Tag

Civil Rights

All articles tagged with #civil rights

legal19 hours ago•60 min saved

Massachusetts high court lets Meta face youth-addiction suit over Instagram design

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Meta Platforms must face a state lawsuit alleging Instagram was designed to addict children, rejecting a Section 230 shield for these claims. The ruling centers on Meta’s conduct and design choices—such as push notifications, likes and infinite scrolling—rather than user content, and it marks a significant step in accountability for social-media platforms related to youth mental health; the case is part of a broader wave of similar actions across the United States.

via Reuters|

#civil-rights #data-privacy #legal

united-states14 days ago•57 min saved

Trump targets DEI in federal contracts with new executive order

President Trump signed an executive order directing federal contractors and subcontractors to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices, requiring DEI-free clauses in certain contracts and giving agencies power to cancel, suspend or debar noncompliant contractors. The White House said the Office of Management and Budget will issue compliance guidance and identify sectors where DEI is used, while the attorney general will review related violations for prompt action. Civil rights advocates argue DEI addresses historic inequities, while Trump frames DEI as anti-merit; this follows a broader push to dismantle DEI policies at federal agencies and in the private sector.

via Reuters|

#civil-rights #diversity-and-inclusion #government-politics

politics15 days ago•3 min saved

DOJ launches Title VI inquiry into Ohio State College of Medicine admissions after social-media leak

The Justice Department opened a Title VI civil rights compliance review of Ohio State University College of Medicine’s admissions policies, requesting detailed applicant-level data (including MCAT scores, GPA, activities, essays, outcomes, and demographics) with a deadline of April 24. The investigation was publicly revealed when Harmeet Dhillon posted a photo of the letter on X, exposing the inquiry. OSU says it is fully compliant and will respond; the development comes amid broader debates over DEI policies and post-affirmative-action admissions rules.

via NBC News|

#admissions-data #civil-rights #doj

politics16 days ago•5 min saved

Florida Challenges NFL Rooney Rule, Citing Civil Rights Concerns

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier says the NFL’s Rooney Rule is illegal under Florida civil rights law and is pressing Commissioner Roger Goodell to confirm by May 1 that the policy will no longer be enforced, signaling a broader GOP push to roll back DEI hiring practices in the state. The move comes amid ongoing debates over the rule, its effectiveness, and related lawsuits, with no immediate comment from the NFL.

via Politico|

#civil-rights #diversity #florida

national17 days ago•20 min saved

Minnesota sues over federal secrecy in immigration-era shootings

Minnesota officials filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, accusing federal agencies of withholding evidence connected to three shootings by federal officers during the immigration crackdown, including the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti and the wounding of an undocumented immigrant, as state investigators seek greater transparency.

via The Washington Post|

#civil-rights #immigration #lawsuits

politics20 days ago•1 min saved

Trump Reignites Campus Antisemitism Push, Sparking Debate Over Universities

The Trump administration has renewed actions against antisemitism on elite campuses, suing Harvard and UCLA, seeking disclosure from Penn, and surveying at Cornell. Proponents say it protects Jewish students; critics warn the tactics could pressure universities to curb dissent and push conservative aims, highlighting ongoing tensions among government actions, academe, and Jewish communities.

via The New York Times|

#antisemitism #civil-rights #higher-education

politics21 days ago•19 min saved

DOJ sues Harvard over campus antisemitism, seeks grant funds recovery

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging its leadership failed to address antisemitism on campus and seeking to freeze federal grants and recover funds already paid.

via AP News|

#antisemitism #civil-rights #grants

law1 month ago•4 min saved

Kansas court keeps transgender bathroom law in effect as lawsuit proceeds

A Douglas County judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order blocking a fast-tracked Kansas law that bars transgender people from using bathrooms matching their gender identity and invalidates some residents’ gender markers on driver’s licenses, allowing the law to take effect while the lawsuit alleging due process, privacy and equality violations proceeds. The judge found insufficient information to grant the TRO; the law imposes fines and civil liability, and has already affected hundreds of licenses. A case management conference is set for March 18, and advocacy groups launched Operation Lifeboat to assist affected residents.

