vox--2020-07-31--How Trump is planning to force TikTok to sell itself

It looks like the Trump administration is getting tougher on TikTok , the wildly popular social media app that ’ s best known as a place for teens to post short videos , amid mounting national security concerns about the app ’ s relationship with the Chinese government .
According to Bloomberg , President Trump plans to sign an order compelling TikTok ’ s parent company , Chinese-based ByteDance , to sell its US operations .
Some are floating Microsoft as a potential buyer .
Trump ’ s order would direct ByteDance to divest from the US-based TikTok , last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most likely by selling to another company .
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed that the app was under government review on Wednesday , and that a recommendation would come by the end of the week .
A government decision that forces TikTok to sell would be a game changer for the social media industry and would threaten to disrupt the app ’ s extraordinary rise in popularity with its some 80 million users in the US , many of them young .
And for established US social media giants Facebook and Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fiercest new competitor .
For months , Trump and other politicians have raised concerns about TikTok as a potential national security threat , worrying that the company could censor content or access user data at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party .
TikTok has denied taking orders from the Chinese government to moderate content , and said it maintains all of its American user data outside of China , in either the US or Singapore .
But reports last year indicated that TikTok was seemingly censoring content related to the Hong Kong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are controversial with the Chinese government like Tiananmen Square and Tibetan independence .
These reports have fueled US government suspicions , particularly as China has been expanding its surveillance state in recent years and US-China diplomatic relations have cooled .
Republicans have escalated their attacks on TikTok this summer , with some bipartisan support from Democrats as well .
On Thursday , Sens .
Richard Blumenthal ( D-CT ) and Josh Hawley ( R-MO ) sent a letter to the Justice Department demanding that the agency open an investigation into TikTok and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ civil liberties ” and national security concerns about relationships between these companies and the People ’ s Republic of China .
This followed statements in July from Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , who both said the Trump administration was considering banning TikTok altogether .
While what ’ s happening now wouldn ’ t amount to a ban , an order from President Trump would significantly disrupt TikTok ’ s business by forcing its ownership to change hands .
That could have negative consequences beyond the people running TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jeopardize the success of an app that ’ s had a meteoric rise from a relative underdog to one of the most downloaded apps in the world .
And since TikTok is one of the only recent social media startups to compete with tech giants like Facebook , weakening TikTok could further reinforce what many argue is the monopolistic nature of the US tech economy .
“ While we do not comment on rumors or speculation , we are confident in the long-term success of TikTok , ” a spokesperson for TikTok told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ committed to protecting their privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.
” Here ’ s a breakdown of what ’ s going on and what ’ s expected next .
How this would work You may be asking how Trump can force a company as popular as TikTok to sell off .
The answer is complicated and bureaucratic .
If what ’ s being reported is true , Trump would issue the order for ByteDance to divest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Investment in the United States ( CFIUS ) , an interagency committee that reviews foreign acquisitions and investments in US businesses that can threaten national security .
The committee , which is chaired by Mnuchin , has the power to block or reverse mergers and acquisitions involving US and foreign companies .
Increasingly , the agency has been exercising its authority over foreign-owned tech companies operating in the US .
Last year , CFIUS helped block one of the biggest deals in tech history , after Trump followed its recommendations to stop Singapore-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US semiconductor company Qualcomm .
The committee also forced Chinese owners to divest from the dating app Grindr and the health startup PatientsLikeMe .
But as Brookings fellow Geoffrey Gertz has written , tech companies weren ’ t always the target of CFIUS .
In the past , the committee “ tended to focus on companies with military or intelligence connections , ” but more recently , personal data and high-tech intellectual property are of greater concern .
Last year , CFIUS started investigating ByteDance , which had purchased the Chinese-owned lip-sync video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and launched a similar app in the US under the name TikTok .
When that investigation comes to a close , the committee ’ s recommendations will reportedly lead to Trump ’ s order for ByteDance to sell TikTok or divest its US operations .
It ’ s unclear how CFIUS would enforce a potential unwinding of ByteDance and TikTok , but last year , the committee issued a $ 1 million fine to an undisclosed company for not following through on a mitigation agreement , its first penalty of that kind .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ order ByteDance to divest in it , that doesn ’ t mean TikTok as we know it will simply shut down in the US .
TikTok is a valuable brand in a lucrative industry .
Instead , the company behind the app will likely change ownership .
If TikTok is compelled to sell its US operations , it needs to find a buyer .
And while tech giants like Facebook or Google might otherwise jump at the chance to buy a fierce rival , the current antitrust scrutiny they face could make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Which is where Microsoft may come in .
Unlike the other major tech companies , Microsoft does not have a major stake in the social media space , which could put regulators at ease , making the deal more likely to get approved .
Then again , Microsoft is a dinosaur by tech company standards , and its involvement could be seen as a kiss of death for TikTok , the ingenue of social media .
But if Microsoft runs it well , TikTok could continue to grow , and with the backing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it might more seriously take on other social media companies , including Facebook .
And Microsoft is by no means the only option — other firms could try to buy TikTok .
It ’ s too soon to say who exactly will end up buying TikTok ’ s US operations .
In the meantime , there are plenty of Clippy jokes to make .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

