Wednesday, April 30, 2025

‘This Is What We Were Always Scared of’: DOGE Is Building a Surveillance State; The New York Times, April 30, 2025

Julia Angwin , The New York Times; ‘This Is What We Were Always Scared of’: DOGE Is Building a Surveillance State

"What this amounts to is a stunningly fast reversal of our long history of siloing government data to prevent its misuse. In their first 100 days, Mr. Musk and Mr. Trump have knocked down the barriers that were intended to prevent them from creating dossiers on every U.S. resident. Now they seem to be building a defining feature of many authoritarian regimes: comprehensive files on everyone so they can punish those who protest."

In final act of mercy, Pope Francis donates entire private bank account to prisoners; National Catholic Reporter, April 29, 2025

CAMILLO BARONE, National Catholic Reporter ; In final act of mercy, Pope Francis donates entire private bank account to prisoners

"At the end of his life, Pope Francis made one last symbolic gesture: He emptied his personal bank account to donate 200,000 euros to the prisoners he had long championed.

It was a final act of love toward those he had called his "brothers and sisters behind bars," an act that Bishop Benoni Ambarus, auxiliary Bishop of Rome and director of the Office for Prison Pastoral Care, said captures the very essence of Francis' pontificate.

Ambarus has witnessed firsthand the pope's commitment to the incarcerated. Even as his strength visibly declined, Francis refused to abandon the most forgotten members of society during Holy Week."

If leaders stay silent, the US won’t survive Trump’s next 100 days; The Guardian, April 30, 2025

Robert Reich , The Guardian; If leaders stay silent, the US won’t survive Trump’s next 100 days

"Meanwhile, the regime continues to attack all the independent institutions in this country that have traditionally served as buffers against tyranny – universities, non-profits, lawyers and law firms, the media, science and researchers, libraries and museums, the civil service and independent agencies – threatening them with extermination or loss of funding if they do not submit to its oversight and demands...

We have witnessed what can happen in just the first 100 days. I’m not at all sure we can wait until the 2026 midterm elections and hope that Democrats take back at least one chamber of Congress. At the rate this regime is wreaking havoc, too much damage will have been done by then.

The nation is tottering on the edge of dictatorship.

We are no longer Democrats or Republicans. We are either patriots fighting the regime or we are complicit in its tyranny. There is no middle ground.

Soon, I fear, the regime will openly defy the supreme court. Americans must be mobilized into such a huge wave of anger and disgust that members of the House are compelled to impeach Trump (for the third time) and enough senators are moved to finally convict him.

Then this shameful chapter of American history will end."

Meta Faces Copyright Reckoning in Authors’ Generative AI Case; Bloomberg Law, April 30, 2025

Isaiah Poritz, Annelise Levy, Bloomberg Law; Meta Faces Copyright Reckoning in Authors’ Generative AI Case

"The way courts will view the fair use argument for training generative artificial intelligence models with copyrighted materials will be tested Thursday in a San Francisco courtroom, when the first of dozens of such lawsuits reaches summary judgment.

Meta Platforms Inc. and a group of authors including comedian Sarah Silverman will square off before Judge Vince Chhabria, who will decide whether Meta’s use of pirated books to train its AI model Llama qualifies as fair use, or if the issue should be left to a jury."

US Naval Academy canceled author’s lecture that would have criticized book bans; CNN, April 19, 2025

Natasha Bertrand , CNN; US Naval Academy canceled author’s lecture that would have criticized book bans

"The US Naval Academy canceled a lecture that author Ryan Holiday was scheduled to give to students there last week after he refused to remove slides from his planned presentation that criticized the academy’s decision to remove nearly 400 books from its main library.

Holiday, a writer and philosopher who has lectured at the US Naval Academy more than half a dozen times since 2019, told CNN on Saturday that he was invited by the academy in November to give a lecture about wisdom to midshipmen on April 14. He had previously spoken to students there, including during the first Trump administration, as part of a series on stoicism and the pursuit of virtue and excellence.

