Mobile internet suspended in 25 districts of Assam to prevent exam cheating Assam has reportedly suspended mobile internet in 25 districts to prevent cheating and malpractices during recruitment exams for Group III and IV government jobs. Internet services were to be suspended during examination hours, as per the decision by the chief minister conveyed to the concerned district administrations. [Read more] Government looks to regulate Big Tech’s data collection citing competition Reports say that following inter-ministerial talks on the implications for competition caused by Big Tech’s data collection practices, the government is considering a framework to govern the same. One proposal is to govern it under digital markets legislation. [Read more] Parliamentary panel wants ‘domestic alternative’ to SWIFT payments system A Parliamentary Committee on data protection has said that India needs to develop a ‘domestic alternative’ to the international SWIFT payment system, saying that citizens’ privacy is at risk while noting the high volume of cross-border transactions undertaken by Indians. [Read more] U.S. FCC head tweets on TikTok privacy risks, says China can access data Brendan Carr, the Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), tweeted a letter by U.S. House of Representatives’ Chief Administrative Office warning of cybersecurity risks of TikTok, a short video app based in China. The letter lists the kinds of personal data it claims is accessible from China. [Read more] Saudi woman PhD student sentenced to 34 years for retweeting dissenters In another instance of harsh social media and speech clampdowns in Saudi Arabia, a…
