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Tag: Brendan Carr

  • US Senator Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok, Citing ‘Unacceptable Threat’

    US Senator Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok, Citing ‘Unacceptable Threat’

    US Senator Michael Bennet has called on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores, calling it an “unacceptable threat.”

    Calls for a ban on TikTok have been increasing as a result of the company’s continued privacy and security scandals, as well as the security implications of its ties to Beijing. The company has recently admitted to surveiling US journalists, has mislead Congress about how it handles US data, and ultimately refused to keep such data out of China. Multiple states and government entities have already banned the app from government devices, and FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has called for Apple and Google to ban it.

    Senator Bennet has joined that call, asking Apple and Google to remove the app.

    “Like most social media platforms, TikTok collects vast and sophisticated data from its users, including faceprints and voiceprints. Unlike most social media platforms, TikTok poses a unique concern because Chinese law obligates ByteDance, its Beijing-based parent company, to ‘support, assist, and cooperate with state intelligence work,’” wrote Bennet.

    Read More: TikTok Accused of Illegally Collecting Data and Uploading It to China

    “Beijing’s requirement raises the obvious risk that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could weaponize TikTok against the United States, specifically, by forcing ByteDance to surrender Americans’ sensitive data or manipulate the content Americans receive to advance China’s interests,” continued Bennet in the letter. “No company subject to CCP dictates should have the power to accumulate such extensive data on the American people or curate content to nearly a third of our population.”

    Bennet then highlighted the steps Congress has already taken to limit the app, making the case that Apple and Google should do the same.

    “Last year, Congress recognized the unacceptable security risks from TikTok and banned it from all federal government devices. At least 27 state governments have also passed full or partial bans on the app. Given these grave and growing concerns, I ask that you remove TikTok from your respective app stores immediately,” concluded Bennet.

    TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is scheduled to testify before the House Energy & Commerce Committee on March 23. Given the increasing push to ban the platform, his testimony should prove interesting.

  • Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban TikTok

    Lawmakers Introduce Bills to Ban TikTok

    A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced bills in the US Senate and House to ban TikTok.

    TikTok has been under fire repeatedly for its privacy practices, as well as concerns regarding Beijing’s influence and TikTok’s handling of US user data. Senator Marco Rubio and U.S. Representatives Mike Gallagher and Raja Krishnamoorthi have introduced legislation that would ban TikTok over such concerns.

    “The federal government has yet to take a single meaningful action to protect American users from the threat of TikTok,” said Senator Rubio. “This isn’t about creative videos — this is about an app that is collecting data on tens of millions of American children and adults every day. We know it’s used to manipulate feeds and influence elections. We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good.”

    “TikTok is digital fentanyl that’s addicting Americans, collecting troves of their data, and censoring their news,” said Representative Gallagher. “It’s also an increasingly powerful media company that’s owned by ByteDance, which ultimately reports to the Chinese Communist Party – America’s foremost adversary. Allowing the app to continue to operate in the U.S. would be like allowing the U.S.S.R. to buy up the New York Times, Washington Post, and major broadcast networks during the Cold War. No country with even a passing interest in its own security would allow this to happen, which is why it’s time to ban TikTok and any other CCP-controlled app before it’s too late.”

    “At a time when the Chinese Communist Party and our other adversaries abroad are seeking any advantage they can find against the United States through espionage and mass surveillance, it is imperative that we do not allow hostile powers to potentially control social media networks that could be easily weaponized against us,” said Representative Krishnamoorthi. “The bipartisan ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act is a strong step in protecting our nation from the nefarious digital surveillance and influence operations of totalitarian regimes. Recent revelations surrounding the depth of TikTok’s ties to the CCP highlight the urgency of protecting Americans from these risks before it’s too late.”

    Pressure has been mounting against TikTok, especially in the wake of revelations that the company misled Congress regarding how US data is handled. The company’s executives had testified that US data was handled by a US team when, in fact, the data was often forwarded to China and handled there. In subsequent testimony, following the revelation, execs refused to commit to keeping US data out of China. The company has also been accused of planning to surveil specific Americans.

