Democratic Senators Introduce Bill to Protect Personal Data Online

One day after Google CEO Sundar Pichai was questioned on data privacy during a House hearing, a group of 15 Democratic senators has proposed a new bill for protecting personal information online. The Data Care Act, proposed by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and more than a dozen co-sponsors, including Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), would create new rules around how companies that collect user data can handle that information.

FCC Says Wireless Carriers Can Block Unwanted Text Messages

The Federal Communications Commission voted to clarify that wireless carriers have the authority to block unwanted or spam text messages, but Democrats warned the decision would allow carriers to block or censor texts that customers send. The FCC voted 3-to-1 to classify text messages as an information service rather than a telecommunications service, which it said would have limited the ability of wireless carriers to combat robotexts and spam messages.

Marriott Cyberattack Linked to Chinese Intelligence-Gathering Effort

The cyberattack on the Marriott hotel chain that collected personal details of roughly 500 million guests was part of a Chinese intelligence-gathering effort that also hacked health insurers and the security clearance files of millions more Americans, according to two people briefed on the investigation. The hackers, they said, are suspected of working on behalf of the Ministry of State Security, the country’s Communist-controlled civilian spy agency.

Russia Fines Google for Not Removing Certain Entries from Search Results

Russia fined Google 500,000 roubles ($7,530) for failing to comply with a legal requirement to remove certain entries from its search results, Russia’s communications watchdog was quoted as saying by TASS news agency. Russia said last month that it had opened a civil case against Google as it had not joined a state registry that lists banned websites that Moscow believes contain illegal information and was therefore not compliant with the law.

Chinese Cyber Activity Targeting U.S. Infrastructure On Rise, NSA Official Warns

A senior U.S. intelligence official warned that Chinese cyber activity in the United States had risen in recent months, and the targeting of critical infrastructure in such operations suggested an attempt to lay the groundwork for future disruptive attacks. “You worry they are prepositioning against critical infrastructure and trying to be able to do the types of disruptive operations that would be the most concern,” National Security Agency official Rob Joyce said in response to a question about Chinese hacking at a Wall Street Journal conference.

Super Micro Computer Says No Malicious Hardware in Its Equipment

Super Micro Computer Inc. told its customers in a letter that a third-party firm didn’t find malicious hardware on its equipment, as the supplier of motherboards continued to dispute a report that its products had been sabotaged. The company’s letter follows a report from Bloomberg News in October that said Super Micro’s motherboards contained a rogue chip not part of the original design.

Apple, Google, Microsoft Denounce Australian 'Anti-Encryption' Law

A group of U.S. tech giants, including Apple, Google and Microsoft, have collectively denounced the new so-called “anti-encryption” law passed by the Australian parliament last week. The bill was passed less than a day after the ruling coalition government secured the votes from opposition Labor lawmakers, despite strong objection from tech companies and telcos.

Australian Commission Issues Regulations to Monitor Tech Giants

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has indicated the need for potential new regulations to stop major tech companies from abusing their power to the detriment of Australia’s media and digital advertising industries. In a preliminary report, it put forth 11 recommendations to improve oversight of the tech giants and prevent them from engaging in potentially discriminatory conduct.

Amazon Fires Workers for Accessing Internal Data to Help Merchants

Amazon.com Inc. is fighting a barrage of seller scams on its website, including firing several employees suspected of having helped supply independent merchants with inside information, according to people familiar with the company’s effort. Amazon was investigating suspected data leaks and bribes of its employees, The Wall Street Journal reported in September. Since then, the company has dismissed several workers in the U.S. and India for allegedly inappropriately accessing internal data that was being misused by disreputable merchants, these people said.

Senator Says U.S. Needs Better Cybersecurity to Protect Infrastructure

The U.S. needs improved cybersecurity policies if it's going to catch up with the practices in the rest of the world, Sen. Mark Warner said, adding that the government has failed to recognize the seriousness of the situation. The Virginia Democrat, who serves as vice chairman of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, said US cybersecurity fails to provide adequate protection of critical infrastructure or guard against the dissemination of disinformation online.

  • Read the article: CNET

Italy Fines Facebook $11.4 Million for Illegal Use of Customers' Data

Italy's Competition Authority slapped Facebook with two fines that total 10 million euros ($11.4M) for using people's data for commercial purposes in ways that break the country's laws. Italy issued the first fine after deciding that the social network persuaded people to register for accounts on the platform without informing them during the signup process that their data would be collected and used for commercial purposes.

  • Read the article: CNET

EU Tech Commissioner Warns of Security Risks from Chinese Companies

The European Union should be worried about Huawei and other Chinese technology companies because of the risk they pose to the bloc’s industry and security, the EU’s technology chief said, echoing concerns raised elsewhere in the world. Huawei expressed disappointment at EU tech commissioner Andrus Ansip’s comments, saying it had never been asked to install technology that could be used for spying and never would.

U.S. Expected to Unseal Charges Against Chinese Government Hackers

Federal prosecutors are expected to unseal criminal charges as soon as next week against hackers linked to the Chinese government who have allegedly engaged in a sophisticated multiyear scheme to break into U.S. technology service providers in order to compromise the networks of their clients, according to people familiar with the matter. U.S. officials have described the hacking campaign as one of the most audacious and damaging orchestrated by China to date, intended to steal intellectual property and support Beijing’s espionage goals.

EU Governments Drafting Rules on Electronic Evidence from Tech Firms

EU governments agreed to toughen up draft rules allowing law enforcement authorities to get electronic evidence directly from tech companies such as Facebook and Google stored in the cloud in another European country. The move underlines the growing trend in Europe to rein in tech giants whether on the regulatory front or the antitrust front.

Huawei CFO Faces Fraud Charges for Violating U.S. Sanctions on Iran

At a bail hearing in Vancouver for Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei and a daughter of the company’s founder, Canadian prosecutors said she was accused of fraud. The heart of the charges related to how Ms. Meng may have participated in a scheme to trick financial institutions into making transactions that violated United States sanctions against Iran, they said.

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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.