Tag Archives: Facebook

Paxton appeals SCOPE Act rulings

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. An Austin-based federal judge ruled Friday that some aspects of a Texas law limiting minors’ access to digital platforms likely violate the First Amendment, a decision Attorney General Ken Paxton immediately appealed. Northern District of Texas Judge Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Facebook, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Instagram, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Shelby Slawson, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

More blocks on the SCOPE Act

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some late Friday news. A federal district court on Friday has issued more temporary blocks on provisions of a Texas law designed to restrict what kinds of materials and advertisements minors can see on social media and age verification requirements. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Instagram, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, NetChoice, Pornhub, SCOTUS, Shelby Slawson, Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

KP George indicted on charges of misrepresenting his identity

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a misdemeanor, but still. As a general rule, you don’t want “indicted” to be the verb in a sentence where your name is the subject. Fort Bend County Judge Kyle Prasad (KP) George was indicted Thursday on a misdemeanor … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2022, Election 2024, Facebook, Fort Bend County, KP George, Taral Patel, Texas | 6 Comments

Taral Patel and KP George

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. Investigators believe Fort Bend County judge KP George coordinated with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, in posting from fake social media accounts in 2022 to influence the outcome of an election, a new search warrant … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2024 | Tagged Commissioners Court, County Judge, Election 2022, Election 2024, Facebook, Fort Bend County, KP George, Taral Patel, Texas | 3 Comments

Texas SCOPE Act partially blocked

Posted on September 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

One of the many Internet/social media-related laws passed in the last legislative session(s) has been partially put on hold by a federal judge. A handful of new laws went into effect Sunday, including the Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Instagram, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Shelby Slawson, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Lawsuit filed over another social media law

Posted on August 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’re going to be litigating this past legislative session for a long time. Two tech industry groups, the Computer and Communications Industry Association and NetChoice, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to block a new Texas law that would require platforms … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Shelby Slawson, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Meta settles lawsuit with Texas over facial recognition usage

Posted on July 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Wasn’t following this closely. Facebook’s parent company Meta will pay Texas $1.4 billion to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of using personal biometric data without users’ authorization. The 2022 lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged artificial intelligence, Attorney General, Facebook, facial recognition, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Texas | Comments Off

SCOTUS keeps Texas’ stupid social media censorship law blocked

Posted on July 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The US Supreme Court did an awful lot of Very Bad Things this past week. You don’t need me to get into that, the entire Internet is screaming about it, with much justification. They also did at least one not … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

Uvalde parents sue Daniel Defense again

Posted on May 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m rooting for them. Several Uvalde families are suing Daniel Defense, the gun company whose AR-15 style rifle an 18-year-old gunman used to kill 19 children and two teachers and injure several others at Robb Elementary two years ago, lawyers … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Activision, advertising, California, Connecticut, Daniel Defense, Facebook, guns, Instagram, Josh Koskoff, lawsuit, Texas, Uvalde, video games | 1 Comment

SCOTUS has its hearing on the stupid social media censorship law

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some modest hope, perhaps, that we’ll get a not-terrible ruling. The Supreme Court cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases … Continue reading →

More on the limits of social media monitoring for school violence prevention

Posted on December 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Some good stuff from the DMN. When Social Sentinel representatives pitched their service to Florida’s Gulf Coast State College in 2018, they billed it as an innovative way to find threats of suicides and shootings posted online. But for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged artificial intelligence, Brennan Center, Facebook, facial recognition, gun control, guns, Instagram, privacy, schools, social media, Social Sentinel, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, Uvalde | Comments Off

Fifth Circuit upholds Texas’ ridiculous social media censorship law

Posted on September 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Back to you, SCOTUS. A Texas law prohibiting large social media companies from banning users’ posts based on their political viewpoints will go into effect after a federal appeals court on Friday lifted a block placed on the statute. NetChoice … Continue reading →

