Biometric ID for IRS FOIA Requests Trigger Privacy & Access Concerns
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has come under fire for its decision to route Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests through a biometric identification system provided by ID.me. This arrangement requires users who wish to file requests online to undergo a digital identity verification process, which includes facial recognition technology.
Concerns have been raised about this method of identity verification, notably the privacy implications of handling sensitive biometric data. Although the IRS states that biometric data is deleted promptly—within 24 hours in cases of self-service and 30 days following video chat verifications—skeptics, including privacy advocates and some lawmakers, remain wary, particularly as they don’t believe people should have to subject themselves to such measures in the first place.
Criticism has particularly focused on the appropriateness of employing such technology for FOIA requests. Alex Howard, the director of the Digital Democracy Project, expressed significant reservations. He stated in an email to FedScoop, “While modernizing authentication systems for online portals is not inherently problematic, adding such a layer to exercising the right to request records under the FOIA is overreach at best and a violation of our fundamental human pure right to access information at worst, given the potential challenges doing so poses.”
Although it is still possible to submit FOIA requests through traditional methods like postal mail, fax, or in-person visits, and through the more neutral FOIA.gov, the IRS’s online system defaults to using ID.me, citing speed and efficiency.
An IRS spokesperson defended this method by highlighting that ID.me adheres to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines for credential authentication. They explained, “The sole purpose of ID.me is to act as a Credential Service Provider that authenticates a user interested in using the IRS FOIA Portal to submit a FOIA request and receive responsive documents. The data collected by ID.me has nothing to do with the processing of a FOIA request.”
Despite these assurances, the integration of ID.me’s system into the FOIA request process continues to stir controversy as the push for online digital ID verification is a growing and troubling trend for online access.
No More ‘Endless’ Payments to Zelensky – Trump
Former US President Donald Trump has said that he would stop handing over tens of billions of dollars to Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, promising to have the situation in Ukraine “settled” if he is re-elected this year.
“I think Zelensky is maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived,”Trump told supporters at ‘The People’s Convention’, a conservative conference held by Turning Point Action in Michigan on Saturday.
“Every time he comes to our country, he walks away with $60 billion,” Trump said of the Ukrainian leader. “So now here’s the beauty. He just left four days ago with $60 billion, and he gets home and he announces that he needs another $60 billion or else it never ends, it never ends.”
The US and other G7 nations on Thursday announced a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, which would be backed by revenue generated by roughly $300 billion in frozen Russian assets. While Zelensky did not ask for “another $60 billion” after leaving the G7 gathering in Italy, he has repeatedly chided his Western backers for not handing over sufficient quantities of cash and weapons, and intensely lobbied Republican lawmakers in Washington to approve a $61 billion military aid package in April.
Read more Trump comments on his relations with Putin
“I will have that settled prior to taking the White House,” Trump told the crowd in Michigan. “As president-elect, I will have that settled.” Trump then reiterated, as he has on numerous occasions since 2022, that the Ukraine conflict “never would have happened” had he been president.
Trump has repeatedly argued that US President Joe Biden’s policy of open-ended military support for Ukraine is leading the US toward a “third world war,” and has promised that he would end the conflict “in 24 hours” if he defeats Biden in this November’s presidential election.
Trump has never fully elaborated on how he would do this, save for forcing Zelensky to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but recent reports by Bloomberg and the Washington Post suggest that he would leverage the US’ massive military assistance to Kiev to pressure Zelensky into accepting the loss of some of Ukraine’s pre-conflict territory.
However, Trump did not lobby his Congressional allies to block the $61 billion aid package in April, and said at the time that he would support lending, rather than gifting, money to Zelensky in future.
Study: Two-Thirds of Young People with Gender Dysphoria Grow Out of It in Five Years
Nearly two-thirds of children, adolescents and young adults diagnosed with gender dysphoria will cease identifying with the opposite gender within a period of five years, according to a large-scale German study.
The study also found that a similar proportion of children, adolescents and young adults diagnosed with gender dysphoria had at least one other psychological condition, and that diagnoses of gender dysphoria have significantly increased.
The research was conducted by the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance, by reviewing insurance records from healthcare providers for persons aged between five and 24 years who had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria from 2013 to 2022. The researchers identified trends including which demographics were most affected and how long gender dysphoria persisted once diagnosed.
During the nine-year timeframe of the study, the vast majority ceased to identify as transgender. The group that was most likely to cease identification was females aged 15 to 19 years old.
The study also revealed that 72.4% of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria had at least one other psychological condition. Half of males and females had a depressive disorder, for example. This tracks with other studies such as a 2014 study that showed nearly 63% of all patients requesting gender reassignment had “at least one psychiatric comorbidity,” whether that was depression, adjustment disorder or a specific phobia. Another study showed that people with gender dysphoria are six times more likely to have autism.
The number of diagnoses of gender dysphoria increased by 780% during the period under study. After correcting for changes to diagnostic criteria, the researchers arrived at a figure of 289%, indicating that diagnoses almost tripled.
As well as being most likely to cease identifying as transgender, girls aged 15 to 19 were most likely to be diagnosed in the first place. The researchers believe this could be for a number of reasons: because more girls at this age really are transgender; because of decreasing stigmatization of transgenderism; or because of “social contagion” or “overdiagnosis.”
A 2018 study in the journal PLoS One suggested that social factors are clearly to blame for the spectacular rise in the number of cases of transgenderism. Social-media use and belonging to friendship groups with transgender-identifying people in them were key factors, especially in conjunction.
