Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;will remove its&nbsp;ban&nbsp;on&nbsp;internet&nbsp;phone&nbsp;calls&nbsp;on Thursday, a government spokesman said, in a bid to stimulate online business as the kingdom looks to boost non-oil revenue.

All online voice and video call services such as Microsoft&#39;s Skype and Facebook&#39;s WhatsApp that satisfy regulatory requirements will become accessible at midnight (2100 GMT), Adel Abu Hameed, spokesman for the telecoms regulator CITC said on Twitter on Wednesday.

The&nbsp;lifting of the&nbsp;ban&nbsp;could pinch&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#39;s three main telecoms operators -&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Telecom Co (STC), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) and Zain&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;- which earn substantial revenue from international phone and text&nbsp;calls&nbsp;made by the millions of expatriates living in the kingdom.

The policy reversal comes as part of the government&#39;s broad reform programme to diversify revenue sources as oil prices have hit the finances of the world&#39;s top exporter.

&quot;Digital transformation is one of the key kick-starters for the&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;economy, as it will incentivize the growth of&nbsp;internet-based businesses, especially in the media and entertainment industries,&quot; a separate statement from the information ministry said.

&quot;Access to VoIP (voice over&nbsp;internet&nbsp;protocol) will reduce operational costs and spur digital entrepreneurship &ndash; that&#39;s why it is such an important step in the Kingdom&#39;s&nbsp;internet&nbsp;regulation,&quot; it said.

The kingdom and its Gulf Arab neighbours have been concerned by the use of secure&nbsp;internet communication - which experts say is harder to monitor - especially by activists and militants.

Gulf Arab states, except the island kingdom of Bahrain, were mostly spared the &quot;Arab Spring&quot; mass protests often organised over the&nbsp;Internet&nbsp;which roiled much of the region in 2011.

They avoided the civil wars which largely followed but face deadly bombing attacks by Islamic State and militancy by fringes of their Shi&#39;ite Muslim populations they say is fuelled by Iran.

The authorities will continue to regulate the&nbsp;Internet&nbsp;in order to restrict content that violates the kingdom&#39;s laws such as extremist material, pornography and gambling sites, the information ministry added.

All online voice and video call services such as Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's WhatsApp that satisfy regulatory requirements will become accessible at midnight (2100 GMT), Adel Abu Hameed, spokesman for the telecoms regulator CITC said on Twitter on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia will remove its ban on internet phone calls on Thursday, a government spokesman said, in a bid to stimulate online business as the kingdom looks to boost non-oil revenue. All online voice and video call services such as Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's WhatsApp that satisfy regulatory requirements will become accessible at midnight (2100 GMT), Adel Abu Hameed, spokesman for the telecoms regulator CITC said on Twitter on Wednesday. The lifting of the ban could pinch Saudi Arabia's three main telecoms operators - Saudi Telecom Co (STC), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) and Zain Saudi - which earn substantial revenue from international phone and text calls made by the millions of expatriates living in the kingdom. The policy reversal comes as part of the government's broad reform programme to diversify revenue sources as oil prices have hit the finances of the world's top exporter. "Digital transformation is one of the key kick-starters for the Saudi economy, as it will incentivize the growth of internet-based businesses, especially in the media and entertainment industries," a separate statement from the information ministry said. "Access to VoIP (voice over internet protocol) will reduce operational costs and spur digital entrepreneurship – that's why it is such an important step in the Kingdom's internet regulation," it said. The kingdom and its Gulf Arab neighbours have been concerned by the use of secure internet communication - which experts say is harder to monitor - especially by activists and militants. Gulf Arab states, except the island kingdom of Bahrain, were mostly spared the "Arab Spring" mass protests often organised over the Internet which roiled much of the region in 2011. They avoided the civil wars which largely followed but face deadly bombing attacks by Islamic State and militancy by fringes of their Shi'ite Muslim populations they say is fuelled by Iran. The authorities will continue to regulate the Internet in order to restrict content that violates the kingdom's laws such as extremist material, pornography and gambling sites, the information ministry added.

Saudi Arabia set to lift ban on internet calls

Governments turned their attention to a possible new wave of cyber threats after the group that leaked US&nbsp;hacking tools used to launch the global WannaCry &quot;ransomware&quot; attack warned it would release more malicious code.

The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign, which has infected more than 3,00,000 computers worldwide since Friday, eased for second day on Tuesday, but the identity and motive of its creators remain unknown.

The attack includes elements that belong to the US&nbsp;National Security Agency and were leaked online last month.

Shadow Brokers, the group that has taken credit for that leak, threatened on Tuesday to release more recent code to enable hackers to break into the world&#39;s most widely used computers, software and phones.

A blog post written by the group promised from June to release tools every month to anyone willing to pay for access to some of the tech world&#39;s biggest commercial secrets.

It also threatened to dump data from banks using the SWIFT international money transfer network and from Russian, Chinese, Iranian or North Korean nuclear and missile programs. &quot;More details in June,&quot; it promised.

