At a glance.
- EU clarifies policy on consent cookie walls.
- Joint Czech-US 5G security declaration.
- FCC seeks comment on Huawei, ZTE exclusion from US infrastructure.
- Bots not welcome in applications for pandemic emergency relief.
Europe clarifies GDPR policy on cookie walls and consent.
TechCrunch reports that the European Data Protection Board has clarified its rules on cookie consent walls, that is, on systems that require acceptance of cookies in order for users to access content. Just accepting cookies will not count as consent to the collection and use of data about a user.
Czech Republic and US sign joint declaration on 5G.
In what appears to be an unfavorable development for Huawei, the New York Times reports that the Czech Republic and the US have signed a joint undertaking on 5G security. The document reads, in part, "Protecting communications networks from disruption or manipulation, and ensuring the privacy and individual liberties of the citizens of the United States and the Czech Republic are vital to ensuring that our people are able to take advantage of the tremendous economic opportunities 5G will enable." The US and Poland reached a similar understanding last year.
Rules for rip and replace.
Nextgov reports that the US Federal Communications Commission has requested comment on its proposed rules for reimbursing service providers who will be required to remove ZTE or Huawei equipment in order to receive money under the Universal Service Fund. Comments are expected to be due by May 26th of this year.
Bots need not apply.
Bots have caused governments trouble through automated applications for emergency relief. Some of the problems with emergency relief programs have been technical, not necessarily nefarious, but rather artifacts that emerge in any rapidly expanded system that wasn't designed to handle large volumes of requests. TechTarget says that the US Small Business Administration will no longer process applications for Payroll Protection Program loans filed using robotic process automation (RPA) tools. So many requests have come in by RPA that the system was overwhelmed. But some of that activity is nefarious, since RPA tools benefit criminal as well as legitimate enterprises. The Wall Street Journal says that the US Justice Department is actively investigating fraudulent applications for assistance.