THE IDES OF MARCH

Why QAnon are pinning their last desperate hopes on Trump emerging as president on March 4

JOSHUA ZITSER
FEB 27, 2021, 
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John Rudoff/Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesSome QAnon conspiracy theorists believe that former President Donald Trump will be sworn in on March 4, 2021.

QAnon followers believe that Trump will be reinstated as president on March 4, 2021.

The conspiracy theory is rooted in the discredited beliefs of the sovereign citizen movement.

It has gained popularity with QAnon followers after being circulated on Telegram and Gab.

QAnon followers, unable to cope with Joe Biden’s elevation to president in January, have now coopted a new belief to argue that the next legitimate inauguration date will be on March 4.

After President Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20, 2021, some QAnon believers concluded that their conspiracy theory was a “lie.” But its most fervent followers weren’t ready to give up on their conspiratorial beliefs, clinging to an absurd hope that former President Donald Trump will be sworn in at a later date.

Using ever-shifting goalposts, the pro-Trump conspiracists have now set their eyes on March 4, 2021.

Where does the conspiracy theory come from?

The belief that Trump will be sworn in on March 4 is rooted in theories promoted by the obscure sovereign citizen movement.

The sovereign citizen movement is a highly-fragmented grouping of Americans who believe taxes, US currency, and even the US government to be illegitimate.


A minority of them believe that laws do not apply to them at all, resulting in the FBI designating some members as “domestic terrorists” and “anti-government extremists.”

A central tenet of the movement is that the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, converted “sovereign citizens” into “federal citizens.”

This belief also goes so far as to dismiss the validity of any presidency after 1868, making Ulysses S. Grant the last valid president.

The ideas are esoteric and, arguably, nonsensical.

“You really feel like you’re in an Alice in Wonderland world when you start going through the ideas of the sovereign citizens,” Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science at Syracuse University, told Insider. “It’s like you’ve gone down some kind of rabbit hole into a parallel universe.”

Some sovereign citizens also believe that an obscure law from 1871 reveals that the US has become a corporation.

The District of Columbia Organic Act established a single municipal government for Washington, DC. The use of the word “corporation,” referring to an incorporated district, has led to the mistaken interpretation of this to mean that the entirety of the US became a business.

“Some believe that President Joe Biden is the executive of a bankrupt corporation – the United States Inc.,” said Travis View, conspiracy theory expert and host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

Creating an alternate reality based on a misinterpretation of a minor detail in an old law is typical of conspiracy groups, Media Matter’s deputy research director Stefanie Le told Insider.

“They can create elaborate mythologies based on the smallest and least significant details,” she said.
Why March 4?

Before the 20th Amendment in 1933, all presidents were sworn in on March 4.

It was introduced to shorten the “lame duck” period between elections and the start of new administrations.

Given that followers of the sovereign citizen movement reject all constitutional amendments passed after the 14th amendment, they do not view this date change as legitimate.

QAnon followers, who failed to see Trump inaugurated in January, have recycled the argument and reinvented the next legitimate inauguration date.

They say that on March 4, 2021, Trump will succeed the last legitimate president, Grant, to become the 19th president.

AP Images

Believers of the March 4 conspiracy think that former President Donald Trump will succeed former President Ulysses S. Grant as the 19th president of the US.

Le told Insider: “Now that one of their most highly-anticipated events – the January 20 inauguration – has failed to come true, they’re grasping for explanations from other conspiracy theories.”

View said that there is no clear logic to it besides the blind faith that Donald Trump is the chosen one to save humanity.

Andrew Harnick/AP PhotoJoe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts as Jill Biden holds the Bible during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, January 20, 2021.

‘Maybe we should gather again and storm the Capitol on March 4’

Adopting conspiracy theories from other groups to contribute to a specific, imaginary narrative isn’t unexpected.

It’s QAnon’s survival method “because their own predictions have fallen apart,” said Le.

The forums populated by QAnon adherents are now buzzing with chatter about March 4.

Telegram and Gab have led the way according to research by Media Matters seen by Insider, and it is widely circulating on 4Chan and right-wing forum Patriots.win, the researchers said. The rumors have also reached TikTok, reported the Independent.

There have been real-world consequences to the March 4 rumor-mill.

Notably, Trump’s DC hotel has hiked prices for March 3 and March 4. It is the only luxury hotel in the area to increase its rates for those nights.

