Banking Regulators Tell Crypto Firm to Stop Misleading Protection Claims

U.S. banking regulators have ordered crypto firm Voyager Digital to cease and desist from making "false and misleading" claims that its customers' funds were protected by the government. The Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) sent a letter to the firm, stating they believed that Voyager had misled customers by claiming their funds with the company would be covered by the FDIC.

Democrats Introduce Bill to Restore Net Neutrality, Give FCC Broadband Power

Democrats on Capitol Hill introduced legislation that could restore net neutrality and the authority of the Federal Communications Commission to regulate broadband. With President Joe Biden's pick to be the fifth commissioner at the FCC stalled, two Senate Democrats introduced the Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act, which would codify Obama-era net neutrality rules repealed under President Donald Trump's administration.

  • Read the article: CNET

Senate Committee Approves Bills to Enhance Children's Privacy Online

Senators took their first step toward increasing protections for children and teens online, advancing a pair of bipartisan bills that would expand federal safeguards for their personal information and activities on digital platforms. The push gained momentum on Capitol Hill last year after Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen disclosed internal research suggesting that the company’s products at times exacerbated mental health issues for some teens.

FTC Seeks Injunction to Block Meta from Buying Virtual Reality Company

The Federal Trade Commission filed for an injunction to block Meta, the company formerly known as Facebook, from buying a virtual reality company called Within, potentially limiting the company’s push into the so-called metaverse and signaling a shift in how the agency is approaching tech deals. The antitrust lawsuit is the first under Lina Khan, the commission’s chair and a leading progressive critic of corporate concentration, against one of the tech giants. Ms. Khan has argued that regulators must stop competition and consumer protection violations when it comes to the bleeding edge of technology, including virtual and augmented reality, and not just in areas where the companies have already become behemoths.

Russian Court Fines WhatsApp, Snap for Refusing to Store User Data Locally

A Russian court fined Meta Platforms Inc's WhatsApp messenger, Snapchat owner Snap Inc. and other foreign firms for their alleged refusal to store the data of Russian users domestically. Moscow has clashed with Big Tech over content, censorship, data and local representation in disputes that have escalated since Russia sent its armed forces into Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Justice Department Investigating Data Breach at Federal Courts System

The Justice Department is investigating a data breach of the U.S. federal courts system dating to early 2020, a top official testified on Capitol Hill. Scary scenario for the judicial branch: House Judiciary Committee Chair Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) told fellow lawmakers that “three hostile foreign actors” attacked the U.S. Courts’ document filing system as part of a breach in early 2020 causing a “system security failure.”

Ex-Coinbase Product Manager Charged with Insider Trading in Digital Coins

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan brought their first ever case for insider-trading in digital coins, charging a former Coinbase Global Inc. product manager with leaking information to help his brother and a friend buy tokens just before they were listed on the exchange. The arrest of Ishan Wahi, who helped oversee listings for a Coinbase unit focused on investment products, follows a sweeping probe involving the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC also alleged Wahi violated the agency’s anti-fraud rules.

Romanian Man Accused of Virus Linked to 1 Million Computers Extradited to U.S.

A Romanian man accused of helping distribute a computer virus that infected more than 1 million computers and caused big financial losses worldwide has been extradited to the United States, federal prosecutors said. Mihai Paunescu, 37, is accused of running a hosting service that helped distribute the Gozi virus, which stole personal bank account information while remaining virtually undetectable.

Tech Industry Group Seeks Changes to India's New IT Rules

An industry group representing several tech giants has requested the Indian government to make a series of changes to the proposed amendments to the country’s new IT rules, warning those amendments “negate” the government’s commitment to ease of doing business. India last month proposed a number of changes to the IT rules including creation of an appeals panel with the veto power to reverse content moderation decisions of social media firms.

YouTube to Start Removing 'Instructions for Unsafe Abortion Methods'

YouTube says it will begin removing “instructions for unsafe abortion methods” or content that “promotes false claims about abortion safety.” The company made the announcement on Twitter, saying it falls under its medical misinformation policy. It’s also adding an information panel to related videos that will offer health information about abortion from the National Library of Medicine, similar to what it’s done for vaccines and some other topics.

