Los Angeles Lawsuit Accuses Weather Channel App of Sharing User Info

The Weather Channel app deceptively collected, shared and profited from the location information of millions of American consumers, the city attorney of Los Angeles said in a lawsuit. One of the most popular online weather services in the United States, the Weather Channel app has been downloaded more than 100 million times and has 45 million active users monthly.

Iranian Authorities Preparing to Add Instagram to List of Banned Services

Authorities in Iran are preparing to block access to Instagram, extending their crackdown on social media to the only major platform still freely available. The National Cyberspace Council approved steps toward blocking the service, Javad Javidnia, deputy for cyberspace affairs at the public prosecutor’s office, was cited as saying by the semi-official Donya-e Eqtesad newspaper.

Cyber Security Researcher Cancels Briefing on Cracking Apple's 'Face ID'

A cyber security researcher canceled a hacking conference briefing on how he said he could crack biometric facial recognition on Apple Inc. iPhones, at the request of his employer, which called the work “misleading.” The prospect that Face ID could be defeated is troubling because it is used to lock down functions on tens of millions of iPhones from banking and healthcare apps to emails, text messages and photos.

Apple Set to Remove Some iPhone Models in Germany After Patent Ruling

Apple Inc. is likely to pull some iPhone models from its German stores after Qualcomm Inc. said it had posted security bonds to enforce a court order banning the sale of those iPhone models in the country. The chipmaker posted the bonds of 1.34 billion euros ($1.52 billion) as part of a legal requirement by a German court, which found on Dec. 20 that Apple had infringed Qualcomm patents on power-saving technology used in smartphones.

Judge Blocks N.Y. Law Requiring Online Home Rentals to Disclose Customers

A federal judge is blocking a rule in New York City that would have gone into effect next month requiring Airbnb and HomeAway hosts to disclose their identities and the addresses of their listings to the city’s Office of Special Enforcement every month, or pay a fine. The judge is preventing the rule from taking effect until resolution of ongoing litigation regarding the ordinance, which Airbnb and HomeAway claim violates the First and Fourth Amendments.

Judge Dismisses Suits Against Google, Twitter, Facebook for Mass Shooting

A federal judge in California dismissed two lawsuits that sought to hold Google and social media giants Twitter and Facebook liable for the December 2015 mass shooting that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others in San Bernadino, California. The companies were accused of aiding and abetting international terrorism and providing material support to international terrorists by allowing supported terrorist groups to use their platforms.

Government Shutdown to Force FCC to Cease Most of Its Operations

The Federal Communications Commission will wind down most of its operations if the partial federal government shutdown isn’t resolved. Should its lapsed funding not be restored, the commission says “all FCC activities will cease” as of mid-day January 3, 2019, “other than those immediately necessary for the protection of life or property, performing other excepted activities, or those funded through a source other than lapsed appropriations.”

Questions Linger As Newspaper Operations Resume Following Cyberattack

News operations are returning to normal for the Los Angeles Times and outlets owned by Tribune Publishing, but significant questions remain about a cyberattack that disrupted computer systems for a host of publications around the country and hampered newspaper deliveries over the weekend. Tribune did not say whether the suspected hackers may have ties to a foreign government, how they infiltrated the company’s network or what their motives may be.

In Saudi Arabia, Netflix Blocks Episode of Show Critical of Government

Netflix has blocked an episode of its show “Patriot Act With Hasan Minhaj” from streaming in Saudi Arabia after the Saudi government complained that the episode — which is critical of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman — violated its cybercrime laws. In the episode, first shown in October, Mr. Minhaj critiques the United States’ longstanding relationship with Saudi Arabia after the murder of the dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Judge Dismisses Privacy Suit Against Google Over Photo Sharing, Storage

A lawsuit filed against Google by consumers who claimed the search engine’s photo sharing and storage service violated their privacy was dismissed by a U.S. judge who cited a lack of “concrete injuries.” U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang in Chicago granted a Google motion for summary judgment, saying the court lacked “subject matter jurisdiction because plaintiffs have not suffered concrete injuries.”

Malware Attack at Tribune Publishing Delays Newspaper Deliveries

What first arose as a server outage was identified as a malware attack, which appears to have originated from outside the United States and hobbled computer systems and delayed weekend deliveries of the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers across the country. Technology teams worked feverishly to quarantine the computer virus, but it spread through Tribune Publishing’s network and reinfected systems crucial to the news production and printing process.

Hackers Steal Personal Information from North Koreans Living in South Korea

Unidentified hackers swiped the personal information of nearly 1,000 North Koreans living in South Korea, following a breach last month of a government-funded resettlement agency’s database, Seoul officials said. Hackers obtained the names, addresses and dates of birth of some 997 North Koreans who have fled to the South, a Unification Ministry spokeswoman said.

Trump Considers National Emergency Executive Order Barring Huawei, ZTE

President Donald Trump is considering an executive order in the new year to declare a national emergency that would bar U.S. companies from using telecommunications equipment made by China's Huawei and ZTE, three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. It would be the latest step by the Trump administration to cut Huawei Technologies and ZTE, two of China's biggest network equipment companies, out of the U.S. market.

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Federal Complaint Ends Agreement for Free Wi-Fi At Redskins Games

An offer from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei to provide free Wi-Fi at Washington Redskins football games sparked a federal complaint that ultimately led to the end of the partnership, according to a Wall Street Journal article. In 2014, Huawei and Redskins officials struck a deal that would have allowed Huawei to provide Wi-Fi to suites at the team's home, FedEx Field. In exchange, Huawei would advertise during broadcasts and in the stadium, the Journal reported.

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.