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Tag: Politico

  • Biden Administration Prepares to Regulate Cloud Security

    Biden Administration Prepares to Regulate Cloud Security

    The Biden Administration is preparing to regulate cloud security, viewing the industry as too great a security risk to ignore.

    Cloud computing has become an increasingly integral part of daily life for companies, government organizations, and individuals alike. There’s hardly any aspect of daily life that isn’t touched by the cloud in some way. That ubiquity is a source of concern, especially with the growing number and scope of cybersecurity threats.

    According to Politico, the Biden Administration now views the cloud industry as “too big to fail” and is beginning the process of regulating cloud computing security.

    The industry has “become essential to our daily lives,” Kemba Walden, acting national cyber director, told Politico. “If it’s disrupted, it could create large potentially catastrophic disruptions to our economy and to our government.”

    Industry veterans echoed those concerns.

    “A single cloud provider going down could take down the internet like a stack of dominos,” said Marc Rogers, chief security officer at Q-Net Security and former Cloudflare head of information security.

    Unfortunately while companies have raced to deploy cloud platforms and services, cloud security has often lagged behind, leaving organizations and individuals vulnerable. Even worse, critical infrastructure has come under attack as a result of cloud security lapses.

    “The reality is that today cloud security is often separate from cloud,” said Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology. “We need to get to a place where cloud providers have security baked in with that.”

    Her sentiments echo those of Google executives, who recently penned a blog post calling for companies to be held accountable for cybersecurity:

    “The bottom line: People deserve products that are secure by default and systems that are built to withstand the growing onslaught from attackers,” the executives wrote.

    The Biden Administration agrees:

    “In the United States, we don’t have a national regulator for cloud. We don’t have a Ministry of Communication. We don’t have anybody who would step up and say, ‘It’s our job to regulate cloud providers,’” said Rob Knake, deputy national cyber director for strategy and budget. The cloud, he said, “needs to have a regulatory structure around it.”

  • Covid Tests Required for Travelers From China to the US

    Covid Tests Required for Travelers From China to the US

    The US has implemented new measures requiring travelers from China to take a Covid test over growing concerns about an increase in cases.

    While the US has largely ended its own strict Covid policies, this latest move comes amid growing concerns about the state of China. China recently ended its strict Covid policies and has experienced a significant increase in cases as a result.

    According to Politico, US officials are also worried about the possibility of new variants coming out of China.

    “Predeparture testing and the requirement to show a negative test result decreases the number of infected passengers boarding airplanes and it will help to slow the spread of the virus as we work through identifying and understand any potential new variants that may emerge,” a federal health official told reporters.

    Travelers from South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, Toronto Pearson International Airport and Vancouver International Airport will also be required to have a negative Covid test two days before coming to the US if they have been to China in the previous 10 days.

    Officials hope this latest measure, in combination with other CDC recommendations, will help slow the spread and reduce the likelihood of new strains.

    “We know these measures will not eliminate all risk or completely prevent people who are infected from entering the United States,” the federal health official said. “But taken together they will help limit the number of infected people and provide us an early warning about new variants.”

  • Google Will Be Required to Delete False Search Results About People

    Google Will Be Required to Delete False Search Results About People

    EU citizens will have the ability to take back their online presence, thanks to a new ruling requiring Google to delete inaccurate results.

    According to Politico, the ruling came about in a case involving two investment managers that wanted Google to delete search results linking to articles about them, articles they said contained inaccurate claims. Google refused, saying it had no knowledge of the accuracy of the claims.

    The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled in favor of the investment managers, allowing them to trigger the EU’s GDPR “right to be forgotten” clause.

    “The right to freedom of expression and information cannot be taken into account where, at the very least, a part – which is not of minor importance – of the information found in the referenced content proves to be inaccurate,” the court said in a press release.

    The court ruled that citizens would need “to provide only evidence that can reasonably be required of [them] to try to find,” to prove that search results contain inaccurate claims about them.

    “We welcome the decision, and we will now study the text of the CJEU’s decision,” a spokesperson for Google told Politico. “The links and thumbnails in question are not available via the web search and image search anymore; the content at issue has been offline for a long time.”

  • FTC ‘Likely’ to File Lawsuit to Block Microsoft’s Activision Deal

    FTC ‘Likely’ to File Lawsuit to Block Microsoft’s Activision Deal

    Microsoft may face its biggest challenge yet to its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, with a report saying the FTC is likely to file a lawsuit to block the deal.

