Intellectual Freedom News 5/7/2021
Highlights
- Applications Open for FTRF Banned Books Week Celebration Grants; “Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes grants to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Week celebration. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Books Unite Us. Censorship Divides Us.” Banned Books Week runs from Sept. 26-Oct. 2, 2021 and the grants of $1,000 or $2,500 are offered through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund. Visit the Freedom to Read Foundation online to apply and learn more about past recipients and their projects. Deadline: June 4, 2021.”
Censorship
- GOP legislatures target critical race theory | The Hill
- Iowa Senate Republicans approve limits on diversity trainings; Democrat fears bill targets 1619 Project | Des Moines Register
- Texas lawmakers see civics bills as a rejection of ‘woke’ philosophies. Educators say they would have a chilling effect | Dallas Morning News
- Tennessee bans public schools from teaching critical race theory amid national debate | The Tennessean
- East Tennessee school investigating teacher following racial inequality lesson | WWNY
- Leander ISD’s Reading Lists Get Reviewed After Parents Complain Of Offensive Content | KUT 90.5
- Frisco ISD’s ‘Read Woke’ challenge sparks controversy over critical race theory amid school board election | Dallas Morning News
- ‘It’s not anti-police’ | KCS investigates after teacher shares book on racial injustice | 10 News (TN)
- Rockwood forum turns heated during discussion of race and class curriculum | KSDK (MO)
Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Balancing Data Utility and Confidentiality in the 2020 US Census | Data & Society
- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Rubber Stamps Mass Surveillance Under Section 702 – Again | EFF
- Anyone can use this powerful facial-recognition tool — and that’s a problem | CNN
- State Data Privacy Bills Stumble | The Wall Street Journal
- Massachusetts Pioneers Rules For Police Use Of Facial Recognition Tech | NPR
More privacy news is available at the Voices for Privacy blog.
First Amendment, Free Speech, & Civil Liberties
- The tactics police are using to prevent bystander video | MIT Technology Review
- Florida passes election bill imposing new restrictions on mail-in voting | ABC11
- U.S. appeals court considers Idaho transgender athletes ban | ESPN
- Marion County Schools denies free-speech violation in teacher’s lawsuit over Black Lives Matter post | Chattanooga Times Free Press
- Civil Rights Groups Sue Georgia Over New Sweeping Voter Suppression Law | The Seattle Medium
- Library trustee candidates speak out on fiscal policy, censorship | Coeur d’Alene Press
- Perspective: Student Athletes Have a Right to Peaceful Protest | Freedom Forum
Net Neutrality & Broadband Access
- ISPs behind millions of fake net neutrality comments, NY AG says | The Denver Post
Academic Freedom & Campus Speech
- Rutgers Law Student’s Quotation of Racial Slur Spurs Debate | Inside Higher Ed
- Debate Erupts at N.J. Law School After White Student Quotes Racial Slur | The New York Times
- Idaho activists are trying to make “equity” and “social justice” taboo on college campuses | The Inlander
Social Media
- Instagram blocks account of celebrity Maine doctor who spreads vaccine disinformation | Press Herald
- Facebook Oversight Board Upholds Social Network’s Ban of Trump | The New York Times
- [FLorida] Governor’s social media bill is unconstitutional and unwise — Opinion | Tallahassee Democrat
Journalism & Media
- Reporters Without Borders built a virtual library in ‘Minecraft’ to share banned journalism | Fast Company
- The censoring effect of populist anti-media messages | Gates Cambridge
Information Literacy & Disinformation
- ‘Belonging Is Stronger Than Facts’: The Age of Misinformation | The New York Times
- Foreign Secretary gives BBC £8m to tackle disinformation around the world | Messenger
- How a Miami School Became a Beacon for Anti-Vaxxers | The New York Times
- Machine-learning project takes aim at disinformation | MIT Technology Review
- I-Team: Black Market for Fake Vaccine Cards Migrates to Encrypted Social Media | NBC New York
- Trump’s Facebook Ban Won’t Stop Conservative Disinformation | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
International News
- ‘If the library is safe for transphobia, it’s not safe for trans people’ | Halifax Examiner
- Parents call on Ottawa Public Library to remove controversial book about transgender youth | CTV News
- Book festival bosses axe Harry Potter quiz over author JK Rowling’s controversial stance on trans issues | The Scottish Sun
- Britain Says G7 To Consider Mechanism To Counter Russian Disinformation | Radio Free Europe
- N. Korea founder’s memoir triggers censorship debate in South | Free Malaysia Today
- Defying Chinese surveillance, young Uyghurs abroad speak up online | Reuters
- Italian rapper accuses state TV of attempted censorship | WTMJ/AP News
Around the Web
- Ohio libraries risk losing $22 million under state budget proposal | Columbus Dispatch
- Amazon will not remove book advocates say endangers transgender youth | NBC News
- Views About National Identity Becoming More Inclusive in U.S., Western Europe -Large ideological divides persist on views of tradition, national pride and discrimination, especially in the U.S. | Pew Research Center
- AASL Tackles Labeling Practices in School Libraries | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Free Speech on the Clock: A Case Study From Chattanooga | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- “Libraries are What Unite Us”: A Conversation with Dan Rather’s About His Book What Unites Us | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Forrest Spaulding: Drafter of the Original Library Bill of Rights | Intellectual Freedom Blog
- Fred Jordan, Publisher of Taboo-Breaking Books, Dies at 95 | The New York Times
- The Right-Wing War on Trans Youth Was Hiding in Plain Sight | New Republic
- Iowa Republicans are attacking public education | The Gazette
- St. Johns County considering privatizing library system | First Coast News
- White House launches new artificial intelligence website | Axios
ALA News
- Trisha Yearwood announced as featured speaker at ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition (Virtual)
- Accepting Appointments for Career Coaching Sessions
- Accepting Employers for Virtual Job Fair
- ALA announces new distribution arrangement with the Chicago Distribution Center, University of Chicago Press
- Nominations are being accepted for ALA honorary membership
- PLA, AT&T team up to bring digital literacy training to families
ALA Publishing
Awards and Grants
- Karen Snay receives AASL Innovative Reading Grant
- Amanda Hurley receives AASL Collaborative School Library Award
- Carnegie Whitney Grant 2021 Award winners
- Will Shorter named 2021 ALA Trustee Citation recipient
eCourses and Webinars
- Core Webinar: Leveraging the FOLIO Transition: Best Practices
- Salary Negotiation: The Ins, Outs, and In Between Webinar to be held May 13, 2021
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