Edited by Sarah Hesterman
https://mailchi.mp/tech-diplomacy/tech-diplomacy-news-september-12706510
Global
Tech Diplomacy News: modernizing diplomatic approaches to cybersecurity and tech
News Roundup
Top Tech Diplomacy Resources
| In this recent interview with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken for WIRED, read about how he has prioritized modernizing the State Department’s approach to cybersecurity and technology while managing U.S. diplomatic relations with China and other major powers. “Every one of our embassies around the world will have at least one person who is truly fluent in tech and digital policy. My goal is to make sure that across the entire department we have basic literacy—ideally fluency—and even, eventually, mastery. All of this to make sure that, as I said, this department is fit for purpose across the entire information and digital space,” Blinken says. In the newest episode of the Tech Diplomacy podcast, Kate Weber, Head of Governance & External Affairs at Google Quantum AI, explores the transformative potential of quantum computing, its combination with AI, security challenges, and implications for industries and daily life, drawing on her extensive experience in both tech policy and molecular biology. |
News Roundup
Global
Marietje Schaake, a former Member of the European Parliament and a Fellow at Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center and the Institute for Human-Centered AI, discusses her new book, The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley, the power of tech firms, public-private sector dynamics, regulation, and more in the first episode of the Centre for International Governance Innovation’s podcast, Policy Prompt.
CrowdStrike announced $60 million in credits for customers affected by a major computer outage last month “to remain with the company,” although this compensation only covers a fraction of the damages claimed to have been incurred.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s recent updates of their Critical Technology Tracker have revealed China is leading in 89% of critical technologies, with significant strides in quantum sensors, high-performance computing, and chip fabrication. While the U.S. maintains an edge in areas like quantum computing and medical technologies, global tech dominance is shifting, with India and South Korea also making notable gains.
Several jurisdictions, including the European Union, the U.K., and the U.S., have signed the first international legally binding treaty on AI, aiming to regulate AI systems while balancing innovation with safeguards for human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Although praised for its broad framework, some critics argue the treaty’s principles are too vague and lack enforceability.
Emrys Schoemaker argues the need for the humanitarian sector to adopt a “digital public infrastructure” approach to enhance efficiency and address growing challenges for Global Policy.
North America
Chinese government-backed hackers infiltrated U.S. internet service providers, targeting millions of users in a sophisticated intelligence-gathering campaign. The attacks, possibly linked to groups like Volt Typhoon, exploited previously unknown software flaws, raising concerns about potential disruptions to critical infrastructure amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China.
California’s legislature has passed the Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier Artificial Intelligence Models Act, mandating stringent safety measures for AI companies before training advanced models. Supporters argue the bill addresses key AI risks, while critics, like large AI companies OpenAI and Anthropic, believe it could disproportionately burden smaller developers.
A new report from research company Graphika shows Chinese influence operation Spamouflage is posing as American voters online, attempting to exacerbate divisions ahead of the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Although the campaign has generally had limited success, with most posts failing to gain traction, one TikTok video criticizing President Biden garnered 1.5 million views before being removed for violating platform policies.
There has been a surge in AI-generated misinformation and fake celebrity endorsements ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections, with posts falsely linking celebrities like Taylor Swift and Ryan Reynolds to political candidates. Researchers warn the growing trend of AI-generated images, along with weakened social media moderation, poses a significant threat to election integrity.
Speaking of election threats, U.S. officials unveiled new measures to combat Russian disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing the 2024 election, including sanctions, indictments, and domain seizures targeting Kremlin-run media and propaganda networks.
The U.S. has introduced new export controls targeting quantum computing, aerospace technology, and semiconductors to address national security concerns, part of “efforts to curb China’s technological advances,” with an emphasis on aligning with international partners to curb technological advancements in adversarial nations, Britney Nguyen reports for Quartz.
The U.S. Department of Justice and a coalition of states launched an antitrust lawsuit against Google this month, accusing the tech giant of monopolizing the online advertising technology market and harming publishers. Google is facing increasing global scrutiny over its ad tech business.
The power and value of dominant tech giants have grown immensely over the past several years, now accounting for a combined worth of over $11.8 trillion. While these companies could eventually be toppled by innovation or regulatory intervention, their investment in AI and dominance over smaller companies indicate they are more entrenched than ever, The Economist reports.
The U.S. has opted out of a digital-trade agreement involving 81 countries, primarily due to concerns over security and maintaining regulatory autonomy, a decision raising doubts about the global push to harmonize digital-trade rules.
