Data and security

A new decentralised VPN aims to patch a gaping security hole

Data and security, Insider, Next Featured, Startups and technology / Ryan Harris / November 3, 2023

VPNs have become popular means of protecting personal data, but there’s a big vulnerability in their defences: the service provider.

These companies can technically gain access to all your unencrypted traffic. Consequently, they can see all the data on your browsing habits.

This frailty has sparked interest in decentralised VPNs. Instead of funnelling all user data through a single server, they disperse the traffic across a network run by multiple users. In theory, this makes the shield more difficult to breach, because there’s no central authority controlling the service.

It’s a theory that Nym Technologies wants to prove true. The Swiss startup today announced that it will launch a new decentralised (dVPN) in the first quarter of next year. Named NymVPN, the service promises to provide an “unparalleled” level of privacy and security.

At the core of the system is a so-called “network of nodes.” A collection of hundreds of gateways, this obfuscates the flow of data by transmitting internet traffic through entry and exit points.

The nodes are run by independent individuals in various countries. Each of these operators routs a user’s internet traffic through various stages of the information pathway, known as hops. According to Nym, this reduces the risk of data breaches, surveillance, identity theft, and censorship.

“We believe that privacy is a fundamental right, and our vision has always been to empower individuals to take full control over their online security,” said Harry Halpin, Nym’s CEO and co-founder. “The NymVPN offers just this.”

Risks of centralisation

The principal appeal of dVPNs is preventing access to unencrypted traffic. However, even encrypted traffic can’t fully conceal metadata, which can expose the sites you visit and the apps you use.

“Don’t just take our word for it,” Jaya Klara Brekke, Chief Strategy Officer at Nym, told TNW. “As former NSA General Counsel Stewart Baker said: ‘Metadata absolutely tells you everything about somebody’s life. If you have enough metadata, you don’t really need content’.”

Users of centralised VPNs, therefore, must place great faith in the provider. If a centralised VPN is asked to hand over data to third parties, the trust could be severely tested.

The internet internet may come to look like a very different place.

Even ostensibly private centralised VPNs could turn over information to authorities. NordVPN, for instance, has acknowledged that it complies with law enforcement data requests. Free VPNs, meanwhile, can sell user browsing habits and data to anyone they like.

“It’s better to eliminate the risk of holding unnecessary data at all,” Brekke said. “This is what actual decentralisation offers.”

Nym’s approach

In the NymVPN app, the decentralisation comes in two different levels.

The first is VPN mode, which is better for streaming, browsing, and other use cases that require high performance but only moderate privacy. Data is transmitted through two hops, each of which is hosted by an independent node operator. The operators are rewarded with NYM tokens, which are used to incentivise good governance.

For extra protection, the app has a mixnet option. This mode is designed for messaging, sensitive file sharing, transactions, and other use cases that require high levels of privacy but only mid-range performance. Data is divided into small, identically-sized packets that are encrypted with a novel system called Sphinx. It travels through five ‘hops’ in the network before reaching its destination.

To further obscure communications, Nym generates fake dummy traffic, which is indistinguishable from the real thing.

“Even in the presence of global network observers or advanced machine learning attacks, this mode ensures your online activities remain confidential and shielded from prying eyes,” Brekke said.

“Thus, it surpasses the privacy properties of traditional VPNs and Tor and is the fastest, most secure mixnet available today, keeping your online activities truly private.”

The VPN market

A dVPN remains a specialist product, but Nym argues that it has mainstream potential. The company is initially targeting four different user groups. The first is privacy enthusiasts, who are typically interested in emerging technologies.

Once that establishes a solid user base, Nym will target journalists, activists, and whistleblowers. B2B and B2G clients are also “definitely on the radar,” according to Brekke. “We’ve received interest,” she said.

In time, Brekke expects the general public to also become customers. As evidence, she can point to the sector’s rapid growth. Industry researchers predict that the global VPN market alone will be worth $358bn by 2032. The value of the worldwide data privacy market, meanwhile, is projected to reach $30bn by 2030.

