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FTC Uncovers Widespread Use of Manipulative "Dark Patterns"

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with two international consumer protection organizations, have uncovered that many websites and mobile apps employ "dark patterns"—design strategies that subtly manipulate consumers into making purchases or compromising their privacy. The study, led by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and coordinated with the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), reviewed 1,010 websites ...

Brazil Bans X (Formerly Twitter) Amid Allegations of Misinformation

Following the failure of X (formerly Twitter) to follow a Brazilian court's order to suspend accounts alleged of spreading misinformation, the court in Brazil recently ordered a complete ban on X in Brazil. According to the court's decision, the ban was issued because X has shut down the office of its legal representative in Brazil. X's decision to do so ...

Fifth Circuit Declares Geofence Warrants Unconstitutional

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has ruled that geofence warrants are unconstitutional, holding that they violate the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits the U.S. government from conducting "unreasonable searches and seizures." Geofence warrants allow law enforcement to request information about all subscribers located in a specific geographic area during a given timeframe, to identify potential suspects of ...

Telegram CEO Detained for Four Days Amid Accusations of Aiding Crimes

Telegram's founder and CEO, Pavel Durov, was detained at an airport near Paris, France, under an arrest warrant accusing the platform, which has about 900 million users, of enabling serious crimes such as money laundering, child exploitation, fraud, drug trafficking, cyberbullying, organized crime, and terrorism. Known for its strong encryption and privacy features, Telegram has been partly driven by a ...

Federal Court Rules Google Is an Illegal Monopoly in Online Search

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) secured a legal victory against Google when a federal judge ruled that the company unlawfully maintains a monopoly in the online search market. The DOJ's case focused on two main issues in Google's business practices: exclusionary contracts and the network effects that reinforce Google's dominance. The DOJ argued that by securing its search engine ...

FCC Proposes New TCPA Rules For AI Calls and Texts

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and a Notice of Inquiry regarding AI-generated calls and texts. This proposal, now open for public comment, aims to ensure transparency and protect consumers from the potential misuse of AI technology, including fraud, impersonations, and misinformation.

The NPRM proposes defining an AI-generated call as "a call ...

TikTok Suspends Rewards Feature Over Concerns of Addiction

TikTok agreed to suspend its rewards program for European users after European Union regulators raised concerns about potentially addictive elements in its TikTok Lite app. This decision is part of a first-of-its-kind settlement under the EU Digital Services Act.

TikTok Lite, designed for use on slower wireless networks, included a program that rewarded adult users with points for activities like ...

The Knesset Enacts a Comprehensive Amendment to the Privacy Protection Law

Today, the Knesset voted to approve the enactment of Amendment No. 13 to the Privacy Protection Law. The amendment (previously known as amendment no. 14), which will come into effect one year after its forthcoming publication in the official gazette, includes a series of comprehensive changes to Israel's outdated privacy law. This is the most comprehensive amendment to the law ...

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