The spread of the WannaCry attack - which encrypts a user&#39;s data and demands a &quot;ransom&quot; be paid electronically to free it up again - slowed to a trickle on Tuesday, with few, isolated examples being reported.

In Canada, the Universite de Montreal was hit, with 120 of the French-language university&rsquo;s 8,300 computers affected, according to a university spokeswoman.

There were no new, major incidents in the United States. Fewer than 10 US&nbsp;organisations have reported attacks to the Department of Homeland Security since Friday, a US&nbsp;official told reporters on Tuesday.

The attack has caused most damage in Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and India, according to Czech security firm Avast.

The United States likely avoided greater harm as the attack targeted older versions of Microsoft&#39;s Windows operating system, and more US&nbsp;users have licensed, up-to-date, patched versions of the software, compared to other regions of the world.

The Department of Homeland Security began an &quot;aggressive awareness campaign&quot; to alert the tech industry to the importance of installing the patch that Microsoft issued in March that protected users from the vulnerability exploited by the attack, a US&nbsp;official working on the attack told Reuters.

Microsoft said on Tuesday it was aware of Shadow Brokers&#39; most recent claim and that its security teams monitor potential threats in order to &quot;help us prioritise and take appropriate action.&quot;

Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said earlier this week the WannaCry attack used elements stolen from the NSA. The US&nbsp;government has not commented directly on the matter.

North Korea link probed

Cyber security researchers around the world have said they have found evidence that could link North Korea with the WannaCry cyber attack.

A researcher from South Korea&#39;s Hauri Labs said on Tuesday their own findings matched those of Symantecand Kaspersky, who said on Monday that some code in an earlier version of the WannaCry software had also appeared in programs used by the Lazarus Group, identified by some researchers as a North Korea-run hacking operation.

&quot;It is similar to North Korea&#39;s backdoor malicious codes,&quot; said Simon Choi, a senior researcher with Hauri who has done extensive research into North Korea&#39;s hacking capabilities and advises South Korean police and National Intelligence Service.

Both Symantec and Kaspersky said it was too early to tell whether North Korea was involved in the attacks, based on the evidence that was published on Twitter by Google security researcher Neel Mehta.

FireEye, another large cyber security firm, said it was also investigating, but it was cautious about drawing a link to North Korea.

&quot;The similarities we see between malware linked to that group and WannaCry are not unique enough to be strongly suggestive of a common operator,&quot; FireEye researcher John Miller said.

US&nbsp;and European security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that it was too early to say who might be behind the attacks, but they did not rule out North Korea as a suspect.

The Lazarus hackers, acting for impoverished North Korea, have been more brazen in their pursuit of financial gain than others, and have been blamed for the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, according to some cyber security firms. The United States accused it of being behind a cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014.

North Korea has denied being behind the Sony and banking attacks. North Korean officials were not immediately available for comment and its state media has been quiet about the matter.

No information to share

In China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information to share, when asked about the origin of the attack and whether North Korea might be connected.

Several Asian countries have been affected by the malware, although the impact has not been as widespread as some had feared.

In Malaysia, cyber security firm LE Global Services said it identified 12 cases so far, including a large government-linked corporation, a government-linked investment firm and an insurance company. It did not name any of the entities.

&quot;We may not see the real picture yet, as companies are not mandated to disclose security breaches to authorities in Malaysia,&quot; said LE Global CEO Fong Choong Fook.

&quot;The real situation may be serious. In one of the cases, the attack was traced back to early April.&quot;

Vietnam&#39;s state media said on Tuesday more than 200 computers had been affected, but one of the country&#39;s leading anti virus companies, Bkav, later put the figure at 1,900.

Taiwan Power said that nearly 800 of its computers were affected, although these were used for administration, not for systems involved in electricity generation.

(Reuters)

The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign has infected more than 300,000 computers worldwide

