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Mark Zuckerberg to offer “big apology” in Capitol Hill testimony on data breach. Department of Homeland Security seeks contractor to compile comprehensive database tracking journalists and media outlets. Backpage.com shuttered and owners indicted on charges of facilitating prostitution. Court says Kentucky Governor is free to block critics from his official social media accounts. Bill Maher rises to Laura Ingraham’s defense, arguing that advertiser boycott campaigns impair free speech. -Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer

The most pressing threats and notable goings-on in free expression today

U.S.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to apologize in testimony to Congress
The notoriously press shy Zuckerberg is under intense pressure to explain how Facebook allowed the personal information of millions of its users to be used by a data analysis firm that worked for President Trump’s campaign.
NBC NEWS

Homeland Security to Compile Database of Journalists, Bloggers
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security wants to monitor hundreds of thousands of news sources around the world and compile a database of journalists, editors, foreign correspondents, and bloggers to identify top “media influencers.”
BLOOMBERG

Backpage Founders Indicted On Charges Of Facilitating Prostitution
A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted seven people behind the classified-ads website Backpage.com on 93 counts, including charges of facilitating prostitution and money laundering. The website has long been known for its adult-services ads, some of which feature children.
NPR

Court Says Kentucky Governor Free To Block Critics Using Official Social Media Accounts
A federal judge in Kentucky has handed down a disappointing decision granting the state’s governor the right to continue blocking as many constituents as he wants on Twitter and Facebook. The suit was brought by two blocked constituents who argued the governor’s blocking of their accounts violated their First Amendment rights.
TECHDIRT

Bill Maher defends Ingraham: Parkland student calling for a boycott is wrong
Comedian and progressive talk show host Bill Maher defended Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham, arguing with guests on his HBO show that a boycott led by Parkland school shooting survivor David Hogg was un-American.
THE HILL

 
Global

Assad regime ‘assassinated’ journalist Marie Colvin, says court claim
The Assad regime “assassinated” the Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin as part of its campaign targeting journalists covering the Syrian civil war, according to a claim filed in a Washington court.
THE GUARDIAN

Mexico data protection body to investigate possible links to Cambridge Analytica
Mexico’s data protection body said it had opened an investigation into whether companies possibly linked to political consultancy Cambridge Analytica broke the country’s data protection laws.
REUTERS

‘Big Brother’ in India Requires Fingerprint Scans for Food, Phones and Finances
Seeking to build an identification system of unprecedented scope, India is scanning the fingerprints, eyes, and faces of its 1.3 billion residents and connecting the data to everything from welfare benefits to mobile phones.
NEW YORK TIMES

Zuckerberg Was Called Out Over Myanmar Violence. Here’s His Apology.
In his email, Zuckerberg said Facebook had added “dozens” of Burmese language content reviewers to monitor reports of hate speech and had “increased the number of people across the company on Myanmar-related issues,” including a product team working on building tools to try to help stem the violence there.
NEW YORK TIMES

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