#BRAZIL: AI Writes Environmental Ordinance

[world politics news]

A groundbreaking event recently occurred in Brazil’s city of Porto Alegre, where lawmakers unknowingly passed an experimental ordinance entirely crafted by artificial intelligence (AI). 

City councilman Ramiro Rosário revealed that the ordinance, aimed at preventing charges to taxpayers for stolen water consumption meters, was written by OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT. 

The proposal was shared with Rosário’s peers without any alterations, raising questions about the role of AI in public policy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Google, Meta Sue Gov't Over Media Law

[world politics news] 

When Google opened a new office in Kitchener, Ontario, in 2016, it welcomed a special guest.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who months earlier swept to power in a campaign that leveraged digital tools, praised the tech giant for “always” working “very, very hard not just to be a good corporate citizen, but to be a strong and active player in Canada.”

But now, Trudeau appears to have a dimmer view of the company. His government is in a high-stakes showdown with Google and Meta, accusing them of unfairly profiting at the expense of Canadian news outlets and of using “bullying tactics” to intimidate officials.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Online Safety Bill Amended After Conservatives Revolt

[world politics news]

Tech bosses could face jail time for failing to protect children online, after the government conceded to a backbench rebellion in parliament.

Nearly 50 Conservative Party MPs wanted to amend the Online Safety Bill to introduce two-year sentences for managers who fail to stop children seeing harmful material.

The government had been facing defeat, with Labour Party members also supporting the move.

Under a deal with the rebels to stave off defeat, ministers have now promised to introduce similar proposals.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: New Remote Work Legislative Could Hurt Tech Sector

[world politics news]

Russia's beleaguered IT sector coul lose even more workers this year because of planned legislation on remote working, as authorities try to lure back some of the tens of thousands who have gone abroad without prompting them to cut ties completely.

Having relatively portable jobs, IT workers featured prominently among the many Russians who fled after Moscow sent its army into Ukraine on Feb. 24 and the hundreds of thousands who followed when a military call-up began in September.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: European Parliament Mandates Universal Phone Chargers By 2024

[world politics news]

Europeans might soon have an easier time finding the right charging cords for each of their devices. The European Parliament approved a measure Tuesday that would require all cellphones and other small handheld electronic devices sold in the European Union to have the same USB Type-C charging port.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SOUTHKOREA: Agency Fines Google, Facebook $72 Million For Privacy Violations

[world politics news]

South Korea’s Personal Information and Protection Commission said it fined Google $50 million and Facebook $22 million for illegally tracking their users’ online behavior without their consent.

The combined $72 million fine was the largest penalty ever levied in South Korea for privacy violations, according to the agency.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDIA: Data Protection Bill Ready For 2023 Session Of Parliament

[world politics news]

The Hindu news service  reports Indian Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw indicated a fresh data protection bill will be published for public comments soon and hopefully be tabled during Indian Parliament's Budget Session in January 2023.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Government Bans Huawei From 5G Networks

[world politics news]

The federal government has banned Huawei from working on Canada's fifth-generation networks over security concerns — a decision critics say was long overdue.

The move puts Canada in line with key intelligence allies like the United States, which have expressed concerns about the national security implications of giving the Chinese tech giant access to key infrastructure.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#COSTARICA: President Declares State Of Emergency After Ransomeware Attack Paralyzes Gov't

[world politics news]

The Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves has declared a national emergency following cyber attacks from Conti ransomware group on multiple government bodies.

Tech observers say Conti published most of the 672 GB dump that appears to contain data belonging to the Costa Rican government agencies.

The declaration was signed into law by Chaves on Sunday, May 8th, same day as the economist and former Minister of Finance effectively became the country's 49th and current president.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Parliamentarians Question RCMP's Use Of Facial Recognition Program

[world politics news]

An attempt by members of Parliament to find out more about the RCMP's use of controversial facial recognition software hit a wall as one MP accused police officials of being "intentionally evasive."

The standing committee on access to information, privacy and ethics met this morning to continue its study of the use of the emerging technology in Canada.

Federal Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien has said the RCMP's use of facial recognition software created by the U.S.-based Clearview AI violated Canada's privacy laws.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: European Olympic Committees Warn Athletes Not To Bring Smartphones To Beijing

[world politics news]

 

The Belgian, Dutch and British Olympic committees have warned their athletes against bringing their personal laptops and smartphones to the upcoming Beijing Games, out of cybersecurity concerns.