Investors have also made bullish predictions. In 2020, Fred Wilson, a prominent venture capitalist, warned that mass surveillance by both governments and corporations “will become normal and expected this decade.” This, Wilson continued, will spark a market boom.

“The biggest consumer technology successes of this decade will be in the area of privacy,” he concluded.

Unsurprisingly, it’s a view that Nym welcomes.

“With the shifting sands of censorship and companies threatening to pull their services in the wake of regulations like the Online Safety Bill, it may come to pass that the internet looks like a very different place indeed,” Brekke said.

“In this scenario, a VPN would be an essential part of anyone’s toolkit in order to access the internet as we are used to.”

A new decentralised VPN aims to patch a gaping security hole Read More »

Meta begrudgingly launches €9.99 ad-free subscription for Facebook and Instagram

Data and security, Europe, Government and policy, Meta / Ryan Harris / October 31, 2023

The effects of the EU’s regulatory crusade on Big Tech are beginning to make themselves known to consumers. Yesterday, Meta launched ad-free subscription services for Facebook and Instagram within the bloc. Users will be able to pay from €9.99 to use the social media platforms without seeing ads — or continue using them for free and have their data collected.

We are probably not alone in the experience that ads have completely taken over much of what began as a means of actually connecting with friends (and sharing photos of our lunch). Adding to that, with more and more sophisticated targeted advertising and tracking across various apps, ads have become, at times, spookily accurate.

When surveyed, the instinctual reaction of the TNW editorial office was a resounding “no.” However, €9.99 a month to escape a barrage of ads might not seem such a horrible proposition for everyone — although, given Meta’s revenue model, one that the tech giant did not want to have to make.

“We believe in a free, ad-supported internet – and will continue to offer people free access to our personalised products and services regardless of income,” the company said in a statement. However, it said it was introducing the new subscription model to comply with European Union regulations.

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Meta also, perhaps a little resentfully, added that it “respects the spirit and purpose of these evolving European regulations, and are committed to complying with them.”

Purchase via an app store, pay more

The ad-free subscription service will also be available to residents in the EEA and Switzerland, and have a different price depending on where you purchase it. The €9.99 is when buying it on the web, whereas paying for it via iOS or Android will cost €12.99. Meta stated that the higher price was due to the additional charges by Apple and Google through their respective policies.

The subscription service will be available for people 18 years of age and older, whereas the company stated it would “continue to explore how to provide teens with a useful and responsible ad experience given this evolving regulatory landscape.”

Meta said that if users chose to continue to engage with its platforms for free, their experience would stay the same. Advertisers will also be able to continue running personalised advertising campaigns in Europe.

Published October 31, 2023 – 9: 32 am UTC

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Secure your Mac like a rockstar — 5 easy life hacks to stay safe online

Data and security, Future of Work, Startups and technology / Ryan Harris / October 31, 2023

Yes, hackers and cybersecurity professionals are still engaged in a constant game of cat and mouse to exploit and fix loopholes, but the world around this has altered substantially.

These days 80% of Mac users say they’re informed about cyber threats, a far cry from the old days.

Yet, while new tools and best practice guides have made it easier than ever to stay safe online, Mac users are still confused and acting in risky ways. For example, over a quarter (28%) of them believe Apple computers are malware free, and this sort of myth and superstition is rife across the internet.

But we want to help — and with CyberSecurity Awareness Month in full swing, we thought we’d share a selection of tips and life hacks to make it simple (and entertaining) to stay as safe as possible online.

Tip 1: Always pack a password manager

If there’s one thing you should start doing today to stay safe online, it’s using a password manager.

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Quote by Mykhailo Hrebeniuk, Security Researcher at Moonlock by MacPaw: “A password manager like 1Password should not be limited exclusively to password storage. You can also add other crucial information that needs to be stored, such as credit card numbers.”

