At a glance.
- Shell in the ghost.
- Election produces evolution in California's privacy laws.
- CISA finds no evidence of successful foreign election meddling, but remains vigilant.
Tokyo explores accelerating policy decisions with AI.
Japan’s government is researching the possibility of using US company Palantir Technologies’ “big data analysis system” to expedite security and trade decisions, The Japan Times reports. Digitization is an ongoing priority for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Potential applications include managing defense paraphernalia and crunching Covid-19 numbers. In response to confidentiality concerns, the CEO of Palantir’s Japan branch said the company does not access clients’ data. Other customers include the US Defense Department and Central Intelligence Agency.
California’s privacy law evolves.
According to Ballotpedia, Californians voted to approve a revision to the 2018 California Consumer Privacy Act. The new statute, Proposition 24, establishes a Privacy Protection Agency and expands consumers’ rights. Upon demand, companies must now stop distributing consumers’ data and amend incorrect information. They have to provide an opt-out for targeted marketing, and can no longer avoid fines by curing violations. Businesses are also required to seek the consent of individuals under the age of sixteen—and guardians of individuals under the age of thirteen—before harvesting their data. Security Week adds that the initiative shuts loopholes that Google, Facebook, and Spotify have capitalized on, and triples the penalties for infringing on children’s privacy.
California’s American Civil Liberties Union and Consumer Federation argue the measure is inadequate and premature. One area of contention is the “opt-out” provision, which, as opposed to an “opt-in” model, requires objecting consumers to take action on every app and website. Consumer Reports, Consumer Watchdog, Common Sense Media, and former Democratic presidential contender Andrew Yang back the proposition, while Golden State real estate mogul Alastair Mactaggart donated $6.5 million to the cause, according to KQED. The Electronic Frontier Foundation termed the initiative “a mixed bag.”
CISA remains watchful, post-election.
While Tuesday was happily light on cyberattacks (there was only a minor “uptick” in “unsophisticated” attempts on government sites), TechCrunch reports that CISA remains vigilant for influence operations in the aftermath. NSA Director General Paul Nakasone said the US is an “equal opportunity disrupto[r]” and has “the capability, capacity, and will to prevent any type of interference or influence.”