Matthias Van Baelen and Geert Slot, spokesmen for the Belgian Interfederal Olympic Committee and the Dutch Olympic Committee respectively, told local media and Reuters that cybersecurity is a risk in their assessment for the trip to China.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Euro Parliament Aims To Better Regulate Big Tech With New Legislation

[world politics news]

European Parliament lawmakers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Digital Markets Act, the proposed law that seeks to impose stricter rules around tech competition in Europe.

This act, along with the Digital Services Act, aims to rein in the monopoly large multinationals hold in Europe’s digital space.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#USA: Biden Announces Partnership With UK, Australia, To Share Tech, Counter China

[world politics news]

 

Pres. Joe Biden has announced a new working group with Britain and Australia to share advanced technologies — including the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by Canberra — in a thinly veiled bid to counter China, four U.S. officials said.

The trio, which will be known by the acronym AUKUS, will make it easier for the three countries to share information and know-how in key technological areas like artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, underwater systems, and long-range strike capabilities.

Missing from the group are Canada and New Zealand, team members with the others in the "Five Eyes" technology organization designed to keep an eye on China and its expansionist agenda.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHINA: US Senators Want Chinese Tech Firm Sanctioned

[world politics news]

Three US senators are calling for a Chinese "Internet of Things" platform operator to be added to a list of sanctioned Chinese companies, citing national security concerns. 

US senators want Tencent-backed Internet of Things firm Tuya sanctioned, calling the Chinese platform a security threat.

Three Republican senators say Tuya is required by law to turn Americans’ data over to Beijing, a frequently cited concern in the US.

Tuya denied the claims, saying its user data is regionally isolated and has never been requested by foreign governments.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Social Media Giants threaten To Leave City Over New Data Laws

[world politics news]

Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google have privately warned the Hong Kong government that they could stop offering their services in the city if authorities proceed with planned changes to data-protection laws that could make them liable for the malicious sharing of individuals’ information online.

A letter sent by an industry group that includes the internet firms said companies are concerned that the planned rules to address doxing could put their staff at risk of criminal investigations or prosecutions.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Senator Calls Internet Regulation Bill "Orwellian"

[world politics news]

Canada’s controversial Bill C-10 sends the country “down a rabbit hole on internet regulation,” according to Senator Michael MacDonald.

 The Nova Scotia senator, who is the Conservative chair of the Senate communications committee overseeing the bill, goes as far as to call the bill ‘Orwellian,’ reports Blacklock’s Reporter.

Bill C-10 would allow the CRTC regulate privately-viewed YouTube videos as they do with commercial broadcasters, with $15 million fines possible in some cases for violators.

The bill will not be taken up again by the Senate until the fall, because it has adjourned for the summer.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ROMANIA: Parliament Adopts 5G Use Restrictions

[world politics news]

Romania's Chamber of Deputies has adopted the so-called 5G bill, which stipulates that communications providers will be able to use in 5G networks only technologies, equipment and software from manufacturers previously authorized by the decision of the prime minister, based on the approval of the national defense council CSAT.

The bill was eventually voted on by all parties except AUR, a party suspected by some of acting in favor of Russia. The AUR deputies abstained from voting.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Parliament Discusses First Legislation Governing Artificial Intelligence

[world politics news] 

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted proposals on how the EU can best regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) in order to boost innovation, ethical standards and trust in technology.

The European Parliament is among the first institutions to put forward recommendations on what AI rules should include with regards to ethics, liability and intellectual property rights. These recommendations will pave the way for the EU to become a global leader in the development of AI. The Commission legislative proposal is expected early next year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ITALY: Tax On Digital Revenue Goes Into Effect Today

[world politics news]

Italy passed a digital tax this week that’s similar to the one France implemented earlier this year.

The digital tax will impose a three percent levy on some digital revenue for companies that make over €750 million ($831 million) in global revenue, including least €5.5 million ($6 million) in Italy, the Wall Street Journal reported.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: Gov't Plans National Drone Registry Amid Rise In Incidents

[world politics news]

The Japanese government plans to introduce a drone registry system amid a rise in drone-related incidents. A decision on the plan was made at a meeting of senior officials from the transport ministry, the police and other government agencies.

The small, unmanned flying object is becoming more widespread in Japan. The decision comes amid growing concerns that drones could be used in terrorism. Officials also hope that such a system would help reduce drone-related incidents.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.