An investigation by Global Witness revealed that bot-like accounts on the social media platform X have been spreading misinformation and hate ahead of Britain’s election and are now targeting US politics. These accounts, active since late May, generated over four billion impressions and have since shifted focus to significant events related to the presidential election in November.
The watchdog’s report highlighted how these accounts promoted conspiracy theories around the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and false claims about President Joe Biden withdrawing from the race. Despite Elon Musk’s pledges to reduce digital manipulation after purchasing the platform in 2022 for $44 billion, bot activity remains prevalent.
Accounts analysed by Global Witness also spread climate disinformation and participated in anti-migrant protests in Ireland. Ava Lee from Global Witness expressed concern about the ease with which these bots spread division and urged the platform to enhance its moderation efforts to protect democratic processes.
The platform, previously known as Twitter, did not respond to requests for comment. An automated reply from the press team indicated they were busy. Global Witness found no evidence linking British political parties to the bot-like accounts. Meanwhile, Elon Musk faced criticism for sharing a deepfake video of Kamala Harris, further raising concerns about the platform’s role in disseminating disinformation.
A coalition of 21 states and over 50 US lawmakers has supported the Justice Department’s mandate requiring China-based ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US assets by 19 January or face a ban. The collective, led by the attorneys general of Montana and Virginia, argues that TikTok threatens national security and consumer privacy, citing risks of the Chinese Communist Party exploiting user data.
Prominent lawmakers, including US Representative John Moolenaar and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, emphasised that the law offers a straightforward solution to mitigate the national security threats posed by TikTok’s ownership structure. The legislative measure, passed by Congress in April, reflects widespread concern over potential data access and surveillance by China.
In response, TikTok, its parent company ByteDance, and a group of TikTok creators have filed lawsuits to block the law. They argue that the ban violates the First Amendment rights of the 170 million Americans who use the app and claim no evidence supports the government’s security concerns.
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is set to hear oral arguments on the legal challenge on 16 September, amidst the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election. The outcome of this case could significantly impact TikTok’s future operations in the United States.
CrowdStrike has denied Delta Air Lines’ claim that it is responsible for the flight disruptions caused by a 19 July global outage. Delta CEO Ed Bastian stated that the outage, which resulted from a faulty update, cost the airline $500 million and indicated plans to pursue legal action against the cybersecurity firm.
CrowdStrike has apologised but rejected allegations of gross negligence, asserting that its liability is contractually limited to a few million dollars. The company also noted that it had offered Delta assistance immediately after the incident and that its CEO had personally contacted Delta’s CEO without receiving a response.
Delta cancelled over 6,000 flights during the outage, affecting more than 500,000 passengers. The airline is under investigation by the US Transportation Department for the extended recovery time compared to its competitors. CrowdStrike has questioned why Delta’s competitors managed to recover faster and why Delta declined its offer of free onsite help, which other clients accepted.
India’s central bank proposed new guidelines on Wednesday to allow a broader range of authentication methods for digital transactions. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) aims to enhance security by incorporating alternatives like fingerprints, passwords, and personal identification numbers (PINs) as additional factors of authentication.
Currently, text-based one-time passwords are the primary method used for authorising digital payments in India. The RBI’s draft circular suggests introducing other options such as passphrases, card hardware, or software tokens to verify users’ identities. This move is part of a broader effort to reduce fraud and cybercrime.
The proposal aligns with India’s broader technological initiatives, including the allocation of $1.24 billion for AI infrastructure and the introduction of biometric passports. Additionally, India has mandated USB-C ports for smartphones and tablets to curb e-waste, reflecting the country’s commitment to digital and tech security, as well as environmental sustainability.
A pro-Ukrainian hacker group, known as Cyber Anarchy Squad, has claimed responsibility for hacking the Russian information security firm Avanpost and leaking a significant amount of its data. They also reported destroying more than 60 terabytes of data and leaking 390 gigabytes of ‘valuable information.’
Avanpost, which has been operating in Russia for 15 years and specialises in developing authorisation and authentication systems for local businesses, confirmed the incident. The company acknowledged that its infrastructure was hit by a ‘serious cyberattack’ but did not provide details on the extent of the damage or the specific data that was leaked.
Avanpost advised its customers, including Russian airports, a large water supply company, and telecom service providers, to update their identification data and change passwords ‘as a precaution.’ The company also urged people not to trust ‘rumors’ and to rely only on official information.
The exact method of the hackers’ entry into Avanpost’s system, the tools they used, and the specifics of the leaked data remain unclear.
Cyber Anarchy Squad shared some of the allegedly leaked data on Telegram and the file hosting service Mega. They also posted screenshots of what they claim to be a group chat of Avanpost employees discussing the hack. However, the authenticity of this data could not be independently verified.
Apple Inc has joined US President Joe Biden’s voluntary commitments to govern artificial intelligence, aimed at preventing the misuse of AI technology. The White House announced on Friday that Apple is now part of a group of 15 firms that have committed to ensuring AI’s power is not used for harmful purposes. The original commitments, introduced in July 2023, were initially signed by companies such as Google and Microsoft’s partner OpenAI.