via Kansas Reflector|

#civil-rights #courts #kansas

local1 month ago•3 min saved

Selma vows action after shootings cast shadow on Bloody Sunday weekend

Two shootings during Selma's Bridge Crossing Jubilee left eight people injured, including incidents near Alabama Avenue and Water Avenue; authorities said the shootings were targeted and not part of official Jubilee activities. Mayor Johnny Moss III condemned the violence, pledged accountability and closer coordination with law enforcement, and noted the personal impact after his daughter was nearby. The weekend honored the civil rights legacy of Bloody Sunday and included dignitaries and the proclamation of 'Jesse Jackson Day.'

via Yellowhammer News|

#bloody-sunday #bridge-crossing-jubilee #civil-rights

politics1 month ago•5 min saved

Jesse Jackson Memorial Celebrates a Lifetime of Hope with Democratic Leaders

Thousands gathered in Chicago to celebrate Rev. Jesse Jackson’s life, with tributes from Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris that framed him as a champion for the oppressed and a founder of the modern progressive coalition; the service highlighted his decades of civil rights activism and community organizing, and plans for a Washington, DC memorial were postponed.

via The Guardian|

#barack-obama #civil-rights #jesse-jackson

politics1 month ago•4 min saved

Texas primaries spark warnings of voter suppression amid site-chaos

Texas’s primaries were marred by chaotic voting-site changes in Dallas and Williamson counties, causing long lines and confusion and prompting Democrat Jasmine Crockett to accuse authorities of suppressing votes; voting-rights advocates say the disruption signals suppression risks for the November election, highlighting how county-by-county voting and court decisions have affected access for communities of color and working-class voters.

via The Guardian|

#civil-rights #politics #primaries

culture1 month ago•8 min saved

Color as Witness: Gordon Parks’ Segregation Photography Gets a New Spotlight

A London exhibition of Gordon Parks’s color photography from 1942–1967 highlights intimate portraits of segregation, the dignity of Black communities in the Jim Crow South, and pivotal Civil Rights moments—curated by Bryan Stevenson to emphasize Parks’s art as a powerful tool for change amid today’s challenges to truth and historical memory.

via The Guardian|

#alabama #civil-rights #culture

civil-rights1 month ago•11 min saved

Trans Kansans Fight SB 244: ID Invalidations and Restroom Suits

Two transgender Kansans have filed a lawsuit challenging SB 244, a law that immediately invalidates state-issued IDs with gender markers reflecting identity and creates a private right to sue people suspected of being transgender for using government restrooms; the suit argues the measure violates Kansas constitutional protections of personal autonomy, privacy, equality, due process, and free speech, with the ACLU and Ballard Spahr LLP representing the plaintiffs.

via American Civil Liberties Union|

#civil-rights #drivers-licenses #kansas

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

DOJ widens push for unredacted voter rolls with five-state suit blitz

The Justice Department has sued Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey to obtain unredacted, centralized voter registration databases, expanding a campaign that now spans 30 jurisdictions. The lawsuits hinge on the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and the National Voter Registration Act/Help America Vote Act to compel data sharing, despite concerns over privacy and states’ rights. Courts have previously dismissed several similar suits, and the DOJ has appealed those rulings while pledging to press forward, a move that could set a nationwide precedent for federal access to state voter rolls.

via Democracy Docket|

#civil-rights #elections #federal-government

politics1 month ago•3 min saved

DOJ widens civil-rights case over Minnesota anti-ICE church protest

The Justice Department added 30 more defendants to the civil-rights case stemming from a January anti-ICE protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, bringing the total charged to 39 with violations of two FACE Act provisions (a misdemeanor) and conspiracy to interfere with religious rights. No new charges were added beyond those two civil-rights provisions. Don Lemon and another journalist are among those charged, and all original defendants have pleaded not guilty. The case raises questions about applying the FACE Act to houses of worship and involves grand-jury secrecy and transcript-disclosure disputes.

via CBS News|

#anti-ice-protest #civil-rights #doj