Category: Global Domination

US govt wins right to snaffle Edward Snowden’s $5m+ book royalties, speech fees – and all future related earnings

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The US government’s Department of Justice has won its multi-million-dollar claim to Edward Snowden’s Permanent Record book royalties as well as any future related earnings. A federal district court in eastern Virginia this week ruled that Uncle Sam was entitled to the proceeds of Snowden’s bestseller, an estimated $5.2m, and “any further monies, royalties, or Read more about US govt wins right to snaffle Edward Snowden’s $5m+ book royalties, speech fees – and all future related earnings[…]

Instagram and Facebook Messenger Are Merging Chat Functions

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook announced today that Messenger and Instagram are, for all intents and purposes, merging. Chat features from Messenger will become available to Instagram users, and folks on either service will be able to reach out to one another without needing to download a separate app. “Today, we’re announcing an update to Instagram DMs by introducing Read more about Instagram and Facebook Messenger Are Merging Chat Functions[…]

Who watches the watchers? Samsung does so it can fling ads at owners of its smart TVs

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Samsung brags to advertisers that “first screen ads”, seen by all users of its Smart TVs when they turn on, are 100 per cent viewable, audience targeted, and seen 400 times per TV per month. Some users are not happy. “Dear Samsung, why are you showing Ads on my Smart TV without my consent? I Read more about Who watches the watchers? Samsung does so it can fling ads at owners of its smart TVs[…]

Blowback Time: China Says TikTok Deal Is A Model For How It Should Deal With US Companies In China

Posted on by Robin Edgar

We’ve already covered what a ridiculous, pathetic grift the Oracle/TikTok deal was. Despite it being premised on a “national security threat” from China, because the app might share some data (all of which is easily buyable from data brokers) with Chinese officials, the final deal cured none of that, left the Chinese firm ByteDance with Read more about Blowback Time: China Says TikTok Deal Is A Model For How It Should Deal With US Companies In China[…]

China says it won’t approve TikTok sale, calls it ‘extortion’. Finally someone calling it what it is.

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The September 20 deadline for a purported TikTok sale has already passed, but the parties involved have yet to settle terms on the deal. ByteDance and TikTok’s bidders Oracle and Walmart presented conflicting messages on the future ownership of the app, confusing investors and users. Meanwhile, Beijing’s discontent with the TikTok sale is increasingly obvious. Read more about China says it won’t approve TikTok sale, calls it ‘extortion’. Finally someone calling it what it is.[…]

Ex-eBay global intel staffers to admit they cyberstalked online tat bazaar’s critics – who got pig heads, funeral wreath, and more in the mail

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Four of the seven former eBay employees charged with cyberstalking a couple critical of the web auction house are scheduled to plead guilty next month. In June, the US Justice Department charged six former staffers – director of safety and security James Baugh, 45, of San Jose, California; director of global resiliency David Harville, 48, Read more about Ex-eBay global intel staffers to admit they cyberstalked online tat bazaar’s critics – who got pig heads, funeral wreath, and more in the mail[…]

Spain’s highway agency is monitoring speeding hotspots using bulk phone location data – is that even allowed here?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Spain’s highways agency is using bulk mobile phone data for monitoring speeding hotspots, according to local reports. Equipped with data on customers handed over by local mobile phone operators, Spain’s Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) may be gathering data on “which roads and at what specific kilometer points the speed limits are usually exceeded,” according to Read more about Spain’s highway agency is monitoring speeding hotspots using bulk phone location data – is that even allowed here?[…]

Cambridge Analytica boss disqualified from running a company for 7 years

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Alexander James Ashburner Nix (45), from Holland Park, West London, has signed a disqualification undertaking, accepted by the Secretary of State on 14 September 2020. Within the undertaking, Alexander Nix did not dispute that he caused or permitted SCL Elections Ltd or associated companies to market themselves as offering potentially unethical services to prospective clients; Read more about Cambridge Analytica boss disqualified from running a company for 7 years[…]

