From suspension of mobile networks ahead of PTI protest in Pakistan to the European Union (EU) fining Meta millions for haphazard password storage, here’s everything we covered at Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) this week.
Read our weekly news roundup.
EU: Meta fined $102m over haphazard password storage
Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has been fined €91 million (almost $102 million) in the European Union (EU) for mistakenly storing some users’ passwords without any safety measures in place, according to a report by Reuters.
Meta stored the passwords in plain text without any encryption or protection, according to an official inquiry led by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC).
“It is widely accepted that user passwords should not be stored in plaintext, considering the risks of abuse that arise from persons accessing such data,” Graham Doyle, DPC’s deputy commissioner, said in a statement following the announcement on the penalty.
The investigation into the security breach was launched in 2019, with Meta disclosing that some passwords were found stored in plan text on its servers.
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PAKISTAN: Social media apps should be suspended if not regulated, says minister
Azma Bokhari, the information minister for Punjab, has proposed social media apps should be blocked if they cannot be regulated, according to a report by Dawn.com.
The minister made the statement on Monday in Lahore. “Social media platforms are making money in Pakistan, but are not accountable to anyone,” she said while speaking to the press. “If social media apps cannot be regulated, they should better be shut down.”
Bokhari, who became the target of a doctored video in July, remarked that social media is being regulated all around the world except in Pakistan.
The minister’s remarks come as the suspension of X (previously Twitter) surpasses nine months in the country. X was blocked on February 17, a week after the general elections were held. The newly elected government confirmed that X had been suspended by the caretaker setup.
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BRAZIL: X to pay over $5m in fines before restoration
The Brazilian Supreme Court has stated that X (formerly Twitter) will need to clear fines amounting to more than $5 million before it is allowed to restore services in the country, according to a report by Reuters.
The fines include a new $1.8 million penalty related to X’s “inadvertent” availability to some users last month, which the company ascribed to an update to its communications network. The brief restoration had angered Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes — a focal figure in the X ban saga also involving owner Elon Musk.
The court had warned X not to circumvent the ban and imposed a daily fine on it for breaching court directives. X’s previous fines stand at $3.8 million. The fine for restoration amid suspension was announced on Friday.
A highly publicised spat between Musk and Judge de Moraes unfolded after the Brazilian authorities accused X of spreading misinformation and hate speech in April, ordering the platform to suspend certain accounts. Musk called Judge de Moraes “a tyrant” and “evil dictator”, equating his actions with “censorship”.
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EU: Content algorithm details sought from social media platforms
The European Commission has requested YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat to provide information on their content recommendation algorithms, according to an official statement.
The Commission is seeking the information under the Digital Services Act (DSA). The requests, which were made on Wednesday, ask for details on the “design and functioning” of the content recommendation mechanisms at the given platforms.
YouTube and Snapchat will provide information on the “parameters” used by their algorithms that recommend content to users. The Commission is investigating how these algorithms could amplify risks related to electoral manipulation, mental health, civic dialogue, protection of children, among others.
“The questions also concern the platforms’ measures to mitigate the potential influence of their recommender systems on the spread of illegal content, such as promoting illegal drugs and hate speech,” the Commission says.
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PAKISTAN: Mobile services suspended in Islamabad, Rawalpindi
The government has suspended mobile network services in Islamabad and Rawalpindi ahead of the protest announced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The restrictions have been imposed across the federal capital and its twin city in response to the demonstration called by the Opposition party. With Section 144 and the Peaceful Assembly Act enforced, all public gatherings and processions have been suspended.
The PTI protest is expected to take place at D-Chowk in Islamabad, despite calls from several government and opposition leaders to postpone the demonstration. The authorities have blocked major roads with shipping containers and called in security personnel to contain the protestors.
Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) reached out to several individuals based in Islamabad, who confirmed the unavailability of mobile network in addition to internet connectivity issues. Metro bus services in both Islamabad and Rawalpindi have been suspended as well.
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