8 March 2022
Russia/Ukraine conflict
Ukraine requests ICANN (non-profit, situated in the US) and crypto exchanges to block out Russia (eg. .ru domains), Domain Registrar Namecheap says Russians need to find other registrars for their domain
…Ukraine has requested that ICANN revoke top level domains and shut down DNS route servers in Moscow, St Petersburg etc – ie: obliterate Russian domains. One might be able to bypass any blocks possibly by using IP addresses, or possibly VPN, however, so many technologists say there is very little benefit. ICANN and crypto exchanges have declined to comply, though crypto accounts of particular people may be frozen.
TikTok struggles to control scams and fake news
…This includes TikTok posts of men bidding an emotional farewell to their wives in Kyiv – but sceptic users would twig that something wasn’t right – the background is sunny, when in reality Kyiv was overcast and snowy. These fake footages are being taken down, but after thousands have already watched, and virtual gifts already sent (eg digital roses sent which can be converted to Diamonds – TikTok’s currency – which can then me converted into fiat). TikTok takes 50% commission on money spent buying virtual gifts. The article says that it’s harder to moderate on TikTok compared to other platforms because the system is more opaque.
Putin signs legislation which makes fake news criminal offence carrying up to 15 years in prison – independent media outlets (BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, etc) stop broadcasting in Russia in response
…This would include describing the Russian/Ukranian conflict as invasion or war – instead of special military operations. Russians now effectively cut off from non state-run media.
Musk’s Starlink successfully delivers satellites to Ukraine
…But, he cautions that use should be circumscribed because the uplink transmissions could reveal presence and so end up becoming targets for strikes. Thank goodness for private satellite companies and foresight of Musk. He’d warned years ago that it was dangerous to rely on Russian rocket engines to launch satellites. All of SpaceX (which provides Starlink) hardware is made in the US. Which segues onto….
…Meanwhile, UK backed satellite company OneWeb taken hostage by the Russians (predictably)
…Russian state corporation Roscosmos said it will only launch OneWeb’s satellites (launch of 36 satellites had been planned on 5 March, using the Russian Soyouz rocket) if
- it can promise that it will not be used for military purposes and
- UK government, which is the primary shareholder in OneWeb, divests its stake.
Russia’s asks were rejected. The UK government have already injected $500million to pull OneWeb out of Chapter 11 (US Bankruptcy Code).
Seventy percent of OneWeb is already in orbit, but further launches are unlikely in the short term. OneWeb had been using Soyouz exclusively – it will be difficult to re-design so it can be launched by an alternative system, and also, most launchers are booked well in advance.
US space companies are also heavily reliant on Russia and alternative sourcing from home-grown companies are expedited
…as Russia says it will not sell rocket engines to the US any longer. Roscosmos head though helpfully recommended the use broomsticks. The Russians’ rocket technology has always been good albeit they lost to the US on the race to sending a man on the moon. Rocket technology and missile technology as you might expect, share common aspects.
2 American companies are worth mentioning, both rely on Russian rocket engines made by NPO Energomash:
United Launch Alliance (JV between Lockheed Martin & Boeing):
Launch provider to NASA and US Defense. It says it’s got sufficient stock of Russian engines (Called RD-180) to power its Atlas V rockets. Now developing a new rocket called the Vulcan, using engines called BE-4 made by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin.
Northrop Grumman: It uses its own rocket Antares to launch Cygnus spacecraft, which carries cargo to the International Space Station. Uses Russian engine RD-181, but doesn’t have sufficient supply like ULA. It is possible to rely on Space X’s Falcon 9 rocket in the alternative.
Conclusion: Diversification of supplies/self-reliance are key.
The International Space Station collaboration with Russia to continue
…But there have been threats that the Russians will pull out suddenly. It is currently staffed by 4 Americans, 2 Russians and 1 German. More are set to join. Thank goodness for Space X which is capable of bringing back the non-Russian astronauts – otherwise they could have been taken hostage.
Russia had said it will pull out of the ISS by 2025, last year. Both Russia and NASA input is necessary to keep ISS in the right path. ISS is significant in mass and uncontrolled fall out from the orbit would be catastrophic (and for reasons I don’t really know, it will apparently not affect Russia).
A sensible international space agreement is not likely on the horizon.
Tech companies restrict operations in Russia
…Note that they have carried out the restrictions voluntarily, not because they were legally required to do so. Such move, across the whole of the business industry, is unprecedented:
Microsoft, Apple (although App Store still functioning), Samsung, SAP, Oracle, Paypal, Spotify, Visa, Mastercard halt sale/operations. Airbnb has extended suspensions to Belarus. Google and Meta aren’t advertising in Russia. Russia has banned Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.
Many gaming companies have suspended sales in Russia. Content companies such as Netflix, Disney, Warner Bros have suspended service.
