npr--2020-08-13--Top Facebook Official: Our Aim Is To Make Lying On The Platform 'More Difficult'

Top Facebook Official : Our Aim Is To Make Lying On The Platform 'More Difficult' Google , Facebook , Twitter and other major tech companies met with U.S. government officials on Wednesday to discuss their plans to counter disinformation on social media in the runup to the November election .
In a joint statement , the companies said that this was the latest in a series of meetings `` on what we 're seeing on our respective platforms and what we expect to see in the coming months . ''
The statement said today 's meetings focused on the upcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to election results . ''
Tech companies are under enormous pressure from government officials to prevent their platforms from being used by foreign actors and others to disrupt the 2020 election , as occurred in 2016 .
In a statement earlier this month , director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center William Evanina said that Russia , China , Iran and other `` foreign actors '' are attempting to `` sway U.S. voters ' preferences and perspectives , shift U.S. policies , increase discord in the United States , and undermine the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process . ''
In an interview with NPR 's Morning Edition , Facebook 's head of security policy , Nathaniel Gleicher , said the company is working harder than ever to combat such efforts , saying the goal is to make sure voters receive accurate information .
`` I think I actually want to make the act of trying to tell a lie , or misleading people , more difficult , '' Gleicher said .
In March , Facebook announced that it removed 49 Facebook accounts , 69 pages and 85 Instagram accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
More recently , the social network has removed about two dozen other accounts , some linked to Russia and Iran .
`` We 've shared information with independent researchers and then we 've publicized context about it so that users can see what 's happening on the platform , '' Gleicher said .
Facebook has a team of fact-checkers scouring for misleading or false content , the company says , but political advertising is not subject to scrutiny , according to Facebook 's rules .
Gleicher defended this hands-off approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to spread falsehoods to millions of users about his presumptive Democratic opponent Joe Biden .
`` So we know right now in this election , there are massive debates about all of the ways that people vote and people engage .
We want to make sure that people hear what elected officials are saying and what they think about voting , '' Gleicher told NPR .
`` But frankly , I think that information is an important factor in how some people will choose to vote in the fall .
And so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is out there and people can see it , warts and all , '' he said .
Facebook has , however , on occasion overridden its policy .
In June , for example , it removed Trump campaign advertisements containing an upside-down red triangle symbol , which had been used to identify political prisoners in German concentration camps during the Nazi period .
Both Twitter and Facebook have also removed posts shared by Trump which contained false and misleading information related to the coronavirus pandemic .
Social media companies have n't always been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Guardian found that groups promoting the conspiracy movement QAnon were rapidly growing worldwide on Facebook .
The newspaper identified 170 QAnon groups , pages and accounts across Facebook and Instagram with more than 4.5 million aggregate followers .
Gleicher said that Facebook has been enforcing its guidelines against QAnon consistently .
When asked about The Guardian 's findings , he admitted that it has been challenging staying on top of conspiracy campaigns .
`` This is a place where I think we have work to do , '' Gleicher said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ what constitutes a QAnon site or not are pretty blurry and that becomes a challenge in all of us .
It 's why we 're looking at this and we 're exploring some additional steps that we can take . ''
Some have raised the possibility of Trump rejecting the results of the November election should he lose .
In July Trump declined in an interview on Fox News to say whether he would accept the outcome .
What would Facebook do if Trump falsely said on the platform that he was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dodged the question , refusing to directly say whether Facebook would take action against such a post .
Instead , he said that the final result is widely expected to not be settled on election night and Facebook officials are gaming out how it might handle chaos that emerges during a prolonged vote count .
`` We 're not going to know the results immediately .
There 's going to be a period of uncertainty as counting is still happening .
That 's something that we 've been particularly focused on , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this period where votes are coming in and we do n't know the results , we can expect candidates to be making claims about who 's won , '' Gleicher said .
`` We could expect claims about whether the results were fair or not .
These are things that we 've seen before around elections , but I think are going to be particularly critical this time . ''
`` How do you accurately report on the claims that are being made , '' he continued , `` but also provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand and can weigh and judge these things ? ''
Gleicher also touted the company 's goal of registering 4 million voters by posting `` voting information centers '' on Facebook and Instagram providing up-to-date information on how to register , obtain absentee or mail-in ballots and where to vote .
`` The reason for this is voting is fundamentally about voice , and that 's critical to our efforts and where we are as a company , '' he said .
`` It 's the best way to hold our leaders accountable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : `` As someone who works on security , ensuring that voters have accurate information about an election is critical to protecting that election .
Disinformation flourishes in uncertainty , and we 've seen people take advantage of that uncertainty to drive influence operations and other types of deceptive campaigns . ''

Top Facebook Official: Our Aim Is To Make Lying On The Platform 'More Difficult'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
Google, Facebook, Twitter and other major tech companies met with U.S. government officials on Wednesday to discuss their plans to counter disinformation on social media in the run-up to the November election.
In a joint statement, the companies said that this was the latest in a series of meetings "on what we're seeing on our respective platforms and what we expect to see in the coming months." The statement said today's meetings focused on the upcoming political conventions and "scenario planning relating to election results."
Tech companies are under enormous pressure from government officials to prevent their platforms from being used by foreign actors and others to disrupt the 2020 election, as occurred in 2016.
In a statement earlier this month, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, William Evanina, said that Russia, China, Iran and other "foreign actors" are attempting to "sway U.S. voters' preferences and perspectives, shift U.S. policies, increase discord in the United States, and undermine the American people's confidence in our democratic process."
In an interview with NPR's Morning Edition, Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, said the company is working harder than ever to combat such efforts, saying the goal is to make sure voters receive accurate information.
"I think I actually want to make the act of trying to tell a lie, or misleading people, more difficult," Gleicher said.
In March, Facebook announced that it removed 49 Facebook accounts, 69 pages and 85 Instagram accounts that were engaging in "foreign interference." More recently, the social network has removed about two dozen other accounts, some linked to Russia and Iran.
"We've shared information with independent researchers and then we've publicized context about it so that users can see what's happening on the platform," Gleicher said.
Facebook has a team of fact-checkers scouring for misleading or false content, the company says, but political advertising is not subject to scrutiny, according to Facebook's rules.
Gleicher defended this hands-off approach to political ads, which has allowed President Trump to spread falsehoods to millions of users about his presumptive Democratic opponent, Joe Biden.
"So we know right now in this election, there are massive debates about all of the ways that people vote and people engage. We want to make sure that people hear what elected officials are saying and what they think about voting," Gleicher told NPR.
"But frankly, I think that information is an important factor in how some people will choose to vote in the fall. And so we want to make sure that information is out there and people can see it, warts and all," he said.
Facebook has, however, on occasion overridden its policy. In June, for example, it removed Trump campaign advertisements containing an upside-down red triangle symbol, which had been used to identify political prisoners in German concentration camps during the Nazi regime.
Both Twitter and Facebook have also removed posts shared by Trump that contained false and misleading information related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Social media companies haven't always been successful at these efforts. An investigation by The Guardian found that groups promoting the conspiracy movement QAnon were rapidly growing worldwide on Facebook. The newspaper identified 170 QAnon groups, pages and accounts across Facebook and Instagram with more than 4.5 million aggregate followers.
Gleicher said that Facebook has been enforcing its guidelines against QAnon consistently. When asked about The Guardian's findings, he admitted that it has been challenging staying on top of conspiracy campaigns.
"This is a place where I think we have work to do," Gleicher said. "I think that the boundaries around what constitutes a QAnon site or not are pretty blurry and that becomes a challenge in all of us. It's why we're looking at this and we're exploring some additional steps that we can take."
Some have raised the possibility of Trump rejecting the results of the November election should he lose. In July, Trump declined in an interview on Fox News to say whether he would accept the outcome.
What would Facebook do if Trump falsely said on the platform that he was the winner of the presidential election?
Gleicher dodged the question, refusing to directly say whether Facebook would take action against such a post. Instead, he said that the final result is widely expected to not be settled on election night, and Facebook officials are gaming out how it might handle chaos that emerges during a prolonged vote count.
"We're not going to know the results immediately. There's going to be a period of uncertainty as counting is still happening. That's something that we've been particularly focused on," Gleicher said.
"In the wake of this period where votes are coming in and we don't know the results, we can expect candidates to be making claims about who's won," Gleicher said. "We could expect claims about whether the results were fair or not. These are things that we've seen before around elections but I think are going to be particularly critical this time."
"How do you accurately report on the claims that are being made," he continued, "but also provide the context to make sure that people understand and can weigh and judge these things?"
Gleicher also touted the company's goal of registering 4 million voters by posting "voting information centers" on Facebook and Instagram providing up-to-date information on how to register, obtain absentee or mail-in ballots and where to vote.
"The reason for this is voting is fundamentally about voice, and that's critical to our efforts and where we are as a company," he said. "It's the best way to hold our leaders accountable and to address important issues."
He added: "As someone who works on security, ensuring that voters have accurate information about an election is critical to protecting that election. Disinformation flourishes in uncertainty, and we've seen people take advantage of that uncertainty to drive influence operations and other types of deceptive campaigns."
Editor's note: Facebook is among NPR's sponsors.