    Microsoft announced a deal to purchase Activision for $68.7 billion in early 2022, one of the biggest tech acquisitions in history. The deal was met almost immediately with scrutiny, regulatory investigations, and challenges over concerns it would give Microsoft too much power in the gaming and PC market.

    According to a report by Politico, the FTC is “likely” to challenge the deal in court over concerns it would give Microsoft an unfair advantage. Nothing has been decided for certain, but the outlet’s sources say FTC commissioners are skeptical of Microsoft and Activision’s arguments in favor of the deal.

    As recently as September, CEO Satya Nadella was optimistic that the acquisition would win approval, but this latest development certainly casts doubt on that.

    As Politico points out, it would be a major blow to Microsoft’s image if the FTC manages to scuttle the deal. Microsoft has worked hard to position itself as separate from Apple, Google, Meta, and Amazon’s antitrust issues, touting itself as a company that learned its lessons decades ago and has an enlightened approach to competition.

  • DOJ May Launch Antitrust Suit Against Apple

    DOJ May Launch Antitrust Suit Against Apple

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) may be close to launching an antitrust lawsuit against Apple after a years-long investigation.

    The DOJ began investigating Apple’s App Store practices in 2019, but the investigation eventually widened to include the company’s interaction with other hardware developers. According to Politico, the agency is close to a decision and could proceed with a lawsuit in the near future.

    Apple’s App Store serves as the only way to install applications on the company’s iPhones and iPads. Initially lauded as a breakthrough for small developers, sentiment has soured in recent years, with many developers wanting to avoid Apple’s fees or avoid the App Store altogether.

    The company has also faced increasing criticism from other hardware makers, such as smart-tracking device maker Tile, who claims the company makes it difficult for them to integrate their products with iOS.

    According to Politico, no decision has been reached, but officials are looking at the App Store, as well as Apple’s mobile operating systems in general.

    Making a case against Apple will not be an easy matter. Epic Games sued Apple in an effort to circumvent the App Store and the mandatory use of Apple’s payment processing system. Epic largely failed in making its case, with the judge ruling that Apple was not a monopoly. The only victory Epic scored was the judge ruling that Apple cannot prevent developers from using third-party payment systems. Both companies have appealed the ruling.

    Politico believes the DOJ will wait to see how the appeals court rules in the Epic case before making a final decision on whether to proceed with an antitrust suit.

  • Axel Springer Acquiring POLITICO

    Axel Springer Acquiring POLITICO

    Germany’s Axel Springer has announced a deal to acquire POLITICO, including the rest of their POLITICO Europe joint venture.

    POLITICO has risen quickly in the journalism industry, over the course of its 15-year existence, and has become a major player in the political news field. The company now employs more than 500 journalists, writing for POLITICO and its sibling publication Protocol.

    Since 2014, Axel Springer and POLITICO have partnered on their joint POLITICO Europe venture, a venture which has been profitable since 2019.

    Axel Springer is now purchasing POLITICO, giving it full control of the company, along with the two companies European joint venture.

    “POLITICO’s outstanding team has disrupted digital political journalism and set new standards. A true North Star,” said Mathias Döpfner, CEO Axel Springer. “It will be a privilege and a special responsibility to help shape the future of this outstanding media company. Objective quality journalism is more important than ever, and we mutually believe in the necessity of editorial independence and nonpartisan reporting. This is crucial for our future success and accelerated growth.” 

    “My 15-year adventure with POLITICO has been the ride of a lifetime,” said Robert L. Allbritton, Founder and Publisher of POLITICO and Protocol. “I reach this milestone with a sense of satisfaction that I hope is shared by every POLITICO. Together we have built what is without a doubt the most impressive and most enduring of the many experiments in new publications over the past generation. Particularly in recent years, we have put the emphasis on doing rather than boasting, and what multiple competitors have aspired to—a consistently profitable publication that supports true journalistic excellence—we have achieved.

