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Today, 26 civil society organizations sent a letter to Congress calling on legislators to ensure that any federal privacy legislation addresses the discriminatory impacts of commercial data practices and protects people of color, women, religious minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, persons living on low income, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations.
"Personal data are the raw materials that fuel discrimination," the groups told Congress. "For too long, corporations have ignored the digital pollution that their commercial data practices generate; they must be held accountable for the negative externalities of their business models."
The exploitation of personal information disproportionately harms marginalized communities. The letter provides extensive documentation of the ways in which privacy abuses enable voter suppression, digital redlining, discriminatory policing, retail discrimination, digital inequity, amplification of white supremacy, identity theft, and the endangerment of personal safety.
To help address these harms, empower consumers, and promote equal opportunity for all in the modern public square and marketplace, the groups urge Congress to pass comprehensive privacy reforms that include the following provisions:
Read the full letter here.
The letter was signed by the following organizations:
Access Now Center for Digital Democracy Center for Media Justice Center on Privacy & Technology at Georgetown Law Color of Change Common Cause Consumer Action Consumer Federation of America Demand Progress Education Fund Demos Free Press Action Human Rights Campaign Impact Fund Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law | Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition National Consumer Law Center, on behalf of its low-income clients National Hispanic Media Coalition National Urban League New America's Open Technology Institute Open MIC (Open Media and Information Companies Initiative) Public Justice Center Public Knowledge Southern Poverty Law Center The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights United Church of Christ, OC Inc. |
The Lawyers' Committee is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to enlist the private bar's leadership and resources in combating racial discrimination and the resulting inequality of opportunity - work that continues to be vital today.
(202) 662-8600"Tesla is having more severe—and fatal—crashes than people in a normal data set," one expert said.
Cars using Tesla's Autopilot mode have been involved with 736 crashes causing 17 deaths since 2019, an analysis from The Washington Postrevealed Saturday.
The Post said that their numbers, taken from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, were higher than previously reported and reflected a significant uptick in both crashes, serious injuries, and deaths over the last four years.
"Tesla is having more severe—and fatal—crashes than people in a normal data set," former NHTSA senior safety adviser Missy Cummings, who is now a professor at George Mason University's College of Engineering and Computing, told The Washington Post of the findings.
\u201cNEW: Tesla crashes in Autopilot nearly have nearly tripled in the past year, government data says. The latest tally is 736 crashes, 17 fatalities. \n"Tesla is having more severe \u2014 and fatal \u2014 crashes than people in a normal data set."\nhttps://t.co/u8F9ucDz3s w/ @jeremybmerrill\u201d— Faiz Siddiqui (@Faiz Siddiqui) 1686415071
NHTSA began monitoring crashes involving vehicles using driver-assistance technology in 2021, after a federal order mandating companies report these incidents. The fact that a crash occurred does not mean the new technology was to blame, NHTSA said.
Tesla by far leads the industry in both crashes and deaths involving driver-assistance technology, accounting for the "vast majority" of the first and "almost all" of the latter, The Washington Post observed. A graph shared by the Post shows Tesla's bar towering over all other car makers combined.
"Those complaining about the media focusing too much on Tesla crashes should examine this graph," David Zipper, a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School who focuses on mobility, cities, and technology, tweeted in response to the findings.
\u201cNew WaPo story links Tesla Autopilot to 736 crashes & 17 deaths. That's *far* more than other carmakers'' driver assistance tech -- combined.\n\nThose complaining about the media focusing too much on Tesla crashes should examine this graph. \n\nhttps://t.co/KxQL0sP7l3\u201d— David Zipper (@David Zipper) 1686399259
Tesla CEO Elon Musk did not respond to requests for comment from the Post or Insider. In the past, Musk has said that cars in Autopilot mode are safer than those entirely controlled by humans.
"At the point of which you believe that adding autonomy reduces injury and death, I think you have a moral obligation to deploy it even though you're going to get sued and blamed by a lot of people," Musk said in 2022, as the Post reported.
However, experts told the Post that Musk's decision to push the new tech—such as the expansion of Full Self Driving—could be a factor in the number of incidents.
"The fact that… anybody and everybody can have it… Is it reasonable to expect that might be leading to increased accident rates? Sure, absolutely."
"The fact that… anybody and everybody can have it… Is it reasonable to expect that might be leading to increased accident rates? Sure, absolutely." Cummings said.
