From Around the Globe

NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

GOVERNANCE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE The European Commission proposed the first- ever legal framework on artificial intelligence (AI) (Proposal for a regulation laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence) “aiming to turn Europe into the global hub for trustworthy AI”. Designed to “guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of people and businesses, while strengthening AI uptake, investment and innovation across the EU”, some have welcomed much of the framework but expressed disappointment at the breadth of possible exemptions or questioned whether the proposals provide sufficient incentives for start-ups and investors. © 2021 – International Olympic Committee See bit.ly/3xUOJFI and bit.ly/35SClKf “Hope Lights Our Way” is the concept for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics torch relay which, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, went hi-tech in April 2021 when torchbearer and Toyota employee Akito Goto and INVESTMENT a human support robot came together to carry the Olympic flame, demonstrating Goto’s wish “that all people can have confidence that they can do things themselves, with the help of tools such as robots”. BROADBAND OR MEDIA See bit.ly/2Uu1V5N and bit.ly/3xZ7qbl Shifting its focus back to broadband, AT&T announced an agreement to split off and combine INNOVATION its WarnerMedia premium entertainment, sports OPERATION TROJAN SHIELD and news assets with Discovery’s nonfiction and international entertainment and sports In June 2021, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with the Drug businesses to create a stand-alone global Enforcement Administration, Australian Federal Police, Europol and law entertainment company positioned “to be one of enforcement partners in more than a dozen countries revealed covert the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming Operation Trojan Shield during which police operated their own encrypted platforms”. Subject to shareholder and regulatory platform, called “ANOM”, and supplied more than 12,000 ANOM devices to approvals, the resultant two independent more than 300 criminal syndicates operating in more than 100 countries. As companies will be better able to focus on with earlier police investigations into encrypted communications services, broadband connectivity and media respectively. such as Sky Global and EncroChat, police were able to intercept and read AT&T expects its remaining assets to produce messages exchanged between serious criminals, however with Trojan Shield significantly increased financial flexibility to drive police were able to “get behind the firewall”. So “while ANOM’s criminal users returns to shareholders, including expected unknowingly promoted and communicated on a system operated lawfully by increased capital investment for incremental the FBI, agents catalogued more than 27 million messages between users investments in 5G and fibre broadband. around the world who had their criminal discussions reviewed, recorded, and See https://about.att.com/story/2021/ translated”. warnermedia_discovery.html As a result of intelligence gathered during this innovative and advanced international police operation, law enforcement entities around the globe will CONTENT execute hundreds of warrants, make hundreds of arrests and seize drugs, weapons and millions of dollars in proceeds from criminal activity. NETFLIX TO NET ZERO Having observed criminal organisations move to other platforms following the Netflix has announced plans to achieve net zero takedown of the encrypted phone provider Phantom Secure for facilitating greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022 and transnational importation and distribution of narcotics by providing encrypted reduce direct emissions by 45% by 2030 following a devices to criminals, “investigators came up with a solution that would do review of the company’s carbon footprint. This found more than cause the organised crime groups to shift to different platforms”. that roughly 50% was generated by the physical According to the FBI, encrypted devices are “typically purchased through production of Netflix-branded content, 45% came word-of-mouth referral networks and offer robust data encryption tools. They from corporate operations and purchased goods (like can also be wiped clean remotely if they fall into the hands of law office space and marketing) and 5% was attributed enforcement. Every feature of the devices, which sell for between $1,200 and to data centre providers for its streaming content $2,000, is designed for maximum secrecy and to avoid court-authorised access delivery network (which does not include emissions needed by law enforcement. The devices deployed in Trojan Shield, however, from internet transmission or electronic devices its generated a carbon copy of each message for the FBI to assess and analyse”. members use to watch Netflix). The cleaner approach Trojan Shield demonstrates the importance of global partnerships and will involve the use of offsets, battery units rather than cooperation in disrupting national, transnational and serious organised crime, diesel generators and local crews to avoid travel and including by eroding trust in encrypted platforms among criminal networks. lodging. See bit.ly/3gU2leD and bit.ly/35Vjb6G See on.ft.com/3vZw89Q and bit.ly/3xWpmmU

