CDP Institute

New investigations by the European Commission about Microsoft Teams and by France’s Autorité de la concurrence about Apple continue efforts to reign in Big Tech overreach. With Microsoft concern is that having bundled Teams software with its Office 365 suite by default, Microsoft made it difficult for other products to compete. With Apple, the regulator that oversees competition is looking into claims the company used its market position to implement discriminatory, non-transparent conditions to use its customer data to be used for ad purposes.

Saudi officials announced Microsoft’s $2 billion investment plan to build a cloud storage facility in the kingdom at Neom, the mega-development spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Concern is this could expose sensitive personal and political data.

AI is running far ahead of our ability to craft laws to control it and, though we saw it coming, legislation has moved slowly. The US has few laws to regulate and control it, while the EU’s proposed Artificial Intelligence Act, is looking to lead with a global standard as it did with GDPR. In Asia, China is moving quickly to get laws on the books, and Singapore, Japan and Australia have been proactive as well with specific focus on cybersecurity.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)’s has proposed use of what it’s calling the “Privacy-Protective Facial Age Estimation” technology to verify under COPPA the age of people who are giving consent for a child to use a given technology. It’s to be developed in cooperation with Yoti, an ID Platform; and SuperAwesome, which develops online safety tools.  The intent is to insure verifiable parental consent.

Today’s cars include many built-in apps, sensors, and cameras, which can monitor people inside and near the vehicle.

The group, led by Max Schrems, is concerned over Ryanair’s practice that’s used when customers book via online travel agents (OTAs).