U.K., Canadian Lawmakers Criticize Facebook for Australian News Ban

Lawmakers from the U.K. and Canada criticized Facebook Inc.’s ban on Australian users sharing news articles, and they said the tech giant could attract more scrutiny around the world as authorities grow increasingly concerned about its market power. Facebook removed news from its platform in Australia in response to legislation that would effectively compel it to pay traditional media companies for content.

Clubhouse's Rising Popularity Raises Concerns About Spreading Misinformation

Clubhouse, an emerging social media platform born during the coronavirus-driven lockdowns, has given users a chance to connect through intimate audio conversations with virtual strangers even while isolated at home. But as the platform continues to grow, the same model that has allowed users to connect while physically apart is raising concerns about how the app will handle the spread of misinformation.

Despite State Controls, Russia Hesitates to Clamp Down on Internet

For years, the Russian government has been putting in place the technological and legal infrastructure to clamp down on freedom of speech online, leading to frequent predictions that the country could be heading toward internet censorship akin to China’s great firewall. But even as Mr. Putin faced the biggest protests in years last month, his government appeared unwilling — and, to some degree, unable — to block websites or take other drastic measures to limit the spread of digital dissent.

CEOs from Facebook, Google, Twitter to Testify at House Hearing

House lawmakers are set to grill the top executives at Facebook, Google and Twitter at a high-profile congressional hearing next month, as Democrats and Republicans take fresh aim at the tech giants for failing to crack down on dangerous political falsehoods and disinformation about the coronavirus. The hearing comes as a second panel of House lawmakers announced it plans to embark on a new, bipartisan push to toughen the country’s antitrust laws, hoping to crack down on the sort of anticompetitive, monopoly-style tactics they’ve identified at Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google last year.

Australia Vows to Continue Talks with Facebook After News Blockade

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he would continue his talks with Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg after the social media platform blocked its news feeds in the country over disputes over a new media payment code. “We spoke yesterday morning but then we were subsequently in contact and we agreed to talk later this morning, we’ll see where those discussions go and we can find a pathway going forward,” Frydenberg told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Gates Says Social Media Companies Should Allow Trump to Return

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates told CNBC that social media companies should eventually take their muzzles off former President Donald Trump, despite his “corrosive” election fraud conspiracy theories. “I think at some point he probably will be allowed back on and probably should be allowed back on,” the Microsoft co-founder said in an interview.

  • Read the article: CNBC

Chamber, Tech Groups Sue Maryland Over Digital Advertising Tax

A group representing Amazon.com Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others in filing suit to challenge Maryland’s first-in-the nation new digital advertising tax. The Chamber, the largest U.S. business group; the Internet Association, which represents dozens of tech companies; the Computer & Communications Industry Association; and NetChoice filed suit in U.S. District Court in Maryland seeking an injunction to block the new tax adopted last week by the state legislature over the veto of Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

Rise in States' Internet Privacy Proposals Could Cause Business Concerns

A growing mosaic of state-level Internet privacy proposals in lieu of a nationwide framework could provide new protections for consumers and additional question marks for businesses. Executives warn the emerging landscape for how companies can collect and use personal data could create headaches for firms that do business across state lines.

WhatsApp Shares More Information About Updated Privacy Policy

After facing a slew of backlash following the announcement of an updated privacy policy, WhatsApp shared more information on what users will see leading up to the rollout. The Facebook-owned messaging platform wrote in a blog post that it'll "display a banner in WhatsApp providing more information that people can read at their own pace" in the coming weeks.

  • Read the article: CNET

Epic Games Files Antitrust Complaint Against Apple in Europe

“Fortnite” game developer Epic Games Inc. has filed an antitrust complaint against Apple Inc. in the European Union, broadening its continuing legal battle after filing similar lawsuits in the U.S., Australia and the U.K. At the core of the legal dispute is how much control and revenue share technology giants should have in relation to popular apps.

N.Y. Attorney General Sues Coinseed for Defrauding Investors

New York’s attorney general filed a lawsuit to shut down the cryptocurrency platform Coinseed Inc. for allegedly defrauding thousands of investors, including by charging hidden trading fees and selling “worthless” digital tokens. Attorney General Letitia James said Coinseed traded cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin without registering as a broker-dealer, and sold “CSD” tokens without authorization to raise money for its mobile application startup.

U.S. Indicts Three North Korean Military Hackers for 2014 Sony Attack

The Department of Justice unsealed a federal indictment against three North Korean military hackers for participating in a series of cyberattacks, including the 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment; creating the notorious WannaCry ransomware virus; spear-phishing US defense contractors; and hacking several cryptocurrency exchanges. These latest charges expand the government's 2018 case, adding two new defendants as well as additional schemes, in what the DOJ alleges is a "wide-ranging criminal conspiracy" to extort $1.3 billion in cash and cryptocurrency from banks and companies globally.

  • Read the article: CNET

Facebook to Limit Sharing of News Articles in Australia

Facebook said that it would restrict people and publishers from sharing links to news articles in Australia, in response to a proposed law in the country that requires tech companies to pay publishers for linking to articles across their platforms. The decision came hours after Google announced it had reached an agreement to pay Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp to publish its news content in a three-year global deal, part of a string of deals it had struck with media companies in recent days to ensure that news would remain on its services.

Online Romance Scams Cost Victims $300 Million in 2020, FTC Says

The Covid-19 pandemic has intensified loneliness and isolation for many people, and that’s making it easier for fraudsters to impersonate romantic interests — and steal money. In 2020, the amount of money people in the U.S. lost to romance scams, which usually start online, surged 50 percent from the year before, jumping from just over $200 million in 2019 to more than $300 million, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Cyberattack Targeting SolarWinds Executed Within U.S., White House Official Says

A sprawling cyber-attack that compromised popular software created by Texas-based SolarWinds Corp. was executed from within the U.S., a top White House official said, though the government believes Russia was responsible. The federal investigation of the hack will take several months, Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger said in a briefing for reporters.

North Korea Tried to Hack Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine, Report Says

North Korea tried to hack into the servers of U.S. drugmaker Pfizer to steal coronavirus vaccine information, South Korean intelligence officials reported, despite leader Kim Jong Un's professed view that his isolated dictatorship is untouched by the pandemic. Lawmakers were informed of the findings by South Korea's National Intelligence Service at a regular closed-door hearing of the National Assembly's intelligence committee.

European Consumer Groups File Complaints Against TikTok

European consumer groups filed complaints against popular video-sharing app TikTok, alleging it breaches European Union consumer rights and fails to protect children from hidden advertising and inappropriate content. The European Consumer Organization BEUC filed the complaints with the European Commission, and consumer organizations in 15 countries have alerted their authorities and urged investigations into TikTok’s conduct, according to the group.

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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.