Amid criticism of big tech ‘censorship’ of free speech, Tim Cook defends decision to suspend far right Parler app from App Store
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US Asks Australia To Scrap Proposed Publisher Payment Law
Major clash down under is looming, after Australia rejects US request to halt new law to force Google, Facebook to pay for news
Twitter’s Jack Dorsey: Trump Ban Right Thing To Do
CEO of Twitter opens up about permanent ban on outgoing US President Donald Trump, after criticism from some quarters over ‘freedom of speech’
YouTube Suspends Donald Trump Channel
Google streaming service YouTube becomes latest social network to suspend President Donald Trump, following attempted insurrection
Twitter Suspends 70,000 Accounts Sharing QAnon Content
Tens of thousands of accounts spreading QAnon conspiracy content in past few days after US Capitol attack have been suspended, Twitter confirms
Signal Installations Surge Amid WhatsApp Data Concerns
Research shows installations of Signal messaging app approaching one million a day, amid concern over WhatsApp data policy update
Parler Sues Amazon Web Services After Hosting Takedown
Consequences from President Trump’s attempted coup last week continues, with Google and Apple removing Parler from app stores
Twitter Permanently Bans Donald Trump
Outgoing US President Donald Trump reportedly went ‘ballistic’ after he was permanently banned from his favoured messaging outlet
Facebook Bans Donald Trump ‘Indefinitely’ After Capitol Killings
With five dead including a police officer and talk of his immediate removal from office, Mark Zuckerberg extends Donald Trump’s ban
WhatsApp Will Share Data With Facebook, Despite User Wishes
What is the point of end-to-end encryption? Facebook to access people’s WhatsApp data, whether they like it or not, from February
Twitter, Facebook Block Donald Trump After Four Die In Capitol Siege
President Trump suspended from both Twitter and Facebook for posts to ‘supporters’, after mob storm US Capitol building and people die
YouTube Reinstates TalkRadio Channel After Ban Decision
Streaming service YouTube restores talkRADIO after a “further review” of its controversial decision to remove it over Covid-19 content
Julian Assange Denied Bail, Despite Extradition Halt
Wikileaks founder denied bail and will remain at Belmarsh prison, as Assange still has “incentive” to abscond from unresolved proceedings
Google Staff Form Company’s First Ever Trade Union
Rare step for tech industry sees workers at Google form their own bespoke trade union, after years of employee unrest and complaints
Merry Christmas Silicon UK Readers
Just a quick message from the staff at Silicon UK, wishing all our readers a very merry Christmas…enjoy the festivities and mince pies
Trump Vetoes $740bn Defense Bill Over Section 230
US President follows through on threat and vetoes major US defence bill over Section 230 protection for social networking firms
Twitter To Remove All Followers From Potus Accounts
Clean break. Twitter confirms it will remove all followers from US Presidential accounts after Trump handover to President elect Biden
Facebook To Allow Physical Security Keys Next Year
Users will be able to register third party hardware keys with Facebook mobile app in an effort to tighten account security
Google, Facebook Team Up To Tackle Antitrust Lawsuit – Report
Both firms agreed to ‘cooperate and assist one another’, after antitrust lawsuit last week from US states over online advertising ‘collusion’
Big Tech Firms Face EU Fines Of 10 Percent Of Turnover
Yearly checks on tech firm compliance over harmful content, plus stiff financial penalties part of EU’s proposed regulation of digital markets
Facebook Sued By Australia For Onavo Protect Data Gathering
Australia files lawsuit against Facebook over its data collection practices associated with its discontinued Onavo Protect VPN app
Facebook To Move UK Users To US Data Agreements
Escaping GDPR protections? Social networking giant Facebook insists move will not change privacy controls or the services it offers
Online Safety Bill Could Fine Firms 10 Percent Of Turnover
Tech firms faced stiff financial penalties under Government’s Online Safety Bill, which looks to impose tough rules on online content
Twitter Fined 450,000 Euros Over Public Tweet Bug
Irish data regulator DPC increases Twitter’s GDPR fine for tweeting bug, after watchdogs in Austria, Germany, Italy argued it was too low
Google Fined $121 Million By French Watchdog Over Cookies
Stiff financial penalty imposed on Google by French privacy watchdog, which at the time also fined Amazon over advertising cookies
Facebook, WhatsApp And Messenger Services Crash In Europe
Significant outage for a number of Facebook services including Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram on Thursday for thousands of users
Facebook Hit With Two Antitrust Lawsuits From FTC And US States
Breakup threat. Social networking giant sued by federal regulator and US states, and could be forced to sell WhatsApp, Instagram
Australia Finalises Plan For Google, Facebook To Pay Publishers For News
Google and Facebook continue to object, but Australia presses ahead with new law to force them to pay publishers for news content
DoJ Sues Facebook Over Immigrant Hiring
Trump’s parting shot? US Department Of Justice after two year investigation, files lawsuit against Facebook over hiring practices
Facebook Bans Fake Covid-19 Vaccine Claims
Conspiracy clampdown. Social networking giant Facebook follows YouTube lead in banning false and misleading claims about Covid-19 vaccines