Antitrust, Competition Law, and Consumer Protection
Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Economy, Strategy, and Privacy
All Things Tech
Be careful when you protest; your phone is watching you. How Your Phone Betrays Democracy
Jeff Bezos invests in UK digital logistics start-up Beacon. Company founded by former Uber executives is already backed by Eric Schmidt
How AI is getting an emotionally intelligent reboot. Tech that reacts to feelings and facial expressions is about to transform our lives. See Accenture’s report on emotionally intelligent AI and The AI Now Institute, a research centre based at New York University, has also highlighted the imperfections of much Emotional AI
How Covid-19 contact tracing works on your phone. Developers are working on track-and-trace systems to keep infection levels low. The apps aren't here yet, but here's what they do—and how you can enable them.
Why the ‘Techlash’ is a threat to growth and progress
Zoom shut down US-Based activists at China’s request
They used smartphone cameras to record police brutality—and change history. Video-camera technology on our phones got better. In the process, it made eyewitnesses of us all
7 Ad Tech founders share what business they’d start today if they could
Big brother is really watching. Amazon’s new Distance Assistant uses AI to encourage social distancing. The monitor, camera, and computer alert workers in real time if they get closer than six feet from each other.
Moves to limit Big Tech still only half-formed. US and European regulators will have to work harder to formulate an answer to digital dominance.
Are tech giants with their AIs and algorithms becoming too powerful?
Citizen is an app, currently active in 18 cities, that’s sort of a supercharged police scanner—its home screen is a map of the area around your location that pinpoints disturbances
Which video call apps can you trust? Amid the pandemic, Mozilla is educating consumers about popular video apps’ privacy and security features and flaws
Why the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ looks much like the first
Uber Rides Cost More? OK. Many gig-based business models help customers take advantage of workers. Let’s stop giving tech companies a free ride
Which industries aren’t ready for a cyberattack? A survey of corporate technology officers reveals that while many companies are worried about all sorts of threats, they also don’t feel they’re prepared to defend against them
Pandemic raises CIO role to next level. Chief information officers are being measured on whether their companies are able to serve customers entirely digitally, says Box’s CEO
Antitrust, Competition Law, and Consumer Protection
Europe asks for views on platform governance and competition tools, a public consultation today on the forthcoming Digital Services Act (DSA).
A Machine Learning Approach for Flagging Incomplete Bid-rigging Cartels by Hannes Wallimann, David Imhof, and Martin Huber
Amazon said to be under scrutiny in 2 states for abuse of power. Inquiries in California and Washington are a sign that the scrutiny of the tech giant continues to intensify
UK watchdog opens investigation into Facebook-Giphy acquisition. The Competition and Markets Authority orders social media company to stop integration of online platform
Facebook accused of squashing rivals by former antitrust official. Fiona Scott Morton, Ex-Department of Justice economist, says social network used deception to build monopoly. See also “Here’s What an Antitrust Case Against Google Might Look Like” [Wired]. The policy paper is here. A review of the new Omidyar paper against Google search
Chicken industry executives, including Pilgrim’s Pride CEO, indicted on price-fixing charges. Indictment alleges current and former senior executives at Pilgrim’s and Claxton Poultry Farms fixed prices and rigged bids from 2012 to 2017
States sue drugmakers over 'price fixing.' The attorneys general of 51 U.S. states and territories have signed on to a lawsuit against 26 generic drug manufacturers and 10 company executives alleging that they conspired to inflate prices and rig the market for scores of products. It's the third such case filed since 2016: The others are still pending. The pharmaceutical companies have protested that there is no widespread conspiracy and they don't believe their actions were illegal [Reuters, WSJ]
The US House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee is trying to get testimonies from Big Tech CEOs for its ongoing investigation into technology companies’ alleged anti-competitive practices. Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google are reportedly being asked to supply internal documents and the companies’ responses to other competition investigations. This effort is a part of the wider antitrust investigation launched by the Judiciary Committee last year in response to growing competition concerns around companies like Amazon and Google, which have little competition standing in their way in their core services.
The economics of the German investigation of Facebook's data collection by Oliver Budzinski, Marina Gruésevaja, and Victoriia Noskova
The European Commission opens investigations into Apple's App Store rules and Apple Pay practices
And Apple’s easy ride from U.S. authorities may be over. The Justice Department and a coalition of state attorneys general are focusing on the company’s iron-clad control of its App Store.
This week’s keynote quietly tackled five of Apple’s antitrust issues
Pressure on Google is ramping up. Could the antitrust probes help address privacy harms?
