<p id="">An Israeli government biometric program established in the wake of October 7th is no longer justified, according to the National Cyber Directorate.</p><p id="">Following the Hamas invasion and massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023, Israel’s Knesset (Parliament) passed an emergency law requiring anyone applying for an ID card or passport to submit fingerprints in addition to a facial image. It also granted security agencies and law enforcement unprecedented access to taxpayers’ private biometric data without oversight. Although the stated claim of the program was to help security forces identify the bodies killed in the attack, it remains in effect nearly 15 months later. In November, the Ministry of Public Security requested a renewal of the emergency order.</p><p id="">But according to a recent report from the National Cyber Directorate — a government agency that oversees cyber defense in the civilian sphere — the regulations are no longer justified. The directorate’s Naama Ben-Zvi <a href="https://www.calcalist.co.il/calcalistech/article/hyiw4fvnyl" id="">told</a><em id=""> Calcalist </em>that security agencies used the fingerprint database to identify just 106 out of 1,205 victims, or about 11%.&nbsp;</p><p id="">“That doesn't mean they couldn't have been identified by another method," said Ben-Zvi. "The police used a variety of models and methods. They used DNA, dental information, other unique marks, and they also used other fingerprint databases. For example, the IDF's biometric database, which is intended only for identifying fallen and missing persons, was not deleted and includes fingerprints, undeciphered DNA samples, and dental information on 3 million Israelis who enlisted. There were also requests to entities abroad for information, and dentists volunteered photographs of victims.”</p><p id="">Ben-Zvi said Israeli citizens should no longer be compelled to submit fingerprints, though she did not object to ongoing facial image requirements.&nbsp;</p><p id="">“Taking fingerprints from the entire population infringes on privacy,” she explained.</p><h2 id="">Direct access without oversight</h2><p id="">Until the massacre, biometric data belonging to Israeli citizens were stored in a database operated solely by the Interior Ministry’s Biometric Database Management Authority<em id="">.</em> If the Israel Police, Israel Defense Forces, or the internal security agency Shin Bet wanted to confirm the identity of a private citizen, the law only allowed the agencies to submit biometric data to the Biometric Database Management Authority for identity verification. The agencies had no direct access to the database.</p><p id="">For example, police could submit a photo of a person of interest to the Biometric Database Management Authority, which would use facial recognition software to run it against the database’s photos. If a match was found, the agency would be provided with the individual’s identity details. The Authority would not, however, be permitted to provide police with the actual biometric data.</p><p id="">Although the Interior Ministry was <a href="https://www.haaretz.com/2022-05-22/ty-article/.premium/interior-ministry-illegally-shared-millions-of-biometric-images-of-israelis/00000180-f6c4-d18b-a787-f7edc56c0000" id="">found</a> to have operated outside the law for seven years by illegally sharing the biometric data of private citizens with anohter, unidentified, agency, there was some measure of comfort that at least such a law existed.</p><p id="">But that law changed on November 8, 2023. Citing the October 7th attack, Israeli politicians voted to allow security agencies to obtain taxpayers’ private biometric data without any oversight or monitoring. The law has raised concerns about the possibility of a new national biometric database being independently formed by law enforcement and security bodies.</p><h2 id="">An intention from the beginning</h2><p id="">The emergency order drew fierce opposition from digital rights and privacy groups who maintained the Israeli government’s true intention was to make it permanent.</p><p id="">"During the discussion, it was made clear that the security authorities are interested in making the law a permanent law in the future,” said Zvi Dvir from the Movement for Digital Rights at the time. “The decision that during the period of the temporary order, fingerprints of citizens renewing biometric documentation will not be deleted proves the true purpose of the law.”</p><p id="">‍</p>

Israel’s biometric program no longer justified, says cyber directorate

Is the government using October 7th to justify excessive surveillance of taxpayers?