    “Above all, I have always known that ownership  is about responsibility. As POLITICO has prospered in recent years,  accompanied by the successful launch of Protocol,  it became steadily more clear that the responsibility to grow the business on a global scale, to better serve the audience and create more opportunities for our employees, might be better advanced by a larger company with a  significant  global footprint  and ambitions  than it could be by me as owner of a family business. As I have often said, I would only welcome a new investor that reflected my values and POLITICO’s distinctive company values. Axel Springer and Mathias Döpfner and his team meet that test better than any other company in media  today.  I look forward to working with them as publisher of POLITICO and Protocol as we reach even greater heights.”

  • 37 States and D.C. Sue Google for Alleged Play Store Antitrust Issues

    37 States and D.C. Sue Google for Alleged Play Store Antitrust Issues

    A coalition of 37 states, plus the District of Columbia, have sued Google over alleged antitrust violations with its Play Store.

    Google is facing numerous lawsuits and investigations, being accused of abusing its dominant search and advertising position. The company is also being sued by Epic, the creator of Fortnite, over alleged antitrust violations.

    Google’s problems appear to be going from bad to worse, with 36 states and D.C. launching an antitrust lawsuit against the company. Colorado later joined the coalition, bringing the number of states to 37, according to Engadget. The case revolves around Google’s plans charge a 30% commission to all developers that use the Play Store, according to Politico.

    The bipartisan group of attorneys general represent:

    South Dakota, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York, Indiana, Utah, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Idaho, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, Massachusetts, District of Columbia, Montana, Arkansas, Oregon, Vermont, California, Mississippi, Delaware, Missouri, North Dakota, Colorado, Washington, North Carolina, Alaska, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Arizona.

    Google has responded to the lawsuit, accusing the states of ignoring the choice Android users have to use the Play Store, or download from a rival store.

    We built Android to create more choices in mobile technology. Today, anyone, including our competitors, can customize and build devices with the Android operating system — for free. 

    We also built an app store, Google Play, that helps people download apps on their devices. If you don’t find the app you’re looking for in Google Play, you can choose to download the app from a rival app store or directly from a developer’s website. We don’t impose the same restrictions as other mobile operating systems do.

    So it’s strange that a group of state attorneys general chose to file a lawsuit attacking a system that provides more openness and choice than others. This complaint mimics a similarly meritless lawsuit filed by the large app developer Epic Games, which has benefitted from Android’s openness by distributing its Fortnite app outside of Google Play.

    It does seem strange the states are choosing to sue Google for charging developers for the use of its Play Store when such usage is entirely optional.

  • Trump Administration May Restrict Global Cloud Computing Companies

    Trump Administration May Restrict Global Cloud Computing Companies

    The White House is considering an executive order that would limit how cloud computing companies can operate internationally.

    Cloud computing has experienced meteoric growth since the coronavirus pandemic, as companies have migrated workflows to the cloud in order to support a remote workforce. With the rise in popularity, however, security risks have become more of a factor.

    There is additional cause for concern when domestic cloud providers partner with providers in a foreign country—especially providers in countries such as China, that have a reputation for state-sponsored hacking.

    As a result, according to POLITICO , the White House is preparing an executive order that would give the Commerce Department the authority to “prohibit U.S. cloud providers from partnering with foreign cloud companies that offer safe haven to hackers and give the Commerce secretary the ability to ban those foreign providers from operating in the U.S.”

    Should the White House move forward with the executive order, it will no doubt ratchet up the trade war with China, and may result in further retaliation.

  • Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Antitrust Case Against Facebook May Be Next

    Just days after the DOJ filed an antitrust case against Google, the FTC may be planning a similar case against Facebook.

    Tech giants are under more scrutiny now than at any time since Microsoft’s landmark antitrust case in 2001. The DOJ filed a case against Google over its search and search advertising business. The CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Twitter have also been called to testify before Congress, in some cases repeatedly.

    Now, according to Politico, the five FTC commissioners have met to discuss an antitrust case against Facebook. The company has repeatedly been accused of stifling competition by purchasing smaller rivals it deems a potential or future threat. In addition, Facebook has faced ongoing criticism for its mishandling of user privacy.

    Because of the confidential nature of the probe, Politico’s sources spoke anonymously. It’s unknown which way the FTC commissioners are leaning, and a decision is not expected for several weeks. Nonetheless, it’s the latest challenge facing Big Tech in general, and social media in particular.

  • EU Commission Switching to Signal Messaging App

    EU Commission Switching to Signal Messaging App

    In an effort to improve its cybersecurity, the EU Commission is encouraging its staff to switch to the Signal messaging app.

