Facebook Briefs Lawmakers, DHS Officials About Security Breach

Facebook Inc. officials have begun briefing lawmakers about its massive security breach as the social-media company tries to quell a potential backlash in Washington over its latest setback involving user data. Facebook briefed Department of Homeland Security officials last week and some individual lawmakers this week, according to people familiar with the matter.

Complaint Alleges Facebook Collects Data via Messenger Kids App

A coalition of child and consumer advocacy groups accused Facebook of illegally collecting data on children with its new Messenger Kids app. In a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and other organizations argued that the service’s disclosures about its privacy practices are overly vague, allowing Facebook to share children’s data with third parties.

Irish Data Commissioner Launches Probe Over Facebook Attack

Facebook’s lead regulator in the European Union, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner (DPC), commenced an investigation into a massive cyberattack on the social networking site that the company disclosed last week. Facebook said that hackers had stolen login codes that allowed them to access nearly 50 million Facebook accounts, its worst-ever security breach given the unprecedented level of potential access.

EBay Warns Amazon Against Allegedly Recruiting Sellers

EBay Inc. is accusing Amazon.com Inc.’s sales reps of trying to poach sellers for its own marketplace through eBay’s messaging system. EBay sent a cease-and-desist letter to Amazon to stop the alleged recruiting practice after determining roughly 50 Amazon sales representatives world-wide sent more than 1,000 messages to sellers on its platform, according to the letter, which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal, and a person familiar with the investigation.

Russian Hackers Reportedly Targeted 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

Russian hackers reportedly targeted the release of Disney's “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” in 2017 to politicize the franchise and drum up discontent. A new academic paper released from researcher Mort Bay at the University of Southern California found evidence online of “deliberate, organized political influence measures disguised as fan arguments.”

Anonymous Group Discloses Information About Chinese Hackers

An anonymous group calling itself Intrusion Truth in August published a blog post about one of the most prolific suspected China-linked hacking groups tracked by cybersecurity researchers. It was the latest in a series of online messages and blog posts dating back to May 2017 that outlined two alleged Chinese hacking campaigns, including providing the names of suspected hackers. Separately, two of those named were later charged by U.S. authorities.

Facebook Could Face EU Fine of Up to $1.63 Billion for Data Breach

A European Union privacy watchdog could fine Facebook Inc. as much as $1.63 billion for a data breach in which hackers compromised the accounts of more than 50 million users, if regulators find the company violated the bloc’s strict new privacy law. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, which is Facebook’s lead privacy regulator in Europe, said that it has demanded more information from the company about the nature and scale of the breach, including which EU residents might be affected.

Google Provides Second Report to EU on Price Comparisons

Google has provided a second report detailing the effects of its proposal to allow more price comparison rivals to bid for ads on top of its search page, EU antitrust regulators said. Google came up with the offer after being hit by a fine for 2.4 billion euros ($2.79 billion) in June for using its search engine market power to boost its own comparison shopping service.

FBI Forces Suspect to Unlock His iPhone Using Face ID

A child abuse investigation unearthed by Forbes includes the first known case in which law enforcement used Apple Face ID facial recognition technology to open a suspect's iPhone. It happened on August 10, when the FBI searched the house of 28-year-old Grant Michalski, a Columbus, Ohio, resident who would later that month be charged with receiving and possessing child pornography.

U.S. Plans to Sue California Over Its New Net Neutrality Law

The Trump administration said it will sue California in an effort to block what some experts have described as the toughest net neutrality law ever enacted in the United States, setting up a high-stakes legal showdown over the future of the Internet. California became the largest state to adopt its own rules requiring Internet providers like AT&T, Comcast and Verizon to treat all web traffic equally.

California Cybersecurity Law Requires Security for Smart Devices

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a cybersecurity law covering “smart” devices, making California the first state with such a law. Starting on January 1st, 2020, any manufacturer of a device that connects “directly or indirectly” to the internet must equip it with “reasonable” security features, designed to prevent unauthorized access, modification, or information disclosure.

U.S. Antitrust Chief Expresses Concerns About Tech 'Stifling Innovation'

The Justice Department’s top antitrust enforcer is receptive to complaints that tech companies such as Google and Facebook may be hindering competition with their dominance but believes regulators lack the economic evidence that would be needed to prove such a case in court. Makan Delrahim, the agency’s antitrust chief, said at an event hosted by Axios that there are “very valid concerns at some level” about whether companies in Silicon Valley are getting too big, or “stifling innovation or consumer choice.”

Judge Refuses to Require Facebook to Record Messenger Calls

U.S. investigators failed in a recent courtroom effort to force Facebook to wiretap voice calls over its Messenger app in a closely watched test case, according to two people briefed on the sealed ruling. Members of a joint federal and state task force probing the international criminal gang MS-13 had tried in August to hold Facebook in contempt of court for failing to carry out a wiretap order, Reuters reported last month.

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