Privacy Protections Push Companies to Gather Data in New Ways

New privacy protections put in place by tech giants and governments are threatening the flow of user data that companies rely on to target consumers with online ads. As a result, companies are taking matters into their own hands. Across nearly every sector, from brewers to fast-food chains to makers of consumer products, marketers are rushing to collect their own information on consumers, seeking to build millions of detailed customer profiles.

FTC Sues to Block Nvidia's $40 Billion Acquisition of Arm

The Federal Trade Commission sued to block Nvidia’s $40 billion acquisition of a fellow chip company, Arm, halting what would be the biggest semiconductor industry deal in history, as federal regulators push to rein in corporate consolidation. The FTC said the deal between Nvidia, which makes chips, and Arm, which licenses chip technology, would stifle competition and harm consumers.

House Lawmakers Indicate Support for Changes to Section 230 Protections

House lawmakers signaled they would press forward with legislation to make Internet platforms more accountable to online users, in what is expected to be a showdown between Washington and Silicon Valley. Legislators are seeking to scale back the legal protections that generally allow social-media platforms such as Twitter Inc. and Meta Platforms Inc.’s Facebook to post user content without being liable for it.

Facebook Removes Disinformation Networks Linked to Hamas, China

Facebook said it took down disinformation networks tied to a broad swath of political actors and events around the world, including militant group Hamas, Chinese state groups and the immigration crisis along the Belarus-Poland border. The company also removed accounts run by anti-vaccine groups that were using evolving tactics to attack doctors in Europe.

FCC Nominee Opposes Government Regulation of Broadband Rates

President Joe Biden's pick for a seat on the Federal Communications Commission told a U.S. Senate Committee she does not back government regulation of broadband rates. Gigi Sohn, a former senior aide to Tom Wheeler who served as FCC chairman under former President Barack Obama, said it would take at least a year for the commission to reinstate landmark neutrality rules that were repealed in 2017 under then-President Donald Trump.

Hacker Gains Access to Information on 400,000 Planned Parenthood Patients

A hacker gained access to the personal information of hundreds of thousands of Planned Parenthood patients last month, the reproductive health-care group’s Los Angeles branch said. The breach is limited to the Los Angeles affiliate, and spokesperson John Erickson said there is no indication at this point that the information was “used for fraudulent purposes.”

Three Former Google Employees Sue Over 'Don't Be Evil' Motto

Three former Google employees have sued the company, alleging that Google's motto "Don't be evil" amounts to a contractual obligation that the tech giant has violated. At the time the company hired the three software engineers, Rebecca Rivers, Sophie Waldman and Paul Duke, they signed conduct rules that included a "Don't be evil" provision, according to the suit.

  • Read the article: NPR

Twitter to Remove Photos of People Posted Without Their Permission

A sweeping expansion of Twitter’s policy against posting private information was met with backlash shortly after the company announced it, as Twitter users questioned whether the policy would be practical to enforce. Twitter’s new policy states that photos or videos of private individuals that are posted without their permission will be taken down at their request.

Russia to Continue Slowing Twitter on Mobile Devices in Content Dispute

Russia will continue slowing down the speed of Twitter on mobile devices until all content deemed illegal is deleted, state communications regulator Roskomnadzor told Reuters, as Moscow continues to make demands of Big Tech. Russian authorities have taken steps recently to regulate technology giants more closely by imposing small fines for content violations, while also seeking to force foreign companies to have official representation in Russia and store Russians' personal data on its territory.

Russian Court Fines Google for Not Deleting Content Deemed Illegal

A Moscow court fined Alphabet Inc.'s Google 3 million roubles ($40,400) for not deleting content that it deemed illegal, part of a wider dispute between Russia and the U.S. tech giant. Russia in October threatened to fine Google a percentage of its annual Russian turnover for repeatedly failing to delete banned content on its search engine and YouTube, in Moscow's strongest move yet to rein in foreign tech firms.

U.S. Bars Companies from Exporting Quantum Tech to Chinese Firms

The Commerce Department barred U.S. firms from exporting quantum computing technology to eight Chinese companies and labs to try to keep the country from decrypting sensitive US communications and developing new military technology. "Global trade and commerce should support peace, prosperity, and good-paying jobs, not national security risks," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement.

  • Read the article: CNET

Head of Instagram Agrees to Testify Before Congress About Algorithms

After an onslaught of requests, Instagram head Adam Mosseri will testify before Congress next month as the popular photo-sharing app continues to face scrutiny from lawmakers about its effect on young people. Mosseri will appear before a Senate subcommittee during the week of Dec. 6, as part of a series of discussions on ways to protect children online, an aide to Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, chair of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security, said.

Australian Legislation Aims to Hold Social Media Liable for Defamation

Australia will introduce legislation to make social media giants provide details of users who post defamatory comments, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. The government has been looking at the extent of the responsibility of platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, for defamatory material published on their sites and comes after the country's highest court ruled that publishers can be held liable for public comments on online forums.

FBI, CISA Warn About Ransomware Attacks During Holiday Season

U.S. officials are telling American businesses and government organizations to take extra precautions against hackers this Thanksgiving following multiple ransomware attacks during previous holiday periods. An advisory from the FBI and US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) told organizations to identify key IT security employees who can be on call in the event of a ransomware attack.

  • Read the article: CNN

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.