    In the world of messaging, Signal is considered the king of security. It features end-to-end encryption that is widely believed to be the best in the business. It’s so good, in fact, that its protocol serves as the basis of the more popular WhatsApp. Unlike WhatsApp, however, Signal is also open-source, ensuring a level of transparency that other apps can’t match.

    Signal has recently been in the news as it works to become a more mainstream alternative to more well-known competitors. A big part of that was an investment by WhatsApp cofounder Brian Acton of $50 million two years ago. Acton left Facebook over disagreements about WhatsApp’s privacy once Facebook acquires his creation. By throwing his weight—and money—behind Signal, Acton obviously sees the app as the successor to WhatsApp, and the best option for individuals who want to keep their communications secure.


    The EU Commission evidently agrees, as it wants its staff to switch to the messaging app to help avoid the kind of embarrassing leaks it has experienced recently, according to Politico. The move will likely cause turmoil in the greater debate about end-to-end encryption, as governments around the world are pushing tech companies to create backdoors for government access. Mathematicians, cryptographers, scientists, tech leaders and even some lawmakers have all said such a quest is foolhardy, dangerous and impossible to achieve without fundamentally weakening encryption and opening up innocent individuals to having their data compromised.

    The EU seemingly endorsing the single, most secure end-to-end encryption platform on the planet will go a long way toward making the case against backdoors or weakening of the very encryption the EU is counting on.

    Image Credit: Signal (Instagram @signal_app)

  • Jon Stewart Secret White House Meetings: What Happened?

    Jon Stewart has been twice summoned to the White House to meet with President Barack Obama. Is Stewart a Liberal operative, using his show as a base of operations through which to influence the minds of young people?

    That notion has sprung from, though not necessarily originated with, a recent Politico “investigation.” The unearthing of proof of Jon Stewart’s secret meetings with President Obama wasn’t really all that hard. He was right there in the visitor logs. But when you put his visits and the other events of those days together, you may see patterns.

    Or not.

    “Jon Stewart slipped unnoticed into the White House in the midst of the October 2011 budget fight,” Politico reports, “summoned to an Oval Office coffee with President Barack Obama”

    “In February 2014, Obama again requested Stewart make the trip from Manhattan to the White House, this time for a midmorning visit hours before the president would go before television cameras to warn Russia that ‘there will be costs’ if it made any further military intervention in Ukraine.”

    “To engage privately with the president in his inner sanctum at two sensitive moments — previously unreported meetings that are listed in the White House visitor logs and confirmed to Politico by three former Obama aides — speaks volumes about Stewart and his reach, which goes well beyond the million or so viewers who tune in to The Daily Show on most weeknights.”

    This week, Jon Stewart himself twice addressed addressed the conspiracy theories about his visits to the White House.

    “I went through the normal White House entrance like everyone else,” Stewart told his Daily Show audience, “and I told my mom what I was doing, and then she told her friends, and then her friends were like, ‘Still not a cardiologist.’ But the point is this: Something is not a secret just because you don’t know about it!”

    Stewart said he and Obama discussed the Obamacare website fiasco. Of course, “discussed’ is a loose term.

    “‘Really? The VA [Veterans’ Administration] can’t be fixed any quicker or healthcare.gov can’t come online without crashing my son’s Minecraft game?’”

    Jon Stewart wrapped by saying, “To all future presidents, if you asked me to come to Washington, I will do that. Because I have no idea how to react to that other than, ‘What time?’ ”

  • Politico Asks: Are Voters Stupid?

    Politico Asks: Are Voters Stupid?

    Yesterday Politico hosted their live-stream election show and featured a story about how some voters might be confusing opinion for facts, rendering their decision making abilities somewhat anemic or as they put it “stupid”.

    Essentially the article titled, ‘Are Voters Stupid’, written by reporter Alexander Burns highlights confusion by many prospective voters on issues like gas prices, the presidents nationality, and the war in Afghanistan. According to the author these issues are cut and dry and clearly defined by fact, yet readers still debate these details in an opinion-based fashion.

    The article features commentary from Tom Jensen of Public Policy Polling, a Democratic polling firm. In his commentary he explains the ins and outs of dealing with voters and public perception.

    Jensen explains:

    “The first lesson you learn as a pollster is that people are stupid,”

    “I tell a client trying to make sense of numbers on a poll that are inherently contradictory that at least once a week.”

