The North Dakota legislature spikes two tech bills, one that would have regulated app stores and the other would have barred sales of personal data without consent. With the recent enactment by ballot of the “California Privacy Rights Act” (aka Proposition 24) and the pending enactment of the “Consumer Data Privacy Act” in Virginia, other … Continue reading States Other Than CA and VA Consider Privacy Bills
The incoming chair of the subcommittee that oversees antitrust is proposing the most significant revision of U.S. antitrust law since Hart-Scott-Rodino in 1976. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and three Democratic colleagues on the subcommittee with oversight of antitrust and anti-competitive matters have unveiled their bill to remake the United States’ (U.S.) antitrust enforcement regime. Left … Continue reading Klobuchar Proposes Major Update Of Antitrust Law
Further Reading “I checked Apple’s new privacy ‘nutrition labels.’ Many were false.” By Geoffrey Fowler — The Washington Post. It turns out the blue check mark in Apple’s App Store signifying that an app does not collect personal data is based on the honor system. As the Post’s technology columnist learned, Apple tells users this … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (2 February 2021)
Further Reading “Facebook and Apple Are Beefing Over the Future of the Internet” By Gilad Edelman — WIRED. The battle over coming changes to Apple’s iOS continues to escalate. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the changes that will change the app set up for iPhone users to an opt-in system for tracking people across the … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (1 February 2021)
Stopping short of saying it will file suit against Google, Australia’s competition authority finds plenty of issues in the “ad tech” market caused by Google. Australia’s competition regulator has issued its interim report on the state of a section of the online advertising world, and like other regulators around the world, have found that Google … Continue reading ACCC Ad Tech Report
Further Reading “President Biden’s Tech To-Do List” By Shira Ovide — The New York Times. Another survey of the pressing tech issues President Joe Biden and his Administration will grapple with.“Trying to improve remote learning? A refugee camp offers some surprising lessons” By Javeria Salman — The Hechinger Report. An organization that is helping refugee … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (26, 27, and 28 January 2021)
Google and France reach agreement on a scheme to compensate media while the company threatens to pull its search engine from Australia. Not long after Google reached agreement with French media on how to compensate them under France’s law to implement a European Union (EU) Directive, the company threatened to pull its search engine from … Continue reading France Reaches Agreement On Pay For Media; Australia Clashes With Google and Facebook On Same Issue
The Google/Fitbit deal could ultimately get blocked. Even though the European Union (EU) has signed off on Google’s acquisition of Fitbit with some conditions, the United States (U.S.) and Australia are still assessing the deal. Moreover, given that both nations are in the midst of acting against Google and other tech companies, one, if not … Continue reading Google Buys Fitbit Even Though U.S. and Australia May Still Oppose
Further Reading “Amazon’s Ring Neighbors app exposed users’ precise locations and home addresses” By Zack Whittaker — Tech Crunch. Again Amazon’s home security platform suffers problems by way of users data being exposed or less than protected.“Harassment of Chinese dissidents was warning signal on disinformation” By Shawna Chen and Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian — Axios. In an … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Development, and Coming Events (20 and 21 January 2021)
Further Reading “Hong Kong telecoms provider blocks website for first time, citing security law” — Reuters; “A Hong Kong Website Gets Blocked, Raising Censorship Fears” By Paul Mozur and Aaron Krolik — The New York Times. The Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) blocked access to a website about the 2019 protests against the People’s Republic … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (19 January 2021)
Michael Kans 