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Published 21 September 2022

··  Department of Homeland Security Gives $700,000 Grant to Research Radicalization in Gaming
DHS wants better monitoring and extremists in the gaming community

·· The Fifth Circuit’s Social Media Decision: A Dangerous Example of First Amendment Absolutism 
Is First Amendment absolutism dangerous?

·· The Role of User Agency in the Algorithmic Amplification of Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content
Algorithms might be amplifying terrorist and violent extremist content

·· Are Autonomous Ships and Vehicles “Unmanned” or “Uncrewed”?
The myriad legal and policy implications of autonomous vessels

·· $1 Billion in Funding Announced for First-Ever State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program 
A first: specifically for state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments

··  America’s Education Crisis Is a National Security Threat
Failing grades are bad for national security

·· Biden Administration Launches Floating Offshore Wind Initiative with 15 GW Target by 2035
U.S. has 2,800 GW of floating offshore wind potential waiting to be exploited

Department of Homeland Security Gives $700,000 Grant to Research Radicalization in Gaming  (Issy Van Der Velde, The Gamer)
Three organizations will work on creating “a set of best practices and centralized resources for monitoring and evaluation of extremist activities.”

The Fifth Circuit’s Social Media Decision: A Dangerous Example of First Amendment Absolutism  (Alan Z. Rozenshtein, Lawfare)
The Fifth Circuit badly overreaches in upholding Texas’s social media moderation law, making a hash of the First Amendment in the process.

The Role of User Agency in the Algorithmic Amplification of Terrorist and Violent Extremist Content  (Ellie Rogers, GNet)
There is an increasing focus by governments and certain concerned civil society initiatives that algorithms might be amplifying terrorist and violent extremist content (TVEC). This focus is a result of empirical evidence suggesting both search and recommendation systems on certain platforms can amplify TVEC, as well as reported accounts of individuals experiencing their first exposure to violent content on social media platforms. However, studies and consequently policy often ignore the role user agency plays in the amplification of this content. This Insight highlights that algorithmic amplification of TVEC is influenced by user agency alongside algorithm design, as users typically get what they seek out online. As such, this Insight explores different online and offline interventions that target influencing factors which may drive users to seek out TVEC, as well as addressing the TVEC itself. 

Are Autonomous Ships and Vehicles “Unmanned” or “Uncrewed”? (Adam James Fenton and Ioannis Chapsos, Defense News)
Like “self-driving” cars, autonomous ships are a reality and will likely revolutionize many aspects of shipping and maritime security.
With up to 95% of maritime accidents due to human error, autonomous vessels offer the tantalizing possibility of greatly reduced risk to ship owners, as well as significant cost efficiencies from reduced wage costs, estimated at 30% and greater fuel efficiency.
Navies are also seeing the significant benefits in terms of cost efficiencies, increased operational capacities, and reduced risk to human sailors. The computer-based technology will necessarily entail an even greater reliance on algorithms, data, sensors, and linked devices which will create a host of new cyber vulnerabilities.
In a paper developed in the framework of a research project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 Marie Curie Fellowship, we examine the myriad legal and policy implications of autonomous vessels in international shipping.

$1 Billion in Funding Announced for First-Ever State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program  (Security Infowatch)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a first-of-its-kind cybersecurity grant program specifically for state, local, and territorial (SLT) governments across the country.

America’s Education Crisis Is a National Security Threat  (Nicholas Eberstadt and Evan Abramsky, Foreign Affairs)
How a smarter world is changing the balance of power.

Biden Administration Launches Floating Offshore Wind Initiative with 15 GW Target by 2035
There is about 1,500 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind potential in the United States and 2,800 GW of floating offshore wind potential, according to a study by the National Renewable Energy laboratory.
However, only about 40 GW of fixed-bottom offshore wind is under development in the United States and 0.1 GW of floating capacity has been deployed globally, according to the Biden administration.
While the U.S. has been slow to develop fixed-bottom offshore wind, the Biden administration aims to be a leader in floating offshore wind technology by building on its previous goal of adding 30 GW of offshore wind by the end of this decade.