A tool like 1Password allows you to create and store unique logins for every single site you visit, meaning there’s less chance of your passwords being leaked across the internet.

Even better… it’s actually kinda fun? I use a password manager and there’s something so deeply satisfying about only needing to remember one login for every site or app you need. It’s a little bit like learning how to use power chords on a guitar and, suddenly, you’re playing along to tons of songs.

Password managers can do so much more than just storing logins though.

“A password manager like 1Password should not be limited exclusively to password storage,” Mykhailo Hrebeniuk, Security Researcher at Moonlock by MacPaw, tells TNW. “You can also add other crucial information that needs to be stored, such as credit card numbers.”

Effectively, password managers are your own personal library filled with forbidden knowledge. And that’s cool.

Tip 2: Be like Beenie Man and back it up

This is one of those tips that I know you know, but it doesn’t make it any less important: backup your data.

My guess is, this is something you push aside because it’s boring or you’re too busy, but I think you need to look at it from a different angle.

Backing up is like Steely Dan; it may seem boring when you’re young, but when you give it a bit of thought, you realise that its simple surface is just a veneer for deeper intricacies.

With this in mind, I suggest two types of backing up.

The first is the simplest: sign up for a cloud-based service. Something like this involves an app running in the background that constantly keeps your data safe. That might sound simple, but it’s a technical marvel — plus it gives me an enormous sense of well-being (Parklife!).

The second is more old school: get a hard drive. Pick one that, as Hrebeniuk says, is “high-quality [and] capable of withstanding years of use.” You don’t want it crapping out on you. Then, all you need to do is plug it in every couple of months for an extra bit of mental safety.

This might seem dull to some, but only real aficionados know how good it feels to have all your data secure.

Tip 3: Keep your laptop locked down

I got a lot laxer during the pandemic. Because I didn’t spend any time in co-working spaces or hanging out in the office, I stopped locking my laptop all the damn time. Instead, I was cavorting around freely, without a care in the world; like Mick Jagger, but with an office job.

But that, friends, was a mistake.

If you’re in a cafe (or at a bar or gig or festival if you prefer to live life on the edge), leaving your machine open and unlocked is a nightmare. Bad actors can dig up personal information or even install malicious software.

Instead, you need to change your behaviour at the root.

“Start by getting used to locking your laptop even when you’re at home,” says Serhii Butenko, Staff Software Engineer at CleanMyMac X by MacPaw. “Lock your laptop every time you step away from it, even for a few seconds. This way, you will develop a habit and will subconsciously lock your laptop even in emergency situations.”

And that’s the key: make locking your laptop something you don’t even think about, that you just simply do.

Control, command and Q keys on the keyboard

Tip 4: Update software. Regularly.

Software, much like music, is made by humans — but each has a completely different relationship with flaws.

With many albums or songs, it’s the flaws that make us fall in love. Maybe it’s the way a singer’s voice breaks or a guitarist hits an open string, whatever it is, it makes us feel human.

This is not what we want from software. A human mistake is rarely pleasurable, instead, it can be an annoyance or even a danger. I mean, who wants to have their identity stolen because a developer made a mistake?

Update your software whenever you can. It’s easy. And it’s probably better.

Tip 5: Email? It’s not so simple

Ah, email. Because it’s been around so long we’re used to using it in the same old ways — but that’s a mistake.

For example, you should have more than just one account. In fact, you should create several for different online activities. You should have an email address for online shopping and other payments; one for work; another for banking and more serious affairs; and, finally, an account for healthcare.

This protects your data. It means if one address is compromised, not everything is lost. Luckily, you can reduce this risk too.

Now, phishing isn’t a reference to the American jam band of a similar name (if only!), instead, it’s a term used for one of the most common ways people have their information stolen.

Effectively, phishing is a form of social engineering. One of the most common ways this is achieved is via email. Bad actors have gotten incredibly good at mimicking the messages companies send you, inserting links to websites they control, and then getting you to enter your login details, meaning they can harvest that information.

