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)
Late last month, a broad exception to the EU’s privacy regulations became effective. My apologies. The first version of this post erroneously asserted the derogation to the ePrivacy Directive had been enacted. It has not, and this post has been re-titled and updated to reflect this fact. As the European Union (EU) continues to work … Continue reading ePrivacy Exception Proposed
Further Reading “Biden’s NSC to focus on global health, climate, cyber and human rights, as well as China and Russia” By Karen DeYoung — The Washington Post. Like almost every incoming White House, the Biden team has announced a restructuring of the National Security Council (NSC) to better effectuate the President-elect’s policy priorities. To not … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (12 January 2021)
The EU is revising and replacing a 2016 regime to govern cybersecurity across the bloc. The European Union (EU) is floating a proposal to reform its 2016 law on cybersecurity throughout the European Union to address gaps the current regime is not addressing. This proposal was released in concert with a new cybersecurity strategy and … Continue reading New Cybersecurity Law and Strategy Unveiled
Whether there will be an adequacy decision allowing the free flow of personal data under the GDPR from the EU to the recently departed UK has been punted. And, its recent status as a member of the EU notwithstanding, the UK might not get an adequacy decision. In reaching agreement on many aspects of the … Continue reading UK and EU Defer Decision On Data Flows
Two new suits filed against Google by state attorneys general. If the content detailed isn’t illegal behavior, get ready for even more shocking conduct from technology companies to stymie competitors and extract the maximum of any and all rents. Last month, two new suits were filed against Google, arguing that the company’s dominance in the … Continue reading New Google Antitrust Suits Filed
Further Reading “China Used Stolen Data To Expose CIA Operatives In Africa And Europe;” “Beijing Ransacked Data as U.S. Sources Went Dark in China;” “Tech Giants Are Giving China A Vital Edge In Espionage” By Zach Dorfman — Foreign Policy. This terrifying trio of articles lays bare the 180 degree change in espionage advantage the … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Developments, and Coming Events (5 January 2021)
Further Reading “Microsoft Says Russian Hackers Viewed Some of Its Source Code” By Nicole Perlroth — The New York Times. The Sluzhba vneshney razvedki Rossiyskoy Federatsii’s (SVR) hack keeps growing and growing with Microsoft admitting its source code was viewed through an employee account. It may be that authorized Microsoft resellers were one of the … Continue reading Further Reading, Other Development, and Coming Events (4 January 2021)
The EU releases its proposals to remake digital markets. The European Commission (EC) has released its draft proposals to remake how the European Union (EU) regulates digital markets and digital services, the latest in the bloc’s attempts to rein in what it sees as harms and abuses to people and competition in Europe and the … Continue reading EC Finally Unveils Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act
Michael Kans 