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Huge Wildfire Rages in Los Angeles County, Cause Unknown
A wildfire in Los Angeles county has grown to encompass more than 12,000 acres since Saturday.
The Post Fire began on Saturday around lunchtime in Gorman and spread through Los Angeles County and into Ventura County.
The cause of the fire remains unknown at present.
Fire crews were unable to contain the fire, which grew from around 4,000 acres on Saturday to 12,000 by Sunday afternoon.
Evacuation orders have been issue for the area west of Interstate 5 between Pyramid Lake and Gorman, including Hungry Valley Park, a popular local destination for off-roading. Pyramid Lake is also closed.
?#BREAKING: Firefighters are battling a massive wildfire that has rapidly grown in size Multiple structures are Ablaze Evacuations orders have been issued
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 15, 2024
⁰?#Gorman | #California
⁰At this time, there is a massive response underway as numerous firefighters and other emergency… pic.twitter.com/zTFb2Ip5qn
A warning is already in place for communities south of Pyramid Lake between Old Ridge Route and the Los Angeles County line. Residents of those areas have been advised to be ready to leave if ordered to.
An air-quality warning has also been issued because of pollution from the fire. Residents in the Santa Clarita Valley, Interstate 5 corridor, San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 corridor have been advised to keep their time outdoors to a minimum.
Firefighters face challenging conditions putting out the blaze. On Sunday, winds reached up to 50mph and are expected to be even stronger this week.
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Democrat Political Candidate Arrested for Faking Racist Social Media Posts against Himself
A Democrat political candidate in Texas has been arrested for allegedly creating sock-puppet social-media accounts to attack himself and smear his political opponent.
Taral Patel, who is running for county commissioner in Fort Bend County Precinct 3, in Texas, was arrested last week after an investigation was launched by his opponent in the race, incumbent Andy Meyers.
In October of last year, Patel made a long Facebook post alleging that he had been the victim of racists attacks online. Included with the post was a collage of the abuse he had supposedly received. One post called him a “sand negroid subhuman” and told him to “go back to Bombay,” while another blasted him for “trying to TAKE AWAY my FREEDOM and GUNS!,” before ending “REMEMBER THE ALAMO.”
Image: Facebook / Taral Patel
Patel blamed the attacks on Trump and his supporters, including, by extension, Fort Bend County Commissioner Andy Meyers.
“These hateful images (a small sample attached here) are from a place of deep and misguided fear – incited by people like former President Donald Trump, and today’s extremist Republican party fear that immigrants are ‘taking their jobs’ and setting out to hurt our own communities.” Patel wrote.
When Meyers read the post, he notice that one of the names of the supposed abusers posted in the collage was “Antonio Scalywag,” an account that had also abused him online. Meyers then requested an investigation into the truth of Patel’s claims.
Investigators subpoenaed Facebook and Google and discovered that the Scalywag profile was indeed being run by Patel.
NEW: Taral Patel (D), candidate for commissioner in Fort Bend County, TX and former Biden appointee was arrested and charged for faking his own racist hate mail. He allegedly created fake accounts and would leave “racist” comments on his own posts.
Once again, the demand for… pic.twitter.com/oJvrGfxk0a— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 17, 2024
On Wednesday, Patel was arrested for the felony of online impersonation in the third degree, and a Class A misdemeanor charge for misrepresentation of identity.
After posting bond for the crimes on Thursday morning, he is due to appear in court on 22 July.
According to Patel’s campaign website, he has worked in a variety of political roles, including working for the DoJ’s Criminal Division in the Public Integrity Section. He also claims to have been appointed by Biden to serve in the Office of White House Liaison. A photo posted on Twitter shows Patel with Joe and Jill Biden.
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Hollywood Comes out Strong for Biden at Fundraiser as Campaign Coffers Swell
Joe Biden secured $30 million in support during a star-studded bash in Los Angeles on Saturday. Multiple Hollywood stars were present and former president Barack Obama joined Biden on stage for an interview.
George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Barbara Streisand were among the Hollywood stars present at the fundraiser, and Sherry Lee Ralph and Jack Black provided the music.
Biden and Obama were interviewed by TV host Jimmy Kimmel, who said that “so much is at stake in this election.”
Biden told the audience, “We have the strongest economy in the world today.”
The President and former president discussed issues ranging from the environment and infrastructure to the Supreme Court.
Biden said the Supreme Court has “never been this far out of step,” adding that a Court with more conservative judges was “one of the scariest parts” of a second Trump term.
The total raised at the event broke a previous record of $26 million raised in March at an event in Manhattan with former presidents Obama and Clinton. The Biden campaign has raised large amounts in cash in recent months. In April, it raised $84.5 million in cash in hand, compared to the Trump campaign’s $49 million, according to FEC filings.
Biden froze at his Hollywood fundraiser and Obama had to lead him off the stage.
pic.twitter.com/rLG93M3ypM— Mr Reagan ?? (@MrReaganUSA) June 17, 2024
The LA event made headlines for other reasons, most notably President Biden’s visible ill-health. At one point in proceedings, Obama was forced to shepherd Biden off stage as the President froze.
Biden flew back from the G7 summit in Europe especially to attend the event. The meeting was overshadowed by clear concerns about his performance. World leaders did their best to disguise his wandering attention, bewilderment and irritability. There were suggestions he fell asleep at one point; although fact-checkers were on hand to reassure the public that “right-wing media outlets” were up to their old tricks again, deceptively editing footage.
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