Most requests for cookie consent don’t comply with EU rules, new research suggests
Most consent requests for digital cookies to track users’ web activity do not comply with Europe’s data collection regulations, according to new research, detailed in a report from TechCrunch. The findings echo another study published in August, which also suggested that consent notices routinely fail to offer the meaningful choice required by EU law—which states that […]
Facebook and eBay take steps to combat fake product reviews, after warning from UK competition authority
Facebook and eBay have agreed to combat fake reviews on their platforms in response to pressure from the UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA), according to TechCrunch. In June, the CMA said it had found evidence of a “thriving marketplace for fake and misleading online reviews” on the platforms. It found over 100 eBay listings […]
Google will abandon Dutch and Irish tax loopholes, as rules shift on both sides of the Atlantic
Google says it will no longer use the controversial “Double Irish, Dutch sandwich” tax scheme, a set of loopholes that have allowed it to pay a single-digit tax rate on profits made outside the US, according to Reuters. In the widely used tax strategy, companies first transfer funds from an Irish subsidiary to a Dutch holding company, […]
Russia has tested a controlled, domestic alternative to the global internet
Russia’s Ministry of Communications says it has successfully tested a domestic alternative to the global internet, according to BBC News. While providing few details, the ministry said that Russian internet users did not notice any changes during a test run in which the domestic internet replaced global access. President Vladimir Putin framed the move as a […]
The UK’s competition authority will investigate Amazon’s investment in Deliveroo
Amazon’s move to invest in the London-based food delivery platform Deliveroo will be investigated by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the agency announced Friday, according to The Guardian. The CMA raised concerns earlier this month that Amazon’s £442 million investment would lead to higher prices and reduced quality of services for consumers, restaurants, and grocers. […]
US official warns China could steal state secrets and “intimate” data on UK citizens if Huawei is involved in 5G networks
Huawei’s involvement in 5G mobile networks poses a risk for the UK’s citizens and intelligence agencies, US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has warned, according to Reuters. Using the Chinese telecom firm’s equipment in 5G infrastructure could create backdoors allowing the theft of “wholesale state secrets” as well as “intimate” data on UK citizens, he told […]
Airbnb doesn’t need to comply with regulations for real estate brokers, Europe’s top court rules
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that Airbnb is an online platform rather than a real estate broker, allowing the firm to avoid further local regulation across Europe, according to The Guardian. Cities around the world are increasingly seeking to regulate Airbnb, to address concern over its impact on local neighborhoods and housing markets. The […]
French antitrust watchdog fines Google €150m over unclear rules for its ad platform
France’s competition authority has issued a €150 million antitrust fine against Google for abusing its dominant position in the search advertising market, with opaque, unpredictable, and arbitrarily applied rules for its ad platform, according to Reuters. It’s the first fine issued by French antitrust authorities against Google, which is under heightened scrutiny in the rest of […]
German court ruling effectively bans Uber from operating in Germany
A Frankfurt court has effectively banned Uber’s ride-hailing service in Germany, according to Reuters, in yet another major setback for the company after losing its license to operate in London. In Germany and much of the European Union, Uber exclusively works with licensed drivers through private hire vehicle companies, to comply with a 2017 decision from the region’s […]
UK to establish new watchdog to regulate tech giants after Brexit, amid calls to curb their power
The UK will create a new regulator next year, tasked specifically with monitoring and regulating large tech companies following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, the Financial Times reported Wednesday. The watchdog will wield new powers to enforce a code of conduct for tech giants. The move was recommended in a review of large […]