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White House gives government agencies 30 days to enforce TikTok ban

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White House gives government agencies 30 days to enforce TikTok ban

The White House on Monday gave government agencies 30 days to ensure they do not have Chinese-owned app TikTok on federal devices and systems.

In a bid to keep U.S. data safe, all federal agencies must eliminate TikTok from phones and systems and prohibit internet traffic from reaching the company, Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young told agencies in a guidance memorandum seen by Reuters.

The ban, ordered by Congress late last year, follows similar actions from Canada, the EU, Taiwan and more than half of U.S. states.

The device ban — while impacting a tiny portion of TikTok’s U.S. user base — adds fuel to calls for an outright ban on the video-sharing app. National security concerns about China surged in recent weeks after a Chinese balloon drifted over the U.S.

ByteDance-owned TikTok has said the concerns are fueled by misinformation and has denied using the app to spy on Americans.
The action does not affect the more than 100 million Americans who use TikTok on private or company-owned devices. TikTok did not immediately comment on the White House memo.

Congress in December voted to bar federal employees from using the Chinese-owned video app on government-owned devices and gave the Biden administration 60 days to issue agency directives. The vote was the latest action by U.S. lawmakers to crack down on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans.

Federal Chief Information Security Officer Chris DeRusha said “this guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy.”

Many government agencies including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department had banned TikTok from government devices before the vote.


The TikTok ban does not apply if there are national security, law enforcement or security research activities but agency leadership must approve these activities, Young’s memo said and “blanket exceptions applying to an entire agency are not permitted.”

On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to vote on a bill that would give President Joe Biden the authority to ban TikTok from all U.S. devices.

“My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security,” Representative Mike McCaul, the committee chair, said. “Anyone with TikTok downloaded on their device has given the (Chinese Communist Party) a backdoor to all their personal information. It’s a spy balloon into your phone.”

The American Civil Liberties Union said it opposed a congressional ban on TikTok.

The White House memo said within 90 days, agencies must address any use of TikTok by IT vendors through contracts and with 120 days agencies will include a new prohibition on TikTok in all new solicitations.

Earlier on Monday, Canada announced a ban on TikTok from government-issued devices, saying it presents an “unacceptable” level of risk to privacy and security, adding to the growing rift between the two countries.

The Canadian ban was issued “without citing any specific security concern or contacting us with questions,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
The European Union’s two biggest policy-making institutions last week banned TikTok from staff phones for cybersecurity reasons.

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Plea seeking restoration of ‘X’ adjourned till April 2

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Plea seeking restoration of 'X' adjourned till April 2

 Lahore High Court has adjourned the hearing of miscellaneous application seeking restoration of X (formerly Twitter) till April 21

LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez heard the petition of Advocate Huzaifa Naeem filed for restoration of social media app X.

During the hearing Justice Asim Hafeez inquired about the petition and the petitioner stated that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has made impossible for public to access the micro-blogging site X.

The court suggested a solution referring to a minister who has suggested to access the platform with VPN.

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The petitioner stressed for a long-term effective solution, replied that “if police say to avoid a certain route as dacoit rule there, it is not a solution.”

The petition requested to court to declare the X outage as illegal and direct opposition to ensure the public access of X. Court has adjourned the petition for hearing till April 2.

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Samsung Galaxy to launch AI features in other devices as well on March 28

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Samsung Galaxy to launch AI features in other devices as well on March 28

Samsung Galaxy AI features will be introduced into other devices as well after on the acclaimed Galaxy S24 series.

Starting March 28, One UI 6.1 will begin rolling out across the Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, Z Fold5, Z Flip55, and Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9+ and Tab S9 WiFi versions beginning this week.

In the US, Samsung Galaxy S24 users are embracing several innovative features that have revolutionized their smartphone experience.

One standout feature is Circle to Search with Google, which has become immensely popular among users. This feature allows users to search for information quickly by simply circling items on their screens, eliminating the need to switch between apps.

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Live Translate has been a game-changer for users, facilitating seamless communication by providing real-time voice and live caption translations during phone calls. This feature helps users overcome language barriers, ensuring smooth and effective communication.

Samsung’s Generative Edit tool has also garnered significant attention, offering users powerful AI-driven photo editing capabilities. This tool allows users to easily adjust and enhance their favorite pictures by resizing or filling in backgrounds after removing unwanted objects from the frame.

Another highly utilized feature is Chat Assist, integrated into the Samsung Keyboard. This feature provides users with translation, writing style suggestions, and spelling and grammar corrections, enhancing their communication experience across various apps.

These innovative AI features are enhancing the functionality and usability of Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones, providing users with convenient and efficient ways to interact with their devices and communicate with others. 

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Amazon loses court fight to suspend EU tech rules’ ad clause

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Amazon loses court fight to suspend EU tech rules' ad clause

Amazon (AMZN.O) on Wednesday lost its fight to suspend a requirement regarding its online advertising under EU tech rules after Europe’s top court backed EU regulators, saying EU interests outweigh the U.S. online retailer’s material interests.

Under the Digital Services Act (DSA) which kicked in last year, Amazon was designated as a very large online platform subject to tough rules to tackle illegal and harmful content on its platform.

The company subsequently challenged a DSA requirement to make publicly available a repository containing detailed information on its online advertising and also asked for an interim measure until the court rules on the case.

A lower tribunal in September agreed to its request for an interim measure to suspend the contested obligation, which prompted the European Commission to turn to Europe’s top court.

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The Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) set aside the suspension order and dismissed Aamzon’s application for an interim measure.

The judge said that Amazon’s argument that the obligation unlawfully limits its fundamental rights to respect for private life and the freedom to conduct a business was not irrelevant.

He also said that without a suspension, it was likely that Amazon would suffer serious and irreparable harm before any judgment annulling the Commission’s decision.

However, he said a suspension could have a detrimental impact on the objectives of the DSA.

“Suspension would lead to a delay, potentially for several years, in the full achievement of the objectives of the Regulation on a Single Market for Digital Services and therefore potentially allow an online environment threatening fundamental rights to persist or develop,” the judge said.

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“The interests defended by the EU legislature prevail, in the present case, over Amazon’s material interests, with the result that the balancing of interests weighs in favour of rejecting the request for suspension.”

Amazon said: “We are disappointed with this decision, and maintain that Amazon doesn’t fit the description of a ‘Very Large Online Platform’ (VLOP) under the DSA, and should not be designated as such.”

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