Africa
Crypto Fest 2024, set to take place in October 10-12 in Cape Town, South Africa, will bring together global leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators in cryptocurrency in a festival-like atmosphere aiming to advance Africa’s blockchain ecosystem.
Nigerian officials are aiming to boost AI development through a Google-backed investment fund offering $6,000 each to ten startups, in the hopes AI can help address the country’s development challenges. Despite optimism around AI’s potential, critics argue Nigeria’s most pressing issues, like poverty and poor infrastructure, might hinder the effectiveness of such initiatives.
Egypt is rapidly advancing in digital transformation, fueled by the Central Bank’s Vision 2030, which emphasizes fintech growth, collaboration with traditional financial institutions, and developing a secure, efficient national payments infrastructure. With over 170 fintech startups already thriving, the country’s financial ecosystem is poised for further innovation, but sustained progress will depend on strategic partnerships to bridge the gap between startups, established banks, and global tech providers.
Tech innovations like telemedicine apps and portable diagnostic terminals are helping address Africa’s healthcare challenges by improving access to doctors and reducing overcrowding in hospitals, especially in underserved rural areas. Experts think these digital tools, which enable remote consultations and diagnostics, could significantly reduce healthcare costs and bridge the doctor-patient gap across the continent.
Tom Kinyanjui, co-founder and CEO of Neural Labs Africa, discusses the challenges facing African tech entrepreneurs with Rebecca L. Root at Devex in this interview, emphasizing a need for more support to fully realize the potential of innovations like AI-driven medical diagnostics in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation in Beijing that occurred earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared “China is ready to help Africa build green growth engines,” with Secretary-General António Guterres stating shortly after Jinping’s remarks that “the China-Africa partnership can drive the renewable energy revolution. It can be a catalyst for key transitions on food systems and digital connectivity,” Guillermo Abril reports for El País. China indicated a new economic approach at the forum, emphasizing trade and investment partnerships and shifting away from broad debt relief to focus on sustainable growth, ultimately aligning with African development goals while solidifying its influence in the region.
Asia
Nepal lifted a nine-month ban on TikTok last month after the Chinese-owned app agreed to cooperate with local law enforcement to tackle cybercrime and regulate content, following street protests from users who felt “the ban cut off a source of income and shut down a forum for free speech,” the Kathmandu bureau of Reuters reports.
China condemned the decision to add several Chinese entities to its export control list by the U.S. as “unilateral sanctions” disrupting global trade and supply chain stability, labeling the move an overreach of U.S. jurisdiction.
In mid-July, Bangladesh’s tech industry faced severe disruption as a five-day internet outage crippled operations, coinciding with massive protests and political instability that eventually led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. E-commerce and logistics companies while freelance tech workers experienced significant setbacks, losing clients and revenue. The appointment of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as interim prime minister has raised hopes within the tech sector for recovery and expansion into Western markets, Kunwar Khuldune Shahid writes for Rest of World.
China has warned of significant economic repercussions for Japan if the nation imposes further restrictions on the sale and maintenance of chip making equipment to Chinese companies, with the U.S. urging Japan to “align with possible new U.S. rules” as the move could undermine efforts to limit China’s access to advanced technology.
Last month, Iran suffered a major cyberattack targeting its banking system, and the regime quietly agreed to a 3 million USD ransom payment to prevent the release of sensitive customer data from domestic banks. The attack, attributed to a group called IRLeaks, threatened the stability of the country’s already fragile financial system, with sources indicating the attack was likely financially motivated and not linked to the U.S. or Israeli governments, which were initially hinted to being behind the attack by the nation’s supreme leader.
Internet scammers in Southeast Asia are operating vast fraud compounds where trafficked workers are forced into orchestrating romance scams, stealing billions from global victims annually. Facing threats of violence and bleak living conditions, “the victims are left financially and emotionally devastated, but so, too, are many of the workers carrying out the schemes,” Tara Siegel Bernard reports for The New York Times.
Japan wants to reclaim its status as a global tech leader by investing heavily in cutting-edge semiconductor production and its tech industry, an initiative that comes as the nation seeks to compete with China and the U.S.
Europe
Following a violent stabbing which killed three young girls in Southport, England, anti-immigrant riots erupted across the country, fueled by disinformation spread on social media platforms. Since, several individuals have been jailed for inciting violence online, sparking a broader debate about balancing free speech and public safety in the U.K. and beyond.
