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Archive for the ‘law’ category: Page 37

Feb 5, 2022

Elon Musk’s brain-implant startup Neuralink may have misled regulators about Musk’s leadership role

Posted by in categories: computing, Elon Musk, government, law, neuroscience

Neuralink, the startup cofounded and run by Elon Musk that hopes to implant computer chips in people’s brains, may have misled federal securities regulators about the billionaire entrepreneur’s role at the company.

That’s according to government documents and Fortune interviews with securities lawyers and a half-dozen former employees of the company. The employees mostly spoke anonymously out of concern for violating nondisclosure agreements and possible retaliation from Musk.

The episode involves a 2018 letter in which an attorney representing Neuralink downplayed Musk’s leadership role at the company in a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The attorney’s characterization contradicts former employees’ accounts, which depict Musk as very much in charge. Neuralink and the attorney involved in the filing did not respond to requests for comment. lawyer for Neuralink told the SEC that Musk had “no executive or management role” at the company. Former employees say that’s far from the truth.

Jan 31, 2022

Fujitsu to stand up AI ethics and governance office

Posted by in categories: ethics, governance, law, robotics/AI

Fujitsu said it will establish an AI ethics and governance office to ensure the safe and secure deployment of AI technologies.

To be headed by Junichi Arahori, the new office will focus on implementing ethical measures related to the research, development, and implementation of AI and other machine learning applications.

“This marks the next step in Fujitsu’s ongoing efforts to strengthen and enforce comprehensive, company-wide measures to achieve robust AI ethics governance based on international best-practices, policies, and legal frameworks,” the company stated.

Jan 26, 2022

Pfizer pushes to intervene in lawsuit seeking COVID vaccine information from FDA

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, law

Pfizer Inc wants to intervene in a Texas federal lawsuit seeking information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration used in licensing the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, a litigation move that plaintiffs who are suing for the data say is premature.

Pfizer’s lawyers at DLA Piper told U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman on Jan. 21 it wanted a role in the proceedings to help the FDA avoid “inappropriately” disclosing trade secret and confidential commercial information.


Visit the COVID-19 Information Center for vaccine resources.

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Jan 25, 2022

Google warns that defamation case ruling will force it to ‘censor’ the internet

Posted by in categories: internet, law

The Guardian reports that the case revolves around George Defteros, a Victoria defense lawyer who previously represented Melbourne gangland figures. He sued Google over claims that its publication of search results showing a 2004 article defamed him.

The article from The Age implied that Defteros had become more than just a lawyer for criminal elements but was also a friend and confidant, crossing professional boundaries. The piece also reported on the murder charges Defteros faced in relation to the killing of three men. Prosecutors withdrew the charges in 2005.

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Jan 20, 2022

Russia proposes ban on use and mining of cryptocurrencies

Posted by in categories: cryptocurrencies, finance, law, policy, terrorism

Russia’s central bank on Thursday proposed banning the use and mining of cryptocurrencies on Russian territory, citing threats to financial stability, citizens’ wellbeing and its monetary policy sovereignty.

The move is the latest in a global cryptocurrency crackdown as governments from Asia to the United States worry that privately operated and highly volatile digital currencies could undermine their control of financial and monetary systems.

Russia has argued for years against cryptocurrencies, saying they could be used in money laundering or to finance terrorism. It eventually gave them legal status in 2020 but banned their use as a means of payment.

Jan 17, 2022

There’s a Hidden Mathematical ‘Law’ in The Sand Megaripples Found All Over Earth

Posted by in categories: law, mathematics, space

Universal law always works perfectly well.


Wherever there is sand and an atmosphere, prevailing winds may whip the grains into undulating shapes, pleasing to the eye with their calming repetition.

Certain sand waves, with wavelengths between 30 centimeters (almost 12 inches) and several meters (around 30 feet), are known as megaripples: they’re between ordinary beach ripples and full dunes in size, and we’ve seen them not just on Earth, but even on other planets such as Mars, well known for its all-encompassing dust storms.

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Jan 13, 2022

Venmo users unhappy after learning about new legal requirement

Posted by in category: law

Venmo users react to a new legal provision requiring commercial transactions totaling $600 to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service.

Jan 12, 2022

Dr. Claudia Mahler — IE, Human Rights Of Older Persons — United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)

Posted by in categories: economics, education, law

Advocating enhanced international action on human rights of older persons — dr. claudia mahler, IE, united nations human rights, UNHCR.


The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC — https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/pages/aboutcouncil.aspx) is a United Nations (https://www.un.org/en/) body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.

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Jan 10, 2022

Responding To The Washington Post Hatchet Job On Electric Cars & Winter Driving

Posted by in categories: chemistry, education, law, neuroscience, sustainability

An editorial writer and columnist for the Washington Post wrote a screed attacking electric cars this week. His heavily slanted piece was filled with misinformation. Here’s the truth about driving an electric car in winter.


Last week, hundreds of motorists on I-95 in Virginia were stuck for hours when a blizzard closed the highway south of Washington, DC. Highway crews couldn’t spread ice-melting chemicals before the storm arrived because the rain that preceded it would have washed them away. But when temperatures dropped, the rain quickly turned to ice. Then the snow came and made the ice treacherously slippery. Tractor trailers trying to get off the highway lost control, blocking many exit ramps. Senator Tim Kaine was trapped in the tangled mess of stalled cars for 27 hours.

Continue reading “Responding To The Washington Post Hatchet Job On Electric Cars & Winter Driving” »

Jan 9, 2022

Google’s Child Abuse Detection Tools Can Also Identify Illegal Drawings of Children

Posted by in categories: law, mobile phones

Apple was hit with a wave of criticism earlier this year when it announced plans to scan iPhones to stop the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Critics fretted that Apple’s hash-checking system could be co-opted by governments to spy on law-abiding iPhone users. In response to the backlash, Apple might end up making changes to that program, but Google has its own way of spotting CSAM, and it might be even more intrusive for those who use all of Google’s cloud services.

The specifics on Google’s CSAM scanning come by way of a warrant issued in early 2020 and spotted by Forbes. According to the filing, Google detected CSAM in Google Drive, its cloud storage platform. And here’s where things get a little weird; the warrant stemming from this report targeted digital artwork, not a photo or video depicting child abuse.

Apple’s system under its “Expanded Protections for Children” banner uses hashes for known child abuse materials, scanning iDevices for matching hashes. This should prevent false positives and it doesn’t require Apple to look at any of the files on your phone. The issue cited most often with this approach is that Apple is still scanning your personal files on your smartphone, and it could be a privacy nightmare if someone manages to substitute different hashes. Apple says this isn’t possible, though.

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