The US Capitol Police, fearing potentially violent clashes, have ordered almost 5,000 National Guard troops to remain stationed in Washington, DC, on March 4.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

National Guard troops are expected to stay in Washington, DC, until mid-March.

Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, referred to the conspiracy theory during a hearing on the matter.

“Some of these people have figured out that apparently 75 years ago, the president used to be inaugurated on March 4,” he said. “OK, now why that’s relevant? God knows. At any rate, now they are thinking, ‘maybe we should gather again and storm the Capitol on March 4’ … that is circulating online.”

A HASC Democratic spokesperson told Insider that Smith had seen the reports identifying March 4 as “another inflection point” in the capital.

“The House Armed Services Committee’s role is to validate that military personnel are used in accordance with their aligned task and requirements,” the spokesperson said.
Will QAnon ever give up?

Security is also expected to be high throughout March to anticipate the still-unscheduled State of the Union address.

The Capitol Police plans to maintain an elevated presence due to intelligence suggesting that extremists have discussed plans to attack the Capitol building during the speech, Politico reported.

Experts, however, don’t expect the insurrectionist violence of January 6 to be replicated on March 4.

Barkun, who previously advised the FBI on security threats posed by extremist groups, said he is confident that sufficient attention is being paid to QAnon’s activities.

View also doubts that there will be widespread violence. “I think the events of January 6 spooked a lot of Q followers,” he told Insider.

But none of the experts Insider spoke to believe QAnon is going away any time soon. It is commonplace for conspiracy theory groups to deal with incorrect predictions by just kicking the can down the road.

“They will construct more and more complex rationalizations that push the events that they wish for farther and farther into the future,” Barkun told Insider.

Amazon workers say the company is plagued by systemic issues that disproportionately harm Black employees, according to a report

KEVIN SHALVEY
FEB 27, 2021, 

Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Amazon released a diversity report in December 2020.

According to Recode, Amazon employees witnessed systematic disadvantages for Black workers. 

Workers told the outlet underrepresented people were sometimes hired at levels below their qualifications.

Amazon responded to Recode, saying it disagreed with the characterization of its company culture. 

More than a dozen current or former employees at Amazon’s corporate headquarters say they witnessed systematic disadvantages for Black and underrepresented workers, according to Recode.

The tech news website quoted an Amazon diversity manager, who said: “We struggle to bring [Black] folks in because there’s not a whole lot of desire, in my opinion, to go outside of our normal practices.”

Once inside the company, those employees sometimes had difficulty advancing, the manager told the outlet.

Later this year, Andy Jassy will take over as chief executive at the retail giant, replacing founder Jeff Bezos. Jassy has spoken about diversity at the company previously, saying at a June 2020 event that the issue was “really important.”

He added: “Frankly, as a technology industry, I think we can be much better. It’s, in my opinion, still way too homogenous.”

Amazon’s most recent diversity data report showed that about 26.5% of its employees were Black, 22.8% were Hispanic, and 13.6% were Asian. About 10.6% of its US managers were Black, 9.5% were Hispanic, and 19.5% were Asian, according to that data.

Amazon staffers also told Recode that Black employees had sometimes been hired for lower-level jobs than they were qualified for. The outlet quoted a diversity and inclusion manager as saying: “It is not uncommon for women, and especially Black women, to have a role advertised at one level but extended an offer at a position that is lower.”

In a statement, Amazon told Recode: “We disagree with this characterization of Amazon’s culture and believe that it misrepresents the facts and is based on the views of a small number of individuals.”

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment on Saturday.

On Twitter, former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao said the reporting on Amazon was “too sad and exhausting so please read it.”

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M

New York attorney general sues Amazon over COVID-19 response lapse


OliverScott


New York attorney general (AG) has sued online retail giant Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) over the handling of worker safety guidelines in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.


In the February 16, 2021 filing, AG Letitia James focuses on the retailer’s handling of two warehouses located on Staten Island and a delivery depot in Queens.

The AG argues that Amazon failed to offer adequate safety protection for workers in the two warehouses. James adds that the retailer retaliated against employees who raised concerns over the conditions.

She cited the March incident where Amazon fired activist Christian Smalls for allegedly violating a paid quarantine. The activist initially led a protest regarding the conditions at the Staten Island warehouse. James adds that by firing Smalls, Amazon was sending a chilling message to other employees. James argues that:


“Amazon employees reasonably fear that if they make legitimate health and safety complaints about Amazon’s Covid-19 response, Amazon will retaliate against them as well.”


