Obama calls for tech regulation to combat disinformation | EU to unveil law to force Big Tech to police illegal content | US politicians press Biden on sale of Newport Wafer Fab to Chinese
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Former President Barack Obama said on Thursday that tech "platforms seem to be tilting us in the wrong direction." CNBC
The EU is poised to unveil a law on Friday that will force Big Tech to police their platforms more aggressively over illegal content, marking the latest move by regulators to curb the power of large technology groups. Financial Times
A group of American congressmen has written to President Biden to demand security vetting for UK investments in US companies if the British government fails to intervene in the Chinese takeover of a microchip plant in Wales. The Times
ASPI ICPC
Ukraine - Russia
Russia says nyet, sanctions Mark Zuckerberg, LinkedIn’s Roslansky, VP Harris and other US leaders
TechCrunch
From the department of Tit for Tat, on the heels of a cascade of sanctions against Russia, Russian organizations and Russian individuals over Russia’s aggressive war in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry now has issued a list of U.S. figures that are now prohibited from entering Russia.
Russian War Report: Google refutes misleading claims about blurring Russian military assets
Atlantic Council
Givi Gigitashvili
Thousands of posts online claim Google Maps unblurred satellite images of Russian military installations. Meanwhile, Russia hesitates to ban YouTube and a troll campaign distracts from Bucha.
Australia
Australian government gifts US$190 million to Telstra to buy Digicel
Devpolicy Blog from the Development Policy Centre
Stephen Howes and Huiyuan Liu
In this blog, Stephen Howes and Huiyuan Liu run the numbers on the Telstra Digicel deal to show for the first time just how much the Australian government is paying Telstra to buy Digicel.
Austrac outlines how to spot ransomware and detect abuse of digital currencies
ZDNet
Aimee Chanthadavong
Australia's financial intelligence and regulatory body Austrac has released two financial crime guides to help businesses detect and prevent criminal abuse of digital currencies and ransomware.
China
Hong Kong and China denounce foreign interference after YouTube blocks leadership candidate's channel
Reuters
Governments in Hong Kong and China on Thursday denounced YouTube's blocking of a campaign account for Hong Kong's sole leadership candidate John Lee because of U.S. sanctions against him, accusing the U.S. of undermining freedom of speech.
The Chinese Way of Innovation
Foreign Affairs
Matt Sheehan
What Washington can learn from Beijing about investing in tech.
USA
Obama calls for tech regulation to combat disinformation on social media
CNBC
Lauren Feiner
Former President Barack Obama said on Thursday that tech "platforms seems to be tilting us in the wrong direction."
Barack Obama takes on a new role: Fighting disinformation The New York Times
President Barack Obama delivers the keynote speech about disinformation and challenges to democracy in the digital information realm at an event hosted by Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center and The Obama Foundation, with introductions by Michael McFaul, director of Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and Tiana Epps-Johnson, a Stanford alumna and Obama Foundation Fellow. Click here for more.
Biden’s options if Russia hacks U.S. infrastructure
POLITICO
Maggie Miller
President Biden would have to choose carefully in responding to a Russian cyberattack on the U.S. to avoid escalating the conflict.
Elon Musk signals with $46.5 billion he’s serious about buying Twitter
Washington Post
Faiz Siddiqui , Douglas MacMillan and Aaron Gregg
Elon Musk says he has secured $46.5 billion in financing to acquire Twitter, signaling the Tesla CEO is serious about his bid to acquire the social media firm — and intends to back it up with his personal fortune.
Europe
EU to unveil law to force Big Tech to police illegal content
Financial Times
Javier Espinoza
The EU is poised to unveil a law on Friday that will force Big Tech to police their platforms more aggressively over illegal content, marking the latest move by regulators to curb the power of large technology groups.
Google rolls out new cookie rejection banner in Europe
Bloomberg
Stephanie Bodoni
Alphabet Inc.’s Google said it’s rolling out a new European-wide policy allowing users to more easily avoid being tracked on the internet via cookies.
A fake cyberwar held in Estonia could help nations prepare for real life threats
NPR
Jenna McLaughlin
From the tiny Baltic nation of Estonia, some 30 nations are participating in mock cyberwar exercises. While the annual NATO-led exercise may be fiction, the threat emanating from Russia is very real.
UK
US politicians press Biden on sale of Newport Wafer Fab to Chinese
The Times
Louisa Clarence-Smith
A group of American congressmen has written to President Biden to demand security vetting for UK investments in US companies if the British government fails to intervene in the Chinese takeover of a microchip plant in Wales. Nine congressmen including Michael McCaul, the lead Republican on the House foreign affairs committee, have signed a letter demanding “urgent action” to overturn the sale of Newport Wafer Fab, The Times has learnt. They said the takeover “serves as a critical test case” of Britain’s willingness to exercise its powers to “address a shared security concern regarding critical technology”.
Misc
Griffith Asia Institute and Asian Development Bank examine how CBDC can impact financial inclusion
GriffithNews
As digital transformation continues to accelerate across the Asia-Pacific region, the prospect of developing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) is rapidly growing in interest.
Wealthy cybercriminals are using zero-day hacks more than ever
MIT Technology Review
Patrick Howell O'Neill
The most valuable hacking tools were once the domain of governments. Not anymore.
Events
Inviting young cybersecurity minds from Oceania to join an international Capture the Flag competition!
The University of Queensland Australia
The University of Queensland Australia is inviting people, aged 18-26, residing in Australia, NZ and the Pacific Islands to compete in the regional qualifier for the International Cyber Security Challenge, hosted in Greece by the European Cybersecurity Centre ENISA.
Research
Jobs
ICPC Data Scientist/Data Analyst
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has an outstanding opportunity for talented Data Scientists or Data Analysts to join its growing centre. The role is suitable for applicants with between 1- and 4-years professional experience. Candidates with less than 1-year professional experience are encouraged to emphasise non-technical skills that they would bring to the role. For example, include evidence of well-developed communication skills, team collaboration abilities, or policy experience.
The Sydney Dialogue - Senior Events Coordinator
ASPI ICPC
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) is currently recruiting for an experienced events professional to coordinate the planning and logistics of the second iteration of ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue - the world’s premier summit on emerging, critical and cyber technologies.
ICPC Senior Analyst or Analyst - China
ASPI ICPC
ASPI’s International Cyber Policy Centre (ICPC) has a unique opportunity for exceptional and experienced China-focused senior analysts or analysts to join its centre. This role will focus on original research and analysis centred around the (growing) range of topics which our ICPC China team work on. Our China team produces some of the most impactful and well-read policy-relevant research in the world, with our experts often being called upon by politicians, governments, corporates and civil society actors to provide briefings and advice.