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☆ Sweeping EU rules for tech giants take effect today. Here’s what’s changing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The new EU regulations force sweeping changes on some of the world’s most widely used tech products, including Apple’s app store, Google search and messaging platforms, including Meta’s WhatsApp. Its broad obligations affect six of the world’s largest tech companies: Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. While the law could increase demand for tech companies to extend EU-specific features to other markets, few platforms have shown signs they plan to do so. Tech pushes backBut some tech companies have pushed back on the DMA, warning that it could lead to unintended consequences. “The changes the DMA requires will inevitably cause a gap” between EU users’ security and the security Apple users enjoy outside the EU, it added.

Persons: Meta’s, Apple, Bing, Elon Musk’s, “ Fortnite, ”, Agustin Reyna, “, Apple’s, ” Apple, Reyna, ” BEUC, Tim Sweeney, Meta —, Daniel Friedlaender, CCIA, Friedlaender, Olesya Dmitracova Organizations: Washington CNN, Apple, Google, Union citizens, Big Tech, Spotify, Netflix, Digital Markets, Meta, Microsoft, European Commission, EU, YouTube, Epic, Consumer, Tech, Games, CNN, Computer, Communications Industry Association Locations: United States, Europe

☆ Supreme Court weighs free speech challenges to GOP-backed social media restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A stop sign as seen on traffic light near a statue at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, February 26, 2024 as Justices are set to make a decision on landmark cases over social media content moderation. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday questioned laws in Florida and Texas that seek to impose restrictions on the ability of social media companies to moderate content based on the assumption that they disfavor conservative speech. Various other tech companies that routinely moderate user content oppose the laws, including Reddit, Discord and Yelp. After the first of two oral arguments concerning the Florida law, it appeared a majority of the justices had concerns that the measure violates the free speech rights of big social media companies by prohibiting them from limiting the speech of some problematic users. The arguments over Texas' law were ongoing Monday afternoon.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Donald Trump Organizations: Facebook, YouTube, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Republican, Twitter, U.S, Capitol Locations: Washington , DC, WASHINGTON, Florida, Texas

The latest proposal from EU cybersecurity agency ENISA concerns an EU certification scheme (EUCS) which vouches for the cybersecurity of cloud services and determines how governments and companies in the bloc select a vendor for their business. The document retains key provisions contained in earlier drafts such as a requirement that U.S. tech giants set up a joint venture with an EU-based company to qualify for the EU cybersecurity label. Another provision states that cloud service must be operated and maintained from the EU, while all cloud service customer data must be stored and processed in the EU, with EU laws taking precedence over non-EU laws regarding the cloud service provider. The latest draft sets out the possibility for these tough requirements to be extended to the third highest security level. EU countries are now reviewing the latest draft after which the European Commission will adopt a final scheme.

Persons: OpenAI's, CCIA, ENISA, Alexandre Roure, Foo Yun Chee, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: European, Google, Microsoft, Big Tech, EU, Tech, European Banking Federation, European Savings Banks Group, Association for Financial Markets, Federation, Insurance, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, European Union, EU, Europe

BRUSSELS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - EU lawmakers on Tuesday voted for draft rules targeting Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O), Meta Platforms (META.O) and other large online platforms' content moderation restrictions after some media outlets complained about arbitrary decisions removing their content. The draft rules require online platforms to carry news content for 24 hours before taking it down if this breaches their content moderation rules. Known as Article 17 of the Media Freedom Act the European Commission proposed last year to ensure media plurality and safeguard editorial independence, the clause has raised alarm bells among online platforms. Media should "be notified of the platform's intention to delete or restrict their content alongside a 24-hour window for the media to respond", lawmakers said in a statement. Lawmakers voted to ban using spyware against journalists unless it can be justified as a last resort measure and also require media to be transparent about their ownership.

