As 2023 draws to a close, we reflect on the events that dominated headlines in DRM’s top slots throughout the year. We also reaffirm our commitment to keeping our readers informed about major developments related to digital rights and corporate accountability, both in Pakistan and globally.
Here’s a round-up of DRM’s top stories from 2023.
Twitter relaxing ban on political ads
Twitter announced relaxing the long-standing ban on political advertisements and permitting issue-based paid promotions to “facilitate public conversation around important topics”. The development came as Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk sought to grow revenue through the platform. Since his takeover, Musk has made a number of radical changes at the influential social media firm, forcing leading advertisers to flee. The restoration of accounts that had been banned for serious violations such as spreading hate speech and incitement to violence played a major role in pushing the advertisers away. (Former US president Donald Trump was one of the many suspended users whose accounts were reinstated by Musk under his “free speech” ideals.) Political advertising was banned on Twitter in 2019.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/twitter-relaxing-ban-on-political-ads/
Google, Twitter, TikTok ordered to explain handling of online child abuse
Google, Twitter and TikTok received legal notices from Australian regulatory authorities ordering them to submit information on their efforts to contain child exploitation material. The notices were issued by Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Google, Twitter and TikTok had to answer questions about their handling of online child abuse and blackmail within 35 days or face fines amounting to up to $700,000 a day. Twitch and Discord were also served notices.
Investigation launched into Google’s news licensing practices
Spain’s competition regulator CNMC opened an inquiry into Google for potential anti-competitive licensing practices affecting publishers and news agencies. The competition watchdog stated it would investigate “a series of practices that could imply an abuse of Google’s dominant position with regard to publishers of press publications and news agencies established in Spain”. The inquiry covered Google LLC, Google Ireland Ltd, Google Spain, S.L. and their parent organisation, Alphabet Inc. The reported practices included distorting free competition and subjecting Spanish publishers and news agencies to unfair conditions, according to the watchdog.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/investigation-launched-into-googles-news-licensing-practices/
TikTok fined $16m for misusing children’s data
TikTok was fined $15.9 million (£12.7 million) by the UK’s data regulator over violations of the data protection law, including processing personal data of children without parental consent. TikTok, owned by Beijing-based tech conglomerate ByteDance, violated its own community guidelines by allowing children under the age of 13 to use the short-video platform, according to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). TikTok requires users to be at least 13 in order to sign up on the platform; however, a large number of children were allowed to create an account by the company. The violations took place between May 2018 and July 2020. According to the ICO, TikTok, during this time, failed to put adequate measures in place to effectively monitor who was using the platform.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/tiktok-fined-16m-for-misusing-childrens-data/
FTC proposes ban on Meta’s monetisation of minors’ data
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused Facebook’s parent organisation Meta of collecting data of underage users for commercial purposes, proposing extended limitations to prevent the monetisation of young users’ personal information. The US regulator proposed changes to the 2020 privacy order with Meta, accusing the tech giant of failing to comply with the rules. The FTC proposed a “blanket prohibition” against the monetisation of personal data, along with a new set of protections for children and teens. Under the FTC’s proposed changes, Meta would be prohibited from collecting data of users under the age of 18 for business objectives, primarily including targeted advertising.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/ftc-proposes-blanket-ban-on-metas-monetisation-of-minors-data/
Microsoft agrees to 20m settlement over child privacy violation
Tech giant Microsoft agreed to a $20-million settlement over charges of violating child privacy through its gaming products, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said. Microsoft illegally collected personal information of young users without obtaining their parents’ consent, according to the watchdog. The company was accused of breaching the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by gathering data from underage users who registered for Microsoft’s Xbox gaming system. Microsoft did not notify the parents about collecting their children’s personal information and retaining it, the FTC said.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/microsoft-agrees-to-20m-settlement-over-child-privacy-violation/
ChatGPT maker being investigated over data protection concerns
An investigation was launched into OpenAI, the artificial intelligence firm that developed ChatGPT, over concerns that the application might be putting consumers’ personal data at risk. The probe, announced by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), would determine whether ChatGPT violated consumer protection laws with its rather impressively instant responses to questions submitted by users. The FTC’s notice called for the company to explain what measures it had taken to address its products’ potential to “generate statements about real individuals that are false, misleading, or disparaging”.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/chatgpt-maker-being-investigated-over-data-protection-concerns/
Canada to plan negotiations to have tech companies pay for news content
The Canadian regulator, responsible for implementing the Online News Act (or Bill C-18), announced plans to create a framework for negotiations between news organisations and tech companies. The development came after Meta started suspending news content for Canadian users from its social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, over the contentious legislation. The prospective negotiations surrounded the requirement laid out in the Online News Act for internet giants to pay news outlets for their content. The legislation, which became law in June, already caused tension between tech companies and the Canadian government. The regulator aimed to establish the compulsory negotiations by early-2025.
TikTok fined $370m for breaching child privacy
TikTok was fined $370 million for violating privacy rules related to the handling of underage users’ personal data in the European Union (EU), Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), the region’s lead regulator, announced. The popular short-video platform, which is owned by Chinese tech conglomerate ByteDance (headquartered in Singapore), had long been facing an intense probe into its questionable handling of child privacy and processing of underage users’ data. The regulator found that TikTok committed a number of breaches of EU laws concerning the online privacy of minors between July 31, 2020, and December 31, 2020. The probe was launched in September 2021.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/tiktok-fined-370m-for-breaching-child-privacy/
Instagram apologises for putting ‘terrorist’ on Palestinian profiles
Meta apologised for inserting the term “terrorist” into the biographies of some Palestinian users on Instagram, attributing it to a “bug” in the platform’s auto-translation feature. The company, which owns both Instagram and Facebook, has repeatedly come under the scrutiny of digital rights advocates and tech accountability experts for restricting Palestinian content and threatening pro-Palestine profiles with bans. The issue first came to light after a TikToker posted a video showing his Instagram bio. In his bio was written “Palestinian”, accompanied by an emoji of the Palestinian flag and the Arabic term “alhamdulillah”, which is an expression of gratitude and praise to God. However, when the bio was translated into English using Instagram’s auto-translation option, it read, “Praise be to god, Palestinian terrorists are fighting for freedom”.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/instagram-apologises-for-putting-terrorist-on-palestinian-profiles/
Meta suffers setback in federal privacy battle
Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, suffered a major setback in a court battle with the US regulator surrounding the privacy of users under the age of 18. The court ruled in favour of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the leading consumer protection watchdog in the US known for fining Meta billions of dollars for data privacy violations. The judgement allowed the regulator to restrict the amount of money Meta generates from the data of users who are under 18 years of age. Meta had filed a motion (request) seeking the court’s intervention in its dispute with the FTC. The judge rejected Meta’s request for the court to take up the disagreement and ruled that a regulator can adopt measures that are aimed at limiting Meta’s financial benefits from children across its platforms.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/meta-suffers-setback-in-federal-privacy-battle/
Meta questioned over reports of censoring pro-Palestine content
A US senator demanded explanation from Meta regarding reports that the company is censoring pro-Palestinian content on its social media platforms. The letter, issued by Senator Elizabeth Warren, addressed the accusations that Meta had been deliberately suppressing content supporting Palestine in the wake of Israel’s relentless bombardment of Gaza. It was supplemented with a statement signed by over 90 civil society and human rights organisations and cited reports by major news publications pertaining to the issue. The letter said it was imperative that “platforms do not censor truthful and legitimate content, particularly as people around the world turn to online communities to share and find information about developments in the region”.
More here: https://digitalrightsmonitor.pk/meta-questioned-over-reports-of-censoring-pro-palestine-content/