Governments turned their attention to a possible new wave of cyber threats after the group that leaked US hacking tools used to launch the global WannaCry "ransomware" attack warned it would release more malicious code. The fast-spreading cyber extortion campaign, which has infected more than 3,00,000 computers worldwide since Friday, eased for second day on Tuesday, but the identity and motive of its creators remain unknown. The attack includes elements that belong to the US National Security Agency and were leaked online last month. Shadow Brokers, the group that has taken credit for that leak, threatened on Tuesday to release more recent code to enable hackers to break into the world's most widely used computers, software and phones. A blog post written by the group promised from June to release tools every month to anyone willing to pay for access to some of the tech world's biggest commercial secrets. It also threatened to dump data from banks using the SWIFT international money transfer network and from Russian, Chinese, Iranian or North Korean nuclear and missile programs. "More details in June," it promised. The spread of the WannaCry attack - which encrypts a user's data and demands a "ransom" be paid electronically to free it up again - slowed to a trickle on Tuesday, with few, isolated examples being reported. In Canada, the Universite de Montreal was hit, with 120 of the French-language university’s 8,300 computers affected, according to a university spokeswoman. There were no new, major incidents in the United States. Fewer than 10 US organisations have reported attacks to the Department of Homeland Security since Friday, a US official told reporters on Tuesday. The attack has caused most damage in Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine and India, according to Czech security firm Avast. The United States likely avoided greater harm as the attack targeted older versions of Microsoft's Windows operating system, and more US users have licensed, up-to-date, patched versions of the software, compared to other regions of the world. The Department of Homeland Security began an "aggressive awareness campaign" to alert the tech industry to the importance of installing the patch that Microsoft issued in March that protected users from the vulnerability exploited by the attack, a US official working on the attack told Reuters. Microsoft said on Tuesday it was aware of Shadow Brokers' most recent claim and that its security teams monitor potential threats in order to "help us prioritise and take appropriate action." Microsoft President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith said earlier this week the WannaCry attack used elements stolen from the NSA. The US government has not commented directly on the matter. North Korea link probed Cyber security researchers around the world have said they have found evidence that could link North Korea with the WannaCry cyber attack. A researcher from South Korea's Hauri Labs said on Tuesday their own findings matched those of Symantecand Kaspersky, who said on Monday that some code in an earlier version of the WannaCry software had also appeared in programs used by the Lazarus Group, identified by some researchers as a North Korea-run hacking operation. "It is similar to North Korea's backdoor malicious codes," said Simon Choi, a senior researcher with Hauri who has done extensive research into North Korea's hacking capabilities and advises South Korean police and National Intelligence Service. Both Symantec and Kaspersky said it was too early to tell whether North Korea was involved in the attacks, based on the evidence that was published on Twitter by Google security researcher Neel Mehta. FireEye, another large cyber security firm, said it was also investigating, but it was cautious about drawing a link to North Korea. "The similarities we see between malware linked to that group and WannaCry are not unique enough to be strongly suggestive of a common operator," FireEye researcher John Miller said. US and European security officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity that it was too early to say who might be behind the attacks, but they did not rule out North Korea as a suspect. The Lazarus hackers, acting for impoverished North Korea, have been more brazen in their pursuit of financial gain than others, and have been blamed for the theft of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank, according to some cyber security firms. The United States accused it of being behind a cyber attack on Sony Pictures in 2014. North Korea has denied being behind the Sony and banking attacks. North Korean officials were not immediately available for comment and its state media has been quiet about the matter. No information to share In China, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she had no information to share, when asked about the origin of the attack and whether North Korea might be connected. Several Asian countries have been affected by the malware, although the impact has not been as widespread as some had feared. In Malaysia, cyber security firm LE Global Services said it identified 12 cases so far, including a large government-linked corporation, a government-linked investment firm and an insurance company. It did not name any of the entities. "We may not see the real picture yet, as companies are not mandated to disclose security breaches to authorities in Malaysia," said LE Global CEO Fong Choong Fook. "The real situation may be serious. In one of the cases, the attack was traced back to early April." Vietnam's state media said on Tuesday more than 200 computers had been affected, but one of the country's leading anti virus companies, Bkav, later put the figure at 1,900. Taiwan Power said that nearly 800 of its computers were affected, although these were used for administration, not for systems involved in electricity generation. (Reuters)

WannaCry: Cyber attack eases, but hacking group threatens to sell code

Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac announced Friday that free internet connections will be provided to 20 lakh poor families, to&nbsp;others at subsidised rates.

Calling it a decisive step towards eliminating the digital divide, Issac said, &ldquo;Kerala is poised to become one of the rare regimes where internet facility will be the right of a citizen. This will provide hindrance-free access to government and non-government services including educational, health, social welfare and entertainment.&rdquo;

&ldquo;It is estimated that by 2017-18 almost all government transactions will become IT-based. Thus, the right for basic internet facility will become a prerequisite for providing civic services universally through electronic medium,&rdquo; he added.

HIs comments were made during his budget 2017-18 speech.&nbsp;

Issac said internet would be provided to every citizen via a fibre-optic network called K Phone.

The K phone network will be similar to the KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) network.

&ldquo;Within 18 months, the internet gateway would be set up through the K phone network at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore,&quot; the former economist said.

The state government also plans to set up wi-fi transmission centres at Akshaya Centres, Friends Janasevana Kendras, government offices, libraries, and public places.

(WION)

Free connections will be given to 20 lakh poor families, to others at subsidised rates

Kerala finance minister Thomas Issac announced Friday that free internet connections will be provided to 20 lakh poor families, to others at subsidised rates. Calling it a decisive step towards eliminating the digital divide, Issac said, “Kerala is poised to become one of the rare regimes where internet facility will be the right of a citizen. This will provide hindrance-free access to government and non-government services including educational, health, social welfare and entertainment.” “It is estimated that by 2017-18 almost all government transactions will become IT-based. Thus, the right for basic internet facility will become a prerequisite for providing civic services universally through electronic medium,” he added. HIs comments were made during his budget 2017-18 speech. Issac said internet would be provided to every citizen via a fibre-optic network called K Phone. The K phone network will be similar to the KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) network. “Within 18 months, the internet gateway would be set up through the K phone network at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore," the former economist said. The state government also plans to set up wi-fi transmission centres at Akshaya Centres, Friends Janasevana Kendras, government offices, libraries, and public places. (WION)

Kerala says internet is a right, will provide connections to everybody

With online accounts containing a plethora of personal, financial, confidential and other sensitive details, it becomes imperative to protect them from hackers and keep them secure. Many of you would agree to it, but are you doing anything to beef up your online security?