2 InterMEDIA | June 2021 Vol 49 Issue 2 www.iicom.org IIC EVENTS 24 June, Thailand hybrid event International symposium on 5G and driving the benefits of big data MEDIA LITERACY 24 June, online meeting IIC Australia Chapter webinar: EUROPEAN MEDIA AND INFORMATION FUND Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure The European Media and Information the ecosystem’s response to Fund is managed by the Calouste disinformation. Funding will be decided 29 June, online meeting Gulbenkian Foundation in partnership by industry experts and made available IIC Canada Chapter webinar: Special with the European University Institute to organisations based in European session and the European Digital Media countries, including namely the EU, EFTA 7 July, virtual event Observatory to provide grants, on a and UK. See bit.ly/3jdP6qL Annual LatAm/Caribbean competitive basis, to researchers, Google made the inaugural contribution Telecommunications & Media Forum fact-checkers, not-for-profits and other of €25 million over 5 years, citing clear 22 July, virtual event public interest-oriented organisations “unmet demand for funding and IIC/BCJ virtual forum: Doing Now for working on disinformation research and research, with fewer than one in 10 Then: Visioning the Next 35 strengthening media literacy and Europeans having participated in any fact-checking. The Fund welcomes form of online media literacy training, 4 - 7 October, Bonn, Germany contributions from donors believing in its according to a recent report”. While Communications Policy & Regulation Week 2021 mission and subscribing to the principles Google will not be involved in any of scientific autonomy and freedom and decision making related to the fund, its iicom.org/events/ will support collaborative efforts to goal is “to ensure that you and your family Check website for updates debunk disinformation, amplify get the information you want, the independent fact-checking and enable answers you need and the accuracy you targeted research and innovation tools deserve”. See bit.ly/3x0D1cp IN BRIEF designed to strengthen resilience, and CYBERSECURITY President Biden signed an executive order to improve the USA’s SPECTRUM cybersecurity after a ransomware DATA attack shut down the Colonial WORLD BANK REPORT 5G LTE Pipeline, causing temporary fuel shortages and airline disruptions, World Development Report 2021: Data for The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) reports that 515 before a reputed US$5 million Better Lives, prepared by the World Bank, ransom was paid, $2.3 million of operators in 173 countries hold provides a blueprint on how to harness which was recovered. the full value of data for development, to licences enabling launch of LTE ensure no-one is left behind. The report or 5G using low-band spectrum GERMANY “surveys the emerging landscape and and that nearly 400 operators are Germany’s Federal Cartel Office provides policy makers with a framework for known to have launched LTE or 5G announced a competition thinking through the issues, opportunities, networks using low-band spectrum. investigation into Amazon to rule on whether the online marketplace has and trade-offs” on the topic of data In a snapshot of the global status of such use of spectrum below 1 had an “almost unchallenged governance, for which “many complex position of economic power”. policy questions remain unanswered”. As GHz, the GSA states that “low-band spectrum is very important for advanced economies and large emerging MEMES markets debate data, including how to expanding network coverage in all urban/suburban/rural The original copy of the iconic viral harness its potential and avoid its misuse, internet meme known as “Disaster deployment scenarios, ensuring “the perspective of lower-income countries Girl”, was sold at auction as a non- has so far been largely absent... and needs service continuity across different fungible token for 180 Ether, a to be heard”. Noting the inadequacy of geographies, enhancing service cryptocurrency amount worth nearly arrangements in lower-income countries, quality in indoor environments and US$500,000. the report calls for a new social contract for helping to close the digital divide”. data - one that enables the use and reuse of Demand for low-band spectrum by BOTSWANA data to create economic and social value, mobile operators is set to continue, Plans to implement mobile number promotes equitable opportunities to benefit including for some specific bands, portability in Botswana have been from data, and fosters citizens’ trust that they and “GSA foresees an increase in the abandoned after six years of will not be harmed by misuse of the data number of auctions of low-band development. A network readiness they provide. Acknowledging the difficulty spectrum in the coming years, assessment commissioned by the and commitment required in realising the full as well as 5G New Radio (5G NR) Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority established value of data, the report highlights the cost deployments using already assigned spectrum licences”. that it is not feasible, with small of failure in terms of missed opportunities operators instead being encouraged and greater inequities. See bit.ly/3jkYOrh See bit.ly/3zZSgV0 and to promote “over-the-top” services. bit.ly/3gX8vdM