1-Indian Government May Propose Age Verification Measures For Real Money Games

A regulatory framework on online gaming is likely to bring in an age-verification

mechanism and KYC (Know Your Customer) norms for real money games. The Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is nearing the completion of the
draft which may be released in two to three weeks, the report added. The framework
will be a part of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital
Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/IT
%28Intermediary%20Guidelines%20and%20Digital%20Media%20Ethics%20Code%29%20Rules%2C
%202021%20English.pdf
It is also likely that the government will propose a self-regulatory model (propped
up by self-regulatory bodies) for the gaming industry. Why it matters: The report
is of note as the Indian gaming industry has witnessed a growth spurt in the last
couple of years necessitating regulations. The regulations are a need of the hour
as reports of addiction and financial stress have shot up simultaneously. Moreover,
the absence of a uniform law has led to many states coming up with their own
policies which led to a blanket ban in states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka causing
regulatory uncertainty in the sector. A uniform law can go a long way in drawing a
balance between user protections and business clarity. Regulating online gaming: A
panel set up by the Indian government recommended earlier this year that a separate
regulatory body and framework will need to be created to govern the sector.
Read more-
https://wap.business-standard.com/article-amp/technology/online-gaming-policy-may-
mandate-age-gating-mechanism-for-real-money-games-122121800451_1.html

2-The New Principles Guiding Tech Policy And Digital Transformation In The European
Union-
The principles that will guide the European Union's (EU) "digital transformation"
have been outlined in the European Commission's new "Declaration on Digital Rights
and Principals".
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-principles
The principles outlined in the December 15th document will guide policy-makers and
companies working with new technologies in the bloc, while also shaping the EU's
international relations planks on digital transformation as well. "The rights put
forward in our Declaration are guaranteed for everybody in the EU, online as they
are offline," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "And the
digital principles enshrined in the Declaration will guide us in our work on all
new initiatives.”
The US also recently released principles that would guide its policies and
regulation of the tech sector. Documents like these can give stakeholders an idea
of the kind of principle-based approaches that may inform tech policy worldwide.
Read more -
https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-eu-declaration-digital-rights-principals-
tech-regulation-summary/

3-Meta Breached Antitrust Rules- European Commission

Meta has breached EU’s antitrust rules for benefitting its Facebook Marketplace by
“distorting competition in the markets for online classified ads”, the European
Commission said in a press release on December 19.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7728
The commission also raised concerns that “Meta is imposing unfair trading
conditions on Facebook Marketplace’s competitors for its own benefit”. Meta offers
an online classified ads service called ‘Facebook Marketplace’ allowing users to
conduct businesses on the platform. The commission accused Meta of tying Facebook
Marketplace to Facebook, which is a personal social network platform for its users.
The Commission laid out its ‘Statement of Objections’ over Meta’s practices, which
means it has formally initiated investigation into a suspected violation of EU’s
antitrust rules. Meta can be fined up to 10 percent of the company’s annual
worldwide turnover if sufficient evidence of misconduct is proved.
However Meta denied its business practices were anti-competitive.
“The claims made by the European Commission are without foundation," Meta
spokesperson Tim Lamb said in a statement.
Background-In June 2021, the European Commission had initiated formal proceedings
against Facebook Ireland Limited and its parent company Facebook Inc for a
“potential breach of EU competition rules”. The investigations were into Facebook
Marketplace’s tie up with Facebook’s social platform and a potential exploitation
of competitors’ data for online classified ads by Facebook at least since January
2015. According to the case file, initiation of proceedings was based on Article 11
(6) of the Antitrust Regulation and Article 2 (1) of its implementing Regulation.
Read more- https://m.economictimes.com/tech/technology/eu-commission-warns-meta-
over-facebook-marketplace-antitrust-breach/amp_articleshow/96359260.cms

https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-meta-antitrust-facebook-marketplace-eu-
commission/

