FBI Buying Data to Track People's Location History, Patel Says

The FBI is buying up information that can be used to track people’s movement and location history, Director Kash Patel said during a Senate hearing. It is the first confirmation that the agency is actively buying people’s data since former Director Christopher Wray said in 2023 that the FBI had purchased location data in the past but was not doing so at that time.

British Regulator Investigating Adobe Over Cancellation Fees

Britain's competition regulator has launched an investigation into ​Photoshop maker Adobe to examine whether its early cancellation fees ‌were unfair and misleading, the watchdog said. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will look at whether customers are given "clear and timely information upfront" about early cancellation fees, ​which are likely to influence their decision to purchase the ​product, it said.

Justice Department Charges Three with Trying to Sell AI Tech to China

The U.S. Justice Department said that three ‌people have been charged with conspiring to unlawfully divert U.S. artificial intelligence technology to China. The FBI said Yih-Shyan Liaw, Ruei-Tsang Chang, and Ting-Wei Sun "allegedly conspired to sell billions of dollars worth of servers integrating ​sensitive, controlled graphic processing units to buyers in China, in violation of U.S. ​export control laws."

U.S. Urges Companies to Secure Accounts Using Microsoft Tool

The U.S. government is warning businesses to secure their corporate accounts within a popular Microsoft Corp. management tool, following a cyberattack on Stryker Corp. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an advisory urging companies to follow Microsoft’s recommendations for fortifying Intune, a tool that manages employee and administrative account access across an organization.

Justice Department Seizes Websites Used by Iran to Support Hackers

The Justice Department seized several websites it says were used by Iran as part of “psychological operations” targeting perceived advisories and spreading terrorist propaganda. Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security was using the four websites, in part, to post “sensitive data stolen during such hacks, and calling for the killing of journalists, regime dissidents, and Israeli persons,” the DOJ said in an announcement.

  • Read the article: CNN

Appeals Court Lifts Injunction Against California Social Media Law

A federal appeals court threw out much of an injunction that had blocked ‌California from enforcing a state law meant to shield children from social media and other online content that could harm them mentally or physically. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the trade group NetChoice was unlikely to prove that the ​California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act was unconstitutional on its face, violating the First Amendment rights of members, ​such as Amazon.com, Google, Meta Platforms, Netflix and Elon Musk's X by turning them ⁠into censors.

British Regulators Pushing Social Media to Increase Child Protection

Britain's media and privacy regulators demanded that major social ‌media platforms do more to keep children off their services, warning that companies were failing to enforce their own minimum age rules. Britain has been weighing tougher curbs on children's access to social media, with the government considering barring under 16s from such platforms - mirroring a ​move by Australia.

Anthropic Wants Court to Block Pentagon's Designation as Security Risk

Anthropic sought a stay from a U.S. appeals ​court after the Pentagon said the company ‌was a supply-chain risk, pending a judicial review of the case, adding that the designation could cost it billions ​of dollars in lost revenue. Anthropic's latest request comes ​after a weeks-long dispute over technology guardrails on ⁠the use of Anthropic's artificial intelligence tools by ​the U.S. military.

Canada Reverses Stance, Allows TikTok with Security Commitments

Canada will allow TikTok to continue operating in the country, a complete reversal after the government had previously ordered the social media company to close its Canadian division for security reasons. In November 2024, under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada ordered ByteDance Ltd., TikTok’s Chinese-backed owner, to wind down its Canadian subsidiary.

Anthropic Sues Trump Administration After Being Labeled Security Threat

Anthropic filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for designating the artificial-intelligence company a security threat and trying to cancel its federal contracts, bringing the battle between the two sides to the court system. Shortly after Anthropic filed its lawsuit, 37 AI researchers at competitors OpenAI and Google filed a brief urging the court to side with Anthropic, highlighting how the fight has rippled through Silicon Valley.

AI Tools Playing Important Role in U.S., Israeli Attacks on Iran

The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have unfolded at unprecedented speed and precision thanks to months of planning, a massive assemblage of military force and a cutting-edge weapon never before deployed on this scale: artificial intelligence. AI tools are helping gather intelligence, pick targets, plan bombing missions and assess battle damage at speeds not previously possible. AI helps commanders manage supplies of everything from ammunition to spare parts and lets them choose the best weapon for each objective.

Trump Signs Executive Order to Review Ways to Fight Cybercrime

President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at fighting cybercrime, including fraud and extortion, directing officials to identify robust tools to combat transnational criminal organizations preying on American families, businesses and infrastructure. The directive calls for a “comprehensive review to determine what operational, technical, diplomatic, and regulatory tools could be improved to combat transnational criminal organizations” that carry out cybercrimes and “predatory schemes,” according to the White House.

Indonesia to Ban Children Under 16 Years Old from Using Social Media

Indonesia will ban social media for children under 16, Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said. Hafid in a statement to media said that she just signed a government regulation that will mean children under the age of 16 can no longer have accounts on high-risk digital platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox.

Senate Approves Updated Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed proposed legislation known as COPPA 2.0, which aims to create new protections for younger users online, such as blocking platforms from collecting their personal data without consent. COPPA 2.0 is a modernized take on the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, attempting to address recent changes in common online activities, like targeted advertising, that could prove harmful to minors.

Turkish Bill Would Ban Social Media Access for Children Under 15

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party submitted to parliament ​a draft bill that would ban social ‌media access for children younger than 15. With the bill, Turkey is following the example of Australia, several European countries and others ​which have adopted or are considering similar restrictions, amid ​mounting concerns over the impact of social media ⁠on children's health and safety.

Subscribe

The GigaLaw Firm helps companies of all sizes protect their brands online, using domain name dispute policies – such as the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) – and other legal tools available to copyright and trademark owners on the Internet.