As potential Federal probes loom, Google faces smaller antitrust suits. It's being hit by a smattering of lawsuits taking aim at its ad stack. Nearly all state attorneys general have opened investigations into Google's practices
DOJ, States to decide whether to join forces on Google in antitrust probe
Facebook loses antitrust decision in Germany over data collection. In a closely watched case, Facebook lost an appeal related to charges that it has violated competition laws by abusing its dominance in social media
If past is prologue, ramped up antitrust compliance is critical
UK competition watchdog in U-turn on Deliveroo-Amazon deal. CMA says e-commerce giant’s investment will not adversely affect consumers following year-long probe
Google and Facebook must pay the price for what they’ve done with news. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has been relentless in its pursuit of Google, leading regulators around the world to take a long look at digital publishers
Google stymies media companies from chipping away at its data dominance. Google upended plans by European media companies to block it from harvesting data about their readers and slash some of its dominance in online advertising, seven people involved in the talks said this month.
Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano discusses why big tech is not violating antitrust laws by freeing political speech as the Department of Justice gets ready to complete an investigation
Big Data, Cybersecurity, Digital Economy, Strategy, and Privacy
A tech company’s guide to deleting personal identifying information. Regulations require companies to field data deletion requests. Complying is harder than it sounds.
Five key provisions a Federal privacy law should include
Many businesses are suffering serious financial difficulties because of COVID-19, particularly those in the retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors. For many, the one asset that will undoubtedly retain value will be their customer database. This valuable commodity could help attract potential purchasers but there could be implications.
Improving Market Performance in the Digital Economy by Yongmin Chen. The digital economy has substantially reduced market frictions but also posed new challenges for the efficient functioning of markets. In particular, the drastic reductions in the costs of search, entry, transportation, and reproduction have profound implications for the role of platforms, the value of innovation, and the balance between firms' data needs and consumer privacy. Chen reviews some recent economic research that sheds light on these issues, and discuss how well-designed policies on competition, regulation, IP protection, and consumer privacy can improve market performance in the digital economy
The Evolving Global Privacy Framework…the compliance burden is considerable
The real dangers of surveillance. What Americans can learn from the protests in Hong Kong
England’s contact app fiasco exposes limits of technology. Evidence from around world suggests successful test-and-trace programmes possible without use of smartphones
Google loses its appeal on €50 million GDPR fine
Class action lawsuit against Google for $5 billion says internet giant tracks private internet use
When the home is no data protection haven: addressing privacy threats from intimate relationships
Building a more resilient, data-driven economy. A review of Building the New Economy
New European Commission report shows the importance of digital resilience in times of crisis
A data flow map is a diagram that shows how sensitive information moves between one part of your organisation and another. See some tips, tricks, and techniques in the GDPR data mapping tutorial
This Senator wants to address one of the Internet’s biggest lies: people actually read privacy policies
Protecting personal data as lockdown unlocks
There seems to be no privacy left anymore. Scientists at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have discovered a way to eavesdrop on entire conversations by studying the vibration patterns in a lightbulb. Identity thieves can use this bright low-tech new idea
In July 2018, the UN Secretary-General convened a High-level Panel on Digital Co-operation to advance proposals to strengthen cooperation in the digital space among Governments, the private sector, civil society, international organisations, academic institutions, the technical community and other relevant stakeholders. The Panel completed its deliberations and submitted its final report, entitled “The Age of Digital Interdependence”, in June 2019. After this report, round-table discussion groups on Global Connectivity; Digital Public Goods; Digital Inclusion and Data; Digital Help Desks; Digital Human Rights; Artificial Intelligence; Digital Trust and Security; and Digital Cooperation Architecture, were constituted. Taking inputs from their deliberations, a “Roadmap for Digital Co-operation” has been published as a Report of the Secretary-General in June 2020
Have your privacy policies kept up with your digital transformation?
Privacy isn’t a right you can click away. Senator Sherrod Brown wants to drastically scale back the permitted uses of your personal data—and ban facial recognition outright
On 19 February 2020, the European Commission published details of its data strategy, the aim of which is to “create a single European data space. The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published its opinion on the data strategy on 16 June 2020
The UK says “We'll hold onto your data for eight years now - down from 20.” Still feels like a lot? That's because it is.
Books
Angrynomics by Eric Lonergan and Mark Blyth. An ingenious solution for an unequal world brought into sharp relief by the coronavirus pandemic
The 10 best Sherlock Holmes stories
John Bolton on the scandal of Trump’s China policy. The president pleaded with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for domestic political help, subordinated national-security issues to his own re-election prospects and ignored Beijing’s human-rights abuses. His book, “The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir,” is out 23 June.