James further alleges that Amazon failed to properly clean its buildings, conduct efficient contact tracing for known COVID-19 cases. She notes that Amazon’s growth came at the expense of human life while cutting corners to avoid following the law. The lawsuit states that:


“Throughout the historic pandemic, Amazon has repeatedly and persistently failed to comply with its obligation to institute reasonable and adequate measures to protect its workers. Amazon has cut corners in complying with the particular requirements that would most jeopardize its sales volume and productivity rates.”

Amazon dismisses lawsuit on COVID-19 violations

The company’s spokesperson, identified as Kelly Nantel, insists that Amazon cares about employee safety while disregarding the lawsuit’s contents. Amazon cites the company’s temperature screening policy, signs advising social distancing, and employee shifts at its Staten Island facility as strict measures put in place to protect workers.

“We don’t believe the attorney general’s filing presents an accurate picture of Amazon’s industry-leading response to the pandemic,” Nantel said.

The lawsuit wants also the court to compel Amazon to upgrade its protections for workers and reinstate sacked employees.

The New York AG filing means that Amazon’s initial suit barring James from suing the company failed. Amazon had filed its lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court to stop her from suing. Amazon argues that through the lawsuit, James was overstepping her mandate.

How the fight over 'hero pay' for grocery workers reveals chain stores' massive corporate greed

PAUL CONSTANT
FEB 27, 2021, 

LM Otero/AP Photo

A grocery store worker inspecting meats while wearing PPE during the pandemic.

Paul Constant is a writer at Civic Ventures and a frequent cohost of the “Pitchfork Economics” podcast with Nick Hanauer and David Goldstein.
In this week’s column, Constant talks about the ‘hero pay’ raises some stores like Trader Joe’s and Kroger adopted last year.

Kroger later blamed this raise for store closures, despite paying out billions in profits to the company’s shareholders.

Last March, when lockdowns began, grocery store workers and delivery drivers were rightfully hailed as heroes of the pandemic. Even as restaurants and bars closed to stop the spread of coronavirus, grocery store employees risked their health, and the health of their families, to keep Americans fed while white-collar workers transitioned to home offices. From the very beginning of the pandemic they put on homemade masks to stock shelves, ring up customers, and keep the supply chain working when everything else shut down

At the beginning of the pandemic, public respect for grocery workers was overwhelming and unanimous

Rodney McMullen, the chairman and CEO of the Kroger chain of grocery stores, was effusive in his praise: “Our associates have displayed the true actions of a hero,” McMullen wrote in a press release, acknowledging his staff for “working tirelessly on the frontlines to ensure everyone has access to affordable, fresh food and essentials during this national emergency.”

McMullen backed up his words of support for the heroes on his staff with a bold policy: Kroger, the largest grocery chain in the nation and the second-largest retailer after Walmart, announced on March 31, 2020 that it would “provide all hourly frontline grocery, supply chain, manufacturing, pharmacy and call center associates with a Hero Bonus – a $US2 ($3) premium above their standard base rate of pay, applied to hours worked March 29 through April 18.”

Kroger’s Hero Bonus pay program eventually ended in May, two months into the pandemic. But the pandemic has continued unabated, and grocery store workers continue to live with a very high risk of COVID-19 infection. A Kroger-owned Fred Meyer grocery store in Seattle had an outbreak infecting 10 workers in December, for example. 

Although the risks for grocery workers are still very high, the hero talk has all but disappeared

And so has the hero pay: Kroger employees from around the country report on Indeed that baggers at Kroger grocery stores earn an average of $US9.28 ($12) an hour, while cashiers report pay of $US10.53 ($14). (Bear in mind, too, that those average wages are likely inflated due to cities like Seattle and New York City that embraced a $US15 ($19) minimum wage .) According to nearly 37,000 employee reports, Indeed said, “Few people think they are paid fairly at Kroger Stores.” In exchange for putting their health on the line for a full year in thankless public-facing jobs, many Kroger workers earn wages that don’t even lift them above the poverty line.


This year, leaders began to demand that grocery stores pay their employees extra during the pandemic. Lawmakers in Long Beach and in Seattle, among other cities, passed a $US4 ($5)-per-hour hazard pay bonus for workers at large grocery store chains.

The laws brought some much-needed attention back to workers who have disappeared from the public consciousness, and that pressure seems to have worked: After Seattle’s City Council approved hazard pay, grocery chain Trader Joe’s responded by temporarily raising worker pay around the country by $US4 ($5) an hour.