    Calls for a ban on TikTok have been increasing, with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr being particularly vocal in his belief that action should be taken against the Chinese firm. In the meantime, states have begun taking matters into their own hands, banning the app and website from state-owned and operated devices.

  • FCC Commissioner Renews Calls for TikTok Ban

    FCC Commissioner Renews Calls for TikTok Ban

    Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr has renewed calls for a ban on TikTok over data privacy concerns.

    Carr has been vocal in his belief the US should ban TikTok as the company continues to mislead users and lawmakers about how it handles US data. In an interview with Axios, Carr reiterated his desire to see the app banned.

    “I don’t believe there is a path forward for anything other than a ban,” Carr said.

    Carr also expressed his belief that there isn’t “a world in which you could come up with sufficient protection on the data that you could have sufficient confidence that it’s not finding its way back into the hands of the [Chinese Communist Party].”

    Carr’s criticism comes after TikTok was caught sending American data to China after promising US lawmakers that data was handled by a dedicated US-based team. The company later refused to guarantee American data wouldn’t make its way to China and has since been accused of planning to surveil specific Americans.

    Given the company’s long history of privacy abuses, it’s truly amazing the app hasn’t been banned already.

  • FCC Denies Nearly $1 Billion in Subsidies for Starlink

    FCC Denies Nearly $1 Billion in Subsidies for Starlink

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dealt a major blow to SpaceX’s Starlink, rejecting its application for nearly $1 billion in subsidies.

    Starlink is the low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet constellation SpaceX has been racing to deploy. The company was seeking subsidies to assist in its expansion, but the FCC has ruled against it.

    FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel acknowledged Starlink’s potential, but questioned the steep price point.

    “Starlink’s technology has real promise,” said Rosenworcel. “But the question before us was whether to publicly subsidize its still developing technology for consumer broadband—which requires that users purchase a $600 dish—with nearly $900 million in universal service funds until 2032.”

    The decision also impacted LTD Broadband, a Las Vegas-based company. The FCC had previously awarded LTD $1,320,920,718, alongside the $885,509,638 to Starlink. In the case of LTD, the company failed to expand aggressively enough to qualify for the funds.

    Interestingly, not all FCC commissioners agree with the decision. Commissioner Brendan Carr issued the following statement regarding the Starlink decision:

    “I am surprised to find out via a press release—while I am on a work trip to remote parts of Alaska—that the FCC has made this significant decision. I will have more to say because we should be making it easier for unserved communities to get service, not rejecting a proven satellite technology that is delivering robust, high-speed service today. To be clear, this is a decision that tells families in states across the country that they should just keep waiting on the wrong side of the digital divide even though we have the technology to improve their lives now.”

  • US Lawmakers Want the FTC to Investigate TikTok’s Data Handling

    US Lawmakers Want the FTC to Investigate TikTok’s Data Handling

    TikTok continues to face pressure over its latest privacy faux pas, with two US senators asking the FTC to investigate the company.

    News broke in June that TikTok was sharing US user data with its employees in China in direct violation of the company’s own claims. The reports were based on leaked recordings of some 80 internal meetings. The reaction has been swift and predictable, with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr asking Apple and Google to ban the app from their stores. Adding to the company’s woes, two senators have penned a letter to the FTC asking the agency to investigate.

    Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mark R. Warner and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio penned the letter, accusing the company of acting in direct violation of its executive’s sworn testimony:

    “We write in response to public reports that individuals in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have been accessing data on U.S. users, in contravention of several public representations, including sworn testimony in October 2021,” the senators wrote to FTC Chair Lina Khan. “In light of this new report, we ask that your agency immediately initiate a Section 5 investigation on the basis of apparent deception by TikTok, and coordinate this work with any national security or counter-intelligence investigation that may be initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice.”

    The senators also make the case that TikTok was aware of the issue, and the company’s failure to do anything, along with its collection of biometric data, represents a major security threat:

    “TikTok’s Trust and Safety department was aware of these improper access practices and governance irregularities, which – according to internal recordings of TikTok deliberations – offered PRC-based employees unfettered access to user information, including birthdates, phone numbers, and device identification information. Recent updates to TikTok’s privacy policy, which indicate that TikTok may be collecting biometric data such as faceprints and voiceprints (i.e. individually-identifiable image and audio data, respectively), heighten the concern that data of U.S. users may be vulnerable to extrajudicial access by security services controlled by the CCP.”