Persons: CCIA, Mathilde Adjutor, Foo Yun Chee, Josie Kao Organizations: Google, Media, European Commission, Tech, European, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Europe, Poland

☆ Supreme Court to hear Texas and Florida social media cases over right to moderate content
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will decide whether it's constitutional for Texas and Florida to prevent social media companies from banning users over potentially harmful rhetoric. Tech companies have historically had control over the type of content that's published on their platforms, and most apps require users to agree to terms of service. The Supreme Court's upcoming nine-month term begins next week, and its ruling on the social media cases will likely come next year. The Biden administration has also asked the Supreme Court to weigh in on whether the laws in the two states violate the tech companies' First Amendment rights. In a filing, the administration argues that the tech companies are protected under the Constitution.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, Elon Musk, Biden Organizations: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Computer and Communications Industry Association, Tech, Capitol, Republican, Tesla, SpaceX Locations: Texas, Florida

☆ Supreme Court to weigh GOP-backed social media ‘censorship’ laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Lawrence Hurley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Supreme Court of the United States building seen in Washington D.C., United States on September 28, 2023. The states argue that they have the authority to regulate social media companies to ensure that users receive equal access to the platforms. Circuit Court of Appeals, prompting the state to appeal to the Supreme Court. "It is not at all obvious how our existing precedents, which predate the age of the internet, should apply to large social media companies," he wrote. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments and issue a ruling in its new term, which begins next week and ends in June.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Biden, Ashley Moody, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Elena Kagan, — David Ingram Organizations: Washington D.C, WASHINGTON, Republicans, Tech, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Computer and Communications Industry Association, U.S, Capitol, Trump, Disney, NBC News, Circuit, Supreme, Appeals, Conservative, Thomas, Liberal, Communications, Google Locations: United States, Washington, Florida, Texas, Atlanta, New Orleans

☆ What to expect when Google faces the DOJ in the first major tech monopoly trial in decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

While the trial marks the tech sector's first major anti-monopoly proceeding in decades, Google is squarely in the middle of its antitrust battles. What the trial is aboutA key focus of the trial will be on two kinds of agreements Google has made with other companies. "The cases have very compatible theories, and the core message from both is that Google's monopoly power has been abused, harming competition and hurting consumers," Weiser said. Walker wrote that the abundance of places where consumers can use online search shows that Google hasn't foreclosed competition. In addition to experts like economists, expect to see Google executives called to the stand, potentially including CEO Sundar Pichai.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Jonathan Kanter, It's, it's, Google's, Microsoft's Bing, Phil Weiser, Weiser, Elijah McClain, Aaron Ontiveroz, Bing, Global Affairs Kent Walker, Walker, Rebecca Haw Allensworth, Bill Kovacic, Tim Cook, Joe Biden, Anna Moneymaker, Allensworth, conscientiously, What's, Google's Walker, Lee Hepner, Matt Schruers, Bard, OpenAI, Schruers Organizations: US Department of Justice, Getty, Department of Justice, Microsoft, DOJ, Google, of, Apple, Microsoft's, CNBC, Aurora, MediaNews, Denver, Global Affairs, Insider Intelligence, Amazon, Vanderbilt Law School, George Washington University Law School, FTC, White House, Mozilla, American Economic Liberties, Computer & Communications Industry Association Locations: U.S, Europe, Eastern, of Virginia, Colorado, Washington , DC

☆ Businesses criticise new EU data rules, consumer group sees missed opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Businesses and Big Tech on Wednesday criticised European Union data rules agreed between EU countries and lawmakers, saying they could hinder data flow and contractual freedom, while a pan-European consumer group said they did little for Europeans. The Data Act, agreed on Tuesday, sets out rights and obligations for how Big Tech and companies use European consumer and corporate data, focusing on that generated in smart devices, machinery and consumer products. Revelations by former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 of mass U.S. surveillance have led to EU concerns about data transfers. Tech lobbying group Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) said the new rules disadvantage Big Tech -labelled as large online platforms under separate newly adopted EU tech legislation - and hence limits consumers' choice. The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) lamented the agreement as a missed opportunity to do more for users.