Firefox usage is down 85% despite Mozilla’s top exec pay going up 400%

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Mozilla recently announced that they would be dismissing 250 people. That’s a quarter of their workforce so there are some deep cuts to their work too. The victims include: the MDN docs (those are the web standards docs everyone likes better than w3schools), the Rust compiler and even some cuts to Firefox development. Like most Read more about Firefox usage is down 85% despite Mozilla’s top exec pay going up 400%[…]

Facebook says it may quit Europe over ban on sharing data with US

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook has warned that it may pull out of Europe if the Irish data protection commissioner enforces a ban on sharing data with the US, after a landmark ruling by the European court of justice found in July that there were insufficient safeguards against snooping by US intelligence agencies. In a court filing in Dublin, Read more about Facebook says it may quit Europe over ban on sharing data with US[…]

Trump Pushes to Reap Extensive Biometric Data From Immigrants, Americans, never delete them

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Six million would-be U.S. immigrants face expanded collection of their biometric data, including iris scans, palm-, and voice-prints, facial recognition images, and DNA, under a proposed federal rule. The Department of Homeland Security also for the first time would gather that data from American citizens sponsoring or benefiting from a visa application. Years in the Read more about Trump Pushes to Reap Extensive Biometric Data From Immigrants, Americans, never delete them[…]

The Hype Machine by Sinan Aral: how does social media form our decisions

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Drawing on two decades of his own research and business experience, Aral goes under the hood of the biggest, most powerful social networks to tackle the critical question of just how much social media actually shapes our choices, for better or worse. Aral shows how the tech behind social media offers the same set of behavior-influencing levers to both Russian hackers and brand marketers—to Read more about The Hype Machine by Sinan Aral: how does social media form our decisions[…]

Epic’s new filing claims Apple lied about Fortnite’s popularity: Apple used Google Trends data!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

There’s a new development in the high-profile game of chicken between Apple and Epic. The Fortnite developer’s latest legal filing claims that Apple “cherry-picked” Google data in its own legal filing earlier this week to support its narrative that Fortnite’s declining popularity is the impetus behind all this drama. Apple has repeatedly argued that Epic Read more about Epic’s new filing claims Apple lied about Fortnite’s popularity: Apple used Google Trends data![…]

Facebook Accused of Watching Instagram Users Through Cameras. FB claims “bug”

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Facebook is again being sued for allegedly spying on Instagram users, this time through the unauthorized use of their mobile phone cameras. Bloomberg reports: The lawsuit springs from media reports in July that the photo-sharing app appeared to be accessing iPhone cameras even when they weren’t actively being used. Facebook denied the reports and blamed Read more about Facebook Accused of Watching Instagram Users Through Cameras. FB claims “bug”[…]

Google bans stalkerware apps from Android store. Which is cool but… why were they allowed in the first place?

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In an update to its Android Developer Program Policy, Google on Wednesday said stalkerware apps in its app store can no longer be used to stalk non-consenting adults. Stalkerware, which the web giant defines as “code that transmits personal information off the device without adequate notice or consent and doesn’t display a persistent notification that Read more about Google bans stalkerware apps from Android store. Which is cool but… why were they allowed in the first place?[…]

The Weather Channel app settles suit over selling location data of 49m people without consent

Posted on by Robin Edgar

IBM and the Los Angeles city attorney’s office have settled a privacy lawsuit brought after The Weather Channel app was found to be selling user location data without proper disclosure. The lawsuit was filed last year, at which point the app had 45 million active users. IBM has changed the way that users are informed, Read more about The Weather Channel app settles suit over selling location data of 49m people without consent[…]

EU Copyright Companies Want Legal Memes Blocked Too Because They Now Admit Upload Filters Are ‘Practically Unworkable’

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The passage of the EU Copyright Directive last year represented one of the most disgraceful examples of successful lobbying and lying by the publishing, music, and film industries. In order to convince MEPs to vote for the highly controversial legislation, copyright companies and their political allies insisted repeatedly that the upload filters needed to implement Read more about EU Copyright Companies Want Legal Memes Blocked Too Because They Now Admit Upload Filters Are ‘Practically Unworkable’[…]

