House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App | MEPs approve world's first comprehensive AI law | ‘Not above the law’: Facebook warned of liability for scams
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The House on Wednesday passed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the hugely popular video app or be banned in the United States. The move escalates a showdown between Beijing and Washington over the control of technologies that could affect national security, free speech and the social media industry. The New York Times
The European Parliament has approved the world's first comprehensive framework for constraining the risks of artificial intelligence. The AI Act works by classifying products according to risk and adjusting scrutiny accordingly. BBC
Facebook faces growing international pressure to detect scammers and false advertisers – under increasing threat of being held financially liable – after a global fraud summit in London heard how it was involved in 80 per cent of the world’s fraudulent losses on social media. The Australian
Australia
‘Not above the law’: Facebook warned of liability for scams
The Australian
Jacquelin Magnay
Facebook faces growing international pressure to detect scammers and false advertisers – under increasing threat of being held financially liable – after a global fraud summit in London heard how it was involved in 80 per cent of the world’s fraudulent losses on social media. Under new Australian legislation to be introduced later this year, social media platforms will be required to improve various aspects of their service, including procedures already required elsewhere in the world, such as advertiser verification. But the recalcitrance of Meta, which is Facebook’s owner, has disappointed the Australian government.
Canberra’s stoush with Meta wins global support
The Australian Financial Review
Hans van Leeuwen
The Albanese government has pulled in global support for its latest salvo against Facebook owner Meta Platforms, with an 11-country summit in London backing Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones’ call for the reluctant company to rid its platforms of scammers and fraudsters. A communiqué issued from the summit, which included ministers from the US, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Korea, Singapore and New Zealand, called on industry to up its game.
Australia’s $9.9bn cyber army activated
The Australian
Geoff Chambers
Cyber security agencies are on track to recruit up to 1900 new staff under the $9.9bn REDSPICE program, as the Australian Signals Directorate reports a lower workforce churn amid a surge in cyber defence activity. Australian Cyber Security Centre head Abigail Bradshaw said the ASD was “doing brilliantly” in progressing the 10-year plan to double the country’s cyber army, as global threats posed by criminal gangs and Chinese, Russian and Iranian state-based actors intensify. Under the REDSPICE program, ASD will triple its offensive cyber capability, double cyber hunt activities, invest in advanced AI, machine learning and cloud technology, quadruple its global footprint and locate 40 per cent of staff outside Canberra.
Cybersecurity project DFNDR awarded federal funding
Australian Defence Magazine
Canberra-based cyber security company Ionize has been awarded a federal government grant worth $3 million through the Cooperative Research Centres Projects Round 15, to deliver Project DFNDR: Adaptive Cyber Security for Defence and Critical Infrastructure SMEs. Project DFNDR will be delivered in a partnership between Ionize, Cybermerc and the University of Canberra dedicated to streamlining cyber threat detection, network defence, response and recovery for small to medium enterprises.
VET needs more attention to solve public sector tech skills shortage
The Mandarin
Dan Holmes
The public service is crying out for tech talent, and it’s not universities but TAFE that will pick up the training load needed to prepare departments for the future. Technology and workplace consultant ReadyTech’s fifth annual Voice of VET report shows digital transformation is a high priority for the vocational education sector. It highlights not only the way that vocational education and training can help address existing skills shortages but also the way it can prepare the Australian economy for a more equitable future.
China
Chinese-origin researchers stand out in Apple’s 2024 AI scholarship programme, shining a light on mainland’s brain drain
South China Morning Post
Ben Jiang
Researchers of Chinese origin comprised more than half of this year’s recipients of Apple’s annual fellowship programme on artificial intelligence, shining a light on a brain drain that threatens the nation’s ambition to become a global powerhouse in that critical technology. The 2024 Apple Scholars in AIML PhD fellowship – focused on machine learning, a branch of AI concerned with developing algorithms and statistical models for computer systems – shows that 11 of the 21 admitted to the programme were of Chinese origin, based on their names and academic background that include bachelor’s level studies on the mainland, according to a list published on Tuesday by Apple on its website.
For more on critical tech competition, check out ASPI's Critical Tech Tracker here.