    This isn’t the first time TikTok has found itself in hot water over its data practices. The company has stumbled from one privacy scandal to another, been the subject of multiple investigations and lawsuits, and was nearly banned in the US during the Trump administration.

    All things considered, it’s truly amazing the app is still on the market.

    The senators’ letter is quoted in its entirety below:

    Dear Chairwoman Khan:

    We write in response to public reports that individuals in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have been accessing data on U.S. users, in contravention of several public representations, including sworn testimony in October 2021. In an interview with the online publication Cyberscoop, the Global Chief Security Officer for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, made a number of public representations on the data security practices of TikTok, including unequivocal claims that the data of American users is not accessible to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the government of the PRC. As you know, TikTok’s privacy practices are already subject to a consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission, based on its improper collection and processing of personal information from children. In light of this new report, we ask that your agency immediately initiate a Section 5 investigation on the basis of apparent deception by TikTok, and coordinate this work with any national security or counter-intelligence investigation that may be initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice.

    Additionally, these recent reports suggest that TikTok has also misrepresented its corporate governance practices, including to Congressional committees such as ours. In October 2021, TikTok’s head of public policy, Michael Beckerman, testified that TikTok has “no affiliation” with another ByteDance subsidiary, Beijing-based ByteDance Technology, of which the CCP owns a partial stake. Meanwhile, as recently as March of this year, TikTok officials reiterated to our Committee representations they have previously made that all corporate governance decisions are wholly firewalled from their PRC-based parent, ByteDance. Yet according to a recent report from Buzzfeed News, TikTok’s engineering teams ultimately report to ByteDance leadership in the PRC.

    According to this same report, TikTok’s Trust and Safety department was aware of these improper access practices and governance irregularities, which – according to internal recordings of TikTok deliberations – offered PRC-based employees unfettered access to user information, including birthdates, phone numbers, and device identification information. Recent updates to TikTok’s privacy policy, which indicate that TikTok may be collecting biometric data such as faceprints and voiceprints (i.e. individually-identifiable image and audio data, respectively), heighten the concern that data of U.S. users may be vulnerable to extrajudicial access by security services controlled by the CCP.

    A series of national security laws imposed by the CCP, including the 2017 National Intelligence Law and the 2014 Counter-Espionage Law provide extensive and extra-judicial access opportunities for CCP-controlled security services. Under these authorities, the CCP may compel access, regardless of where data is ultimately stored. While TikTok has suggested that migrating to U.S.-based storage from a U.S. cloud service provider alleviates any risk of unauthorized access, these latest revelations raise concerns about the reliability of TikTok representations: since TikTok will ultimately control all access to the cloud-hosted systems, the risk of access to that data by PRC-based engineers (or CCP security services) remains significant in light of the corporate governance irregularities revealed by BuzzFeed News. Moreover, as the recent report makes clear, the majority of TikTok data – including content posted by users as well as their unique IDs– will remain freely accessible to PRC-based ByteDance employees.

    In light of repeated misrepresentations by TikTok concerning its data security, data processing, and corporate governance practices, we urge you to act promptly on this matter.

    Sincerely,

  • FCC Commissioner Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok From Their Stores

    FCC Commissioner Asks Apple and Google to Remove TikTok From Their Stores

    FCC Commission Brendan Carr has penned a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking them to ban TikTok.

    TikTok is once again in hot water following leaked audio recordings that show its employees in China have full access to data for US users, something the company has repeatedly denied. In the wake of the revelations, Commissioner Carr is calling for action, going so far as to insinuate the platform is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

    Commissioner Carr then goes on to highlight the company’s “pattern of misrepresentations” that have led to bipartisan concern and bans by the US military. He also points out that it “collects search and browsing histories, keystroke patterns, biometric identifiers, draft messages and metadata, plus it has collected the text, images, and videos that are stored on a device’s clipboard.”

