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Co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc. Evan Spiegel attends the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on online child sexual exploitation at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, on January 31. In prepared testimony reviewed by CNN, Spiegel will say that on average, most Snapchat users connect directly with their friends. "We designed Snapchat to open into the camera, instead of a content feed, to encourage creativity instead of passive consumption," Spiegel will testify. "When people share their Story with friends on Snapchat there are no public likes or comments." A California judge recently ruled that Snap must face a lawsuit over children's fentanyl purchases linked to the app.

Persons: Evan Spiegel, Nathan Howard, Spiegel, Connecticut Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Tennessee Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn Organizations: Snap Inc, U.S . Capitol, Reuters, CNN, Connecticut Democratic, Tennessee Republican Locations: Washington, California

☆ Big Tech executives to appear at Senate hearing to defend social media’s impact on teens
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Zuckerberg is expected to tout the company’s more than 30 safety controls, according to prepared testimony released ahead of the hearing. In recent weeks, Meta has also begun hiding more “age-inappropriate” content in teens’ feeds and restricting teens from receiving direct messages from people they don’t follow. Ideally, Clegg said, Zuckerberg would authorize as many as 124 new hires, but acknowledged that financial pressures could make it difficult. After months of radio silence from Zuckerberg, Clegg tried to follow up, this time with a slimmed-down proposal that envisioned either 25 new hires or, if even that was infeasible, just seven. “This would be the bare minimum needed to meet basic policymaker inquiries,” Clegg wrote to Zuckerberg on Nov. 10, 2021.

Persons: “ We’re, ” Connecticut Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel, Rosemarie Calvoni, Meta, Calvoni, ”, ” Calvoni, Arturo Béjar, ’, Tennessee Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Sheryl Sandberg, Global Affairs Nick Clegg, Clegg —, —, Clegg, ” Clegg, Sandberg, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Meta, Twitter, ” Connecticut Democratic, Facebook, Blumenthal, Tennessee Republican, Global Affairs Locations: ” Connecticut, Massachusetts

☆ The day Congress went back to fourth grade
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The 118th Congress, which took an initial step to punt funding deadlines to the winter, looked more like a fourth grade class on a day that will further erode trust in government ahead of next year’s elections. Across Capitol Hill in the world’s so-called greatest deliberative body, Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin was spoiling for a prize fight. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, however, suggested that policing the Capitol was beyond even his wily capacity to enforce discipline within his conference. And only in the malfunctioning Congress would a speaker try to prevent one government shutdown by laying the possible path for two others. Israel and Ukraine have nothing to thank Congress forThe most glaring example of Congress’ failure to fulfill its duty on Tuesday came at a pro-Israel demonstration on the National Mall.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Xi Jinping, Kevin McCarthy –, –, Tim Burchett, CNN’s Manu Raju, McCarthy, Oklahoma Republican Sen, Markwayne Mullin, Sean O’Brien, Mullin, O’Brien, ” Mullin, “, ” O’Brien, Vermont Sen, Bernie Sanders, let’s, ” Sanders, ”, Jared Moskowitz, James Comer, Comer, leafing, Moskowitz couldn’t, Gargamel, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia –, Darrell Issa, Alejandro Mayorkas, Greene, Donald Trump, ” McCarthy, Dakota Sen, John Thune –, Mitch McConnell, who’s, Mike Johnson’s, Johnson, ” Rep, Patrick McHenry, Tom Cole, Trump, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Iowa GOP Sen, Joni Ernst, Biden, Vladimir Putin, hasn’t, he’d, ” Connecticut Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy Organizations: CNN, 118th, Republican, GOP, Tennessean, Oklahoma Republican, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Sooner, Martial Arts, Democratic, Biden, Florida Democrat, Capitol, Georgia Republican, Homeland, Capitol ., Congressional, Senate Republican, Capitol Police, Kentucky Republican, Republicans, ”, CNBC, “, Congress, House Democratic, Iowa GOP, Internal Revenue Service, Senate, White, ” Connecticut Democratic Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Washington, China, Oklahoma, Vermont, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, California, Capitol . Congress, Dakota, Gaza, Iowa, “ Ukraine, ” Connecticut