But an hour before he was scheduled to give his talk last week, as he was getting ready in his hotel room in Annapolis, Holiday says he received a call from the school asking him if he could refrain from mentioning the academy’s decision earlier this month to remove 381 books from the shelves of its Nimitz Library.

“I said I couldn’t do that,” Holiday recalled. “I couldn’t have spoken in front of these midshipmen about courage and about doing the right thing, and then remove, I think, a very reasonable objection to a very egregious concept."...

“I actually agree that the Academy should be apolitical,” Holiday told CNN. “That’s what makes this political meddling in their access to books so troubling. And then to suppress criticism of that obvious mistake, is to model even poorer moral leadership to the midshipman.”"

Is Dignity a Bad Idea for AI Ethics? Responding to Dignity’s Critics; Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, April 29, 2025

Brian Patrick Green is the director of technology ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Views are his own., Markkula Center for Applied Ethics; Is Dignity a Bad Idea for AI Ethics? Responding to Dignity’s Critics

"The word “dignity” and the various concepts it represents are foundational ideas for international human rights discourse and other ethical systems that protect individuals against each other and the power of states. Dignity can be implicitly included in these discourse, as in the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776–“We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal …” –or explicitly, as in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948–“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world …” Dignity helps form the groundwork not only for the protection of individuals, but also, via the UN Charter(where it is in the second line), for the rules-based international order since World War II. Practically-speaking, “dignity” helps the world-go-round, at least in a political way, and that way seems better than some of the alternatives, like a world where human dignity is not internationally acknowledged, such as prior to World War II (where the 1919 Covenant of the League of Nations sought to achieve “peace and security” but not dignity or rights).

However, there are some thinkers who do not like the concept of dignity. A recent article titled, “Why dignity is a troubling concept for AI ethics,” suggests that AI ethics should not use the word dignity any more [1]. I find the article to have several serious problems."

Trump Says He Could Free Abrego Garcia From El Salvador, but Won’t; The New York Times, April 30, 2025

Zolan Kanno-Youngs, The New York Times; Trump Says He Could Free Abrego Garcia From El Salvador, but Won’t

"President Trump, whose administration has insisted it could not bring Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia back from El Salvador to the United States, said he does have the ability to help return the wrongly deported Maryland man, but is not willing to do so because he believes he is a gang member...

Mr. Trump’s comments not only undermined previous statements by his top aides, but were a blunt sign of his administration’s intention to double down and defy the courts. Before the interview with ABC News, the administration had dug in on its refusal to heed the Supreme Court order to help return Mr. Abrego Garcia, who is a Salvadoran migrant. Trump officials have said that because he was now in a Salvadoran prison, it was up to the Salvadoran government to release him...

During the interview with ABC News, Mr. Trump also argued that Mr. Abrego Garcia’s tattooed hands were evidence of his gang ties. Mr. Trump has accused him of being a member of MS-13, previously sharing a photograph of the tattoos, altered with the label MS-13 above the symbols.

In the interview, Mr. Trump appeared to conflate the label with the actual tattoos as he argued that Mr. Abrego Garcia was a gang member.

The tattoos themselves appear to be real, but some gang experts have questioned whether they are truly MS-13 symbols."

Trump 100 days: delusions of monarchy coupled with fundamental ineptitude; The Guardian, April 29, 2025

David Smith , The Guardian; Trump 100 days: delusions of monarchy coupled with fundamental ineptitude

"The portraits of Andrew Jackson, Ronald Reagan and other past presidents gaze down from a past that the 47th seems determined to erase. Trump is seeking to remake the US in his image at frightening speed. The shock and awe of his second term has challenged many Americans’ understanding of who they are.

In three months Trump has shoved the world’s oldest continuous democracy towards authoritarianism at a pace that tyrants overseas would envy. He has used executive power to take aim at Congress, the law, the media, culture and public health. Still aggrieved by his 2020 election defeat and 2024 criminal conviction, his regime of retribution has targeted perceived enemies and proved that no grudge is too small.