Spotify blasts Apple One service as ‘anti-competitive’, wants regulators to act

Posted on by Robin Edgar

In a statement, the streaming service argued Apple One will “deprive consumers by favoring its own services” and urged regulators to take action against what it perceives to be “anti-competitive behavior”. Announced yesterday at Cupertino’s Time Flies launch event, Apple One bundles the firm’s various subscription services into a single monthly payment. The product is Read more about Spotify blasts Apple One service as ‘anti-competitive’, wants regulators to act[…]

Gods & Monsters Isn’t The First Time Monster Energy Has Been Annoying About Naming Rights – unbelievable that you can trademark an actual word!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Monster Beverage tried to stop Ubisoft from trademarking the name “Gods & Monsters” earlier this year to prevent confusion between its brand of highly caffeinated sodas and the upcoming action adventure game. It turns out this is the sort of thing Monster does a lot. Monster routinely challenges “monster”-related trademarks, including, tactical gear, ice cream, Read more about Gods & Monsters Isn’t The First Time Monster Energy Has Been Annoying About Naming Rights – unbelievable that you can trademark an actual word![…]

Cory Doctorow Crowdfunds His New Audiobook to Protest Amazon/Audible DRM

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Science fiction writer Cory Doctorow (also a former EFF staffer and activist) explains why he’s crowdfunding his new audiobook online. Despite the large publishers for his print editions, “I can’t get anyone to do my audiobooks. Amazon and its subsidiary Audible, which controls 90% of the audiobook sales, won’t carry any of my audiobooks because Read more about Cory Doctorow Crowdfunds His New Audiobook to Protest Amazon/Audible DRM[…]

Apple sues Epic for destroying the App store and won’t let their users log in using Apple log in (whatever that is)

Posted on by Robin Edgar

So, Apple is trying to frame it’s strong arming of companies into paying 30% protection money… uh… app store fees – well… unless you have an agreement to pay less, but only one or two have that… as being in the interest of the people who’s arms they are ripping out. Because we believe the Read more about Apple sues Epic for destroying the App store and won’t let their users log in using Apple log in (whatever that is)[…]

Italy is investigating Apple, Google and Dropbox cloud storage services

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Italy’s competition watchdog is investing Apple, Google and Dropbox, TechCrunch reports. In a press release, the AGCM announced that it opened six investigations into the companies’ cloud storage services: Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox. The authority is concerned that the services fail to adequately explain how user data will be collected and used for commercial Read more about Italy is investigating Apple, Google and Dropbox cloud storage services[…]

Australia starts second fight with Google and Apple, this time over whether app stores leak data, gouge devs, steal ideas and warp markets

Posted on by Robin Edgar

Australia, already embroiled in a nasty fight with Google and Facebook over its plan to make them pay for news links, has opened an inquiry into whether Apple and Google’s app stores offer transparent pricing and see consumers’ data used in worrying ways. The issues paper [PDF] outlining the scope of the inquiry names only Read more about Australia starts second fight with Google and Apple, this time over whether app stores leak data, gouge devs, steal ideas and warp markets[…]

Dutch minister of Justice holds coronaparty, changes law to escape consequences, appears to DMCA to delete from internet, better than Cummings!

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The man who told all of the Netherlands to keep to 1.5m distance and to stay away from older people (Grapperhaus) was photographed hugging his mother in law and repeatedly breaking the distance at his wedding. This is the man who fines people EUR 400,- for this and then gives them a permanent record. He Read more about Dutch minister of Justice holds coronaparty, changes law to escape consequences, appears to DMCA to delete from internet, better than Cummings![…]

7 years later, US court deems NSA bulk phone-call snooping illegal, possibly unconstitutional, and probably pointless anyway

Posted on by Robin Edgar

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ruled [PDF] that the National Security Agency’s phone-call slurping was indeed naughty, seven years after former contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the tawdry affair. It’s been a long time coming, and while some might view the decision as a slap for officials Read more about 7 years later, US court deems NSA bulk phone-call snooping illegal, possibly unconstitutional, and probably pointless anyway[…]