Today was my first day as a reporter
@BLaw
! I am so thrilled to start my career here, covering privacy and data security. Hit my inbox with tips and podcast recs at switley
@bloombergindustry
.com
Surreal to be back at the White House for a day, this time as a journalist for
@BLaw
.
Last year, I attended a mock press briefing here with Jen Psaki as a
@whca
scholar.
Extremely grateful to start my career at a newsroom with opportunities like this for young journalists!
I am elated to receive the 2022 Investigative Journalism Award from
@WHCA
and
@AU_SOC
! I centered my application around enterprise work I’ve produced
@TheEagleOnline
, the newsroom that fostered my growth as a journalist like no other. Student reporting matters.
Just like that, my internship with
@Axios
ends today. I spent the summer working with fascinating data, created over 100 charts and maps, and picked up new skills from my genius colleagues
@AxiosVisuals
pictured below. I’ll miss y’all!
Stay tuned for where I’m headed next 👀
It's bittersweet to leave my colleagues
@BLaw
(more on next stop soon) but that means my job covering privacy and cybersecurity is open!
Best for early career journos interested in dynamic topics and working with a stellar team. DM me w/ questions!
Two protestors were just removed by Capitol Police from the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill markup for calling members “corrupted by the chicken, egg, and meat and dairy industries” as they called for a “plant-based future.”
Today I had a blast filling in as a White House press pool reporter for the first time!
While I checked presidential motorcade ride off my bucket list, my first
@BGOV
story published.
Read about the USDA’s work to make school-provided meals healthier:
When better than Earth Day to start a new gig covering agricultural policy with
@BGOV
?
I’m authoring a weekly newsletter on the Farm Bill and related issues! Let’s chat tips and favorite soil types: switley
@bloombergindustry
.com 🌎
EXCLUSIVE: Biometric privacy litigation in Illinois grew by 1,400% over a single year after the state’s supreme court lowered the bar for bringing claims, per a study published today and previewed by
@BLaw
.
Read more:
Curious why a ban on TikTok is being considered by federal lawmakers?
Check out my first TV interview w/
@livenowfox
previewing a congressional hearing with TikTok’s CEO and breaking down some of their concerns:
There’s nothing like print!
Today I received an issue of the hometown newspaper I grew up reading
@theolympian
, printed about 6 months before I was born.
Fascinating to own a physical piece of history from the publication that first sparked my love for journalism.
Biking home from work…I stumbled across my first
@DCBikeParty
!
Cyclists raced in a continuous stream down R St. for what must’ve been five minutes—organizers told me they roam the city once a month to advocate for safer biking infrastructure. I love it here 🚴
Awards aren’t everything, but sharing the Rodger Streitmatter Journalism Award for Excellence with
@claremulroy
means a lot. Thanks to
@AU_SOC
for a great three years of learning and growth.
Check the case caption: Jesus v. Grindr.
The dating app repeatedly violated state and global privacy laws by collecting and retaining highly sensitive data including nude photos without clear consent, per their former privacy chief.
More in
@BLaw
:
@TheEagleOnline
investigation that uncovered this mask issue was truly a team effort and it’s great to see
@wusa9
now credit our work in its article. Thanks to everyone who stands up for student journalists!
Minutes ago
@HouseAgGOP
officially introduced the nearly 1,000 page farm bill by dropping it in the House Chamber "hopper."
The bill number is H.R. 8467 and markups are slated to start at noon this Thursday!
Snowball effect? “D.C. could be handing out shoddy KN95 masks that don’t offer adequate protection from contracting COVID-19, health experts say, mirroring problems found with masks American University distributed last week.”
Are you a journalist looking to mentor or be mentored?
The
@PressClubDC
's professional development task force, which I recently joined, is now accepting applications to our mentorship program for people at any career stage.
Check it out!⬇️
At a White House press briefing coordinated for
@whca
awardees,
@jrpsaki
told me for
@DurangoHerald
that Biden will advocate to have the Child Tax Credit included in a scaled down reconciliation bill, but didn’t outline any specific action items he might take to do so.
10 state attorneys general sent a joint letter urging Apple to hold third-party apps to a higher data privacy standard.
Apps should limit the information they collect on individuals seeking reproductive healthcare as a protective measure, they said.
An Eagle investigation uncovered internal Methodist documents indicating that three women filed written complaints with the church against former University chaplain Mark Schaefer.
A company operated more than 50 “consent farm” websites designed to mislead consumers into sharing private data supposedly in exchange for services such as mortgage refinancing, the
@FTC
alleged in a new complaint.
More:
SCOOP: NYC lawmakers want to ban facial recognition technology.
If their proposals are successful, the city will become only the second area in the US to limit private-sector use of the tech after Portland. 🧵1/5
My latest
@BLaw
:
The stellar
@TonyaJoRiley
and I dug into the nitty gritty of a proposal to regulate cross-border transfers of certain sensitive data.