President Trump issued an executive order on Thursday night that will effectively ban any US company or individual from making transactions with ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of the TikTok app, after 45 days.
While this conditional ban on TikTok’s US business operations will likely face serious legal challenges, and it’s unclear how immediately enforceable it is, the order creates a serious challenge for TikTok, a wildly popular video streaming app with some 100 million US users.
For months, Trump and other bipartisan politicians have periodically raised concerns about TikTok as a potential national security threat, worrying that the app’s Chinese parent company could censor content in the US or access American users’ sensitive data at the behest of the Chinese Communist Party.
The executive order states that TikTok “automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users,” and that this “threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information — potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”
The company has vehemently denied these accusations, saying repeatedly that it does not share user data with the Chinese government. But reports last year showed a lack of TikTok content about subjects controversial with the Chinese government — such as videos of the Hong Kong protests. These reports have fueled US government suspicions that the company is influenced by the Chinese government, particularly as China has been expanding its surveillance state in recent years and US-China diplomatic relations have become more strained.
Trump has gone back and forth about how he planned to take action on TikTok. As recently as last Friday, he warned of an eminent executive ban on TikTok. On Monday though, Trump seemed to reverse his stance and said in a White House press briefing that instead of banning it, he would allow a US-based company to purchase the app.
“I don’t mind if — whether it is Microsoft or someone else — a big company, a secure company, a very American company, buys it,” said Trump about TikTok. Trump also warned that TikTok will be “out of business in the United States” by September 15 if the company doesn’t reach a deal to sell by then. Now, the executive order has established a timeline of 45 days from Thursday (which would be September 20) for the sale to happen before TikTok will no longer be able to conduct business in the US.
Related The case for and against banning TikTok
Though TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, is best known as a place where teens share short, often lighthearted musical videos, it has become the center of geopolitical controversy between the US and China over technological power.
But getting rid of an app used by some 100 million Americans isn’t easy, even if you’re the president. According to a New York Times report on Sunday, after Trump’s advisers convinced him that an executive action to ban TikTok would face severe legal and political consequences, Trump decided he would allow the tech giant Microsoft to continue its previous talks to buy the app, which had reportedly been in the works for weeks. Since Microsoft is a US-based company, the idea is that if Microsoft took control, it would ensure all of TikTok’s user data is stored in the US, secure from the potentially prying eyes of the Chinese government. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talked to Trump about it over the weekend, according to a Microsoft blog post published on Saturday evening, and has agreed to work out a deal — or not — by September 15.
Do you work at TikTok and have thoughts about what’s going on? Please email Shirin Ghaffary at shirin.ghaffary@protonmail.com to reach her confidentially. Signal number available upon request.
Here’s a rundown of the recent controversy surrounding TikTok and what’s expected to happen next:
TikTok’s political troubles
TikTok has faced intense political scrutiny for months leading up to Trump’s executive order.
Republicans escalated their attacks on TikTok this summer, with some bipartisan support from Democrats as well. Last Thursday, Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) sent a letter to the Justice Department demanding that the agency open an investigation into TikTok and Zoom over reported violations of “Americans’ civil liberties” and national security concerns about relationships between these companies and China. This followed statements in July from Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who both said the Trump administration was considering banning TikTok altogether.
For the past year, it’s been thought that the app has been under government review for national security reasons. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin confirmed this last week, and said he’s expecting the review to conclude soon. The government committee in charge of this review, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), has the power to recommend the president force TikTok to sell to a US company.
Even if Trump can’t enforce a full-on ban, a government decision that forces TikTok’s parent company to sell it off would be a game changer for the social media industry, and would threaten to disrupt the app’s extraordinary popularity. And for established social media giants Facebook and Google, the decision could significantly weaken their fiercest new competitor.
A forced sale of TikTok could have negative consequences beyond the people running TikTok, too. The move threatens to jeopardize the success of an app that’s had a meteoric rise from a relative underdog to one of the most downloaded apps in the world. And since TikTok is one of the only recent social media startups to compete with tech giants like Facebook, weakening TikTok could further concentrate power among a few tech giants in the US.
“While we do not comment on rumors or speculation, we are confident in the long-term success of TikTok,” a spokesperson for TikTok told Recode last Friday, adding the company is “committed to protecting their privacy and safety as we continue working to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform.”
How a sale would work
You may be asking how Trump can force a company as popular as TikTok to sell itself, or go so far as to try to ban it. The answer is complicated and bureaucratic.
To force a sale, Trump could issue an order for ByteDance to divest from TikTok through CFIUS, an interagency committee that reviews foreign acquisitions and investments in US businesses that can threaten national security. The committee, chaired by Mnuchin, has the power to block or reverse mergers and acquisitions involving US and foreign companies.
Increasingly, the agency has been exercising its authority over foreign-owned tech companies operating in the US. Last year, CFIUS helped block one of the biggest deals in tech history, after Trump followed its recommendations to stop Singapore-based Broadcom from acquiring the US semiconductor company Qualcomm. The committee also forced Chinese owners to divest from the dating app Grindr and the health startup PatientsLikeMe.
But as Brookings Institution fellow Geoffrey Gertz has written, tech companies weren’t always the target of CFIUS. In the past, the committee “tended to focus on companies with military or intelligence connections,” but more recently, personal data and high-tech intellectual property have become a bigger focus for the committee.
Last year, CFIUS started investigating ByteDance, which had purchased the Chinese-owned lip-sync video platform Musical.ly in 2017 and then rebranded and launched a similar app in the US under the name TikTok. When that investigation comes to a close, the committee’s recommendations will reportedly lead to Trump’s order for ByteDance to sell TikTok or divest its US operations.
It’s unclear how CFIUS would enforce a potential unwinding of ByteDance and TikTok, but last year, the committee issued a $1 million fine to an undisclosed company for not following through on a mitigation agreement, its first penalty of that kind. It could also fine TikTok — or Trump could just continue to dangle the threat of banning TikTok altogether, no matter how legally or politically contentious that would be.
In a press briefing on Monday, Trump said that whoever ends up owning TikTok should pay the Treasury department of the US government a “substantial amount of money” as part of the deal. As some have pointed out, including Axios’s Dan Primack, Trump’s comments could be “skating very close to announcing extortion.” It’s not immediately clear how Trump would try to ensure the US government gets a cut of the sale or whether it’s even legal to do that.
What comes next
If Microsoft or another major US company does purchase TikTok, it’s likely that TikTok as we know it would remain largely unchanged.
TikTok is a valuable brand in a lucrative industry with a massive, devoted user base — so for Microsoft, buying TikTok would be an opportunity to seriously compete with other major tech companies like Facebook and Google in the social media space.
Microsoft also has experience when it comes to purchasing already successful companies and allowing them to retain their independence — as it did when it acquired the platform for software developers, GitHub, in 2018, and the video game Minecraft in 2014.
Depending on how Microsoft chooses to run TikTok — if it acquires it — the app could continue to grow, and with the backing of a major US tech company, it might more seriously take on other social media companies, including Facebook. Microsoft isn’t the only potential buyer — other firms could try to buy TikTok or share ownership. Reportedly, Microsoft may invite outside investors to join them in the deal, according to the Wall Street Journal.
It’s too soon to say what impact a sale would have on the app’s popularity and growth. But in the meantime, there are plenty of Clippy jokes to make.
On Monday, a spokesperson for TikTok told Recode in a statement that the company is “committed to continuing to bring joy to families and meaningful careers to those who create on our platform as we build TikTok for the long term. TikTok will be here for many years to come.”
Update, August 6, 9:54 pm ET: This article has been updated to include news of Trump’s executive order against TikTok.
Update, August 3, 3:05 pm ET: This article has been updated to include new comments from President Trump and new reporting about ongoing negotiations between Microsoft and TikTok.


vox--2020-07-31--A 17-year-old has been charged with 30 felonies over the big celebrity Twitter hack

A teenager in Florida allegedly played a major role in the massive Twitter hack earlier this month that commandeered some of the platform ’ s highest profile accounts , including Elon Musk ’ s and former President Barack Obama ’ s , to scam people out of about $ 120,000 in bitcoin .
Graham Ivan Clark , 17 , was charged with 30 felonies related to the hack , according to a local news station in Tampa , Florida , where he lives .
Though federal authorities led the investigation , Clark was charged by the state ’ s attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , Florida law makes it easier for Clark to be tried as an adult .
Two adults — Mason John Sheppard , 19 , of the United Kingdom , and Nima Fazeli , 22 , of Orlando , Florida — were also charged by the Department of Justice with felonies related to the hack .
Sheppard was charged with three felonies , and Fazeli was charged with one .
There may be more arrests to come ; the charging documents say an as-yet-unidentified hacker named “ Kirk ” “ played a central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s earlier reporting that said a hacker named “ Kirk ” was behind the attack .
“ We appreciate the swift actions of law enforcement in this investigation and will continue to cooperate as the case progresses , ” Twitter said in a statement .
Though initial reports said the hack might be an inside job , given how much access the perpetrator had to the company ’ s internal controls , Twitter now says its employees were targeted by a “ phone spear phishing attack ” : Assuming this is true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tale .
Spear phishing via mobile devices has become more common , especially since people don ’ t check links on their mobile devices the way they might in a message received on their computers .
“ People often overlook their phone because they think of it more as a personal device , not a work device , ” Mark Ostrowski , security evangelist at cybersecurity company Check Point , told me back in May when I wrote about how to improve cybersecurity hygiene while working from home .
The details of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practiced better cyber hygiene , and there was nothing the account holders themselves could have done to prevent what happened .
“ We will continue to organize ongoing company-wide phishing exercises throughout the year , ” Twitter said in a statement shortly after the hack .
Details from the charging documents appear to show that finding the alleged hackers wasn ’ t a heavy lift for investigators .
Fazeli and Sheppard ’ s Discord handles , where they allegedly discussed purchasing access to hacked accounts with “ Kirk , ” were the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people interested in acquiring “ OG ” Twitter accounts , which are typically very short ( one letter or number each ) and among the first profiles created for the service .
Using that forum ’ s records , investigators were able to link those accounts to email addresses , Coinbase accounts , and IP addresses that made identifying them fairly simple .
Fazeli , for example , used his real name in his email address , which he verified with his driver ’ s license .
Politicians on both sides of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter in the wake of the mid-July attack , which caused 45 accounts to request bitcoin from their followers , promising they would receive double their donation in return .
The hacker also , as stated above , was able to access 36 accounts ’ direct messages and seven accounts ’ Twitter data .
But , politicians stressed , the breach — and its consequences — could have been much worse , and they demanded that Twitter do better to stop something like this from ever happening again .
Sen. Ron Wyden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the security of direct messages in the attack and said Twitter hadn ’ t done enough to protect them , despite previous assurances that it would .
In a statement , the senator told Recode that he felt let down by Twitter and its executives , especially as they promised him they would improve their security : In September of 2018 , shortly before he testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee , I met privately with Twitter ’ s CEO Jack Dorsey .
During that conversation , Mr. Dorsey told me the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messages .
It has been nearly two years since our meeting , and Twitter DMs are still not encrypted , leaving them vulnerable to employees who abuse their internal access to the company ’ s systems , and hackers who gain unauthorized access .
While it still isn ’ t clear if the hackers behind yesterday ’ s incident gained access to Twitter direct messages , this is a vulnerability that has lasted for far too long , and one that is not present in other , competing platforms .
If hackers gained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breach could have a breathtaking impact , for years to come .
Meanwhile , others drew direct lines between the threats exposed by the breach and the upcoming presidential election .
Sen. Richard Blumenthal blamed Twitter for its “ repeated security lapses ” and “ failure to safeguard accounts ” that could have caused the incident .
“ Count this incident as a near miss or shot across the bow , ” Blumenthal , a Connecticut Democrat , said in a tweet .
“ It could have been much worse with different targets.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Missouri who has been a frequent Big Tech critic in his short DC tenure , tweeted a letter that he said he sent to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey even as the attack was happening .
“ Millions of your users rely on your service not just to tweet publicly but also to communicate privately through your direct message service , ” Hawley wrote .
“ A successful attack on your system ’ s servers represents a threat to all of your users ’ privacy and data security.
” Hawley then asked how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be hacked , if user data was stolen , and what measures Twitter takes to prevent system-level hacks .
As Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Edward Markey said , both the service and its users mostly dodged a considerable bullet .
“ While this scheme appears financially motivated and , as a result , presents a threat to Twitter users , imagine if these bad actors had a different intent to use powerful voices to spread disinformation to potentially interfere with our elections , disrupt the stock market , or upset our international relations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recode .
“ That is why Twitter must fully disclose what happened and what it is doing to ensure this never happens again.
” As for why arguably the most high-profile and influential Twitter account of all , President Trump , wasn ’ t affected by the hack , it ’ s possible that his account has special safeguards that the other accounts didn ’ t .
Trump ’ s Twitter account was famously deleted by an employee in 2017 , so it would make sense that Twitter put things in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ll see what the social media platform does to protect the rest of its users .
Update , July 31 , 2020 , 5:15 pm : Updated to include information about the arrests and details about how the hack occurred .
Open Sourced is made possible by Omidyar Network .
All Open Sourced content is editorially independent and produced by our journalists .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today @