Other experts have cast doubt on Tesla's ability to deliver a fully self-driving car, as the company has repeatedly promised, tellingInsider that the technology still makes too many errors.
"Tesla keeps saying next year, and I still don't see any reason to believe that promise," Phil Koopman, an engineering professor and autonomous vehicle expert at Carnegie Mellon University, told Insider. "There's no reason to believe that something magic will happen this year that failed to happen the year before and the year before and the year before."
This isn't the first time that Musk's attempts to roll out innovations have raised safety concerns. A SpaceX rocket launch in April caused an explosion that sent a dust cloud much farther than the company had predicted, coating communities in particulates and threatening endangered species.
The Birds and Bees Protection Act would eliminate 80 to 90% of the neonics used in New York each year by banning applications that are either easily replaceable or do not give an economic boost to farmers.
New York state on Friday became the first state in the nation to pass legislation restricting neonicotinoid pesticides (neonics) that are toxic to bees and other pollinators and wildlife.
The Birds and Bees Protection Act would eliminate 80 to 90% of the neonics used in New York each year by banning applications that are either easily replaceable or do not give an economic boost to farmers.
"Every year for the past decade, New York beekeepers have lost more than 40% of their bee colonies—largely due to neonic pesticides," bill sponsor State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal said in a statement. "Today, in this landmark victory for our pollinators, economy, and farming industry, New York is working to reverse that trend."
\u201cHUGE thank you to @bradhoylman and @SenatorHarckham in getting The Birds and Bees Protection Act through the Senate. What a victory for pollinators, clean water, and healthy communities \ud83d\udc1d\ud83d\udc1b\ud83c\udf0e\ud83c\udf33\ud83e\udd86\u201d— SC Atlantic Chapter (@SC Atlantic Chapter) 1686179366
The bill passed the New York State Senate on Wednesday and the New York State Assembly on Friday and now goes to Gov. Kathy Hochul for signature. It bans the use of neonics to coat corn, soybean, and wheat seeds as well as for lawns and gardens.
"Pollinators are vital members of healthy ecosystems and our food supply chain," New York Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick said in a statement. "Protecting them by limiting toxins that pose adverse effects and health risks is an important step forward in our work to stop poisoning the environment and create a healthier New York."
\u201c@DeborahJGlick you've been a tireless leader on A7640. THANK YOU for your dedication to getting the Birds and Bees Protection Act passed this year.\u201d— SC Atlantic Chapter (@SC Atlantic Chapter) 1686360116
Neonics are a class of pesticides that work by attacking the nervous systems of insect pests, as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) explains. A lethal dose will cause paralysis and death, while non-lethal effects include memory, immune, navigation, and fertility problems.
They are one of the deadliest pesticides out there, yet they are also the leading insecticide used in the U.S. This is a problem because about 95% of neonics used to coat seeds don't enter the plant at all, but instead spread into the environment via the soil, where they do not break down easily.
The concern is that neonics don't just harm target species but also beneficial insects like bees and butterflies.
"It's critical that we passed this bill to protect the health of humans and other living beings on our planet."
"They also harm the development of birds and mammals; and studies have linked ingredients of neoicotinoid insecticides with adverse human health outcomes as well," New York state Sen. Pete Harckham, another bill supporter, said in a statement. "It's critical that we passed this bill to protect the health of humans and other living beings on our planet."
The legislation was based in part on a Cornell University study that found that most neonic use in New York did not actually provide an economic benefit or could easily be swapped out for a safer alternative. It also comes about a month after an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessment found that three common neonic chemicals threaten 11% of the species on the U.S. endangered species list.
"The Birds and the Bees Protection Act is the first-in-the-nation to limit neonic coated seeds, which contaminate our soil, our waterways, and our bodies," Dan Raichel, the acting director of NRDC's Pollinator Initiative, said in a statement. "We've long known neonics kill bees, but we now see links between neonics and mass losses of birds, the collapse of fisheries, developmental risks in people, and vast water contamination in New York."
The U.S. has long lagged behind similar countries in regulating neonics. The EU has banned their outdoor use, and Canada has largely stopped using them to coat seeds.
The new legislation was passed a little more than a week after the Center for Food Safety and the Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) sued the EPA over its failure to regulate the toxic chemicals.
"For too long, EPA has allowed pesticide-coated seeds to jeopardize threatened and endangered species across the country."
