Facebook has approached academics and policy experts about forming a commission to advise it on global election-related matters, said five people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would allow the social network to shift some of its political decision-making to an advisory body. The New York Times reports: The proposed commission could decide on matters such as the viability of political ads and what to do about election-related misinformation, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential. Facebook is expected to announce the commission this fall in preparation for the 2022 midterm elections, they said, though the effort is preliminary and could still fall apart. Outsourcing election matters to a panel of experts could help Facebook sidestep criticism of bias by political groups, two of the people said. The company has been blasted in recent years by conservatives, who have accused Facebook of suppressing their voices, as well as by civil rights groups and Democrats for allowing political misinformation to fester and spread online. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, does not want to be seen as the sole decision maker on political content, two of the people said.

If an election commission is formed, it would emulate the step Facebook took in 2018 when it created what it calls the Oversight Board, a collection of journalism, legal and policy experts who adjudicate whether the company was correct to remove certain posts from its platforms. Facebook has pushed some content decisions to the Oversight Board for review, allowing it to show that it does not make determinations on its own. Facebook, which has positioned the Oversight Board as independent, appointed the people on the panel and pays them through a trust.

Internal conversations around an election commission date back to at least a few months ago, said three people with knowledge of the matter. An election commission would differ from the Oversight Board in one key way, the people said. While the Oversight Board waits for Facebook to remove a post or an account and then reviews that action, the election commission would proactively provide guidance without the company having made an earlier call, they said.

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Source: Slashdot – Facebook Said To Consider Forming An Election Commission

South Korea is ending a law it announced in 2011 that blocked young gamers from accessing game websites after midnight. “South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, as well as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, say that they’re ending the law to respect children’s rights and encourage at-home education,” reports Engadget. “The country aims to abolish the law by the end of the year when it revises its Youth Protection Act.” From the report: The news doesn’t mean underage gamers are entirely off the hook, though. Instead, excessive gaming will be managed by the country’s “choice permit” system, which lets parents and guardians arrange approved play times. Still, that sounds more permissive than China’s gaming curfew, which bans players under 18 from playing between 10PM and 8AM. Additionally, they’re limited to 90 minutes of game time during weekdays, and three hours on weekends and holidays.

As Kotaku reports, the shutdown law was originally meant to curb PC gaming, but it also affected consoles. Sony’s PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox Live ended up restricting their accounts to adults. That’s why Minecraft is now an R-rated game in the country. “In the changing media environment, the ability of children to decide for themselves and protect themselves has become important more than anything,” Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said, according to The Korea Times. “We will work with related ministries to systematically support media and game-use education at schools, homes, and in society so that young people can develop these abilities, and continue to make efforts to create a sound gaming environment and various leisure activities for children.”

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Source: Slashdot – South Korea To End Its Controversial Gaming Curfew

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: U.S. health regulators could approve a third COVID-19 shot for adults beginning at least six months after full vaccination, instead of the previously announced eight-month gap, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. Approval of boosters for three COVID-19 shots being administered in the United States — those manufactured by Pfizer and partner BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — is expected in mid-September, the report said, citing a person familiar with the plans.

Pfizer and BioNTech have already started the application process for the approval of its booster shot in people 16 and older, saying it spurs a more than three-fold increase in antibodies against the coronavirus. Earlier this week, U.S. regulators granted full approval to Pfizer’s two-dose vaccine. Moderna said on Wednesday it has completed the real-time review needed for a full approval for its jab in people 18 and above. Earlier today, Johnson & Johnson announced that booster doses of its one-shot coronavirus vaccine generated a big spike in antibodies. “People who received a booster six to eight months after their initial J&J shots saw antibodies increase nine-fold higher than 28 days after the first shot,” reports CNN, citing Johnson & Johnson.

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Source: Slashdot – US Plans COVID-19 Booster Shots At Six Months Instead of Eight

California has expanded its anti-discrimination lawsuit against Activision Blizzard, adding temporary workers to the female full-time employees of whom it is suing on behalf. The state’s Department of Fair Employment & Housing also alleges the game maker has interfered with its investigation. Axios reports: The amended complaint was filed Monday and redefines the “group” it says was wronged by the gaming giant. A copy reviewed by Axios specifically mentions that California’s protections against anti-harassment, equal pay and other equal employment opportunity protections “exist for employees and contingent or temporary workers.” Throughout the lawsuit, the word “employees” has been changed to “workers” in reference to harassment, sex discrimination regarding pay and other allegations.

The DFEH also says Activision Blizzard has stymied its efforts through NDAs, requiring employees to speak with the company ahead of contacting the DFEH, and its involvement with WilmerHale, a law firm the game maker said will investigate misconduct issues. The suit claims that this “directly interferes” with DFEH’s ability to “investigate, prosecute, and remedy workplace discrimination and harassment violations on behalf of employees and contingent or temporary workers.” It alleges, in part, that “documents related to investigations and complaints were shredded by human resource personnel” in violation of what it asserts is the game company’s legal obligation to retain them pending the investigation. A spokesperson for Activision Blizzard said that the company has “complied with every proper request in support of its review even as we had been implementing reforms to ensure our workplaces are welcoming and safe for every employee.”

“With regards to claims that we have destroyed information by shredding documents, those claims are not true. We took appropriate steps to preserve information relevant to the DFEH investigation,” the spokesperson added. “We have provided the DFEH with clear evidence that we do not have gender pay or promotion disparities. Our senior leadership is increasingly diverse, with a growing number of women in key leadership roles across the company.”

California sued the video game studio last month over allegations of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and potential violations of the state’s equal pay law.

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Source: Slashdot – California Expands Lawsuit Against Activision Blizzard