A Florida teenager who was behind a massive hack of celebrity Twitter accounts last July has pleaded guilty and will likely serve three years in prison.
Graham Ivan Clark, now 18, was 17 when he commandeered some of the platform’s highest-profile accounts, including those belonging to Elon Musk and former President Barack Obama, and ended up scamming people out of about $120,000 in bitcoin. The verified accounts sent tweets directing followers to send bitcoin to a wallet, promising they’d get double their money back in return. They did not get double their money back, though prosecutors said Clark turned over whatever bitcoin he had left to go toward paying restitution to the victims.
Clark was charged with 30 felonies related to the hack, but his youthful offender status allowed him to avoid the mandatory 10-year minimum sentence. Instead, he’ll serve three years in a state prison for young adults and three on probation, assuming a judge signs off on the agreement.
Two others — Mason John Sheppard, 19, of the United Kingdom, and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, Florida — were also charged by the Department of Justice with felonies related to the hack. Sheppard was charged with three, and Fazeli was charged with one. Their cases have not yet been resolved; Fazeli’s lawyer maintains that his client is not guilty and that the one charge leveled against him, for aiding and abetting, is unrelated to the celebrity account hacks.
There may be more arrests to come; the charging documents say an as-yet-unidentified hacker named “Kirk” “played a central role.” This is consistent with TechCrunch’s earlier reporting that said a hacker named “Kirk” was behind the attack. Last September, the New York Times reported that a 16-year-old in Massachusetts was also being investigated and his home was searched.
Though initial reports said the hack might be an inside job, given how much access the perpetrator had to the company’s internal controls, Twitter later confirmed its employees were targeted by a “phone spear phishing attack.” Assuming this is true, it should serve as a cautionary tale. Spear phishing via mobile devices has become more common, especially since people don’t check links on their mobile devices the way they might in a message received on their computers.
“People often overlook their phone because they think of it more as a personal device, not a work device,” Mark Ostrowski, security evangelist at cybersecurity company Check Point, told Recode last May.
The details of the hack suggest that Twitter employees should have practiced better cyber hygiene, and there was nothing the account holders themselves could have done to prevent what happened.
“We will continue to organize ongoing company-wide phishing exercises throughout the year,” Twitter said in a statement shortly after the hack.
Details from the charging documents appear to show that finding the alleged hackers wasn’t a heavy lift for investigators. Fazeli and Sheppard’s handles on Discord, where they allegedly discussed purchasing access to hacked accounts with “Kirk,” were the same as their handles on a forum for people interested in acquiring “OG” Twitter accounts, which are typically very short (one letter or number each) and among the first profiles created for the service. Using that forum’s records, investigators were able to link those accounts to email addresses, Coinbase accounts, and IP addresses that made identifying them fairly simple. Fazeli, for example, used his real name in his email address, which he verified with his driver’s license.
Lawmakers blame Twitter for lax security
Politicians on both sides of the aisle had scathing words and warnings for Twitter in the wake of the mid-July attack, which caused 45 accounts to request bitcoin from their followers, promising they would receive double their donation in return. The hacker was also able to access 36 accounts’ direct messages and seven accounts’ Twitter data. But, politicians stressed, the breach — and its consequences — could have been much worse, and they demanded that Twitter do better to stop something like this from ever happening again.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) expressed concern over the security of direct messages in the attack and said Twitter hadn’t done enough to protect them, despite previous assurances that it would. In a statement, the senator told Recode that he felt let down by Twitter and its executives, especially as they promised him they would improve their security:
In September of 2018, shortly before he testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, I met privately with Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey. During that conversation, Mr. Dorsey told me the company was working on end-to-end encrypted direct messages. It has been nearly two years since our meeting, and Twitter DMs are still not encrypted, leaving them vulnerable to employees who abuse their internal access to the company’s systems, and hackers who gain unauthorized access. While it still isn’t clear if the hackers behind yesterday’s incident gained access to Twitter direct messages, this is a vulnerability that has lasted for far too long, and one that is not present in other, competing platforms. If hackers gained access to users’ DMs, this breach could have a breathtaking impact, for years to come.
Meanwhile, others drew direct lines between the threats exposed by the breach and the upcoming presidential election. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) blamed Twitter for its “repeated security lapses” and “failure to safeguard accounts” that could have caused the incident.
“Count this incident as a near miss or shot across the bow,” Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said in a tweet. “It could have been much worse with different targets.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who has been a frequent Big Tech critic in his short DC tenure, tweeted a letter that he said he sent to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey even as the attack was happening.
“Millions of your users rely on your service not just to tweet publicly but also to communicate privately through your direct message service,” Hawley wrote. “A successful attack on your system’s servers represents a threat to all of your users’ privacy and data security.”
Hawley then asked how accounts protected by two-factor authentication could possibly be hacked, if user data was stolen, and what measures Twitter takes to prevent system-level hacks.
As Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) said, both the service and its users mostly dodged a considerable bullet.
“While this scheme appears financially motivated and, as a result, presents a threat to Twitter users, imagine if these bad actors had a different intent to use powerful voices to spread disinformation to potentially interfere with our elections, disrupt the stock market, or upset our international relations,” he said in a statement to Recode. “That is why Twitter must fully disclose what happened and what it is doing to ensure this never happens again.”
As for why arguably the most high-profile and influential Twitter account of all, President Trump, wasn’t affected by the hack, it’s possible that his account has special safeguards that the other accounts didn’t. Trump’s Twitter account was famously deleted by an employee in 2017, only to be permanently suspended last January following the Capitol riots.
Update, March 17, 2021, 11:45 am: Updated with Clark’s guilty plea.
Open Sourced is made possible by Omidyar Network. All Open Sourced content is editorially independent and produced by our journalists.


vox--2020-07-31--Millions of people will see a sharp drop in their unemployment benefits because Congress failed to a

Millions of people will see a sharp drop in their unemployment benefits because Congress failed to act