Persons: Edward Snowden, Cecilia Bonefeld, Dahl, CCIA, Ursula Pachl, Foo Yun Chee, Alex Richardson Organizations: Big Tech, European Union, EU, Airbus, Google, Nokia, Qualcomm, Philips, SAP, Siemens, Sony, Tech, Computer & Communications Industry Association, Digital Markets, European Consumer Organisation, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, EU

☆ Europe takes aim at ChatGPT with what might soon be the West’s first A.I. law. Here's what it means
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The law, known as the European AI Act, is the first law for AI systems in the West. The AI Act categorizes applications of AI into four levels of risk: unacceptable risk, high risk, limited risk and minimal or no risk. But AI technology has been around for years and is integrated into more applications and systems than you might think. "The European Commission's original proposal for the AI Act takes a risk-based approach, regulating specific AI systems that pose a clear risk," de Champris added. "MEPs have now introduced all kinds of amendments that change the very nature of the AI Act, which now assumes that very broad categories of AI are inherently dangerous."

☆ Senators unveil bipartisan legislation to ban kids under 13 from joining social media platforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The proposed legislation by a bipartisan group of US senators aims to address what policymakers, mental health advocates and critics of tech platforms say is a mental health crisis fueled by social media. “Social media companies have stumbled onto a stubborn, devastating fact,” Schatz said. But it would represent a potentially vast expansion of the government’s role in regulating websites where age verification is a requirement. Tech companies could still develop their own in-house age verification technology or hire third party companies to perform the verification, lawmakers said. Violations of the proposed law could mean millions of dollars in Federal Trade Commission fines for social media companies.

☆ Democrats warn large tech firms could evade competition policies under new trade rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

It's not the first time Democrats have raised concerns about tech provisions being included in trade agreements. The group urged Tai and Raimondo "not to put up for negotiation or discussion any digital trade text that conflicts" with the agenda set by the whole-of-government effort. "Big Tech wants to include an overly broad provision that would help large tech firms evade competition policies by claiming that such policies subject these firms to 'illegal trade discrimination,'" the Democrats wrote. "Tech companies could also weaponize these digital trade rules to undermine similar efforts by our trading partners." The letter cited a U.S. Chamber of Commerce blog post about a trade group coalition note advocating for strong digital trade provisions in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

☆ East Europe governments urge tech firms to fight disinformation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

PRAGUE, March 29 (Reuters) - Ukraine and seven other central and eastern European nations have called on the world's top tech firms to act to fight disinformation on their social media platforms by hostile powers which they say undermine peace and stability. "Big tech companies should be vigilant and resist being used as means of advancing such goals. The letter was signed by the prime ministers of Ukraine, Moldova, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and released by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala's office. The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), whose members include Meta, Twitter and Google (GOOGL.O) among others, said it backed measures to fight disinformation such as Europe's Digital Services Act (DSA). Platforms should dedicate enough staff and funding for content moderation, address the growing threat of deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated disinformation, it said.

☆ Tech-sponsored study criticises plan to exclude non-EU cloud vendors
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] 3D printed clouds and figurines are seen in front of the Google Cloud service logo in this illustration taken February 8, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationBRUSSELS, March 6 (Reuters) - A proposed European Union cloud security label that could exclude Amazon (AMZN.O), Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google, Microsoft (MSFT.O) and other non-EU cloud services providers from the bloc is discriminatory and could lead to retaliatory measures, a study commissioned by a tech lobbying group said. At issue is a provision in EU cybersecurity agency ENISA's certification scheme (EUCS) that requires cloud services providers to have their registered head office and global headquarters in the EU and to operate cloud services and store and process customer data in the 27-member bloc. "Member states should now call on the cybersecurity agency and also the European Commission to abandon politically motivated EUCS immunity requirements," he added. A ban could also trigger retaliatory measures by EU trading partners, the think tank said.

☆ EU eyes Big Tech as it seeks feedback on who should pay network costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Big Tech in turn calls it an internet tax that will undermine EU network neutrality rules to treat all users equally. Tech and telecoms companies will be asked to respond to 60 questions. The Commission is likely to propose legislation after the consultation, which will need to be agreed with EU countries and EU lawmakers before it can become law. The questionnaire also asked whether the EU should create a continental or digital levy or fund. "Europeans already pay telecom operators for internet access, they should not have to pay telcos a second time through pricier streaming and cloud services," Christian Borggreen, CCIA Europe's senior vice president, said in a statement.

