Citrus County, Fla., leaders don’t like the New York Times. That doesn’t justify keeping it out of their libraries.; The Washington Post, November 9, 2019

Anthony Marx, The Washington Post; Citrus County, Fla., leaders don’t like the New York Times. That doesn’t justify keeping it out of their libraries.

"Libraries have always been at the foundation of our democracy, existing to arm the public with the information people need to make informed decisions and reach logical conclusions. Libraries are trusted sources of this information precisely because they do not judge, reject or accept the information based on politics or opinion. They provide it, and as technology has changed over the decades, they adapt to provide it the way patrons want it.

Despite all of this, the commissioners of Citrus County chose to reject the library system’s request. I am well aware of the financial difficulties public libraries face...

This is a misguided decision. Public libraries are not in place to further the political agenda of any party or position. Whether those holding the purse strings favor any particular journal or not should be irrelevant. At the New York Public Library, we offer hundreds of periodicals from all sides of the political aisle. I will tell you that I do not agree with the political slant of some of the papers we make available. And that is exactly how it should be.

Libraries give members of the public the tools they need to be fully informed participants in civic society."

Commissioners call New York Times ‘fake news,’ deny library funding for digital subscriptions; Tampa Bay Times, November 4, 2019

Josh Fiallo, Tampa Bay Times; Commissioners call New York Times ‘fake news,’ deny library funding for digital subscriptions

"Sandy Price, the advisory board chairman for the county’s libraries, told the Citrus County Chronicle she was disappointed with the commissioners’ decision to block the funding. She also said she was concerned with the reason behind the blocking, specifically citing Carnahan’s comments about the New York Times being ‘fake news.’

“Someone’s personal political view does not have a place in deciding what library resources are available for the entire county,” Price told the Chronicle on Monday. “Libraries have to ensure all points of view are represented.”

Despite all five commissioners railing against the request during the commission meeting, feedback that he received in the days after caused Commissioner Brian Coleman to loosen his stance on the request.

Coleman originally said of the funding request: “I support President Trump. I would say they put stuff in there that’s not necessarily verified."

Two days after the meeting, however, Coleman told The Chronicle he wanted to re-address the topic at a future meeting.

“Our decision should have been impartial, instead of having it become a personal thing," Coleman told the Chronicle."

A library wanted a New York Times subscription. Officials refused, citing Trump and ‘fake news.’; The New York Times, November 5, 2019

Antonia Noori Farzan, The Washington Post; A library wanted a New York Times subscription. Officials refused, citing Trump and ‘fake news.’

"“Someone’s personal political view does not have a place in deciding what library resources are available for the entire county,” Sandy Price, the chairwoman for the library’s advisory board, told the Chronicle. “Libraries have to ensure all points of view are represented.”"

Facebook and Twitter spread Trump’s lies, so we must break them up; The Guardian, November 3, 2019

Robert Reich, The Guardian; Facebook and Twitter spread Trump’s lies, so we must break them up 

"The reason 45% of Americans rely on Facebook for news and Trump’s tweets reach 66 million is because these platforms are near monopolies, dominating the information marketplace. No TV network, cable giant or newspaper even comes close. Fox News’ viewership rarely exceeds 3 million. The New York Times has 4.7 million subscribers.

Facebook and Twitter aren’t just participants in the information marketplace. They’re quickly becoming the information marketplace."

Google Maps Just Introduced a Controversial New Feature That Drivers Will Probably Love but Police Will Utterly Hate; Inc., October 20, 2019

Bill Murphy Jr., Inc.; Google Maps Just Introduced a Controversial New Feature That Drivers Will Probably Love but Police Will Utterly Hate

"This week, however, Google announced the next best thing: Starting immediately, drivers will be able to report hazards, slowdowns, and speed traps right on Google Maps...

But one group that will likely not be happy is the police. In recent years, police have asked -- or even demanded -- that Waze drop the police-locating feature."

The Supreme Court Denies Domino’s Petition in a Win for Disability Rights; Slate, October 7, 2019

Aaron Mak, Slate; The Supreme Court Denies Domino’s Petition in a Win for Disability Rights

"On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down an order announcing it would not take up a petition from the Domino’s pizza chain to appeal a lower-court decision dictating that the company must make its website and app accessible to people with disabilities. The decision is a major win for disability rights advocates, who have been arguing that the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites, digital platforms, and other nonphysical spaces."

Bootleg film shows Florida prison in all its danger, squalor. An inmate shot it on the sly; The Miami Herald, October 4, 2019

Romy Ellenbogen, The Miami Herald; Bootleg film shows Florida prison in all its danger, squalor. An inmate shot it on the sly

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article235623292.html#storylink=cpy

"David Fathi, the director of the ACLU’s National Prison Project, said as technology has developed, videos and photos from inside prisons have become more common.

“This would be, to my knowledge, the first prison documentary filmed exclusively by a prisoner with a cellphone,” he said.

Fathi said the issue is paradoxical — prisons have good reason for forbidding cellphones, but the footage also increases transparency, shining daylight in a dark place and potentially exposing abuses."

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/special-reports/florida-prisons/article235623292.html#storylink=cpy