Bolton, Justice Department face off in court over book release. US judge set to rule on Trump administration’s request to halt former adviser’s memoir but the White House’s bid to block John Bolton book met with scepticism
More on Bolton’s 17 months in the White House
Bolton’s book reminds us of the biggest problem with Trump, Fareed Zakaria
And if Bolton wasn’t enough, Trump family tries to block publication of book by president's niece. Court papers say Mary Trump previously signed a non-disclosure agreement and the book violates its terms
Summer books of 2020: Technology. John Thornhill selects his best mid-year reads
Companies
South Korea seeks arrest warrant for Samsung heir in merger probe
Eric Yuan, a tech boss riding a geopolitical storm. Zoom’s chief has seen his company’s fortunes soar at a time of escalating US-China tensions
Huawei fights back against attacks over Britain’s 5G. China telecoms supplier launches advertising campaign in response to Conservative criticisms
And Huawei’s courtship of Moscow leaves west in the cold. US and EU sanctions against the Chinese telecoms group have bolstered Sino-Russian co-operation
Starbucks reverses course on Black Lives Matter attire ban after boycott threats
It’s been a week of high profile departures for top female start-up founders. In each case, the companies have posted messages of support for the Black Lives Matter movement, then been called out by employees and customers for creating a racist culture.
Brands Hits and Misses! LÓreal admits its mistake and Crossfit’s CEO also leaves
With CEO turnover down to months now, seeing somebody last six years in the position and leaving the company in a better position is rare. But that’s Patagonia’s CEO Rose Marcario. She joined the company in 2008 and leaves a legacy of a financially strong company that has become the exemplar for social and environmental activism.
Prospering in the pandemic: the top 100 companies
Tim Wu says American companies are sick and offers suggestion on how to cure them. Mergers and buyouts work, but they can exacerbate economic inequality. Here are some different strategies.
Corporate Governance
Japan’s all-male boards face gender reckoning. Hundreds of companies without a female director set for mass AGM-season shaming
Gunvor boss attacks loose lending practices in Singapore. One of world’s largest independent oil traders raises concerns after trading scandals in city state
EY prepares for backlash over Wirecard scandal. Senior partners advised to tell clients objective of fraud was to ‘deceive investors and EY.’ Wirecard proves Europe needs a single financial markets supervisor. Wirecard news from UK, Philippines, and Germany
e-Commerce
IKEA can’t reopen stores fast enough after flubbing online orders after coronavirus pandemic led to an e-commerce surge. Customers complain of delayed orders, no curbside slots, undelivered furniture…
Amazon’s new competitive advantage: putting its own products first. Brands have long been able to bid for the premier slot at the top left of Amazon’s listings, but during the pandemic the online retailer has begun using this position for its private-label items, raising antitrust concerns. Also, how Amazon steers shoppers to its own products
Amazon isn’t the only e-commerce company thriving. Amazon shares have climbed more than 30% this year. But some online retailers are faring even better. Shares of Wayfair, the online furniture and home goods seller, have doubled in price in 2020. Etsy, a platform that specializes in handmade products, said its marketplace grew 100% in April, and its stock has gained more than 90%. Chewy, an online company for pet products, has jumped about 75% this year, while US shares for Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com have rallied about 60%
Google is dialling up its e-Commerce efforts, launching new shopping and marketing options for online merchants
India’s new e-commerce policy to curb Chinese imports. Vendors may be asked to display whether a product being sold on their platform is made in India or not
Alibaba appoints fourth chief executive in 3 years at Lazada. South-east Asian online shopping venture is facing heavy competition from Tencent-backed rival
Economics
The Behavioural Economics Guide 2020 is out. This year's edition features an introduction by Colin Camerer, a guest editorial by Elke Weber, and insightful contributions from behavioural science practitioners
‘Bankrupt in Just Two Weeks’—Individual investors get burned by collapse of complex securities. Seeking high returns, they poured savings into leveraged exchange-traded notes; the coronavirus downturn made some of them nearly worthless. Sounds like a repeat of 2008 and those CDOs
We may be heading towards a post-dollar world, says Rana Foroohar. Continued erosion of trust in America politically could have an impact on the primacy of its currency
How the U.S. jobs report for May 2020 managed to surprise almost everyone. Weekly unemployment data failed to reflect how many idled workers had been brought back. A surprisingly strong May jobs report, but still 21 million reasons why Washington shouldn’t take a victory lap
Job anxiety spills into tech sector. Despite their role preserving business continuity during lockdowns, half of tech workers worry about job security
Coronavirus Shutdowns: economists look for better answers. Researchers are developing models for more targeted closings (and reopenings) that would curb the spread of infection at a less severe economic cost
6 experts from MIT, Harvard, and more on how capitalism will emerge after COVID-19. We have an unprecedented opportunity to rein in capitalism’s excesses and reshape our democracy
Why Japan’s jobless rate is just 2.6% while the U.S.’s has soared. A mix of social, demographic and epidemiological factors has kept unemployment down even as the coronavirus has damaged the country’s already weakened economy
Economics as Cultural Tell. Why do economic explanations feel so much more insightful than humanistic explanations?