Chip makers such as Intel, Nvidia, AMD have stopped supplying chips.
Other types of companies, such as Levi’s, Nike and Ford too have suspended operations in Russia.
Latest out of the professional firms include Linklaters, KPMG and PwC.
This is an incomplete list obviously.
There are mounting calls for other western businesses to stop selling in Russia, such as McDonald’s, Coca Cola, KFC, Starbucks…
Amazon is to use its logistics prowess to get supplies to Ukraine and cybersecurity acumen to those that need it.
Ukraine to issue NFT to raise funds for its army
…What they will consist of (eg. art) is unknown. Well known Russian activist group Pussy Riot backed Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO – ie: company on a blockchain) has raised $6.6million selling Ukranian Flag NFTs.
Auto
Sony and Honda tie up with the view to catching up with Tesla
…Sony – to make the mobility platform. It also has strength in sensor technology (which enables the car to understand its environment). Platforms may be used by other EV makers, and not exclusive to Honda.
Honda – will make the car itself. Separate from the mass market model it is making, it will share some parts/ platforms with General Motors.
Ford to split into two – into EVs and Legacy (ie: Internal Combustion Engine) units
…The proposal is to make two businesses, EVs (Ford Model E) and Legacy (Ford Blue), but they will remain in the same company. This could cause issues as the profits of Ford Blue will be ploughed into R&D (especially around battery technology development) to support Ford Model E. However, to some extent, Ford Blue can benefit too by the use of technology developed in Ford Model E, such as driver-assist systems.
Rivian jacks up its electric trucks price by a whopping 20% owing to chip shortage & inflation, but then reverses gear in response to customer outrage
…All pre-orders before 1 March will be honoured at the price agreed, but reservation holders (which I assume are cancellable) did not originally benefit. Rivian did say that prices could change, but a price hike of this magnitude was not expected, and customer outrage followed. Rivian revised its plan, honouring the promises it made to all pre-orders before 1 March.
BMW and Daimler to keep competing options available on their own Apps to allow more market entrants
…Back in 2018, BMW and Daimler sought the EU Commission’s approval to combine their free-floating car-share services in Germany, BMW’s DriveNow and Daimler’s car2go, in addition to ride-hailing, parking, charging and other mobility as a service offerings. The EU Commission said that their commitments to make room for rivals for two years need to be extended in respect of certain cities which still doesn’t have the requisite level of other competing services.
BigTech
Meta’s market cap drops from nearly $900billion to about $500billion – Rejoice?
…Some commentators have said that there’s a silver lining because by being under the $600billion market cap threshold, M might duck US antitrust law which provides for increased scrutiny to covered platforms, defined as those platforms with a market cap of $600billion or more among other conditions…Some bills which are being considered in the US are the following:
Platform Competition and Opportunity Act – makes it hard for dominant platforms to acquire smaller firms
The American Choice and Innovation Online Act – prohibits platforms to preferentially treat own products over others
Act concerning Data Portability (not sure what the nickname for the act is) – enables users to switch service providers
Act concerning the prohibition of dominant platforms to own online platform and other business where it causes conflict of interest (not sure what the nickname for this act is either)
But more likely, it is reported that there will likely be some buffer built in in the market cap limitation – to account for fluctuation in the stock markets. Other conditions that need to be met are: 50 million active users or 100k business users, must be critical trading partner for a particular product/service.
Similar rules are being considered in the EU at least for the first three concepts – I am not aware of the fourth.
CRISPR
Harvard-backed Broad Institute, MIT invented CRISPR, says PTAB
…leaving the Nobel-prize winning group at University of California and University of Vienna (“CVC”) thoroughly disappointed. The decision may be appealed to the Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit. The question was who first invented CRISPR Cas9 method in eukaryotic cells. CRISPR (pronounced Crisper Cas Nine) is a groundbreaking gene editing technology with huge potential to remedy a number of serious genetic illnesses.
PTAB ruled that CVC failed to “provide sufficient, persuasive evidence of an earlier reduction to practice or conception, as they are legally defined, of each and every element of [the disputed claims] before Broad’s evidence of reduction to practice”. In contrast, Broad successfully showed that it had reduced the concept of this gene editing technology to practice in eurkaryotic cells. PTAB also rejected the claim that the wrong inventors were cited.
That doesn’t mean everything is now settled, for CVC does have other CRISPR patents in the US, including notably the use of CRISPR in all cell types (not just eukaryotic cells), and also in Europe (where CVC has been more successful in their patenting than Broad).
Data
Reddit can’t hide behind s.230 to fend off liability for hosting child pornography, says claimants in class suit
…Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of the United States generally protects websites from liability over content uploaded by users or third parties.