Now before you start to scratch your head wondering what all can be done to keep your online accounts safe, we suggest you to hang on. Because we have some help to offer.

We bring you 5 simple tips that can help you protect your online accounts against hacks, password thefts and other cyber attacks.

1. Don&rsquo;t use the same password for multiple accounts: A lot of people go on to keep the same password for their multiple accounts so that they don&rsquo;t forget them - or for that matter, just to save themselves from getting confused among multiple passwords. But we highly recommend you to not use the same password for your Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Instagram and other online accounts. Because once that password gets compromised, it will expose all your online accounts to hacking and other cyber crimes. And you can think of all the damage that it can then cause to your digital life.

2. Create strong passwords: Accounts with weak passwords (like the ones with your name or birth date) are more prone to hacking. And therefore, it is advisable to have strong passwords for your online accounts. If you are wondering how to create strong passwords, here is a two-step guide. Firstly, always have a long password. And secondly, use a combination of letters, upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols like hash or the exclamation mark.

For instance, instead of simply choosing &ldquo;mysecurity12&rdquo;, keep something like this - MyS3cur!ty12.

If you compare the two, both passwords have the same number of letters, but you can see the difference in how the two have been framed. Indisputably, the one with the combination of letters, numbers and other characters is stronger than the other. And this reduces chances of your online accounts from getting hacked.

3. Opt for two-step verification: We don&rsquo;t intend to scare you, but let us warn you that it&rsquo;s easier than you think for someone to hack your password. But if you have enabled the two-step verification for your online accounts, you are in a much safer territory. Remember, that annoying page that sometimes pops up when you log in to your Gmail account and you just press skip and move on? Well, that&rsquo;s Google&rsquo;s way of reminding you to doubly secure your account. So remember this the next time you think of pressing that skip button.
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But how does this help? So if a bad guy has stolen your password, he would still need to cross that second layer of security to hack into your account. And for that he would need your phone.

So it goes like this. The two-step verification process not only requires your password, but it also asks the user to enter a unique code sent to the registered phone if he logs into your account from a new machine. So the hacker may have your password, but it is unlikely for him to have ready access to your phone.

4. Change your passwords regularly: It&rsquo;s a good practice to change your passwords at frequent intervals. Because you never know when your account details start to circulate among hackers. But by changing your passwords regularly, you can save yourself from prospective damages.

If you&#39;re too lazy to regularly change passwords for all of your accounts, at least do that for your major accounts that contain sensitive information&nbsp; like your personal emails, or for that matter, your social networks.

And to help you manage and remember new passwords every now and then, a wide range of password managers are available online. They not only save you from remembering so many passwords, but also do the job for you every time you log in to an account. 
 
5. Avoid linking accounts: Many of us often find it convenient to log in to a service using our existing Facebook or Google account, but we suggest you to drop this habit. Because by doing so, you link your different accounts. So it means if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, he can easily access your other linked accounts. So avoid linking your accounts whenever and wherever possible. In fact, it&rsquo;s a good practice to always sign up for a new service. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

With online accounts containing a lot of personal, financial, and other sensitive details, it is imperative to protect them from hackers