☆ Government shutdown looms as new speaker struggles to control hardliners
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The move could head off the Washington holiday-season tradition of shutdown dramas and mammoth all-encompassing spending bills. But the chances that a GOP majority that has trouble passing any bill could deliver on this intricate plan seem very low. Time is critically short given the need to muscle a funding measure through both the House and Senate in five days. Trump looms over the House – and the year to comeHouse Democrats are yet to solidify their position but did note Saturday that spending cuts weren’t included in Johnson’s plan. Johnson pleads for a break from his hardlinersAs with the White House, Johnson’s language explains his strategy.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy —, Johnson, “, Chip Roy, McCarthy, Jabin Botsford, Jabin, haven’t, Ukraine’s, —, ”, Karine Jean, Pierre, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, — Biden, Trump, Jack Smith, Marjorie Taylor Greene, ” Greene, Biden, Republicans —, Connecticut Democratic Sen, Chris Murphy, ” Murphy, Murphy Organizations: CNN, New, Republican, Washington, GOP, CRs, Democratic, White, Caucus, Texas Rep, Getty, Washington Post, Senate, Internal Revenue Service, Republicans, Democrats, Trump, Connecticut Democratic, Press Locations: Louisiana, Washington, DC, Washington ,, Israel, Gaza, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Connecticut

☆ Meta ignored warnings on Instagram’s harm to teens, whistleblower says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —Meta’s top executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, ignored warnings for years about harms to teens on its platforms such as Instagram, a company whistleblower told a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday. Meanwhile, both parties have united behind blaming Meta for contributing to a nationwide mental health crisis. Bejar’s research “is basically a smoking gun,” Haugen told CNN in an interview Tuesday. “Every day countless people inside and outside of Meta are working on how to help keep young people safe online,” said Meta spokesman Andy Stone in a statement. He said everyday Americans understand “the harm being done” and compared it to harms from smoking.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Arturo Bejar, Bejar, Zuckerberg, Bejar’s, ” Bejar, Frances Haugen, Instagram, ” Haugen, “, Sheryl Sandberg, ”, Andy Stone, Stone, Connecticut Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal ., Josh Hawley, Tennessee Republican Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Adam Mosseri, Sandberg, Chris Cox, Mosseri, ” Blackburn, Louisiana Republican Sen, John Kennedy, we’re, ” Meta, Blumenthal, Cox, Haugen, Hawley, ” Blumenthal, ” CNN’s Samantha Kelly Organizations: Washington CNN, Washington CNN — Meta’s, Facebook, Wall, Meta, CNN, Connecticut Democratic, Big Tech, Tennessee Republican, Louisiana Republican, Wall Street, “ Big Tech, Tobacco Locations: Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal . Missouri, Instagram

☆ Senate Democrats press for Justice Department inquiry into PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — Two top Senate Democrats with a track record of scrutinizing business and antitrust activity have called for a Justice Department investigation into the merger agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf. The letter follows Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal's inquiries to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman for details on the merger. The PGA Tour also insists the deal isn't a merger and that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will be a minority investor. The deal between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf would put an end to pending antitrust litigation between the two golf organizations. Family members of 9/11 victims have protested the Saudi golf league due to the terrorists' ties to the country.

Persons: Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, LIV, Elizabeth Warren of, General Merrick Garland, Jonathan Kanter, Connecticut Democratic Sen, Richard Blumenthal's, Jay Monahan, Greg Norman, Monahan, LIV Golf, DOJ didn't, Yasir Al, Rumayyan, LIV Golf's, Osama Bin Laden, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Jamal Khashoggi, Warren, Wyden, –, Jessica Golden Organizations: U.S, Capitol, WASHINGTON —, Democrats, Justice Department, PGA Tour, Saudi, LIV Golf, Oregon, Connecticut Democratic, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, DOJ, CNBC, PGA, Public Investment Fund, Washington Post, Senate Banking Committee, Finance Locations: Sens, Washington , DC, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, U.S, Saudi, Saudi Arabia

☆ US senator introduces bill to create a federal agency to regulate AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Days after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testified in front of Congress and proposed creating a new federal agency to regulate artificial intelligence, a US senator has introduced a bill to do just that. On Thursday, Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet unveiled an updated version of legislation he introduced last year that would establish a Federal Digital Platform Commission. And for the most significant platforms — companies the bill calls “systemically important” — the bill would create requirements for algorithmic audits and public risk assessments of the harms their tools could cause. The debate over whether the US government should establish a separate federal agency to police AI tools may become a significant focus of those efforts following Altman’s testimony this week. Altman suggested in a Senate hearing on Tuesday that such an agency could restrict how AI is developed through licenses or credentialing for AI companies.