Social media monitoring is not a solution to school shootings

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

While current Republican “solutions” for gun violence include door control and arming teachers, one “solution” that has been in place for the past few years has been monitoring social media for signs of gun-related threats. That was in place in … Continue reading →

SCOTUS puts Texas’ stupid social media censorship law back on hold

Posted on June 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a Texas law that prohibits large social media companies, such as Facebook or Twitter, from banning or removing users’ posts based on political viewpoints. The justices, in a 5-4 vote, granted NetChoice … Continue reading →

Florida’s stupid social media censorship law knocked down by appeals court

Posted on May 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

With an opinion from a Trump judge, no less. A Florida law intended to punish social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled Monday, dealing a major … Continue reading →

Texas asks SCOTUS to not block its stupid social media law

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

As you’d expect. The Supreme Court should allow a sweeping Texas law to remain in effect that restricts the ability of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to moderate their platforms, according to the state’s attorney general. In a filing to the Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

SCOTUS asked to again block that stupid social media censorship law

Posted on May 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Please save us from the lawless Fifth Circuit. Having to make such an ask of this SCOTUS sure is a jaw-grinding experience. Lobbying groups representing Facebook, Twitter, Google and other tech companies filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme … Continue reading →

That stupid social media censorship law has been unblocked

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Fifth Circuit continues to debase itself. A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a Republican-backed Texas law that prohibits large social media companies from banning users over their political viewpoints. The decision hands a win to Republicans who have … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 4 Comments

Social media censorship law blocked

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For now. As long as the outlaw Fifth Circuit exists, we can’t say more than that. A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Texas law that seeks to restrict how social media companies moderate their content and was championed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Florida, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

Social media censorship lawsuit has its day in court

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very dumb law that will hopefully be stopped before it takes effect tomorrow. Lawyers for two large tech industry groups appeared Monday in federal court in Austin to argue that Texas’ new social media law — inspired by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Briscoe Cain, Bryan Hughes, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Facebook, Google, Greg Abbott, Instagram, lawsuit, NetChoice, Texas, The Lege, Twitter, YouTube | 1 Comment

Lawsuit filed over our very dumb new social media “censorship” law

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So very dumb. Texas is being sued over its new law barring social media platforms from banning users over their political views by two trade associations that represent some of the industry’s biggest online companies. NetChoice and the Computer and … Continue reading →

Here’s your special session agenda

Posted on July 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They call this “red meat”, but it’s really just bullshit. Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the agenda for the special legislative session that begins Thursday, asking lawmakers to prioritize 11 issues that largely appeal to conservatives who wanted more out … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged bail, blackouts, budget, coronavirus, critical race theory, ERCOT, Facebook, Freeze 2021, Greg Abbott, lawsuit, line item veto, local control, Public Utility Commission, quorum, redistricting, special session, Supreme Court, Texas, The Lege, transgender rights, veto, voter suppression | 13 Comments

SCOTX and Facebook

Posted on June 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The Texas Supreme Court will allow three human trafficking victims to move forward in litigation against Facebook that alleges the platform enabled their abusers to groom them into a life of prostitution. In a 6-0 ruling, with two justices … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Annie McAdams, Facebook, human trafficking, lawsuit, Supreme Court, Texas | 2 Comments

Twitter lawsuit against Paxton dismissed

Posted on May 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not quite the end of it, though. A federal judge in California on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Twitter against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose legal efforts to investigate the social media platform after it suspended President … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Amazon, Apple, California, Facebook, Google, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Texas, Twitter | 2 Comments

Recruiting poll workers

Posted on September 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

One good thing Facebook has ever done. Facebook has set out to recruit poll workers, providing free ads for state election officials to help fill jobs at voting centers in a very unusual election year. “With the election less than … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged Chris Hollins, curbside voting, early voting, Election 2020, Facebook, Harris County, Harris County Clerk, poll workers, Texas, turnout | Comments Off