Education
10 Writing Resources to explore and learn from. There’s also an option for receiving a daily email with useful tips
Entertainment
Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are joining the cast of Spotify. The streaming giant has joined forces with Warner Bros.’s DC to produce podcasts based on characters exclusive to Spotify’s service
Global
Saudi Arabia’s secret plans to unveil its hidden da Vinci—and become an art-world heavyweight. Since buying the world’s most expensive painting three years ago, Saudi Arabia has kept it out of sight. Now, answers are emerging—alongside its big-league art ambitions
America’s battered moral standing. Donald Trump is handing the world’s autocrats a propaganda coup
China is embracing a new brand of foreign policy. Here's what wolf warrior diplomacy means
Butterfly Effect: China’s real target is Taiwan
Inside the aviation industry’s toughest battle yet: getting back in the skies. Travel bans, quarantines and other restrictions have brought travel through hubs like Heathrow Airport to a standstill
The World Bank’s private lender, the International Finance Corporation, has been criticised for its illogical response to an internal investigation that found it had violated its own rules when funding a dam project in Guatemala. The IFC said it was “deeply troubled” by the findings but denied responsibility for violence against local communities
Health and Nutrition
UAE caught between US and China as powers vie for influence in Gulf. US embassy snubbed Emirati offer to test staff for Covid-19 because of China privacy concerns.
India Is using more solar energy—but it carries a lead risk. In rural areas, solar power is stored in lead batteries. If they are not properly recycled, contamination can cause health problems.
Millions of people drink mineral water every day, often in plastic bottles and transported thousands of kilometres around the world, always at the expense of the environment. But almost everywhere in Europe, tap water is of high quality and inexpensive. The Duisburg Public Services, decided to hold up the mirror to the water industry. Turn on the tap. Stop the insanity.
Coronavirus shutdowns: economists look for better answers. Researchers are developing models for more targeted closings (and reopenings) that would curb the spread of infection at a less severe economic cost.
Lockdowns Ease Globally Despite Virus Surge. Russia, India, the U.S. and Mexico are all still seeing coronavirus cases surge — but are making moves to reopen economies nonetheless. Some public health experts are regretting India's extremely strict lockdown protocols, and the fact that they may now be easing up too quickly. [NYT, NPR, CNN]
Life Hacks
10 ways teenagers are like cats. Parents are the dogs in this situation
Is incompetence a form of dishonesty?
To navigate office politics, map out your friends and foes
What to do when your first job isn’t a good fit. The economic downturn means many college graduates aren’t landing their dream jobs right away; here’s how to turn a less-than-perfect position into a career stepping-stone
Management and Leadership
Here’s a rule in business: Always see new competitors as harbingers of disruption. Radical change can happen overnight especially in terms of technology
The best managers balance analytical and emotional intelligence
How to schedule a big, important meeting without looking needy or desperate. You really want the meeting. But you don't want to look like you really want the meeting.
Miscellaneous
Will the EU make its Better Regulation Strategy truly better?
Music
John Taylor, bassist for Duran Duran, has been working during lockdown after recovering from COVID-19. He recently did a reddit AMA, he has an Instagram channel in which he chats with other musicians, and he has a YouTube "bass tutorial" channel Stone Love Bass Odyssey, which has covered Girls On Film, Planet Earth, and Rio so far
The Pet Shop Boys West End Girls is the UK’s greatest No 1 single. Neil Tennant: 'It's about sex and escape. It's paranoid.' Check out the new lockdown version
Pakistan
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has issued a reminder that all VPN users need to register their VPN tunnel with their internet service provider (ISP) by 30 June 2020. This marks an escalation of the PTA’s ongoing war against VPN use, which they consider to be harmful to the country’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry as well as the source of what they call “grey traffic” and illegal VoIP companies
Facebook considers Pakistan a priority, appointing Dial Zero as authorised sales partner
People of Interest
James Mattis and other generals have sent the political class into delirium with their Trump criticism, but there are better voices for this moment than the authors of America’s forever wars
Jeff Bezos on planning for the future in uncertain times. A simple three-word question can help guide you through changing circumstances over the long haul
Avi Schiffman, the 17-year old who developed the COVID19 dashboard, has also mapped out the Black Lives Matter protests
Social Media
Mark Zuckerberg sided with Donald Trump. History won’t forget it. Zuckerberg once wanted to sanction Trump. Then Facebook wrote rules that accommodated him. Starting as early as 2015, Facebook executives started crafting exceptions for the then-candidate that transformed the world’s information battlefield for years to come.