    “We’re seeing that kind of thing more and more. I think it’s a function of increased political polarization and voters just digging in their heels and refusing to consider the opposing facts once they’ve formed an opinion about something,”

    “I also think voters are showing a tendency to turn issues that should be factual or non-factual into opinions. If you show a Tennessee birther Obama’s birth certificate, they’re just going to say ‘well in my opinion he’s not a real American.’ It’s not about the birth certificate; it’s about expressing hatred for Obama in any form they can.”

    So the article is fairly strait-forward about the idea that many voters aren’t necessarily confused, but are adamant about sticking to their guns even in the face of reality. If this isn’t stupid, I don’t know what is, but that’s how many people are. So the obvious truth is that Politico published an article on how stubborn the American public can be.

    So what’s the story? Now Politico has to do damage control and try to convince viewers and readers that their story was not intended to insult American voters, but to show them how difficult changing people’s perceptions can be. However I think showing Forest Gump at the top of the article clearly suggests that they view the general public as, “mentally challenged” in regard to the issue.

    Here, check out the footage:

    So, it’s okay with me if you want to call us stupid Politico, just don’t backslide and say it didn’t happen. I guess they lose some points with me for trying to clarify. Either way, it should be taken with a grain of salt, Americans can be pretty fickle, and often times I am concerned that political elections become more of a popularity contest than an informed decision about who is best qualified to represent the people.

  • Politico Roast : See What Political Celebrities Have to Say

    Politico was launched in 2007 and monday marks five years in business for the organization.

    Last week Politico took New York City by storm as they gave out free copies of their publication to many prominent business leaders and added distribution boxes in high volume areas.

    Politico’s original climb to success was in the Washington D.C. area where prominent subscribers include Congress and The White House.

    The video shown below includes appearances by David Gregory, Donald Trump, Bob Schieffer, Katie Couric, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Diane Sawyer, Tom Brokaw, Candy Crowley, Luke Russert, Greta Van Susteren, Chris Matthews, Jonathan Karl, Andrea Mitchell, Steve Scully, Jamal Simmons, Norah O’Donnell, Erin Burnett, Alex Wagner, Dan Rather, Al Sharpton, Mark Halperin, Dylan Ratigan and Arianna Huffington:

  • Politico Celebrates Milestone

    Politico, a fast growing political news organization is celebrating their successes by expanding their market into New York City. CEO, Fred Ryan is excited to expand into the market after a climb to success in the Washington, D.C. area. Currently the publication (magazine) is available in a handful of D.C. area Starbucks and has several prominent subscribers including the White House and Congress.

    Politico will be strategically placing distribution boxes around the the City of New York, but will also be handing out free copies of their publication to business leaders and financial institution to spark interest. So if your in the New York City area or you’re in D.C., check them out.

  • Facebook Will Share Your Data – Including Private Messages – With Politico

    Facebook announced last week that they will be mining your posts and messages for your thoughts on the GOP presidential candidates, and they will share that info with Politico.

    From that announcement:

    “Facebook will compile mentions of the candidates in U.S. users’ posts and comments as well as assess positive and negative sentiments expressed about them. Facebook’s data team will use automated software tools frequently used by researchers to infer sentiment from text.”

    As an example of the kind of data this mining will reveal, they offer this. Here are some screenshots:

    (image)

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  • Google Partners With POLITICO On Technology And Politics

    Google and YouTube are partnering with POLITICO to host an event on Monday at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. to talk about technology’s role in democracy and the political process.

    The Google Blog offers more details.  “With less than six weeks until the midterm elections, we wanted to hear from some of politics’ most creative minds about what innovation and democracy mean in 2010.”


    “As part of the event David Axelrod and Ed Gillespie will answer questions and offer thoughts and predictions about the upcoming elections. Arianna Huffington will then moderate a panel about innovation in media, and will be joined by Becki Donatelli, Stephen Hayes, Nate Silver and Amy Walter. We’ll also demonstrate tools built for citizens and government officials using YouTube and Google Maps, and will be joined by our friends on the politics team at Facebook.”

    Google is also inviting people to submit a question for any of the panel members via youtube.com/citizentube. People will also be able to watch the entire event live on YouTube on Monday from 2:30-5:30 ET and on POLITICO.