One way around this is not trusting the links in emails you receive.

“If I need to login somewhere, I go to the browser and log directly into the account,” Oleksii Myronenko, Product Manager at CleanMyMac X by MacPaw, tells TNW. “I have made it a long-standing habit not to click on any links in emails.”

In these situations, think of yourself like an intrepid explorer. You’ve been given a clue that something may be going on with an account, so you have to go there and find out if it’s true or not. Sort of like you’re going on a quest. And that’s cool as hell.

So there you have it! Five easy tips and life hacks to help you stay safe online. Enjoy the journey, people!

Get started on a cleaner, faster, and secure Mac journey with CleanMyMac X now. Here’s a special 10% discount for TNW readers.

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UK police urged to double down on facial recognition

Data and security, Deep tech, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / October 31, 2023

In a controversial move, UK police is being encouraged to double its use of retrospective facial recognition to track down known offenders.

Specifically, in a letter to force chiefs, policing minister Chris Philp said that using the AI-enabled technology would allow for over 200,000 searches of images against the Police National Database by May 2024.

Philp also encouraged the increase of live facial recognition, which captures live footage of crowds and compares it with a list of wanted suspects to alert the police. The technology is already being heavily used by UK law enforcement — with King Charles III’s coronation in May representing its largest-ever public space deployment in British history.

“AI technology is a powerful tool for good, with huge opportunities to advance policing and cut crime,” the minister said in a statement. Facial recognition, he noted, has already proven its value in identifying criminals and missing people, while freeing up police time and resources.

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But while a recent report by the National Physics Laboratory highlighted the high accuracy of these systems, growing concerns over the technology range from the lack of clear regulation and risks of bias to the emergence of an Orwellian state of surveillance.

For example, in October, a cross-party group of MPs and non-profit organisations called on private companies and the UK police to “immediately stop” the use of facial recognition for public surveillance.

“Live facial recognition has never been given explicit approval by Parliament,” tweeted former Brexit secretary David Davis, who also joined the call. “It is a suspicionless mass surveillance tool that has no place in Britain,” he added.

The Home Office has rejected these concerns, and according to Philp, facial recognition has “sound legal basis” that has been confirmed by the courts. The Home Office also said that the public will be notified when entering an area where the technology is used and that personal data is deleted immediately if no match is found.

Meanwhile, the EU’s upcoming AI Act will ban predictive policing and facial recognition in public spaces in an attempt to outlaw invasive massive surveillance systems.

Published October 30, 2023 – 3: 10 pm UTC

UK police urged to double down on facial recognition Read More »

Amazon to launch ‘sovereign’ European cloud amid data privacy concerns

Corporates and innovation, Data and security, Fintech and ecommerce / Ryan Harris / October 27, 2023

Amazon has announced the launch of independent cloud services for Europe, in what seems to be an attempt to allay fears over EU data sovereignty.

The tech giant will be rolling out the Amazon Web Services (AWS) European Sovereign Cloud, which is especially designed for public sector customers and private companies operating in highly-regulated industries.

Starting with Germany, the cloud will be set up on servers located within Europe, while only EU-resident and bloc-based AWS employees will have control of its operation.

The new system will be separate from other existing cloud regions, and customer data “will not be used for any purpose” without prior agreement. Meanwhile, for customers with increased data residency needs, it will be possible to keep the metadata they create within the EU.

Alongside Google and Microsoft, AWS’s cloud services dominate the European market. As the number of critical businesses and governmental agencies relying on these platforms soars , there’s growing EU concern over how data is being handled and stored by non-European companies.

In response, the bloc has been pushing for “digital sovereignty,” aiming to regain control of both its data and technology. In July for example, the new Brussels-Washington deal on data flows sought to increase transfer safety, by adding safeguards such as a review court for data protection and restricted access to the bloc’s data by US intelligence services.

