Google to Require Disclosures on Altered Content in Election Ads

Google said it would make it mandatory for advertisers to disclose election ads that use digitally altered content to depict real or realistic-looking people or events, its latest step to battle election misinformation. The update to the disclosure requirements under the political content policy requires marketers to select a checkbox in the "altered or synthetic content" section of their campaign settings.

EU Says Meta's Subscription Model Violates Digital Markets Act

The European Union charged Meta Platforms with breaching its new digital-competition law, saying the company’s policy of giving users the option of either paying a subscription fee or allowing it to use their data for targeted advertising doesn’t provide adequate choice. The social-media company introduced the so-called pay or consent model for European users of Facebook and Instagram last year as part of its plan to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act.

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge to Age-Verification Law for Porn Sites

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider whether a Texas law that requires pornographic websites to verify the age of individual users in an effort to restrict access to minors violates constitutional free speech protections. The justices took up an appeal by a trade group representing adult entertainment performers and companies of a lower court's decision upholding the Republican-led state's age-verification measure, finding that it likely did not violate the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment safeguard against government infringement of speech.

Supreme Court Avoids Decision on Social Media Content Moderation Laws

The Supreme Court avoided a definitive resolution of challenges to laws in Florida and Texas that curb the power of social media companies to moderate content, leaving in limbo an effort by Republicans who have promoted such legislation to remedy what they say is a bias against conservatives. Instead, the justices unanimously agreed to return the cases to lower courts for analysis.

Meta’s Oversight Board Seeks New Role Under EU Digital Services Act

Meta’s Oversight Board had tried for years to find new clients, approaching YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest and a host of other tech companies without much luck, according to half a dozen people familiar with the board’s efforts, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private organizational matters. Now, however, the Oversight Board may get a second chance, as a sweeping European law, known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), requires tech companies to supply an independent group of experts to social media users seeking to appeal restrictions on their accounts.

Supreme Court's Ruling in Chevron Case Could Impact Net Neutrality

A major Supreme Court ruling that shifted power from the executive branch to the judiciary stands to transform how the federal government works, including whether the Federal Communications Commission is recognized as having the power to regulate — and deregulate — internet service providers (ISPs). Using that authority, the agency voted in April to restore net neutrality rules for ISPs, prohibiting them from blocking or slowing down websites, a move that instantly triggered industry lawsuits.

  • Read the article: CNN

EU Faults Microsoft for Bundling Teams with Other Business Apps

The European Union said that Microsoft abused its market power when it folded the chat and videoconferencing program Teams into a bundle with other popular business apps, boosting its own offering over rivals like Slack and Zoom. In a preliminary finding, the European Union told the company that these practices were “possibly abusive” and warned that it could face fines of up to 10 percent of global revenue for violations of antitrust rules.

U.S. Offers $10M Reward for Information on Russian Linked to Ukraine Cyberattack

Federal authorities are offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on the whereabouts of a Russian national who they say is connected to a sprawling cybersecurity attack on Ukrainian government computer systems ahead of Russia’s invasion of the country. The planned attack, known as “WhisperGate,” also targeted one of Ukraine’s Central European ally nations and included attempted probes of U.S. government facilities in Maryland, according to an indictment unsealed.

Supreme Court Allows Biden Administration to Pressure Social Media

The Supreme Court handed the Biden administration a major practical victory, rejecting a challenge to its contacts with social media platforms to combat what administration officials said was misinformation. The court ruled that the states and users who had challenged the contacts had not suffered the sort of direct injury that gave them standing to sue.

Apple Won't Release 'Apple Intelligence' in EU, Citing 'Regulatory Uncertainties'

Apple said it won’t release three recently announced features, including its flagship “Apple Intelligence” AI product, in the European Union in 2024 due to “regulatory uncertainties” stemming from the bloc’s Digital Markets Act antitrust regulation. Apple said in a statement that the features — Apple Intelligence, iPhone Mirroring, and enhancements to its SharePlay screen-sharing product — won’t be available to EU customers due to Apple’s belief “that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security.”

  • Read the article: CNBC

Five Men Convicted for Role in 'Jetflicks' Illegal Streaming Service

Five men were convicted by a federal jury in Las Vegas for their part in operating Jetflicks, which officials say was one of the largest illegal streaming services in the U.S. Jetflicks, which charged $9.99 per month for the streaming service, generated millions of dollars in subscription revenue and caused “substantial harm to television program copyright owners,” the Justice Department said.

TikTok Filing Calls Potential U.S. Ban 'Extraordinary Restriction on Speech'

TikTok detailed why it thinks the new federal law that could lead to a ban of the popular video app in January is unconstitutional, calling the legislation an “extraordinary restriction on speech.” The company said that Congress did not consider the law — which would force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the popular social media app or face a ban in the United States — with nearly enough scrutiny and care.

Biden Administration Bans Kaspersky Antivirus Software, Citing Russian Risks

The Biden administration announced plans to bar the sale of antivirus software made by Russia's Kaspersky Lab in the United States, with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo saying that Russia's influence over the company poses a significant security risk. The software's privileged access to a computer's systems could allow it to steal sensitive information from American computers or install malware and withhold critical updates, enhancing the threat, a source said, noting that Kaspersky's customers include critical infrastructure providers and state and local governments.

N.Y. Governor Signs Bill Limiting 'Addictive' Social Media Feeds for Kids

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) signed two bills into law that aim to protect kids and teens from social media harms, making it the latest state to take action as federal proposals still await votes. One of the bills, the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, will require parental consent for social media companies to use “addictive feeds” powered by recommendation algorithms on kids and teens under 18.

Hackers Demand $50 Million from UK Lab-Services Provider

A cohort of Russian-speaking hackers is demanding $50 million from a UK lab-services provider to end a ransomware attack that has paralyzed services at London hospitals for weeks, according to a representative for the group. Qilin, as the group is known, confirmed through the representative that it had breached the pathology services company Synnovis and demanded the money in exchange for code to unlock affected computers. In an interview, the representative said the hackers were preparing to post online data stolen in the attack.

U.S. Sues Adobe for 'Barriers' to Canceling Subscriptions

U.S. regulators sued Adobe over claims that the company made it difficult to cancel subscriptions to Photoshop and other software, an escalation by regulators in a crackdown against such practices. The Justice Department said in its lawsuit that Adobe hid details of an expensive cancellation fee from consumers “in fine print and behind optional text boxes and hyperlinks.”

FTC Refers Complaint Against TikTok for Violating Children's Privacy Act

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it had referred a complaint against the social media platform TikTok and its parent company ByteDance over potential violations children's privacy to the Justice Department. In March, a source told Reuters the FTC could resolve a probe into TikTok over allegedly faulty privacy and data security practices by either filing suit or reaching a settlement.

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.