T-Mobile Agrees to $500 Million Settlement in Cyberattack Affecting 76.6M People

T-Mobile has agreed to a settlement totaling $500 million in a class-action lawsuit filed by customers after the company disclosed in August that sensitive data had been breached in a cyberattack. In a court filing late Friday, the mobile phone giant said it would pay $350 million to settle the customers’ claims and spend $150 million over the next few years bolstering its cybersecurity protection and technologies.

FBI Reportedly Found Chinese Equipment Could Disrupt Military Communications

Since at least 2017, federal officials have investigated Chinese land purchases near critical infrastructure, shut down a high-profile regional consulate believed by the U.S. government to be a hotbed of Chinese spies and stonewalled what they saw as clear efforts to plant listening devices near sensitive military and government facilities.   Among the most alarming things the FBI uncovered pertains to Chinese-made Huawei equipment atop cell towers near U.S. military bases in the rural Midwest.

  • Read the article: CNN

U.S. Disrupts N. Korean Ransomware Operations Targeting Medical Facilities

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI disrupted ransomware operations of a North Korean state-sponsored group that targeted U.S. medical facilities, recovering roughly a half-million dollars in ransom payments made to the country, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced. Speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security, Monaco said the seizure of the ransom payments — which she said were laundered through cryptocurrency — is the latest example of the DOJ’s approach to prioritizing the prevention of cyber attacks.

Russia Fines Google $374 Million for Failing to 'Remove Prohibited Information'

Russia fined Google 21.1 billion rubles ($374 million) for repeatedly failing to “remove prohibited information” — content related to the country’s invasion and subsequent war in Ukraine. The country’s telecommunication watchdog Roskomnadzor cited a court order and said Google (particularly YouTube) didn’t take down content that discredited “the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.”

Amazon Sues Administrator of 10,000 Facebook Groups Over Fake Reviews

Amazon.com Inc. said it filed a lawsuit against the administrators of what it says are more than 10,000 Facebook groups used to coordinate fake reviews of Amazon products. Those in charge of the Facebook groups solicit the reviews for items ranging from camera tripods to car stereos in exchange for free products or money, Amazon said in a statement.

Researchers Find Malware from Russian-Backed Group in Pro-Ukraine App

As the war in Ukraine rages on, researchers from Google have discovered malware from a Russian state-backed group disguised as a pro-Ukraine app. The details were revealed in a blog post published by Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), which specializes in tracking and exposing state-sponsored hacking. According to TAG, the Cyber Azov app — which invokes Ukraine’s far-right military unit, the Azov Regiment — was actually created by Turla, a Kremlin-backed hacking group known for compromising European and American organizations with malware.

Apples Agrees to $50 Million Settlement in Suit Over 'Butterfly' Keyboards

Apple Inc. agreed to pay $50 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by customers who claimed it knew and concealed that the "butterfly" keyboards on its MacBook laptop computers were prone to failure. Customers claimed that MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro keyboards suffered from sticky and unresponsive keys, and that tiny amounts of dust or debris could make it difficult to type.

Installation-Art Company Called META Suing Meta for Trademark Infringement

An installation-art company called META (or Meta.is) announced that it will be suing Meta (or Facebook) for trademark violation, alleging that Zuckerberg’s name change violated the smaller company’s established brand. Much of the case hinges on Facebook’s many privacy scandals, which Meta.is argues has made it impossible to share the name.

Thai Activists Hacked with Pegasus Spyware, According to Human Rights Group

More than 30 Thai activists and supporters have been hacked with NSO Group’s potent Pegasus spyware, civil groups said, in the first countrywide campaign brought to light because Apple warned targeted iPhone users. Apple issued warnings to suspected Pegasus victims in November, prompting some of the Thai recipients to contact civic organizations that then consulted iLaw, a local human rights group that has advocated for a new constitution drafted by elected representatives.

Meta Releases First Human Rights Report, but Critics Call It 'Selective'

Facebook owner Meta released its first annual human rights report, following years of accusations that it turned a blind eye to online abuses that fueled real-world violence in places like India and Myanmar. The report, which covers due diligence performed in 2020 and 2021, includes a summary of a controversial human rights impact assessment of India that Meta commissioned law firm Foley Hoag to conduct.

Subscribe

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.