☆ EU lawmakers agree to tougher rules on targeted political ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, Feb 2 (Reuters) - EU lawmakers on Thursday agreed to tougher rules on targeted political advertising aimed at countering misinformation during elections, drawing support from Google's YouTube and civil rights activists and concerns from a tech lobbying group. The rules require U.S. tech giants to provide more data on their targeted political ads, with fines up to 4% of their global turnover for breaches. EU lawmakers toughened up some of the provisions in the Commission's draft and will now have to thrash out details with EU countries before the proposed regulation can become legislation. Lawmakers also backed a blanket ban on using minors' data and a ban on non-EU based entities from financing political advertisements in the EU. They proposed setting up an online repository for all online political ads and related data, and the possibility of periodic penalties for repeated violations.

☆ Supreme Court punts on Texas and Florida social media cases that could upend platform moderation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Supreme Court of the United States building are seen in Washington D.C., United States on December 28, 2022. The Supreme Court delayed a decision on whether to take up a pair of cases challenging social media laws in Texas and Florida that could upend the way platforms decide which posts they remove and which ones they promote. Republican leaders in Texas and Florida have promoted the legislation as a way to counteract what they call unjust censorship of conservative viewpoints on social media. The Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the temporary block on the Texas law, without ruling on the merits of the case. "It is crucial that the Supreme Court ultimately resolve this matter," Schruers said.

☆ Tech groups ask Supreme Court to rule on hot-button Texas social media law
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Two technology industry groups asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to review a hotly debated Texas law restricting social media platforms’ ability to moderate content, potentially opening the door to a sweeping reinterpretation of First Amendment precedent. The challenged state law, known as HB 20, would allow for lawsuits against tech companies accused of suppressing user posts or accounts. But Thursday’s petition brings the law back before the Court, this time for a possible ruling on the merits. That is why Texas’ law is unconstitutional, according to the trade organizations petitioning the Court on Thursday. Multiple Supreme Court justices have expressed interest in hearing cases that deal with content moderation, citing the enormous role that social media now plays in democratic discourse.

☆ Judge OKs NY weapons ban in Times Square and other 'sensitive' places — but calls the underlying law 'doomed'
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-01 | by ( Laura Italiano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A judge let New York ban guns in 'sensitive' locations, but called the underlying law legally 'doomed.' Gun lobbies are fighting the NY law, enacted after a June Supreme Court decision expanded gun rights. The law bans guns in "sensitive" places like Times Square, parks, theaters, and houses of worship, and re-tightens concealed carry permit restrictions that had been loosened by the Supreme Court in June. But in the Bruen case, the Supreme Court found any such limits on the right to "bear arms" unconstitutional. Both gun lobby groups promised to continue to fight the New York law.

☆ Președintele a creat Comitetul Consultativ Independent Anticorupție; Cine sunt membrii acestuia
▼ + stars: | 2021-06-07 | by ( ) www.jurnal.md time to read: +1 min

Sursa foto: Președinte.mdPreședintele a creat Comitetul Consultativ Independent Anticorupție; Cine sunt membrii acestuiaPreședintele Maia Sandu a prezentat azi membrii Comitetului Consultativ Independent Anticorupție, format prin decret prezidențial, care va avea drept scop cercetarea oricărui subiect cu suspiciuni de corupție. Partea bună e că RM nu este singură în fața acestei provocări majore de combatere a corupției. Președintele a mai adăugat că Comitetul Consultativ Independent Anticorupție este constituit printr-un decret al președintelui dar aici se încheie orice interacțiune dintre Președinție și CCIA, care va fi o structură independentă care va efectua acțiuni de consultanță împotriva corupției și în domeniul justiției . „Comitetul va decide care sunt subiectele pe care le cercetează, va pregăti rapoarte și le va prezenta. Este liber să cerceteze orce subiect cu suspiciune de corpuție”, a mai spus Maia Sandu.

Persons: Maia Sandu, James, Laura Ştefan, Alina Radu, Tamara Razin, Nadejda Hriptievschi, Drago, Maia Sandu . Președintele Organizations: Consultativ Independent Anticorupție, Comitetului Consultativ Independent Anticorupție, RM, Maia Sandu . Locations: SUA, România, Drago Kos, Slovenia, Republica Moldova

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