npr--2020-08-13--NCAA Says No Championships This Fall, Except Maybe Football

NCAA Says No Championships This Fall , Except Maybe Football In a video statement released on Twitter , NCAA president Mark Emmert says , `` We can not , at this point , have fall NCAA championships . ''
He says there are not enough schools participating because of coronavirus cancellations and season postponements .
This means there will no championships in any Division 1 collegiate sports with the possible exception of football .
`` If you do n't have half the schools participating , you ca n't have a legitimate championship , '' he says .
Emmert says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring and `` How can we create a legitimate championship for all those students . ''
He says they should have the highest priority because they lost their championships last March when the NCAA shut down all of its competitions ( basketball , hockey , baseball , softball , track and field ) as the coronavirus began to spread across the U.S. quickly .
`` If we modify the model – which we have to do anyway because of the virus – shrink the bracket sizes , use predetermined sites and use bubbles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to do it .
Will it be normal ?
No .
Is it doable ?
Yes .
We want to make it work for these students , '' Emmert says .
The NCAA chose not to regulate football this way and it 's been a fractured and piecemeal decision-making process over the past two weeks .
College football is a multi-billion dollar business .
Many smaller football conferences chose to cancel or postpone play until next year .
Even several of the marquee conferences , the Big Ten and Pac-12 , decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other 'Power 5 ' conferences ( the SEC , ACC and Big 12 ) have decided to try to give it a go .

NCAA Says No Championships This Fall, Except Maybe Football
Enlarge this image toggle caption Susan Walsh/AP Susan Walsh/AP
In a video statement released on Twitter, NCAA president Mark Emmert says, "We cannot, at this point, have fall NCAA championships." He says there are not enough schools participating because of coronavirus cancellations and season postponements.
This means there will no championships in any Division 1 collegiate sports with the possible exception of football. "If you don't have half the schools participating, you can't have a legitimate championship," he says.
Emmert says the attention should turn to the winter and spring and "How can we create a legitimate championship for all those students." He says they should have the highest priority because they lost their championships last March when the NCAA shut down all of its competitions (basketball, hockey, baseball, softball, track and field) as the coronavirus began to spread across the U.S. quickly.
"If we modify the model – which we have to do anyway because of the virus – shrink the bracket sizes, use predetermined sites and use bubbles or semi-bubble models ... there's a way to do it. Will it be normal? No. Is it doable? Yes. We want to make it work for these students," Emmert says.
The NCAA chose not to regulate football this way and it's been a fractured and piecemeal decision-making process over the past two weeks. College football is a multi-billion dollar business. Many smaller football conferences chose to cancel or postpone play until next year. Even several of the marquee conferences, the Big Ten and Pac-12, decided to postpone playing football. But three other 'Power 5' conferences (the SEC, ACC and Big 12) have decided to try to give it a go.


npr--2020-08-13--CDC Director Warns This Fall Could Be The Worst Ever For Public Health

CDC Director Warns This Fall Could Be The Worst Ever For Public Health The U.S. now has more than 5 million cases and 166,700 deaths from the coronavirus .
And with flu season approaching , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned on Wednesday that things could get a lot more grim .
Robert Redfield said in an interview with WebMD that if Americans do n't follow public health guidance , the country could be facing `` the worst fall , from a public health perspective , we 've ever had . ''
`` We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and we 're going to have flu in the fall , '' he told John Whyte , chief medical officer at WebMD .
`` And either one of those by themselves can stress certain hospital systems . ''
Redfield called on Americans to wear a mask , social distance , wash their hands and `` be smart about crowds '' in order to bring the outbreak under control .
Beyond that , he said there 's another step people should take to protect themselves and others : get the flu vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did so last year , Redfield said his goal is to get that number up to 65 % .
He added the CDC has purchased an extra 10 million doses of the vaccine this year .
Flu season typically starts in October and worsens between December and February .
Flu shots will be in stock by early September , though they may not be offered at all of their traditional settings , such as workplaces .
Experts are urging the public to make an extra effort to get immunized as the pandemic rages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , you may be able to then negate the necessity to have to take up a hospital bed , '' Redfield explained .
`` And then that hospital bed can be more available for those that potentially get hospitalized for COVID . ''
According to the COVID Tracking Project , 47,252 people in the U.S. are hospitalized as of Thursday .
Redfield stressed that while the flu is a major cause of death in the U.S. , the influenza vaccine can lower the severity of the illness and reduce the risk of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get vaccinated `` basically get protected against death . ''
Influenza and pneumonia currently rank eighth on the CDC 's list of leading causes of death in the U.S .
The coronavirus is on track to be the country 's third leading cause of death in 2020 .
Redfield said he is `` very cautiously optimistic '' that there will be at least one effective vaccine deployed by the start of next year .
But as the U.S. rushes to respond to the pandemic , Redfield said he hopes Americans will realize that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to be proactive rather than reactive .
He noted in particular that experts were slow to recognize how infectious the virus is and the significant role that asymptomatic carriers play in its spread .
`` This is the greatest public health crisis that hit this nation in a century ... we were under-prepared , '' Redfield said .
`` And we need to owe it to our children and grandchildren that this nation is never under-prepared again for a public health crisis . ''
When asked what this Thanksgiving might look like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how well Americans follow public health guidance .
`` I 'm not asking some of America to do it , '' he said .
`` We all got to do it .
This is one of those interventions that got to be 95 % , 96 % , 97 % , 98 % , 99 % , if it 's going to work for us . ''
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made a similar appeal on Thursday , when he called on all Americans to wear masks in public for at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say universal mask wearing could significantly slow the spread of the virus : They estimate that if 95 % of people wear cloth masks while interacting with others , transmission will decrease by at least 30 % .

CDC Director Warns This Fall Could Be The Worst Ever For Public Health
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Dietsch/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Kevin Dietsch/Pool/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. now has more than 5 million cases and 166,700 deaths from the coronavirus. And with flu season approaching, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned this week that things could get a lot more grim.
Robert Redfield said in an interview Wednesday with WebMD that if Americans don't follow public health guidance, the country could be facing "the worst fall, from a public health perspective, we've ever had."
"We're going to have COVID in the fall, and we're going to have flu in the fall," he told John Whyte, chief medical officer at WebMD. "And either one of those by themselves can stress certain hospital systems."
Redfield called on Americans to wear masks, social distance, wash their hands and "be smart about crowds" to bring the outbreak under control.
Beyond that, he said there's another step people should take to protect themselves and others: Get the flu vaccine.
While less than 50% of Americans did so last year, Redfield said his goal is to get that number up to 65%. He added the CDC has purchased an extra 10 million doses of the vaccine this year.
Flu season typically starts in October and worsens between December and February. Flu shots will be in stock by early September, though they may not be offered at all of their traditional settings such as workplaces.
Experts are urging the public to make an extra effort to get immunized as the pandemic rages on.
"By getting that flu vaccine, you may be able to then negate the necessity to have to take up a hospital bed," Redfield said. "And then that hospital bed can be more available for those that potentially get hospitalized for COVID."
According to the COVID Tracking Project, 47,252 people in the U.S. are hospitalized as of Thursday.
Redfield stressed that while the flu is a major cause of death in the U.S., the influenza vaccine can lower the severity of the illness and reduce the risk of hospitalization. He also said children who get vaccinated "basically get protected against death."
Influenza and pneumonia currently rank eighth on the CDC's list of leading causes of death in the United States. The coronavirus is on track to be the country's third leading cause of death in 2020.
Redfield said he is "very cautiously optimistic" that there will be at least one effective vaccine deployed by the start of next year.
But as the U.S. rushes to respond to the pandemic, Redfield said he hopes Americans will realize that "public health matters" and work to be proactive rather than reactive.
He noted in particular that experts were slow to recognize how infectious the virus is and the significant role that asymptomatic carriers play in its spread.
"This is the greatest public health crisis that hit this nation in a century. ... [W]e were under-prepared," Redfield said. "And we need to owe it to our children and grandchildren that this nation is never under-prepared again for a public health crisis."
When asked what this Thanksgiving might look like, Redfield responded that it depends on how well Americans follow public health guidance.
"I'm not asking some of America to do it," he said. "We all got to do it. This is one of those interventions that got to be 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, if it's going to work for us."
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden made a similar appeal on Thursday when he called on all Americans to wear masks in public for at least the next three months.
Researchers say universal mask-wearing could significantly slow the spread of the virus: They estimate that if 95% of people wear cloth masks while interacting with others, transmission will decrease by at least 30%.


npr--2020-08-13--Exclusive: After Quitting Last Year, Senior U.S. Intelligence Official Now Talks