In a shocking move even for Congress , the Senate has adjourned for the week while supplemental unemployment insurance for millions of Americans simply expires .
These benefits — a key lifeline for many workers during the Covid-19 pandemic — are now set to lapse on Friday , with no clear indication of when they ’ ll be renewed .
It ’ s a change poised to affect as many as 32 million people who are currently relying on the $ 600 weekly UI expansion allocated by the CARES Act .
Since talks over extending this expansion have stalled , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their UI benefits .
( Depending on the state , weekly UI support could go down by up to 93 percent , CNBC reports . )
Some of the impasse can be chalked up to the usual factors that lead Congress to miss deadlines such as partisan differences over the scope of government spending and a tendency to push negotiations on thorny subjects to the last minute .
Much of the recent delay , however , has actually been driven by disagreement among Republicans .
Not only are Senate Republicans split over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additions to the national debt , the White House , too , has its own set of priorities .
“ We ’ re trying to get them to a coherent position , ” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday .
“ We don ’ t even know what their position is .
One senator says one thing .
One senator says another .
The president says ‘ this ’ one day .
The president says ‘ that.
’ ” Because of this dynamic , there ’ s been a shifting set of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it difficult to come to a final agreement .
Late Thursday , the White House made a last-ditch attempt at approving a short-term extension of the UI program , which Democrats rebuffed because they see it as Republicans getting out of doing something more comprehensive .
Republicans now argue that Democrats are blocking progress on UI , while Democrats decry the maneuver as a way to avoid confronting the need for broader stimulus .
“ They never have understood the gravity of it , ” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday .
Lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus before they ’ re set to leave for August recess , and Democrats are slated to meet with both Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows again on Saturday .
Until they reach an agreement , millions of people are simply left wondering what ’ s next .
How we got here Republicans have been dragging their feet on stimulus for weeks .
While Democrats approved the HEROES Act — their opening bid for the next package , which included a six-month extension of the $ 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans have long argued that the economy will recover on its own as states reopen .
“ I think conditions are definitely going to improve .
We ’ ve seen the virus take down the best economy in the world , but it looks like it ’ s pretty resilient and starting to come back , ” Sen. John Cornyn ( R-TX ) told Politico in early June .
Because of this , Republicans weren ’ t interested in considering more stimulus until it became it impossible to ignore that state reopenings weren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , due to a resurgence in coronavirus cases .
Even then , members who were worried about the national debt remained unconvinced .
“ The majority of Republicans are now no different than socialist Democrats when it comes to debt , ” Sen. Rand Paul ( R-KY ) wrote in a tweet criticizing Republican spending plans last week .
Given the dissent within the party , it wasn ’ t until this Tuesday that Senate Republicans unveiled pieces of their bill , the HEALS Act , which would authorize another round of stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UI expansion aimed at matching 70 percent of a worker ’ s preexisting wages .
According to Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) , many Republicans aren ’ t expected to get onboard with this narrower proposal , either .
“ Half the Republicans are going to vote ‘ no ’ to any more aid , ” Graham said during a Fox News appearance last weekend .
“ That ’ s just a fact.
” As Senate Republicans have been grappling with their differences , the White House has focused on pushing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted liability protections for businesses as an important redline , for example , the White House has recently said it doesn ’ t consider it one , according to the Washington Post .
Additionally , the administration has sought the inclusion of unrelated measures like funding for a new FBI building , which McConnell has since opposed .
Ultimately , Republicans ’ disjointed front led to a slew of negotiations this week that didn ’ t really go anywhere .
In recent days , the White House has sought to cast blame on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rejecting a temporary extension of UI support , a message that White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows pushed Thursday .
“ It surprises me that when we talk about compassion and caring about those that truly are in need , that a temporary solution to make sure that unemployment — enhanced unemployment — continues has been rejected not once but multiple times , ” Meadows told reporters .
Democrats worry , however , that agreeing to a short-term extension means there won ’ t be any urgency for Republicans to consider a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy still needs .
Pelosi noted that Democrats were reluctant to back a short-term proposal , with no larger compromise on the horizon .
“ There would be a time for that — if we had a bill .
What are we going to do in a week ?
” she said Friday .
Moreover , because final negotiations had been pushed so close to the July 31 expiration of enhanced UI , it would have been weeks before states could actually implement the extension .
That ’ s not to say lawmakers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it speaks more to the fact that Republicans delayed acting for so long that UI recipients would have faced a gap in benefits no matter what .
For any bill to pass Congress , both Republicans and Democrats will have to buy in .
The legislation will require the agreement of the majority of House Democrats , as well as the support of at least seven Senate Democrats , if the Republican caucus sticks together .
Since Senate Republicans are expected to split on stimulus , though , it ’ s looking like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support to get anything through next week .
There ’ s a lot at stake in this stimulus bill The extension of unemployment insurance is just one of a long list of things that are at stake in the next stimulus bill .
Funding for states and more coronavirus testing , as well as another round of stimulus checks , are among a slew of pressing provisions that lawmakers still need to work through .
Because of this week ’ s deadline , the focus on UI has been front and center .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge in the country ’ s poverty rate , per a study by researchers at the University of Chicago .
And according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , supplemental UI as well as the first $ 1,200 stimulus check expanded people ’ s disposable income between 5 percent and 7 percent from February to May .
This support has helped maintain a healthy level of consumer spending , which has , in turn , bolstered roughly 5 million jobs , the Economic Policy Institute finds .
If the enhanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the fallout for individual households and the broader economy will be significant .
House and Senate Democrats are also intent on this coronavirus funding package targeting aid to states , cities , and towns , many of which had to dial up their own spending to curb the virus even as revenue from lost sales and income taxes has dried up .
“ The last recession felt like running down a hill , ” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told Vox ’ s Emily Stewart in April .
“ This one feels like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so quickly.
” Skip ahead to July , and the situation is still bleak .
Far from Covid-19 cases falling in the US , multiple hot spots have broken out around the country .
The US has over 4.5 million cases and over 152,000 people have died .
And yet , with Congress stalling on a new bill , states are getting no new federal assistance , forcing many to consider cuts to other social services , including funding for public schools and public universities .
Funding for public education support has never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleges are set to open up at the end of the summer , while more will start the year with remote school .
The new stimulus , too , is intended to contain funding to help schools cover the necessary protections and precautions needed for reopening , as well as more money for both coronavirus testing and contact tracing , which will be crucial to get the public health crisis under control .
There are major implications for the general election With the general election just months away , the pressure is growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Democrats may be able to point to the Republican delay thus far , but both parties are poised to face immense pushback from the public if stimulus continues to stall .
And President Donald Trump will have to navigate voter backlash if economic conditions don ’ t improve .
According to polling by CNBC/Change Research , 62 percent of voters in battleground states support extending enhanced unemployment insurance .
The stimulus limbo could also have a notable impact on the operations of the election itself , since states are in desperate need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other changes forced by the pandemic .
States also have to figure out how to run their elections in an unpredictable year with little assistance from the feds .
The summer primaries have painted a worrisome picture : Many states are woefully underprepared for a 2020 general election in the age of Covid-19 .
States that have had universal vote-by-mail or no-excuse absentee voting in prior years should be in a better position to handle the high turnout of a presidential year .
But it will be more difficult for states that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time to get up to speed and hold safe in-person elections by November 3 .
“ They almost have to run two elections instead of just one .
It ’ s quite the challenge , ” elections expert Ned Foley , a constitutional law professor at the Ohio State University Moritz School of Law , recently told Vox .
“ Looking at the primaries , unfortunately they show we have serious capacity challenges we are not yet ready for and we are really running out of time.
” With in-person voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with staffing and physical space .
Poll workers tend to be older or retired , and some are choosing not to volunteer at their polling place for fear of contracting Covid-19 .
This has caused some states and municipalities to close certain polling locations , which results in long lines at the places remaining open .
States trying to adapt to vote-by-mail systems in a short amount of time need to secure contracts with third-party vendors to print ballots , envelopes , and instructions for voters .
States that are new to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment to scan and count votes in a timely manner because they simply don ’ t have enough people to process a crush of returned ballots .
The primaries so far have shown tremendous appetite from voters to cast their ballots by mailing an envelope .
In the 2020 primary , Georgia saw nearly 1.5 million requests for absentee ballots , according to the Georgia secretary of state ’ s office .
In the 2016 presidential primary , the state got just 45,000 requests for absentee ballots , according to a Brennan Center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of the US Postal Service , which is chronically in debt due to a 2006 law mandating it prepay its employees ’ retiree benefits .
The Post Office has asked Congress for financial help to no avail ; Republicans seem intent on cutting costs there instead of giving it more money .
Elections experts fear that recent changes to the USPS mail delivery times ordered by Trump donor and new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy could cause further delays for Americans casting their ballots absentee .
“ For tens of millions of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed to them by a postal worker , not a poll worker , ” Tammy Patrick , a senior adviser on elections at the nonpartisan foundation Democracy Fund , recently told Vox .
“ They ’ re not getting the same sort of support from Congress and from the administration that we ’ re seeing fast food restaurants get or some of these other service providers and markets.
” Congress allocated $ 400 million to states in the CARES Act it passed this spring , but many states spent most of their money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Congress has yet to pass more federal funds to help them prepare for the election by recruiting younger poll workers and expand their absentee mail capacity .
“ It ’ s not that we ’ re doing five extra things with the money , it ’ s more of the things we ’ re doing now , ” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon told Vox .
“ To minimize the risk of something going wrong , more resources would be appreciated.
” Although Democrats had allocated $ 4 billion in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter , Republicans have shown little appetite for boosting election funding .