This is great economic news for everyone: not only are workers being rewarded for performing tasks that white-collar workers would never do, but those workers also have extra money in their pockets, which they’ll spend in their communities – including at grocery stores.
How Kroger responded very differently than Trader Joe’s

In both Long Beach and in Seattle, Kroger issued press releases announcing that they were closing two stores, blaming the hazard pay for the closures.

I suspect the situation in Long Beach is similar, but since I live in Seattle I can better speak to the closures here. The two QFC grocery stores that Kroger is closing in Seattle are small, underperforming stores in upscale, walkable neighborhoods that have other – most would argue superior – grocery options nearby. (The other thirteen QFC stores owned by Kroger in Seattle will remain open, as well as Kroger’s three Fred Meyer stores inside Seattle city limits, where the hazard pay applies.)


And, at least one of the targeted Seattle QFC locations had already been slated for redevelopment in the near future. In other words, it seems likely that Kroger could be exploiting stores that were failing before the pandemic to make the point they really want made – if city councils elsewhere try to raise wages, Kroger will continue to hold their employees’ lives and livelihoods hostage in order to keep wages low and profits sky-high.

Giant corporations love to use splashy intimidation tactics like this to create fear-inducing headlines which help to peel support away from worker protections. But make no mistake: Even though Kroger’s press releases suggested that the grocery business relies on “razor-thin” profit margins, Kroger has been making a ridiculous amount of money during the pandemic.

Because people have been working and eating at home over the last year, Kroger has boasted of record-breaking profits. For the first two quarters of 2020, reports the Detroit Free Press, its net earnings nearly doubled “to more than $US2 ($3).031 billion compared with $US1.069 billion in the same period of 2019.” 

In the third quarter of 2020, Kroger announced operating profits of $US792 ($1,020) million

And with grocery spending in Washington state up by double-digit percentages since the beginning of the pandemic, it seems highly unlikely that hazard pay is the tipping-point expense that forced Kroger to pull the plug on these stores.

And while Kroger isn’t willing to pay the “heroes” its leadership loves to praise in press releases, the corporation happily opened their wallets for shareholders this year, paying out a dividend of 18 cents ($0.23) per share.

Last year, Kroger said in a press release, “We have returned approximately $US6.4 ($8) billion to shareholders via dividends and repurchased shares [also known as stock buybacks] since the beginning of fiscal 2017.” As thanks for returning obscene profits to shareholders, CEO W. Rodney McMullen received $US21 ($27) million in total compensation in 2019, an increase of 76% over the year before and 798 times the median annual Kroger employee salary that same year.

McMullen wasn’t the only one who received hero pay a year before the pandemic, ExecPay noted: “In 2019, six Kroger executives received on average a compensation package of $US8.7 ($11) million, a 46% increase compared to previous year.”

While Kroger can find plenty of money for its CEO, its executive team, and its shareholders, the corporation picks up its toys and heads home when city lawmakers ask it to increase pay for the frontline workers who have been putting their lives on the line so that Kroger can boast about their unprecedented profits.

The math is clear: Kroger’s coffers are more than full enough to reward its employees for their essential work in the midst of a global pandemic. McMullen and his executive team apparently prefer to keep that “hero pay” for themselves.

Republicans take aim at billions set aside in stimulus bill for infrastructure and transport projects, including Amtrak, BART, and 

a bridge to Canada

KEVIN SHALVEY
FEB 27, 2021, 

Andrew Harnik/AP PhotoPresident Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, board an Amtrak train during the 2020 presidential campaign.

The $US1 ($1).9 ($2) trillion stimulus plan passed by the House included funding for Amtrak and BART.

About $US1 ($1).5 ($2) billion would go to the Amtrak train system, Biden’s favored mode of transport. 

Rep. Kevin McCarthy and other Republican lawmakers said some of the infrastructure spending was pork.

Billions from the $US1 ($1).9 ($2) trillion stimulus bill passed by House lawmakers on Friday would go to transportation and infrastructure projects, including extending a subway in Silicon Valley, operating a bridge to Canada, and maintaining the nation’s railway system.

In total, more than $US40 ($51) billion would go to infrastructure and transportation projects, including about $US30 ($39) billion to public transit, and about $US8 ($10) billion to airports. Rep. Kevin McCarthy and other Republican lawmakers said some of that infrastructure spending was pork, calling attention to projects in the bill in areas represented by high-profile Democrats.