Meanwhile, Amazon is under pressure to comply with the EU’s new set of rules on content moderation and fair competition, the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

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Boomers have better cybersecurity habits than millennials and GenZ, study finds

Corporates and innovation, Data and security / Ryan Harris / October 20, 2023

Boomers are often reviled for hoarding the world’s resources, but they’re also dominating their descendants in their cyber defences.

That’s according to a new survey by Yubico, a Swedish vendor of authentication devices. The company asked 2,000 consumers in the US and UK about their attitudes towards protecting online accounts.

The responses revealed a counterintuitive divide: digital natives appear less cyber-secure than their elders.

Yubico found that boomers are the least likely generation to reuse passwords for multiple accounts (20% of respondents). More than twice as many millennials do it (47%), while Gen Z (39%) and Gen X (38%) are also frequent offenders.

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Boomers also rarely save their credit card information in online accounts (19%). Their successors are all far happier to do this. Some 33% of Gen Z, 37% of millennials, and 34% of Gen X will save the details.

A key factor in this divergence is self-doubt. Boomers are almost twice as likely to feel unconfident about spotting a fraudulent online retailer (42%) than Gen Z (23%). Millennials (29%) and Gen X (30%) also rarely suffer from a lack of confidence.

These findings don’t mean “the luckiest generation” plays it entirely safe. When it comes to multi-factor authentication (MFA), the most common users are Gen Z (59%) and Gen X (55%). Still, boomers are more likely to turn it on (53%) than those carefree millennials (48%).

Bar chart showing Gen Z is most concerned with cybersecurity for their online accounts — Gen Z has the most cybersecurity concerns, but not the best practices. Credit: Yubico

Alongside the survey results, Yubico shared some cybersecurity advice. As the producer of an MFA security key, the firm obviously wants every generation to apply MFA. In addition, the company recommends reviewing existing sign-in methods and creating unique credentials that are stored in a password manager.

That should make boomers even safer — as if they needed any extra help. Hopefully, it also gives younger generations a rare chance to catch up.

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Musk mulls removing X, formerly Twitter, from EU to dodge disinformation laws

Corporates and innovation, Data and security, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / October 20, 2023

Elon Musk, owner of X, formerly Twitter, is considering removing the social media platform from Europe in an attempt to dodge a new anti-disinformation law recently passed in the bloc, Insider reports.

Musk is “increasingly frustrated” with having to comply with the Digital Services Act (DSA), a person familiar with the company told the publication. The DSA is designed to empower and protect users online against harmful or illegal content, disinformation, and violations of privacy and free speech.

In recent weeks, Musk has discussed simply pulling the platform from the bloc as a way to avoid breaching the EU law, which could bring a potential fine of up to 6% of the company’s global revenue.

The news comes just days after the European Commission announced it is “officially investigating” X’s compliance with the new law. Industry chief Thierry Breton formally requested detailed information from the platform on its actions to mitigate and remove harmful or toxic information.

Following the terrorist attacks by Hamas against 🇮🇱, we have indications of X/Twitter being used to disseminate illegal content & disinformation in the EU.

Urgent letter to @elonmusk on #DSA obligations ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/avMm1LHq54

— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 10, 2023

With the waves of hate speech and fake news currently circulating on the social media platform, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, X is likely already in breach of the DSA.

Although Musk has already met with Breton twice this year to discuss compliance with the DSA, sources told Insider that the Tesla tycoon has “lost patience with the situation.”

Whether Musk will pull X from the EU, which is home to 9% of its global user base, is uncertain at this time. But one thing’s for sure, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s taken bold decisions since taking control of the social platform last year.

Musk decided to close nearly all of the company’s roughly two dozen global offices in January, while last month he laid off several more trust and safety workers in what amounts to an 80% cut to X’s total workforce since acquiring the social media giant.

