South Korea takes steps to curb Apple and Google’s dominance on commissions for developpers

On Wednesday, a parliamentary committee in South Korea voted to recommend amending a law – a key step in banning Google and Apple from forcibly charging software developers commissions on in-app purchases. The development marks the first such step by a major economy. The amendment will come to a final vote in parliament. Both US…

China bans financial institutions from cryptocurrency related transactions

In a development that marks China’s latest attempt to clamp down on speculative trading of cryptocurrency, Beijing has banned financial institutions and payment companies from providing services related to cryptocurrency transactions, warning investors against speculative crypto trading. Under the ban, institutions including banks and online payments channels are disallowed to offer clients any services involving…

UK unveils draft Online Safety Bill aimed at imposing sense of responsibility on social media companies

On Wednesday, in a significant development Britain said, it plans on unveil a new law which will fine social media companies up to 10% of their global turnover of 18 million pounds ($25 million), if they fail to remove online abuses such as racist hate crimes; the law will also see senior managers face criminal…

Britain’s Telecommunications (Security) Bill bans Huawei Technologies Co Ltd

In a significant development, the British government is set to pass a bill which will see British telecoms companies facing a fine of up to 10% of their turnover or $133,140 (100,000 pounds) a day fine, if they contravene a ban on using equipment made by China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd. The Telecommunications (Security) Bill…

Cisco ordered to pay $1.9 billion in damages to Centripetal Networks Inc over patent infringements

U.S. networking giant Cisco Systems Inc has been ordered, by a U.S. judge, to pay $1.9 billion to a Virginia-based company which had accused it of infringing on its cybersecurity patents. After a month of a non-jury trial, U.S. District Judge Henry Morgan in Norfolk, Virginia, found Cisco of infringing on four Centripetal Networks Inc’s…

Estonia’s parliament passes ‘Huawei law’ for telecom equipment security

In a significant development, Estonia’s parliament has approved a new law – Electronics Communications Act – to ensure that proper security reviews are undertaken for the installation of telecom equipment for future communication networks. The law, which lawmakers dubbed the “Huawei law” in reference to the Chinese telecommunications company, leaves the details of implementation to…

China to pass cryptography law in preparation for launching digital currency

China is treating blockchain technology as a foundational building block for future science and technology innovations. Late on Saturday, in a development that marks China gearing up to launch its own digital currency, the country’s rubber stamp parliament passed a new law on cryptography, reported state media late on Saturday. In 2014, China’s central bank…

Germany’s Federal Office of Justice fines Facebook for $2.26 million

Facebook was fined since it had presented incorrect data on its transporency report on illegal content on its social media platform. In a significant development, German authorities have fined levied a fine of $2.26 million (2 million euros) on Facebook for providing a “distorted picture of the amount of illegal content on the social media…