6 tech policy issues you should be following

It's time to begin paying attention to the tech policies formulated in the U.S right now., starting with the 5 very important policy issues we've listed below:

Stop Watching Us brings 85 organizations together to demand truth and transparency on PRISM

"The revelations about the National Security Agency's surveillance apparatus, if true, represent a stunning abuse of our basic rights," the organization's open letter reads. "We demand the U.S. Congress reveal the full extent of the NSA's spying programs."

Move over C-SPAN, Congress is getting supercharged YouTube channels

It's difficult to connect with our members of congress, who have busy schedules traveling between their hometowns and Washington D.C., but YouTube is trying to make things a bit easier.

Copyright, DMCA, and public interest: House Judiciary Committee to conduct ‘comprehensive review’ of U.S. copyright law

"The DMCA's unintended consequences on our rights to modify and repair the electronics we buy, and to remix and make fair use of copyright content could easily be fixed as part of a larger Copyright reform act."

Entrepreneurs applaud Senate’s backing of medical device tax repeal

The Senate has backed a repeal of a 2.3 percent tax on medical device makers that was enacted as part of Obamacare.

Health app makers to feds: Dithering on regulation is stifling innovation

Congress is conducting a three-day series of hearings to decide how to regulate the explosion of health apps on smartphone and tablet devices.

Congress yanks warrantless e-mail tapping protections just before Christmas

Congress decided to kill an amendment to an older piece of legislation that would have prevented authorities from viewing a person's email messages without obtaining a warrant.

Stalkers, prepare to be thwarted: Senate passes location privacy bill

The U.S. Senate has just passed a bill that would take the teeth out of online and mobile stalking by creating new rules for location privacy.

Congress: pass the SHIELD anti-patent-troll bill (pretty please)

Patent trolls cost the U.S. economy almost $30 billion each year. But now Congress has an opportunity to save that money and help innovators sleep a little better at night.

The SHIELD act – Saving High-Tech Innovators from Egregious Legal …

Congress to probe Facebook, underwriters for answers

Add the House and the Senate to the growing list of parties with serious questions and concerns about how Facebook, its underwriters, and the NASDAQ handled the most anticipated initial public offering in recent history.

Both the Senate Banking Committee …

House passes CISPA despite veto threats and a sea of angry Internet protesters

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a hotly protested cyber security bill, CISPA, with a vote of 248 to 168 this afternoon.

CISPA, or the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, seeks to give American companies more legal breathing …

Forkly discloses its data-collection practices in open letter to Congress

One iOS app maker is so confident in the righteousness of its data collection practices that it has responded to a congressional inquiry with an open letter detailing the types of user information it collects, transmits, and stores.

“In full …

34 iOS app makers at center of congressional inquiry on data collection practices

Not satisfied with Apple’s updated privacy policies, members of a congressional subcommittee dedicated to consumer protection have gone directly to the makers of social iOS applications and are demanding answers on how these apps access personal data.

G.K. Butterfield and …

Congress still not satisfied with Apple’s privacy protections, requests briefing

Despite a detailed response from Apple CEO Tim Cook and the introduction of new privacy policies, U.S. government officials aren’t yet satisfied that Apple is doing enough to protect the information of its customers.

G.K. Butterfield and Henry Waxman, ranking …

Rep. Darrell Issa does Reddit Q&A about ACTA, piracy laws, & more

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) tackled questions about technology and anti-piracy legislation from users of community news-sharing site Reddit yesterday.

Having Issa participate in a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) is a big deal because the site generates over two …

Congress passes bill paving the way for more wireless spectrum (kind of)

Both houses of Congress passed a bill today that could give Americans access to more of the wireless spectrum; however, this access will cost us some free broadcast TV stations.

If you search for some kind of appropriately named piece …

Congress demands answers from Apple on address book privacy

The questionable practices of little-known iPhone application Path led to the unearthing of evidence that many other iPhone apps also take consumers’ address book data. The ensuing public outcry prompted U.S. government officials today to question the one company that …