<h2 id="">Billionaires for me, but not for thee</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here&#39; are all the billionaires AOC has zero problem with because they back the Democratic Party: <br><br>George Soros, Mark Zuckerberg, Mark Cuban, Reid Hoffman, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Reed Hastings, Warren Buffett, Michael Bloomberg, Jamie Dimon, Sergey Brin, Haim Saban, Marty… <a href="https://t.co/rPbTHkCent">https://t.co/rPbTHkCent</a></p>&mdash; Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylenabecker/status/1870680714271719464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Are Vitamin K shots OK for babies?</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/hWqA1DB7c2">pic.twitter.com/hWqA1DB7c2</a></p>&mdash; healthbot (@thehealthb0t) <a href="https://twitter.com/thehealthb0t/status/1871182774075293857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">‘Christmas’ is canceled in the UK</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">&#39;The stall traders here have been told they can&#39;t say Christmas.&#39;<a href="https://twitter.com/benleo444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benleo444</a> asks members of the public if the word &#39;Christmas&#39; is being erased from British society.<br><br>🖥️ GB News on YouTube: <a href="https://t.co/KHMl3BS8eC">https://t.co/KHMl3BS8eC</a> <a href="https://t.co/ecjWNywHmk">pic.twitter.com/ecjWNywHmk</a></p>&mdash; GB News (@GBNEWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1870948745132556467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Shoplifters are shocked that stealing is now illegal in California</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is the best video you&#39;ll see today:<br><br>Repeat shoplifters in California learn the hard way that Prop. 36 is now in effect. <br><br>Watch until the end. <a href="https://t.co/T0JePmhLVB">pic.twitter.com/T0JePmhLVB</a></p>&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1871209389841137738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Has the ‘Daniel Penny Effect’ made NYC more dangerous?</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">They have sadly even coined this the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DanielPennyEffect?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DanielPennyEffect</a>.<br><br>Bystanders opting not to step in to help another person for fear of how they may be treated by New York authorities. <a href="https://t.co/ExDJYcXOgH">https://t.co/ExDJYcXOgH</a></p>&mdash; Sihle Ngobese (@BigDaddyLiberty) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigDaddyLiberty/status/1872146679039926410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">NY governor boasts about subway safety hours before a woman is burned to death</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hours after a migrant lit a woman on fire and watched her burn to death on the subway, Governor Kathy Hochul is posting staged photos on the subway boasting about how safe it is. Unreal. <a href="https://t.co/GVnRcZfTBg">pic.twitter.com/GVnRcZfTBg</a></p>&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1871001451033702567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Biden admin revises fake job numbers after Trump’s win</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Now that Trump has won, they are revising all of their numbers during the Biden administration.<br><br>The govt initially reported Q2 of 2024 had 653,000 job gains. It was actually NEGATIVE.<br><br>There was also a revision of 800,000 jobs from last year. They falsified the data to try to… <a href="https://t.co/xnmayjjCKP">https://t.co/xnmayjjCKP</a></p>&mdash; Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) <a href="https://twitter.com/WallStreetMav/status/1872000462863352013?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Ronald Reagan’s advice on reckless government spending</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very wise words <br> <a href="https://t.co/5yH99l3kId">pic.twitter.com/5yH99l3kId</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1871520121212346496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">DHS: Fighting child trafficking is not our responsibility</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Very wise words <br> <a href="https://t.co/5yH99l3kId">pic.twitter.com/5yH99l3kId</a></p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1871520121212346496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Comedian Rob Schneider explains why Democrats lost the election</h2><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Don&#39;t miss this Rob Schneider video from Turning Point USA where he explains why the Democrats lost the election. It&#39;s a must-watch, check it out! <a href="https://t.co/Ek7zD3rHS7">pic.twitter.com/Ek7zD3rHS7</a></p>&mdash; 🇺🇸𝐃𝐔𝐓𝐂𝐇🇺🇸 (@pr0ud_americans) <a href="https://twitter.com/pr0ud_americans/status/1871575461010215096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

This week on X

‍Here are this week’s top ten tweets on X, according to The Gold Report’s analysts

