FTC Reaches $150,000 Children's Privacy Settlement with HyperBeard

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a settlement of $150,000 with HyperBeard, the developer of a collection of children’s mobile games over violations of U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act Rule (COPPA Rule). The company’s applications had been downloaded more than 50 million times on a worldwide basis to date, according to data from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower.

Apple Locks, Tracks iPhones Stolen from Its Stores During Riots

Looters who managed to make off with iPhones stolen from Apple stores during the days of civil unrest and rioting over the past week are likely to be in for a surprise. Apple has begun locking certain iPhones stolen from its stores, making the phones unusable, and has also sent messages to the phones saying that area law officials have been notified about the thefts.

Twitter Says It Will Prioritize Tweets with 'Highest Potential for Harm'

Twitter said it will not tackle all the misinformation on its platform but will instead focus on posts with the “highest potential for harm” as it works to curb false or misleading information from spreading. The social media giant said it is responding to a survey from last year in which respondents said that “Twitter shouldn’t determine the truthfulness of Tweets” and “Twitter should provide context to help people make up their own minds in cases where the substance of a Tweet is disputed.”

Snapchat Stops Promoting Trump's Account, Citing 'Racial Violence, Injustice'

Snap said that it will no longer promote President Donald Trump's Snapchat account on a page of curated content called Discover because it doesn't want to "amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice." A spokesman for Snap said in a statement: "We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover. Racial violence and injustice have no place in our society and we stand together with all who seek peace, love, equality, and justice in America."

  • Read the article: CNET

French Finance Minister Criticizes U.S. Threats Over Digital Service Taxes

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire criticized U.S. threats of trade sanctions over digital service taxes, which he said clashed with its calls for G7 unity on other issues. Washington launched probes into digital services taxes being adopted or considered by Britain, Italy, Brazil and other countries, following an earlier investigation into France, in a move that could lead to new punitive tariffs.

Tech Group Sues Trump Over Executive Order Against Social Media Firms

A Washington-based tech group supported by Facebook, Google and Twitter filed a lawsuit against President Trump, alleging that his executive order targeting social media giants threatens to “curtail and chill constitutionally protected speech” during the presidential election. The challenge brought by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) marks the first major legal test of Trump’s directive, which paves the way for federal agencies to investigate and penalize some of Silicon Valley’s most popular platforms over the way they police politically oriented posts, photos and videos across the Web.

Zuckerberg Defends Decision Not to Take Action on Trump's Posts

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, stood firmly behind his decision not to do anything about President Trump’s inflammatory posts on the social network, saying that he had made a “tough decision” but that it “was pretty thorough.” In a question-and-answer session with employees conducted over video chat software, Mr. Zuckerberg sought to justify his position, which has led to fierce internal dissent.

U.S. Trade Representative Investigating Countries' Digital Services Taxes

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that it is opening investigations into digital services taxes that have been adopted or are under consideration in a host of trading partners to determine whether they are discriminatory and burden U.S. commerce. The investigations, which will take place under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, will examine taxes that have been adopted in Austria, India, Indonesia, Italy and Turkey and that are under consideration in Brazil, the Czech Republic, the European Union, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Google Sued for Tracking Internet Users in 'Private' Browsing Mode

Google was sued in a proposed class action accusing the Internet search company of illegally invading the privacy of millions of users by pervasively tracking their Internet use through browsers set in “private” mode. The lawsuit seeks at least $5 billion, accusing the Alphabet Inc. unit of collecting information about what people view online and where they do their browsing, despite using what Google calls Incognito mode.

FCC Chairman Says 'Government Not Here to Regulate' Social Media

U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to regulate social media companies’ content decisions may face an uphill battle from regulators who have previously said they cannot oversee the conduct of internet firms. FCC chairman Ajit Pai did not endorse the proposal but said in a written statement “this debate is an important one” and added the FCC “will carefully review any petition for rulemaking.”

Hundreds of Facebook Employees Protest Refusal to Censor Trump's Posts

Hundreds of Facebook employees, in rare public criticism of their own company, protested executives’ decision not to do anything about inflammatory posts that President Trump had placed on the giant social media platform over the past week. Many of the employees, who said they refused to work in order to show their support for demonstrators across the country, added an automated message to their digital profiles and email responses saying that they were out of the office in a show of protest.

Tech Companies Pledge to Support Groups Fighting Racial Injustice

Apple, Facebook, Verizon and other tech giants are pledging to make donations to groups battling racial injustice after the killing of George Floyd sparked unrest across the U.S. In a memo to Apple employees, as reported by Bloomberg, CEO Tim Cook promised that Apple would make donations to several groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, and match all employee donations two-to-one.

  • Read the article: CNET

Senate Bill Would Regulate Contact-Tracing, Exposure-Notification Apps

Senate lawmakers plan to unveil a bipartisan bill that would regulate contact-tracing and exposure-notification apps, seeking to ensure new digital tools meant to combat the coronavirus don’t come at the expense of users’ privacy. The proposal, called the “Exposure Notification Privacy Act,” would erect federal guardrails around Silicon Valley’s nascent efforts to track people’s movements and alert them whenever they come in close contact with someone who has tested positive for covid-19.

Media Outlets Liable for Users' Comments on Facebook, Australian Court Rules

Newspapers and television stations that post their own articles on Facebook Inc.’s platform are liable for other Facebook users’ defamatory comments on those posts, an Australian court ruled, presenting a fresh dilemma for traditional publishers in the social-media age. Media companies encourage and facilitate comments that can be seen by other Facebook users, said the highest court in the Australian state of New South Wales, which includes Sydney.

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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.