With online accounts containing a plethora of personal, financial, confidential and other sensitive details, it becomes imperative to protect them from hackers and keep them secure. Many of you would agree to it, but are you doing anything to beef up your online security? Now before you start to scratch your head wondering what all can be done to keep your online accounts safe, we suggest you to hang on. Because we have some help to offer. We bring you 5 simple tips that can help you protect your online accounts against hacks, password thefts and other cyber attacks. 1. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts: A lot of people go on to keep the same password for their multiple accounts so that they don’t forget them - or for that matter, just to save themselves from getting confused among multiple passwords. But we highly recommend you to not use the same password for your Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Instagram and other online accounts. Because once that password gets compromised, it will expose all your online accounts to hacking and other cyber crimes. And you can think of all the damage that it can then cause to your digital life. 2. Create strong passwords: Accounts with weak passwords (like the ones with your name or birth date) are more prone to hacking. And therefore, it is advisable to have strong passwords for your online accounts. If you are wondering how to create strong passwords, here is a two-step guide. Firstly, always have a long password. And secondly, use a combination of letters, upper case, lower case, numbers and symbols like hash or the exclamation mark. For instance, instead of simply choosing “mysecurity12”, keep something like this - MyS3cur!ty12. If you compare the two, both passwords have the same number of letters, but you can see the difference in how the two have been framed. Indisputably, the one with the combination of letters, numbers and other characters is stronger than the other. And this reduces chances of your online accounts from getting hacked. 3. Opt for two-step verification: We don’t intend to scare you, but let us warn you that it’s easier than you think for someone to hack your password. But if you have enabled the two-step verification for your online accounts, you are in a much safer territory. Remember, that annoying page that sometimes pops up when you log in to your Gmail account and you just press skip and move on? Well, that’s Google’s way of reminding you to doubly secure your account. So remember this the next time you think of pressing that skip button. But how does this help? So if a bad guy has stolen your password, he would still need to cross that second layer of security to hack into your account. And for that he would need your phone. So it goes like this. The two-step verification process not only requires your password, but it also asks the user to enter a unique code sent to the registered phone if he logs into your account from a new machine. So the hacker may have your password, but it is unlikely for him to have ready access to your phone. 4. Change your passwords regularly: It’s a good practice to change your passwords at frequent intervals. Because you never know when your account details start to circulate among hackers. But by changing your passwords regularly, you can save yourself from prospective damages. If you're too lazy to regularly change passwords for all of your accounts, at least do that for your major accounts that contain sensitive information like your personal emails, or for that matter, your social networks. And to help you manage and remember new passwords every now and then, a wide range of password managers are available online. They not only save you from remembering so many passwords, but also do the job for you every time you log in to an account. 5. Avoid linking accounts: Many of us often find it convenient to log in to a service using our existing Facebook or Google account, but we suggest you to drop this habit. Because by doing so, you link your different accounts. So it means if a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, he can easily access your other linked accounts. So avoid linking your accounts whenever and wherever possible. In fact, it’s a good practice to always sign up for a new service.

5 simple tips to protect your Gmail, Facebook and other online accounts

Alphabet&#39;s Google is facing a tougher regulatory landscape as US President-elect Donald Trump&#39;s incoming administration looks poised to reverse Obama administration policies that often favoured the internet giant in the company&#39;s battles with telecoms and cable heavyweights, analysts say.

Google had close ties with outgoing Democratic President Barack Obama&#39;s administration, and its employees donated much more to defeated Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton than to the Republican Trump.

In the most concrete sign yet that the tech policy balance may be tipping in favour of telecom firms ahead of Trump&#39;s presidency, the US Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday halted action on contentious regulatory reform measures opposed by companies such as AT&amp;T and CenturyLink.

In addition, the commission is now expected to reject FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler&#39;s high-profile proposal to open up the $20 billion market for rented pay-TV set-top boxes, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. That measure would have dealt a big blow to cable companies and created an opening for firms such as Google and Apple.

Obama had thrown his support behind the initiative, a move AT&amp;T decried as an improper intervention on behalf of what it called a &quot;Google proposal.&quot;

&quot;Google has been much more actively involved in this than Apple has,&quot; said Jan Dawson, analyst at Jackdaw Research. &quot;I&#39;m not sure it&#39;s critical to Google&#39;s business at all that it be allowed to provide these next generation set-top boxes, but there was a business opportunity there.&quot;

Cable companies have expressed concerns that rivals like Google or Apple could create devices or apps and insert their own content or advertising in cable content.

The FCC&#39;s moves came a day after Republican lawmakers urged Wheeler, a Democrat, to avoid any contested regulations in the waning days of the Obama administration, saying new rules would be subject to review by the incoming Republican-led Congress and Trump&#39;s administration and &quot;could create confusion if reversed.&quot;

&quot;The question is how far will the pendulum swing back&quot; in favour of telecom companies, said Hal Singer, senior fellow at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy. &quot;It has swung in Google&#39;s direction under the FCC and Chairman Wheeler.&quot; Among other regulations, Trump&#39;s Nov. 8 election has increased the chances that Obama&#39;s net neutrality rules, adopted by the FCC in early 2015, could be rolled back, analysts said.

Most Republicans strongly oppose net neutrality, which requires internet service providers to treat all data equally and bars them from obstructing or slowing down consumer access to web content. The rules were a victory for internet firms like Google and Netflix that have advocated an open internet.

Jimmy Schaeffler, telecom industry consultant at the Carmel Group, said that &quot;the bottom line is that things will change and there will be less optimism among and fewer opportunities&quot; for companies like Google that do not own the internet networks.

&quot;That&#39;s going to impede their success and those that rely on what they do,&quot; Schaeffler added.

Republicans in Congress or at a Republican-controlled FCC under a Trump administration could also pare back new privacy rules adopted in October that subject internet service providers to stricter rules than those faced by Google and other websites.

Since Trump&#39;s victory, Alphabet shares have fallen 2.4 percent, Netflix shares have dropped 5.9 per cent and Amazon shares are down 2 per cent. AT&amp;T and Verizon Communications shares have been relatively unchanged, while Comcast shares have soared 7.7 per cent.

Google did not respond to requests for comment.