Russian-born billionaire and founder of the Telegram messaging app Pavel Durov was arrested in France last month, reportedly linked to allegations of insufficient moderation on Telegram. Despite Telegram defending itself by emphasizing its compliance with European regulations, Durov is under investigation for allowing illegal activities on the platform.
As European institutions transition back to work following their summer recess, Cynthia Kroet and Romane Armangau explore what to expect from EU tech policy these next few months and provide key updates and insights like the possible effects of a new U.S. presidential administration on EU-U.S. relations, AI, cyber, telecom, and more for Euronews.
Google lost an appeal against a 2.42 billion Euro antitrust fine imposed by EU regulators for using its own price comparison service to disadvantage competitors. The ruling by the EU’s top court underscores ongoing scrutiny of the tech giant, which faces additional challenges over its Android and AdSense services.
The European Union’s 2023 Digital Services Act aims to hold major tech platforms accountable for curbing disinformation, extremism, and scams, but enforcement difficulties, divergent approaches between the EU and US, and high-profile resistance to the regulation highlight why balancing free expression with platform responsibility continues to be a contentious issue.
Latin America
The International Finance Corporation and Microsoft have entered a strategic partnership to advance digital transformation in key sectors like energy, mining, and public services across Latin America and the Caribbean. The collaboration aims to drive sustainable development and boost operational efficiency through the integration of technologies like AI and cloud computing, through combining the IFC’s financial and advisory services with Microsoft’s technological expertise to enhance productivity, promote environmental sustainability, and support the region’s overall digital growth.
Claudia del Pozo and Daniela Rojas Arroyo explore why Mexico’s AI ecosystem is hindered by the absence of a cohesive national strategy, but how a growing interest from civil society, industry experts, and initiatives in key sectors like agriculture, health, and finance suggest AI could eventually play a transformative role in Mexico’s economy for The Wilson Center.
Venezuela’s digital identification systems have evolved into tools of surveillance and control, exacerbating the country’s human rights crisis and further entrenching the regime’s power: “by controlling the flow of information and resources, the regime can manipulate public opinion, suppress opposition, and consolidate its grip on authority,” Marianne Díaz Hernández writes for Tech Policy Press.
Elon Musk has made his opposition to Brazilian authorities clear, previously refusing to comply with orders to block accounts on X. Now, Starlink is defying the government’s demands to block the social media platform in Brazil, causing authorities to consider revoking Starlink’s operating license and highlighting Musk’s determination to challenge regulations he disagrees with. Legal tensions continue as this month, Brazilian Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes seized around 3.3 million USD from the accounts of Elon Musk-owned social media platform X and satellite service Starlink to recover fines owed by X. Although the accounts were later unfrozen after payments were made, experts questioned the decision to target Starlink, a separate entity from X, to acquire payment.
Oceania
Musk has been especially vocal this month against social media policies and regulations he opposes, recently labeling the Australian government as “fascists” for proposed legislation aimed at combating mis- and disinformation on social media platforms, a move that could see companies fined up to 5% of their annual revenue for failure to comply. Australian officials have dismissed his comments to defend the bill as a measure to protect citizens from harmful online content, criticizing the business mogul’s “inconsistent” stance on free speech, the Australian Associated Press and Josh Taylor write for The Guardian.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Australia’s plans to introduce new age restrictions for social media platforms, an effort framed as necessary to protect young people’s mental and physical health in the face of mounting concerns over social media’s negative impact on this demographic. However, critics, including the nation’s eSafety Commissioner, warn “restriction-based approaches may limit young people’s access to critical support” and result in them using “less regulated non-mainstream services.”
As the Pacific faces mounting challenges like climate change and the threats posed by increasing development and use of AI, Munkhtuya Altangerel, the Resident Representative at the UNDP’s Pacific Office in Fiji, is advocating for a balanced approach that blends technological innovation with cultural sensitivity to ensure digital tools support, rather than replace, the unique traditions and values of Pacific societies.
New research from New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre reveals around 1 in 3 small and medium-sized enterprises have experienced a cyberattack in the past six months, yet many businesses are still underprepared or fail to prioritize cyber security, neglecting essential practices like regular backups and software updates. “While it’s good to see some actions being taken up, the more future-oriented ones aren’t. Businesses are aware that cyber security is critical, but other concerns are taking priority,” says the Centre’s director of mission enablement, Michael Jagusch.
Australia and Japan have agreed to launch a joint Pacific digital infrastructure and cybersecurity initiative while expanding defense cooperation, in response to growing concerns over China’s regional influence.
Edited by Sarah Hesterman