4-Digilocker May Soon Be Pre-Installed On All Android Phones: MeitY

Google on December 19 2022 At the ‘Google for India’ event in Delhi announced a
partnership with DigiLocker, a government authorized identification storage system,
to bring local storage of government issued IDs on Android devices. Announced at
the company’s Google for India conference, the partnership is part of Google’s
artificial intelligence (AI) offerings that include on-device processing of text
and images to identify important documents, and organise them in a locally stored
‘Files’ folder.
In tandem with local organisation of documents using AI, Google’s Android operating
system will also tap into the DigiLocker application programming interface (API),
and store government issued and authorised identification documents locally on a
smartphone itself.
Abhishek Singh, president and chief executive of National e-Governance Division
(NeGD), said the application developed by the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (Meity) is today authorised to act as the equivalent of an
official document, and “very soon", DigiLocker would be available on Android
devices by default, as a pre-installed service.
Google said that its AI identification organisation system will use AI processing
capability that is located locally on every device, and not expose any sensitive
document to the Internet. The AI system will be able to identify government issued
documents such as Aadhaar and PAN, locally. There will be a pattern lock to secure
locally stored copies of identification documents.
Android has over 95% market share in the mobile operating system space. Hence,
making Digilocker available by default on Android phones can be a huge push for the
app.
Read more-https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/google-digilocker-partner-to-
bring-on-device-storing-of-government-ids/amp-11671439256341.html

https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-digilocker-inbuilt-android-meity-google/

5-IFF releases the third edition of the Connectivity Tracker

There has been no significant progress in the performance of government schemes
meant for improving access to digital communications and the internet across rural
areas of all states, finds the Internet Freedom Foundation in the third edition of
its Digital Connectivity tracker, published on December 19, 2022.
https://internetfreedom.in/third-edition-of-the-connectivity-tracker-
mapthedigitaldivide/
The report provides an overview from January 2020 to September 2022 tracking
significant changes from October 2021. The data is obtained from the Telecom
Regulatory Authority's Telecom Subscription Data and Performance Indicator Reports
of the department. Key findings from the report Wireless telephone subscribers:
IFF’s analysis shows that the number of wireless telephone subscribers decreased to
1145.45 million by the end of September 2022, from 1166.3 million in October 2021
and 1177.02 million in January 2020, with a marginal monthly growth rate of -0.27%.
Broadband subscribers: According to the report, the total number of broadband
subscribers increased to 836.86 million by the end of the second quarter of 2022
compared to 824.89 million in the first quarter of 2022. The IFF notes that this
also translated to a rise in the overall internet penetration rate, which is
defined as the number of internet subscribers per 100 population, which changed
from 60% to 60.73%. Gender gap in access to mobile and internet: The IFF notes that
while the “market conditions and Covid-induced lockdowns” between 2019 and 2020
meant more women obtained smartphones and used the internet, the proportion of
women using mobile internet remained stagnant in the following period.
Read more
https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-govt-schemes-lag-behind-internet-access-iff-
report/

6-Amazon’s Settlement With EU In Its Antitrust Cases

A settlement was reached in two antitrust cases filed by the European Commission
against Amazon, as per a press release issued on December 20, 2022.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_7777
The commitments offered by Amazon will be made legally binding under the European
Union’s (EU) antitrust rules, the release added. The commitments seek to address
competition concerns raised by the European Commission over Amazon's use of “non-
public marketplace seller data” and a possible bias in providing access to certain
sellers to its Buy Box and Prime programmes.
It is a significant development as it can set a precedent for countries which have
opened an antitrust investigation against Amazon. Many countries, including India,
have alleged that Amazon monopolises the market and favour certain sellers on its
platform. The commitments offered by the e-commerce giant, reveal the extent to
which the company is willing to go in order to settle antitrust concerns levelled
against it. It may come as a relief to Amazon as it would have to pay billions of
dollars in fines if it had been penalised following the conclusions of the EU's
investigation. What are the commitments: The commission said that it conducted a
market test from July 14, 2022, to September 9, 2022, to verify whether its
commitments would remove its competition concerns. The commission then asked the
company to make a few amendments to its commitments which were found to be
satisfactory by the commission. read more-
https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-amazon-settlement-with-eu-antirust-cases/

Amazon agrees to settle EU antitrust cases, avoiding fines - Mint

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/12/amazon-european-union-settle-long-
running-antitrust-investigation/

