regulations
Latest
The EU introduces new crypto rules to protect against fraud and climate impact
Europe and its member states have agreed on new crypto regulations that "ensure high standards for consumer protection."
Apple removes more unlicensed games from the App Store in China
The App Store is reportedly looking a little different in China today. According to Reuters, Apple has removed roughly 39,000 games owned by developers and publishers that don’t have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) from the Chinese government. Research conducted by Qimai, a specialist firm in China, reportedly reveals that many Western titles were included in the purge, including Assassin’s Creed Identity and NBA 2K20.
EU backs away from proposed five-year facial recognition ban
The European Union won't issue a ban on facial recognition tech, as it once proposed, the Financial Times reports. In a previous draft of a paper on artificial intelligence, the European Commission suggested a five-year moratorium on facial recognition, so that the technology's impact could be studied, noting that it can be inaccurate, used to breach privacy laws and facilitate identity fraud. In a new draft, seen by the Financial Times, that moratorium has been removed.
India's proposed data laws give the government more access to data
The latest version of India's Personal Data Protection bill could require companies to gain permission before using individuals' personal data, and citizens would be able to demand their data be erased, The New York Times reports. The rules would also place fewer restrictions on the government, which would be allowed to request anonymized and non-personal data from companies. The latest version of the bill circulated this week. According to Financial Times, it was introduced to India's parliament today.
EPA will roll back rules on methane emissions
Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce plans to roll back regulations on methane emissions, a major contributor to climate change. The Trump Administration is seeking to do away with Obama-era requirements, which mandated that the oil and gas industry install technology to monitor and limit natural gas leaks from infrastructure like wells, tanks and pipelines, The Wall Street Journal reports. The change could also block proposed rules that would have required the EPA to set emissions regulations on thousands of pre-existing wells and industry sites.
Lawmakers call for regulation of facial recognition tech
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is calling for regulations to restrict the use of facial recognition technology before "it gets out of control," according to the Washington Post. Members of the Congressional House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on the topic today, during which legislators from across the political spectrum expressed concern over the use of software that is used to identify individuals, raising questions as to the technology's accuracy and its impact on privacy and civil rights.
UK mulls security warnings for smart home devices
In an attempt to secure the millions of connected devices that find their way into homes in the UK, the government is considering baseline security requirements for Internet of Things products. The new rules could include mandatory labels that tell customers how secure a device is, and retailers could be prohibited from selling anything without an IoT security label. The UK has only just begun the consultation process, though, so these rules won't be written into law just yet.
Senators urge FAA to complete remote drone identification rules
There's no question that drone sightings can be disruptive. In December, a drone spotted at Gatwick Airport in London led to the grounding and diversion of hundreds of flights, and similar disruptions have happened at Dubai International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. With those incidents in mind -- as well as a flyover of Fenway Park -- Senators Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and John Thune (R-SD) are calling on the Federal Aviation Admission (FAA) to complete guidelines on remote drone identification.
New York kicks Spectrum out of the state for 'recurring failures'
Charter cable company acquired Time Warner Cable in a 2016 merger, becoming one of the largest TV providers in the country. Re-branded as Spectrum, the company introduced a streaming option last year. New York, however, hasn't been impressed with the company's performance, and has now kicked Spectrum out of the state and rescinded its approval for the merger.
Regulators want drones to have visible 'license plates'
When you register a drone with the FAA, you'll get a government-issued ID number you can put as a note inside the battery compartment or any other internal part of the machine. In the future, though, you may have to make sure that number is perfectly visible -- sort of a like small license plate for your UAV. Bloomberg has discovered a proposed rule filed earlier this month that would "require small unmanned aircraft owners to display the unique identifier assigned by the FAA upon completion of the registration process on an external surface of the aircraft." If it becomes an official rule, you'd no longer be allowed to keep that number hidden.
Europe wants to regulate how tech giants treat other companies
Europe is introducing new rules for Google, Apple, Amazon and other large platforms forcing them to handle customer complaints better and be more transparent about rankings. The proposed regulations, released by the EU Commission, affect search engines, app stores, e-commerce sites and hotel booking apps. Platforms would have to explain why they de-listed or lowered a site's ranking and how they treat their own competing products, and customers would gain the right to sue them.