Extensive ties

During Obama&#39;s presidency, more than 250 people moved between jobs at Google or related firms and the federal government, national political campaigns and Congress, according to a report this year by the Campaign for Accountability watchdog group&#39;s Google Transparency Project.

Eric Schmidt, Alphabet&#39;s executive chairman, was seen at Clinton&#39;s Election Night party wearing a staff badge in a widely circulated photo.

In the stolen and leaked emails of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta disclosed by WikiLeaks, an adviser wrote a memo to Clinton in 2014 that said &quot;working relationships with Google, Facebook, Apple, and other technology companies were important to us in 2012 and should be even more important to you in 2016, given their still-ascendent positions in the culture.&quot;

&quot;We have begun having discreet conversations with some of these companies to get a sense of their priorities for the coming cycle,&quot; the adviser wrote.

Telecoms and cable companies have accused Wheeler of favouring Google at the expense of cable companies. Responding to the criticism, Wheeler said in May: &quot;I hear that allegation, and I scratch my head. I don&#39;t get that charge.&quot;

&quot;Certainly the sort of cosy relationship that Google enjoyed with the Obama administration is not going to continue with Trump,&quot; Jackdaw Research&#39;s Dawson added.

Some analysts and former Google lobbyists noted that the company similarly faced a set of challenging regulatory dynamics when it opened its Washington office in 2005, with Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress and the young tech firm widely perceived to have a liberal bent.

&quot;They have a tailwind (in the Obama administration), and that does end now,&quot; a former Google employee at the company&#39;s Washington office said. &quot;But I think in the long run Google is going to be just fine in Washington. In many ways, its whole operation was built just for moments like this.&quot;

(Reuters)

Google had close ties with outgoing Democratic President Barack Obama's administration

Alphabet's Google is facing a tougher regulatory landscape as US President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration looks poised to reverse Obama administration policies that often favoured the internet giant in the company's battles with telecoms and cable heavyweights, analysts say. Google had close ties with outgoing Democratic President Barack Obama's administration, and its employees donated much more to defeated Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton than to the Republican Trump. In the most concrete sign yet that the tech policy balance may be tipping in favour of telecom firms ahead of Trump's presidency, the US Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday halted action on contentious regulatory reform measures opposed by companies such as AT&T and CenturyLink. In addition, the commission is now expected to reject FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's high-profile proposal to open up the $20 billion market for rented pay-TV set-top boxes, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. That measure would have dealt a big blow to cable companies and created an opening for firms such as Google and Apple. Obama had thrown his support behind the initiative, a move AT&T decried as an improper intervention on behalf of what it called a "Google proposal." "Google has been much more actively involved in this than Apple has," said Jan Dawson, analyst at Jackdaw Research. "I'm not sure it's critical to Google's business at all that it be allowed to provide these next generation set-top boxes, but there was a business opportunity there." Cable companies have expressed concerns that rivals like Google or Apple could create devices or apps and insert their own content or advertising in cable content. The FCC's moves came a day after Republican lawmakers urged Wheeler, a Democrat, to avoid any contested regulations in the waning days of the Obama administration, saying new rules would be subject to review by the incoming Republican-led Congress and Trump's administration and "could create confusion if reversed." "The question is how far will the pendulum swing back" in favour of telecom companies, said Hal Singer, senior fellow at the George Washington Institute of Public Policy. "It has swung in Google's direction under the FCC and Chairman Wheeler." Among other regulations, Trump's Nov. 8 election has increased the chances that Obama's net neutrality rules, adopted by the FCC in early 2015, could be rolled back, analysts said. Most Republicans strongly oppose net neutrality, which requires internet service providers to treat all data equally and bars them from obstructing or slowing down consumer access to web content. The rules were a victory for internet firms like Google and Netflix that have advocated an open internet. Jimmy Schaeffler, telecom industry consultant at the Carmel Group, said that "the bottom line is that things will change and there will be less optimism among and fewer opportunities" for companies like Google that do not own the internet networks. "That's going to impede their success and those that rely on what they do," Schaeffler added. Republicans in Congress or at a Republican-controlled FCC under a Trump administration could also pare back new privacy rules adopted in October that subject internet service providers to stricter rules than those faced by Google and other websites. Since Trump's victory, Alphabet shares have fallen 2.4 percent, Netflix shares have dropped 5.9 per cent and Amazon shares are down 2 per cent. AT&T and Verizon Communications shares have been relatively unchanged, while Comcast shares have soared 7.7 per cent. Google did not respond to requests for comment. Extensive ties During Obama's presidency, more than 250 people moved between jobs at Google or related firms and the federal government, national political campaigns and Congress, according to a report this year by the Campaign for Accountability watchdog group's Google Transparency Project. Eric Schmidt, Alphabet's executive chairman, was seen at Clinton's Election Night party wearing a staff badge in a widely circulated photo. In the stolen and leaked emails of Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta disclosed by WikiLeaks, an adviser wrote a memo to Clinton in 2014 that said "working relationships with Google, Facebook, Apple, and other technology companies were important to us in 2012 and should be even more important to you in 2016, given their still-ascendent positions in the culture." "We have begun having discreet conversations with some of these companies to get a sense of their priorities for the coming cycle," the adviser wrote. Telecoms and cable companies have accused Wheeler of favouring Google at the expense of cable companies. Responding to the criticism, Wheeler said in May: "I hear that allegation, and I scratch my head. I don't get that charge." "Certainly the sort of cosy relationship that Google enjoyed with the Obama administration is not going to continue with Trump," Jackdaw Research's Dawson added. Some analysts and former Google lobbyists noted that the company similarly faced a set of challenging regulatory dynamics when it opened its Washington office in 2005, with Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress and the young tech firm widely perceived to have a liberal bent. "They have a tailwind (in the Obama administration), and that does end now," a former Google employee at the company's Washington office said. "But I think in the long run Google is going to be just fine in Washington. In many ways, its whole operation was built just for moments like this." (Reuters)