Exclusive : After Quitting Last Year , Senior U.S. Intelligence Official Now Talks A year ago this past Saturday , Sue Gordon — the second highest official in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — abruptly quit an ever-ascending career spanning nearly four decades in U.S. spy agencies .
`` Mr. President , '' Gordon informed President Trump at the time in a handwritten note , `` I offer this letter as an act of respect & patriotism , not preference .
You should have your team .
Godspeed , Sue . ''
The note accompanied Gordon 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principal deputy director , a job she had held the previous two years .
It came just days after Dan Coats , a former Republican senator , had tendered his own resignation as the director of national intelligence following repeated differences with Trump over the U.S. intelligence community 's assessments of North Korea , Iran and Russia .
Trump had earlier told reporters that Gordon , whose position had her first in line to become acting DNI , was a candidate to hold that job until a permanent replacement for Coats was found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Trump said .
`` Certainly she will be considered . ''
Gordon , ever the seasoned intelligence analyst , had heard otherwise — that Trump , in fact , thought she was disloyal and should not take over as the nation 's top intelligence officer , even in an acting capacity .
One Year Later , Telling Her Story Gordon has said little publicly about that episode since leaving behind a career that had her briefing all the U.S. presidents since Jimmy Carter , save one — George H.W .
Bush , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a wide-ranging conversation with NPR 's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep — the first in-depth account of her time in the Trump administration and her first radio interview since resigning — Gordon calls Trump 's conclusion that she was not suited for the top spy job `` wrong . ''
`` That was a difficult moment and one that I admit that I do n't totally understand , '' Gordon recalls , speaking from her home in Vienna , Va. , a Washington , D.C. , suburb .
`` But when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests that he no longer wants you in it , and if you 're the third child of a naval officer , you give him a cheery 'Aye , Aye ' and you offer your resignation . ''
`` It was a 40-year love affair , '' Gordon says , describing it as `` devastating '' to walk away from a career that had taken her to the highest echelon of the intelligence community .
`` When I accepted a political appointment , I knew that I was no longer a civil servant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Gordon was a junior at Duke University studying for a degree in zoology , agonizing over whether to pursue law school or a Ph.D. in biomechanics , when she decided simply to get a job .
`` Being the kid of a naval officer , public service was in my heart , '' she recalls .
`` And when the CIA came to interview on campus , I took the interview and it went from there . ''
With her degree in functional morphology zoology completed , the CIA 's Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1980 to analyze Soviet biological warfare .
`` I think I never did what I was hired to do , '' she says , `` but the foundation , both in hard core math and engineering , applied to living systems turned out to be a pretty cool combination for intelligence . ''
At the time , Gordon recalls , there were no more than 10 female professionals in an office with a staff of about 100 .
`` I would say probably the most abundant [ female CIA employees ] were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abundant were in operations , and science and technology , '' says Gordon .
`` And so I was at the intersection of those . ''
It was a combination of hard core engineering with uncertain intelligence , and it appealed to Gordon .
`` You are looking at things at a distance — you are seeing some observables , but you 're trying to discern what 's happening from incomplete information , '' she says of her formative spy work .
`` And so it kind of just resonated with my curiosity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the love of trying to figure out what 's going on , without bias . ''
Briefing Five Of The Last Six Presidents By the late Reagan administration , Gordon had begun briefing the president .
Paradoxically , she recalls it initially being easier than it became later on .
`` When you 're a junior [ officer ] , '' she says , `` you are just representing what you know , and you know what you know better than anybody else . ''
`` As you get more senior , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the reason you 're presenting information to them is so that they can make a decision , '' Gordon adds .
`` And the decisions are incredibly consequential .
And many times decisions turn on your analysis and you know that there is always uncertainty in intelligence . ''
Gordon also found that each president she briefed differed in how he absorbed information .
`` President Obama just read voraciously , took in our information , and so we wrote abundantly for him , '' Gordon says of Trump 's predecessor , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump is much more of a doer , and so when he hears information , he wants to know what he can do with it , '' she says .
`` We now had a president who wanted to act almost immediately . ''
While Gordon recalls all five presidents she briefed periodically finding certain intelligence inconvenient , she says Russian interference in the 2016 election and ensuing investigations into that activity were `` a particularly contentious topic '' for Trump .
`` Did the president want us to be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Yes , '' she recollects .
`` Is that different from other presidents ?
No .
Was he more aggressive about pressing us on that ?
Yes .
Did he do it more publicly than his predecessors ?
Yes . ''
Still , Gordon does not attribute Coats ' departure specifically to his differences with Trump over Russian election meddling , which the former DNI declared had clearly been assessed by the intelligence community .
Instead , she says , it was an accumulation of events that precipitated Coats ' departure .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president were n't on the same page — not specifically over intelligence , but about how to conduct the role of the director of national intelligence , '' Gordon notes .
`` I do n't sense that it was over any particular event , but rather the aggregation of feeling that the role [ of DNI ] was n't being performed exactly as [ Trump ] preferred . ''
An assessment made public last week by the DNI on election interference appears to show that the agency whose top officials a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closely in step with a president who has repeatedly rejected claims of Russian meddling .
That document cites China , Russia and Iran as foreign states whose efforts at U.S. election interference are of particular concern to the intelligence community .
The first country listed is China .
Gordon thinks it should have been the Russians .
`` I 'd probably put them first on the list just because of who I know them to be , what I know their interest to be and their capabilities , and the demonstrations that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kremlin 's operatives .
`` Russia is a complete intelligence service with a lot of interests , and they have demonstrated both influence operations and attempts at interference , even though , thank goodness , we 've been very successful and I think we 're even more prepared for those things than in the past . ''
That said , Gordon insists she 's loath to ascribe any intentions by the Trump administration to obscure what 's been found and concluded by intelligence analysts .
`` Do I think that that report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't tell you that it did , '' she says .
`` But we do have to be very careful about how we talk about this . ''
A Fine Line For Intelligence Agencies The danger Gordon sees is a loss of faith in the underpinnings of democracy .
`` I think there 's a fine line that we have to be mindful of , and it 's not whether we put China first or Russia first in a listing , '' she says .
`` What worries me is the greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't believe in ourselves , and if people do n't believe their votes are going to matter — I think that is the most damaging circumstance for America . ''
All of which makes keeping the public apprised of attempts at foreign interference a delicate matter .
`` From the intelligence perspective , we always tried to be very careful not to do our adversaries ' work for us , '' Gordon warns .
`` In other words , not overblow or overreport things so that everyone thought , oh , well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And I think we have been , by and large , successful . ''
Intelligence , Gordon adds , should not be dismissed as simply opinions of analysts that can be ignored .
`` Intelligence is never what those people think , '' says the former spy .
`` Intelligence is what those people have assessed based on data they collect , albeit sometimes it 's sparse data , and then put together in a way that people can understand the foundation for that judgment . ''
Gordon is currently a consultant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wisdom that I acquired and now share it with companies and citizens so that they might make the kinds of decisions that I think will be necessary to keep us all happy and prosperous — and if I do it right , I 'll have more time to spend with my grandchildren than I did in the first 40 years . ''
But Gordon expresses no regrets about the decades she spent trying `` to keep America safe . ''
`` In my head , with every decision I made for nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mrs. Iowa , who gave their dollars and their trust to me , '' Gordon says slowly , `` and if they saw what I was doing , would they be proud . ''

