚ and security nightmare.” But not everyone had to be spied on: if they agreed to give Facebook data‚ that is. At least that’s how the class action lawsuit describes the relationship between Facebook and Netflix. The post Facebook Used “Man-in-the-Middle” Approach To Snoop on Users’ Encrypted Traffic in Secret Project appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. RMIT ABC Fact Check – a collaboration between RMIT University and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – is continuing to lose whatever credibility it had left after a series of previous scandals. And‚ this case once again sheds negative light on the phenomenon that is the fact-checking industry‚ one of the by-products of the censorship and information control that’s dominated the media over the past years. The latest scandal saw businessman Dick Smith directly accusing RMIT of being the actual spreader of misinformation and lies – after the group came out with its “fact-check” of his remarks related to nuclear and renewable energy. Related: Zuckerberg says he has “empathy” for those censored by “fact-checkers” who crush debate‚ but doesn’t suggest any changes And despite RMIT at first attempting to stick to its guns‚ maintaining that its assertions were accurate‚ Smith yesterday received an apology from the ABC‚ which also had to correct its original report‚ which is now described as “riddled with errors” thanks to RMIT’s “fact-checking.” It all started several days earlier when Smith spoke for a Sydney radio station‚ refuting a claim made by Australia’s government agency‚ the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)‚ which said it is possible for an entire country to depend solely on solar and wind energy. That is “simply a lie (…) they (CSIRO) are telling lies” said the businessman‚ adding that since there is no example anywhere of a country managing to sustain itself‚ energy-wise‚ on renewables – “we should be making a decision to go nuclear now.” This “activated” RMIT ABC Fact Check‚ that quickly came out with a report supposedly proving that Smith was wrong by making what turned out to be a false claim that Nepal (and three others) is an example of a country which uses 100 percent renewable energy sources. What possessed RMIT to pick Nepal of all places as an example remains unknown‚ since reports say the country is “highly reliant on the debilitating burning of bio-fuel.” But it did provide Smith with another opportunity to call out liars. “I’m angry. The whole document is full of misinformation and lies‚ it’s designed to discredit me. Absolutely disgusting‚” Smith said. “They (RMIT) say on the document… this is your inoculation against misinformation and their document is just completely misinformation because the left at the ABC have to be against nuclear‚ so they just make up every lie they can to distort anyone who says we have to move to nuclear‚” he added. Smith also said that the three other countries mentioned by RMIT – Albania‚ Bhutan and Paraguay – also all use fossil fuel. Elon Musk was quick to support Smith’s comments‚ responding to journalist Michael Shellenberger by writing‚ “Having government ‘fact-checkers’ is a giant leap in the direction of tyranny.” Previously‚ even Facebook had to cut ties with RMIT after the group was accused of hijacking its fact-checking program and behaving as an activist. The post Facebook “Fact-Checker” RMIT Accused of Misconduct‚ Criticized for Spreading Misinformation about Energy appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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Some professions require a lot of heart and a lot of grit. They aren’t for the faint of heart. Being a firefighter is one such profession. In a heartwarming display of quick thinking and teamwork‚ the Franklinville Volunteer Fire Company (FVFC) in New Jersey‚ along with the Franklin Township Police Department‚ came to the rescue... The post Firefighters come up with plan to save dog trapped tightly inside tire appeared first on Animal Channel.

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Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates...bunnies??? MRCTV/Culture went through Target's and Walmart’s selection of Easter items through the search term “Easter candy” and found that the overwhelming majority of the results had nothing to do with Jesus‚ the resurrection or the cross. Instead‚ the companies‚ as well as likely many more‚ flooded their selection with pastel flowers‚ carrots‚ bunnies and decorated egg candies for purchase. We knew that Target would have no problem concealing the real meaning of the holiday. Afterall‚ they care more about pride month than any other day‚ holiday or occasion.  When we searched for “Easter candy‚” the company provided 499 results. Only five of those results had anything to do with the real meaning of Easter and honestly‚ one of them was just a little lamb and I’d argue that creators weren’t even intending to represent the blood of the lamb during the manufacturing process. Among the results was one Russell Stover chocolate cross‚ which is only available via the shipping option. The other items were just decorated boxes or packages of regular shaped and themed candy. For example‚ Target sold a box of assorted chocolates in a tin with a purple sticker with the words “Happy Easter” and a cross on it. The kicker is that Target is just the middle man of those products‚ as they’re actually sold and shipped from distributors that merely use Target to get more sales. So‚ essentially‚ Target actually only sells 1.5 (half a point for the lamb) Easter candies. Walmart provided similar results. Among the 1000+ items that showed up when searching “Easter candy‚” Walmart waited til the third page to show a Hershey’s chocolate cross. Unlike Target‚ Walmart's cross is available for in-store pick up.  