Google Shuts Down Google+ After User Data Exposed

Google exposed the private data of hundreds of thousands of users of the Google+ social network and then opted not to disclose the issue this past spring, in part because of fears that doing so would draw regulatory scrutiny and cause reputational damage, according to people briefed on the incident and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. As part of its response to the incident, the Alphabet Inc. unit plans to announce a sweeping set of data privacy measures that include permanently shutting down all consumer functionality of Google+, the people said.

UK Cybersecurity Agency Supports Apple, Amazon in Chinese Chip Story

The United Kingdom's cybersecurity agency said it supported Apple and Amazon’s claim that their systems were not compromised as was reported by Bloomberg News. “We are aware of the media reports but at this stage have no reason to doubt the detailed assessments made by [Amazon Web Services] and Apple,” National Cyber Security Centre, a unit of the British intelligence agency, GCHQ, told Reuters.

Amazon Says Email Addresses Wrongly Shared with Outside Seller

Amazon.com Inc. notified some customers that their email addresses were shared with an outside seller on its platform in violation of the company’s policy. Amazon said it had identified and fired the employee responsible for sharing the information. No other customer information was disclosed, and the seller who received it was blocked from selling on Amazon, the company said.

Google Agrees to Payment to Settle Age Discrimination Lawsuit

Google agreed to pay an undisclosed amount to settle the claims of job applicants who said the company discriminated against them on the basis of age. Daniel Low, a lawyer for the applicants age 40 and older, said the parties agreed to a dollar amount during a settlement conference but agreed to keep the amount confidential until it is approved by the court.

EU Competition Commissioner Reports 'Improvements' from Google

Google’s proposals to increase competition in online shopping are bearing fruit, Europe’s antitrust chief said, suggesting that the company may be able to avoid further fines. Alphabet Inc’s Google last year offered to allow price-comparison rivals to bid for advertising space at the top of a search page, giving them the chance to compete on equal terms, seeking to appease regulators after the European Commission fined it a record 2.4 billion euros ($2.8 billion) for favoring its own service.

Google CEO Visits Pentagon, Meets with Leaders for AI Drone Project

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai quietly paid the Pentagon a visit during his recent trip to Washington, seeking to smooth over tensions roughly four months after employee outrage prompted the tech giant to sever a defense contract to analyze drone video, according to two people familiar with the meeting. Pichai met with a group of civilian and military leaders mostly from the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, the Defense Department directorate that oversees the artificial-intelligence drone system known as Project Maven, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about the meeting.

Pence Says Google's 'Dragonfly' App Would Aid Chinese Censorship

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence sharply criticized what he said was China’s theft of U.S. technology, and he urged Google to immediately end development of its “Dragonfly” app that would make it easier to track someone’s Internet searches. Pence said in a speech that business leaders are now thinking twice before entering the Chinese market “if it means turning over their intellectual property or abetting Beijing’s oppression.”

U.S. Indicts Seven Russian Officers for Hacking Antidrug Agencies

Russian intelligence officers brazenly launched cyberattacks on investigators pursuing Russian malfeasance around the globe, Western officials said, offering a litany of victims including antidoping agencies, inspectors scrutinizing the poisoning of a former spy in Britain and others examining the downing of a passenger jet in 2014. The Justice Department indicted seven Russian officers on charges of trying to hack into antidrug agencies in the United States, Canada and Europe, an apparent effort to undermine their pursuit of Russian doping.

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.

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