Web-Tracking Code from ByteDance Found on State Government Sites

More than two dozen state governments have placed web-tracking code made by TikTok parent ByteDance Ltd. on official websites, according to a new report from a cybersecurity company, illustrating the difficulties U.S. regulators face in curtailing data-collection efforts by the popular Chinese-owned app. A review of the websites of more than 3,500 companies, organizations and government entities by the Toronto-based company Feroot Security found that so-called tracking pixels from the TikTok parent company were present in 30 U.S. state-government websites across 27 states, including some where the app has been banned from state networks and devices.

OpenAI Temporarily Disables ChatGPT After Some Users' Titles Exposed

OpenAI temporarily shut down its popular ChatGPT service after receiving reports of a bug that allowed some users to see the titles of other users’ chat histories. An OpenAI spokesperson told Bloomberg that the titles were visible in the user-history sidebar that typically appears on the left side of the ChatGPT webpage. The chatbot was temporarily disabled after the company heard these reports, the spokesperson said. The substance of the other users’ conversations was not visible.

Internet Archive Defends Free Book Library in Publishers' Court Case

The Internet Archive (IA) defended its practice of digitizing books and lending those e-books for free to users of its Open Library. In 2020, four of the wealthiest book publishers sued IA, alleging this kind of digital lending was actually “willful digital piracy” causing them “massive harm.” But IA’s lawyer, Joseph Gratz, argued that the Open Library’s digitization of physical books is fair use, and publishers have yet to show they’ve been harmed by IA’s digital lending.

School Districts Sue Social Media Services Over Impact on Mental Health

School districts across the country are increasingly taking on social media, filing lawsuits that argue that Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube have helped create the nation’s surging youth mental health crisis and should be held accountable. The legal action started in January, with a suit by Seattle Public Schools, and picked up momentum in recent weeks as school districts in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida have followed. Lawyers involved say many more are planned.

Federal Investigators Arrest New York Man for Running 'BreachForums' Site

Federal agents have arrested a Peekskill, New York, man they say ran the notorious dark web data-breach site “BreachForums” under the name “Pompompurin.” Conor Brian Fitzpatrick was arrested by a team of investigators at his home around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, an FBI agent said in a sworn statement filed in court the next day. Fitzpatrick is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Justice Department Investigating Surveillance by TikTok's Owner

The Justice Department is investigating the surveillance of American citizens, including several journalists who cover the tech industry, by the Chinese company that owns TikTok, according to three people familiar with the matter. The investigation, which began late last year, appears to be tied to the admission in December by the company, ByteDance, that its employees had inappropriately obtained the data of American TikTok users, including that of two reporters and a few of their associates.

YouTube Restores Trump's Account, Suspend After Attack on U.S. Capitol

YouTube restored former president Donald Trump’s account, making it the last major social media platform to do so after suspending him in the days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. YouTube said in a tweet it had “carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election.”

SEC Proposes Cybersecurity Rules for Brokers, Asset Managers

Brokers and asset managers would have to notify their customers of data breaches as part of a raft of cybersecurity and resiliency rules the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed. The customer-notification requirement would give firms no more than 30 days to alert individuals whose sensitive information was likely to have been accessed without authorization.

FTC Order Requires Epic Games to Pay $245 Million for Unauthorized Charges

The Federal Trade Commission finalized an order requiring Fortnite developer Epic Games to pay $245 million in fines for using "dark patterns" to trick players into making unwanted or unauthorized charges. Fortnite employed "counterintuitive, inconsistent, and confusing button configuration" that duped players into making unwanted charges with the press of a single button, according to an FTC press release.

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Russian-Linked Hacking Group Preparing Cyberattacks on Ukraine, Microsoft Says

A hacking group with ties to the Russian government appears to be preparing new cyberattacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure and government offices, Microsoft said in a report, suggesting that Russia’s long-anticipated spring offensive could include action in cyberspace, as well as on the ground. The report also said that Russia appears to be stepping up influence operations outside Ukraine, in a push to weaken European and American support for continuing military aid, intelligence sharing and other assistance to the Ukrainian government.

