Internet Governance
Digital David & Goliath: The EU’s recent $2.7 billion antitrust fine against Google is a big win for the information antitrust war led by Yelp; the small search engine rival of Google that led the intercontinental fight for 6 years utilized various approaches along the way from hackathons to meetings with regulatory agencies to provide evidence of Google’s monopoly on online searching. .
Tempting the Twenty: Ongoing debates about data security, the trustworthiness of the digital economy, and internet access have led members of the G20 to devise a set of guiding regulatory principles in an effort to encourage each member nation to adopt the proposed digital agenda ahead of the G20 Summit in Germany this week.
Privacy
Terrorism Justifies Privy to Private Messaging? Privacy red flags have been raised as ongoing pressure from various international regulators has resulted in some of Facebook’s human content moderators receiving additional clearance to investigate user profiles with suspected ties to terrorist groups, including their private messages.
Armed and Autonomous: The Dubai police force has unveiled first-of-their-kind driverless police cars equipped with built-in surveillance drones, license plate readers, and facial recognition technology that human officers can use to remotely monitor crowded areas and identify suspects.
Information Security and Cyberthreats
DOJ Dodging Diplomacy? Seemingly in an effort to circumvent international authorities and gain access to data centers worldwide, the DOJ has proposed legislation to Congress and petitioned the Supreme Court to allow the issuing of warrants for digital information stored outside the United States by asking for an expansion of the Stored Communications Act.
Testing the Truth: As AI technology advances, some startups are developing capabilities which within the coming years will create realistic audio and video forgeries eventually undetectable to even forensic analysis, and as these developments evolve so too will various industries that depend on evidence of the truth such as journalism, national security, and the criminal justice system.
Proving Grounds: Weaker defense systems, the rush to enter the digital economy, and the likelihood of anonymity have made developing countries in Southwest Asia and Africa prime targets for hackers looking to test and modify new malware before wielding it against well-fortified entities such as international banks or government networks in more developed countries.
Intellectual Property
Snapchat’s Shopping Spree: The release of Snapchat’s new Snap Map seems to be the beginning of the company’s venture into augmented reality, as its recent purchases of hundreds of location-dependent technology patents will eventually allow users to tether photos and messages to particular locations on the map that will send to other users when they are nearby.
Free Expression and Censorship
Secure or Censored? A new study has found that websites that switch from HTTP to secure HTTPs connections prevent government censors from blocking specific web pages, forcing censoring governments to decide whether to allow all content on a particular site or block the site entirely.
Content Control: A new wave of government regulations aimed at the Chinese media industry will subject online audiovisual content to an audit to ensure it comports with “core socialist values,” drawing backlash from critics who say the rules will hamper creativity and force popular blogs and social media platforms to limit their content or shut down.
Practice Note
Conversations on “Connected Cars”: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) held a workshop on the “connected car” to address the NHTSA’s proposed rule, consumer safety benefits, the multitude of privacy and information security concerns surrounding this technology, and the need for the private sector to take a vested interest in the regulation of this interdisciplinary intersection of the auto and tech industries.
On the Lighter Side
A Phone for That: While the iPhone celebrated its 10th anniversary this past week, one reporter and smartphone holdout remarked that using the iPhone has dispensed with our need for previously commonplace physical objects like handwritten calendars, noisy alarm clocks, and even our once-beloved iPods.
Joel R. Reidenberg
Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law
Founding Academic Director, Fordham CLIP
N. Cameron Russell
Executive Director, Fordham CLIP
Yemi Danmola
Harrison Kay
Editorial Fellows, Fordham CLIP