“This bill is actually too costly, too corrupt, and too liberal,” McCarthy told Fox News.

The 591-page bill passed by the House on Friday included $US1 ($1).5 ($2) million for operations and maintenance for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York to Canada. In a statement, Rep. Daniel Webster, of Florida, said the bridge funding was a “pet project” of Senator Chuck Schumer, majority leader, who represents New York.

Politifact, the fact-checking group at The Poynter Institute, said the Seaway funding had originally been requested by President Donald Trump’s administration in May 2020.

Also in the House bill was more than $US100 ($129) million for an extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit subway system in San Jose. The money would go toward connecting the BART subway line to Mineta San Jose International Airport, a “long-planned” route extension, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
—Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) February 24, 2021

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Republican, called the plan “Pelosi’s Subway,” although the construction would happen just south of Pelosi’s district, as The San Jose Mercury News reported.

The bill also had more than $US1 ($1).5 ($2) billion for Amtrak, President Joe Biden’s favorite mode of transportation. That funding included about $US820 ($1,056) million for the Northeast Corridor, about $US680 ($875) million for the national rail network, and about $US166 ($214) million for long-distance service restoration and employee recalls, according to the text of the bill.

Rep. Ben Cline added the Amtrak spending to his list of “the most egregious provisions unrelated to COVID” in the stimulus bill.

In a statement, Cline said: “Not only is this legislation riddled with wasteful spending unrelated to COVID and bailouts for blue states like New York and California, but with more than $US1 ($1) trillion in previously authorized coronavirus funds still unspent, it is premature.” 

 IT IS BEING HOARDED BY REPUBLICAN GOVENORS

The White House is beginning to look past recreational marijuana use to fill key Biden administration roles

YELENA DZHANOVA
FEB 27, 2021

Jamie Grill/Getty Images

The Biden administration will overlook past recreational drug use to open up the pool of prospective applicants for key White House roles.

Biden officials recognized that potential applicants might have difficulty securing positions without a waiver dismissing pot consumption, NBC News reported.

Previous users must not use pot during their tenure in office and undergo random drug tests. 

The White House on Friday said it would begin to permit people who’ve used marijuana recreationally to apply for roles within the Biden administration.


The new policy means that some people who’ve used pot on a “limited” basis” will not be penalized by being denied the chance to work in the White House, NBC News reported.

A White House official told NBC News that the policy changed after “intensive consultation with security officials.”

The change will be implemented on a “case-by-case basis,” NBC News reported. Only individuals applying to positions that don’t require a security clearance can receive a waiver overlooking past marijuana use.

Marijuana is not legal under federal law. But there’s a growing movement to legalize pot, and multiple cities and states have been taking the lead on it. In the latest development, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York signaled in January that he intends to make marijuana legal in the state.


“I think this should’ve been passed years ago,” Cuomo said during a January press briefing. “I think too many people have been imprisoned, incarcerated, and punished. Too many of those people are Black, Latino, and poor. It’s exaggerated the injustice of the justice system.”

Biden officials recognized that potential applicants might have difficulty securing positions without a waiver overlooking recreational marijuana use, NBC News reported.

More than three dozen states have legalized marijuana for either recreational or medical consumption.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment.

But in a statement to NBC News, a White House official said that President Joe Biden “is committed to bringing the best people into government – especially the young people whose commitment to public service can deepen in these positions and who can play leadership roles in our country for decades to come.”

“The White House’s policy will maintain the absolute highest standards for service in government that the President expects from his administration, while acknowledging the reality that state and local marijuana laws have changed significantly across the country in recent years,” the statement continued.

Individuals who are granted a waiver and secure a White House position must agree to not use pot during their tenure in office. They also must undergo drug testing at random intervals, according to NBC News.

These guidelines would “effectively protect our national security while modernizing policies to ensure that talented and otherwise well-qualified applicants with limited marijuana use will not be barred from serving the American people,” a White House official told NBC News.

CENSORSHIP;OZ #3 AND TRYING HARDER

TikTok says it faced 32 government requests to remove content in Australia in the second half of 2020 – with only Russia and Pakistan making more requests

DAVID ADAMS
FEB 25, 2021

Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

Social media platform TikTok says it received 32 government requests to remove content in Australia over the second half of 2020.