    TikTok has gone to great lengths to distance itself from the privacy scandals it has had, scandals which Commissioner Carr points out one by one.

    At one point, a company executive even went so far as to provide sworn testimony before Congress that US data was handled by a “world-renowned, US-based security team.” The leaked audio recordings painted a far different picture, showing that the “world-renowned” US team didn’t have the ability or permission to handle US data without involving their colleagues in China.

    It’s truly amazing how often TikTok has broken its promises and run afoul of privacy rules and regulations. If Commission Carr has his way, TikTok may finally pay the price.

  • Kaspersky Lab Labeled ‘a Threat to National Security’

    Kaspersky Lab Labeled ‘a Threat to National Security’

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has labeled Kaspersky Lab “a threat to national security,” a first for a Russian firm.

    Kaspersky Lab is a popular provider of antivirus software and other cybersecurity software. The company is often on the front lines of identifying and combating viruses, trojans, ransomware, and other malware. The company is also based in Moscow, and therefore subject to Russian law and governance.

    That last point has helped land the company on the FCC’s Covered List, a list of entities “that have been deemed a threat to national security.” Chinese firms China Telecom and China Mobile International USA Inc, were also added at the same time.

    “Last year, for the first time, the FCC published a list of communications equipment and services that pose an unacceptable risk to national security, and we have been working closely with our national security partners to review and update this list,” said Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “Today’s action is the latest in the FCC’s ongoing efforts, as part of the greater whole-of-government approach, to strengthen America’s communications networks against national security threats, including examining the foreign ownership of telecommunications companies providing service in the United States and revoking the authorization to operate where necessary. Our work in this area continues.”

    The news was met with support from the agency’s other commissioners, including Commissioner Brendan Carr.

    “The FCC’s decision to add these three entities to our Covered List is welcome news,” wrote Carr. The FCC plays a critical role in securing our nation’s communications networks, and keeping our Covered List up to date is an important tool we have at our disposal to do just that. In particular, I am pleased that our national security agencies agreed with my assessment that China Mobile and China Telecom appeared to meet the threshold necessary to add these entities to our list. Their addition, as well as Kaspersky Labs, will help secure our networks from threats posed by Chinese and Russian state backed entities seeking to engage in espionage and otherwise harm America’s interests.

    “I applaud Chairwoman Rosenworcel for working closely with our partners in the Executive Branch on these updates. As we continue our work to secure America’s communications networks, I am confident that we will have more entities to add to our Covered List.”

  • FCC Wants to Ban Chinese Drone Maker, Dubbed ‘Huawei on Wings’

    FCC Wants to Ban Chinese Drone Maker, Dubbed ‘Huawei on Wings’

    FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is calling for a review of Chinese drone maker DJI, saying it is potentially “Huawei on wings.”

    Huawei is one of several Chinese firms banned by the US over national security concerns. The US has pressured allies to do the same, with many following suit. Commissioner Carr is concerned DJI may represent a similar threat.

    “DJI drones and the surveillance technology on board these systems are collecting vast amounts of sensitive data—everything from high-resolution images of critical infrastructure to facial recognition technology and remote sensors that can measure an individual’s body temperature and heart rate,” Commissioner Carr stated. “Security researchers have also found that DJI’s software applications collect large quantities of personal information from the operator’s smartphone that could be exploited by Beijing. Indeed, one former Pentagon official stated that ‘we know that a lot of the information is sent back to China from’ DJI drones.”

    Carr also expressed concern over DJI helping Beijing surveil the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, a group the Chinese government has been persecuting with forced labor, forced sterilizations and genocide.

    “DJI’s collection of vast troves of sensitive data is especially troubling given that China’s National Intelligence Law grants the Chinese government the power to compel DJI to assist it in espionage activities. In fact, the Commerce Department placed DJI on its Entity List last year, citing DJI’s role in Communist China’s surveillance and abuse of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Add to this information the widespread use of DJI drones by various state and local public safety and law enforcement agencies as well as news reports that the U.S. Secret Service and FBI recently bought DJI drones, and the need for quick action on the potential national security threat is clear.

