After filing a lawsuit against Meta, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is now after Google. The AG has sued Google over the alleged unlawful use of biometric data scraped from photos and voice recordings. He claims that it’s hit millions of Texans, yet that Google failed to obtain their informed consent to collect their data.
Texas sues Meta over its shut-down facial recognition system, seeking over $500 billion
Even though Facebook shut down its facial recognition system, it still might get it into legal trouble. Texas Attorney General recently sued Facebook’s parent company Meta over using Texans’ biometric data without their consent. And if Texas wins the lawsuit, it could reportedly cost Meta over $500 billion.
Texas institutions can use your copyrighted photos for free, court rules
After the University of Houston used a photo by Jim Olive without permission, the photographer decided to sue. However, Texas appeals court has now ruled out that the University doesn’t have to pay the photographer for the use of his image. As a public institution, the university claims that it has sovereign immunity, so it can’t be sued.
Wedding photographer arrested for having sex with a guest and peeing on a tree
Well, this isn’t something you hear every day. According to reports, Texas wedding photographer, Katie Mehta was arrested during a wedding the Springs Event Venue in Weatherford, TX over the weekend. Her crime? Apparently, having sex with a guest, peeing on a tree and threatening police officers.
Sugar Land, Texas erects statues in honour of selfie shooters
People have been creating statues to celebrate the the real and fictional characters they have admired for at least the last 35,000 years. Washington has Lincoln, Philadelphia has Rocky, and Sugar Land, Texas has… two ladies shooting a selfie.
Described by one Facebook commentator as the reason “why people hate the young generation!”, opinions seem pretty consistent regarding the new city feature.
Finding Photo Worthy Scenes In Big Cities & A Few Quick Tips On How To Capture Them
In the clip below, National Geographic Traveler photographer, Dan Westergren, wanders the city streets looking for great photographs–sharing his process with us along the way.
Though this particular clip is set in the weird city (their words, not mine) of Austin, Texas, all of the tips Westergren shares in the video can easily be substituted in just about any major metropolis. No, you may not be able to capture Texas’s capital building or visit a really fun looking beard contest, but the pointers are just as valid.[Read More…]
‘Police Buffer Zone’ Bill Attacked By Law Enforcement Groups and Legal Experts
The bill proposing to ban recording police within 25-feet of them faced strong opposition from concerned citizens and civil right activists, and was said to be changed to 15-feet after its author received death threats.
What might be the bill’s death strike has now come from legal experts as well as the very same people the bill claims to be assisting.
Refusing to get out of the headlines, Jason Villalba is now spearheading another controversial bill.
Bill Criminalizing Photographers Leads to Death Threats; Will Be Amended
The backlash sparked by Bill 2918, which would make photographing police within 25 feet of them a misdemeanor, went far beyond the usual social media posts.
Jason Villalba said his family received significant death threats following the proposed bill, but that he remains adamant not to withdraw it. Instead he will “considerably rewrite it”.[Read More…]
Texas Bill Threatens To Criminalize Photographers; Must Stay 25 Feet Away From Police
Texas representative Jason Villalba introduced a bill that will restrict the public’s right to record police activity, and turn photographing or recording the men (and women) in blue into a class B misdemeanor. The 25 feet limit jumps to 100 feet for armed photographers.
Villalba claims the sole purpose of the bill is to protect officers in the field, but free speech advocates are enraged.
Certain exceptions are made, allowing very specific media types to photograph police from any distance.
Dallas, TX: A Mobile View
It’s Earth Day, and although the holiday’s not exactly something we’re all getting work and classes off for, it’s nice for us to have a reminder that we all have one home. And that home isn’t all green. It also comprises hundreds of cities, each with their own separate, distinct cultures and customs.
I decided today was a good day to showcase a set of photos I’ve taken of the city I’ve grown up in. With all the amazing shots I see through websites like 500px of Chicago, Seattle, or Manhattan, I wanted to add on and give you guys a view of my home: Dallas, Texas.
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