Historically such strongmen have offered the populace a grand bargain: if they will surrender some liberties, he will make the trains run on time. But Trump’s delusions of monarchy have been coupled with a fundamental ineptitude.

His trade war injected chaos into the economy, undermining a campaign promise to lower prices and raising the spectre of recession; his ally Elon Musk wreaked havoc on the federal government, threatening health and welfare benefits for millions; his foreign policy turned the world upside down, making friends of adversaries and turning allies into foes...

In 2021 Sabato, the University of Virginia political scientist, told the Guardianthat history would remember Trump as by far the worst president ever on the basis of his first term. “I was wrong,” he acknowledged last week. “This is the worst presidency in American history.

“The ignorance was actually our ally in the first Trump term. He didn’t know what he was doing and now, unfortunately, while he still doesn’t know what he’s doing, he knows more than he did. Trump believes he is infallible. He’s going to burn out with the public long before the end of this term.”"

The Tech Industry Tried Reducing AI’s Pervasive Bias. Now Trump Wants to End Its ‘Woke AI’ Efforts; Associated Press via Inc., April 28, 2025

Associated Press via Inc.; The Tech Industry Tried Reducing AI’s Pervasive Bias. Now Trump Wants to End Its ‘Woke AI’ Efforts

"In the White House and the Republican-led Congress, “woke AI” has replaced harmful algorithmic discrimination as a problem that needs fixing. Past efforts to “advance equity” in AI development and curb the production of “harmful and biased outputs” are a target of investigation, according to subpoenas sent to Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI and 10 other tech companies last month by the House Judiciary Committee.

And the standard-setting branch of the U.S. Commerce Department has deleted mentions of AI fairness, safety and “responsible AI” in its appeal for collaboration with outside researchers. It is instead instructing scientists to focus on “reducing ideological bias” in a way that will “enable human flourishing and economic competitiveness,” according to a copy of the document obtained by The Associated Press.

In some ways, tech workers are used to a whiplash of Washington-driven priorities affecting their work.

But the latest shift has raised concerns among experts in the field, including Harvard University sociologist Ellis Monk, who several years ago was approached by Google to help make its AI products more inclusive."

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

‘I RUN THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD’; The Atlantic, June 2025

Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, The Atlantic; ‘I RUN THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD’

"We asked the president if his second term felt different from his first. He said it did. “The first time, I had two things to do—run the country and survive; I had all these crooked guys,” he said. “And the second time, I run the country and the world.”"

Exclusive: Most Americans see Trump as "dangerous dictator," poll says; Axios, April 29, 2025

Russell Contreras, Axios; Exclusive: Most Americans see Trump as "dangerous dictator," poll says

Data: PRRI; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

A majority of Americans say President Trump is a "dangerous dictator" who poses a threat to democracy and believe he's overstepped his authority by actions such as the mass firing of federal employees, a new survey says."

Three US citizen children, one with cancer, deported to Honduras, lawyers say; BBC News, April 28, 2025

Madeline Halpert, BBC News; Three US citizen children, one with cancer, deported to Honduras, lawyers say

"Three young children who are US citizens - including one with cancer - were deported to Honduras alongside their mothers last week, according to advocacy groups and the families' lawyers.

One of the children is a four-year-old with Stage 4 cancer who was sent without medication, a lawyer for the child's family said."

How to Avoid Ethical Red Flags in Your AI Projects; IEEE Spectrum, April 27, 2025

FRANCESCA ROSSI , IEEE Spectrum;

How to Avoid Ethical Red Flags in Your AI Projects

IBM ethics expert Francesca Rossi shares her advice

"For AI solutions raising ethical red flags, we have an internal review process that may lead to modifications. Our assessment extends beyond the technology’s properties (fairness, explainability, privacy) to how it’s deployed. Deployment can either respect human dignity and agency or undermine it. We conduct risk assessments for each technology use case, recognizing that understanding risk requires knowledge of the context in which the technology will operate. This approach aligns with the European AI Act’s framework—it’s not that generative AI or machine learning is inherently risky, but certain scenarios may be high or low risk. High-risk use cases demand additional scrutiny.

