News
On February 20, 2024, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford filed a motion to prevent Meta from providing end-to-end encryption on Messenger for users residing in the state who are under the age of eighteen. Since December 2023, Meta has made end-to-end encryption the default for all messages on Messenger. The AG has sought rapid hearing on the matter, citing the “extreme urgency” affecting the safety and well-being of minors in Nevada. Meta responded by noting the value of encryption in protecting communications and personal information.
The Supreme Court heard a pair of cases (Moody v. NetChoice, LLC and NetChoice, LLC v. Paxton) on February 26, 2024. The Court appeared skeptical of laws in Florida and Texas that regulate how large social media companies exercise their editorial discretions over content moderation. The Court’s decision would have an enormous impact on the scope of the First Amendment and the nature of speech in the internet era.
UnitedHealth, the nation’s largest insurer, was hit by a cyberattack on its unit—Change Healthcare, a division of Optum. The attack was discovered on February 21, 2024, and appeared to be a ransomware attack launched by a foreign nation-state actor. This latest attack foregrounded the vulnerability of healthcare data and private medical records, especially those of patients. The cyberattack disrupted UnitedHealth’s services with prescription drug orders and even affected the U.S. military overseas.
Canada has introduced a new bill—the Online Harms Act—that requires social media platforms to remove posts exposing children to online abuse. The Canadian Parliament needs to vote on the bill, but the proposed Act aims to create a “digital safety commission” to regulate social media companies and offer more effective means to protect children online.
President Biden issued an Executive Order on February 28, 2024, to protect the sensitive personal data of Americans. The Executive Order authorizes the Attorney General to “prevent the large-scale transfer of Americans’ personal data to countries of concern” and provides relevant safeguards. The “countries of concern” specified in the Order included China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela. Such restrictions mark the first-ever broad prohibition on the sale of digital data by the U.S. to individual countries.
Wendy’s has announced its plan to spend $20 million on more enhanced features, including dynamic pricing and digital menu boards that allow for a more flexible menu in stores. The company has further clarified that it will not use surge pricing, similar to that used by Uber, after its CEO Kirk Tanner’s comments to investors sparked commotion around the possibility of adopting this practice, which raises prices when the demand is highest.
(Compiled by Student Fellow Stephanie Shim)