Minister attacks Meta boss over Facebook message encryption plan
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat criticised Mark Zuckerberg for implementing encryption in Facebook messages, accusing Meta of allowing child abusers to operate freely.
The government plans to launch an advertising campaign to inform parents about Meta's choices and their impact on child safety.
Meta argues that encryption is necessary for privacy and security, while still taking action against abuse.
The Home Office's Online Safety Bill proposes powers for regulatory intervention in encrypted messaging platforms.
Apple has engaged with regulatory teams regarding the enforcement of relevant sections of the bill but has not publicly stated its position.
Meta fined record €1.2bn for transferring users’ data to US
Facebook's owner Meta has been fined a record €1.2 billion for breaking EU privacy rules by transferring data to the US. It is the biggest fine for a breach of GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), beating the €746 million levied on Amazon in 2021.
Nick Clegg, president of global affairs at Meta, and Jennifer Newstead, chief legal officer, responded in a blogpost stating: “This decision is flawed, unjustified and sets a dangerous precedent for the countless other companies transferring data between the EU and US. No country has done more than the US to align with European rules via their latest reforms, while transfers continue largely unchallenged to countries such as China.”
The case highlights the mismatch between EU and US data protection laws, with the EU requiring higher levels of data protection.
The European Court of Justice invalidated two EU-US frameworks, Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield, due to concerns about US laws not meeting EU standards.
Meta has been given a deadline to suspend data transfers to the US and stop processing EU citizens' data previously sent there. The company plans to appeal the ruling, and its hope rests on a new EU-US data privacy framework that may face legal challenges.
The ruling is expected to have “seismic” implications for data security and could affect any company with data backed in the US.
A new transatlantic data agreement, agreed in principle between the US and Europe was announced in March as is expected to be finalised in the next six months.
Montana becomes first US state to ban TikTok
Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed legislation banning TikTok from operating within the state, citing concerns over alleged intelligence gathering by China.
The ban will make it illegal for Google and Apple's app stores to offer TikTok within Montana, effective Jan. 1, 2024, though no penalties will be imposed on individuals using the app.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance, stated the new law infringes on the First Amendment rights of Montana's citizens and aims to defend the rights of its users.
The app, which has over 150 million American users, faces increasing scrutiny from US lawmakers and state officials over concerns regarding Chinese government influence over the platform.
Despite TikTok's denials of sharing data with the Chinese government, Governor Gianforte, a Republican, says the bill aims to protect Montanans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance.
Fake 'AI created' image of Pentagon explosion sparks brief US stock market panic
A fake AI-generated image depicting a Pentagon explosion went viral on social media, sparking a momentary stock market frenzy in the US.
Despite confirmation from police and fire officials that no explosion occurred, some news publications, like the Russia’s state-owned RT, initially presented the image as factual news, highlighting concerns about the potential chaos emerging AI technologies can cause.
The image's dissemination led the Arlington County Fire Department to debunk the rumours through social media.
The image also swiftly circulated among investment circles, coinciding with the opening of US stock markets, resulting in a ripple of panic. The S&P 500 briefly dipped, while investors sought refuge in traditional safe havens like US Treasury bonds and gold.