In a new report, TikTok said those requests led to 74 user accounts being banned or restricted.

Only in Russia and Pakistan did TikTok receive more government requests to remove content.

In its new Transparency Report, published on Wednesday night, TikTok shared some insight into its moderation process, including tallies of external demands to strike content from its platform.

TikTok said that between July 1 and December 31, it received 32 government take-down requests in Australia concerning 98 individual accounts.

Of that number, 74 accounts were removed or restricted.

The short video app counted a total of 16 videos removed or restricted after those clips were highlighted by a government agency or representative.

“When we receive requests from government agencies to restrict or remove content on our

platform in accordance with local laws, we review all material in line with our Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and applicable law, and take the appropriate action,” the report said.

“If we believe that a request isn’t legally valid or doesn’t violate our standards, we may restrict the availability of the reported content in the country where it is alleged to be illegal or we may take no action.”

Only in Russia and Pakistan did TikTok receive more official requests to remove content, with those markets reporting 135 and 97 government take-down notices, respectively.

TikTok Australia was unable to provide Business Insider Australia with further details regarding figures listed in the report.
20 accounts highlighted in legal and emergency data requests

Separately, TikTok said it had received four legal requests to turn over user data in Australia over the second half of 2020.

Of those requests, only one was granted.

In its report, TikTok said law enforcement agencies may request non-public user information, should they have court orders or other legal documents granting them the authority to do so.

Those documents are “carefully reviewed for legal sufficiency” before any data is turned over, TikTok said.

In addition, TikTok said it fielded eight ’emergency’ requests for data, linked to instances where TikTok has “reason to believe, in good faith, that the disclosure of information is required to prevent the imminent risk of death or serious physical injury to any person.”

Six of those requests were granted.

All told, 20 individual accounts were linked to legal and ’emergency’ requests for data.

Australia’s recent history of content takedowns

While recent headlines have been dominated by the Federal Government’s heavyweight bout with Facebook over the news media bargaining code, the latest TikTok figures add an intriguing new layer to Australia’s short and contentious relationship with the social media newcomer.

In September last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded TikTok remove horrific footage of an American man taking his own life, after the video was inadvertently viewed by young Australians nationwide.

The footage, which originated on Facebook, reportedly evaded the app’s moderation systems when users embedded it in seemingly innocuous videos.

Those clips played for several seconds before cutting to the graphic footage.

“Platforms like TikTok need to put in more resources to detect and tear down this sort of harmful content,” Morrison said at the time.

“That is their responsibility.”

At the time, a TikTok spokesperson said its systems were working to automatically detect the footage.

The platform also thanked users who “reported content and warned others against watching, engaging, or sharing such videos on any platform”.

Morrison added that the eSafety Commissioner – the governmental body tasked with ensuring the safety of Australians online – liaised with TikTok about the issue.

Business Insider Australia has contacted the Office of the eSafety Commissioner for comment.

Outside of that kind of distressing footage, it is not unthinkable that the Federal Government would ask TikTok to remove content it deems offensive.

In November, Morrison demanded Twitter remove a doctored image posted by a Chinese diplomat, which appeared to show an Australian special forces soldier killing an Afghan child.

The post – a sharp jab at allegations that war crimes had been committed by Australian troops in Afghanistan – was an “absolutely outrageous and disgusting slur,” Morrison said.

89 million videos removed worldwide

According to Roy Morgan estimates, TikTok counted some 2.5 million Australians users in the first half of 2020.

Given the recent scrutiny – and regulatory burdens – that governments like Australia’s have placed on social media giants like TikTok, the Transparency Report appears to be the platform’s attempt to prove users don’t scroll through an unmoderated wasteland.

“We believe that feeling safe is essential to feeling comfortable expressing yourself authentically, which is why we strive to uphold our Community Guidelines by removing accounts and content that violate them,” said Brent Thomas, TikTok’s regional director of public policy, and Arjun Narayan Bettadapur Manjunath, the app’s head of trust and safety for the APAC sector.

The report claims TikTok removed more than 89 million videos worldwide in the six months leading to December 31, with six million accounts removed for violating the app’s guidelines.

Update: This article has been amended to reflect the fact that footage of a man taking his own life originated on Facebook.

UNSUSTAINABLE
Bitcoin's energy use is 'staggering' and a worry for big investors, Kleinwort investment chief says

HARRY ROBERTSON

FEB 27, 2021

Olga Maltseva/Getty Images 

Bitcoin mining uses vast amounts of electricity.

