Weekly Roundup 1/30

By Andie Arnold | January 30, 2017

Small Photo
Photo
img1

 

Happy Monday, Readers! Last week, China strengthened laws surrounding its online censorship system, also known as the Great Firewall. The firewall currently prevents internet users from accessing foreign news outlets, search engines like Google, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, or information on politically delicate subjects like Tibet. Content citing criticism of the government is also blocked. The result is an internet that hardly resembles the uncensored version we are accustomed to.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has announced a crackdown on virtual private networks, or VPN’s, that allowed users to circumvent the firewall. The 14-month “clean up” will require all VPNs to obtain government approval, and using a VPN without permission will be prohibited. This will come as a blow to the 730 million internet users in China, and tightens the already tough restrictions on internet access and freedom. Efforts to support a free and open internet in the country have so far been unsuccessful, and we can expect to see these new restrictions start as soon as possible.

 

Tech News:

As attacks grow, EU mulls banking stress tests for cyber risks

 

Samsung blames two separate battery faults for Galaxy Note 7 fires

 

Trends in Israel’s Cybersecurity Investments

Yahoo Faces SEC Probe Over Data Breaches

Apple sues Qualcomm for nearly $1 billion

Privacy laws gutted in Australian courts ruling on ‘personal information’

Hacker Says He Attempted to Extort UK Bank Lloyds with DDoS

Uber to Pay $20 Million Settlement in Lawsuit Over Duping Drivers

 

Civic Tech:

Local Activism is the Best Way to Preserve Net Neutrality

 

Bill Gates Warns That Damage Caused By Bioterrorism Could Be ‘Very, Very Huge’

 

Can We Use Twitter to Protect Human Rights in Uganda (and America)?

 

Crash dummies hit with drones to test impact

 

We Can Now Fingerprint Children at 6 Months Old, But Should We?


 

Topics

Share