Exclusive: After Quitting Last Year, Senior U.S. Intelligence Official Now Talks
Enlarge this image toggle caption Office of the Director of National Intelligence via AP Office of the Director of National Intelligence via AP
A year ago this past Saturday, Sue Gordon — the second highest official in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence — abruptly quit an ever-ascending career spanning nearly four decades in U.S. spy agencies.
"Mr. President," Gordon informed President Trump at the time in a handwritten note, "I offer this letter as an act of respect & patriotism, not preference. You should have your team. Godspeed, Sue."
The note accompanied Gordon's letter of resignation as the agency's principal deputy director, a job she had held the previous two years. It came just days after Dan Coats, a former Republican senator, had tendered his own resignation as the director of national intelligence following repeated differences with Trump over the U.S. intelligence community's assessments of North Korea, Iran and Russia.
Trump had earlier told reporters that Gordon, whose position had her first in line to become acting director of national intelligence, was a candidate to hold that job until a permanent replacement for Coats was found.
"I like Sue Gordon," Trump said. "Certainly she will be considered."
Gordon, ever the seasoned intelligence analyst, had heard otherwise — that Trump, in fact, thought she was disloyal and should not take over as the nation's top intelligence officer, even in an acting capacity.
One year later, telling her story
Gordon has said little publicly about that episode since leaving behind a career that had her briefing all the U.S. presidents since Jimmy Carter, save one — George H.W. Bush, himself a former CIA director.
But in a wide-ranging conversation with NPR's Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep — the first in-depth account of her time in the Trump administration and her first radio interview since resigning — Gordon calls Trump's conclusion that she was not suited for the top spy job "wrong."
"That was a difficult moment and one that I admit that I don't totally understand," Gordon recalls, speaking from her home in Vienna, Va., a Washington, D.C., suburb. "But when the man who appointed you to your position suggests that he no longer wants you in it, and if you're the third child of a naval officer, you give him a cheery 'Aye, Aye' and you offer your resignation."
"It was a 40-year love affair," Gordon says, describing it as "devastating" to walk away from a career that had taken her to the highest echelon of the intelligence community. "When I accepted a political appointment, I knew that I was no longer a civil servant, but I served at the pleasure."
Gordon was a junior at Duke University studying for a degree in zoology, agonizing over whether to pursue law school or a doctorate in biomechanics, when she decided simply to get a job.
"Being the kid of a naval officer, public service was in my heart," she recalls. "And when the CIA came to interview on campus, I took the interview and it went from there."
With her degree in functional morphology zoology completed, the CIA's Office of Scientific and Weapons Research hired Gordon in 1980 to analyze Soviet biological warfare.
"I think I never did what I was hired to do," she says, "but the foundation, both in hard-core math and engineering, applied to living systems turned out to be a pretty cool combination for intelligence."
At the time, Gordon recalls, there were no more than 10 female professionals in an office with a staff of about 100.
"I would say probably the most abundant [female CIA employees] were in the support disciplines and the least abundant were in operations, and science and technology," Gordon says. "And so I was at the intersection of those."
It was a combination of hard-core engineering with uncertain intelligence, and it appealed to Gordon.
"You are looking at things at a distance — you are seeing some observables, but you're trying to discern what's happening from incomplete information," she says of her formative spy work. "And so it kind of just resonated with my curiosity, my kind of scientific bent and the love of trying to figure out what's going on, without bias."
Briefing 5 of the last 6 presidents
By the late Reagan administration, Gordon had begun briefing the president. Paradoxically, she recalls it initially being easier than it became later on.
"When you're a junior [officer]," she says, "you are just representing what you know, and you know what you know better than anybody else."
"As you get more senior, it gets more terrifying because you understand that the reason you're presenting information to them is so that they can make a decision," Gordon adds. "And the decisions are incredibly consequential. And many times decisions turn on your analysis, and you know that there is always uncertainty in intelligence."
Gordon also found that each president she briefed differed in how he absorbed information.
"President Obama just read voraciously, took in our information, and so we wrote abundantly for him," Gordon says of Trump's predecessor, calling him "a thinker."
"President Trump is much more of a doer, and so when he hears information, he wants to know what he can do with it," she says. "We now had a president who wanted to act almost immediately."
While Gordon recalls all five presidents she briefed periodically finding certain intelligence inconvenient, she says Russian interference in the 2016 election and ensuing investigations into that activity were "a particularly contentious topic" for Trump.
"Did the president want us to be able to say things differently from what we said? Yes," she recollects. "Is that different from other presidents? No. Was he more aggressive about pressing us on that? Yes. Did he do it more publicly than his predecessors? Yes."
Still, Gordon does not attribute Coats' departure specifically to his differences with Trump over Russian election meddling, which the former director of national intelligence declared had clearly been assessed by the intelligence community. Instead, she says, it was an accumulation of events that precipitated Coats' departure.
"It became clear that he and the president weren't on the same page — not specifically over intelligence, but about how to conduct the role of the director of national intelligence," Gordon notes. "I don't sense that it was over any particular event, but rather the aggregation of feeling that the role [of DNI] wasn't being performed exactly as [Trump] preferred."
Recent document may reflect more compliant spy directorate
An assessment made public last week by the DNI on election interference appears to show that the agency whose top officials a year ago were Gordon and Coats as more closely in step with a president who has repeatedly rejected claims of Russian meddling.
That document cites China, Russia and Iran as foreign states whose efforts at U.S. election interference are of particular concern to the intelligence community. The first country listed is China. Gordon thinks it should have been the Russians.
"I'd probably put them first on the list just because of who I know them to be, what I know their interest to be and their capabilities, and the demonstrations that we've seen," she says of the Kremlin's operatives.
"Russia is a complete intelligence service with a lot of interests, and they have demonstrated both influence operations and attempts at interference, even though, thank goodness, we've been very successful, and I think we're even more prepared for those things than in the past."
That said, Gordon insists she's loath to ascribe any intentions by the Trump administration to obscure what's been found and concluded by intelligence analysts.
"Do I think that that report muddied the waters by itself? I can't tell you that it did," she says. "But we do have to be very careful about how we talk about this."
A fine line for intelligence agencies
The danger Gordon sees is a loss of faith in the underpinnings of democracy.
"I think there's a fine line that we have to be mindful of, and it's not whether we put China first or Russia first in a listing," she says. "What worries me is the greatest threat to America is that we won't believe in ourselves, and if people don't believe their votes are going to matter — I think that is the most damaging circumstance for America."
All of which makes keeping the public apprised of attempts at foreign interference a delicate matter.
"From the intelligence perspective, we always tried to be very careful not to do our adversaries' work for us," Gordon warns. "In other words, not overblow or overreport things so that everyone thought, 'Oh, well, gosh, you can't trust anything.' And I think we have been, by and large, successful."
Intelligence, Gordon adds, should not be dismissed as simply opinions of analysts that can be ignored.
"Intelligence is never what those people think," the former spy says. "Intelligence is what those people have assessed based on data they collect, albeit sometimes it's sparse data, and then put together in a way that people can understand the foundation for that judgment."
Gordon is currently a consultant to Microsoft Corp., "trying to take the wisdom that I acquired and now share it with companies and citizens so that they might make the kinds of decisions that I think will be necessary to keep us all happy and prosperous — and if I do it right, I'll have more time to spend with my grandchildren than I did in the first 40 years."
But Gordon expresses no regrets about the decades she spent trying "to keep America safe."
"In my head, with every decision I made for nearly 40 years, I thought of Mr. and Mrs. Iowa, who gave their dollars and their trust to me," Gordon says slowly, "and if they saw what I was doing, would they be proud."


npr--2020-08-13--Governor Drops Lawsuit Against Atlanta Mayor Over Masks, But Fight May Not Be Over

Governor Drops Lawsuit Against Atlanta Mayor Over Masks , But Fight May Not Be Over Gov .
Brain Kemp is taking a new approach in his battle over face masks with Atlanta 's mayor .
Rather than have a judge rule on the conflict , he 's going to issue a new order on the subject .
On Thursday Kemp announced the attorney general 's office has withdrawn a lawsuit he filed against Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta city council , when she moved to reinstate more restrictive COVID-19-related safeguards .
Following a surge in coronavirus cases after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that nonessential businesses shut down and that people shelter in place .
She also issued a citywide mandatory mask-wearing ordinance .
Those directives went beyond the regulations laid out by Kemp in an executive order .
So the governor sued Bottoms and the city arguing she had contradicted his own mandate .
`` I sued the City of Atlanta to immediately stop the shuttering of local businesses and protect local workers from economic instability , '' Kemp explained in a statement on Thursday .
Several leaders throughout the state were taken aback by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mayors of Savannah and Athens where similar measures have been taken .
In recent weeks , Kemp and Bottoms have entered mediated negotiations .
But the governor now says that while Bottoms has made some concessions — agreeing to allow businesses to remain open and lift shelter in place orders — she refuses to budge on the mask requirement .
`` Unfortunately , the Mayor has made it clear that she will not agree to a settlement that safeguards the rights of private property owners in Georgia .
... [ And ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiate a compromise , the Attorney General 's Office has filed to withdraw our pending lawsuit , '' the governor said .
Instead , Kemp explained that when his order expires on Aug. 15 , he will issue a new executive order `` with relevant language . ''
The governor 's office did not respond to NPR 's request for clarification on what that may entail .
Bottoms , who , along with her husband , tested positive for COVID-19 last month , has been outspoken about the pandemic outbreak in Georgia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for not urging people to wear masks and says they were too eager to reopen the economy at the expense of public safety .
She has also questioned why she was singled out by Kemp in the lawsuit when other city leaders issued similar directives .
`` I do n't know if it was because of the demographics of the city or if it 's because I 'm a woman , if it 's because I called out Donald Trump .
I have no idea .
It could be all of the above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's just—it was odd , '' she told Time in a Thursday interview .

Governor Drops Lawsuit Against Atlanta Mayor Over Masks, But Fight May Not Be Over
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Bazemore/AP John Bazemore/AP
Gov. Brain Kemp is taking a new approach in his battle over face masks with Atlanta's mayor. Rather than have a judge rule on the conflict, he's going to issue a new order on the subject.
On Thursday Kemp announced the attorney general's office has withdrawn a lawsuit he filed against Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta city council, when she moved to reinstate more restrictive COVID-19-related safeguards.
Following a surge in coronavirus cases after the state opened up, Bottoms suggested that nonessential businesses shut down and that people shelter in place. She also issued a citywide mandatory mask-wearing ordinance.
Those directives went beyond the regulations laid out by Kemp in an executive order. So the governor sued Bottoms and the city arguing she had contradicted his own mandate.
"I sued the City of Atlanta to immediately stop the shuttering of local businesses and protect local workers from economic instability," Kemp explained in a statement on Thursday.
Several leaders throughout the state were taken aback by Kemp's litigation against Atlanta, including the mayors of Savannah and Athens where similar measures have been taken.
In recent weeks, Kemp and Bottoms have entered mediated negotiations. But the governor now says that while Bottoms has made some concessions — agreeing to allow businesses to remain open and lift shelter in place orders — she refuses to budge on the mask requirement.
"Unfortunately, the Mayor has made it clear that she will not agree to a settlement that safeguards the rights of private property owners in Georgia. ... [And] following her refusal in mediation to further negotiate a compromise, the Attorney General's Office has filed to withdraw our pending lawsuit," the governor said.
Instead, Kemp explained that when his order expires on Aug. 15, he will issue a new executive order "with relevant language."
The governor's office did not respond to NPR's request for clarification on what that may entail.
Bottoms, who, along with her husband, tested positive for COVID-19 last month, has been outspoken about the pandemic outbreak in Georgia. She has blamed Kemp and President Trump for not urging people to wear masks and says they were too eager to reopen the economy at the expense of public safety. She has also questioned why she was singled out by Kemp in the lawsuit when other city leaders issued similar directives.
"I don't know if it was because of the demographics of the city or if it's because I'm a woman, if it's because I called out Donald Trump. I have no idea. It could be all of the above or none of the above but it's just—it was odd," she told Time in a Thursday interview.