7-Cryptocurrencies will Cause Next Financial Crisis- RBI Governor

I would still hold the view that it (cryptocurrencies) should be prohibited…
countries have been taking different views but our view is that it should be
prohibited because if it is allowed to grow, if you try to regulate it and allow it
to grow, the next financial crisis will come from private cryptocurrencies,” the
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Shaktikanta Das said at the BFSI Insight
Summit 2022 organised by Business Standard on December 21, 2022. Das said that he
was of firm belief that cryptocurrencies have no underlying value which was the
main concern. He added that digital assets pose huge risks to India’s macroeconomic
and financial stability, arguing that the term “private cryptocurrency” was a
fashionable way of describing a “speculative activity”. Das pointed out that the
central bank does not “need” to say anything about their stance following the
developments in the last one year— including the latest one concerning FTX. He
stated that the total worth of cryptocurrencies has seen an erosion of $40 billion
after their value shrunk from $180 billion to about $140 billion. Why it matters:
The comments are significant as the RBI governor is one of the most influential
voices in matters of economic policy. The governor’s opinions are likely to
influence the Indian government which is in the process of coming up with a
regulatory framework to govern virtual digital assets. Read more-
https://www.medianama.com/2022/12/223-rbi-governor-private-crypto-next-financial-
crisis/

https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/private-cryptocurrencies-can-cause-next-
financial-crisis-if-allowed-to-grow-warns-rbi-governor/article66288658.ece/amp/

8-19 states choke TikTok on gov’t devices; feds push for nationwide restrictions
In the past two weeks, United States lawmakers have increasingly restricted access
to China-owned TikTok on government-managed devices. TikTok is one of the most
popular apps in the world. Most recently, state agencies in Louisiana and West
Virginia yesterday implemented new bans to prevent TikTok from tracking government
employees or censoring their content. that brings the total up to 19 out of 50 US
states that have “at least partially blocked access on government computers to
TikTok.”
It seems that states are taking what actions they can to protect US data, as, for
months, President Joe Biden has seemingly dragged his feet after reportedly coming
close to completing a deal with TikTok that would prevent a nationwide ban from
wrenching the popular app out of the hands of 100 million Americans. Now news
outlets report that it’s unlikely that Biden will seal that deal before the year
ends.
While Biden ponders his potential agreement, Congress seems just as ready as states
to move more aggressively against TikTok. Just today, Congress introduced a new
spending proposal that included a plan to restrict TikTok access for all federal
employees on all government devices. Last week, the Senate voted to approve a
similar ban restricting all federal employee access to the app. this week, the US
House of Representatives would have to approve that bill before passing it on to
Biden. Even more aggressively, last week, Congress also introduced bipartisan
legislation that went even further, seeking to ban TikTok for all users nationwide,
citing national security concerns.
TikTok has repeatedly issued statements saying that all these state and potential
federal bans “will do nothing to advance the national security of the United
States.”
If the federal ban restricting TikTok on government devices passes in the House,
the White House Office of Management and Budget would have 60 days to develop
standards and guidelines for federal employees impacted by the ban. Read more-
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/tiktok-bans-hit-more-us-states-security-firm-says-
most-access-blocked-globally-2022-12-19/

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/12/19-states-choke-tiktok-on-govt-devices-
feds-push-for-nationwide-restrictions/

9-Meta to pay $725 million to settle Cambridge Analytica lawsuit

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, will pay $725 million to settle a class-
action lawsuit filed in 2018. The lawsuit came in the wake of Facebook's revelation
that it had improperly shared data on 87 million users with Cambridge Analytica, a
British political consultancy tied to former President Donald Trump's election
campaign. Cambridge Analytica got its access to Facebook user data via an app
developed by a third party. While only around 270,000 Facebook account-holders used
the "This is Your Digital Life" app, the app's permissions allowed it access to
data on those users' friends. The end result was a dataset covering 87 million
users that the developer than passed on to Cambridge Analytica, in contravention of
Facebook's terms of service. The vast majority of those in the dataset had not
given the consultancy firm permission to access their data.
The unauthorized data sharing came to light in 2018. Cambridge Analytica filed for
bankruptcy in May 2018 after determining it was "no longer viable to continue
operating the business."
The lawsuit against Meta continued on, and other instances of problematic data-
sharing practices by Facebook were added to the complaint. Indeed, the lawsuit
accused Facebook of giving "numerous third parties access to their Facebook content
and information without their consent, [and alleged] that Facebook failed to
adequately monitor the third parties’ access to, and use of, that information."
Meta is admitting to no wrongdoing or illegal activity by settling the case.
Instead, the company says the $725 million agreement, which must still be approved
by a judge, is "in the best interest of our community and shareholders," said a
Meta spokesperson
Up to 280 million Facebook users, are covered by the settlement, which means that
$725 million is going to be spread awfully thin after the plaintiffs' attorneys
take their 25 percent cut.
Read more-