Published October 19, 2023 – 9: 06 am UTC

Musk mulls removing X, formerly Twitter, from EU to dodge disinformation laws Read More »

TikTok complies with EU demands against Israel-Hamas disinformation

Data and security, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / October 16, 2023

TikTok said on Sunday that it had taken action against disinformation, following EU demands after Hamas’ attack on Israel.

On Thursday, Thierry Breton, the bloc’s chief of the internal market, gave the platform a 24-hour deadline to introduce measures that counter the spread of hate speech and misinformation related to the conflict.

“TikTok has a particular obligation to protect children & teenagers from violent content & terrorist propaganda — as well as death challenges & potentially life-threatening content,” Breton tweeted.

In an accompanying letter, he urged the app’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, to “step up efforts” and to ensure compliance with the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) — the union’s landmark content-moderation rulebook, which includes anti-disinformation requirements.

#TikTok has a particular obligation to protect children & teenagers from violent content & terrorist propaganda —as well as death challenges & potentially life-threatening content.#DSA sets out very clear obligations TikTok must comply with.

Letter to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew⤵️ pic.twitter.com/J1tpVzXaYR

— Thierry Breton (@ThierryBreton) October 12, 2023

In response, TikTok declared its stance against terrorism and said it’s removing “violative content and accounts.” Up until Sunday, it had removed over 5,000 videos and closed 8,000 livestreams.

“We are shocked and appalled by the horrific acts of terror in Israel last week. We immediately mobilised significant resources and personnel to help maintain the safety of our community and integrity of our platform,” the company said in a statement.

The social media platform detailed a series of additional measures, including the launch of a command centre, improved automated detection systems to identify new threats, and the increase of moderators who speak Arabic and Hebrew to review content related to the events.

Alongside TikTok, the EU has issued similar warnings (and letters) to Meta, YouTube, and Musk’s X (aka Twitter), into which it also opened a probe. Both X and Meta have set out new steps of action, while Google has yet to provide an official statement.

Under the DSA, all four social media are designated as “very large online platforms,” which means they’re subject to the legislation’s strictest rules. It also means that they’re obliged to remove content that’s flagged as illegal or harmful by the EU, as Breton’s letter remarks.

The EU’s response to the platforms’ practices in the light of Hamas’ attack on Israel has now shown that the bloc is determined to take full advantage of the DSA’s power and reshape content moderation practices, which have historically been directed by big tech.

TikTok complies with EU demands against Israel-Hamas disinformation Read More »

German anti-racism agency quits X amid Israel-Palestine disinformation wave

Corporates and innovation, Data and security, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / October 12, 2023

Germany’s federal anti-discrimination agency (FADA) said Wednesday it was quitting X, formerly known as Twitter, due to an “enormous rise” in hate speech.

“Due to the enormous rise in anti-trans and queer rhetoric, racism, misogyny, and antisemitism, we no longer believe X is an acceptable environment for the profile of a public body,” said the government agency on Wednesday, in its final post on the increasingly controversial social network.

FADA also took aim at X’s new boss, Elon Musk, saying that hateful comments and disinformation had “increased particularly” since the Tesla tycoon took over the platform last year.

The agency’s commissioner, Ferda Ataman, said other state agencies and government ministries should ask themselves whether it made sense to remain on a platform that has “become a disinformation network.”

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Germany’s foreign, economy, and finance ministries, as well as the government, still maintain profiles on X, though Economy Minister Robert Habeck has not had a presence there since 2019.

Rise in disinformation

FADA’s call to counter disinformation and hate speech on X was echoed by digital minister Volker Wissing. He complained in a post about the increase in anti-Semitic, hate-inciting posts, especially since the Hamas militant group launched its surprise terrorist attack on Israel on Saturday morning.

These include doctored images, misleading claims, and mislabeled videos that make it difficult for anyone using the platform to separate the truth of the conflict from reality.

In an attempt to crack down on this surge of disinformation, the EU has sent letters to both X and Meta — which owns Facebook and Instagram — demanding they remove illegal content from their platforms, or risk facing severe legal penalties.

