[…] Specifically, the web giant’s Privacy Sandbox APIs, a set of ad delivery and analysis technologies, now function in the latest version of the Chrome browser. Website developers can thus write code that calls those APIs to deliver and measure ads to visitors with compatible browsers. That is to say, sites can ask Chrome directly Read more about Google Chrome’s Privacy Sandbox: any site can now query all your habits[…]
The Foundation for the Protection of Privacy Interests and the Consumers’ Association are taking the next step in their fight against Google. The tech company is being taken to court today for ‘large-scale privacy violations’. The proceedings demand, among other things, that Google stop its constant surveillance and sharing of personal data through online advertising Read more about Google taken to court in NL for large scale privacy breaches[…]
Microsoft will finally stop forcing Windows 11 users in Europe into Edge if they click a link from the Windows Widgets panel or from search results. The software giant has started testing the changes to Windows 11 in recent test builds of the operating system, but the changes are restricted to countries within the European Read more about Microsoft to stop forcing Windows 11 users into Edge in EU countries[…]
[…] The independent study of the DSA’s risk management framework published by the EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, concluded that commitments by social media platforms to mitigate the reach and influence of global online disinformation campaigns have been generally unsuccessful. The reach of Kremlin-sponsored disinformation has only increased since the major platforms all signed Read more about Big Tech failed to police Russian disinformation: EU study[…]
Rick Klein and his team have been preserving TV adverts, forgotten tapes, and decades-old TV programming for years. Now operating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, the Museum of Classic Chicago Television has called YouTube home since 2007. However, copyright notices sent on behalf of Sony, protecting TV shows between 40 and 60 years old, could shut Read more about TV Museum Will Die in 48 Hours Unless Sony Retracts YouTube Copyright Strikes on 40 – 60 year old TV shows[…]
[…] The foundation, the Firefox browser maker’s netizen-rights org, assessed the privacy policies and practices of 25 automakers and found all failed its consumer privacy tests and thereby earned its Privacy Not Included (PNI) warning label. If you care even a little about privacy, stay as far away from Nissan’s cars as you possibly can Read more about Mozilla investigates 25 major car brands and finds privacy is shocking[…]
In the past I’ve sometimes described Australia as the land where internet policy is completely upside down. Rather than having a system that protects intermediaries from liability for third party content, Australia went the opposite direction. Rather than recognizing that a search engine merely links to content and isn’t responsible for the content at those Read more about Australian Government, Of All Places, Says Age Verification Is A Privacy & Security Nightmare[…]
This week, OpenAI finally responded to a pair of nearly identical class-action lawsuits from book authors […] In OpenAI’s motion to dismiss (filed in both lawsuits), the company asked a US district court in California to toss all but one claim alleging direct copyright infringement, which OpenAI hopes to defeat at “a later stage of Read more about OpenAI disputes authors’ claims that every ChatGPT response is a derivative work, it’s transformative[…]
Is Achmea or Bol.com customer service putting you on hold? Then everything you say can still be heard by some of their employees. This is evident from research by Radar. When you call customer service, you often hear: “Please note: this conversation may be recorded for training purposes.” Nothing special. But if you call the Read more about Companies are recording your conversations whilst you are on hold with them[…]
Two founders of Tornado Cash were formally accused by US prosecutors today of laundering more than $1 billion in criminal proceeds through their cryptocurrency mixer. As well as unsealing an indictment against the pair on Wednesday, the Feds also arrested one of them, 34-year-old Roman Storm, in his home state of Washington, and hauled him Read more about Tornado Cash ‘laundered over $1B’ in criminal cryptocurrency[…]
If you’ve never watched it, Kirby Ferguson’s “Everything is a Remix” series (which was recently updated from the original version that came out years ago) is an excellent look at how stupid our copyright laws are, and how they have really warped our view of creativity. As the series makes clear, creativity is all about Read more about Our Inability To Recognize That Remixing Art Is Transformative Is Now Leading To Today’s AI/Copyright Mess[…]
Copyright issues have dogged AI since chatbot tech gained mass appeal, whether it’s accusations of entire novels being scraped to train ChatGPT or allegations that Microsoft and GitHub’s Copilot is pilfering code. But one thing is for sure after a ruling [PDF] by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia – AI-created Read more about AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted, judge rules – Only humans can be creative, apparently[…]
More and more, as the video game industry matures, we find ourselves talking about game preservation and the disappearing culture of some older games as the original publishers abandon them. Often times leaving the public with no actual legit method for purchasing these old games, copyright law conspires with the situation to also prevent the Read more about One Fan Ports Abandoned PS1 Classic ‘WipeOut’, Tells Sony To either let it be or make it available for the world again. Sony will because copyright and assholes.[…]