"For too long, EPA has allowed pesticide-coated seeds to jeopardize threatened and endangered species across the country," PANNA senior scientist and plaintiff Margaret Reeves said in a statement at the time. "EPA must close the regulatory loophole for toxic pesticide-coated seeds to prevent further harm to wildlife, ecosystems, and people."
While environmental groups continue to push for national regulations, they celebrated change in New York.
"Today is a great day for pollinators, clean water, and healthier communities," Caitlin Ferrante, the conservation program manager of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, said in a statement.
"If House Republicans were actually serious about the deficit, they would demand wealthy corporations pay their fair share in taxes," one advocate said.
After threatening to force the government into default over the debt ceiling, Republican lawmakers Friday introduced new tax cuts that could add at least $21 billion to the national deficit over the next decade.
Three new GOP-backed bills would cut taxes for large companies, small businesses, and individual families while reducing clean energy tax incentives to pay for it.
"It's Republican clockwork," the ranking member on the Ways and Means Committee Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) said in a statement. "Not even a week after their manufactured default crisis and it is back to tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected."
"Not even a week after their manufactured default crisis and it is back to tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected."
"This stoops to a new low even for them: retroactive corporate tax cuts, next-to-nothing for the most vulnerable children and families, and sneaking in favors for Big Oil," he continued. "Make no mistake about it, they are laying the groundwork for even bigger cuts in 2025, and the only way they will ever achieve a balanced budget is by sticking seniors and working families with the bill."
\u201cYesterday, the latest #GOPTaxScam\u00a0was introduced. Not even a week since Republicans brought our nation to the brink of economic ruin, and they are already two-stepping into tax cuts for the wealthy and well-connected.\n\nMy full statement\u00a0\u2b07\ufe0f\u00a0https://t.co/W4jFSGiWZ2\u201d— Rep. Richard Neal (@Rep. Richard Neal) 1686406849
The cuts come in the American Families and Jobs Act, introduced Friday by Ways and Means Committee leader Rep. Jason T. Smith (R-Mo.). That act is comprised of three different bills.
The first, The Washington Post explained, would reinstate corporate tax breaks related to spending on interest, equipment, and research for a limited time.
It would also roll back some provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) by limiting tax credits for electric vehicles, barring tax payers from using those credits for used vehicles, ending tax credits to incentivize clean energy production and investments, and repealing a tax on toxic chemical waste sites.
The elimination of the green energy tax credits are expected to pay for $216 billion of the tax cuts' $240 billion price tag over the next decade, POLITICO reported.
Neal pointed out the ironic timing of the proposed swap, noting that, "while Americans are sheltering inside to avoid the fallout of climate-spurred wildfires, Republicans think now is a good time to repeal the largest climate investment in our history to pay for their corporate handouts."
"While Americans are sheltering inside to avoid the fallout of climate-spurred wildfires, Republicans think now is a good time to repeal the largest climate investment in our history to pay for their corporate handouts."
The second and third bills would increase deductions for families making less than $400,000 over the next two years and get rid of a requirement that taxpayers report Venmo or similar transactions over $600, a measure aimed at small businesses, The Washington Post explained.
"These policies will provide relief for working families, strengthen small businesses, grow jobs, and protect American innovation and competitiveness," Smith said in a statement.
\u201c.@WaysandMeansGOP just introduced the American Families and Jobs Act to give families and small businesses a fighting chance in Biden\u2019s economy:\n\n\u2705 Put money in families\u2019 pocket stolen by inflation\n\u2705Help small businesses grow\n\u2705Secure our supply chains\u201d— Rep. Jason Smith (@Rep. Jason Smith) 1686342570
However, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre called them a "tax scam," as Reuters reported, adding that the GOP's "priority isn't reducing the deficit or out-competing the world, their priority is giving handouts to rich special interests and corporations at the expense of everyone else."
Exactly how much Republican plans would add to the deficit is a matter of debate. The nonpartisan Join Committee on Taxation calculated a total of $21 billion over the next 10 years, The Washington Post reported.
However, the bills extend Trump tax breaks for businesses through 2025, but Republicans have said they would like to make them permanent. If they succeeded, it could cost the government a little under $500 billion, the Tax Policy Center said, and the dividend would largely go to high-earning Americans.
"If House Republicans were actually serious about the deficit, they would demand wealthy corporations pay their fair share in taxes," Liz Zelnick, director of Accountable.US' Economic Security & Corporate Power, said in a statement responding to the new bills. "Instead, they're giving billions in wasteful tax giveaways to greedy corporations, instead of making critical investments in American families and communities."