In letters to Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, EU industry chief Thierry Breton said Wednesday their companies had 24 hours to inform the Commission how they were stopping harmful content on their platforms.

As of this morning, X’s chief executive Linda Yaccarino said the platform has removed hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts and taken action to remove or label tens of thousands of pieces of content since the militant group’s attack on Israel.

German anti-racism agency quits X amid Israel-Palestine disinformation wave Read More »

Meta proposes ad-free service for EU users — but you’ll have to pay for it

Corporates and innovation, Data and security, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / October 4, 2023

Meta is considering charging EU users €13 a month to access an ad-free version of Instagram or Facebook on their phones, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The tech giant is also considering a €16 fee to use Instagram and Facebook without adverts on desktop. Accessing both apps on smartphones would cost about €19 a month — a whopping €230 per year.

The proposal is an attempt by Meta to appease EU regulators, who are cracking down on social media platforms that display highly targeted ads without first gaining user consent.

Regulations limiting the company’s use of personal data for advertising could be a significant hit to its main source of income. The company said the Europe region generated 23% of its $31.5 billion in advertising revenue in the second quarter of this year.

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In July, the European Court of Justice found that Facebook was in breach of the GDPR because of its non-consensual ad practices. The court ruling raised the possibility of charging an “appropriate fee” to access an ad-free version.

Offering a choice between a free, ad-supported plan, and a paid subscription might lead to users opting for the former. This would help Meta comply with regulations while still generating revenue.

A Meta spokesperson said the company still believes in “free services which are supported by personalized ads,” but is exploring “options to ensure we comply with evolving regulatory requirements.”

However, it is understood that regulators are looking at the size of the fees and whether they are too expensive.

‘Paying for your fundamental rights’

Max Schrems, the privacy campaigner who has bought several successful legal proceedings against Meta over the years, said the proposal essentially amounts to paying for your right to have your personal data protected.

“Fundamental rights cannot be for sale. Are we going to pay for the right to vote or the right to free speech next? This would mean that only the rich can enjoy these rights, at a time when many people are struggling to make ends meet,” said Schrems, adding that his privacy rights not-for-profit noyb (None of Your Business) would fight the proposal “up and down the courts.”

For now, it isn’t clear if regulators in Ireland or Brussels will green-light the new plan, or whether they will insist Meta offer cheaper or even free versions with ads that aren’t personalised.

Meta officials are currently in talks with privacy regulators in Ireland and digital competition regulators in Brussels. The plan has also been shared with other EU privacy watchdogs for their input.

Meta proposes ad-free service for EU users — but you’ll have to pay for it Read More »

Twitter/X is biggest source of social media disinformation, EU warns

Data and security, Government and policy / Ryan Harris / September 27, 2023

Twitter — or rather, X — is the biggest source of disinformation of all the six major social media networks, an EU-commissioned report has found.

The study examined over 6,000 posts and over 4,000 user accounts across X , Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. It focused on three countries considered to be at risk due to upcoming elections and the associated threat of Russian propaganda: Slovakia, Poland, and Spain.

X had the highest ratio of disinformation posts and actors, followed by Facebook. YouTube came last.

“The Russian state has engaged in the war of ideas to pollute our information space with half-truths and lies to create a false image that democracy is no better than autocracy,” Věra Jourová, Commission VP of Value and Transparency, said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

She added that this is “a multi-million euro weapon of mass manipulation,” noting that very large online platforms “must” address the risks.

The EU’s code on disinformation

Meta and other tech giants (including Google, Microsoft, and TikTok) have already taken significant steps to mitigate these risks. Jourová announced that the companies have submitted their first six-month reports as required by the EU’s code of practice on disinformation.

For instance, Google reported that it removed ads from almost 300 sites linked to state-funded propaganda sites. Meanwhile, Meta expanded its fact-checking partnerships to 26 partners in 22 European languages.

