Huawei Sues the F.C.C | Facebook has floated limiting political ads and labeling that they aren’t fact-checked | China resurrects Great Cannon for DDoS attacks on Hong Kong forum
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Huawei, the Chinese technology powerhouse, is suing the Federal Communications Commission for choking off its sales in the United States, the latest in the besieged company’s widening efforts to hit back at regulators and critics across the globe. The New York Times
Facebook has weighed whether to label political ads to indicate they have not been fact-checked, rather than vetting what candidates say, one of a series of proposals the company has floated to Democratic and Republican operatives as it seeks to head off controversies in the 2020 election campaign. Washington Post
After more than two years since it's been used the last time, the Chinese government deployed an infamous DDoS tool named the "Great Cannon" to launch attacks against LIHKG, an online forum where Hong Kong residents are organizing anti-Beijing protests. ZD Net
ASPI ICPC
New swarm of pro-China Twitter bots spreads information about Xinjiang
Abacus News
A researcher from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) says she found a “massive spambot network in the making” that’s trying to influence Twitter discussions on the issue. And strangely, they appear inclined to represent themselves as celebrities.
Huawei is moving its R&D centre from the U.S. to Canada, but does Canada want it?
The Star
Christian Leuprecht, a political science professor at Royal Military College of Canada and Queen’s University in Kingston, told Star Vancouver in an interview that a main concern is technology developed in Canada being used in Xinjiang. More than one million members of China’s Uighur minority have been interned in “re-education” camps in the region in the China’s far west. A report by the think tank, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute released weeks ago says Huawei equipment is being used for surveillance purposes in the province.
Read more about this in out latest report: Mapping more of China's tech giants: AI and surveillance
Australia
Parliamentary inquiry to probe foreign interference on social media
Sydney Morning Herald
A probe into the rampant spread of "fake news" fuelled by foreign actors on social media has been established after federal Labor won the support of the Morrison government on Thursday to set up an inquiry. The new Senate select committee will inquire into and report on the risk posed to Australia's democracy by foreign interference through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and WeChat.
The future of cybersecurity
Policy Forum
With digitalisation creating a wave of change across society, governments need to respond with good policy. Policies protecting encryption, investing in education and research, and creating better systems to store data are crucial, but they don’t seem to be forthcoming, Lesley Seebeck writes.
China
China’s Genetic Research on Ethnic Minorities Sets Off Science Backlash
New York Times
Scientists are raising questions about the ethics of studies backed by Chinese surveillance agencies. Prestigious journals are taking action.
China resurrects Great Cannon for DDoS attacks on Hong Kong forum
ZD Net
After more than two years since it's been used the last time, the Chinese government deployed an infamous DDoS tool named the "Great Cannon" to launch attacks against LIHKG, an online forum where Hong Kong residents are organizing anti-Beijing protests. The last time the Great Cannon was used was in 2017 when Chinese authorities used it for DDoS attacks against Mingjingnews.com, a New York-based Chinese news site. Prior to that, the Great Cannon rose to infamy after the Chinese government used it to launch DDoS attacks against GitHub (for hosting tools to aid Chinese users bypass China's national firewall) and GreatFire.org (a portal that exposes internet censorship across the globe).
Taiwan loses 3,000 chip engineers to 'Made in China 2025'
Nikkei
China is ramping up recruitment of Taiwanese talent in semiconductors, attracting top executives and engineers alike to bolster an industry that the U.S. trade war has shown to be a Chinese Achilles' heel.
China survey shows high concern over facial recognition abuse
The Financial Times
Most people would like to be able to choose traditional methods of identification over facial recognition technology, the first major public opinion survey in China has shown, reflecting increasing concern in the world’s second-largest economy about personal data protection.
USA
The arms race: A groundbreaking new index ranking 54 countries
Tortoise Media
The world is in the grip of an unprecedented AI arms race, with the US and China surging ahead in a contest that could reshape our societies from the ground up, new data reveals.
