Government opacity and rules aimed at tech
The top policy story says the US government is hiding a secret court ruling on how it spies on Americans. In contrast, "Git for the US Code" tracks legislation as versioned diffs, a transparency tool built by outsiders. Old threads in the feed show the same tension from the regulation side: an FCC commissioner proposing security-update rules and labeling for IoT devices, where commenters want opt-outs, open firmware, and an exemption for open source developers. Another asks people to sign a letter restoring the software-development tax deduction under Section 174, which one commenter says could leave a company owing taxes after selling 200k of software in a year.
The pattern: the rules that most affect builders are written with little technical input. Builders respond by writing the tools themselves.
No one is relaxed about it. Even supporters of IoT update mandates worry about enforcement and about manufacturers using update access to remove features.
So what?
Watch rules on device security, data retention, and tax treatment of R&D, because they change your costs before they change your product. Founders who engage early, or build the compliance tooling, get a say or a business.
Read these
US Government is hiding a secret court ruling about how it spies on Americans
Git for the US Code
Ask HN: I’m an FCC Commissioner proposing regulation of IoT security updates
Tell HN: Help restore the tax deduction for software dev in the US (Section 174)