Laws and regulations

Mass Shootings Often Put a Spotlight on Mental Illness, but Figuring Out Which Conditions Should Keep Someone from Having a Gun Is Not Easy
Mental illness again became a central theme after the mass shooting in Maine on Oct. 25, 2023, in which records suggest that the shooter had a history of serious mental health issues. The relationship between mental illness and guns, and risk mitigation, is complicated, and the majority of people with mental illness do not seek treatment.
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Minnesotans Will Soon Be Able to Disarm Dangerous People. Will it Save Lives?
Lawmakers and advocates say the efficacy of the state’s new red flag law, set to take effect in 2024, will depend on implementation and enforcement. Minnesota and Michigan are the latest of 21 states to enact Extreme Risk Protection Order laws.
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Democracy Teetering on the Brink
In a time of polarization and tribalism, when only 30 percent of millennials see democracy as “essential,” the need to protect and renovate our system of government is now more urgent than ever, said political scientist Danielle Allen. She says ordinary citizens need to step up, calls for formation of cross-ideological supermajority committed to revitalizing system.
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Political Violence Threatens Health of U.S. Democracy: Report
More than 100 experts from around the globe express concern for the future of U.S. electoral processes in report compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The report identifies how and to what extent violence may interfere with American democracy. Those experts surveyed were most concerned about elections, with more than half suggesting that U.S. electoral processes have a high potential of breaking down in the future.
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New Study Looks at Attitudes Towards Political Violence
A small segment of the U.S. population considers violence, including lethal violence, to be usually or always justified to advance political objectives. New research reveals a complex mix of attitudes, concerns and beliefs about the state of democracy and the potential for violence.
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It’s Not Just About Facts: Democrats and Republicans Have Sharply Different Attitudes About Removing Misinformation from Social Media
Misinformation is a key global threat, but Democrats and Republicans disagree about how to address the problem. In particular, Democrats and Republicans diverge sharply on removing misinformation from social media.
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State and Local Election Workers Quitting Amid Abuse, Officials Tell U.S. Senate Panel
State and local election officials face threats and intimidation, driving experienced workers out of the profession. State and local election workers quitting amid abuse. Conspiracy theories have fueled a more hostile environment for election workers, which has led many to quit, creating more challenges for the inexperienced new leaders.
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The Supreme Court Will Decide if Domestic Abuse Orders Can Bar People from Having Guns. Lives Could Be at Stake.
The court’s ruling on United States v. Rahimi could clarify an earlier decision on guns. Or it could take away one of the best options to protect domestic violence victims. In states like Tennessee, the consequences could be deadly.
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Governing Artificial Intelligence: A Conversation with Rumman Chowdhury
Artificial intelligence, and its risks and benefits, has rapidly entered the popular consciousness in the past year. Kat Duffy and Dr. Rumman Chowdhury discuss how society can mitigate problems and ensure AI is an asset.
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EPA Cancels Certain Cyber Regulations for Water Utilities
Following growing concerns about the cybersecurity of the U.S. water infrastructure, the EPA announced this week it will no longer require cybersecurity audits of water utility facilities through sanitary surveys.
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Adtech Surveillance and Government Surveillance are Often the Same Surveillance
In the absence of comprehensive federal privacy legislation in the United States, the targeted advertising industry, fueled by personal information harvested from our cell phone applications, has run roughshod over our privacy.
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Navigating the Risks and Benefits of AI: Lessons from Nanotechnology on Ensuring Emerging Technologies Are Safe as Well as Successful
Twenty years ago, nanotechnology was the artificial intelligence of its time. The specific details of these technologies are, of course, a world apart. But the challenges of ensuring each technology’s responsible and beneficial development are surprisingly alike.
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Political Rhetoric Changes Views on Democratic Principles: Study
Most people will agree that over the past several years, American political leaders have been saying — and sharing on social media — unusual things that politicians would never have said a decade or two ago. At times, their words can seem out of character for what a leader should typically say and can even appear antidemocratic in nature. A new study shows that some of that antidemocratic, norm-violating rhetoric reduces support for certain basic principles of American democracy.
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How Poland’s Election Results Could Reshape Europe
After nearly a decade in power, Poland’s dominant Law and Justice Party fell short of a new mandate in last Sunday’s election. The outcome underscores that there is nothing inevitable about illiberal populist parties coming to power, even if this threat is not quite gone. And as the case of Viktor Orban’s Hungary shows, once illiberal populists have been in power long enough, it becomes harder to stop the slide towards “competitive” authoritarianism, where the outcome of elections is all but guaranteed.
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Even War Has Rules, So Why No Rules for Espionage?
There are even rules for war, which is why it makes little sense that there are none for espionage during times of peace. Espionage is “the second oldest profession,” says one expert, but it is often overlooked at law schools.
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