And without bipartisan agreement on the issue , states may be left on their own to figure out how to safely and securely conduct an unprecedented election .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Enhanced unemployment insurance — a key lifeline for millions of workers during the Covid-19 pandemic — has now lapsed, with no clear indication of when it might be renewed.
And in a delay that’s surprising even for Congress, lawmakers’ talks over extending the weekly $600 boost in UI — and approving broader stimulus — remain stalled. As a result, nearly 32 million people are set to see a sharp drop in their UI benefits this week. And depending on the state, weekly UI support could be reduced by as much as 93 percent, CNBC reported July 30.
Congress is also planning to leave for August recess this Friday, putting a tight time frame on next steps. Whether lawmakers are able to reach an agreement by then depends on Democrats and Republicans working through their differences on the scope of the stimulus, as well as Senate Republicans addressing dissent within their own conference.
Thus far, Senate Republicans have been a major source of delays. While House Democrats passed another round of stimulus in May, for example, Senate Republicans didn’t even introduce a bill until last week. And even then, internal GOP fractures over the need for more funding have limited Republicans’ ability to present a united front, further muddling negotiations.
“We’re trying to get them to a coherent position,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said last July 29. “We don’t even know what their position is. One senator says one thing. One senator says another. The president says ‘this’ one day. The president says ‘that.’”
Late Thursday, July 30, the White House made a last-ditch attempt at approving a short-term extension of the UI program, which Democrats rebuffed as an attempt by Republicans to get out of doing something more comprehensive. Republicans now argue that Democrats are blocking progress on UI, while Democrats decry the maneuver as a way to avoid confronting the need for broader stimulus.
“They never have understood the gravity of it,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday. Congressional lawmakers, as well as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, are poised to continue negotiations in the coming days as they seek to find an agreement on UI, funding for states, and liability protections for businesses.
In the meantime, millions of people are left wondering what’s next.
How we got here
Republicans have been dragging their feet on stimulus for weeks.
Although Democrats approved the HEROES Act — their opening bid for the next package, which included a six-month extension of the $600 weekly UI expansion — more than 10 weeks ago, Republicans have long argued that the economy will recover on its own as states reopen.
“I think conditions are definitely going to improve. We’ve seen the virus take down the best economy in the world, but it looks like it’s pretty resilient and starting to come back,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told Politico in early June.
Because of this, Republicans weren’t interested in considering more stimulus until it became it impossible to ignore that state reopenings weren’t going as planned in July, due to a resurgence in coronavirus cases. Even then, members who were worried about the national debt remained unconvinced.
“The majority of Republicans are now no different than socialist Democrats when it comes to debt,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) wrote in a July tweet criticizing Republican spending plans.
The majority of Republicans are now no different than socialist Democrats when it comes to debt. They simply don’t care about debt and are preparing to add at least another trillion dollars in debt this month, combined with the trillions from earlier this summer. — Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 21, 2020
Given the dissent within the party, it wasn’t until Tuesday, July 28, that Senate Republicans unveiled pieces of their bill, the HEALS Act, which would authorize another round of stimulus checks and a reduced UI expansion aimed at matching 70 percent of a worker’s preexisting wages.
According to Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), many Republicans aren’t expected to get on board with this narrower proposal, either. “Half the Republicans are going to vote ‘no’ to any more aid,” Graham said during a Fox News appearance in July. “That’s just a fact.”
As Senate Republicans have been grappling with their differences, the White House has focused on pushing its own priorities. While McConnell has repeatedly highlighted liability protections for businesses as an important redline, for example, the White House has signaled a willingness to approve a deal without them, according to the Washington Post. Additionally, the administration has sought the inclusion of unrelated measures like funding for a new FBI building, which McConnell has since opposed.
Ultimately, Republicans’ disjointed front led to a slew of negotiations that didn’t really go anywhere.
In recent days, the White House has sought to cast blame on Democrats by framing them as obstructionists for rejecting a temporary extension of UI support, a message that Meadows pushed on July 30.
“It surprises me that when we talk about compassion and caring about those that truly are in need, that a temporary solution to make sure that unemployment — enhanced unemployment — continues has been rejected not once but multiple times,” Meadows told reporters.
Democrats, however, worry that agreeing to a short-term extension means there won’t be any urgency for Republicans to consider a more comprehensive stimulus package — which the economy still needs. Pelosi noted that Democrats were reluctant to back a short-term proposal, with no larger compromise on the horizon.
“There would be a time for that — if we had a bill. What are we going to do in a week?” she said Friday.
Moreover, because final negotiations had been pushed so close to the July 31 expiration of enhanced UI, it would have been weeks before states could actually implement the extension. That’s not to say lawmakers shouldn’t have considered one; it speaks more to the fact that Republicans delayed acting for so long that UI recipients would have faced a gap in benefits no matter what.
For any bill to pass Congress, both Republicans and Democrats will have to buy in. The legislation will require the agreement of the majority of House Democrats, as well as the support of at least seven Senate Democrats, if the Republican caucus sticks together. Since Senate Republicans are expected to split on stimulus, it’s likely they’ll need even more Democratic support to get anything through this week.
There’s a lot at stake in this stimulus bill
The extension of unemployment insurance is just one of a long list of things that are at stake in the next stimulus bill. Funding for states and more coronavirus testing, as well as another round of stimulus checks, are among a slew of pressing provisions that lawmakers still need to work through.
Since it lapsed, the focus on UI has been front and center.
UI support has helped curb or halt a surge in the country’s poverty rate, per a study by researchers at the University of Chicago. And according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, both supplemental UI and the first $1,200 stimulus check expanded people’s disposable income from 5 percent to 7 percent between February and May.
This support has helped maintain a healthy level of consumer spending, which has, in turn, bolstered roughly 5 million jobs, the Economic Policy Institute found. If the enhanced UI fully lapses in the coming month, the fallout for individual households and the broader economy will be significant.
House and Senate Democrats are also intent on this coronavirus funding package targeting aid to states, cities, and towns, many of which had to dial up their own spending to try to curb the virus even as revenue from lost sales and income taxes dried up.
“The last recession felt like running down a hill,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego told Vox’s Emily Stewart in April. “This one feels like falling off a cliff, it happened so quickly.”
Skip ahead to July, and the situation is still bleak. Far from Covid-19 infections falling in the US, multiple hot spots have broken out around the country. The US has over 4.6 million confirmed cases, and more than 154,000 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins’s tracker. Yet with Congress stalling on a new bill, states are getting no new federal assistance, forcing many to consider cuts to other social services, including funding for public schools and universities. Money for public education support has never been more critical; some schools and colleges are set to open up at the end of the summer, while more will start the year with remote school.
The new stimulus, too, is intended to contain funding to help schools cover the necessary protections and precautions needed for reopening, as well as more money for both coronavirus testing and contact tracing, which will be crucial to get the public health crisis under control.
There are major implications for the general election
With the general election just months away, the pressure is growing on both parties to reach a deal.
Democrats may be able to point to the Republican delay thus far, but both parties are poised to face immense pushback from the public if stimulus continues to stall. And President Donald Trump will have to navigate voter backlash if economic conditions don’t improve. According to polling by CNBC/Change Research, 62 percent of voters in battleground states support extending enhanced unemployment insurance.
The stimulus limbo could also have a notable impact on the operations of the election itself, since states desperately need more funding to help facilitate vote-by-mail and other changes forced by the pandemic.
States also have to figure out how to run their elections in an unpredictable year with little assistance from the feds. The summer primaries have painted a worrisome picture: Many states are woefully underprepared for a 2020 general election in the age of Covid-19. States that have had universal vote-by-mail or no-excuse absentee voting in prior years should be in a better position to handle the high turnout of a presidential year. But it will be more difficult for states that are moving to no-excuse absentee voting for the first time to get up to speed and hold safe in-person elections by November 3.
“They almost have to run two elections instead of just one. It’s quite the challenge,” elections expert Ned Foley, a constitutional law professor at the Ohio State University Moritz School of Law, recently told Vox. “Looking at the primaries, unfortunately they show we have serious capacity challenges we are not yet ready for and we are really running out of time.”
With in-person voting, the main challenges have to do with staffing and physical space. Poll workers tend to be older or retired, and some are choosing not to volunteer at their polling place for fear of contracting Covid-19. This has caused some states and municipalities to close certain polling locations, which results in long lines at the places remaining open.
States trying to adapt to vote-by-mail systems in a short amount of time need to secure contracts with third-party vendors to print ballots, envelopes, and instructions for voters. States that are new to the system may also need to purchase costly equipment to scan and count votes in a timely manner because they simply don’t have enough people to process a crush of returned ballots.
The primaries so far have shown tremendous appetite from voters to cast their ballots by mailing an envelope. In the 2020 primary, Georgia saw nearly 1.5 million requests for absentee ballots, according to the Georgia secretary of state’s office. In the 2016 presidential primary, the state got just 45,000 requests for absentee ballots, according to a Brennan Center report.
Worries also abound about the state of the US Postal Service, which is chronically in debt due to a 2006 law mandating it prepay its employees’ retiree benefits. The Post Office has asked Congress for financial help to no avail; Republicans seem intent on cutting costs there instead of giving it more money. Elections experts fear that recent changes to the USPS mail delivery times ordered by Trump donor and new Postmaster General Louis DeJoy could cause further delays for Americans casting their ballots absentee.
“For tens of millions of Americans, they’ll have their ballot handed to them by a postal worker, not a poll worker,” Tammy Patrick, a senior adviser on elections at the nonpartisan foundation Democracy Fund, recently told Vox. “They’re not getting the same sort of support from Congress and from the administration that we’re seeing fast-food restaurants get or some of these other service providers and markets.”
Congress allocated $400 million to states in the CARES Act it passed this spring, but many states spent most of their money to prepare for their summer primaries, and Congress has yet to pass more federal funds to help them prepare for the election by recruiting younger poll workers and expand their absentee mail capacity.
“It’s not that we’re doing five extra things with the money, it’s more of the things we’re doing now,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon told Vox. “To minimize the risk of something going wrong, more resources would be appreciated.”
Although Democrats had allocated $4 billion in the Heroes Act to help states on this matter, Republicans have shown little appetite for boosting election funding. And without bipartisan agreement on the issue, states may be left on their own to figure out how to safely and securely conduct an unprecedented election.