<p id="">The school board of Colorado Springs District 11 (D11) has severed ties with the National Education Association — the country’s largest teachers union — as part of a continued effort to reverse the damage caused by woke policies.</p><h2 id="">DEIstroyed</h2><p id="">In 2018, the D11 school district hired Dr. Michael Thomas as superintendent. Thomas promoted an aggressive DEI agenda that left schools preoccupied with “diversity” and “equity.” He pushed “inclusive” practices race-based hiring favoring non-White teaching staff, addressing teachers’ “implicit biases,” and modifying disciplinary policies. In 2020, with the school board’s approval, he created a Department of Equity and Inclusion. George Floyd’s death around the same time propelled Thomas and the board to intensify their efforts, which included hiring a firm to audit the school’s diversity.</p><p id="">In June 2021, the firm told the board that D11’s Black and Hispanic students were underperforming when compared to White students. This was immediately blamed on a lack of diversity and racism among teachers. D11’s new DEI czar, Alexis Knox-Miller, proposed hiring more non-White teachers as a solution. When Parth Melpakam, one of the board members, agreed with the proposal but insisted that competence remain a job requirement, he was accused of being racist.</p><p id="">By then, D11 schools had fallen into disrepair. Enrollment was plummeting, and 15 schools — nearly a third of the district — were performing so poorly they were placed on a state watchlist. Mitchell High was about to be taken over by the state. Just 17% of D11’s students were proficient in math, and only 34% were proficient in English language arts.&nbsp;</p><h2 id="">A revolution</h2><p id="">D11’s abysmal condition galvanized parents, and in November 2021 conservatives flipped two seats on the school board, giving the district its first conservative majority in decades. The board, now under President Parth Melpakam, immediately <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/06/08/school-board-equity-critical-race-theory/" id="">dismissed</a> Thomas and disbanded the DEI department. It hired Michael Gaal, a results-oriented veteran, as the new superintendent. Academic performance became the new focus and schools began offering STEM classes and trade education. Cell phones were banned in classrooms and teachers received the highest raises in the district’s history. The board trimmed $4.5 million of administrative fat and offered scholarships based on academic performance. In 2023, the board’s conservative majority rose to 6-1.</p><p id="">The change has been significant. As of this year, the number of schools on the state watchlist has fallen from 15 to three. Mitchell High, instead of being taken over by the state, now has a program that builds aircraft engines. Enrollment, grades, and graduation rates have all improved.</p><div data-rt-embed-type='true'><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">(7/10) In such a short time, the results are already shocking:<br><br>✅ Brought the number of schools on the state watchlist for poor performance down to 3.<br><br>✅ Improved enrollment for the first time in over a decade (for two consecutive years).<br><br>✅ Academics, graduation rates, and… <a href="https://t.co/7nBW3tJJLr">pic.twitter.com/7nBW3tJJLr</a></p>&mdash; D11 Momentum (@D11Momentum) <a href="https://twitter.com/D11Momentum/status/1871342117009719669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2 id="">Cutting the NEA loose</h2><p id="">On December 11th, D11’s school board took another major step: it voted to discontinue the district’s 56-year-old contract with the Colorado Springs Education Association (CSEA), the local affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA). The teachers union has <a href="https://www.thegoldreport.com/news/organize-for-power-largest-teachers-union-signals-more-woke-ideologies-in-schools" id="">vowed</a> to “transform” the education system into a hotbed of controversial ideologies like transgenderism and DEI. It promotes Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools, which teaches that White children are natural oppressors while others are perpetual victims. When parents pushed back on the indoctrination, the NEA <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/coordinated-attack-on-parents-nea-called-on-big-tech-to-combat-anti-crt-propaganda-pushed-by-violent-radicalized-parents" id="">begged</a> social media platforms to censor such “violent group[s] of radicalized parents.” The NEA also <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/04/14/jim-banks-scott-fitzgerald-propose-to-repeal-national-education-association-charter/" id="">fought</a> rabidly for school closures during the pandemic, a move that devastated children.&nbsp;</p><p id="">CSEA has been restricting the school board from governing as it should, members say. And despite being a “nonelected private corporation,” it has been impeding progress, making demands, and evading accountability. Board Secretary Jason Jorgenson also said negotiations have soured between school board members and CSEA officials.</p><p id="">‍</p>

