Declan McCullagh writes at CNET News: "State prosecutors who investigated the late Aaron Swartz had planned to let him off with a stern warning, but federal prosecutor Carmen Ortiz took over and chose to make an example of the Internet activist, according to a report in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly."
Aaron Swartz didn't face prison until Feds, led by Ortiz, jumped on case
The answer to the Clearview AI scandal is better privacy laws, not anti-scraping laws
Clearview AI (previously) is a grifty facial recognition company that sells untested, secretive tools to police departments, claiming that they can identify people from security camera footage by matching the pictures those scraped from big social media sites. READ THE REST
Today is Aaron Swartz Day
Lisa Rein writes, "Today, Saturday November 9th is Aaron Swartz Day all over the world. We have events going on all over the world here – with a Zoom channel and Gitters set up for questions that will be monitored from San Francisco all day (The San Francisco event details are here for FOIAPALOOZA). READ THE REST
Facebook sues notorious spyware company NSO Group for 1,400 attacks on diplomats, journalists, dissidents, and government officials
[Addendum 2/20/2020: Following a legal complaint, the Guardian removed its article of 14 June 2019 and apologised to Mrs Peel. We are happy to clarify that Yana Peel is not, and was not, personally involved in the operation or decisions of the regulated Novalpina Capital investment fund, which is managed by her husband Stephen Peel,… READ THE REST
This professional-grade espresso brewer is on sale for $150 off
For some coffee drinkers, java is life. Now, as it turns out, scientists might be willing to, at least tentatively, back up that claim. A new study by Italian researchers says they've found that espresso drinkers might actually do a better job staving off death than their non-espresso drinking friends and neighbors. They say, of… READ THE REST
Get an unlocked iPhone 11 Pro for just $900
When happy revelers unwrapped a brand new smartphone under the Christmas tree last month, which model do you think was most often beaming back at those delighted giftees? If you thought it was likely the new flagship of the Apple iPhone fleet, the iPhone 12, you'd be incorrect. But only half incorrect – because the… READ THE REST
Get creating with this 3D printing starter bundle, now under $220
Every day, you hear another incredibly cool or incredibly inventive new use for 3D printing technology. Whether it's NASA successfully creating their own 3D printed rocket engine parts, Swedish researchers printing complex brain cell structures, or a Japanese retailer crafting hyper-realistic, creepy-as-all-heck face masks, 3D printing technology proves every day that its only limits are… READ THE REST