Archive – 2019

Internet “Do Not Track” Bill Sponsored by Conservative Critic of Giant Digital Platforms

Story from the Washington Post

Key Insight – Josh Hawley (R), freshman Senator from Missouri, former state Attorney General, and leading conservative critic of the largest digital platforms, has introduced S. 1578, legislation to create an Internet version of the FTC’s “Do Not Call Registry”, which he calls a “Do Not Track Bill.”  It would require Internet services to create and implement a clear opt-out option for users so that their activities are not tracked nor associated with data profiles. Hawley described his bill in a recent committee hearing and it is noteworthy that senior Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA) joined him as an original cosponsor.  

Canadian Government Announces Broad-Based Digital Charter Proposal Including New Platform Duties

Story from CNET

Key Insight – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and leading ministers announced an Internet policy initiative they labeled a Digital Charter, covering a range of Internet access, user privacy, data mandates, competition policy and proposals to impose on digital platforms greater responsibility for bad user behaviors along the lines of those being discussed in a number of European countries, for example the UK Online Harms White Paper.  With just five months until national elections, final legislation is not expected before voters go to the polls.

Social Media Platform News Integrity Initiative Marks Kickoff of Global “Grand Committee” Meeting in Canada

Story from Global News

Key Insight – Canadian Minister of Democratic Institutions, Karina Gould, announced the participation of a number of leading social media and communications platforms, including Facebook, Microsoft and Google, in the Canada Declaration on Electoral Integrity Online.  The commitments to combat deceptive and non-transparent political communications in Canada was announced as part of the kickoff of an Ottawa meeting of the multinational International Grand Committee on Disinformation and ‘Fake News’.  The first day of the meeting was marked by a hearing of Canadian Parliament’s Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, where the focus was criticism of Facebook practices and the refusal of CEO Mark Zuckerberg or COO Sheryl Sandberg to testify in person.

Doctored Video of Speaker Pelosi Threatens Sec. 230 from the Left and Raises Challenges of Policing Speech

Opinion Published in the New York Times

Key Insight – A clearly doctored video of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi which has circulated online, in particular over Facebook, has inspired some progressive commentators to call for changes to the Section 230 Internet platform liability regime, while raising the obvious free speech challenges inherent in digital platforms censoring user-generated content. Some cyber security experts have used the news cycle around the clearly fake Pelosi video to raise the specter of political “deep fakes”, fraudulent videos which would reportedly be far more difficult to identify.

Leaders of Largest Digital Platforms Argue that Breaking Them Up Will Empower Chinese Giants

Story from Wired

Key Insight – As discussion of aggressive antitrust policies to address the size and market power of the largest digital platforms, including Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple, increases, especially among progressives and Democratic Presidential candidates, high profile corporate leaders including Sheryl Sandberg and Eric Schmidt have argued that culling the strength and scale of U.S. Internet companies will undermine their ability to compete globally with giant Chinese companies like Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu.  This is not just a direct corporate message, but has recently been raised by senior Members of Congress and DC-based think tanks.

Chinese Internet Magnate Expresses Concern With European Regulatory Tendencies

Story from Venture Beat

Key Insight – Alibaba founder Jack Ma, in comments at the Viva technology conference in Paris, focused attention on what he claimed was the European propensity to respond to concerns with the potential impacts of the Internet, digital technology and artificial intelligence with legal and regulatory mandates.  He compared this to what he claimed was a less aggressive Chinese Government regulatory regime on technology businesses and a focus on letting Chinese technology companies develop solutions to problems. The author notes a degree of schizophrenia inherent in claims regarding an open digital environment in China given the decades-long operation of the “Great Firewall” and related Internet investment and regulatory policies.

European Commission Passes “Gig Economy” Platform Labor Rules

Story from the BBC

Key Insight – The new rules enacted by the European Parliament setting a range of conditions and protections on intermittent, platform and “gig” workers will now be sent to national governments for implementation through national regulation over the next three years. The details will matter on range of points, including when companies are adjudged to be employing such workers.

UK Information Commissioner Proposes Online Design Code

Story from Fast Company

Key Insight – The UK’s data and privacy regulator has released a proposal regarding web site and digital services design features aimed at users under age 18, with different detailed standards intended for different age segments.  The standards are intended to apply to services based in the UK or having UK users.  The report can be accessed here and pages 3-6 give a helpful summary.