Russia Legalizes Patent Infringement by Those in 'Unfriendly' Countries

Russia has effectively legalized patent theft from anyone affiliated with countries “unfriendly” to it, declaring that unauthorized use will not be compensated. The decree illustrates the economic war waged around Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as the West levies sanctions and pulls away from Russia’s huge oil and gas industry.

Twitter, Facebook Remove Posts from Russian Embassy After Hospital Bombing

Twitter Inc. and Meta Platform's Facebook have removed posts from the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom about the bombing of a children's hospital in Mariupol for breaking its rules against denying violent events, the companies said. Three people including a child were killed in the air strike on the maternity and children's hospital in the Ukrainian city, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Facebook to Allow Posts Calling for 'Death to the Russian Invaders'

Facebook will allow some calls for violence against Russian invaders as the war in Ukraine drags on, creating an unusual exception to its long-standing hate speech rules that prohibit such language. “As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders.’ We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” spokesman Andy Stone said.

Ukrainian Man Extradited to United States in Ransomware Case

A Ukrainian man charged last year with conducting one of the most severe ransomware attacks against U.S. targets has been extradited to the United States and made a court appearance, the U.S. Justice Department said. According to an August 2021 indictment, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, 22, accessed the internal computer networks of several victim companies and deployed Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware to encrypt the data on their computers, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Bitcoin Price Surges After Biden Signs Executive Order on Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin’s price surged on President Biden’s executive order to study digital currencies, a move the industry welcomed and skeptics decried as delaying needed regulation. The order, titled “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets,” directed agencies across the federal government to produce reports on digital currencies and consider new regulations.

Fresno, Calif., Lost $400,000 After Falling Victim to Phishing Scam

The city of Fresno, Calif., lost about $400,000 in 2020 after falling victim to an electronic phishing scam, and former Mayor Lee Brand’s administration failed to disclose the loss to the Fresno City Council and taxpayers, The Fresno Bee has confirmed. Furthermore, the Fresno City Attorney’s Office in December 2021 rejected a public records request from The Fresno Bee seeking city communications regarding the fraud.

Belarus Blamed for Phishing Attacks Against Polish Military, Ukraine Officials

Belarus conducted widespread phishing attacks against members of the Polish military as well as Ukrainian officials, security researchers said, providing more evidence that its role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has gone beyond serving as a staging area for Russian troops. Google’s threat-hunting team released details of the tricks deployed against the Polish military, which a spokeswoman said appeared to be the first report of its kind.

Hackers Linked to Chinese Government Accessed State Computer Systems

Hackers believed to be sponsored by the Chinese government have accessed computer systems in six U.S. state governments in a continuing espionage campaign that included the use of the widespread Log4J computer bug detected late last year, according to cybersecurity researchers. The hacks, which took advantage of vulnerable internet-facing web applications, date to at least May 2021, according to new findings made public by the U.S.-based cybersecurity firm Mandiant.

Commerce Secretary Warns Chinese Companies About Defying Russian Sanctions

Gina Raimondo, the secretary of commerce, issued a stern warning to Chinese companies that might defy U.S. restrictions against exporting to Russia, saying the United States would cut them off from American equipment and software they need to make their products. The Biden administration could “essentially shut” down Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation or any Chinese companies that defy U.S. sanctions by continuing to supply chips and other advanced technology to Russia, Ms. Raimondo said in an interview with The New York Times.

British Government to Force Social Media Sites to Ban Fraudulent Ads

Britain said it would force Google, Facebook, Twitter and other online platforms to prevent paid-for fraudulent adverts after calls from regulators and consumer groups for a stronger crackdown on scams. The government said its draft law on preventing online harms would include the requirement for large platforms to improve protection from criminals impersonating celebrities or companies to steal personal data, peddle unsafe financial investments or break into bank accounts.

Lumen Becomes Second U.S. Internet Service Provide to Cut Russian Ties

Lumen, a leading American Internet provider to Russia, announced that it was severing business relations in the country, a move likely to increase Russia’s isolation as its citizens slip behind what some analysts are calling a new digital Iron Curtain. Lumen became the second top U.S.-based carrier to make such a move in recent days, following Friday’s announcement by Cogent Communications.

Bill Would Ensure Cryptocurrency Not Used to Evade Sanctions on Russia

As the U.S. searches for new ways to punish Russia for invading Ukraine, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is crafting legislation she hopes will make it harder to use cryptocurrency to evade sanctions. The proposal, still in draft form, has taken on new urgency as bipartisan concerns grow that members of Moscow’s elite might be able to sidestep sanctions by using digital currencies.

Three Major Cybersecurity Companies Volunteer to Protect Utilities, Hospitals

While a growing number of U.S. companies are breaking business ties with Russia, three major cybersecurity companies are volunteering to protect U.S. utilities and hospitals free amid concerns about retaliatory hacks. Though no surge in cyberattacks on American companies has been reported, the federal government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has urged U.S. organizations to lock down their systems in case the Russian government or private hackers take action as the divide between Russia and the United States grows.

Justice Department Charges Cryptocurrency Executive with Fraud

U.S. authorities filed criminal charges against a cryptocurrency executive and civil charges against him and his sister, accusing them of defrauding retail investors out of millions of dollars with a digital token known as Ormeus Coin. In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, the Justice Department said John Barksdale lied about the value and profitability of Ormeus Coin's mining assets, including that the coin was backed by a $250 million mining operation generating more than $5 million of monthly revenue.

FTC Says WW Weight-Loss Organization Violated Child Privacy Act

WW International, the weight-loss organization formerly known as Weight Watchers, used an app to illegally collect personal information from children without their parents’ permission, the Federal Trade Commission said. A complaint filed by the Justice Department on behalf of the commission said that WW and its pediatric weight-loss app, Kurbo, violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA, which requires apps and other online services geared toward children to get parental consent before collecting data from users under 13.

Musk Asks Judge to Scrap Settlement Over Twitter Posts as Unworkable

Tesla Inc. Chief Executive Elon Musk asked a federal judge to scrap a settlement he reached with securities regulators in 2018 that required some of his tweets be preapproved, a condition that has fomented an ongoing conflict with the government over whether he and Tesla have followed the rule. In a motion filed in Manhattan federal court, Mr. Musk’s lawyers argued that the Twitter oversight policy has become unworkable, while the Securities and Exchange Commission has abused the deal to make “round after round of demands for voluminous, costly document productions, with no signs of abatement.”

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.