From VPN licencing in Pakistan to Google’s AI overviews landing in US court, here’s everything we covered at Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) this week.
Read our weekly news roundup.
AUSTRALIA: Telegram fined over delay in online safety probe
Telegram has been fined nearly $1 million by Australian watchdog in a probe related to online safety, according to an official statement.
The encrypted messaging platform has been penalised for delaying answering the questions on containment measures for child exploitation and extremist material, according to Australia’s eSafety commissioner.
The authority had issued notice to Telegram in May 2023, with October being the deadline to report back. Telegram did not submit its response for 160 days, however, which has led to the fine.
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PAKISTAN: Telecom regulator initiates VPN licencing
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has initiated licencing for virtual private networks (VPNs) for commercial use, according to a press release.
So far, two companies have been granted licences for VPN services under the category of “Class License for the Provision of Data Services”, the PTA says in the press release published on Monday. A class licence typically permits multiple users to operate under the same set of rules without any need for approval on an individual basis.
“This initiative enables businesses to utilize VPNs for lawful purposes, ensuring data security, privacy, and regulatory compliance while promoting transparency,” reads the press release. “PTA remains committed to supporting organizations in meeting their connectivity needs responsibly.”
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US: Google taken to court over AI overviews
An educational technology company has taken Google to court over the search engine’s artificial intelligence-generated overviews.
The edtech firm called Chegg, based in the United States (US), filed a lawsuit against Google on Monday. The company’s services include tutoring, homework assistance, and rented textbooks.
The company argues that Google’s AI-generated overviews from its website are undermining both the demand for original content and publishers’ ability to compete with the AI feature, causing Chegg financial setbacks.
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Meta apologises for violent Instagram reels
Meta Platforms has apologised for reels containing disturbing content after a large number of users flagged them this week, according to reports by various international publications, including CNBC.
Several users noticed an unusual rise in content depicting graphic violence and sexual imagery in the “Reels” section of their Instagram accounts. Subsequently, parent company Meta was streamed with complaints about the insensitive content from users, who reported that graphic content continued to show up in their feed despite being flagged.
According to CNBC, the inundation of unsettling content, which violated Meta’s own content guidelines, was a result of an “error”.
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