TOP NEWS | EU Accuses Meta of Violating Digital Markets Act; TikTok Faces DOJ Investigation Over Children's Privacy Violations and more

LockBit's False Federal Reserve Claim Uncovered

LockBit falsely claimed to have stolen 33 TB of data from the US Federal Reserve, but independent researchers revealed the data came from Evolve Bank & Trust. The Federal Reserve did not confirm any breach, while Evolve admitted to the data breach and loss of customer information. LockBit's credibility has waned following police raids and the exposure of its leader. Evolve customers have been offered credit monitoring services. LockBit remains a threat, with recent attacks on various organizations worldwide. Read more

Supreme Court Orders Review of Social Media Laws

The U.S. Supreme Court has instructed lower courts to reassess laws in Florida and Texas that limit social media companies from blocking objectionable content. The Court's decision follows conflicting lower court rulings on the constitutionality of these laws. Tech industry trade groups, including Meta and Google, challenged the laws, citing First Amendment protections. President Biden's administration opposed the laws, advocating for editorial discretion. The Texas and Florida laws were introduced after major platforms banned Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol attack. Read more

TikTok Faces DOJ Investigation Over Children's Privacy Violations

The FTC has referred its ongoing investigation of TikTok to the DOJ for potential violations of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The investigation, which began in March, focuses on TikTok's data practices, including continued access by Chinese engineers to US user data and potential children’s privacy breaches. This referral may relate to a 2019 settlement over privacy issues dating back to TikTok's predecessor, Musical.ly. TikTok has introduced several measures to improve children’s privacy but continues to face scrutiny and regulatory actions globally. The Biden administration's "sell or quit" deadline for TikTok remains in place. Read more

EU Accuses Meta of Violating Digital Markets Act

The EU has accused Meta of breaching its Digital Markets Act (DMA), focusing on Meta's new ad-free subscription model for Facebook and Instagram. The model requires users to pay to avoid data collection or consent to data sharing, raising privacy concerns. The European Commission informed Meta that this approach likely violates the DMA. Meta can address these concerns to avoid fines, which could affect up to 10% of its global turnover. This action follows the EU's previous scrutiny of Apple and ongoing probes into other tech giants like Google and Amazon. Read more

Oregon Consumer Privacy Act Takes Effect

Along with Florida and Texas, the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (OCPA), came into effect on July 1, 2024, granting Oregonians new privacy rights and protections. Consumers can access, correct, delete, and opt-out of the use of their personal data. The Act also provides heightened protections for sensitive data and special protections for youth. Businesses must now comply with transparency, consent, and data protection requirements. More details and resources are available on the OCPA website. Read more