Tag: Facebook

Facebook has made security and privacy enhancements to its platform, implementing strong encryption for its email notifications.

Today Facebook announced several changes to Internet.org in response to growing international complaints about the program. While some of the changes are positive, our core concerns remain — the program now known as Free Basics violates Net Neutrality and establishes Facebook as a global gatekeeper for internet connectivity, affecting billions of peoples’ ability to connect to the free and open internet.

Today Facebook announced several changes to Internet.org in response to growing international complaints about the program. While some of the changes are positive, Access’ core concerns remain.

Today Yves Bot, Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), released his opinion in the EU-US Safe Harbor case, which addresses a controversial transatlantic data sharing agreement. Advocate General Bot recommends that the Court rule to recognise the duty of national data protection authorities to conduct independent assessment of the Safe Harbor in light of evidence of abuses brought by the Snowden’s revelations. Based on a large number of hearings, AG Bot considers European Commission’s earlier decision, holding that the protection of personal data in the United States is adequate, to be invalid.

This week Facebook announced a new phase for Internet.org, an initiative that seeks to “connect the two thirds of the world that doesn’t have internet access” — but which, in its current form, adversely impacts the security and privacy of people who use the program to go online. However, while Internet.org now welcomes more carriers, it remains a program with fundamental flaws that this expansion does not address. It continues to give users only a slice of the internet for free, undermines security and privacy, and raises serious questions about how the program will impact local innovation.

The island nation of Nauru may be tiny — only 21 square kilometers (8.5 square miles) — but what is happening there should reverberate around the world. Over the past few weeks, the government of Nauru has imposed an internet shutdown, blocking people from using certain sites on the pretext of protecting them from online pornography. At the same time, it has passed a dangerous new provision in its criminal code that could restrict free expression. These developments are putting people who care about human rights on high alert.

Internet censorship in Nauru could lead to other human rights abuses.

This morning eight major internet companies — AOL, Apple, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Twitter, and Yahoo! — issued a broad and powerful call for surveillance reform. The joint statement represents the strongest stance yet by U.S. internet companies on government surveillance and has the potential to shift the debate in Washington.

Today, Facebook released its first Global Government Requests Report detailing the number of requests for user data the company receives from governments around the world.