Hackers May Be Able to Intercept Typing Sounds on Smartphones

Thanks to the increasing sophistication of smartphone technology, hackers soon may be able to intercept and analyze the sounds of typing — and figure out exactly what people are writing on their devices. A growing body of academic research suggests that acoustic signals, or sound waves, produced when we type on our phones could be used by hackers to glean text messages, passwords, PINs and other private information.

Laws Hamper Presidential Candidates from Getting Cyberattack Assistance

One year out from the 2020 elections, presidential candidates face legal roadblocks to acquiring the tools and assistance necessary to defend against the cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns that plagued the 2016 presidential campaign. Federal laws prohibit corporations from offering free or discounted cybersecurity services to federal candidates. The same law also blocks political parties from offering candidates cybersecurity assistance because it is considered an “in-kind donation.”

Maine Governor Signs Bill Banning ISPs from Using Consumer Data Without Consent

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed into law one of the nation's strongest privacy bills, banning Internet service providers (ISPs) from using, selling or distributing consumer data without their consent. The Act to Protect the Privacy of Online Consumer Information would prohibit any ISPs in Maine from refusing to serve a customer, penalizing them or offering a discount in order to pressure consumers into allowing the ISP to sell their data.

Senator Seeks Information from Healthcare Companies After Breaches

A hack of health-care data involving a medical bill collector and two major diagnostics companies has grown to almost 20 million people, and is now attracting more questions from a key member of Congress. U.S. Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat who is a leading cybersecurity advocate in Congress, wrote Quest Diagnostics Inc. asking about the breach, saying that contractors like the American Medical Collection Agency, an Elmsford, New York-based collections firm,were a frequent target.

YouTube to Remove Thousands of Videos That Advocate Neo-Nazism

YouTube announced plans to remove thousands of videos and channels that advocate for neo-Nazism, white supremacy and other bigoted ideologies in an attempt to clean up extremism and hate speech on its popular service. The new policy will ban “videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion,” the company said in a blog post.

Two App Developers Sue Apple Over Anticompetitive Practices

Two app developers sued Apple Inc. over its App Store practices, making claims similar to those in a lawsuit brought by consumers that the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed to proceed. California-based app developer Donald R. Cameron and Illinois Pure Sweat Basketball alleged in federal court in San Jose, California that Apple engaged in anticompetitive conduct by only allowing the downloading of iPhone apps through Apple’s official App Store.

Apple Reverses Policy, Allows Apps That Limit Children's Time on Devices

Over the past year, Apple purged iPhone apps that helped people limit the amount of time they and their children spent on Apple devices, drawing accusations of anticompetitive behavior. As news broke that federal officials were stepping up antitrust scrutiny of Apple and its peers, the Silicon Valley giant abruptly reversed its policy and quietly disclosed that the apps’ practices were allowed.

Leaders of Big Tech Companies Asked to Testify on Market Power

Leaders of big tech companies will be asked to testify as part of an investigation into whether the companies misuse their massive market power, the head of the U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee leading the probe said. The comments came a day after sources said the U.S. executive branch is gearing up for a similar probe of Amazon.com Inc, Apple Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google, setting up what could be an unprecedented, wide-ranging investigation of some of the world’s largest companies.

Russian Authorities Order Tinder to Share User Data with Government

Russian authorities have ordered dating app Tinder to share user data and messages with government and intelligence agencies, the latest sign of Moscow’s tightening grip over online activities in the country and the Kremlin’s infringement on privacy. Russia’s communications censor, Roskomnadzor, has put Tinder on a list of services required to store user data and communication and hand it over to the government, the agency said.

Apple Included in Justice Department's Possible Antitrust Investigation

The U.S. Justice Department has jurisdiction for a potential probe of Apple Inc. as part of a broader review of whether technology giants are using their size to act in an anti-competitive manner, two sources told Reuters. Streaming music leader Spotify Technology SA and others have criticized the iPhone maker’s practices, describing the company as anti-competitive in a complaint to the European Union’s antitrust regulators.

House Democrats Plan Antitrust Review of Facebook, Google, Others

House Democrats plan a sweeping review of Facebook, Google and other technology giants to determine if they’ve become so large and powerful that they stifle competition and harm consumers, marking a new, unprecedented antitrust threat for an industry that’s increasingly under siege by Congress, the White House and 2020 presidential candidates. The probe, announced by Rep. David Cicilline (R.I.), the leader of the House’s top competition panel, is expected to be far reaching and comes at a moment when Democrats and Republicans find themselves in rare alignment on the idea that the tech industry has been too unregulated for too long.

Judge Orders Facebook to Give Data Privacy Information to Shareholders

A U.S. judge ordered Facebook Inc. to give shareholders emails and other records concerning how the social media company handles data privacy, after data for 87 million users was accessed by the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. In a 57-page decision, which followed a one-day trial in March, Vice Chancellor Joseph Slights of the Delaware Chancery Court said shareholders demonstrated a “credible basis” to believe Facebook board members may have committed wrongdoing related to data privacy breaches.

Trump Administration to Require Social Media Info from Visa Applicants

The Trump administration will implement a new policy asking most applicants for U.S. visas to provide information on their use of social media, a U.S. Department of State official tells Hill.TV. Most visa applicants, including temporary visitors, will be required to list their social media identifiers in a drop down menu along with other personal information.

FTC Could Increase Antitrust Scrutiny of Amazon Under New Agreement

Amazon could face heightened antitrust scrutiny under a new agreement between U.S. regulators that puts it under closer watch by the Federal Trade Commission, three people familiar with the matter said. The move is the result of the FTC and the Department of Justice, the U.S. government’s leading antitrust enforcement agencies, quietly divvying up competition oversight of two of the country’s top tech companies, according to those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the government’s work is confidential.

Congressman Says NSA Denies Its Hacking Tool Was Used in Baltimore Attack

A Maryland congressman said that the National Security Agency had denied that one of its hacking tools, stolen in 2017, was used in a ransomware attack on Baltimore’s government that had disrupted city services for more than three weeks. The statement, made by Representative C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, came in response to an article in The New York Times.

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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.