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/12/meta-to-pay-725-million-to-
settle-cambridge-analytica-lawsuit/

https://www.reuters.com/legal/facebook-parent-meta-pay-725-mln-settle-lawsuit-
relating-cambridge-analytica-2022-12-23/

10-Important Court schedules 2023-

The court will hear two cases that could reshape legal liability for some of the
nation’s largest technology companies. In Gonzalez v. Google, the justices will
decide whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which
generally shields tech companies from liability for content published by others,
protects these platforms when their algorithms target users and recommend someone
else’s content. The question comes to the court in a lawsuit filed by the family of
an American woman killed in an ISIS attack in Paris, alleging that Google (which
owns YouTube) aided ISIS’s recruitment through YouTube videos. And in Twitter v.
Taamneh, the justices will consider whether Twitter, Facebook, and Google can be
held liable, regardless of Section 230, for aiding and abetting international
terrorism based on a terrorist group’s use of their generally available platforms.
Here’s the full list of cases scheduled for argument in the February 2023 argument
session:
• Gonzalez v. Google (Feb. 21) – Scope of immunity for technology
companies under Section 230.
• Twitter v. Taamneh (Feb. 22) – Tech companies’ liability for aiding and
abetting terrorism.
Read more-
https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/12/court-schedules-february-arguments-on-student-
loan-relief-tech-companies-liability/

11-Croatia set for new currency and borderless travel-

More than nine years after Croatia became the European Union's newest member, the
country is on a roll to make the most of its status as the EU member in the
Balkans. Croatia is adopting the EU’s common currency, the euro, and joining the
Schengen Area, Europe's visa-free travel area, on Jan. 1. https://economy-
finance.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-06/hr_regulation_-_com_2022_281_1_en.pdf
Officials in the small nation of 4 million people predict the developments will be
remembered as one of the country's biggest achievements since it gained
independence during the breakup of Yugoslavia 31 years ago.
Adopting the euro offers economic benefits stemming from deeper financial ties with
the currency's 19 other users and with the European Central Bank. It also means
that the 340 million people who live in the current eurozone no longer will need to
exchange their euros for Croatian kuna and can enter the country known for its
stunning Adriatic coastline without stopping at border controls.
“After 10 years of membership (in the EU), we intentionally and deservedly reached
the stage where we would become the only country in history to join the Schengen
and eurozones on the same day,” Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said at a
recent business conference on the upcoming integration milestones.
“Some countries achieved the two goals one after another over a relatively short
period of time, but none achieved both on the same day,” he said, adding that the
changes "will have a transformative impact on our economy."
But not all Croats are so excited by the upcoming changes, especially the phasing
out of their outgoing currency.
Some are sentimental about the kuna, which was introduced to secure monetary
autonomy after Croatia’s split from the former Yugoslavia and a 1991-95 war. Read
more-

https://www.kentuckytoday.com/news/world/on-a-roll-croatia-set-for-new-currency-
borderless-travel/article_7361fc3d-e7b1-583a-892b-005a7f394f46.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/on-a-roll-croatia-set-for-new-currency-
borderless-travel/2022/12/22/fa807798-81db-11ed-8738-ed7217de2775_story.html