Instagram will let users download all their data
As data protection and privacy becomes a big issue around the world, social networking companies like Instagram need to appropriately take care of the information we share. One of the provisions of the UK's upcoming Data Protection Bill would require companies to allow its users to easily move their data from one service to another. To that end, Facebook-owned Instagram just confirmed to TechCrunch that it is building a new data portability tool so users can download a copy of everything they've put on the service, including photos, videos and messages.
US will reveal revised autonomous car guidelines this summer
We'll see the latest revised set of guidelines for autonomous vehicles this summer, US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has revealed at the annual Detroit auto show. According to Chao, her agency has been preparing for the arrival of autonomous vehicles, conjuring up ways on how to regulate them to keep everyone safe while promoting innovation at the same time. She said the revised guidelines cover not just autonomous cars, but also "barriers to the safe integration of autonomous technology for motor carriers, transit, trucks, infrastructure and other modes."
Uber decides against leaving Quebec over tough ridesharing rules
Uber vowed to leave Quebec if it starts implementing stricter rules on October 14th. A few hours before the deadline, though, the ride-hailing firm has changed its tune: Uber has decided to stay, hoping to have a "constructive dialogue" with new Transport Minister André Fortin. Quebec is requiring Uber drivers to undergo 35 hours of training similar to the one taxi drivers go through. It also wants drivers to be background-checked by the police. The company obviously wasn't happy with these proposed rules and is likely aiming to sway the young transport chief, who's only been on the job for a few days, in its favor.
Karma's new hotspot gives users a cloak of invisibility
Personal hotspot hardware provider Karma has announced a new security-focused product, Karma Black. A specialized version of the company's KarmaGO hotspot device, Karma Black will provide anonymous browsing (Tor), an integrated Virtual Private Network (VPN), blacklisting and ad-blocking. KarmaGO allows users to establish a WiFi connection through 4G via a small portable device, either on a pay-as-you-go basis or through a monthly data plan -- it's particularly popular with business travellers. Karma Black will operate in the same way, but will act as an invisibility cloak for users, encrypting web activity and hiding physical location. It'll also provide beefier protection against intrusive advertising and viruses.
FAA considers remote identification system for drones in the US
The FAA is still trying to figure out the best way to regulate drones to ensure safety. Last week, a committee tasked with tackling the issue met for the first time, including representatives from Amazon, Ford and NYPD. One of the items discussed was a better way to identify registered drones from the ground since any ID numbers are pretty much invisible while the UAV is airborne.
Texas legislature overrules Austin, allows Uber and Lyft to return
When Austin citizens voted in May 2016 to require fingerprint-based background checks from ride-sharing drivers and ban passenger pickup in traffic lanes, Uber and Lyft promptly pulled out of the city. But both are scheduled to restart operations in the city next Monday thanks to legislation passed by the Texas Legislature this month. The bill overrides local ordinances like Austin's that regulate ride-hailing services and only needs Governor Greg Abbott's signature to become law.
Airbnb agrees to register all hosts in San Francisco
Airbnb, HomeAway and San Francisco have finally set aside their differences and figured out how to automatically register all hosts in the city. The house-sharing service sued the city in federal court after an ordinance was passed by supervisors that levied fines against short-term rental companies that allowed guests to book with unregistered hosts.
Uber plans to ditch Denmark over new taxi laws
Uber likes to think of itself as an enabler of small business, a connector of independent contractors with people who need a ride. Unfortunately for the San Francisco-based company, many places around the world disagree. The company's latest setback is in Denmark, where a new set of laws will require taxi cabs to have seat occupancy sensors and fare meters. Uber confirmed with The Guardian that it will not be able to operate unless the regulations are changed.
Toyota, GM and Lyft want nationwide rules for self-driving cars
Automakers Toyota and GM and ride-sharing firm Lyft called on the US government to create US-wide standards to ease the testing and adoption of autonomous cars. The problem, they say, is that rules vary widely across the country are more restrictive in some states (like California) than others (Michigan). "Self-driving cars won't drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol [and] they won't be distracted by a cell phone," GM VP Michael Abelson told a subcommittee on Tuesday. "We have the further opportunity to avoid crashes altogether."