Google may face policy setbacks under Trump

In the wake of a blogger getting arrested for mocking Islam on Facebook in India, here is a list of some active netizens around the world who came at the crossroads with law of their country:&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Asif Mohiuddin</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/asif-20160921071630.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Blogger Asif Mohiuddin
</div>
The 29-year-old blogger from Bangladesh was arrested on charges of defaming Islam. As part of a police crackdown on elements that use religion as a violence-incitement tool, &nbsp;Asif was arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiment through his writings on blogs and Facebook. Several others have been detained under the same law in the country.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Ismail &lsquo;Hilath&rsquo; Rasheed</li>
</ul>
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_hkg7553039-20160921072542.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Ismail &lsquo;Hilath&rsquo; Rasheed from Maldives
</div>
The blogger from Maldives was arrested for his involvement in a silent protest for religious tolerance. The protest took an ugly turn where several individuals attacked the group with stones and Rasheed was rushed to the hospital. 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Raif Badawi</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_arp4358158-20160921073013.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Ensaf Haidar holds a picture of her husband Raif Badawi after accepting the European Parliament&#39;s Sakharov Human Rights Prize on behalf of her husband
</div>
The blogger from Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up a website that championed free speech in the kingdom. His blog was subsequently shut down after his arrest.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Avijit Roy</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_del6397707-20160921073410.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
A Bangladeshi social activist pays his last respects to slain US blogger of Bangladeshi origin, Avijit Roy
</div>
The US blogger of Bangladeshi origin was hacked to death by a mob in Bangladesh for his controversial writings on religion and science. Before the incident, he had been getting several death threats from Islamists.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Ruslan Kotsaba</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/ruslan-20160921073930.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Ruslan Kotsaba from Ukraine
</div>
The Ukrainian blogger has been detained since February 2015 on charges of treason and obstructing the work of armed forces in Ukraine.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Tran Huynh Duy Thuc</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_par3002035-20160921074154.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Blogger Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, stands during his trial at Ho Chi Minh City People&#39;s Court House
</div>
Tran is a Vietnamese blogger who is currently serving a 16 year prison sentence for promoting anti-Socialist, anti-government propaganda and undertaking activities &lsquo;aimed at subverting the people&rsquo;s government&rsquo;. &nbsp;He is jailed, along with three other activists, after a trial lasting one day.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;
<ul>
	<li>Yang Kaiheng</li>
</ul>
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/000_8k1lt-20160921074616.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Ai Takagi and her husband Yang Kaiheng arrive at the court in Singapore
</div>
The 27-year-old blogger from Singapore ran a website called The Real Singapore, a site that was getting about 13 million views a month and was generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue. The government ordered a shutdown and arrested the blogger for provoking hatred against foreigners in Singapore and &#39;milking that hatred for profit&#39;.&nbsp; 
 
Curbing of freedom of expression for bloggers has become an issue globally.&nbsp;Let us know your views on this.&nbsp; 
 
