The Register: Europol wipes out 30,000+ piracy sites, three suspects cuffed to walk the legal plank. “In total, Europol says it was able to shut down 30,506 domains. They also arrested three people, seized 26,000 pieces of clothing and perfume, grabbed 363 litres of alcohol (about 10 Reg holiday parties), an unspecified number of hardware devices, and upwards of €150,000 in bank and online payment accounts.”
Europe
EU antitrust regulators seek details of Google’s data practices: document (Reuters)
Reuters: EU antitrust regulators seek details of Google’s data practices: document . “European Union (EU) antitrust regulators are seeking details of Google’s data collection practices, according to a document seen by Reuters, a move that could signal yet more regulatory woes for the world’s most popular internet search engine.”
Reuters: Shopping rivals urge EU to act against Google for allegedly favouring own service
Reuters: Shopping rivals urge EU to act against Google for allegedly favouring own service. “Forty-one European price-comparison shopping services on Thursday urged EU antitrust regulators to act against Alphabet Inc’s Google for allegedly flouting an order to allow rivals to compete on equal terms, which they said is endangering their existence.”
New York Times: Silicon Valley’s Biggest Foe Is Getting Even Tougher
New York Times: Silicon Valley’s Biggest Foe Is Getting Even Tougher. “Margrethe Vestager spent the past five years developing a well-earned reputation as the world’s top tech industry watchdog. From her perch overseeing Europe’s competition rules, she fined Google more than $9 billion for breaking antitrust laws, and forced Apple to pay about $14.5 billion for dodging taxes. Now she says that work, which made her a hero among tech critics, did not go far enough.”
Hazardous substances: ECHA to launch first version of new database (ENDS Report)
ENDS Report: Hazardous substances: ECHA to launch first version of new database. “The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has set October 2020 as the provisional date for rolling out the first version of a database listing substances of concern in articles or complex products.”
Japan Times: Google restricts data-sharing for ads under EU privacy pressure
Japan Times: Google restricts data-sharing for ads under EU privacy pressure. “Starting in February, Google will no longer divulge information to participants in its ad auction about the type of content on a website or page where an ad could appear, the Alphabet Inc. company said in a blog post Thursday.”
Xinhua: EU election observers to monitor fake news on social media ahead of Sri Lanka election
Xinhua: EU election observers to monitor fake news on social media ahead of Sri Lanka election. “The European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission (EOM) has arrived in Sri Lanka to monitor Saturday’s presidential elections, and to analyse social media usage and fake news, said local media on Thursday.”