In this rapidly evolving landscape, responsible AI engineering requires ongoing vigilance, adaptability, and a commitment to ethical principles that place human well-being at the center of technological innovation."

The Mirror Trap: AI Ethics And The Collapse Of Human Imagination; Forbes, April 27, 2025

Jason Snyder, Forbes; The Mirror Trap: AI Ethics And The Collapse Of Human Imagination

"The Crisis - Imagination and AI Ethics

We are not racing toward a future of artificial intelligence—we are disappearing into a hall of mirrors. The machines that many of us believed would expand reality are erasing it. What we call progress is merely a smoother reflection of ourselves, stripped of our rough edges, originality, and imagination, raising urgent questions for the future of AI ethics.

AI doesn’t innovate; it imitates. It doesn’t create; it converges.

Today, we don’t have artificial intelligence; we have artificial inference, where machines remix data, and humans provide the intelligence. And as we keep polishing the mirrors, we aren’t just losing originality—we are losing ownership of who we are.

The machines won’t need to replace us. We will surrender to their reflection, mistaking its perfection for our purpose. We’re not designing intelligence—we’re designing reflections. And in those reflections, we’re losing ourselves. We think we’re building machines to extend us. But more often, we’re building machines that imitate us—smoother, safer, simpler versions of ourselves."

Moms for Liberty cofounder fails to nab nomination for seat on state's Commission on Ethics; Florida Today, April 29, 2025

Finch Walker, Florida Today; Moms for Liberty cofounder fails to nab nomination for seat on state's Commission on Ethics

"For the second year in a row, the Florida Senate opted not to consider Moms for Liberty Co-founder Tina Descovich for the state's Commission on Ethics.

Tina Descovich, a former member of Brevard's school board, was appointed to the commission by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2024, then again in February 2025 after the Senate chose not to confirm her. In 2024, she was allowed to remain in her post. Because this marks the second time the Senate declined to consider her as a nominee, she can't be reappointed, and she'll be required to leave her post."

Monday, April 28, 2025

How Libraries Are Faring Under the Trump Administration Amid Detrimental Funding Cuts; Time, April 26, 2025

Rebecca Schneid, Time; How Libraries Are Faring Under the Trump Administration Amid Detrimental Funding Cuts

"Cindy Hohl, president of the ALA, says that many of the 125,000 libraries in the nation utilize IMLS funding to support things like summer reading programs and translation services. Without the services of the IMLS, she says libraries are already facing “huge challenges”—and she has heard of short-term panic and “tough decisions” being made from librarians who are members of the ALA.

“The greatest impact to reduction in funding and services will be [felt by] the small and rural communities across this country,” Hohl says. “How can any legislators say that small and rural communities don't need access to the Internet, they don't need access to public computers, they don't need access to books and reading?”

IMLS was first created and funded by Congress in 1996 and charged with supporting the nation’s libraries and museums. The IMLS awarded $266 million in grants and research funding to cultural institutions last year. Hohl says the problem with the federal government kicking this funding of library services from the IMLS down to the states and local governments is that “we don’t have a comparable model” of the kinds of free services available to communities the way they are in libraries."

Scott Pelley hits out at his own network as ‘60 Minutes’ producer quits because of corporate oversight; Independent, April 28, 2025

Justin Baragona, Independent; Scott Pelley hits out at his own network as ‘60 Minutes’ producer quits because of corporate oversight

"Scott Pelley ended Sunday night’s broadcast of 60 Minutes by issuing an on-air rebuke of his corporate bosses following the stunning departure of the show’s executive producer Bill Owens, who quit last week because he felt he no longer had editorial independence.

“It was hard on him and hard on us,” the longtime correspondent said of Owens’ resignation. “But he did it for us and you.”