The Justice Department is asking for public feedback on 114 questions, and I want to hear your answers!
Read in
@BLaw
:
Meta's latest legal loss comes in a class action alleging the company collected mental health patients' data even though they didn't have Facebook accounts.
Read why a judge ruled against the company's dismissal motion:
Millions of people who filed taxes online using services like H&R Block had their financial data shared with Google and Meta, per a recent report.
Since its release, at least 3 privacy lawsuits have been filed against the companies named in the report.
ICYMI: “My experience as a Muslim New Yorker raised in the post 9/11 era of Muslim surveillance has forced me to be attuned to how excessive surveillance and invasive technology can be used to discriminate against Black and brown New Yorkers,”
@CMShahanaHanif
told Bloomberg Law.
SCOOP: NYC lawmakers want to ban facial recognition technology.
If their proposals are successful, the city will become only the second area in the US to limit private-sector use of the tech after Portland. 🧵1/5
My latest
@BLaw
:
AU's first coronavirus cluster was confirmed by Housing and Residence Life on Friday. Five cases, four of which are linked, were reported in Nebraska Hall within a span of 10 days.
🚨AI-generated voices in robocalls are now illegal, per a unanimous
@FCC
ruling.
“State Attorneys General will now have new tools to crack down on these scams and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation,” the FCC chairwoman said.
In my first story for
@BLaw
, a quick hit on a proposed class action filed against U-Haul involving a security breach that the company tells me involved approximately 2.2 million customers.
NEW: A hacker stole 1.5 million American Bar Association account usernames and passwords in March, the nation’s largest voluntary legal organization told Bloomberg Law.
My latest
@BLaw
:
As someone preparing to enter the journalism industry in May, I am SO grateful for every journalist who has disclosed their salary, personally or on social media.
Two stories and a front page byline! Absolutely surreal to see my first print articles in person. Thanks
@currentpubmedia
for sending the print editions my way <3
INBOX: Coalition of 51 attorneys general warn company behind Biden AI audio deepfake targeting New Hampshire voters that it could violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The law has landed AGs multi-million $ settlements.
More from
@KatrinaManson
:
Developers of artificial intelligence should be cognizant of potential biases perpetuated by their systems and address risks of intellectual property infringement, according to finalized AI guidance from
@NIST
.
Latest
@BLaw
Obtaining consent via facial scans to collect kids' data isn't allowed, for now, children's privacy regulatory rules.
The agency left the door open for that in the future once it has a report from NIST on how facial age estimation tech works.
More
@BLaw
:
Fascinating conversation about reproductive privacy following the reversal of Roe v. Wade to round out day two of the
@NatPress
privacy and technology fellowship!
Hackers are posting revealing photos of cancer and plastic surgery patients online in a litany of personal extortion attempts. Pay as little as $50, and these cybercriminals say they'll take down your images and other sensitive medical info.
Latest
@BLaw
:
1/3: Congrats to the 20 journalists selected for NPF's Internet of Bodies fellowship: "Your Body, Their Data?" We're thrilled to welcome them to the
#NPFfellows
family and host them in Washington, D.C. Nov. 29-Dec. 1 to talk all things data privacy.
This special report from
@BLaw
breaks down the most pressing challenges in-house counsel is facing in today’s privacy and cybersecurity arena, featuring a trio of articles from yours truly!
Check it out:
Indiana is now the 7th state with a comprehensive privacy law giving consumers increased control over what data is collected about them and how.
Those that run afoul of the law once it takes effect could face fines up to $7,500 per violation:
🚨 CISA just dropped its biggest regulatory proposal ever, a first look at how the cyber agency plans to gather data breach information from critical infrastructure operators.
Story TK, and the notice of proposed rulemaking is here:
Montana’s full ban on TikTok has already incurred a lawsuit, but if it survives a court challenge, people have questions about the state’s enforcement plan.
I spoke with legal experts about what implementation challenges the state might face for
@BLaw
:
"Users spend years building their personal and professional lives on your platforms," the National Association of Attorneys General wrote in a letter to Meta.
"To have it taken away from them through no fault of their own can be traumatizing."
For
@BLaw
🛡️ Mental privacy could soon be on the books in some states.
Dive into the fascinating world of consumer neurotechnology, and the forces driving lawmakers to protect brain data from misuse or manipulation in my latest
@BLaw
NEW: Tax prepper H&R Block deleted data to discourage taxpayers from downgrading to cheaper products, the FTC alleged Friday.
The agency also says H&R Block sent customers to "frustrating and time-consuming" customer service over downgrades.
Read
@BLaw
:
BREAKING: Arkansas sued over law requiring that minors get parental permission before signing up for social media accounts.
NetChoice, representing interests of companies like Twitter and Meta, argues the law is vague and unconstitutional.
More
@BLaw
🚨 CISA just dropped its biggest regulatory proposal ever, a first look at how the cyber agency plans to gather data breach information from critical infrastructure operators.