    Carr concluded by saying the FCC should add DJI to the Covered List.

    “After all, the evidence against DJI has been mounting for years, and various components of the U.S. government have taken a range of independent actions—including grounding fleets of DJI drones based on security concerns. Yet a consistent and comprehensive approach to addressing DJI’s potential threats is not in place. That is why the FCC should take the necessary steps to consider adding DJI to our Covered List. We do not need an airborne version of Huawei. As part of the FCC’s review—and in consultation with national security agencies—we should also consider whether there are additional entities that warrant closer scrutiny by the FCC.”

  • FCC Banning Three Chinese Wireless Carriers

    FCC Banning Three Chinese Wireless Carriers

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is taking action to ban three Chinese wireless carriers: China Unicom, Pacific Networks and ComNet.

    The US has been banning multiple Chinese firms, especially in the telecommunications space. Officials have accused the companies of being a threat to national security and consumer privacy as a result of their ties to Beijing.

    In two separate statements about the three wireless carriers, the FCC used the same language, saying all three companies “are indirectly and ultimately owned and controlled by the government of the People’s Republic of China.” China Unicom, as well as Pacific Networks and its subsidiary, ComNet, were all asked last year to make a case as to why they don’t pose a threat and shouldn’t be banned.

    “In 2019, when we blocked China Mobile USA from entering the U.S. market based on national security concerns, I said it was time for a top to bottom review of every telecom carrier with ties to the communist regime in China,” said Commissioner Brendan Carr. “Many of these firms were authorized to operate in the U.S. decades ago and the security threats have evolved substantially in the intervening years. With that type of review in mind, the FCC opened investigations into several carriers—including the carriers at issue here, China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks, and ComNet. We have provided them with the process necessary for the FCC to identify and eliminate any threats they may pose to America’s national security.

    “These three carriers provided incomplete and inconsistent responses that failed to address these threats and in turn raised fresh concerns about their ability to follow FCC rules. The Executive Branch agencies with responsibility for national security reviews have echoed these concerns and advise that traffic on these networks ‘remains subject to exploitation, influence, and control by the Chinese government.’ I therefore agree with the Commission’s determination today. The potential national security threats posed by these carriers requires the FCC to initiate revocation proceedings.”

    Any hope Chinese companies had of being under less scrutiny with the Biden administration appears to be fading fast.

  • Citing National Security, FCC Blocks Huawei and ZTE From Federal Subsidies

    Citing National Security, FCC Blocks Huawei and ZTE From Federal Subsidies

    The Verge is reporting that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted unanimously to block telecom companies from using federal funds to purchase equipment from Huawei or ZTE.

    The Universal Service Fund (USF) provides $8.5 billion a year in subsidies for carriers to provide wireless services throughout the United States, especially in rural areas. Under the new ruling, carriers would not be able to use money from the USF to purchase equipment from the two companies, both whom have been deemed a threat to national security.

    Huawei and ZTE have both been blacklisted by the U.S. government. In ZTE’s case, the company ran afoul by selling to North Korea and Iran, in violation of sanctions. The restrictions on ZTE were eventually eased in exchange for a $1 billion fine. Huawei, on the other hand, has been accused of being a possible conduit for spying by the Chinese government. Under Chinese law, all companies are required to help the government when prompted. Huawei, however, has been accused of much closer ties to the government and intelligence agencies than the average Chinese corporation.

    Rural carriers may be hit especially hard by the FCC’s decision, as Huawei is widely considered to be one of the most cost-effective solutions, saving companies millions of dollars. The FCC may go even further, however, having voted to consider requiring rural carriers to remove installed Huawei equipment for alternatives.

    At the hearing, FCC commissioner Brendan Carr said: “After all, if equipment poses a threat, it is not enough to stop subsidizing it. It must come out of the network.”

    Huawei continues to deny it is a threat and has denounced the FCC’s ruling.

    “Huawei believes this order is unlawful as the FCC has singled out Huawei based on national security, but it provides no evidence that Huawei poses a security risk,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.