afternoonbuzz

Federal Judge Transparency, Benin Bronzes, Consumer Protection, More: Monday Afternoon ResearchBuzz, November 7, 2022

NEW RESOURCES

United States Courts: New Database Eases Release of Judges’ Finance Reports. “A new free public database of federal judges’ financial disclosure reports (FDRs), including periodic transaction reports (PTRs), was launched today by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Once users register in the new database, they can access an electronic version of federal judges’ reports. The new database design allows members of the public to filter and select the reports they are seeking.”

Art Newspaper: Benin bronzes online database goes live with details of thousands of looted artefacts. “A highly anticipated new online database listing works of art looted from the Kingdom of Benin has launched, shining a light on more than 5,000 looted objects housed at more than 100 museums worldwide.”

Better Business Bureau: BBB Institute partners with Amazon and Capital One to fight scams. “The BBB Scam Tracker makes it easier for consumers to report scams via mobile or desktop. It includes a new guided questionnaire that makes it quick and easy to report a scam. Consumers can now review and edit their reports before submission, and then share the report with friends and family via social media or email. They also have the option to receive updates about the constantly evolving tactics that scammers use. In addition, an upgraded search function enables consumers to search scams in the tool by URL, email address, phone number and more.”

TWEAKS AND UPDATES

Washington Post: Trump once reconsidered sticking with Truth Social. Now he’s stuck.. “Trump has told his allies that he can’t leave Truth Social, because he’s propping it up, and he doesn’t want a site so closely associated with his brand to collapse, according to people familiar with his thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. A spokesman for Trump did not respond to a detailed request for comment for this story.”

Daily Beast: Musk Bans ‘Impersonation’ After Parody Elons Flood Twitter. “After vowing to make Twitter a bastion of ‘free speech,’ Elon Musk announced a new policy on Sunday that will remove accounts engaging in the type of ‘impersonation’ that comedians and others have used to humorously protest his takeover of the social network in recent days.”

TechCrunch: Boosted by Twitter drama, Mastodon reaches 1 million active monthly users. “Mastodon, the decentralized social network that’s increasingly being positioned as an alternative to Twitter, has eclipsed 1 million active monthly users. That’s according to CEO and lead developer Eugen Rochko, who revealed the milestone in a post on Monday morning.”

USEFUL STUFF

CNET: Tuesday Will Bring a ‘Blood Moon’ Total Lunar Eclipse: How to See It. “A ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse will be visible in the US on Election Day this Tuesday. It’s difficult to tell at this point whether that’s a foreboding omen or a sign of providence.”

AROUND THE INTERNET WORLD

Vogue: Are Social Media Break-Up Announcements the New Normal?. “Of all the quirks that define modern relationships, perhaps the oddest is the fact that we feel compelled to tell strangers on the internet about them. And yet, it’s something we’ve been doing for years. Millennials will recall Facebook’s ‘relationship status’ feature, which was introduced in the early ’00s shortly after the site launched. Users could inform friends of any changes to their love lives within a matter of clicks, with options ranging from ‘single’ and ‘in a relationship’ to the fateful ‘it’s complicated.'”

SECURITY & LEGAL

New York Times: Russia Reactivates Its Trolls and Bots Ahead of Tuesday’s Midterms. “The campaign — using accounts that pose as enraged Americans like Nora Berka — have added fuel to the most divisive political and cultural issues in the country today. It has specifically targeted Democratic candidates in the most contested races, including the Senate seats up for grabs in Ohio, Arizona and Pennsylvania, calculating that a Republican majority in the Senate and the House of Representatives could help the Russian war effort.” Good afternoon, Internet…

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