npr--2020-08-13--Fortnite Uses Apple's Own '1984' Ad Against It In Dispute Over Payments

Fortnite Uses Apple 's Own '1984 ' Ad Against It In Dispute Over Payments Epic Games , the video game developer behind the mega popular online game Fortnite , just posted a video criticizing Apple for removing the game from its App Store .
Using imagery directly referencing Apple 's own iconic `` 1984 '' ad , Epic Games 's video ( titled `` Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite '' ) positions Apple as a soulless corporate entity , shouting from a screen and demanding obedience from a black and white crowd .
That is , until a woman in color shows up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the screen and shatters it .
The following copy reads , `` Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly .
In retaliation , Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices .
Join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming '1984 . '
'' Epic Games ( also being a corporate entity themselves ) is making this charge over money .
The company introduced a direct payment option within Fortnite to bypass Apple 's 30 % fee on in-app purchases .
In retaliation , Apple pulled the popular game from its app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this video , as well as an antitrust lawsuit , alleging that Apple takes anti-competitive actions in order to `` unlawfully maintain its monopoly . ''
In a statement to The Verge , Apple said that Epic had benefited from the App Store 's ecosystem for years .
`` The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users . ''
It 's unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do with any of this .

Fortnite Uses Apple's Own '1984' Ad Against It In Dispute Over Payments
YouTube
Epic Games, the video game developer behind the mega popular online game Fortnite, just posted a video criticizing Apple for removing the game from its App Store. Using imagery directly referencing Apple's own iconic "1984" ad, Epic Games's video (titled "Nineteen Eighty-Fortnite") positions Apple as a soulless corporate entity, shouting from a screen and demanding obedience from a black and white crowd. That is, until a woman in color shows up, and throws a Fortnite axe at the screen and shatters it. The following copy reads, "Epic Games has defied the App Store Monopoly. In retaliation, Apple is blocking Fortnite from a billion devices. Join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming '1984.'"
Epic Games (also being a corporate entity themselves) is making this charge over money. The company introduced a direct payment option within Fortnite to bypass Apple's 30% fee on in-app purchases. In retaliation, Apple pulled the popular game from its app store. Epic Games responded with both this video, as well as an antitrust lawsuit, alleging that Apple takes anti-competitive actions in order to "unlawfully maintain its monopoly."
In a statement to The Verge, Apple said that Epic had benefited from the App Store's ecosystem for years.
"The fact that their business interests now lead them to push for a special arrangement does not change the fact that these guidelines create a level playing field for all developers and make the store safe for all users."
It's unclear, really, what George Orwell has to do with any of this.


npr--2020-08-13--As Journalists Work From Home, Their Newsrooms Are Shutting Down

As Journalists Work From Home , Their Newsrooms Are Shutting Down Tribune Publishing , the parent company of local news outlets across the country from the Chicago Tribune to The Baltimore Sun , is closing the physical offices of five newspapers permanently .
Journalists from the affected newsrooms — the Daily News in New York , the Capital Gazette and the Carroll County Times in Maryland , the Allentown Morning Call in Pennsylvania and the Orlando Sentinel in Florida — will continue working remotely for at least the remainder of the year , the company said .
The affected newspapers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working for these papers will , in some cases , plan on sharing office space with other newspapers once the pandemic subsides .
`` Out of an abundance of caution we do not anticipate having employees that can work remotely coming back into the office for the remainder of the year and into 2021 , '' Tribune Publishing said .
`` With no clear path forward in terms of returning to work , and as the company evaluates its real estate needs in light of health and economic conditions brought about by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision to permanently close these offices . ''
The Chesapeake News Guild , which represents employees at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis , and the Carroll County Times , tweeted on Wednesday : '' We 've been working from home for months , and it 's been fine as a stopgap measure , but we never thought it would be permanent .
Newsrooms are people , not buildings , it 's true .
But having a physical space where we can all gather , collaborate , debate , create , joke , yell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much better ... We 're devastated & we do n't know what to say other than please help us . ''
The closures arrive as the coronavirus pandemic , and the social distancing considerations that came with it , have moved most newsroom employees across the country out of conventional offices .
There has been a surge in media consumption as people check newspapers and websites and turn on their radios and televisions to stay on top of the latest news during the pandemic .
But newspapers and other outlets are losing advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driving down the sustainability of local news , including a shift to reliance on national sources and a decline in print subscriptions .
More than 50 local newsrooms have closed since the start of the pandemic in the United States — many of them the only news source in their community , according to the Poynter Institute .
Many managers and owners of news sources across the country have attempted to deal with the loss of revenue through furloughs , salary cuts and other measures rather than outright layoffs and closures .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or closed offices .
A UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media report shows that `` news deserts '' — areas of the country that are n't served by a single local news source — have rapidly expanded in the last 15 years .
It concludes that `` since 2004 , the United States has lost one-fourth — 2,100 — of its newspapers , '' and that `` more than 200 of the nation 's 3,143 counties and equivalents now have no newspaper and no alternative source of credible and comprehensive information on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Orlando Sentinel newsroom closing , the Sentinel Guild tweeted on Thursday : `` This building has been @ orlandosentinel 's home since 1951 and now we 're leaving , thanks to @ tribpub — which has $ 80.5 million in cash btw .
We 're still a newsroom , even if we do n't have a home , but this is why we need local owners who care about journalism . ''
The unions linked to a petition calling for the newspapers to be turned into locally owned nonprofits .
Chicago 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is remaining for now in its owner Tribune Publishing 's downtown headquarters , though Tribune Publishing is in talks with the space 's owner for a buyout of its lease .
Tribune Publishing did close an office for three of the Tribune 's suburban affiliates , the Naperville Sun , the Beacon-News and the Courier-News , serving the suburban communities to the southwest of the city .
Employees of the three newspapers got an email on Wednesday from the company telling they would no longer have an Aurora office as of Aug. 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for comment on why this office was n't included in its acknowledgments of five other office closures nationwide .
`` It 's better that they cut costs with buildings and not people because we 're already a thin staff of reporters and editors , '' said Erin Hegarty , a reporter for the Naperville Sun .
Hegarty is a member of the Chicago Tribune Guild , the same union that represents employees of the Chicago Tribune .
`` But one issue the union has is the idea that Tribune Publishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first place .
We know the company has money , we just are n't seeing it come through to us . ''
Tribune Publishing reported that its revenues fell to $ 183.1 million in the second quarter from $ 250.3 million a year earlier , and its net income from continuing operations dropped to $ 1.6 million from $ 5.3 million .
Digital-only subscribers increased about 40 % to 419,000 in the latest quarter from a year earlier .
Reporters for the three Chicago suburban newspapers had mostly been working remotely , Hegarty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a physical office was an intangible benefit in gaining community members ' trust and allowing reporters to better serve the areas they covered .
`` And if you have a newsroom , you can learn from your colleagues , you can listen to someone do a great phone interview , you can get up and ask someone a question quickly .
There 's a lot of learning and observing that goes on there , '' Hegarty said .
Journalists at the Capital Gazette will have an especially hard time leaving their newsroom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a shooting that killed five of its employees in June 2018 , the paper 's staff spent a year in a temporary space provided by the University of Maryland before finally moving into a new , permanent location .
`` It felt like we were going to have the opportunity to grow and heal , '' said Danielle Ohl , a Gazette reporter .
`` We put up photos and memorials for our colleagues , we hung up the flags that flew over the Capitol and D.C. after the shooting .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could do good work , collaborate and also remember our friends .
Now , we do n't have a centralized place for any of that . ''
Ohl , who also represents the Gazette as the Chesapeake News Guild 's chair , does n't expect Tribune Publishing to invest in a new physical newsroom after the pandemic .
She thinks the journalists she knows will keep doing excellent work , but `` if more newsrooms are making this decision , they need to think really hard about what they are giving up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ do the kind of collaborative work that produces solid journalism when you 're not together , and it sends a terrible message to our communities that we do n't think that a physical presence there is necessary . ''
Many of the Gazette 's reporters live in Baltimore , rather than Annapolis , due to high rents .
Ohl argues that losing a physical newsroom would mean many journalists no longer have a foot in the ground in the community they serve .
`` For local newsrooms it really is important to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff if you 're not , '' she said .
The Orlando Sentinel reported on Wednesday that , in a June 8 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission , Tribune Publishing said the company had withheld April , May and June rent payments for `` a majority of its facilities and requested rent relief from the lessors in various forms , including rent abatement , lease restructuring or lease terminations . ''

