Appeals Court Upholds $13M Google Street View Settlement Over Wi-Fi Data

A federal appeals court upheld Google’s settlement in a class action case over allegations that it collected Wi-Fi data illegally with its Street View program. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the argument that the $13 million settlement was unfair because it only distributed money to privacy groups and did not pay the class members.

Lawmakers from Both Parties Pushing Biden on Internet Regulations

Lawmakers say 2022 is shaping up as a pivotal year in their efforts to tighten regulations on social media and other internet platforms — and are pushing President Biden to come off the sidelines. Democrats and Republicans are working on half a dozen or more major categories of legislation dealing with online privacy and children’s safety, the transparency of companies’ data-collection practices, accountability for content posted on social media and market dominance by a handful of major players.

As Privacy Rules Grow, More Companies Arrive to Help Navigate Them

In an attempt to rein in tech giants like Facebook and Google, governments around the world in recent years have approved new laws governing how websites must handle consumer data, treat their competitors and protect young people. Out of those regulations has arisen something else: An industry to help companies navigate the increasingly fragmented rules of the global internet.

Some of Shutterfly's Services Hit by Ransomware Attack

Photography company Shutterfly announced that it had been hit by a ransomware attack that had impacted some services, making it the latest in a string of companies to be targeted by hackers looking for a payout. The company announced the attack in a statement posted to its website, noting the incident had impacted portions of the Lifetouch and BorrowLenses business, along with Groovebook, manufacturing and some corporate systems.

White House Officials Invite Developers to Discuss Software Security

White House officials are asking major software companies and developers to work with them to improve the security of open-source software, according to an administration official. The invitation follows the disclosure of a vulnerability in popular open-source Apache software that cybersecurity officials have described as one of the most serious in recent memory.

Netherlands Says Apple's App Store Payment Policies Violate Law

The Netherlands' top competition regulator said Apple Inc. broke the country's competition laws and ordered changes to the iPhone maker's App Store payment policies. Apple's practice of requiring app developers to use its in-app payment system and pay commissions of 15% to 30% on digital goods purchases has come under scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers around the world.

Russian Court Fines Google $100 Million for Not Removing 'Banned Content'

A Russian court fined Google nearly $100 million for “systematic failure to remove banned content” — the largest such penalty yet in the country as Moscow attempts to rein in Western tech giants. The fine was calculated based on Google’s annual revenue, the court said. Roskomnadzor, Russia’s Internet regulator, told the court that Google’s 2020 turnover in the country exceeded 85 billion rubles, or about $1.15 billion.

China's Cyber Regulator Launches Campaign to Target Fake Accounts

China will scrutinize online platforms such as social media networks and video-sharing sites to clamp down on fake accounts and information as part of its drive to "clean up" the internet, the country's cyber regulator said. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said it would launch a two-month special operation to target deceptive online behaviors, ranging from boosting engagement figures to paying for fake fans and reviews.

India Bans 20 YouTube Channels, Websites Over Anti-India Propaganda

India banned 20 YouTube channels and two websites for allegedly running anti-India propaganda from Pakistan, invoking for the first time the emergency powers under the newly notified intermediary guidelines and digital media ethics code in the IT Act. I&B secretary Apurva Chandra wrote to YouTube and the Department of Telecom, directing them to immediately block the content as it affects the sovereignty and integrity of India, people aware of the development told ET on condition of anonymity.

Chinese Consumer Protection Group Summons Online Platforms

A consumer protection organization in China's Zhejiang Province summoned five online platforms including Alibaba Group's Taobao, Pinduoduo and JD.com over livestreaming irregularities during the Singles' Day shopping festival, according to state-owned media. Short video-sharing and livestreaming platforms Kuaishou and ByteDance's Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, were also summoned.

Despite Widespread Use, Many Americans Don't Trust Social Media

Americans of all ages and across the political spectrum largely seem to agree that they don’t trust social media services with their information and they view targeted ads as annoying and invasive, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. Many Americans use social media — and most use Facebook — but 64 percent say the government should do more to rein in big tech companies.

Russian Court Fines Twitter for Failing to Delete Content Deemed Illegal

A Moscow court said it had fined Twitter 3 million roubles ($40,920) for failing to delete content Russia deems illegal, the latest in a string of penalties against foreign technology firms. Moscow has increased pressure on Big Tech this year in a campaign that critics characterise as an attempt by the Russian authorities to exert tighter control over the internet, something they say threatens to stifle individual and corporate freedom.

Chinese Officials Use Private Businesses to Help Create Influence Online

A new set of documents reviewed by The New York Times reveals in stark detail how Chinese officials tap private businesses to generate content on demand, draw followers, track critics and provide other services for information campaigns. That operation increasingly plays out on international platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which the Chinese government blocks at home.

Switzerland Extradites Alleged Russian Hackers to U.S. in Insider Trading Case

Five Russians including a Kremlin-linked businessman now in U.S. custody carried out a vast, $82 million insider trading scheme that allowed them to profit from corporate information stolen through hacking, U.S. authorities said. Vladislav Klyushin, the owner of a Moscow-based information technology company that prosecutors said had extensive ties to the Russian government, was extradited from Switzerland to face conspiracy, securities fraud and other charges in Boston.

U.S. Agency Issues Emergency Directive on Log4j Vulnerability

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive that ordered federal civilian executive branch agencies to address a major security flaw in widely used logging software that could be exploited by cybercriminals. The order requires the agencies to check whether software that accepts "data input from the internet" are affected by the Log4j vulnerability, which was discovered about a week earlier.

  • Read the article: CNET

TikTok Removes Warnings About School Violence as Classes Cancelled

TikTok said that it’s working to remove “alarmist warnings” about a supposed day of school violence that was rumored to take place. A supposed threat of a nationwide day of violence at schools across the country, that allegedly started as a TikTok challenge, prompted some districts to cancel classes even as law enforcement mostly determined that the threats were not credible.

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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.