[ weird things ] | law
articles tagged: law
when artificial intelligence tries to go to court
# tech

when artificial intelligence tries to go to court

In a legal and technical first, a robot lawyer is about to help a human defendant. Is it a good idea? And what happens next?

why texas went to war with social media
# tech

why texas went to war with social media

Governments are no longer just interested in controlling social media narratives with bots and premium content. They’re now reaching for new laws.

the next deepfake porn clip to go viral may just be starring you…
# tech

the next deepfake porn clip to go viral may just be starring you…

While pundits worry about the effect of deepfakes on global politics, trolls are using the technology to make fake porn of people they hate. And the victims rarely have any recourse…

why social media is a cesspool, and how regulation could make it worse
# tech

why social media is a cesspool, and how regulation could make it worse

Social media is changing the world for the worse, which has some people wondering if it’s time to start regulating it. But regulation could be a much worse cure than the disease.

how junk science can land you on death row
# science

how junk science can land you on death row

Far too much of what passes for forensic science in courtrooms fails to meet basic scientific standards while sending people to jail. And those who could fix this problem are refusing to help us.

australia declares war on digital security, demands encryption backdoor
# tech

australia declares war on digital security, demands encryption backdoor

Australian lawmakers stunned the country’s techies by passing a law requiring them to help law enforcement snoop on encrypted data on request, and putting e-commerce and basic digital security at risk.

the state of california vs. coffee
# health

the state of california vs. coffee

A California law mandating disclosure of any potentially cancer-causing chemicals is starting to cross the line from useful advice into eye-rolling alarmism.

why you never send an amateur to do an expert’s job, especially in government
# politics

why you never send an amateur to do an expert’s job, especially in government

Trump & Co. are showing us what happens when amateurs with huge chips on their shoulder take on jobs that require nuance and expertise.

when open source is the only fair way to go
# tech

when open source is the only fair way to go

If your code can result in people being sent to jail for decades, if not death row, that code should be open source and subject to review. The courts don't seem to understand that yet.

why asteroid mining could restart the cold war
# space

why asteroid mining could restart the cold war

Asteroid mining may require changes to The Outer Space Treaty and the consequences of amending it badly could be very serious...

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