Ransomware attack hits major US data center provider
ZD Net
CyrusOne, one of the biggest data center providers in the US, has suffered a ransomware attack, ZDNet has learned. In an email after this article's publication, a CyrusOne spokesperson confirmed the incident and said they are currently working with law enforcement and forensics firms to investigate the attack, and help customers restore systems impacted systems.
Huawei Sues the F.C.C., Ramping Up Fight With Critics and Foes
New York Times
Huawei, the Chinese technology powerhouse, is suing the Federal Communications Commission for choking off its sales in the United States, the latest in the besieged company’s widening efforts to hit back at regulators and critics across the globe.
South and Central Asia
India may force social media platforms to offer user verification
Reuters
India's proposed new privacy bill may require large social media platforms to offer an identity-verification option, a potentially precedent-setting effort to rein in the spread of "fake news", two government sources told Reuters on Thursday. The requirement would likely raise a host of technical and policy issues for companies including Facebook and its WhatsApp and Instagram units, Twitter and Chinese app TikTok, all of which have millions of users in India.
Kashmiris Are Disappearing From WhatsApp
Buzzfeed News
On Wednesday, Kashmiris began disappearing from WhatsApp — and no one initially knew why. Citizens of the disputed geographical territory, whose autonomy the Indian government revoked in August, abruptly and inexplicably began departing WhatsApp groups in which they had long participated, leaving behind only a “[Phone number] left” message.
UK
Boris Johnson toughens position on Huawei after NATO talks
Sydney Morning Herald
When Johnson was asked whether he was one of those leaders, he said for the first time that the Five Eyes would be the key factor in determining Britain's stance. “I don't want this country to be unnecessarily hostile to investment from overseas," Johnson said. “On the other hand, we cannot prejudice our vital national security interest. Nor can we prejudice our ability to co-operate with our Five Eyes security partners and that will be the key criteria that informs our decision."
Europe
Deutsche Telekom freezes 5G deals pending Huawei ban decision
Reuters
Deutsche Telekom has put all deals to buy 5G network equipment on hold, it said on Wednesday, as it awaits the resolution of a debate in Germany over whether to bar Chinese vendor Huawei on security grounds. Europe’s largest telco finds itself in a tight spot after senior lawmakers in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition rebelled and called for a ban on Huawei, which is a key vendor for its existing mobile networks in Germany and Europe.
Three to choose Ericsson instead of Huawei for 5G network
Independent.ie
Three is to choose Ericsson over Huawei for its 5G network in Ireland, Independent.ie understands. The move is a blow for Huawei, which has been fighting US accusations of being too close to Chinese authorities. It also represents a competitive coup for Ericsson, which supplies the core equipment for Vodafone’s Irish 5G network, giving it two out of three Irish 5G networks.
China tries, and fails, to influence the Czechs
The Economist
The limited Huawei ban, imposed by Mr Babis and some government ministries, stayed in place. A years-long effort to influence the political and business elite of the Czech Republic, and to turn the foreign policy of an eu member country, was unravelling.
Russia
It’s Apple Vs Putin, As Russia’s New Smartphone Ban Approaches
Forbes
New legislation in Russia that will ban consumer gadgets that do not come preinstalled with Russian software is now being characterized as a “law against Apple,” pitching the U.S. tech giant against Putin in the latest chapter of the emerging technology split between East and West.
Misc
Facebook has floated limiting political ads and labeling that they aren’t fact-checked, riling 2020 campaigns
Washington Post
Facebook has weighed whether to label political ads to indicate they have not been fact-checked, rather than vetting what candidates say, one of a series of proposals the company has floated to Democratic and Republican operatives as it seeks to head off controversies in the 2020 election campaign.
Crack down on genomic surveillance
Nature
Corporations selling DNA-profiling technology are aiding human-rights abuses. Governments, legislators, researchers, reviewers and publishers must act.
The hate factory: inside a far-right Facebook network
The Guardian
In an exclusive investigation the Guardian has uncovered a network that’s using rightwing Facebook pages in Australia and overseas to spread misinformation and hate around the world. This episode goes behind the investigation, looking at how this network formed, and who created this ‘hate factory’.