Claimants say that Reddit knew or should have known that they are hosting harmful content. Reddit refuses to prevent, detect and remove illegal content or ban repeat offenders who traffic child pornography, it is claimed. Claimants rely on s. 1595 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act to advance a case that Reddit have knowingly benefitted from illegal trafficking. Ninth Circuit to decide in due course.
Employee surveillance a huge issue says UK Workers’ Union
…Pandemic / remote working has increased monitoring which includes:
- Tracking emails
- Webcams
- Recording typing patterns
- Checking out calls made
Some employers are possibly breaching privacy, abuse of personal data, and possibly carrying out harassment. They could be liable if employees’ mental fitness were to deteriorate as a result. In the EU, provisions within the AI regulation may apply. GDPR includes the requirement of humans in the loop for decisions made by computer algorithms (Art 22 GDPR) which the UK is currently consulting on as it considers reforming GDPR following Brexit. This will be a delicate exercise because UK would need to have adequate protection for personal data (adequacy status) to maintain free flow of information between the UK and the EU.
US data analytics group Palentir to help reduce NHS backlog
…I suspect contracts of this nature will increase. What Palentir will do, is to look at disparate data such as number of patients waiting per clinician, operating theatre schedules, staff rosters and pre-surgical tests and compile into a single system usable by all hospital staff. Clinicians can then better prioritise urgent cases.
The mandate is a little controversial because Palentir has links to national security agencies of the US
US State Attorney Generals said that they are investigating how TikTok engages young users
…The cause of action is state consumer laws. The probe will look to see whether TikTok induces youths to use the service which put them at risk of mental or physical harm. TikTok has an under 13 service as well, which has built in additional safety and privacy protection. In the US, kids under 13 are subject to COPPA, which is Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires sites for children to seek consent from parents to collect, use and disclose personal data.
Similar probes are ongoing against Instagram – which focuses on techniques used by Meta to increase the engagement (duration and frequency) of younger users.
Software company Zywave agrees to pay $11million to settle data breach
…Zywave was claimed to have failed to act promptly and notify customers who were affected. The leaked data includes very sensitive information such as social security numbers, birthdays, driving licence details. These users were nwo exposed to identity theft and fraud, and faces “years of constant surveillance of their financial and personal records, monitoring and loss of rights” the plaintiffs had said.
Fintech
Wepay Global Payments sue Apple, Amazon, Tesla, Walmart, McDonald’s for infringing a design patent for a user interface screen in Texas and Illinois
…It concerns a design of layouts which includes animated graphic user interface, and the text $0.00 and parts of a QR Code, when carrying out financial transactions.
Incredibly there are parallel suits against PNC bank, Paypal, Samsung Electronics, JPMorgan, Bank of America
Gaming
Lobbyists raise concern about Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard purchase
…The proposed acquisition represents both horizontal tie ups (Microsoft is also games publisher as is Activision Blizzard) but also a vertical one (Microsoft sells the Xbox Consoles). In particular the lobbyists are worried about the following issues:
- Self-preferencing own games on its platform
- Data privacy and survelliance (especially as Microsoft also purports to purchase Xandr, survelliance data company)
Streaming
Disney plus channel to release ad-supported cheaper streaming service
…So what? You may think. But it presents pressure on Netflix which doesn’t have the infrastructure to offer similar service. As the competition in streaming intensifies with consumers demanding better quality for cheaper, Netflix is bound to feel the heat. Goes to show important it is to think about different business models out the outset and keeping your options open. Having said that Netflix did pioneer streaming services – the consideration of different types of services may well be all hindsight; it may have been a victim of being the pioneer. It did well expanding its client-base whilst it was the only service provider. Now it has well resourced competitors who are able to plow in the profits generated from other revenue streams such as merchandise, licensing and parks in the case of Disney. Netflix are devoid of alternative revenue streams.
Telecoms
Qualcomm update on various fingers in pies at the Mobile World Congress
…Qualcomm is quite a visionary company, so it is worth noting what it’s investing in [plus check out the sheer number of partners it has, often on similar projects]:
- With Rakuten Symphony: Next generation 5G radio unit as part of pushing cloud-native, open and software-based mobile networks with a number of open interface products [ie: to set it up for Open RAN – a more flexible way of building networks]
- RAN (Radio Access Network) automation platform with Microsoft on end to end private networks, Mavenir on radio units and deals with Fujitsu on Open RAN.
- Qualcomm chips used in Huawei spinout Honor’s phone which have features such as high res camera with optical zoom, 100W fast charging
- Wi-Fi 7 plus Bluetooth connectivity system with superfast connection speeds and ultra low latency (eg for gaming), stereosounds, recording through earbuds
- Fruitful partnership with Meta on XR (mixed reality) platforms
- Also partnership with TikTok parent Bytedance on VR hardware and software
- Laptops with super fast connectivity