politicsWednesday, September 9, 2026
The political money behind surveillance tech is getting harder to ignore. Flock's donations to local politicians have jumped 700% this year, just as protests against its AI cameras grow louder. Meanwhile, the White House spent Labor Day using AI to hype itself up, and a new Guardian piece argues the real Orwellian machinery is the algorithms critics want to protect.
The intersection of tech money and politics is getting sharper, with two stories showing how AI companies and their critics are spending their influence.
Flock's political giving to associations of mayors, attorneys general, and governors has jumped 700% since the start of 2025, as the AI surveillance company faces growing protests and activist scrutiny. The donations span both parties.
A Guardian op-ed argues that critics of Australia's proposed digital duty of care bill are defending the algorithms that push harmful content, not free speech. The piece frames the debate as a choice between protecting people and protecting the platforms' business models.
The White House turned to AI-generated video for Labor Day messaging, drawing criticism for promoting self-aggrandizing content over real workers.
The White House used an AI-generated video of an automated Sharpie production line to promote Trump on Labor Day. The New Republic piece calls it self-aggrandizing propaganda that lacks any real American workers.
Federal Film & TV Tax Credits Not A Done Deal, Adam Schiff Says; White House Involved: “Negotiations Are Ongoing”deadline.com
‘Disposable’ IP Firms in Serbia, Montenegro Obscure Origins of Russian Cyber Meddlingbalkaninsight.com
Trump Launches Back-to-Back Attacks on ‘3rd Rate’ Kaitlan Collins and ‘Unattractive’ Maggie Habermanmrf.lu
A Deal With the United States Used to Be a Dealnewsletter.platypuseconomics.com
How Robert Anderson went from treasury secretary to Cold War fixerreason.com
Farming and solar panels can work together – here’s the proofwww.greenpeace.org.ukJon Stewart Uses ‘You Can See Everything’ Trailer to Troll Trumpvariety.com
Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show and used the trailer for Nathan Fielder’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary, "You Can See Everything," to mock President Donald Trump. Stewart criticized Trump for living in a "reality distortion field" and rejecting expert opinions, comparing hi
Jimmy Kimmel Torches Trump for Accomplishing ‘Nothing All Summer Long’ in Fiery Late-Night Returnwww.thewrap.com
Jimmy Kimmel returned from summer break with a monologue targeting President Trump, mocking him for accomplishing "nothing all summer long" while the country faced issues like high gas prices, inflation, and potential conflict with Iran. Kimmel highlighted that Trump's vacation d
Jon Stewart returned to The Daily Show after a month-long hiatus, immediately addressing recent political chaos including Donald Trump's renaming of Lake Ontario. In his opening monologue, Stewart compared Trump aide Natalie Harp to Elizabeth Holmes, referencing the viral trailer
As contract talks stall, CPS lunch workers unveil pledge for school board candidateswww.chicagotribune.com
UNITE Here Local 1, the union representing 1,800 lunchroom workers in Chicago Public Schools, has unveiled a pledge for Board of Education candidates. The pledge demands that candidates commit to halting the elimination of vacant lunchroom positions and raising hourly wages to ma
Illinois Dems seek DHS probe of federal agents for excessive force during Midway Blitz - Chicago Sun-Timeschicago.suntimes.com
Illinois Democratic congressional members are urging the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to investigate federal agents for alleged excessive force during last year's Operation Midway Blitz. The letter specifically calls for accountability regarding the agent w
Missouri redistricting fight erupts again as referendum backers ask judge to pause order, appeal to 8th Circuitwww.democracydocket.com
Opponents of Missouri’s congressional redistricting plan, led by the group People Not Politicians, have filed an emergency request with a federal judge to pause the implementation of the Trump-backed GOP gerrymander. They are simultaneously appealing to the 8th Circuit Court of A
The provided text contains two distinct and unrelated documents merged together. The first is a truncated proclamation regarding the exclusion of certain Canadian dairy products from U.S. importation due to tariff-rate quota discrimination, referencing Proclamation 11047. The sec
US increases pressure on Iran with sanctions targeting aviation sectorwww.aljazeera.com
The US Treasury Department has announced a new package of 36 sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector, part of the Trump administration's "Operation Economic Outcast" strategy to isolate Tehran economically. The penalties expand existing restrictions on Mahan Air and target oth
NDIS data may have ended up in Palantir’s analytics platform as part of efforts to curb fraudwww.theguardian.com
Personal information of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants may have been uploaded to Palantir’s analytics platform as part of a multi-agency fraud investigation. This revelation comes despite the NDIA previously denying the use of Palantir software, and foll
‘South Park’ trolls Trump with name change of its ownwww.rawstory.com
South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone announced that the show's 29th season will be titled "South America," a satirical move mocking President Donald Trump's recent efforts to rename places in the United States. The announcement references Apple and Google as inspiration
Minnesota shooting suspect faced repeated warnings, yet he still possessed a gunnbcnews.to
Carlton Neal Johnson II, the suspect in a Minneapolis shooting that killed two and wounded five, was able to possess a firearm despite previous convictions and warnings. While his convictions did not automatically disqualify him from gun ownership under current laws, Minnesota gu
finance roundup
personal roundup
design roundup
environment roundup
education roundup
health roundup