As Journalists Work From Home, Their Newsrooms Are Shutting Down
Enlarge this image toggle caption Bebeto Matthews/AP Bebeto Matthews/AP
Updated at 8:02 p.m. ET
Tribune Publishing, the parent company of local news outlets across the country from the Chicago Tribune to The Baltimore Sun, is closing the physical offices of five newspapers permanently.
Journalists from the affected newsrooms — the Daily News in New York, the Capital Gazette and the Carroll County Times in Maryland, the Allentown Morning Call in Pennsylvania and the Orlando Sentinel in Florida — will continue working remotely for at least the remainder of the year, the company said.
The affected newspapers have not suspended print operations. Journalists working for these papers will, in some cases, plan on sharing office space with other newspapers once the pandemic subsides.
"Out of an abundance of caution we do not anticipate having employees that can work remotely coming back into the office for the remainder of the year and into 2021," Tribune Publishing said. "With no clear path forward in terms of returning to work, and as the company evaluates its real estate needs in light of health and economic conditions brought about by the pandemic, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close these offices."
The Chesapeake News Guild, which represents employees at the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, and the Carroll County Times, tweeted on Wednesday:
"We've been working from home for months, and it's been fine as a stopgap measure, but we never thought it would be permanent. Newsrooms are people, not buildings, it's true. But having a physical space where we can all gather, collaborate, debate, create, joke, yell at each other makes our coverage so much better...We're devastated & we don't know what to say other than please help us."
The closures arrive as the coronavirus pandemic, and the social distancing considerations that came with it, have moved most newsroom employees across the country out of conventional offices.
There has been a surge in media consumption as people check newspapers and websites and turn on their radios and televisions to stay on top of the latest news during the pandemic. But newspapers and other outlets are losing advertising revenue and are contending with ongoing forces driving down the sustainability of local news, including a shift to reliance on national sources and a decline in print subscriptions.
More than 50 local newsrooms have closed since the start of the pandemic in the United States — many of them the only news source in their community, according to the Poynter Institute. Many managers and owners of news sources across the country have attempted to deal with the loss of revenue through furloughs, salary cuts and other measures rather than outright layoffs and closures. But several news sources have laid off staff or closed offices.
A UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media report shows that "news deserts" — areas of the country that aren't served by a single local news source — have rapidly expanded in the last 15 years. It concludes that "since 2004, the United States has lost one-fourth — 2,100 — of its newspapers," and that "more than 200 of the nation's 3,143 counties and equivalents now have no newspaper and no alternative source of credible and comprehensive information on critical issues."
In response to the Orlando Sentinel newsroom closing, the Sentinel Guild tweeted on Thursday: "This building has been @orlandosentinel's home since 1951 and now we're leaving, thanks to @tribpub — which has $80.5 million in cash btw. We're still a newsroom, even if we don't have a home, but this is why we need local owners who care about journalism."
The unions linked to a petition calling for the newspapers to be turned into locally owned nonprofits.
Chicago's flagship newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, is remaining for now in its owner Tribune Publishing's downtown headquarters, though Tribune Publishing is in talks with the space's owner for a buyout of its lease.
Tribune Publishing did close an office for three of the Tribune's suburban affiliates, the Naperville Sun, the Beacon-News and the Courier-News, serving the suburban communities to the southwest of the city. Employees of the three newspapers got an email on Wednesday from the company telling they would no longer have an Aurora office as of Aug. 28. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why this office wasn't included in its acknowledgments of five other office closures nationwide.
"It's better that they cut costs with buildings and not people because we're already a thin staff of reporters and editors," said Erin Hegarty, a reporter for the Naperville Sun. Hegarty is a member of the Chicago Tribune Guild, the same union that represents employees of the Chicago Tribune. "But one issue the union has is the idea that Tribune Publishing needs to be cutting costs in the first place. We know the company has money, we just aren't seeing it come through to us."
Tribune Publishing reported that its revenues fell to $183.1 million in the second quarter from $250.3 million a year earlier, and its net income from continuing operations dropped to $1.6 million from $5.3 million. Digital-only subscribers increased about 40% to 419,000 in the latest quarter from a year earlier.
Reporters for the three Chicago suburban newspapers had mostly been working remotely, Hegarty said. However, she said having a physical office was an intangible benefit in gaining community members' trust and allowing reporters to better serve the areas they covered.
"And if you have a newsroom, you can learn from your colleagues, you can listen to someone do a great phone interview, you can get up and ask someone a question quickly. There's a lot of learning and observing that goes on there," Hegarty said.
Journalists at the Capital Gazette will have an especially hard time leaving their newsroom. After a gunman targeted their previous office in a shooting that killed five of its employees in June 2018, the paper's staff spent a year in a temporary space provided by the University of Maryland before finally moving into a new, permanent location.
"It felt like we were going to have the opportunity to grow and heal," said Danielle Ohl, a Gazette reporter. "We put up photos and memorials for our colleagues, we hung up the flags that flew over the Capitol and D.C. after the shooting. It really felt like a place where we could do good work, collaborate and also remember our friends. Now, we don't have a centralized place for any of that."
Ohl, who also represents the Gazette as the Chesapeake News Guild's chair, doesn't expect Tribune Publishing to invest in a new physical newsroom after the pandemic. She thinks the journalists she knows will keep doing excellent work, but "if more newsrooms are making this decision, they need to think really hard about what they are giving up. ... It is much more difficult to do the kind of collaborative work that produces solid journalism when you're not together, and it sends a terrible message to our communities that we don't think that a physical presence there is necessary."
Many of the Gazette's reporters live in Baltimore, rather than Annapolis, due to high rents. Ohl argues that losing a physical newsroom would mean many journalists no longer have a foot in the ground in the community they serve. "For local newsrooms it really is important to be in the community. You just miss stuff if you're not," she said.
The Orlando Sentinel reported on Wednesday that, in a June 8 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Tribune Publishing said the company had withheld April, May and June rent payments for "a majority of its facilities and requested rent relief from the lessors in various forms, including rent abatement, lease restructuring or lease terminations."


npr--2020-08-13--DOJ: Yale Discriminates Against Asian American and White Applicants In Admissions

DOJ : Yale Discriminates Against Asian American and White Applicants In Admissions The Department of Justice accused Yale University of violating federal civil rights law by illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants in its undergraduate admissions process .
Those are the findings of a two-year investigation conducted in response to a complaint by a coalition of Asian American groups .
The Justice Department notified university officials in a letter on Thursday .
`` The Department of Justice found Yale discriminates based on race and national origin in its undergraduate admissions process , and that race is the determinative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , '' the department said in a release .
It went on to say that `` for the great majority of applicants , '' Asian American and white prospective students have 1/10 to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials .
In a statement provided to NPR , a Yale spokesperson said that the university `` categorically denies this allegation . ''
`` At Yale , we look at the whole person when selecting whom to admit among the many thousands of highly qualified applicants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We take into consideration a multitude of factors , including their academic achievement , interests , demonstrated leadership , background , success in taking maximum advantage of their secondary school and community resources , and the likelihood that they will contribute to the Yale community and the world . ''
The spokesperson also suggested that the Justice Department had not fully taken into account the information and data that university officials were providing .
`` We are dismayed that the DOJ has made its determination before allowing Yale to provide all the information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` Had the Department fully received and fairly weighed this information , it would have concluded that Yale 's practices absolutely comply with decades of Supreme Court precedent . ''
The Justice Department acknowledged that the Supreme Court has held that colleges receiving federal funds can consider applicants ' race in certain circumstances , as one of many factors .
But it described Yale 's use of race as `` anything but limited . ''
The Justice Department is alleging that Yale uses race at multiple steps of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of race on an applicant 's chances of getting in .
It also said the school racially balances its classes .
The department argued that such practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race , color or national origin in programs that receive federal financial assistance .
Yale `` expressly agrees '' to comply with that law as a condition of receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funding , the department said .
The Justice Department is demanding that Yale agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its upcoming 2020-2021 admissions cycle .
It also gives Yale an opportunity to propose a `` narrowly tailored '' plan for using race in future admissions cycles , pending Justice Department approval .
Yale is not planning to modify its policies , according to its statement Thursday .
`` We are proud of Yale 's admissions practices , and we will not change them on the basis of such a meritless , hasty accusation , '' the university said .
Art Coleman , an attorney and former deputy assistant secretary of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Civil Rights under the Clinton administration , raised questions about the strength of the Justice Department 's case in an interview with NPR .
`` The case here is thin at best , '' he said .
`` Thin in terms of underlying evidence . ''
He compared Thursday 's four-page Justice Department findings to the more than 100 pages a judge issued in a similar case regarding Harvard University , and noted `` that difference says a lot . ''
The Supreme Court has long upheld the use of race-based admissions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently as 2016 .
Still , the Trump administration has repeatedly challenged the ability of higher education institutions to consider race in admissions decisions .
Notably , in 2018 , it withdrew Obama-era guidance that encouraged affirmative action in schools and universities .
Mitchell Chang , an education professor at UCLA , said it is `` hard to imagine '' this latest move is not political , given its proximity to the general election in November .
He also characterized it as at odds with the current social and political moment in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial justice and equity .
`` This move fails to respond to the calls being made nationally to consider race in a way that would help us address racism , '' Chang said .
`` That 's what affirmative action policies were meant to do .
To increase access to elite higher education .
This very much runs counter to that . ''