It wasn’t until page 16 of Walmart’s results that a “little lamby” was displayed‚ and honestly‚ it didn’t allude to Jesus’ resurrection in any other way than being a lamb. So likely‚ it also was not a religious item. Plus‚ it was out of stock. Page 21 displayed little mints that had various phrases about Jesus on the wrapper‚ like “Jesus Guides Me‚” “Jesus Loves Me‚” and “Jesus Saves Me.” The mints‚ which weren't even marketed as "Easter candy‚" were sold and shipped by an external company that went through Walmart to execute sales‚ just like Target's. No other items that related to the Resurrection showed up via this search. Searching “Easter candy religious” did merit a few more results for Walmart‚ but it took that extra step of adding the word “religious” to get more options. Even then‚ for Walmart‚ only three more options popped up and all of the items‚ again‚ were sold and shipped by external companies through Walmart’s check out system.  This is odd considering Easter has absolutely nothing to do with bunnies‚ carrots or little decorated eggs and everything to do with the cross. Roughly 3000 years ago‚ the hare was a symbol of death and rebirth to ancient people in Mesopotamia and Syria. Similarly‚ as noted by ExploreGod‚ the word “Easter” was linked to the German fertility goddess Eostra‚ “who in some traditions was even associated with hares.” Critics also note that the egg represents an "unexpected resurrection" through the unexpected chick that comes out of it. But in reality‚ the bunnies‚ the eggs‚ the carrots and the rest of the pastels have nothing to do with the actual meaning of Easter. Nonetheless‚ MRC also took a look at gifts‚ too. The Easter basket category on Target’s website generated 66 items. Zero items had anything to do with Jesus.  For Walmart‚ results were way more chaotic. Even when generating items by clicking “Easter” at the top of the site then selecting “Baskets‚” 1000+ items popped up.  Out of all 25 pages‚ there were no baskets that had anything related to Jesus‚ but page one of the search did feature a spell book set with “Pagan Witchcraft Supplies.” Now‚ are these two companies to blame for the secularization of the religious holiday? Of course not. As a matter of fact‚ they’re likely just appealing to what customers are interested in‚ and unfortunately‚ these days‚ it isn't God. While celebrating in these more secular ways may be fun for little kiddos‚ it’s important as consumers and as parents‚ if you are one‚ to remind them about the real meaning of Easter. But if that isn’t your goal‚ Target and Walmart are great places to feed your your anti-Jesus traditions.

It’s not just censorship. The federal government reportedly ordered Google to reveal which users were watching certain videos on its YouTube platform. The feds face a U.S. Supreme Court case for coordinating with Big Tech to violate Americans’ First Amendment free speech rights. But the government may also be violating Americans’ Fourth Amendment rights against “unreasonable searches” by demanding user data from Google-owned YouTube‚ according to a Forbes report published on March 22. Experts framed the orders as a free speech issue. “The left used to push for federal gun registries. They have now shifted their focus to the most dangerous weapon of all: speech. Because they can’t stand dissent or diversity of opinion‚ the left is trying to intimidate their opposition from speaking their minds or accessing news from right-of-center news outlets‚” MRC Vice President for Free Speech Dan Schneider said. “We’ve seen how the Biden administration has funded efforts to choke off private funding of conservative media outlets and how it has tried to direct students away from these sites. Now Biden is demanding access to user data. Given the government’s track record‚ we should be very skeptical.” The potential Fourth Amendment violations were revealed as Forbes originally reported that it accessed multiple orders related to a Kentucky case where law enforcement officials suspected YouTube user “elonmuskwhm” was selling bitcoin in exchange for cash‚ a potential money laundering crime. As unveiled by Forbes‚ the government not only investigated the suspected user but also demanded data on all individuals who viewed the user’s videos between Jan. 1 and Jan. 8‚ 2023. Videos posted by “Elonmuskwhm” garnered at least 30‚000 views. Strikingly‚ Google was reportedly required to keep the requests secret until they were recently unsealed. “The court orders show the government telling Google to provide the names‚ addresses‚ telephone numbers and user activity for all Google account users who accessed the YouTube videos between January 1 and January 8‚ 2023‚” according to Forbes. “The government also wanted the IP addresses of non-Google account owners who viewed the videos.” The data was allegedly “‘relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation‚’” Forbes quoted the police as having said. The feds also demanded data on viewers of livestreams showing officers searching an area after a bomb threat. Forbes noted that privacy experts see the federal orders on YouTube as a constitutional violation‚ both of the First Amendment and Fourth Amendment rights of Americans. Albert Fox-Cahn‚ executive director at the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project‚ told Forbes‚ “This is the latest chapter in a disturbing trend where we see government agencies increasingly transforming search warrants into digital dragnets. It’s unconstitutional‚ it’s terrifying and it’s happening every day.” He added that users should not be surveilled secretively by the government because the YouTube algorithm suggested a video to them. John Davisson‚ senior counsel at the Electronic Privacy Information Center‚ said that “[w]hat we watch online can reveal deeply sensitive information about us—our politics‚ our passions‚ our religious beliefs‚ and much more.” He concluded‚ “It's fair to expect that law enforcement won't have access to that information without probable cause. This warrant turns that assumption on its head.” This is another piece of evidence showing potential federal government violations of constitutional rights. The Murthy v. Missouri case‚ currently before the Supreme Court‚ exposed the extent of alleged government collusion with Big Tech to crush free speech using a leftist bias.  Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand that Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency and an equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us at the Media Research Center contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable.