Highlights

• ALA Virtual-Community Through Connection brings library community together; The American Library Association’s first-ever virtual conference attracted 7,349 attendees and 651 exhibitors. If you didn’t get a chance to experience the entire event, ALA Virtual content will remain readily accessible at any time for a full year. Attendees can view sessions again, view those missed during the live event, or use content for training or research purposes.
• ALA Executive Director Tracie D. Hall says dismantling racism in library and information services is overdue; During the inaugural ALA Virtual Event this week, American Library Association (ALA) Executive Director Tracie D. Hall issued a strong challenge for our nation’s librarians, library professionals and library supporters, calling for support of a workforce that reflects a diverse client base, universal digital access, and a deeper financial commitment to libraries. “Let our legacy be justice.”

Privacy and Cybersecurity

• What is the role of privacy professionals in preventing discrimination and ensuring equal treatment? | IAPP
• White Paper — ‘Privacy Risks to Individuals in the Wake of COVID-19’ | IAPP
• Facebook To Seek Supreme Court Intervention In Privacy Battle Over ‘Like’ Button | Digital Daily News
• US State Comprehensive Privacy Law Comparison | IAPP
• Schools Already Struggled With Cybersecurity. Then Came Covid-19 | Wired
• All the new ways your iPhone protects your privacy in iOS 14 | CNet
• Why Trump’s administration is going after the GDPR | Politico
• Report: Bridging the Digital Divide: What Has Not Worked But What Just Might | Phoenix Center
• The most important privacy case you’ve never heard of | Techdirt
• Policy Paper: Digital Tools for COVID-19 Contact Tracing: Identifying and Mitigating the Equity, Privacy, and Civil Liberties Concerns | New America
• FBI expands ability to collect cellpohone location data, monitor social media, recent contracts show | The Intercept
• It’s time for DC to regulate police surveillance technology | Washington Post
• Coronavirus opens door to company surveillance of workers | Politico
• Congress Introduces Bill to Ban Federal Agencies From Using Facial Recognition | Motherboard
• Additional privacy posts, news, and updates are available at the Choose Privacy Every Day blog.

First Amendment, Free Speech, and Civil Liberties

• Judge: South Dakota Department of Corrections pornography policy for inmates overly broad | Argus Leader (SD)

Access

• Millions of Americans Depend on Libraries for Internet. Now They’re Closed | The Markup
• Remote School Is a Nightmare. Few in Power Care. | New York Times

Net Neutrality & Broadband Access

• Pandemic internet aid is ending, but digital divide remains | Digital Herald (IL)
• Report: Closing the K–12 Digital Divide in the Age of Distance Learning | Common Sense Media
• Comcast’s data cap and overage fees return tomorrow after 3-month break | Ars Technica

Academic Freedom & Campus Speech

• ‘Who Gets to Speak in Our Intellectual Traditions?’ | Chronicle of Higher Education

Fake News, Free Press, Social Media

• Twitter removes photo from Trump tweet after NYT copyright complaint | Axios
• Proposed regulations over internet companies could change free speech online | CNBC
• Facebook policy changes fail to quell advertiser revolt as Coca-Cola pulls ads | The Guardian; “Company follows Unilever’s lead after platform announces shift in how it handles hate speech”

International News

• São Paulo subway facial recognition system slammed over user data security and privacy | ZD Net
• Switzerland launches SwissCovid tracing app for residents | Swiss Info

Around the Web

• Exploring Social Justice through Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Intellectual Freedom Blog
• The Library is Closed: Reflections on Self-Censorship, Pride, Silence, and Solidarity | Intellectual Freedom Blog

ALA News

• ALA summons support for Library Stabilization Fund Act
• ALA Council approves Core; dissolves ALCTS, LITA and LLAMA
• Libraries invited to apply for ALA’s ‘Resilient Communities: Libraries Respond to Climate Change’

Subscribe to future issues of Intellectual Freedom News, a free weekly compilation of news delivered to your inbox by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, including

• current book challenges in libraries and schools
• articles about privacy, internet filtering and censorship
• ALA activities, conferences and institutes, products, online learning opportunities, awards and grants, international exchanges, and more
• how to get involved and make the most of what ALA offers