USA
House Passes Bill to Force TikTok Sale From Chinese Owner or Ban the App
The New York Times
Sapna Maheshwari, David McCabe & Annie Karni
The House on Wednesday passed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the hugely popular video app or be banned in the United States. The move escalates a showdown between Beijing and Washington over the control of technologies that could affect national security, free speech and the social media industry. Republican leaders fast-tracked the bill through the House with limited debate, and it passed on a lopsided vote of 352-65, reflecting widespread backing for legislation that would take direct aim at China in an election year.
US House passes bill that could ban TikTok nationwide
BBC
Bernd Debusmann, Matt Murphy & Natalie Sherman
The US House of Representatives has passed a landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in America. It would give the social media giant's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, six months to sell its controlling stake or the app will be blocked in the US. While the bill passed overwhelmingly in a bipartisan vote, it still needs to clear the Senate and be signed by the president to become law.US House passes bill to force ByteDance to divest TikTok or face ban
Reuters
David Shepardson
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Wednesday that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the U.S. assets of the short-video app, or face a ban, in the greatest threat to the app since the Trump administration. The bill passed 352-65, with bipartisan support, but it faces a more uncertain path in the Senate where some favor a different approach to regulating foreign-owned apps posing security concerns. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate will review the legislation.
Biden administration investigating Change Healthcare cyberattack as disruptions continue
CNBC
Ashley Capoot
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched an investigation into UnitedHealth Group following the cyberattack on its Change Healthcare unit that has disrupted crucial operations in pharmacies and hospitals across the U.S. The HHS Office for Civil Rights said in a statement Wednesday that it’s investigating the incident due to the “unprecedented magnitude of the cyberattack.”
Doctors are worried about the ideas bots are putting in patients’ heads
POLITICO
Ruth Reader
People are increasingly turning to bots powered by artificial intelligence for advice when they get sick. But the bots aren’t always right. Sometimes they make stuff up. And doctors dealing with the panic that can ensue want Washington to regulate this free technology before more time and money is wasted.
An open-and-closed case in Austin
POLITICO
Derek Robertson
The policy-related programming at this year’s South by Southwest is largely over, but the technologists building the future are still hashing out their plans on the conference stage. And given the laissez-faire status quo for U.S. tech regulation (notwithstanding today’s blow to TikTok in Congress), what they decide in Austin or Silicon Valley will likely matter more than anything being discussed in Washington right now. That’s why I was fascinated by one particular debate that played out this week at SXSW: What, exactly, qualifies as “open source” AI and what are the benefits and drawbacks of building it?
North Asia
Japan's Toppan to build Singapore chip package substrate plant
Nikkei Asia
Kyoko Hariya
Toppan Holdings plans to build a semiconductor package substrate plant in Singapore and begin operations at the end of 2026, joining several other Japanese substrate makers in boosting capital investment amid booming demand tied to artificial intelligence. Toppan currently produces package substrates only at its plant in central Japan's Niigata prefecture. The planned Singapore factory will be near many back-end processing contractors that handle semiconductor assembly and testing in Malaysia and Taiwan.
Space One's Kairos rocket explodes just after liftoff in Japan
Nikkei Asia
Mitsuru Obe
Space One's maiden rocket launch failed on Wednesday in a setback for the company as it looks to become the first private venture in Japan to put a satellite into orbit and secure a slice of the fast-growing space business. The satellite on board the rocket was meant to demonstrate the ability of the Japanese government to launch and operate small satellites quickly in case problems arise with existing spy satellites.
Japanese solid-fuelled rocket explodes shortly after launch
Al Jazeera
A small Japanese rocket exploded shortly after launch in a blow to Tokyo-based startup Space One’s attempt to become the first local company to put a satellite into orbit. There was no immediate indication of what caused the explosion, or whether there were any injuries. Space One has said the launch was highly automated and required only about a dozen staff at the ground control centre. Although Japan is a relatively small player in the space race, the nation’s rocket developers are scrambling to build cheaper vehicles to capture booming demand for satellite launches from its government and global clients.