The companies first signed the voluntary code in 2018, with their reports now serving as preparation for their compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA) — the bloc’s landmark rules on online content moderation, targeting illegal content, the violation of privacy, and disinformation.

Under the act, the code will also be turned from a voluntary practice into obligatory rules of conduct.

While Twitter had also signed the code back in 2018, it withdrew under Musk’s leadership.

But to add to the growing list of headaches for the notorious entrepreneur, X can’t withdraw from the DSA. Unless it complies, it flirts with fines of up to 6% of its global revenue, or even a temporary ban from the union.

“Mr Musk knows he is not off the hook by leaving the code of practice,” said Jourová. “There are obligations under the hard law. So my message for Twitter/X is you have to comply. We will be watching what you do,” she warned.

Meanwhile, the commissioner noted the importance of establishing safeguards against the generative AI-enabled spread of disinformation.

“Generative AI can be used to amplify dramatically efforts to influence or shift the feeling of people,” Paolo Palumbo, VP at cybersecurity firm WithSecure, told TNW.

“Because if you go to, say, ChatGPT and provide a statement that says, ‘Please give me 75 varieties in the style of this,’ and if your message is a message or a certain account coloured in a specific way, you will find yourself able to run the same message, prepared in multiple ways, and often not easy to link together, which you can use to bombard the audience, for example of Twitter.”

Twitter/X is biggest source of social media disinformation, EU warns Read More »

EU online piracy on the rise as consumers feel the pinch

Data and security, Government and policy / Mike M. / September 25, 2023

With the plethora of legitimate streaming options available today, you’d be forgiven for thinking pirated TV shows were a thing of the past. But a new study by the EU’s Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) shows that after a multi-year decline, online piracy is on the up.

The study, based on data from UK piracy tracking firm MUSO, suggests that there was a notable increase in piracy levels over the past two years.

“The main finding is that the declining trend seen in the earlier studies seems to be reversing, with piracy increasing again, mainly due to increases in piracy of TV content and publications,” the report reads.

While current piracy levels are still nowhere near what they were five years ago, a trend reversal is notable and may suggest that we’re at a pivotal point in time, especially as legal streaming services face slowed growth amid increased competition and an economic downturn.

TV piracy is booming

The study found that TV shows are by far the most pirated type of content in the EU, accounting for nearly half (48%) of all piracy. Illegal streaming of live events, such as sports games, is also on the rise, while piracy of software and publications also showed a significant increase in 2022. However, piracy of films and music is still decreasing.

According to the study, streaming has become the most popular method to access illicit TV content, with 58% of piracy in the EU occurring via streaming and 32% through downloading via sites such as Piratebay or Torrentz.

Various countries also differ in the volume and type of content consumed. Piracy is most popular in Estonia and Latvia, while it’s relatively unpopular in Germany and Italy. There are also different preferences for the type of content. In Greece, film piracy makes up 25% of the total piracy volume, for example, while in Poland it’s as low as 5%.

Why is piracy on the rise again?

In the 2000s, I and pretty much everyone I knew was consuming pirated content. It was simply the only way for us cash-strapped high schoolers to access the titles we wanted, when we wanted.

While the online media landscape has changed a lot since then, the EUIPO report shows people are streaming illegal content today for much the same reasons they did 10 or 20 years before — a lack of legal options and high subscription or purchase costs.

The econometric analysis, which is limited to the movie, TV, and music categories, shows that the number of available legal alternatives reduces piracy. This means that the availability of more legal streaming services correlates to lower piracy numbers.

Meanwhile, the income level of a country also has a significant impact on piracy rates. Low per capita income, a high degree of income inequality, and high youth unemployment are all associated with increased consumption of pirated content.

“Understanding the underlying mechanisms of piracy is essential to adopt effective policies and measures that contribute to reducing it,” remarked Christian Archambeau, EUIPO’s executive director.

As the economic crunch affects everyone’s bottom line and streaming services offer declining bang for their buck, consuming pirated content may become increasingly inviting for years to come.

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