Facebook and the creation of a US oligarch. To stay this big and unregulated, the social media platform can’t afford to upset rulers
What’s Facebook’s deal with Donald Trump? Mark Zuckerberg has forged an uneasy alliance with the Trump administration. He may have gotten too close
Facebook employees revolt over Zuckerberg’s stance on Trump. Chief executive criticised for refusing to act over posts by US president in response to unrest. Also, Handling of Trump Posts Prompt Facebook Employees to Stage Virtual Walkout. Some staff take issue with company decision to allow the posts about social unrest to remain on the platform
Facebook’s Zuckerberg Defends Decision to Leave Trump Posts Alone. Civil-rights leaders who met with CEO Mark Zuckerberg said they were ‘disappointed and stunned.’ Zuckerberg said his decision was “pretty thorough.” Trump's 'shooting' comment has 'no history' as a 'dog whistle'
Update: Zuckerberg promises Facebook policy review
Facebook removes Trump campaign ads for violating policy on use of hate symbol. Some campaign content had included an inverted red triangle, a symbol that was used by the Nazis
Facebook executives shut down efforts to make the site less divisive. The social-media giant internally studied how it polarises users, then largely shelved the research
Scientists funded by Chan Zuckerberg Initiative urge Facebook CEO to curb misinformation. The group pointed to President Trump’s “looting” post as antithetical to CZI’s mission
Facebook strikes global licensing deal with Indian music label Saregama
Trump’s response to Twitter is unconstitutional harassment, says Tim Wu. His executive order aimed at social media companies should be ignored
Reddit's former CEO slams Reddit for 'amplifying hate, racism and violence'
How messaging technology is helping fuel global protests
The pandemic has killed nuance on social media. What happened to our resolution to engage in discussion rather than resorting to tribalism?
Facebook complained of being between a rock and a hard place on Thursday as it responded to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden calling on the social network to crack down on misinformation and fact-check political advertising ahead of the US election. “Tens of millions of Americans rely on Facebook as a news source. But the company continues to amplify misinformation and lets candidates pay to target and confuse voters with lies,” Mr Biden said. There’s pressure from all politicians and now, employees
Facebook’s only attempt to weed out the toxic, fake news articles is highly questionable, and not just because it’s run by someone with open bias. The head of its news partnerships, Campbell Brown, cofounded a website that publishes anti-Warren ads. Facebook also faced backlash after it included the infamous news site Breitbart on its new “high quality” news tab. That news outlet has been widely criticised for posting extremist, “alt-right” content and conspiracy theories
Conviction in the Philippines reveals Facebook’s dangers. The conviction of the journalist Maria Ressa shows that Facebook’s harms can’t be ignored
Justice Department proposes limiting internet companies’ protections. Action follows President Trump’s executive order seeking to weaken broad immunity enjoyed by Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms
Tech Goliaths act like Davids. The underdog tactics and fighting spirit that once served tech companies well now make them look petty and mean
How boogaloo members allegedly used Facebook to plot a murder. To track down the suspects, the FBI pieced together surveillance videos, cellphone records and social media conversations
Facebook executive admits to ‘trust deficit’ on call with advertisers. Social media group hit by mass boycotts over political content moderation. Facebook fails to stem advertising boycott over hate speech. Diageo, Starbucks, and Levi’s pull spending despite new policies announced by Mark Zuckerberg
Society
The Power of Bearing Witness. Connecting the world online feels essential in moments of history. Is it a package deal with all of the horribles?
Two-thirds of U.S. adults say they support the Black Lives Matter movement, with 38% saying they strongly support it. Most adults say tensions between black people and police and concerns about the treatment of black people in the U.S. – in addition to anger over George Floyd’s death – have contributed a great deal to the protests
Pew Research Centre documents Attitudes Toward Diversity in 11 Emerging Economies. Interacting with people of different backgrounds is related to more positive attitudes about diversity
Rana Foroohar on The Decadent Society — has the west run out of ideas?
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