☆ How the CEO behind ChatGPT won over Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It was a pivotal moment for the AI industry. He agreed that large-scale manipulation and deception using AI tools are among the technology’s biggest potential flaws. On Tuesday, they seemed ready — or even relieved — to be dealing with another area of the technology industry. The AI industry’s biggest players and aspirants include some of the same tech giants Congress has sharply criticized, including Google and Meta. Here too, Altman deftly seized an opportunity to curry favor with lawmakers by emphasizing distinctions between his industry and the social media industry.

☆ Mr. ChatGPT goes to Washington: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman set to testify before Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

As the CEO of OpenAI, Altman, perhaps more than any other single figure, has come to serve as a face for a new crop of AI products that can generate images and texts in response to user prompts. In interviews this year, Altman has presented himself as someone who is mindful of the risks posed by AI and even “a little bit scared” of the technology. Others want Altman and OpenAI to move more cautiously. “I think moving with caution and an increasing rigor for safety issues is really important,” Altman said at an event last month. “The letter I don’t think was the optimal way to address it.”– CNN’s Jennifer Korn contributed to this report.

☆ JD Vance defends Trump's comments that Republicans should let the US default, saying the former president was giving 'political advice' and doing 'fundamentally the right thing'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Sen. JD Vance defended Trump's comments to Axios, saying he was just giving "political advice." "I say to the Republicans out there, congressmen and senators, if they don't give you massive cuts you are going to have to do a default," Trump said. Sen. JD Vance argued that Trump was just trying to help his party. Vance told Axios that "what the president is doing is really giving political advice ... not financial advice." GOP Sen. Josh Hawley, for example, told Axios that he disagreed with Trump's comments and that "there is no world in which [a default] happens."

☆ OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to testify before Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington CNN —OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will testify before Congress next Tuesday as lawmakers increasingly scrutinize the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence, according to a Senate Judiciary subcommittee. During Tuesday’s hearing, lawmakers will question Altman for the first time since OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, took the world by storm late last year. The groundbreaking generative AI tool has led to a wave of new investment in AI, prompting a scramble among US policymakers who have called for guardrails and regulation amid fears of AI’s misuse. Also testifying Tuesday will be Christina Montgomery, IBM’s vice president and chief privacy and trust officer, as well as Gary Marcus, a former New York University professor and a self-described critic of AI “hype.”“Artificial intelligence urgently needs rules and safeguards to address its immense promise and pitfalls,” said Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Senate panel on privacy and technology. “This hearing begins our Subcommittee’s work in overseeing and illuminating AI’s advanced algorithms and powerful technology.”He added: “I look forward to working with my colleagues as we explore sensible standards and principles to help us navigate this uncharted territory.”

☆ Senators unveil bipartisan legislation to ban kids under 13 from joining social media platforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The proposed legislation by a bipartisan group of US senators aims to address what policymakers, mental health advocates and critics of tech platforms say is a mental health crisis fueled by social media. “Social media companies have stumbled onto a stubborn, devastating fact,” Schatz said. But it would represent a potentially vast expansion of the government’s role in regulating websites where age verification is a requirement. Tech companies could still develop their own in-house age verification technology or hire third party companies to perform the verification, lawmakers said. Violations of the proposed law could mean millions of dollars in Federal Trade Commission fines for social media companies.

☆ Meta opens up its Horizon Worlds VR app to teens for the first time, prompting outcries from US lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Meta is forging ahead with plans to let teenagers onto its virtual reality app, Horizon Worlds, despite objections from lawmakers and civil society groups that the technology could have possible unintended consequences for mental health. On Tuesday, the social media giant said children as young as 13 in Canada and the United States will gain access to Horizon Worlds for the first time in the coming weeks. Zuckerberg has pushed to spend billions developing VR hardware and software, even as Meta has scaled back significantly in other parts of its business. “Meta is despicably attempting to lure young teens to Horizon Worlds in an attempt to boost its failing platform,” said Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who last month, along with Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ed Markey, urged Zuckerberg to reconsider letting teens use the app. Lawmakers have previously raised alarms about the impact of some of Meta’s other products, including Instagram, on younger users.

☆ Saudi Arabia and OPEC risk causing a US recession, Sen. Blumenthal says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Connecticut Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal isn’t buying that argument from Saudi Arabia-led OPEC and is leading the push to punish the kingdom. Blumenthal and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna announced legislation on Tuesday to stop all US arms sales to Saudi Arabia for one year. Blumenthal said he hopes the legislation will lead to a “rebalancing” of the “one-sided” relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia gets arms, it gets paid for oil and then basically turns around and betrays us,” he said. More immediately, Blumenthal said the goal is to get OPEC+ to reverse its decision to slash oil production beginning next month.

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