Security News
Google Chat histories handed over by the web giant in ongoing Android antitrust litigation reveal the biz has been systematically destroying evidence, according to those suing the big G. "Google employees regularly and intentionally diverted to 'history off' Chats [sic] conversations about Google's anticompetitive Revenue Share Agreements, Mobile Application Distribution Agreements, Google Play Billing payment policies and pricing, and a variety of other critical issues - specifically to ensure that those Chats would be destroyed," the plaintiffs - a mix of state government, corporate, and individuals - claim in a legal brief [PDF] filed on Monday. The brief touches on many more of the conversations captured in the exhibits, and notes that most interactions of this sort leave no record at all because Google has coached employees to "'communicat[e] with care' because Google 'often ha[s] to produce employee communications as evidence.
The US Department of Justice asked the judge hearing its antitrust case against Google to sanction the search advertising giant for destruction of evidence. The case has since progressed into the discovery phase and now the DoJ contends that Google has ignored its responsibility to preserve evidence relevant to the case.
Google has a fresh list of reasons why it opposes tech antitrust legislation making its way through Congress but, like others who've expressed discontent, the ad giant's complaints leave out mention of portions of the proposed law that address said gripes. Google VP of engineering for privacy, safety and security Royal Hansen penned Google's latest take on the bill, which he said undermines Google's ability to secure its platforms and protect users.
Italy's antitrust regulator has fined both Apple and Google €10 million each for what it calls are "Aggressive" data practices and for not providing consumers with clear information on commercial uses of their personal data during the account creation phase. The Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato said "Google and Apple did not provide clear and immediate information on the acquisition and use of user data for commercial purposes," adding the tech companies chose to emphasize the data collection as only necessary to improve their own services and personalize user experience without offering any indication that the data could be transferred and used for other reasons.
Facebook on Monday said it is asking EU courts to review "Exceptionally broad" requests by antitrust regulators there that would scoop up employees' personal information. The US-based internet colossus maintained it has been cooperating with a European Commission antitrust investigation and will continue to do so, but that the wording of commission requests casts a net so wide it will haul in Facebook employees' private messages and more.
Facebook Must Obtain Consent to Combine User Data From Different SourcesGermany's competition authority, the Bundeskartellamt, has prohibited Facebook from combining user data from different...
The European Union said Monday it has launched an anti-trust investigation into the planned purchase by French aerospace and defence group Thales of SIM manufacturer Gemalto. read more
This could mean the end of free Android. In the meantime, Google plans to appeal.
Google has been hit by a record-breaking $5 billion antitrust fine by the European Union regulators for abusing the dominance of its Android mobile operating system and thwarting competitors....
The antitrust fine has hit Qualcomm badly. The European Commission has levied a fine of €997 Million, approximately $1.2 Billion, against U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. for violating antitrust laws...