Category: privacy

Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (10 December)

Further Reading “Social media superspreaders: Why Instagram, not Facebook, will be the real battleground for COVID-19 vaccine misinformation” By Isobel Asher Hamilton — Business Insider. According to one group, COVID-19 anti-vaccination lies and misinformation are proliferating on Instagram despite its parent company’s, Facebook, efforts to find and remove such content. There has been dramatic growth … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (10 December) →

Canada Releases Privacy Bill

Canada’s newly released privacy bill shares commonalities with U.S. bills but features a stronger enforcement regime that could result in fines of up to 5% of annual worldwide revenue for the worst violations. The government in Ottawa has introduced in Parliament the “Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020” (Bill C-11) that would dramatically reform the nation’s … Continue reading Canada Releases Privacy Bill →

Further Reading, Other Development, and Coming Events (7 December)

Further Reading “Facebook steps up campaign to ban false information about coronavirus vaccines” By Elizabeth Dwoskin — The Washington Post. In its latest step to find and remove lies, misinformation, and disinformation, the social media giant is now committing to removing and blocking untrue material about COVID-19 vaccines, especially from the anti-vaccine community. Will the … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Development, and Coming Events (7 December) →

Armed Services Committees Agree On Final NDAA

The annual defense policy bill creates a new National Cyber Director and addresses other technology issues. Last week, the negotiators agreed on a final FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that could get passed as early as this week. To no great surprise, President Donald Trump has threatened to veto the annual policy and … Continue reading Armed Services Committees Agree On Final NDAA →

Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (4 December)

Further Reading “How Misinformation ‘Superspreaders’ Seed False Election Theories” By Sheera Frenkel — The New York Times. A significant percentage of lies, misinformation, and disinformation about the legitimacy of the election have been disseminated by a small number of right-wing figures, which are then repeated, reposted, and retweeted. The Times relies on research of how … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (4 December) →

Biden Administration Tech Policy: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

The FCC could be a major force for technology policy in the Biden Administration. The next Administration will change many of the technology policies put in place under President Donald Trump, but among the highest profile policy reversals will be the Biden Administration’s reestablishment of net neutrality rules. This signature accomplishment of the Obama Administration … Continue reading Biden Administration Tech Policy: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) →

American and Canadian Agencies Take Differing Approaches On Regulating AI

The outgoing Trump Administration tells agencies to lightly regulate AI; Canada’s privacy regulator calls for strong safeguards and limits on use of AI, including legislative changes. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued guidance for federal agencies on how they are to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) not in use by the government. This … Continue reading American and Canadian Agencies Take Differing Approaches On Regulating AI →

New EU Consumer Agenda

The European Commission frames a number of current and new programs as a paradigm shift in consumer rights in the EU. The European Commission (EC) has published its New Consumer Agenda that envisions nothing less than a remaking of the European Union’s (EU) approach to a number of key realms, including the digital world. If … Continue reading New EU Consumer Agenda →

Further Action On TikTok Divestment and Ban But No Changes

TikTok sues to block the CFIUS order that it divest and the Trump Administration files an appeal of an injunction. Even though the Trump Administration’s efforts to implement its ban of TikTok have gone nowhere as numerous courts have enjoined the enforcement of the orders, TikTok filed suit against the related order that the company … Continue reading Further Action On TikTok Divestment and Ban But No Changes →

“Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election” Hearing

A second committee gets its shot at social media platform CEOs and much of the hearing runs much like the one at the end of last month. It was with some reluctance that I watched the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearing with Facebook and Twitter’s CEO given the other Senate hearing at which they appeared a … Continue reading “Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election” Hearing →