vox--2020-07-31--Meet the African goddess at the center of Beyoncé’s Black Is King

“ I am Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter , ” sings Beyoncé in “ Mood 4 Eva , ” one of the tracks on her just-released visual album Black Is King .
But that ’ s not all she is : “ I am the Nala , sister of Naruba , Osun , Queen Sheba , I am the mother.
” Some of those names are self-explanatory .
Beyoncé is Nala because she played Nala in last year ’ s Lion King remake , for which Black Is King is a companion piece .
But by calling out Osun , Beyoncé is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deity Osun , or more commonly Oshun , and making explicit the visual parallels she draws between herself and Oshun throughout the film .
Oshun ’ s not Beyoncé ’ s first alter ego .
Early in her solo career , Beyoncé introduced audiences to an identity she called Sasha Fierce , whom she described as “ the fun , more sensual , more aggressive , more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I ’ m working and when I ’ m on the stage.
” After releasing an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2008 , Beyoncé officially killed her alter ego off in 2010 , saying , “ I ’ ve grown , and now I ’ m able to merge the two.
” But lately , Beyoncé has seemed interested in playing with a new and different persona .
She incorporated Oshun imagery into her 2016 visual album Lemonade , and she has returned again and again to Oshun iconography in photo essays and videos since then .
Here ’ s an overview of Beyoncé ’ s Oshun connection and what makes Oshun such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oshun is a goddess of love and beauty .
Beyoncé ’ s been identifying with her for years .
In the Yoruba cosmology of southwestern Nigeria and Benin , Oshun is the goddess , or orisha , of love , sensuality , and femininity .
She is a river goddess , and one of her attributes is to bring forth sweet and fertile waters .
Oshun is a mother : Her waters were central to the creation of humanity , and she looks after small children before they can speak .
She ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to love shiny things .
She ’ s often represented draped in yellow .
“ Oshun exudes sensuality and all the qualities associated with fresh , flowing river water , ” wrote Oshun follower Valerie Mesa for Vice in 2018 .
“ Her sparkling charisma can light up a room , and her lush womanly figure suggests fertility and eroticism .
Oshun ’ s favorite thing to eat is honey , and her contagious laugh can either put you under her spell or send shivers down your spine.
” And Oshun , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be vengeful when she is crossed : “ Oshun is as sweet as honey , ” Mesa writes , “ but her honey can also turn sour.
” In Lemonade ( not so coincidentally , a form of sweet water ) , Beyoncé spends a long interlude submerged in a dreamlike state underwater .
As “ Hold Up ” starts playing , she pushes open a set of doors and emerges in a great flood of water , dressed in a flowing yellow gown , and starts to wreak her vengeance on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Africana studies professor Amy Yeboah told PBS in 2016 , is “ her emergence as an orisha.
” It ’ s the point where Beyoncé is reborn as Oshun .
In 2017 , Beyoncé returned to Oshun imagery in a photo essay announcing that she was pregnant with twins .
The maternity announcement was laced with goddess imagery pulling from different religious traditions , so that at some points in the shoot , Beyoncé is recognizably the Virgin Mary , and in others , she ’ s Venus .
But she also drapes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparkling water , becoming Oshun once again .
At the 2017 Grammys , Beyoncé continued to play with divine imagery from different traditions .
In her performance of Lemonade ’ s “ Love Drought ” and “ Sandcastles , ” she donned a beaded gold gown and headdress and yellow silk , and as she posed with her dancers , she became variously Mary , Jesus , Venus , the Hindu goddess Kali , and — once again — Oshun .
In Black Is King , Beyoncé ditches any Western references .
Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the African diaspora , and while Beyoncé is , as always , representing herself as a goddess in this album , she ’ s specifically and solely the Yoruba goddess Oshun .
She wears Oshun ’ s yellow and shining beads and cowrie shells ; she emerges from the sweet water ; she surrounds herself with flowers of fertility ; she watches over children .
She makes her connection to the goddess as explicit as possible : “ I am Osun , ” she sings .
In associating herself with Oshun , Beyoncé @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image .
She ’ s always been an untouchable goddess , and she ’ s always been sexy , but now she is maintaining that her beauty is divine and so is her motherhood , and that they are inextricably linked .
She ’ s connecting herself to a cosmology in which beauty and love and prosperity all come from the same source , and she ’ s naming herself as that source .
And she is very firmly , pointedly saying that none of these wonderful things — love , beauty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the West .
They have a source in Africa .
Throughout all of Black is King , Beyoncé is putting that source at the center of her work .
We always knew she was a goddess .
Now she ’ s telling us exactly which one she is .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

“I am Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter,” sings Beyoncé in “Mood 4 Eva,” one of the tracks on her just-released visual album Black Is King. But that’s not all she is: “I am the Nala, sister of Naruba, Osun, Queen Sheba, I am the mother.”
Some of those names are self-explanatory. Beyoncé is Nala because she played Nala in last year’s Lion King remake, for which Black Is King is a companion piece. But by calling out Osun, Beyoncé is once again positioning herself with the Yoruba deity Osun, or more commonly Oshun, and making explicit the visual parallels she draws between herself and Oshun throughout the film.
Oshun’s not Beyoncé’s first alter ego. Early in her solo career, Beyoncé introduced audiences to an identity she called Sasha Fierce, whom she described as “the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I’m working and when I’m on the stage.” After releasing an album titled I Am … Sasha Fierce in 2008, Beyoncé officially killed her alter ego off in 2010, saying, “I’ve grown, and now I’m able to merge the two.”
But lately, Beyoncé has seemed interested in playing with a new and different persona. She incorporated Oshun imagery into her 2016 visual album Lemonade, and she has returned again and again to Oshun iconography in photo essays and videos since then.
Here’s an overview of Beyoncé’s Oshun connection and what makes Oshun such a powerful fit for Queen Bey.
Oshun is a goddess of love and beauty. Beyoncé’s been identifying with her for years.
In the Yoruba cosmology of southwestern Nigeria and Benin, Oshun is the goddess, or orisha, of love, sensuality, and femininity. She is a river goddess, and one of her attributes is to bring forth sweet and fertile waters. Oshun is a mother: Her waters were central to the creation of humanity, and she looks after small children before they can speak. She’s also associated with wealth and is said to love shiny things. She’s often represented draped in yellow.
“Oshun exudes sensuality and all the qualities associated with fresh, flowing river water,” wrote Oshun follower Valerie Mesa for Vice in 2018. “Her sparkling charisma can light up a room, and her lush womanly figure suggests fertility and eroticism. Oshun’s favorite thing to eat is honey, and her contagious laugh can either put you under her spell or send shivers down your spine.” And Oshun, who is said to be jealous, can be vengeful when she is crossed: “Oshun is as sweet as honey,” Mesa writes, “but her honey can also turn sour.”
In Lemonade (not so coincidentally, a form of sweet water), Beyoncé spends a long interlude submerged in a dreamlike state underwater. As “Hold Up” starts playing, she pushes open a set of doors and emerges in a great flood of water, dressed in a flowing yellow gown, and starts to wreak her vengeance on her cheating man. This moment, Africana studies professor Amy Yeboah told PBS in 2016, is “her emergence as an orisha.” It’s the point where Beyoncé is reborn as Oshun.
In 2017, Beyoncé returned to Oshun imagery in a photo essay announcing that she was pregnant with twins. The maternity announcement was laced with goddess imagery pulling from different religious traditions, so that at some points in the shoot, Beyoncé is recognizably the Virgin Mary, and in others, she’s Venus. But she also drapes herself in yellow and submerges herself in sparkling water, becoming Oshun once again.
At the 2017 Grammys, Beyoncé continued to play with divine imagery from different traditions. In her performance of Lemonade’s “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles,” she donned a beaded gold gown and headdress and yellow silk, and as she posed with her dancers, she became variously Mary, Jesus, Venus, the Hindu goddess Kali, and — once again — Oshun.
In Black Is King, Beyoncé ditches any Western references. Black Is King is a love letter to the African diaspora, and while Beyoncé is, as always, representing herself as a goddess in this album, she’s specifically and solely the Yoruba goddess Oshun. She wears Oshun’s yellow and shining beads and cowrie shells; she emerges from the sweet water; she surrounds herself with flowers of fertility; she watches over children. She makes her connection to the goddess as explicit as possible: “I am Osun,” she sings.
In associating herself with Oshun, Beyoncé is highlighting certain key parts of her image. She’s always been an untouchable goddess, and she’s always been sexy, but now she is maintaining that her beauty is divine and so is her motherhood, and that they are inextricably linked. She’s connecting herself to a cosmology in which beauty and love and prosperity all come from the same source, and she’s naming herself as that source.
And she is very firmly, pointedly saying that none of these wonderful things — love, beauty, divinity, prosperity — have to come from the West. They have a source in Africa. Throughout all of Black is King, Beyoncé is putting that source at the center of her work.
We always knew she was a goddess. Now she’s telling us exactly which one she is.