The Mozilla Foundation has started a petition to stop the French government from forcing browsers like Mozilla’s Firefox to censor websites. “It would set a dangerous precedent, providing a playbook for other governments to also turn browsers like Firefox into censorship tools,” says the organization. “The government introduced the bill to parliament shortly before the Read more about Mozilla Foundation Warns France’s Proposed Web Blocking Law ‘Could Threaten the Free Internet’[…]
On Friday, the Internet Archive put up a blog post noting that its digital book lending program was likely to change as it continues to fight the book publishers’ efforts to kill the Internet Archive. As you’ll recall, all the big book publishers teamed up to sue the Internet Archive over its Open Library project, Read more about RIAA Attempts To Kill The World’s Greatest Library whilst it is down: Sues Internet Archive For Making It Possible To Hear Old 78s[…]
A Wednesday statement from the Commission brought news that in late July it wrote to Google to inform it of the ₩42.1 billion ($31.5 million) fine announced, and reported by The Register, in April 2023. The Commission has also commenced monitoring activities to ensure that Google complies with requirements to allow competition with its Play Read more about South Korea ‘puts the brakes’ on Google app store dominance[…]
Apple’s “Batterygate” legal saga is finally swinging shut – in the US, at least – with a final appeal being voluntarily dismissed, clearing the way for payouts to class members. The US lawsuit, which combined 66 separate class actions into one big legal proceeding in California, was decided in 2020, with the outcome requiring Apple Read more about Apple 2017 Batterygate finally leads to $500m payout, no more courts (in the US, in the UK – tbc)[…]
Were you hoping Canon might be held accountable for its all-in-one printers that mysteriously can’t scan when they’re low on ink, forcing you to buy more? Tough: the lawsuit we told you about last year quietly ended in a private settlement rather than becoming a big class-action. I just checked, and a judge already dismissed Read more about Canon is getting away with printers that won’t scan without ink — but HP might pay[…]
And here we go again. we’ve been talking about how copyright has gotten in the way of cultural preservation generally for a while, and more specifically lately when it comes to the video game industry. The way this problem manifests itself is quite simple: video game publishers support the games they release for some period Read more about Preservation Fail: Hasbro Wants Old ‘Transformers’ Games Re-Released, Except Activision Might Have Lost Them[…]
China has released draft regulations to govern the country’s facial recognition technology that include prohibitions on its use to analyze race or ethnicity. According to the the Cyberspace Administration of China(CAC), the purpose is to “regulate the application of face recognition technology, protect the rights and interests of personal information and other personal and property Read more about China floats rules for facial recognition technology – they are good and be great if the govt was bound by them too![…]
Mozilla’s Open Policy & Advocacy blog has news about a worrying proposal from the French government: In a well-intentioned yet dangerous move to fight online fraud, France is on the verge of forcing browsers to create a dystopian technical capability. Article 6 (para II and III) of the SREN Bill would force browser providers to create Read more about Will Browsers Be Required By Law To Stop You From Visiting Infringing Sites?[…]
Jieun Kiaer, an Oxford professor of Korean linguistics, recently published an academic book called Emoji Speak: Communications and Behaviours on Social Media. As you can tell from the name, it’s a book about emoji, and about how people communicate with them: Exploring why and how emojis are born, and the different ways in which people Read more about Academic Book About Emojis Can’t Include The Emojis It Talks About Because Of Copyright[…]
This weekend, a federal court tossed a subpoena in a case against the internet service provider Grande that would require Reddit to reveal the identities of anonymous users that torrent movies. The case was originally filed in 2021 by 20 movie producers against Grande Communications in the Western District of Texas federal court. The lawsuit Read more about Reddit Wins, Doesn’t Have to NARC on Users Who Discussed Torrenting[…]
Over the last few months there have been a flurry of lawsuits against AI companies, with most of them being focused on copyright claims. The site ChatGPTIsEatingTheWorld has been tracking all the lawsuits, which currently lists 11 lawsuits, seven of which are copyright claims. Five of those are from the same lawyers: Joseph Saveri and Read more about Judge Seems (Correctly) Skeptical Of AI Copyright Lawsui[…]
Italy’s brand new anti-piracy law has just received full approval from telecoms regulator AGCOM. In a statement issued Thursday, AGCOM noted its position “at the forefront of the European scene in combating online piracy.” The new law comes into force on August 8 and authorizes nationwide ISP blocking of live events and enables the state Read more about Italians turn telco regulator into internet spy, judge and jury, puts 25% of population as criminals[…]