In September, additional firms including Adobe, IBM, and Nvidia also pledged their support. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to promote responsible AI innovation by assembling an AI expert team, urging tech CEOs to adopt measures that prevent AI from being used destructively.
Apple’s participation comes amid its own challenges with AI, as the company recently delayed AI features for iOS and iPadOS. This commitment underscores the importance of a unified approach among major tech companies to address the ethical and safety concerns surrounding AI.
The US Senate has passed significant online child safety reforms in a near-unanimous vote, but the fate of these bills remains uncertain in the House of Representatives. The two pieces of legislation, known as the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) and the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), aim to protect minors from targeted advertising and unauthorised data collectiochiln while also enabling parents and children to delete their information from social media platforms. The Senate’s bipartisan approval, with a vote of 91-3, marks a critical step towards enhancing online safety for minors.
COPPA 2.0 and KOSA have sparked mixed reactions within the tech industry. While platforms like Snap and X have shown support for KOSA, Meta Platforms and TikTok executives have expressed reservations. Critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union and certain tech industry groups, argue that the bills could limit minors’ access to essential information on topics such as vaccines, abortion, and LGBTQ issues. Despite amendments to address these concerns, some, like Senator Ron Wyden, still need to be convinced of the bills’ efficacy and potential impact on vulnerable groups.
The high economic stakes are highlighted by a Harvard study indicating that top US social media platforms generated approximately $11 billion in advertising revenue from users under 18 in 2022. Advocates for the bills, such as Maurine Molak of ParentsSOS, view the Senate vote as a historic milestone in protecting children online. However, the legislation’s future hinges on its passage in the Republican-controlled House, which is currently in recess until September.
Shares of CrowdStrike fell over 4% in premarket trading on Tuesday following reports that Delta Air Lines will seek compensation from the cybersecurity firm for a global IT outage that severely disrupted industries, including airlines. The outage on 19 July resulted in more than 2,200 flight cancellations, with Delta having to cancel over 6,000 flights to date.
The issue was traced back to CrowdStrike’s ‘Falcon Sensor’ software, which caused Microsoft Windows to crash with the infamous ‘Blue Screen of Death.’ According to CNBC, Delta has retained a law firm and plans to seek compensation from both CrowdStrike and Microsoft.
The outage has significantly impacted CrowdStrike’s stock, which had more than doubled in 2023 but has since fallen over 24%, resulting in a market valuation loss of more than $20 billion. A survey by Evercore ISI revealed that many clients are considering reducing or pausing their spending on CrowdStrike and expect monetary relief, such as discounts or service credits, from the company.
Analysts at Needham highlighted that the outage has damaged customer confidence, with many expressing frustration over the disruption, especially during a peak travel and shopping period. The analysts noted that clients are now wary of relying too heavily on single platforms due to the associated concentration risks.
The Paris Olympics will highlight the use of generative AI for American viewers, while European audiences will experience a more traditional approach. Comcast’s NBCUniversal plans to integrate AI into its US broadcast, including recreating the voice of a legendary sportscaster. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery’s sports division in Europe considers the technology too immature for roles like sports commentating.
Warner Bros. Discovery, which will stream the Games on its Max and discovery+ platforms across Europe, has tested AI for translating speech but found it lacks the emotion needed for thrilling sports moments. Scott Young, senior vice president at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, emphasised that AI struggles to capture the genuine excitement of live commentary. The difference in approaches reflects global media companies’ varied stances on AI technology, as France also plans to allow AI-powered surveillance during the Olympics, highlighting its broad application.
In the US, NBCUniversal will collaborate with Google and Team USA to enhance the viewing experience with AI, including AI-enhanced Google Map images of Olympic venues and AI-generated personalised daily briefings narrated by an AI recreation of Al Michaels’ voice. The Olympic Broadcasting Services is also using AI to produce quick highlights but remains cautious about deepfake risks. Additionally, extensive cybersecurity measures are being implemented to protect the Games from cyber threats, showcasing the crucial role of AI in ensuring safety and security.
As AI capabilities advance, European sports fans may soon experience similar technology. Warner Bros. Discovery anticipates significant AI integration by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is already implementing AI for athlete safety and deploying AI tools to counter cyber threats at the 2024 Olympics, illustrating the growing influence of AI in sports.
The UK’s Electoral Commission has faced criticism for failing to safeguard the personal data of 40 million voters following an extensive breach that occurred in August 2021 but was only discovered in October 2022. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) reported that the violation was due to the Electoral Commission’s outdated security systems, including unpatched servers and inadequate password management.
The Conservative government previously attributed the breach to Chinese hackers, leading to diplomatic tensions and sanctions from the US and its allies, including the UK and New Zealand. Despite these allegations, no confirmed evidence exists that the stolen data has been misused.
In response to the incident, the Electoral Commission has overhauled its security measures, including updating its infrastructure and implementing stricter password controls and multi-factor authentication. The Commission has assured that cybersecurity experts have validated these new measures.
China has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and the UK’s Labour Party has vowed to take a stronger stance on cyber threats and interference in British democracy. Labour plans to audit UK-China relations and introduce new cybersecurity legislation to enhance national resilience against future attacks.