Kaylynn Williford

Posted on June 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Goodbye, and good riddance. The head prosecutor for Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg’s trial division resigned Monday after posting a meme on Facebook last week that equated protesters who remove Confederate statutes with Nazis. The meme posted by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged Black Lives Matter, Confederacy, District Attorney, Facebook, Harris County, Kaylynn Williford, Kim Ogg, racism | 1 Comment

More runoff debates

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In case you had not seen this, as I myself had not before Sunday. Watch Democratic Candidate Debates Here! Every Tuesday and Thursday in May, join us for our debate series: Debate Schedule: Tuesday, May 5 – Harris County Precinct … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged Akilah Bacy, Anna Eastman, candidate forum, CD10, Chrysta Castaneda, Commissioners Court, Congress, Democratic primary, Diana Alexander, Election 2020, Facebook, Harold Dutton, Harris County, HD138, HD142, HD148, Jenifer Pool, Jerry Davis, Kimberly McLeod, Michael Moore, Michelle Palmer, Mike Siegel, MJ Hegar, Penny Shaw, Pritash Gandhi, Railroad Commission, Robert Alonzo, Royce West, runoff, SBOE, Senate, Texas, The Lege, video | Comments Off

What is happening in the CD22 primary?

Posted on February 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Holy smokes. A state district judge on Wednesday barred Democratic congressional candidate Nyanza Moore from making domestic violence allegations against opponent Derrick Reed after the former Pearland councilman sued her for defamation. Brazoria County Judge Patrick Sebesta issued a temporary … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters | Tagged CD22, Congress, Democratic primary, Derrick Reed, Election 2016, Election 2018, Election 2020, Facebook, lawsuit, Nyanza Moore, Texas | 4 Comments

The Russia-Texas-secession connection

Posted on December 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

So many people got played. A sprawling Russian disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 elections found success with social media accounts promoting the idea of Texas secession, according to a report commissioned by the U.S. Senate that was released … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged Election 2016, Facebook, Instagram, Internet Research Agency, Russia, secession, Texas | 1 Comment

Suing Facebook

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. A Houston businessman launched a wide-ranging class action lawsuit [last] Friday against Facebook for violating the trust of millions of users by sharing personal data with a company that used the information to post targeted political … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Cambridge Analytica, Facebook, lawsuit, Matthew Lodowski | 1 Comment

News flash: Businesses still hate bathroom bills

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

IBM hates them. As state lawmakers return to Austin for legislative overtime, tech giant IBM is stepping up its fight to defeat legislation it says would discriminate against children and harm its Texas recruiting efforts. In an internal email sent … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged American Airlines, AT&T, Dan Patrick, Election 2018, Facebook, Google, Greg Abbott, IBM, immigration, Microsoft, Senate, special session, Texas, Texas Association of Business, Texas Competes, Texas Instruments, The Lege, transgender rights | 1 Comment

Beto-mania

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Beto O’Rourke made his first visit to Houston as a Senate candidate over the weekend. Senate hopeful and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke introduced himself to Houston on Sunday as a potential check on President Donald Trump, urging voters to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Election 2018, Facebook, fundraising, Senate, Snapchat, Ted Cruz, Texas, turnout | 7 Comments

Snopes’ world

Posted on December 30, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

These are busy times for fact checkers. The last line of defense against the torrent of half-truths, untruths and outright fakery that make up so much of the modern internet is in a downscale strip mall near the beach. Snopes, … Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Tagged David Mikkelson, Facebook, fake news, Internet, Snopes, Usenet | 6 Comments

30 day finance reports, citywide races

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a brief summary of the 30 Day campaign finance reports that I’ve been able to find, some of which are on this page and some of which are findable via the normal campaign finance report website, and all of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged Adrian Garcia, advertising, At Large #1, At Large #2, At Large #3, At Large #4, At Large #5, Bill Frazer, Bill King, campaign finance reports, Carroll Robinson, Chris Brown, Election 2015, Facebook, Houston, Houston City Controller, Houston City Council, Marty McVey, Mayor, MJ Khan, Stephen Costello, Sylvester Turner | 5 Comments

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