Bitcoin uses a “staggering” amount of energy each year, the chief investment officer of Societe Generale’s UK private bank said.

Fahad Kamal said it means bitcoin clashes with the new focus on environmental investing.

Yet advocates say that bitcoin mining can be powered by renewable energy.

The energy use of bitcoin is a key factor that makes the cryptocurrency unattractive to institutional investors, the chief investment officer of Société Générale’s UK private bank has said

“We are very alarmed, I’m sure as others are, by the environmental aspects of bitcoin,” Fahad Kamal, the investment boss at SocGen’s Kleinwort Hambros bank, told Insider. He said the energy it used was “staggering.”

Estimates from the University of Cambridge suggest that bitcoin uses more electricity each year than Argentina and Ukraine, due to the energy-intensive mining process.

As the price of bitcoin has soared in recent months, a number of investors have raised questions over bitcoin’s energy consumption. Yet others argue that bitcoin increasingly uses renewable energy – and will do so more in the future.

Bill Gates told CNBC’s Andrew Sorkin in a live-streamed Clubhouse session last week that the currency “uses more electricity per transaction than any other method known to mankind.”

Kamal said bitcoin’s energy use means it clashes with environmental, social and governance investing, which is becoming increasingly important in the financial world.

“If you think about various trends that are occurring in the market, right now, bitcoin is one but ESG is a much bigger one.”

The issue of bitcoin’s energy use has come to the fore in recent weeks, after Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla announced it had bought $US1.5 ($2) billion of the currency in January.

Bitcoin is “mined” when computers are hooked up to the cryptocurrency’s network to verify transactions. As a reward for this work, which involves solving puzzles, miners can sometimes receive small amounts of bitcoin.

Some miners have hooked up whole warehouses of computers to try to get more bitcoin, using vast amounts of electricity.

Yet Matt Blom, head of trading at Nasdaq-listed crypto exchange group Diginex, said fears about bitcoin’s environmental impact were overblown, because in the future almost all mining could be done through renewable energy.

“As time goes by I think that is the way things are going to be,” he told Insider.

A report from Cambridge University in September 2020 estimated that 39% of proof-of-work mining is powered by renewable energy, primarily hydroelectric. And it said more than 70% of miners used renewables as part of their energy mix.

Kamal said: “You can imagine that bitcoin gets environmentally friendly too and is only mined using solar power, but we’re not there yet.

“As of right now, it’s a huge consumption of electricity used to mine it. And that electricity is produced in very dirty ways.

“And for us, that is a big factor,” he said. “The fact that bitcoin is dirty, relatively speaking, is a pretty big issue.”

However, Kamal said Kleinwort Hambros – which is part of SocGen’s €119 billion ($US1.5 ($2) billion) private banking network – does not have a “black and white view” of cryptocurrencies.

“There’s obviously some really positive aspects to it, and some not.” He said many of bitcoin’s problems, such as high volatility, would become less serious if more people adopted the cryptocurrency.

Electric bikes could get much cheaper under a new proposal from two House Democrats

TIM LEVIN
FEB 27, 2021, 2:30 PM

Rad Power BikesThe bill aims to spur e-bike sales and encourage more people to ditch their cars.

A new proposal from two House Democrats could dramatically cut the cost of buying a new e-bike. 

The E-BIKE Act aims to make e-bikes more accessible and to cut the country’s carbon emissions. 

It would provide up to a $US1,500 ($1,931) credit to subsidize 30% of the cost of a new e-bike. 

There are plenty of reasons to buy an e-bike. They offer all the benefits of a normal human-powered bike, but with considerably less sweating and much more utility. Plus, for certain people, they can replace car trips, cutting down on congestion and curbing harmful emissions. 

But one major hurdle to widespread e-bike adoption remains: cost. 

Although some manufacturers are taking it upon themselves to sell low-cost e-bikes – Rad Power Bikes’ new $US1,099 ($1,415) RadMission 1 is an example – by and large, high-quality e-bikes are out of reach for the average consumer. A new proposal from two House Democrats aims to change that.

This month, Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Earl Blumenauer – of California and Oregon, respectively – introduced the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment (E-BIKE) Act, a tax-credit program that aims to spur e-bike sales.

The act would cover 30% of the cost of a new e-bike up to $US1,500 ($1,931) and would apply to new bikes that cost $US8,000 ($10,299) or less. The idea, they said, is to encourage people to take fewer car trips and ultimately reduce their carbon footprint.