Southeast Asia
Thailand to benefit from semiconductor production rejig, says US commerce secretary
Reuters
Devjyot Ghoshal
Thailand stands to gain from a move by the United States to diversify semiconductor production, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Wednesday, adding that American firms were ready to "supercharge" investments into the Southeast Asian country. The electrical and electronics industry is one of Thailand's main foreign investment magnets, and a key sector that Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's government is looking to expand as it seeks to kickstart a sluggish economy.
Ukraine - Russia
Russian independent media outlet Meduza faces ‘most intense cyber campaign’ ever
The Record by Recorded Future
Daryna Antoniuk
The Russian independent media organisation Meduza said that it has been targeted by an “unprecedented” cyber campaign ahead of the upcoming presidential election this month. “In February 2024, the Russian authorities launched a series of cyberattacks against Meduza, more intense than any we’ve ever faced,” the organisation said in a statement on Monday. The campaign reportedly began around the time when Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny died in an Arctic prison where he was serving a three-decade prison term.
Ukrainian cyber force hacks Moscow Metro fare payment system
Ukrinform
The Ukrainian IT Army attacked a number of Russian portals, including the Troika fare payment system, which serves passengers of the Moscow Metro subway network, among other customers. This was reported on Telegram by the press service of the Ministry for Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Ukrinform saw.
Europe
MEPs approve world's first comprehensive AI law
BBC
Shiona McCallum, Liv McMahon & Tom Singleton
The European Parliament has approved the world's first comprehensive framework for constraining the risks of artificial intelligence. The sector has seen explosive growth - driving huge profits but also stoking fears about bias, privacy and even the future of humanity. The AI Act works by classifying products according to risk and adjusting scrutiny accordingly. The law's creators said it would make the tech more "human-centric." It also places the EU at the forefront of global attempts to address the dangers associated with AI.
Europe’s landmark AI Act passes Parliament vote
EURACTIV
Eliza Gkritsi
European lawmakers today voted to pass a landmark regulation on artificial intelligence in Strasbourg, a file that had garnered major lobbying attention from large tech companies over the past few years. An AI Office that will guide the process under the Commission’s wing has already started hiring. The Act sets out a tiered approach to regulation based on how risky applications of the technology are deemed and sets different deadlines for implementing the various requirements. Some uses of AI, such as algorithm-based social scoring, will be prohibited by the end of 2024. Other uses, such as critical infrastructure, are deemed high-risk and will face stricter rules. Under the current timeline, full implementation will come in 2026.
UK
Britain to join EU semiconductor research programme
Reuters
Farouq Suleiman
Britain said on Wednesday it was joining European Union efforts to develop and manufacture advanced semiconductors in Europe, pledging 35 million pounds to an overall 1.3 billion euro research and innovation fund. Both Britain and the EU have sought to secure a domestic semiconductor supply chain after the pandemic exposed their reliance on global chipmakers and key technologies owned by Chinese and U.S. companies. Britain said joining the European chips initiative would allow companies in the British semiconductor sector to bid for grants from the bigger European fund.
Africa
LockBit takes credit for February shutdown of South African pension fund
The Record by Recorded Future
Jonathan Greig
The LockBit ransomware gang said it was behind an attack on South Africa’s government workers pension fund last month, which has hampered the organisation’s operations and disrupted pension payments. The South African Government Pensions Administration Agency manages the money within the Government Employees Pension Fund — the largest pension fund in Africa — administering the pensions of about 1.7 million government employees and pensioners as well as their spouses and dependents.
Gender & Women in Tech
O’Neil partners with ESET to launch Women in Cyber Security scholarship competition
Cyber Daily
Daniel Croft
Released in line with International Women’s Day, the third iteration of the program has seen ESET join forces with Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security Clare O’Neil to encourage young women to follow careers in cyber security and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics industries.
Big Tech
Samsung to use chip-making tech favoured by SK Hynix as AI race heats up, sources say
South China Morning Post
Samsung Electronics plans to use a chip making technology championed by rival SK Hynix, five people said, as the world’s top memory chip maker seeks to catch up in the race to produce high-end chips used to power artificial intelligence. The demand for high bandwidth memory chips has boomed with the growing popularity of generative AI. But Samsung, unlike peers SK Hynix and Micron Technology, has been conspicuous by its absence in any deal making with AI chip leader Nvidia to supply latest HBM chips.
