Amazon bans police from using its facial recognition technology for next year | Zoom closes account of U.S.-based Chinese activist after Tiananmen event | Facebook Helped the FBI Hack a Child Predator
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Amazon is announcing a one-year moratorium on allowing law enforcement to use its controversial Rekognition facial recognition platform, the e-commerce giant said on Wednesday. The Verge
The U.S. video-conferencing company Zoom closed the account of a group of prominent U.S.-based Chinese activists after they held a Zoom event commemorating the 31st anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre. Axios
Facebook paid a cybersecurity firm six figures to develop a zero-day in Tails to identify a man who extorted and threatened girls. VICE
ASPI ICPC
NEW REPORT: The Challenges of Countering Influence Operations
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Elise Thomas, Natalie Thompson, Alicia Wanless
Influence operations are organized attempts to achieve a specific effect among a target audience. In such instances, a variety of actors—ranging from advertisers to activists to opportunists—employ a diverse set of tactics, techniques, and procedures to affect the decisionmaking, beliefs, and opinions of a target audience.
It’s time to end China’s ‘United Front’ operations inside the United States
The Washington Post
These efforts are carried out by the United Front system, which is a network of party and state agencies responsible for influencing groups outside the party, particularly those claiming to represent civil society,” researcher Alex Joske wrote in a new report for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. “It manages and expands the United Front, a coalition of entities working towards the party’s goals.
Chinese students warned against studying in 'racist' Australia
Triple J Hack
Would you study in a country if you thought you'd experience racism? The Chinese Education Bureau has warned its students about studying in Australia due to "racist incidents." So are international students being targeted, or is this the latest escalation in the dispute between Australia and China? Interview featuring Vicky Xu, Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
China
Is China Changing Its Thinking on Data Localization?
The Diplomat
Under pressure from the COVID-19 economic downturn, China’s authorities revealed mild interest in exploring less restrictive data localization measures. Global tech companies have long advocated for this approach, to no avail, and their Chinese counterparts have been only slightly more successful in getting the same message across.
USA
Amazon bans police from using its facial recognition technology for the next year
The Verge
Amazon is announcing a one-year moratorium on allowing law enforcement to use its controversial Rekognition facial recognition platform, the e-commerce giant said on Wednesday.
A Case for Banning Facial Recognition The New York Times
Zoom closes account of U.S.-based Chinese activist after Tiananmen event
Axios
@BethanyAllenEbr
The U.S. video-conferencing company Zoom closed the account of a group of prominent U.S.-based Chinese activists after they held a Zoom event commemorating the 31st anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre, Axios has learned.
Facebook Helped the FBI Hack a Child Predator
VICE
@lorenzofb
Facebook paid a cybersecurity firm six figures to develop a zero-day in Tails to identify a man who extorted and threatened girls.
Amazon, Facebook and Google turn to deep network of political allies to battle back antitrust probes
The Washington Post
Espinoza’s words, published in September by the Arizona Capitol Times, weren’t entirely his own. They were written on his behalf by an advocacy group that’s backed by Google and other tech behemoths, reflecting Silicon Valley’s stealthy new attempts to shape and weaponize public perception in response to heightened antitrust scrutiny.
How Google Docs became the social media of the resistance
Technology Review
Facebook and Twitter might have the bells and whistles, but the word processing software's simplicity and accessibility have made it a winning tool.
TSMC falls into line with US export controls on Huawei
The Financial Times
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has indicated it will not exploit apparent loopholes in the latest US restrictions on working with Chinese technology group Huawei and will comply with Washington’s intentions. The remarks from Mark Liu, TSMC chairman, suggest the ban by the Department of Commerce on companies selling Huawei-designed chips back to Huawei if they have been made or designed using US equipment or software is almost certain to cripple the Chinese company’s technological progress.
The frequent overlap between Trump’s conspiracy theories and Russian propaganda
The Washington Post
President Trump on Tuesday morning passed along a bizarre conspiracy theory. The theory is all the more ugly considering its origins: In the tweet, Trump tagged the pro-Trump One America News Network. The OANN journalist behind the dubious conspiracy theory is Kristian Rouz, who has moonlighted as a reporter for the Russian propaganda outlet Sputnik News.
Iran and China hackers target Trump and Biden campaigns
The Financial Times
Chinese and Iranian hackers sent bogus emails to staff working for the Biden and Trump US presidential campaigns, respectively, in an attempt to access sensitive information, Google said on Thursday.
Facebook Deplatforms Hundreds of Anti-Racist Skinheads and Musicians
OneZero
Hundreds of anti-racist skinheads are reporting that Facebook has purged their accounts for allegedly violating its community standards. This week, members of ska, reggae, and SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) communities that oppose white supremacy are accusing the platform of wrongfully targeting them. Many believe that Facebook has mistakenly conflated their subculture with neo-Nazi groups because of the term “skinhead.”