12-tech giant Google approaches NCLAT against CCI's order -

The Competition Commission in October slapped a steep penalty of ₹1,337.76 crore on
internet giant Google for abusing its dominant position in multiple markets in
relation to Android mobile devices and ordered the internet major to cease and
desist from various unfair business practices.
Google has approached the appellate tribunal NCLAT challenging the CCI's order
A Google spokesperson Said: "We have decided to appeal the CCI's decision on
Android as we believe it presents a major setback for our Indian users and
businesses who trust Android's security features, and potentially raising the cost
of mobile devices."
"We look forward to making our case in NCLAT and remain committed to users and
partners," the spokesperson added.
Android has greatly benefitted Indian users, developers, and OEMs, and powered
India's digital transformation, the company said.
Google has sought a stay, sources said, adding that the company believes that CCI
failed to appreciate strong evidence on record from OEMs, developers, and users
demonstrating that the open Android business model supports competition for the
benefit of all stakeholders, including in India specifically.
Sources asserted that Android had created more choices for everyone, and supports
thousands of successful businesses in India and around the world.
The CCI decision exposes Indian users to unprecedented security risks, and will
make Android devices in India more expensive, less functional and less safe than
they are today, sources claimed. Read more-

https://www.ptinews.com/news/business/google-approaches-nclat-against-ccis-order-
on-android/481545.html

13-Microsoft will fight U.S. over $68.7B Activision Blizzard-

Microsoft on Thursday filed a formal response to the Federal Trade Commission’s
claims that the $68.7 billion deal is an illegal acquisition that should be
stopped.
After years of avoiding the political backlash that has been directed at big tech
peers such as Amazon and Google, the software giant now appears to be on a
collision course with U.S. regulators emboldened by President Joe Biden's push to
get tough on anti-competitive behavior.
The FTC claims the merger could violate antitrust laws by suppressing competitors
to Microsoft’s Xbox game console and its growing Xbox Game Pass subscription
business. At the center of the dispute is Microsoft's rivalry with PlayStation
maker Sony to secure popular Activision Blizzard franchises like the military
shooter game Call of Duty.
Microsoft’s response to the FTC tries to downplay Xbox’s role in the industry,
describing itself as the “third-place manufacturer of gaming consoles" behind Sony
and Nintendo, and one of just many publishers of popular video games with “next to
no presence in mobile gaming,” where it is trying to make gains.
Activision Blizzard filed its own rebuttal to the FTC complaint on Thursday
criticizing what it described as the FTC's “unfounded assumption” that Microsoft
would want to withhold Call of Duty from platforms that compete with Xbox. Its CEO
Bobby Kotick said he believes the companies will prevail.
The dispute could be a difficult test case for Biden-appointed FTC Chair Lina Khan,
who has sought to strengthen enforcement of antitrust rules. The FTC voted 3-1
earlier in December to issue the complaint seeking to block the deal, with Khan and
the two other Democratic commissioners voting in favor and the sole Republican
voting against.
Read more-
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/microsoft-will-fight-us-over-687b-
activision-blizzard-deal/article66295689.ece/amp/

15-Epic Games to pay $520 million over children’s privacy and trickery charges
On Monday, the Federal Trade Commission accused the company of illegally collecting
children’s personal information, of harming young players by matching them with
strangers on Fortnite while enabling live communications and, separately, of using
manipulative techniques, called “dark patterns,” to trick millions of players into
making unintentional purchases. In a historic deal that puts the entire video game
industry on notice, Epic agreed to pay a record $520 million in fines and refunds
to settle the FTC’s accusations. The crackdown is the latest indication that the
agency is following through on pledges by Lina M. Khan, its chair, to take a more
assertive stance toward regulating the tech industry.
Epic Games said in a statement that it had instituted multiple children’s privacy
and purchasing safeguards over the years and that “the practices referenced in the
FTC’s complaints are not how Fortnite operates.”
The company’s proposed settlement agreements with the FTC involve record amounts in
two separate cases.
Epic agreed to pay $275 million to settle regulators’ accusations that it violated
a federal law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting personal
information from children younger than 13 who played Fortnite without obtaining
verifiable consent from a parent.
In addition, the company made parents “jump through hoops” to have their children’s
data deleted and sometimes failed to honor parents’ deletion requests, the agency
said in a legal complaint filed on Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern
District of North Carolina, where Epic is based.
Read more-
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/19/business/ftc-epic-games-settlement.html