vox--2020-07-31--Black Is King is Beyoncé’s stunning ode to African glory

Of the countless striking images in Beyoncé ’ s new visual album Black Is King , the one that stands out most is its most atypical .
Beyoncé , lounging in a robe on a balcony overlooking an almost comically oversized pool , is feeling herself .
She ’ s whipping her hair to the beat of her own song , “ Mood 4 Eva , ” basking in the sunlight that seems to shine forever upon her beautiful compound .
In the foreground of this shot stands an older man , suited , and , interestingly , white ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And as the music reaches a sudden , punctuating downbeat , Beyoncé and her butler turn toward the camera , in sync .
She flashes a smile ; the man reaches out to brush her already glowing teeth .
It ’ s a surreal , hilarious image , and a great piece of editing .
Beyoncé , the queen she is , doesn ’ t even bother brushing her own teeth anymore .
She doesn ’ t have time — she ’ s in this good-ass mood 4 eva !
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspirational , self-possessed , autonomous queendom , the scene would be unsurprising .
In Black Is King , though , the image takes on a fascinatingly different tone altogether .
Here , Beyoncé is not simply Beyoncé Knowles-Carter , superstar of American music .
She is an avatar for the power , beauty , and royalty of blackness .
She is a pinnacle of African queendom , composed of North African riches , West African traditionalism , South African artistry , and so on .
Black Is King is a celebration of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , and cultures — not just the earthy , tribal qualities common to Western portrayals , but the wealth , futurism , and spirituality that exists throughout Africa , too .
Africa is no singular entity , Beyoncé shows us through the 85-minute powerhouse of an art film .
Africa is the motherland of all shades of Blackness .
And through these gorgeous frames , each one an art piece of its own , she says : “ Everything the light touches is our kingdom.
” That ’ s not just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Is King is streaming exclusively on Disney+ , which seemed at first to be a strange choice of platform for a film that doesn ’ t shy away from the sensuality of the body or racial power dynamics .
Disney+ is family-friendly , save a Hamilton here and there .
But Black Is King is the visual accompaniment to last year ’ s The Lion King : The Gift , a record Beyoncé produced and performed on as a tie-in to the 2019 Lion King remake .
( Beyoncé also starred in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nala , Simba ’ s best friend and future queen . )
At the time , Beyoncé announced the album as a collaboration between herself and many of Africa ’ s most acclaimed artists .
She also called it , tellingly , a work of “ sonic cinema.
” Although The Gift did not explicitly tell The Lion King ’ s story , it was inspired by it .
“ Each song was written to reflect the film ’ s storytelling that gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interpretation , ” she said of the album ahead of its release last summer .
The Gift is both an excellent and atypical Beyoncé album , darting between balladry and Afropop without ever dropping the percussive beat intrinsic to African music .
Great as The Gift was ( it was a personal favorite of mine last year ) , it got less notice than you ’ d expect a Beyoncé record to receive .
Maybe it was due to the poor reception of The Lion King remake .
More cynically , maybe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to artists not as well-known in the US , and because its lyrics were sung in multiple African languages .
A year later , it ’ s clear that many of these artists featured were rising stars of their own — Burna Boy , Jessie Reyez , and Tierra Whack have all found great success since The Gift ’ s release .
But maybe the album ’ s initially soft landing was because Beyoncé engineered The Gift as it as something meant to be seen , not just heard .
Black Is King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work of art , clarifying its intent by loading it with sequences shot in numerous African countries .
The film uses occasional sound clips from The Lion King remake , as the album did , which creates a structure : This is a Beyoncé-fied version of The Lion King ’ s story , about a boy prince losing his father , abandoning his place on the throne , then returning home years later to assume the role of king of the Pride .
It ’ s a loose interpretation , which unravels almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third .
But this is an unconventional version of a classic Shakespearean tale refreshed by its human cast .
The majority of the cast is Black African , except for fun guest appearances from non-Africans such as Naomi Campbell , Pharrell , and Kelly Rowland .
( The adorable Blue Ivy Carter gets tons of great screen time , too . )
The actors are light-skinned , medium-skinned , dark-skinned ; some artists wear grills and dance atop astronomically priced cars , while others march alongside Beyoncé through sand and dress in less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Bey and the actors costumed in gorgeous avant-garde dresses , or posed and dancing within sets designed like art pieces .
All of it is Black exquisiteness .
That Blackness is empowering for a Black viewer , especially one watching in summer 2020 .
This year has been like walking through a never-ending , terrifying haunted house .
George Floyd ’ s killing by police in late May incited renewed and widespread Black Lives Matter activism that felt much needed , but also depressingly so as the needless death toll among Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive is that we are having overdue conversations about the endemic , systemic racism proliferating around the world .
Groups in power are called out for their racial transgressions ; new allies are acquainting themselves with anti-racist practices .
We are all reminded this is an everyday struggle , not a moment but a movement .
Black Is King ’ s July 2020 release is perfectly timed for the world ’ s newfound awareness of the Black experience .
Its appreciation is also a positive one , not tinged with death , abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s joyful and danceable and full of beautiful “ wow ” moments .
Beyoncé loves being Black .
Everyone in the film loves their Black or brown skin , and knows that their skin and culture and heritage give them so much strength .
Which is why I love that one image , of Beyonce ’ s flash of a smile and her butler with a toothbrush .
Africa — and , implicitly , Blackness — is so easily reduced by white media as an uncivilized place , rife with jungles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there are countries in Africa that continue to have tribal beliefs and social systems .
But there are also tons of cosmopolitan areas , where women are decked out in designer everything and mansions are built out with multiple pools .
Beyoncé ’ s lifestyle is not totally abnormal in these wealthiest of African places .
If Black is king , it means Black is powerful .
Black is in charge .
Black is enviable .
Everything about Black Is King is enviable .
It ’ s not just a high-quality production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sorely needed in a world where we are striving to be less monocultural .
Black Is King opens up , just like Beyonce ’ s shining-white smile .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the world , with information that has the power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider making a contribution to Vox today .