UK
NATO chief says on Huawei: UK review of 5G security is important
Reuters
The head of the NATO military alliance said on Wednesday that the West could not ignore the rise of China and so it was important that Britain had a review of the role of Huawei in its 5G network to ensure its security. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said China was coming closer to the West in various ways - in the Arctic, in cyberspace and in critical infrastructure, including telecommunications.
We do not want to see China undermining the rules-based global order
The Telegraph
@MPIainDS @IoWBobSeely
If the howls of China’s cheerleaders are anything to go by, the writing appears on the wall for Huawei’s long-term prospects in the UK. As a Telegraph report revealed last month, Government officials have been instructed to draw up plans for phasing out Huawei from the UK’s networks.
Tory MPs blast Huawei over British media blitz
CityAM
Tory MPs have blasted Huawei’s UK media blitz as a “ridiculous” attempt to gain British sympathy, amid increasing pressure for Boris Johnson to cut ties with the Chinese technology firm. In an open letter to the British public Huawei today emphasised its commitment to the UK over the past two decades and its credibility as a telecoms provider.
Europe
EU says China behind 'huge wave' of Covid-19 disinformation
The Guardian
@JenniferMerode
China has been accused by Brussels of running disinformation campaigns inside the European Union, as the bloc set out a plan to tackle a “huge wave” of false facts about the coronavirus pandemic.
Denmark becomes the 32nd Member of the Freedom Online Coalition
Freedom Online Coalition
The Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) is pleased to announce Denmark as its 32nd Member. Over the years, Denmark has been an active participant in Internet-related discussions and debates, and a fervent advocate for multistakeholder Internet governance, human rights, and press freedom. Denmark is a signatory of several international treaties and a co-sponsor of several international resolutions, which relate to the FOC’s mission. Recently, Denmark has launched an initiative to protect civic space and support human rights defenders, including strengthening the country’s digital resilience.
Misc
The Global AI Talent Tracker
Marco Polo
Countries, companies, and institutions around the world are mobilizing to apply the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to an enormous range of economic and social problems. That application requires bringing together several key inputs: research and engineering talent, data, computational power, and a healthy innovation ecosystem. Talent is one of the most important—and the most clearly quantifiable—of those inputs.
Thanos ransomware auto-spreads to Windows devices, evades security
Bleeping Computer
@LawrenceAbrams
The Thanos ransomware is the first to use a researcher-disclosed RIPlace anti-ransomware evasion technique as well as numerous other advanced features that make it a serious threat to keep an eye on.
Millions Of iPhone Users To Get This Stunning New Messaging Update
Forbes
And now millions of iPhone users sending secure messages over the leading third-party platforms—WhatsApp and Signal—are in for some great news. Two of the most glaring holes with the platforms are being plugged. The fine balance between usability and security has been the issue in both cases—but finally we have fixes being put into place. For WhatsApp, this addresses a worrying security vulnerability. But Signal’s update goes further, it could be a genuine game-changer, removing a serious inhibitor that has stopped millions from making it their go-to messenger.
Research
The 5G dilemma: Mapping responses across the world
ORF
When it comes to adopting and deploying 5G networks, policymakers across the world are facing a critical choice—one that will require them to carefully weigh and balance a broad range of economic, political, technical, and strategic considerations.
The Global Implications of “Re-education” Technologies in Northwest China
Center for Global Policy
Since May 2014, when Chinese Communist Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian announced the People’s War on Terror in the Uighur region, Chinese technology firms have received billions of dollars in Chinese state capital to build a comprehensive Muslim “re-education” system in Northwest China.
Digital Kids SecuriDay, Hosted online, 15th of August
Kids SecuriDay
Kids SecuriDay is going digital delivery as part of National Science Week with a stack of fun security talks, workshops, competitions and games planned! We're all about introducing youth to security, and its importance in their everyday lives. This event is for at children (aged 6 to 16) and their parents/guardians. We aim to reach people from all areas of the community who want to expand their knowledge, as the goal is to learn about security, be inspired by the sector, and have fun while doing it. Tickets are available from June 15th 2020. Stay tuned for our event schedule!
Jobs
Program Manager/Senior Analyst
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has an outstanding opportunity for a talented, proactive and super efficient program manager/senior analyst to join its growing centre. The successful candidate will need to have a proven track record of leading teams and experience in project management including financial and stakeholder management (which will include industry, the Australian Government, Parliament and foreign governments). To succeed in this position candidates should have exceptional communication and problem-solving skills and experience in research, policy analysis or policy development.
Analyst
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre has an outstanding opportunity for a talented and proactive allrounder to join its growing centre. The ICPC is looking for someone who is an excellent writer and researcher and who is a team player - you will need to juggle multiple research projects that could span the range of topics listed above. This is not an entry level position. Analysts in ICPC have between 5-15 years’ relevant work experience and, depending on experience, are involved in stakeholder and project management, fundraising and the management of small teams.
MANRS Fellowship Program Now Open
MANRS
The first-ever MANRS (Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security) Fellowship Program is now accepting applications. If you are an emerging leader eager to improve the well-being of the Internet’s global routing system, apply now.