5G is where China and the West finally diverge | Awash in disinformation before vote, Taiwan points finger at China | False and unverified information about Iran's missile attack on US bases in Iraq
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The rollout of fifth-generation cellular networks around the world will likely be a defining geopolitical dilemma of 2020. But American and European consumers could easily mistake 5G for just another marketing ploy for early adopters—to the detriment of democracies worldwide. The Atlantic
As Taiwan gears up for a major election this week, officials and researchers worry that China is experimenting with social media manipulation to sway the vote. Doing so would be easy, they fear, in the island’s rowdy democracy, where the news cycle is fast and voters are already awash in false or highly partisan information. The New York Times
Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at at least two military bases in Iraq, where US troops are housed, early Wednesday morning local time, the Pentagon said. BuzzFeed News has compiled a running list of falsehoods and unverified information following the attack. Buzzfeed
ASPI ICPC
Recant or die: Alleged threat to self-confessed Chinese spy Wang Liqiang
The Age
@Ageinvestigates @alexjoske
Taiwan's authorities are investigating Mr Wang's claims in November that he helped run a “cyber army” distributing pro-Beijing propaganda during municipal elections in 2018. One of the Facebook pages Mr Wang nominated as a covert propaganda tool was recently shut down by Facebook. He also said he had been ordered to interfere in the January 11 presidential election and that it was at this point he decided to defect.
The World
Inside the Billion-Dollar Battle Over .Org
The New York Times
@SteveLohr
A private equity firm wants to buy the internet domain used by nonprofits. A group of online pioneers says it is not the place to maximize profits.
Disinformation For Hire: How A New Breed Of PR Firms Is Selling Lies Online
BuzzFeed News
@CraigSilverman @JaneLytv
If disinformation in 2016 was characterized by Macedonian spammers pushing pro-Trump fake news and Russian trolls running rampant on platforms, 2020 is shaping up to be the year communications pros for hire provide sophisticated online propaganda operations to anyone willing to pay. Around the globe, politicians, parties, governments, and other clients hire what is known in the industry as “black PR” firms to spread lies and manipulate online discourse.
As World Leaders Shun TikTok, Impersonators and Fake Accounts Creep In
Bloomberg
@MarijooValero @Yueqi_Yang
As TikTok catches fire among the younger set, world leaders and politicians have kept their distance amid national security concerns about the Chinese-owned app. The vacuum is leaving room for impersonators to roam free. And TikTok’s efforts to dissuade such fake or misleading accounts are lacking, some social media experts say.
Australia
China
5G Is Where China and the West Finally Diverge
The Atlantic
@LindsayPGorman
The rollout of fifth-generation cellular networks around the world will likely be a defining geopolitical dilemma of 2020. But American and European consumers could easily mistake 5G for just another marketing ploy for early adopters—to the detriment of democracies worldwide.
A Small, But Growing Number Of People In China Say They Care About Data Privacy
NPR
@EmilyZFeng
China surveils its citizens but doesn't do a good job of protecting the information it collects. Now a small number of privacy advocates are saying the country should do more.
The Netherlands’ New Year greeting did not go down well in China
Quartz
@Jane_Li911
It was supposed to be a good wish to ring in the new year but for many web surfers in China there were bad vibes about the message posted on a popular Chinese social network by the embassy of the Netherlands in Beijing. The message, which emphasized the importance of human rights, contained a screenshot of the Chinese court document (link in Mandarin) that sentenced a Chinese Christian pastor to nine years in prison. The message was posted by the embassy on its official Weibo account on New Year’s Day.
Read ASPI ICPC’s report, Weibo diplomacy and censorship in China by @fryan.
USA
Congressional commission mulls new private sector reporting requirements
CyberScoop
@shanvav
The Cyberspace Solarium Commission, a bipartisan group tasked last year with devising a strategy for defending the U.S. against cyberattacks, is almost ready to reveal its proposals to the world.
The 5G fight of the decade
The Hill
@EBKania
The debate in Washington has often centered around concerns over the security threats and international expansion of Huawei, the dominating Chinese champion in this field. While there are encouraging indications that the United States is now starting to concentrate on the full range of issues regarding 5G, American action to date is far from commensurate with what is at stake.
White House Favors a Light Touch in Regulating AI
Wired
@willknight
The White House has issued principles for regulating the use of artificial intelligence that call for as little government interference as possible and offer only broad guidance to federal agencies. In fact, the principles might deter regulation of AI at a time when many think it is increasingly needed. Michael Kratsios, chief technology officer of the United States, is set to announce the principles on Wednesday at CES in Las Vegas. They arrive at a critical moment for the development of AI and for America’s position as the global standard bearer.
