Google has restricted the creation of new accounts for Russian users, according to Russia‘s digital ministry. The move follows mounting pressure on the tech giant over its failure to remove content deemed illegal by Moscow and for blocking Russian media channels on YouTube following the invasion of Ukraine. Telecom operators have also reported a sharp decline in the number of SMS messages sent by Google to Russian users.
The digital ministry warned there is no guarantee that two-factor authentication SMS confirmations will continue functioning for Google services. It advised users to back up their data and consider alternative authentication methods or domestic platforms. Google had already deactivated AdSense accounts in Russia in August and halted serving ads in the country in March 2022.
Google has blocked over 1,000 YouTube channels linked to state-sponsored Russian media, as well as more than 5.5 million videos. Slower speeds on YouTube in Russia have been recorded recently, with Russian lawmakers blaming the issue on Google’s equipment, a claim the company disputes.
Julian Assange, the former Wikileaks editor-in-chief, has secured a plea deal, with his sentence commuted to time served. He is now set to travel to Saipan before returning to Australia. Despite his release, the financial burden remains, with his fiancée, Stella Assange, disclosing that the cost of his journey to freedom is estimated at $520,000. The family is urgently appealing for funds to cover travel and recovery expenses.
To help raise these funds, a BTCPay Server has been set up, enabling donations through Bitcoin or the Lightning Network. Assange’s brother, Gabriel, confirmed the platform, allowing secure, decentralised contributions. Julian’s connection to Bitcoin is long-standing, having been part of the cryptocurrency’s history, including discussions with its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, regarding its use for Wikileaks when PayPal froze their accounts.
As Assange embarks on the next chapter of his life, the Bitcoin community continues to rally behind him, with a recent donation of 8 Bitcoins (around $500,000) further showcasing the role of cryptocurrency in supporting his cause.
After months of defiance, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has told Brazil’s Supreme Court that it has complied with orders to curb the spread of misinformation. The direction shift comes as Musk seeks to lift a ban on the platform following a prolonged battle with the Brazilian judiciary over what he called ‘censorship.’ The court had suspended access to X in late August, leaving Brazilians needing the platform in one of its largest global markets.
X, which boasts 21.5 million users in Brazil, attempted to circumvent the ban by using third-party cloud services, allowing temporary access. However, the effort was short-lived, especially after Moraes threatened heavy fines. In a more conciliatory move, X recently appointed a local legal representative in Brazil, signalling a shift in its approach.
In documents submitted to the court, X confirmed that it had blocked nine accounts linked to a hate speech and misinformation investigation. The action reflects a change in Musk’s strategy, as sources close to him suggest he now plans to comply with local laws while continuing to defend free speech through legal avenues.
Why does it matter?
Musk’s battle with the Brazilian judiciary mirrors similar tensions in countries like Australia and the UK, where governments are working to curb online misinformation. Despite his stance as a free speech advocate, Musk’s recent actions in Brazil indicate a more pragmatic approach to navigating regulatory challenges in key markets.
As X awaits the court’s decision, which could restore access within days, analysts believe that Musk’s surprising backtracking demonstrates a recognition that fighting the law in Brazil could have further damaged his standing in the country. Now, the company appears ready to respect legal boundaries, even if it means fighting battles in the courtroom rather than on the platform.
Telegram apparently decided to alleviate its policy restrictions and to provide users’ IP addresses and phone numbers to authorities in response to valid legal requests. The shift in policy, announced by CEO Pavel Durov, marks a significant change for the platform, which has long been known for its resistance to government data demands. The update comes in the wake of Durov’s recent legal troubles in France, where he is facing charges related to the spread of child abuse materials on the platform.
Durov, under investigation since his arrest in France last month, says the new measures are part of broader efforts to deter criminal activity on Telegram. Historically, Telegram has been criticised for its lax approach to moderation, often ignoring government requests to remove illegal content or share information on suspected criminals. Now, with AI and human moderators, the app conceals problematic content from search results.
Telegram has long been a tool for activists and dissidents, especially in countries like Russia and Iran, where it has been used to challenge authoritarian regimes. However, the platform has also attracted extremists, conspiracy theorists, and white supremacists. In some cases, Telegram has been used to coordinate real-world attacks, leading to mounting pressure on the company to take greater responsibility.
Ukraine has banned the Telegram messaging app for government officials and critical workers due to concerns about Russian espionage. The National Security and Defence Council implemented these restrictions after Kyrylo Budanov, head of the military intelligence agency, presented evidence indicating that Russian special services could access Telegram messages, including deleted ones.
The ban only affects official devices, allowing government personnel to use personal phones without restriction. Despite its risks, Telegram has played a crucial role in communication and information sharing since the onset of the war in February 2022, with a significant portion of the Ukrainian population relying on the app for updates.
Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, has denied claims that the platform shares user data with any country, including Russia. He emphasised that deleted messages are permanently erased and cannot be recovered. However, Ukrainian security officials maintain that the national security implications necessitate this decision.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and various officials regularly use Telegram to communicate vital updates. With approximately 75% of people in Ukraine using the app, the restrictions mark a significant shift in the approach to information security amid ongoing conflict.
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is taking steps to comply with Brazil’s Supreme Court in an effort to lift its ban in the country. The platform was banned in Brazil in August for failing to moderate hate speech and meet court orders. The court had ordered the company to appoint a legal representative and block certain accounts deemed harmful to Brazil’s democracy. X’s legal team has now agreed to follow these directives, appointing Rachel de Oliveira Villa Nova Conceicao as its representative and committing to block the required accounts.
Despite previous defiance and criticism of the court’s orders by Musk and his company, X has shifted its stance. The court gave X five days to submit proof of the appointment and two days to confirm that the necessary accounts had been blocked. Once all compliance is verified, the court will decide whether to extend or lift the ban on X in Brazil.
Additionally, X has agreed to pay fines exceeding $3 million and begin blocking specific accounts involved in a hate speech investigation. This represents a shift in the company’s stance, which had previously denounced the court orders as censorship. X briefly became accessible in Brazil last week after a network update bypassed the ban, though the court continues to enforce its block until all conditions are met.
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, has moved to address legal requirements in Brazil by appointing a new legal representative, Rachel de Oliveira Conceicao. Musk’s step follows orders from Brazil’s Supreme Court, which had previously blocked the platform after it failed to comply with local regulations, including naming a legal representative after its office closure in mid-August. X’s decision to appoint Conceicao aims to fulfil Brazilian law, which requires foreign companies to establish local legal representation to operate in the country.
The platform faced a complete shutdown in Brazil when mobile and internet providers were ordered to block X in late August. The order came after months of disputes between Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, centring around X’s reluctance to remove content spreading hate speech and misinformation. Musk had criticised the court’s demands, calling them censorship, and the platform’s refusal to comply escalated tensions.
X’s legal team in Brazil announced that the company has begun complying with court orders to remove harmful content, a key demand from the country’s top court. The decision signals a shift in Musk’s approach to Brazil’s strict content regulations and could pave the way for the platform to resume full operations.
The legal battles between X and Brazil highlight the broader tension between free speech and government regulation as nations like Brazil take stronger stances on monitoring harmful content online. At the same time, platforms face the challenge of balancing compliance with global standards.
On 18 September 2024, US Senate Intelligence Committee members questioned top tech executives from Google, Microsoft, and Meta about their plans to combat foreign disinformation ahead of the November elections. The executives, including Microsoft’s Brad Smith and Meta’s Nick Clegg, acknowledged the heightened risk during the 48 hours surrounding Election Day, with Smith emphasising the period as particularly vulnerable. Senator Mark Warner echoed this concern, noting that the time immediately after the polls close could also be crucial, especially in a tight race.
During the hearing, lawmakers discussed recent tactics used by foreign actors, including fake news websites mimicking reputable US media outlets and fabricated recordings from elections in other countries. Senators pressed the tech companies for detailed data on how many people were exposed to such content and the extent of its promotion. While the companies have adopted measures like labeling and watermarking to address deepfakes and misinformation, they were urged to enhance their efforts to prevent the spread of harmful content during this sensitive period.
X later clarified that the restoration of access was unintentional. The platform’s Global Affairs team explained that a switch in network providers caused the issue, allowing some users in Brazil to log back in due to a rerouting of infrastructure supporting Latin America. The temporary fix was not deliberate, and the company expects the block to be reinstated soon.
According to the Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers (Abrint), the update routed users through third-party cloud services outside the country. This allowed them to bypass local restrictions without needing virtual private networks (VPNs).
Brazil’s telecom regulator, Anatel, is now working to enforce the original block more effectively. However, the situation remains complex, as blocking access to cloud services could inadvertently impact other critical sectors like government and financial services, posing additional challenges for regulators.
The Japanese Technology Corporation, NEC (Nippon Electric Company), is developing an AI technology designed to analyze and verify the trustworthiness of online information. The project, launched under Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, aims to help combat false and misleading content on the internet. The system will be tested by fact-checking organizations, including the Japan Fact-check Center and major media outlets, with the goal of making it widely available by 2025.
The AI uses Large Language Models (LLMs) to assess different types of content such as text, images, video, and audio, detecting whether they have been manipulated or are misleading. The system then evaluates the information’s reliability, looking for inconsistencies and ensuring accurate sources. These reports allow for user-driven adjustments, such as removing unreliable information or adding new details, to enhance fact-checking operations helping organizations streamline their verification processes.
As the project progresses, NEC hopes to refine its AI system to assist fact-checkers more effectively, ensuring that false information can be identified and addressed in real time. The technology could become a vital tool for media and fact-checking organizations, addressing the growing problem of misinformation online.