“E-bikes are not just a fad for a select few, they are a legitimate and practical form of transportation that can help reduce our carbon emissions,” said Rep. Panetta in a statement. “My legislation will make it easier for more people from all socio-economic levels to own e-bikes and contribute to cutting our carbon output.”

According to the lawmakers, the environmental impact of such a program could be huge. If 15% of car trips were replaced by an e-bike – an ambitious goal – carbon emissions could drop by 12%, they said in a press release, citing an October study out of Portland State University. That makes sense, given that the transportation sector is the single largest source of greenhouse-gas emissions in the US, and passenger cars are the biggest polluter within that category.

The proposal isn’t without precedent. It resembles a federal tax credit program that gives buyers of certain low- and zero-emission cars a rebate worth up to $US7,500 ($9,656). Some politicians and advocates have long argued that a similar incentive should be extended to electric bikes.

In 2019, California passed a bill that provides residents of low-income and disadvantaged communities up to $US7,500 ($9,656) toward the purchase of an e-bike or bike-share membership if they trade in their car. And multiple European countries including France, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have introduced some form of e-bike subsidy.

Bicycling and sustainability groups welcome the policy.

“Incentivizing electric bicycles makes them a competitive transportation option for more Americans and supports a national effort to lower carbon emissions,” Jenn Dice, CEO of advocacy organization PeopleForBikes, said in a statement. “The E-BIKE Act positions rightfully electric bicycles as a critical part of a larger solution to climate change and equitable mobility.”

President Joe Biden’s sweeping plans to transition the US away from fossil fuels – and the fact that Democrats control both chambers of congress – mean that the E-BIKE Act may not be such a stretch. Biden also aims to electrify the federal government fleet, establish half a million new charging stations, and support EV research

Rand Paul is facing backlash for his anti-trans comments equating gender-affirming surgery to 'genital mutilation'

YELENA DZHANOVA
FEB 27, 2021, 

Sen. Rand Paul compared gender-affirming surgery for trans people to “genital mutilation” during a hearing for Dr. Rachel Levine.

Levine, if confirmed by the Senate, will be the first openly trans official approved by the chamber.

Some of Paul’s Democratic colleagues sharply rebuked his remarks. 

During confirmation hearings for Dr. Rachel Levine for assistant health secretary, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky conflated gender-affirming surgery with “genital mutilation.”

Paul on Thursday during a hearing before the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee questioned Levine on her stances regarding healthcare for transgender youth. In doing so, he attempted to correlate transition-related surgery with genital mutilation – a practice health officials have previously called a human rights violation that “has no health benefits.”

“Genital mutilation is considered particularly egregious because … it is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children,” Paul, a former ophthalmologist, said.

Paul then tried to portray Levine as a supporter of “surgical destruction of a minor’s genitalia,” asking her if she believed minors could make “such a life-changing decision as changing one’s sex?”

“For most of our history, we have believed that minors don’t have full rights and that parents need to be involved,” Paul said. “We should be outraged that someone’s talking to a 3-year-old about changing their sex.”
—Chris Johnson (@chrisjohnson82) February 25, 2021

Levine, a pediatrician and an advocate for hormone therapy, has never said children should receive gender reassignment surgery.

“Transgender medicine is a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed,” Levine said in response to Paul. Levine also told Paul she’d further discuss the subject with him if confirmed by the Senate.

Levine, if approved, will become the first openly trans official confirmed by the Senate.

Paul’s comments led to immediate backlash from Democratic lawmakers, who supported Levine.

Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington and the chair of the Senate health committee, rebuked Paul’s questions.

“It is really critical to me that our nominees be treated with respect and that our questions focus on their qualifications and the work ahead of us, rather than on ideological and harmful misrepresentations like those we heard from Senator Paul earlier,” Murray said on Thursday.

Paul’s office did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

Levine, 64, is a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the Penn State College of Medicine. She also serves as the president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

In separate remarks on Thursday, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Republican lawmakers speaking out against trans rights.

Republican “attacks on trans people and the transgender community are just mean,” Schumer said during an in-person press briefing. “And show a complete lack of understanding and a complete lack of empathy. They don’t represent our views, and they don’t represent the views of a majority of Americans. Their despicable comments just make my blood boil with anger. If I didn’t have a mask, you could see my teeth gritting.”