DOJ: Yale Discriminates Against Asian American and White Applicants In Admissions
Enlarge this image toggle caption Beth J. Harpaz/AP Beth J. Harpaz/AP
The Department of Justice accused Yale University of violating federal civil rights law by illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants in its undergraduate admissions process.
Those are the findings of a two-year investigation conducted in response to a complaint by a coalition of Asian American groups. The Justice Department notified university officials in a letter on Thursday.
"The Department of Justice found Yale discriminates based on race and national origin in its undergraduate admissions process, and that race is the determinative factor in hundreds of admissions decisions each year," the department said in a release.
It went on to say that "for the great majority of applicants," Asian American and white prospective students have 1/10 to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials.
In a statement provided to NPR, a Yale spokesperson said that the university "categorically denies this allegation."
"At Yale, we look at the whole person when selecting whom to admit among the many thousands of highly qualified applicants," the statement said. "We take into consideration a multitude of factors, including their academic achievement, interests, demonstrated leadership, background, success in taking maximum advantage of their secondary school and community resources, and the likelihood that they will contribute to the Yale community and the world."
The spokesperson also suggested that the Justice Department had not fully taken into account the information and data that university officials were providing.
"We are dismayed that the DOJ has made its determination before allowing Yale to provide all the information the Department has requested thus far," she said. "Had the Department fully received and fairly weighed this information, it would have concluded that Yale's practices absolutely comply with decades of Supreme Court precedent."
The Justice Department acknowledged that the Supreme Court has held that colleges receiving federal funds can consider applicants' race in certain circumstances, as one of many factors. But it described Yale's use of race as "anything but limited."
The Justice Department is alleging that Yale uses race at multiple steps of its admissions process, which multiplies the effect of race on an applicant's chances of getting in. It also said the school racially balances its classes.
The department argued that such practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs that receive federal financial assistance.
Yale "expressly agrees" to comply with that law as a condition of receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funding, the department said.
The Justice Department is demanding that Yale agree not to use race or national origin in its upcoming 2020-2021 admissions cycle. It also gives Yale an opportunity to propose a "narrowly tailored" plan for using race in future admissions cycles, pending Justice Department approval.
Yale is not planning to modify its policies, according to its statement Thursday.
"We are proud of Yale's admissions practices, and we will not change them on the basis of such a meritless, hasty accusation," the university said.
Art Coleman, an attorney and former deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights under the Clinton administration, raised questions about the strength of the Justice Department's case in an interview with NPR.
"The case here is thin at best," he said. "Thin in terms of underlying evidence."
He compared Thursday's four-page Justice Department findings to the more than 100 pages a judge issued in a similar case regarding Harvard University, and noted "that difference says a lot."
The Supreme Court has long upheld the use of race-based admissions in colleges, ruling on the subject as recently as 2016.
Still, the Trump administration has repeatedly challenged the ability of higher education institutions to consider race in admissions decisions. Notably, in 2018, it withdrew Obama-era guidance that encouraged affirmative action in schools and universities.
Mitchell Chang, an education professor at UCLA, said it is "hard to imagine" this latest move is not political, given its proximity to the general election in November.
He also characterized it as at odds with the current social and political moment in which protesters across the country are calling for racial justice and equity.
"This move fails to respond to the calls being made nationally to consider race in a way that would help us address racism," Chang said. "That's what affirmative action policies were meant to do. To increase access to elite higher education. This very much runs counter to that."
Disclaimer: Rachel Treisman is a graduate of Yale University.


npr--2020-08-13--COVID-19 Death Rate For Black Americans Twice That For Whites, New Report Says

COVID-19 Death Rate For Black Americans Twice That For Whites , New Report Says Black Americans are becoming infected with the coronavirus at a rate three times that of whites and they are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 , according to a new report from the National Urban League , based partly on data from Johns Hopkins University .
A key focus of Thursday 's report is the impact of the pandemic and how the disease has followed the contours of the larger society in falling especially hard on Blacks , Latinos and Indigenous people .
State of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture '' of COVID-19 and people of color , the league 's CEO , Marc Morial , said .
The pandemic `` exposed the fault lines in America 's social and economic institutions , '' the authors of the report said .
The racial disparities that affect how the disease is spreading in America have been identified since the early days of the pandemic , and some of the numbers released Thursday track closely with earlier reports by NPR , The New York Times and other media outlets .
`` We know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the result of pre-pandemic realities .
It 's a legacy of structural discrimination that has limited access to health and wealth for people of color , '' Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith , director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center at Yale School of Medicine , told NPR in May .
The new analysis , provided by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and included in the Urban League 's report , shows that the coronavirus infection rate for Blacks is 62 per 10,000 , compared with 23 per 10,000 for whites .
Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per 10,000 .
Blacks and Latinos who contract the disease `` are more likely to suffer from pre-existing conditions which increase the risk of severe illness , '' the report noted .
Both of those groups are more than four times as likely to require hospitalization as a result of contracting the disease , it said .
Further , `` Black people with COVID-19 symptoms in February and March were less likely to get tested or treated than white patients , '' Morial wrote in a blog post about the new report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients ' complaints of pain , prescribed weaker pain medication and withheld cardiac treatments from Black patients who needed them , '' he said .
Blacks and Latinos were also less likely than whites to have health insurance , he noted .
The death rate from the disease is also starkly different for Blacks , according to the Johns Hopkins data , with twice as many dying from COVID-19 as whites or Latinos .
`` Black , Latino and Indigenous people are getting sick and dying in drastically higher numbers , '' Morial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said during a teleconference Thursday afternoon marking the release of the report .
The Johns Hopkins report notes that Blacks and Latinos are more likely to live in crowded housing and less likely to hold jobs that allow them to work from home .
Whites were nearly 50 % more likely to be able to work from home as their Latino counterparts , and 35 % more likely than Blacks , according to the report .

COVID-19 Death Rate For Black Americans Twice That For Whites, New Report Says
toggle caption Gerald Herbert/AP
Black Americans are becoming infected with the coronavirus at a rate three times that of whites and they are twice as likely to die from COVID-19, according to a new report from the National Urban League, based partly on data from Johns Hopkins University.
A key focus of Thursday's report is the impact of the pandemic and how the disease has followed the contours of the larger society in falling especially hard on Blacks, Latinos and Indigenous people.
State of Black America Unmasked paints a "bleak picture" of COVID-19 and people of color, the league's CEO, Marc Morial, said.
The pandemic "exposed the fault lines in America's social and economic institutions," the authors of the report said.
The racial disparities that affect how the disease is spreading in America have been identified since the early days of the pandemic, and some of the numbers released Thursday track closely with earlier reports by NPR, The New York Times and other media outlets.
"We know that these racial ethnic disparities in COVID-19 are the result of pre-pandemic realities. It's a legacy of structural discrimination that has limited access to health and wealth for people of color," Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, director of the Equity Research and Innovation Center at Yale School of Medicine, told NPR in May.
The new analysis, provided by Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity and included in the Urban League's report, shows that the coronavirus infection rate for Blacks is 62 per 10,000, compared with 23 per 10,000 for whites. Latinos fared even worse, with 73 infections per 10,000.
Blacks and Latinos who contract the disease "are more likely to suffer from pre-existing conditions which increase the risk of severe illness," the report noted. Both of those groups are more than four times as likely to require hospitalization as a result of contracting the disease, it said.
Further, "Black people with COVID-19 symptoms in February and March were less likely to get tested or treated than white patients," Morial wrote in a blog post about the new report.
"Studies showed that doctors downplayed Black patients' complaints of pain, prescribed weaker pain medication and withheld cardiac treatments from Black patients who needed them," he said.
Blacks and Latinos were also less likely than whites to have health insurance, he noted.
The death rate from the disease is also starkly different for Blacks, according to the Johns Hopkins data, with twice as many dying from COVID-19 as whites or Latinos.
"Black, Latino and Indigenous people are getting sick and dying in drastically higher numbers," Morial, a former mayor of New Orleans, said during a teleconference Thursday afternoon marking the release of the report.
The Johns Hopkins report notes that Blacks and Latinos are more likely to live in crowded housing and less likely to hold jobs that allow them to work from home.
Whites were nearly 50% more likely to be able to work from home as their Latino counterparts, and 35% more likely than Blacks, according to the report.


npr--2020-08-13--Mark Kozelek, Of Sun Kil Moon And Red House Painters, Accused Of Sexual Misconduct