Australian Intellectual Property Services Provider Reports Data Breach

IPH Ltd, an intellectual property (IP) services provider, reported a data breach in a portion of its IT systems, becoming the latest Australian company to be targeted by hackers and sending its shares tumbling 12%. IPH said it detected unauthorized access to document management systems, which include administrative documents, and some client documents and correspondence, at its head office and two member firms, Spruson & Ferguson (Australia) and Griffith Hack.

Biden Administration Pushing TikTok's Chinese Owners to Sell or Face Ban

The Biden administration is demanding that TikTok’s Chinese owners sell their stakes in the video-sharing app or face a possible U.S. ban of the app, according to people familiar with the matter. The move represents a major shift in policy on the part of the administration, which has been under fire from some Republicans who say it hasn’t taken a tough enough stance to address the perceived security threat from TikTok, owned by Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.

Britain Bans TikTok on Government Phones, Joining Other Western Countries

Britain said it would ban TikTok on government phones with immediate effect, a move that follows other Western countries who have barred the Chinese-owned video app over security concerns. TikTok has come under increasing scrutiny due to fears that user data from the app owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance could end up in the hands of the Chinese government, undermining Western security interests.

FBI Director Says TikTok 'Screams Out with National Security Concerns'

China's government could use TikTok to control data on millions of American users, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a U.S. Senate hearing, saying the Chinese-owned video app "screams" of security concerns. Wray told a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats to U.S. security that the Chinese government could also use TikTok to control software on millions of devices and drive narratives to divide Americans over Taiwan or other issues.

FBI Director Admits Agency Previously Purchased U.S. Location Data

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged for the first time that it purchased U.S. location data rather than obtaining a warrant. While the practice of buying people’s location data has grown increasingly common since the U.S. Supreme Court reined in the government’s ability to warrantlessly track Americans’ phones nearly five years ago, the FBI had not previously revealed ever making such purchases.

YouTube Star Gets 5 1/2-Year Sentence, Forfeits $30M in Video Piracy Case

A YouTube star who built a sizable following with slickly produced videos flaunting his fleet of luxury and sports cars, collection of diamond-encrusted bling, and his spacious home will be forced to give up nearly all of it after he was sentenced to 5½ years in prison for the illegal business that allowed him to amass those trappings of success. Bill Omar Carrasquillo — better known to his more than 800,000 online followers as “Omi in a Hellcat” — pleaded guilty last year to running one of the most brazen and successful cable TV piracy schemes ever prosecuted by the U.S. government.

ITC Bans Imports of Peloton's Video-Streaming Fitness Devices

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) banned imports of video-streaming fitness devices made by Peloton Interactive Inc. and iFit Inc after a judge found they infringed Dish Network Corp. patents. In a 2021 complaint filed with the ITC, Dish and its Sling TV unit accused Peloton and iFit of infringing four patents for video-streaming technology through imports of products that stream at-home fitness content.

FTC Seeks Internal Documents from Twitter About Protecting Users

The Federal Trade Commission has demanded Twitter Inc. turn over internal communications related to owner Elon Musk, as well as detailed information about layoffs — citing concerns that staff reductions could compromise the company’s ability to protect users, documents viewed by the Wall Street Journal show. In 12 letters sent to Twitter and its lawyers since Mr. Musk’s Oct. 27 takeover, the FTC also asked the company to “identify all journalists” granted access to company records and to provide information about the launch of the revamped Twitter Blue subscription service, the documents show.

Twitter Proceeds with Verification System Despite Promise to EU Watchdog

Twitter has ruffled more regulatory feathers in the European Union by going ahead with a rollout of a much criticized paid verification feature without informing its lead data protection watchdog ahead of time — despite previously saying it would. The product, known as Twitter Blue, lets users pay to get a blue check mark on their account — mimicking the look of the legacy verification feature the platform offered prior to Elon Musk’s takeover of the company last year — as well as access to a suite of additional features, such as the ability to edit tweets, undo tweets and get prioritized ranking in conversations.

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.