Texas Bill Would Ban Throttling Internet Speeds in Declared Disaster Areas

A member of the Texas state legislature introduced a bill that would make it a crime for a telecommunications company, like Verizon or AT&T, to throttle Internet service in declared disaster areas, according to KUT News. This Texas bill, HB 1426, doesn’t go any further to codify net neutrality rules, only prohibiting carriers from restricting internet access in disaster areas.

Huawei Threatens Legal Action Against Czech Republic Over Security Warning

In an attempt to push back against attempts to limit its reach in Europe, the Chinese technology giant Huawei threatened legal action against the Czech Republic if its cybersecurity agency did not rescind its warning about the risk the company poses to the nation’s critical infrastructure. As nations across Europe take the first steps to reconfigure the systems that control the internet, Huawei’s threat was the latest salvo in the escalating war over who will control the hardware that will underpin the new 5G, or fifth-generation, networks.

EU Negotiators Reach Agreements on Rewriting Copyright Laws

The European Union’s effort to rewrite two-decade old copyright rules to take into account online platforms such as Alphabet Inc.’s Google moved a step forward when a majority of member countries agreed on a common position for talks with lawmakers. Negotiations stalled last month after EU countries failed to bridge their differences, among them whether small companies should be subjected to the rules, which critics blamed on lobbying by Google and others.

Apple Tells Developers to Remove or Disclose Recording in Apps

Apple is telling app developers to remove or properly disclose their use of analytics code that allows them to record how a user interacts with their iPhone apps — or face removal from the app store, TechCrunch can confirm. In an email, an Apple spokesperson said: “Protecting user privacy is paramount in the Apple ecosystem. Our App Store Review Guidelines require that apps request explicit user consent and provide a clear visual indication when recording, logging, or otherwise making a record of user activity.”

Lawmakers Seek Bipartisan Replacement for Net Neutrality Rules

Lawmakers are signaling the possibility of a bipartisan bill to replace the Obama-era net neutrality rules repealed in 2017 by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), though broad disagreement between the parties appears to remain an obstacle. Top Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee suggested during a hearing that they were open to working with Republicans on open Internet legislation.

British Doctors Say Excessive Tech Interferes with 'Important, Healthy Activities'

With even Silicon Valley worrying about the effect of technology exposure on young people, Britain’s top doctors issued advice to families about social media and screen use. Their prescriptions: Leave phones outside the bedroom. Screen-free meals are a good idea. When in doubt, don’t upload. And get more exercise.

Germany Restricts Facebook from Combining User Data Across Platforms

Germany’s competition authority has ruled that Facebook cannot gather personal data across platforms and websites unless users give permission from each individual site, a decision that could have wide-ranging implications on the company’s ability to target advertising. “In future, Facebook will no longer be allowed to force its users to agree to the practically unrestricted collection and assigning of non-Facebook data to their Facebook user accounts,” Andreas Mundt, president of the Federal Cartel Office, said in a statement.

White House Promises Action to Ensure Leading Role in Artificial Intelligence

The White House will take “executive action” in the coming weeks to make sure the United States keeps its research and development advantage in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, quantum computing and next generation wireless networks, known as 5G, a White House official said. President Donald Trump discussed investing in what he called “industries of the future” as part of expanded infrastructure investment in his State of the Union address.

New York Police Department Wants Waze to Stop Listing DWI Checkpoints

The NYPD has sent a cease and desist letter to Google, demanding that it remove alerts about DWI checkpoints on the Waze driving app. “This letter serves to put you on notice that the NYPD has become aware that the Waze Mobile application, a community-driven GPS navigation application owned by Google LLC, currently permits the public to report DWI checkpoints throughout New York City and map these locations on the application,” the NYPD wrote.

Alphabet Says Privacy Regulation, Consumer Choices Could Hurt Business

Google parent Alphabet Inc. warned that its business may be damaged by changing data privacy practices, new digital advertising polices and software bugs that leak user information. The company filed its annual report and added language that suggests it is adjusting to stepped up regulatory scrutiny and evolving consumer attitudes toward data and privacy online.

Facebook Bans Four Insurgent Groups Fighting Against Myanmar’s Military

Facebook has banned four insurgent groups fighting against Myanmar’s military from its social network, the company said, saying it wanted to prevent offline harm by removing groups it branded “dangerous organisations”. The U.S.-based social media giant says it has removed hundreds of accounts, pages and groups for links to Myanmar’s military, or misrepresentation, since last August.

European Commission Says Tech Firms Taking Down Hate Content More Quickly

In its latest monitoring report of a voluntary Code of Conduct on illegal hate speech, which platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube signed up to in Europe back in 2016, the European Commission has said progress is being made on speeding up takedowns but tech firms are still lagging when it comes to providing feedback and transparency around their decisions. Tech companies are now assessing 89% of flagged content within 24 hours, with 72% of content deemed to be illegal hate speech being removed, according to the Commission — compared to just 40% and 28% respectively when the Code was first launched more than two years ago.

Chinese Embassy Denies Norwegian Intelligence Assessment of Tech Threat

A Norwegian intelligence assessment that China posed a threat to the Nordic country’s security by seeking to steal its secrets was “ridiculous”, the Chinese Embassy said as Norway mulled the future status of China’s Huawei Technologies. While Russian security services posed the biggest threat, China also conducts intelligence operations against Norwegian interests and businesses, including trying to penetrate computer networks, Norwegian intelligence service PST said in its annual threat assessment report.

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