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI Inks Deals With European Publishers Le Monde, Prisa
Bloomberg
Shirin Ghaffary
OpenAI has inked licensing deals with two major European publishers, French paper Le Monde and Spanish media conglomerate Promotora de Informaciones SA — agreements that will bring French and Spanish language news content to ChatGPT and help train the startup’s models. The agreements, announced in a blog post Wednesday, are the latest expansion of OpenAI’s efforts to cut deals with media companies rather than battle them over how the company uses news articles and other content in its AI tools. The companies did not disclose terms for the deals.
Workplace AI, robots and trackers are bad for quality of life, study finds
The Guardian
Heather Stewart
Exposure to new technologies including trackers, robots and AI-based software at work is bad for people’s quality of life, according to a groundbreaking study from the Institute for the Future of Work. Based on a survey of more than 6,000 people, the thinktank analysed the impact on wellbeing of four groups of technologies that are becoming increasingly prevalent across the economy. The authors found that the more workers were exposed to technologies in three of these categories – software based on AI and machine learning; surveillance devices such as wearable trackers; and robotics – the worse their health and wellbeing tended to be. By contrast, use of more long-established information and communication technologies such as laptops, tablets and instant messaging at work tended to have a more positive effect on wellbeing.
Events & Podcasts
The Sydney Dialogue
ASPI
The Sydney Dialogue was created to help bring together governments, businesses and civil society to discuss and progress policy options. We will forecast the technologies of the next decade that will change our societies, economies and national security, prioritising speakers and delegates who are willing to push the envelope. We will promote diverse views that stimulate real conversations about the best ways to seize opportunities and minimise risks.
Jobs
Junior Editor for The Strategist
ASPI
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute is seeking a junior editor for The Strategist website, Australia’s leading site for national security commentary and analysis. We are looking for a strong editor and writer who has excellent attention to detail and solid policy judgement, and who can work with ASPI staff, on writing and editing their own work. Candidates will preferably have a background in journalism, editing or security and international policy, with at least two years’ experience in a relevant field.
Cyber, Technology & Security Program Coordinator
ASPI
ASPI is looking for a high-performing individual to join our Cyber, Technology & Security Program as a Coordinator. The Coordinator will coordinate CTS’s business processes, projects, stakeholder engagement and events schedule. The Coordinator will work closely with the CTS Director, senior ASPI staff, other ASPI Programs, Corporate, Strategic Communications and Finance areas. The ideal candidate will have 1-3 years’ experience in executive assistance, business coordination or events management roles.
Deputy Director Defence Strategy & National Security
ASPI
ASPI is currently recruiting for a Deputy Director, Defence Strategy & National Security. This is an exceptional opportunity for a talented and experienced individual to contribute to the work of Australia's leading think-tank on strategic defence policy issues in a unique leadership role.
Professional Development Program Coordinator
ASPI
Our Program Coordinators are fundamental to the success of our professional development programs. Success demands adept communication and interpersonal skills, a focus on client service, exceptional organisational abilities coupled with keen attention to detail, and the capability to think on your feet, problem-solve, and meet deadlines effectively. We currently have one position to be filled as soon as possible and will be looking to fill another position in the next three to six months via a merit list established from this recruitment application.
ASPI Northern Australia Strategic Policy Centre (NASPC) Administration Officer
ASPI
This role also works across the Head of the NASPC's alternate policy centres, the Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement Program, involving work across illicit drugs, illicit finance, transnational serious organised crime, and modern slavery, and ASPI’s Counter-terrorism Policy Centre. The successful applicant will have the chance to assist with coordinating a project in the first half of 2024 focused on northern Australia's connections with Pacific Island Countries, liaising with senior Government and international representatives.
China Analyst or Senior Analyst
ASPI
ASPI has an exciting opportunity for an analyst or senior analyst to explore China's evolving foreign and security policy, political economy and impact on the Indo-Pacific and the world. ASPI’s China analysts conduct rigorous data-driven research, publish impactful reports that shape the public policy discourse and contribute to the wide catalogue of influential China work published by ASPI. The difference between the analyst and senior analyst levels will depend on experience level and demonstration of past work.
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