Shot across the bow': U.S. increases pressure on UK ahead of key Huawei decision
Reuters
@jc_stubbs
The United States is making a final pitch to Britain ahead of a U.K. decision on whether to upgrade its telecoms network with Huawei equipment, amid threats to cut intelligence-sharing ties, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Britain is expected to make a final call on how to deploy Huawei equipment in its future 5G networks later this month.
North Asia
Awash in Disinformation Before Vote, Taiwan Points Finger at China
The New York Times
@zhonggg
As Taiwan gears up for a major election this week, officials and researchers worry that China is experimenting with social media manipulation to sway the vote. Doing so would be easy, they fear, in the island’s rowdy democracy, where the news cycle is fast and voters are already awash in false or highly partisan information.
Chinese Disinformation in Taiwan
Taiwan Sentinel
@JMichaelCole1
Disinformation can contribute to polarization within a targeted society while eroding belief in the objective truth. China’s information warfare efforts are helped by a media environment in Taiwan that suffers from a variety of deficiencies.
Facebook shuts down groups supporting Taiwan
Taiwan News
On December 13 2019 Facebook removed 118 fan pages, 99 groups, and 51 accounts in Taiwan, including pages supporting Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu
South Asia
Indonesian army wields internet 'news' as a weapon in Papua
Reuters
@tom_allard @jc_stubbs
Yunanto co-ordinates a network of websites facilitated and funded by the military that publishes pro-government propaganda under the guise of independent news, according to web registration records and Reuters interviews with website editors and a special forces intelligence officer.
Check out our October 2019 joint BBC-ASPI investigation into West Papua information operations.
Pacific Islands
Cable system undergoes trial
Solomon Star News
The Solomon Submarine Cable has announced four licensed operators in the country that are now connected to the International Coral Sea Cable System for customer trials, which will last until the end of January 2020.
South Asia
The Surveillance State v. China Inc: The dilemma of India’s App Users
ORF
@WhoKnowsTrish
Chinese apps are dominating the app economy in India. In 2017, only 18 of the top 100 apps listed on Google Play were Chinese. By 2018, this number had grown to 44.. Chinese apps have come under the Indian government’s radar a number of times, most notably in the wake of the Doklam incident in 2017 and the 2019 General Elections. In December 2017, the Indian Ministry of Defence directed the armed forces to uninstall 42 Chinese apps that “reliable reports” stated are likely riddled with spyware and/or malware. In April 2019, Bytedance came under fire for hosting falsified information and for their inaction on the rampant use of their platforms by child predators.
‘Many lives have been lost’: five-month internet blackout plunges Kashmir into crisis
The Guardian
@HannahEP
Seven million people are still unable to go online after a ban first imposed from Delhi last August
BJP’s Obsession With Internet Shutdowns Cost India More Than $1.3 Billion Last Year: Report
HuffPost India
@gopalsathe
India ranks behind only Iraq and Sudan in terms of money lost in 2019 due to internet shutdowns, according to a report published on Tuesday. The report also found that in terms of the number of hours shut down, India again ranked third, behind Myanmar and Chad.
UK
Just one in ten Brits trust Huawei
YouGov
New YouGov research reveals that only one in ten Brits (10%) say they trust Huawei. So what worries the public about the company and its products?
Canada
Huawei Gear ‘Top Notch,’ Says New CEO of Canadian Telco BCE
Bloomberg
@mikeybellusci
The new head of Canada’s biggest telecommunications firm said Huawei Technologies Co.’s equipment is “top notch” and he’d like the option of working with the Chinese company as it rolls out a next-generation 5G network.
Middle East
Iran courted US security expert for years, seeking industrial hacking training
Ars Technica
@thepacketrat
In emails and WhatsApp messages, Iranian telecom official tried to recruit US researcher.
People Are Spreading False And Unverified Information About Iran's Missile Attack On US Bases In Iraq. Don't Be Fooled.
BuzzFeed News
@JaneLytv @CraigSilverman
Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at at least two military bases in Iraq, where US troops are housed, early Wednesday morning local time, the Pentagon said. BuzzFeed News has compiled a running list of falsehoods and unverified information following the attack.
Kuwait Says State News Agency Was Hacked to Say U.S. Troops Withdrawing
Haaretz
Hacked agency appeared to report that Kuwait's defense minister said it has received a letter from the Commander in Chief of a U.S. military camp in Kuwait 'declaring imminent withdrawal'
Misc
Hackers will be the weapon of choice for governments in 2020
MIT Technology Review
@HowellONeill
From the Olympics to elections, nations use hackers to win a bigger geopolitical game.
Twitter will put options to limit replies directly on the compose screen
The Verge
@backlon
Twitter will put options to limit replies directly into the compose screen.
All YouTube, Not Just the Algorithm, is a Far-Right Propaganda Machine
Mediu
@beccalew
YouTube’s celebrity culture and community dynamics play a major role in the amplification of far-right content.