Pelley’s startling admonishment of CBS News’ parent company Paramount comes as the vaunted news magazine faces continued pressure from President Donald Trump, who is suing CBS for $20 billionover his claims that 60 Minutes engaged in “unlawful and illegal behavior” with its interview of former vice president Kamala Harris."

Emerging From a Collective Silence, Universities Organize to Fight Trump; The New York Times, April 27, 2025

Stephanie Saul and Alan Blinder, The New York Times; Emerging From a Collective Silence, Universities Organize to Fight Trump

"The Trump administration’s swift initial rollout of orders seeking more control over universities left schools thunderstruck. Fearing retribution from a president known to retaliate against his enemies, most leaders in higher education responded in February with silence.

But after weeks of witnessing the administration freeze billions in federal funding, demand changes to policies and begin investigations, a broad coalition of university leaders publicly opposing those moves is taking root. The most visible evidence yet was a statement last week signed by more than 400 campus leaders opposing what they saw as the administration’s assault on academia.

Although organizations of colleges and administrators regularly conduct meetings on a wide range of issues, the statement by the American Association of Colleges and Universities was an unusual show of unity considering the wide cross-section of interests it included: Ivy League institutions and community colleges, public flagship schools and Jesuit universities, regional schools and historically Black colleges.

“We speak with one voice against the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education,” the statement said."

Penn State adds artificial intelligence major, with a focus on ethics; WPSU, April 28, 2025

Abigail Chachoute, WPSU; Penn State adds artificial intelligence major, with a focus on ethics

"Starting this fall, Penn State students will be able to major in artificial intelligence, focusing on the development, application and ethical considerations of AI.

Vasant Honavar, a professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, said with the wider applications of AI across industries, it is important for students to understand the societal implications of the technology...

Another goal in the college is to make AI education available to students across majors. Last fall, Honavar taught the first introductory AI course to more than 30 students. The class did not have any prerequisite requirements as a general elective and was open to students across class standings.

Honavar said this class focused on giving students a broad view of how to apply AI as a tool in their lives and in different contexts.

“This is really about becoming an informed citizen, about AI in a world that they are going to be in,” Honavar said. “It is being transformed by it and everybody has to know something about it, all the way from someone that may be sitting in a position in a company making some decision about ethical use of AI within that organization to someone that is on the staff of a legislature or advising them about some regulation around AI.”"

A Road Map of Trump’s Lawless Presidency, According to 35 Legal Scholars; The New York Times, April 28, 2025

New York Times Opinion , The New York Times; A Road Map of Trump’s Lawless Presidency, According to 35 Legal Scholars

"Times Opinion recently reached out to dozens of legal scholars and asked them to identify the most significant unconstitutional or unlawful actions by Mr. Trump and his administration in the first 100 days of his second presidency and to assess the damage. We also asked them to separate actions that might draw legal challenges but are, in fact, within the powers of the president. And we asked them to connect the dots on where they thought Mr. Trump was heading.

We heard back from 35 scholars — a group full of diverse viewpoints and experiences, including liberals like U.C. Berkeley’s Erwin Chemerinsky and Harvard’s Jody Freeman; the conservatives Adrian Vermeule at Harvard and Michael McConnell, a former federal appeals court judge who directs Stanford’s Constitutional Law Center and is a member of the Federalist Society; and the libertarians Ilya Somin at George Mason University and Evan Bernick at Northern Illinois University. Many are among the nation’s most cited scholars by their colleagues in law review articles...

Due process dates back to Magna Carta; it is the essence of liberty. Without it, America is not a democracy as freedom itself is at the arbitrary whims of a malevolent ruler.
— Kim Wehle, professor, University of Baltimore School of Law...

Universities, law firms, public schools, et cetera, are being attacked because of their political views: their opposition to the president, their adoption of D.E.I. policies, their liberalism more generally. These moves flout the cardinal rule of the First Amendment, which is that the government can’t punish people because of their political speech. — Nicholas Stephanopoulos, professor, Harvard Law School

Ethics, Info, Tech: Contested Voices, Values, Spaces