Facebook bans 'STOP THE STEAL' group I U.S. feds seized nearly $1Bn in Bitcoin from wallet linked to Silk Road I TikTok censored content critical of China, senior exec admits
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Facebook has banned the ‘STOP THE STEAL’ group Trump allies were using to organize protests against vote counting. The group, which had attracted more than 360,000 members, was among widespread efforts by conservative activists to spark protests challenging the legitimacy of the election. The Washington Post
On Tuesday, someone emptied out one of the most mysterious and most valuable Bitcoin wallets in existence, which contained almost $1 billion dollars linked to the notorious Silk Road dark web market. We now know who did it: the U.S. government. On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that it had seized the wallet. VICE News
TikTok used to censor content that was critical of China, a senior executive admitted Wednesday. TikTok’s UK director of public policy, Elizabeth Kanter, made the censorship admission while appearing before a UK parliamentary committee on forced Uighur labour on Wednesday. Business Insider
Australia
Digital defender warns of ‘malicious cyber activity’
The Australian
@Chambersgc
The head of the Australian Cyber Security Centre has warned sophisticated state-based actors and transnational criminals were targeting businesses and all levels of government, exploiting vulnerabilities and developing viruses to steal money and sensitive data. In her first speech as ACSC chief on Friday, Abigail Bradshaw will reveal the costs of a global surge in “devastating” cyber attacks on businesses, services and critical infrastructure were “grave”.
China
Inside the Chaotic Unraveling of Jack Ma’s $35 Billion IPO
Bloomberg
The mid-level bureaucrats left China’s richest man waiting as they prepared for a meeting that would send shockwaves across the financial world.
TikTok Parent ByteDance Seeks to Raise Cash at $180 Billion Valuation
Bloomberg
ByteDance Ltd. is in discussions to raise $2 billion before listing some of its businesses in Hong Kong, people familiar with the matter said, even as it seeks to avoid a ban on its TikTok service in the U.S.
USA
Facebook bans 'STOP THE STEAL' group Trump allies were using to organize protests against vote counting
The Washington Post
@TonyRomm @isaacstanbecker
The group, which had attracted more than 360,000 members, was among widespread efforts by conservative activists to spark protests challenging the legitimacy of the election.
Facebook and Twitter appear to have overlooked the deluge of disinformation targeting Spanish-speaking Americans about the election since Tuesday
The New York Times
@nicoleperlroth @PatriciaMazzei
Baseless social media messages to Latinos trying to delegitimize the election and the results for Joe Biden circulated online, part of a disinformation campaign to undermine Latino confidence in the vote as it unfolded.
Trump’s Tweeting Isn’t Crazy. It’s Strategic, Typos and All.
The New York Times
@EmilyDreyfuss
A network of right-wing operatives and activists — and the president himself — spread disinformation about Joe Biden with one simple hashtag.
Eric Trump Is An Election Disinformation Superspreader BuzzFeed News
OSCE slams Trump's 'baseless allegations' of US electoral fraud
DW.com
An international election observer mission has hit out at US President Donald Trump's "baseless allegations" of electoral fraud, saying it found no evidence to support his claims.
U.S. Feds Seized Nearly $1 Billion in Bitcoin from Wallet Linked to Silk Road
VICE News
@lorenzofb
On Tuesday, someone emptied out one of the most mysterious and most valuable Bitcoin wallets in existence, which contained almost $1 billion dollars linked to the notorious Silk Road dark web market. We now know who did it: the U.S. government. On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that it had seized the wallet.
United States Seizes 27 Additional Domain Names Used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to Further a Global, Covert Influence Campaign
US Department of Justice
The United States has seized 27 domain names that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unlawfully used to further a global covert influence campaign.
New Zealand & The Pacific
$180m investment – Plans to increase fibre penetration in more parts of the country
The Fiji Times
@monikas37776392
Looking at the importance of its role in enhancement of communication in Fiji, Telecom has pledged to invest $180 million into expanding its fibre infrastructure over the next five years to increase fibre penetration in more parts of Fiji.
UK
TikTok censored content critical of China, senior executive admits
Business Insider
@Hamilbug
TikTok used to censor content that was critical of China, a senior executive admitted Wednesday. TikTok’s UK director of public policy, Elizabeth Kanter, made the censorship admission while appearing before a UK parliamentary committee on forced Uighur labour on Wednesday.
TikTok invites UK lawmakers to review algorithm after being probed on China censorship concerns CNBC
Companies in Britain should not profit from Uighur exploitation
The Times
@Nus_Ghani
Today I will be leading the questioning of big high street-names, including BooHoo, Nike, The North Face, H&M, and, in TikTok, one of the biggest tech companies in the world, about the steps they are taking to ensure they do not benefit from the exploitation of the forced labour of Uighur in the Xinjiang region of China.
Europe
Switzerland outlines digital foreign policy strategy
Swissinfo.ch
Switzerland wants to help shape international law to give people better control of their data and improve digital governance around the world. These are key pillars of the country’s digital foreign policy strategy for the period 2021-2024.
Events
Misc
Proctorio used DMCA to take down a student’s critical tweets
TechCrunch
@zackwhittaker
A series of tweets by one Miami University student that were critical of a proctoring software company have been hidden by Twitter after the company filed a copyright takedown notice. Erik Johnson, a student who works as a security researcher on the side, posted a lengthy tweet thread in early September about Proctorio, an Arizona-based software company that several U.S. schools — including his own — use to monitor students who are taking their exams remotely.
Jobs
Senior Researcher / Project Lead
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has an outstanding opportunity for a senior researcher to lead a one-year project looking at leadership networks across Asia. Interviews will start immediately.
Senior Strategic Communications Officer
ASPI
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has an outstanding opportunity for a highly experienced, strategic communications professional to contribute to the launch of a new, high profile global project. The Senior Strategic Communications Officer will be an integral member of a bespoke team that will liaise with the Australian government, foreign governments, industry and civil society to build up this exciting new project. The position will work closely with the Executive Director and the Institutes’ s International Cyber Policy Centre.