School district cuts ties with top teachers union amid major anti-woke overhaul

Here's how the school board of Colorado Springs District 11 is taking back education

<p id="">In a highly unusual move, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas earlier this month overrode fellow Justice Elena Kagan’s decision to reject a First Amendment case.</p><p id="">The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24476428-stockton-v-ferguson/" id="">lawsuit</a> was filed in early March against Washington Attorney General Robert Ferguson and the Washington Medical Commission (WMC), which has been targeting physicians for challenging government pseudoscience on COVID-19. The WMC <a href="https://wmc.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/COVID-19/COVID-19%20Misinformation%20Position%20Statement.pdf" id="">announced</a> in September 2021 that it would penalize doctors who share “COVID-19 misinformation,” which it fretted might “erode the public trust in the medical profession.” It fulfilled its promise by punishing roughly 60 physicians with investigations, prosecutions, and/or sanctions. That policy remains in effect even though the pandemic ended in April 2023.</p><p id="">“These cases are at least in part based on what in First Amendment parlance is called pure or soapbox speech, meaning written or verbal communications to the public (as opposed to a physician’s communications to an individual patient as part of a doctor/patient interaction),” says the complaint, adding: “Going back seventy-years [sic], every judge and Supreme Court justice who has written on professional soapbox speech has stated that it is fully protected by the First Amendment and/or said that it cannot be the subject of government regulation or restriction.”</p><p id="">Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include incoming HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr; basketball star-turned-freedom activist John Stockton; and over 50 physicians, some of whom were persecuted by the WMC and others who say they are self-censoring out of fear of government reprisal. They argue that not only is the WMC violating the First Amendment rights of doctors, but it is also violating the public’s right to hear their message.</p><p id="">Obtaining a judgment against the WMC has been an uphill battle. A district court dismissed the case in May and it now sits before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has already denied a preliminary injunction, <a href="https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/very-unusual-thomas-overrides-kagan-in-covid-related-first-amendment-case-where-rfk-jr-serves-as-cocounsel-sends-dispute-to-full-court/">according</a> to <em id="">Law&amp;Crime.</em></p><p id="">The plaintiffs therefore turned to the Supreme Court, which uses a voting process to choose which cases to adjudicate. If four out of nine justices vote to accept a case, the court will hear oral arguments. In October, the plaintiffs <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A440/330563/20241030154850494_130475%20Application%20FINAL.pdf" id="">applied</a> to Justice Kagan, whose circuit assignment is the Ninth Circuit, to bring <em id="">Stockton v. Ferguson </em>to a vote. Kagan denied the request on November 20th without explanation.&nbsp;</p><p id="">In a bold maneuver, the plaintiffs <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24A440/332517/20241122090710309_rule24.4refiling.pdf" id="">submitted</a> a new application, this time to Justice Thomas, even though his circuit assignment is not the Ninth Circuit. They banked on Thomas’ reputation as a free speech absolutist who is fastidious about the First Amendment. The strategy worked, and Thomas has agreed to bring the case to a vote on January 10th, overriding Justice Kagan.</p><h2 id="">'Sometimes bold action is necessary'</h2><p id="">“We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will agree to hear the case, and once it hears the case, it will decide that physicians like all other people have the right to speak out in public on matters of public interest,” lead attorney Richard Jaffe told <em id="">The Gold Report</em>. “That is a bedrock First Amendment principle articulated by justices and judges for 90 years.”&nbsp;</p><p id="">Jaffe acknowledged that his move was unusual and said to expect more out-of-the-box strategies in this case.</p><p id="">“Sometimes bold action is necessary,” he said.</p><p id="">If the case goes to oral arguments, Jaffe is confident that at least three justices will rule on the side of free speech, and he expects they will be joined by others.</p><p id="">‍</p>

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