Mark Kozelek , Of Sun Kil Moon And Red House Painters , Accused Of Sexual Misconduct Warning : This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault and misconduct .
Three women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against musician Mark Kozelek , who frequently performs as Sun Kil Moon .
The accusations were published by Pitchfork on Thursday in a report by Amy Zimmerman .
When reached by NPR , a representative responded that Kozelek was not available to comment on the allegations .
In its piece , Pitchfork reported that it reached out to Kozelek and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period of months seeking comment , and that none of its messages were returned .
A mental health specialist who lives in Los Angeles named Sarah Catherine Golden told Pitchfork that she met Kozelek in 2017 while traveling .
After talking with her at one of Kozelek 's shows , she told Pitchfork , he invited her back to his hotel .
Once at the hotel , she recounted to the website , Kozelek got undressed and asked her to get into bed with him .
According to Golden , when she declined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted to kiss her .
She also accused Kozelek of forcibly putting her hand on his penis .
Another woman , who used the pseudonym Andrea in Pitchfork 's reporting , says she met Kozelek in 2014 , when she was 19 .
She described a relationship with Kozelek that lasted several months and began with Kozelek exposing herself and intercourse that , she told a friend in a Facebook message the next day , `` was n't really consensual . ''
The woman described some of her later encounters with Kozelek as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were others where `` the lines [ were ] really blurred . ''
Pitchfork also reported a third allegation , from a woman musician who asked not to be named .
She alleges that Kozelek `` invited her and another female musician to his hotel room after a festival in 2014 and acted inappropriately with her as well . ''
No other details were provided .
Kozelek is best known as the singer and guitarist of the pioneering slowcore band Red House Painters , with whom he released six studio albums , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently under the moniker Sun Kil Moon .
He has also drawn attention for antagonizing other artists ( as he did with a largely one-sided feud with The War On Drugs in 2014 ) , mocking his fans ( as he did at Hopscotch Festival in 2014 , calling the crowd `` f****** hillbillies '' ) and for harassing female journalists , including Pitchfork 's Allison Hussey and The Guardian critic Laura Snapes .
Three months after Golden 's alleged assault , according to Pitchfork , she emailed Kozelek and said , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you were really inappropriate ?
As in , you broke me ... You put my hand on your d*** .
I froze .
I was so stuck there . ''
He reportedly did not email her back .

Mark Kozelek, Of Sun Kil Moon And Red House Painters, Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
Enlarge this image toggle caption Scott Dudelson/Getty Images Scott Dudelson/Getty Images
Warning: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault and misconduct.
Updated Aug. 17, 9:15 a.m. to include a response from Mark Kozelek.
Three women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against musician Mark Kozelek, who frequently performs as Sun Kil Moon. The accusations were published by Pitchfork on Thursday in a report by Amy Zimmerman.
When reached by NPR, a representative responded that Kozelek was not available to comment on the allegations. In its piece, Pitchfork reported that it reached out to Kozelek and his representatives over a dozen times over a period of months seeking comment, and that none of its messages were returned.
On Aug. 17, Kozelek posted a response to the Sun Kil Moon website, writing that "I publicly and unconditionally deny that I engaged in the inappropriate and disturbing incidents falsely depicted in the media. While I support the important work of addressing legitimate claims of sexual misconduct, I reject the false allegations and innuendo in the recent press." Kozelek goes on to say he has retained a lawyer to "investigate and pursue as necessary any claims against anyone participating to defame me in the media."
A mental health specialist who lives in Los Angeles named Sarah Catherine Golden told Pitchfork that she met Kozelek in 2017 while traveling. After talking with her at one of Kozelek's shows, she told Pitchfork, he invited her back to his hotel. Once at the hotel, she recounted to the website, Kozelek got undressed and asked her to get into bed with him. According to Golden, when she declined he began masturbating, groped her and attempted to kiss her. She also accused Kozelek of forcibly putting her hand on his penis.
Another woman, who used the pseudonym Andrea in Pitchfork's reporting, says she met Kozelek in 2014, when she was 19. She described a relationship with Kozelek that lasted several months and began with Kozelek exposing herself and intercourse that, she told a friend in a Facebook message the next day, "wasn't really consensual." The woman described some of her later encounters with Kozelek as consensual, but told Pitchfork that there were others where "the lines [were] really blurred."
Pitchfork also reported a third allegation, from a woman musician who asked not to be named. She alleges that Kozelek "invited her and another female musician to his hotel room after a festival in 2014 and acted inappropriately with her as well." No other details were provided.
Kozelek is best known as the singer and guitarist of the pioneering slowcore band Red House Painters, with whom he released six studio albums, and for the music he has released more recently under the moniker Sun Kil Moon. He has also drawn attention for antagonizing other artists (as he did with a largely one-sided feud with The War On Drugs in 2014), mocking his fans (as he did at Hopscotch Festival in 2014, calling the crowd "f****** hillbillies") and for harassing female journalists, including Pitchfork's Allison Hussey and The Guardian critic Laura Snapes.
Three months after Golden's alleged assault, according to Pitchfork, she emailed Kozelek and said, in part, "Do you know that you were really inappropriate? As in, you broke me...You put my hand on your d***. I froze. I was so stuck there." He reportedly did not email her back.


npr--2020-08-13--Department Of Justice Seizes Bitcoin, Websites From Terror Groups

The Justice Department has seized millions of dollars ' worth of cryptocurrency from terrorist organizations , according to court documents unsealed Thursday , in what the government called its `` largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context . ''
The Trump administration also said it seized several websites tied to an ISIS scheme to sell fraudulent face masks to the public during the pandemic .
All told the government seized more than 300 cryptocurrency accounts , as well as several websites and Facebook pages , allegedly belonging to members of al-Qaida , ISIS and the military wing of Hamas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our enemies use modern technology , social media platforms and cryptocurrency , '' Attorney General William Barr said in a statement .
`` We will seize the funds and the instrumentalities that provide a lifeline for their operations whenever possible . ''
The fraudulent face masks involved a cyberscam but not necessarily cybercurrency .
The department described `` a scheme by Murat Cakar , an ISIS facilitator who is responsible for managing select ISIS hacking operations , to sell fake personal protective equipment via FaceMaskCenter.com . ''
`` The site administrators offered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the globe , including a customer in the United States who sought to purchase N95 masks and other protective equipment for hospitals , nursing homes , and fire departments , '' the statement said .
The government seized the websites involved and said it is investigating whether the fraud resulted in any funds being sent to support terror efforts ; the websites may also have been used for money laundering , the administration suggested .
The other two cases involved al-Qaida and Hamas soliciting cryptocurrency donations , either by appealing to their supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal lies , in part , in a potent mix of transparency and anonymity .
All transactions are documented in a blockchain , a kind of ledger or record-keeping system that is visible to the public .
But instead of being tied to a person 's name or identity ( such as money in a traditional bank account ) , the funds are only tied to strings of numbers .
This layer of pseudonymity has made cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin popular for some criminal transactions .
But the Justice Department wrote in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is possible to determine the identity of an individual involved in a [ bitcoin ] transaction through several different tools that are available to law enforcement . ''
If someone exchanged bitcoin for U.S. dollars using a U.S.-based currency exchange , for instance , they might have revealed their identity in connection to that transaction .
Software that looks for `` clusters '' of transactions could then identify other bitcoin possessed by the same individual , according to the filing .

Department Of Justice Seizes Bitcoin, Websites From Terror Groups
Enlarge this image toggle caption Department of Justice Department of Justice
The Justice Department has seized millions of dollars' worth of cryptocurrency from terrorist organizations, according to court documents unsealed Thursday, in what the government called its "largest-ever seizure of cryptocurrency in the terrorism context."
The Trump administration also said it seized several websites tied to an ISIS scheme to sell fraudulent face masks to the public during the pandemic.
All told the government seized more than 300 cryptocurrency accounts, as well as several websites and Facebook pages, allegedly belonging to members of al-Qaida, ISIS and the military wing of Hamas.
"It should not surprise anyone that our enemies use modern technology, social media platforms and cryptocurrency," Attorney General William Barr said in a statement. "We will seize the funds and the instrumentalities that provide a lifeline for their operations whenever possible."
The fraudulent face masks involved a cyberscam but not necessarily cybercurrency. The department described "a scheme by Murat Cakar, an ISIS facilitator who is responsible for managing select ISIS hacking operations, to sell fake personal protective equipment via FaceMaskCenter.com."
"The site administrators offered to sell these items to customers across the globe, including a customer in the United States who sought to purchase N95 masks and other protective equipment for hospitals, nursing homes, and fire departments," the statement said.
The government seized the websites involved and said it is investigating whether the fraud resulted in any funds being sent to support terror efforts; the websites may also have been used for money laundering, the administration suggested.
The other two cases involved al-Qaida and Hamas soliciting cryptocurrency donations, either by appealing to their supporters or by impersonating charities.
Cryptocurrency's appeal lies, in part, in a potent mix of transparency and anonymity. All transactions are documented in a blockchain, a kind of ledger or record-keeping system that is visible to the public. But instead of being tied to a person's name or identity (such as money in a traditional bank account), the funds are only tied to strings of numbers.
This layer of pseudonymity has made cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin popular for some criminal transactions. But the Justice Department wrote in the newly unsealed court documents that "it is possible to determine the identity of an individual involved in a [bitcoin] transaction through several different tools that are available to law enforcement."
If someone exchanged bitcoin for U.S. dollars using a U.S.-based currency exchange, for instance, they might have revealed their identity in connection to that transaction.
Software that looks for "clusters" of transactions could then identify other bitcoin possessed by the same individual, according to the filing.