Story TK, and the notice of proposed rulemaking is here:
WA state residents are about to get the right to sue companies they believe are violating their health privacy rights.
Attorneys on both sides of the bar gave
@BLaw
insights on how litigation may play out in my latest w/
@TonyaJoRiley
:
Utah’s new social media laws focusing on minors, now the most restrictive in the US, are all but guaranteed to draw legal challenges, attorneys told Bloomberg Law.
Opponents say they violate the First Amendment, among other concerns.
New from me
@BLaw
:
Meta lost an early bid to escape a privacy class action accusing it of capturing users' unique "voiceprints" in violation of an Illinois biometric law.
More in
@BLaw
:
15 of the 23 federal government’s civilian agencies have “mostly ineffective” cybersecurity programs, a US Government Accountability Office report published today found.
The latest:
In the middle of my reporting on FairWarning’s internal crisis sparked by a Twitter thread, the newsroom’s board suddenly announced they were dissolving the entire organization. Read more below to find out why.
Montana is the first state to enact a full ban on TikTok in a move likely to face legal scrutiny.
The law would subject entities like Google and Apple to $10,000 daily fines if TikTok is available for download, but it wouldn’t penalize individual users.
Madison Square Garden Corp. has used facial recognition tech to identify and remove from its venues several lawyers involved in litigation against it.
Now,
@NewYorkStateAG
is questioning whether the practice violates human rights laws.
From
@alvittorio
today a hiring manager went over my fellowship application with me on the phone for a position that I didn’t get. it was super eye-opening and I highly recommend it to journo friends who feel like they don’t know what’s working and what isn’t like me :)
A software company that marketed itself as privacy-protecting actually sold consumer's browser history to over 100 entities including data brokers and consulting firms, per new FTC settlement.
We now have Grindr’s response:
“Mr. De Jesus was terminated for being ineffective and for poorly managing Grindr’s privacy practices, which were his primary responsibility,” a spox said. “Through his professional failings, Mr. De Jesus put Grindr and Grindr’s users at risk.”
Check the case caption: Jesus v. Grindr.
The dating app repeatedly violated state and global privacy laws by collecting and retaining highly sensitive data including nude photos without clear consent, per their former privacy chief.
More in
@BLaw
:
Two Massachusetts residents accuse the state health department of automatically installing exposure notification software to over one million Androids without permission in a new privacy class action.
Latest
@BLaw
:
Residential students can still order free rapid COVID-19 tests from the government despite household restrictions. Check out the comprehensive guide below ⬇️
Backlash over
@TheGarden
’s use of facial recognition tech to remove certain lawyers continued in a city hearing today.
One speaker called it “a disturbing example of what’s possible when powerful people get ahold of advanced surveillance technology.”
Just found out
@TheEagleOnline
won best four year newspaper at the College Media Association’s Apple Awards. So proud of this staff and the work they do! Happy tears happy tears 🥺❤️
"Our analysis shows movies and tv shows from Marvel Studios have recently started to better reflect the real world, but in many cases, they still fall short."
Analyzed some data for this project over the summer and
@AxiosVisuals
aced the final version!
After the federal health privacy enforcer was sued by major hospital groups alleging the agency overstepped its authority, HHS has changed its guidance surrounding online tracking.
What that means for the lawsuit and business compliance below:
Consumers are suing companies to protect their video watching privacy, as a new wave of class actions allege that platforms are sharing individuals’ viewing history with Facebook.
We found nearly 50 lawsuits that make similar claims.
My latest:
Last week Joseph Sullivan, Uber’s former chief security officer, was convicted for concealing a 2016 data breach.
The conviction demonstrates the DOJ’s willingness to hold individual executives accountable, sources say.
Latest
@BLaw
:
NEW: SolarWinds, the subject of a massive cyberattack and SEC investigation, just filed its motion to dismiss the agency's charges that it defrauded investors and violated regulatory rules.
My latest coverage of the case for
@BLaw
here:
Google LLC’s “human-like” artificial intelligence listens to customer service calls without alerting callers it’s listening, per a new proposed class action.
Latest
@BLaw
:
‘Password’ was basis of numerous agency passcodes, and the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General successfully cracked over 18,000 passwords, leaving the agency vulnerable to hacking.
From
@bobbymagill
New laws that go into effect today in DC, Maryland and Virginia affect LGBT rights, scooters, court record expungement, prescription drugs and a lot more.
Buy Google stock from 2018-2019? You might be eligible for a $305 million privacy/fraud settlement.
"I would put Google as the most aggressive adversary I have faced in terms of their willingness to fight anything and everything," a lead atty told me:
The SEC is investigating what information was exposed in a 2020 cyberattack against Covington & Burling, but the law firm is refusing to comply with part of its subpoena, citing “privilege and client confidentiality.”
From
@ZoeTillman