Technology

Recode Daily: Rep. Ro Khanna explains the 10 principles of his ‘internet bill of rights’

Plus, what to expect (after all the leaks) from Google’s Tuesday Pixel hardware showcase; Facebook is launching a video device for the home; I’m sorry — we can’t fantasize our way out of this mess.

by Recode Staff

Oct 8, 2018, 1:44 PM UTC

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.

Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call

California’s Rep. Ro Khanna has outlined a set of new regulations for Silicon Valley that Democratic legislators may start pushing next year if they recapture Congress in November. Khanna’s congressional district includes the headquarters of Apple, Google and Facebook; his 10 principles include greater transparency regarding online data collection practices, opt-in consent for data collection and consumer choice when it comes to internet service providers. In her latest op-ed for the New York Times, Recode Editor at Large Kara Swisher previews Khanna’s “internet bill of rights”; on a bonus episode of Recode Decode, Khanna explains all 10 potential regulations, which Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi tasked him with drafting after Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica affair. [Kara Swisher / Recode]

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The U.S. Senate confirmed Brett M. Kavanaugh as the 114th Supreme Court justice on Saturday by one of the narrowest margins in history amid mass protests, ending a vitriolic battle over his nomination and solidifying a conservative majority on the court. As a throng of angry demonstrators stood on the steps of the Capitol, the Senate finalized on a near party-line vote of 50 to 48 what will certainly be one of President Trump’s most enduring legacies — two Supreme Court justices in two years in an increasingly polarized nation. The brutal confirmation fight is likely to have far-reaching implications in next month’s midterm elections. [Seung Min Kim and John Wagner / The Washington Post]

Apple had its moment last month, and tomorrow it’s Google’s turn to show off new hardware in its Pixel, Home and Chromecast lines. Here are 10 leaked devices and features — and a few potential surprises that Google could conjure up on Tuesday at 11 a.m., including the fully spoilered Pixel 3 and 3XL phones and a wireless charging stand; a Pixel Slate tablet and an updated Pixelbook 2 notebook and … no Pixel Smartwatch. [Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge]

Employees at Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Salesforce.com are increasingly asking whether the products they are working on are being used for surveillance in places like China or for military projects in the United States or elsewhere. That’s a change from the past, when Silicon Valley workers typically developed products with little questioning about the social costs. The shift coincides with concerns about the Trump administration’s policies and the larger role of technology in government. [Kate Conger and Cade Metz / The New York Times]

The combined power of two very different movies drove total North American revenue to an all-time high of roughly $174 million for the month of October. Sony’s comic book movie “Venom” devoured $80 million from 4,250 theaters in its domestic opening, easily the best showing ever for an October title. And Warner Bros.’ Lady Gaga-starring “A Star Is Born” remake likewise came in ahead of expectations, collecting $42.6 million domestically from 3,686 cinemas. The top October opening had previously belonged to Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity,” which took off with $55.7 million in 2013, not adjusted for inflation. [Pamela McClintock / The Hollywood Reporter]