Of the countless striking images in Beyoncé’s new visual album Black Is King, the one that stands out most is its most atypical. Beyoncé, lounging in a robe on a balcony overlooking an almost comically oversized pool, is feeling herself. She’s whipping her hair to the beat of her own song, “Mood 4 Eva,” basking in the sunlight that seems to shine forever upon her beautiful compound. In the foreground of this shot stands an older man, suited, and, interestingly, white; it appears he’s a butler. And as the music reaches a sudden, punctuating downbeat, Beyoncé and her butler turn toward the camera, in sync. She flashes a smile; the man reaches out to brush her already glowing teeth.
It’s a surreal, hilarious image, and a great piece of editing. Beyoncé, the queen she is, doesn’t even bother brushing her own teeth anymore. She doesn’t have time — she’s in this good-ass mood 4 eva! In a video for one of her hits about aspirational, self-possessed, autonomous queendom, the scene would be unsurprising. In Black Is King, though, the image takes on a fascinatingly different tone altogether.
Here, Beyoncé is not simply Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, superstar of American music. She is an avatar for the power, beauty, and royalty of blackness. She is a pinnacle of African queendom, composed of North African riches, West African traditionalism, South African artistry, and so on. Black Is King is a celebration of the African diaspora’s many stories, people, and cultures — not just the earthy, tribal qualities common to Western portrayals, but the wealth, futurism, and spirituality that exists throughout Africa, too.
Africa is no singular entity, Beyoncé shows us through the 85-minute powerhouse of an art film. Africa is the motherland of all shades of Blackness. And through these gorgeous frames, each one an art piece of its own, she says: “Everything the light touches is our kingdom.”
That’s not just a Lion King reference apropos of nothing. Black Is King is streaming exclusively on Disney+, which seemed at first to be a strange choice of platform for a film that doesn’t shy away from the sensuality of the body or racial power dynamics. Disney+ is family-friendly, save a Hamilton here and there. But Black Is King is the visual accompaniment to last year’s The Lion King: The Gift, a record Beyoncé produced and performed on as a tie-in to the 2019 Lion King remake. (Beyoncé also starred in the film, voicing the adult version of Nala, Simba’s best friend and future queen.) At the time, Beyoncé announced the album as a collaboration between herself and many of Africa’s most acclaimed artists.
She also called it, tellingly, a work of “sonic cinema.” Although The Gift did not explicitly tell The Lion King’s story, it was inspired by it. “Each song was written to reflect the film’s storytelling that gives the listener a chance to imagine their own imagery, while listening to a new contemporary interpretation,” she said of the album ahead of its release last summer.
The Gift is both an excellent and atypical Beyoncé album, darting between balladry and Afropop without ever dropping the percussive beat intrinsic to African music. Great as The Gift was (it was a personal favorite of mine last year), it got less notice than you’d expect a Beyoncé record to receive. Maybe it was due to the poor reception of The Lion King remake. More cynically, maybe it was because of the equal attention paid to artists not as well-known in the US, and because its lyrics were sung in multiple African languages. A year later, it’s clear that many of these artists featured were rising stars of their own — Burna Boy, Jessie Reyez, and Tierra Whack have all found great success since The Gift’s release.
But maybe the album’s initially soft landing was because Beyoncé engineered The Gift as it as something meant to be seen, not just heard. Black Is King transforms an entertaining album into an empowering work of art, clarifying its intent by loading it with sequences shot in numerous African countries. The film uses occasional sound clips from The Lion King remake, as the album did, which creates a structure: This is a Beyoncé-fied version of The Lion King’s story, about a boy prince losing his father, abandoning his place on the throne, then returning home years later to assume the role of king of the Pride. It’s a loose interpretation, which unravels almost completely by the film’s last third. But this is an unconventional version of a classic Shakespearean tale refreshed by its human cast.
The majority of the cast is Black African, except for fun guest appearances from non-Africans such as Naomi Campbell, Pharrell, and Kelly Rowland. (The adorable Blue Ivy Carter gets tons of great screen time, too.) The actors are light-skinned, medium-skinned, dark-skinned; some artists wear grills and dance atop astronomically priced cars, while others march alongside Beyoncé through sand and dress in less adorned outfits. There are many scenes with Bey and the actors costumed in gorgeous avant-garde dresses, or posed and dancing within sets designed like art pieces. All of it is Black exquisiteness.
That Blackness is empowering for a Black viewer, especially one watching in summer 2020. This year has been like walking through a never-ending, terrifying haunted house. George Floyd’s killing by police in late May incited renewed and widespread Black Lives Matter activism that felt much needed, but also depressingly so as the needless death toll among Black Americans continues to grow. The one positive is that we are having overdue conversations about the endemic, systemic racism proliferating around the world. Groups in power are called out for their racial transgressions; new allies are acquainting themselves with anti-racist practices. We are all reminded this is an everyday struggle, not a moment but a movement.
Black Is King’s July 2020 release is perfectly timed for the world’s newfound awareness of the Black experience. Its appreciation is also a positive one, not tinged with death, abuse, murder, you name it; it’s joyful and danceable and full of beautiful “wow” moments. Beyoncé loves being Black. Everyone in the film loves their Black or brown skin, and knows that their skin and culture and heritage give them so much strength.
Which is why I love that one image, of Beyonce’s flash of a smile and her butler with a toothbrush. Africa — and, implicitly, Blackness — is so easily reduced by white media as an uncivilized place, rife with jungles and huts and straw skirts. Yes, there are countries in Africa that continue to have tribal beliefs and social systems. But there are also tons of cosmopolitan areas, where women are decked out in designer everything and mansions are built out with multiple pools. Beyoncé’s lifestyle is not totally abnormal in these wealthiest of African places. If Black is king, it means Black is powerful. Black is in charge. Black is enviable.
Everything about Black Is King is enviable. It’s not just a high-quality production. It’s a multicultural masterpiece sorely needed in a world where we are striving to be less monocultural. Black Is King opens up, just like Beyonce’s shining-white smile.


vox--2020-07-31--Coronavirus: The debate over reopening America’s schools

As back-to-school season approaches and the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on , the debate surrounding whether or not to reopen US schools in the fall is heating up .
Some are arguing that reopening schools is essential for economic recovery , for working parents , and for children ’ s learning , while others are worried about the safety risks when it comes to coronavirus transmission .
States and cities across the United States are handling the complicated decision in different ways .
Some K-12 schools are not reopening at all in the fall , citing the surging coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with virtual learning in order to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 .
Students and faculty at many American universities have also shared concerns about the dangers of returning to college campuses in the fall ; some colleges have elected to stick with virtual learning for the fall semester while others are attempting to open up for in-person classes .
And many school districts are exploring hybrid options that offer a combination of in-person and virtual learning .
Here you ’ ll find all of Vox ’ s coverage on how America ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .

As back-to-school season approaches and the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on, the debate surrounding whether or not to reopen US schools in the fall is heating up. Some are arguing that reopening schools is essential for economic recovery, for working parents, and for children’s learning, while others are worried about the safety risks when it comes to coronavirus transmission.
States and cities across the United States are handling the complicated decision in different ways. Some K-12 schools are not reopening at all in the fall, citing the surging coronavirus cases across the country, and sticking with virtual learning in order to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Students and faculty at many American universities have also shared concerns about the dangers of returning to college campuses in the fall; some colleges have elected to stick with virtual learning for the fall semester while others are attempting to open up for in-person classes. And many school districts are exploring hybrid options that offer a combination of in-person and virtual learning.
Here you’ll find all of Vox’s coverage on how America’s schools are approaching reopening this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.


vox--2020-07-31--Facebook showed this ad almost exclusively to women. Is that a problem?

In 2019 , Facebook settled a lawsuit with civil rights organizations following the revelation that advertisers could use the targeting options on its platform to exclude many specific demographic groups from seeing its ads .
It ’ s now more difficult for an unscrupulous advertiser to use Facebook ’ s platform to discriminate .
However , even when you remove human bias from the system , Facebook ’ s ad delivery algorithms can result in biased outcomes .
According to researchers at Northeastern University , Facebook sometimes displays ads to highly skewed audiences based on the content of the ad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeting options , the researchers found that the algorithmically determined audience for job ads for cleaners , secretaries , nurses , and preschool teachers was mostly women .
The job ads for fast food workers , supermarket cashiers , and taxi drivers skewed toward Black users .
As we show in the video above , this research shows that by targeting “ relevant ” users , these systems can reinforce existing disparities in our interests and our opportunities .
Users who are comfortable with being stereotyped for their taste in shoes or music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being stereotyped for job ads or political messages .
You can find this video and all of Vox ’ s videos on YouTube .
And join the Open Sourced Reporting Network to help us report on the real consequences of data , privacy , algorithms , and AI .
Open Sourced is made possible by Omidyar Network .
All Open Sourced content is editorially independent and produced by our journalists .
Every day at Vox , we aim to answer your most important questions and provide you , and our audience around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power to save lives .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
Vox ’ s work is reaching more people than ever , but our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources — particularly during a pandemic and an economic downturn .
Your financial contribution will not constitute a donation , but it will enable our staff to continue to offer free articles , videos , and podcasts at the quality and volume that this moment requires .
Please consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In 2019, Facebook settled a lawsuit with civil rights organizations following the revelation that advertisers could use the targeting options on its platform to exclude many specific demographic groups from seeing its ads. It’s now more difficult for an unscrupulous advertiser to use Facebook’s platform to discriminate.
However, even when you remove human bias from the system, Facebook’s ad delivery algorithms can result in biased outcomes. According to researchers at Northeastern University, Facebook sometimes displays ads to highly skewed audiences based on the content of the ad.
By purchasing ads and inputting neutral targeting options, the researchers found that the algorithmically determined audience for job ads for cleaners, secretaries, nurses, and preschool teachers was mostly women. The job ads for fast food workers, supermarket cashiers, and taxi drivers skewed toward Black users.
As we show in the video above, this research shows that by targeting “relevant” users, these systems can reinforce existing disparities in our interests and our opportunities. Users who are comfortable with being stereotyped for their taste in shoes or music might not feel the same way about being stereotyped for job ads or political messages.
You can find this video and all of Vox’s videos on YouTube. And join the Open Sourced Reporting Network to help us report on the real consequences of data, privacy, algorithms, and AI.
Open Sourced is made possible by Omidyar Network. All Open Sourced content is editorially independent and produced by our journalists.