 
(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

Freedom of expression is not so 'free' and these writers paid for it

In the wake of a blogger getting arrested for mocking Islam on Facebook in India, here is a list of some active netizens around the world who came at the crossroads with law of their country: Asif Mohiuddin Blogger Asif Mohiuddin The 29-year-old blogger from Bangladesh was arrested on charges of defaming Islam. As part of a police crackdown on elements that use religion as a violence-incitement tool, Asif was arrested on charges of hurting religious sentiment through his writings on blogs and Facebook. Several others have been detained under the same law in the country. Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed from Maldives The blogger from Maldives was arrested for his involvement in a silent protest for religious tolerance. The protest took an ugly turn where several individuals attacked the group with stones and Rasheed was rushed to the hospital. Raif Badawi Ensaf Haidar holds a picture of her husband Raif Badawi after accepting the European Parliament's Sakharov Human Rights Prize on behalf of her husband The blogger from Saudi Arabia was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up a website that championed free speech in the kingdom. His blog was subsequently shut down after his arrest. Avijit Roy A Bangladeshi social activist pays his last respects to slain US blogger of Bangladeshi origin, Avijit Roy The US blogger of Bangladeshi origin was hacked to death by a mob in Bangladesh for his controversial writings on religion and science. Before the incident, he had been getting several death threats from Islamists. Ruslan Kotsaba Ruslan Kotsaba from Ukraine The Ukrainian blogger has been detained since February 2015 on charges of treason and obstructing the work of armed forces in Ukraine. Tran Huynh Duy Thuc Blogger Tran Huynh Duy Thuc, stands during his trial at Ho Chi Minh City People's Court House Tran is a Vietnamese blogger who is currently serving a 16 year prison sentence for promoting anti-Socialist, anti-government propaganda and undertaking activities ‘aimed at subverting the people’s government’. He is jailed, along with three other activists, after a trial lasting one day. Yang Kaiheng Ai Takagi and her husband Yang Kaiheng arrive at the court in Singapore The 27-year-old blogger from Singapore ran a website called The Real Singapore, a site that was getting about 13 million views a month and was generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising revenue. The government ordered a shutdown and arrested the blogger for provoking hatred against foreigners in Singapore and 'milking that hatred for profit'. Curbing of freedom of expression for bloggers has become an issue globally. Let us know your views on this. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

7 international bloggers who got arrested for crossing the line

Italy&#39;s data privacy regulator said today that Alphabet Inc&#39;s Google had met its requests to change the way it treats and stores user data to bring practices into line with Italian rules. 
 
Two years ago, the watchdog told Google its disclosure to users on how their data was being treated was inadequate, giving it 18 months to comply fully and indicating a series of measures that needed to be carried out. 
 
The move was one of several privacy challenges against the US Internet giant in the European Union (EU), highlighting the bloc&#39;s desire to ensure its citizens data is treated according to EU law, even when held in foreign jurisdictions. 
 
In a note, the watchdog said it was pleased with the agreement but added the monitoring of Google would continue. 
 
&quot;We will continue with checks, in tandem also with other European regulators, so that users data are increasingly protected and their rights recognised by web giants,&quot; watchdog president Antonello Soro said. 
 
Under the changes agreed, Google will have to make clear to users how their data is used and will not be allowed to use data to profile users without their prior consent. Users will be able to withhold or grant partial consent. 
 
Google will also need to improve how it stores data and guarantee its deletion within a specified timeframe. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re pleased that the Garante (watchdog) has acknowledged the steps we have taken to ensure compliance with Italian law and improve user control,&quot; a Google spokesperson said. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Two years ago, Italy's data privacy regulator told Google that its disclosure to users on how their data was being treated was inadequate

Italy's data privacy regulator said today that Alphabet Inc's Google had met its requests to change the way it treats and stores user data to bring practices into line with Italian rules. Two years ago, the watchdog told Google its disclosure to users on how their data was being treated was inadequate, giving it 18 months to comply fully and indicating a series of measures that needed to be carried out. The move was one of several privacy challenges against the US Internet giant in the European Union (EU), highlighting the bloc's desire to ensure its citizens data is treated according to EU law, even when held in foreign jurisdictions. In a note, the watchdog said it was pleased with the agreement but added the monitoring of Google would continue. "We will continue with checks, in tandem also with other European regulators, so that users data are increasingly protected and their rights recognised by web giants," watchdog president Antonello Soro said. Under the changes agreed, Google will have to make clear to users how their data is used and will not be allowed to use data to profile users without their prior consent. Users will be able to withhold or grant partial consent. Google will also need to improve how it stores data and guarantee its deletion within a specified timeframe. "We're pleased that the Garante (watchdog) has acknowledged the steps we have taken to ensure compliance with Italian law and improve user control," a Google spokesperson said. (Reuters)

Google meets Italy's demands on data use practices

Oracle Corp said it would buy NetSuite Inc in a deal valued at about $9.3 billion to expand into the fast-growing cloud market. 
 
Netsuite shares rose 18.6 per cent to $108.64 in premarket trading, just shy of the offer price of $109 per share. 
 
Like rivals SAP SE and Microsoft Corp, Oracle has focused on moving its business to the cloud-based model, essentially providing services remotely via data centers rather than selling installed software. 
 
NetSuite, founded in 1998, pioneered the cloud computing revolution, by creating the first company dedicated to providing business applications over the internet. 
 
Oracle has also acquired companies such as Textura and Opower to increase its competitiveness in the cloud market. 
 
The company expects the deal to immediately add to its adjusted earnings in the first full fiscal year after the transaction closes. 
 
Oracle shares were up 1.6 per cent at $41.6 in premarket trading. 
 
(Reuters)

NetSuite pioneered cloud computing revolution by creating the first company dedicated to providing business application over the internet

Oracle Corp said it would buy NetSuite Inc in a deal valued at about $9.3 billion to expand into the fast-growing cloud market. Netsuite shares rose 18.6 per cent to $108.64 in premarket trading, just shy of the offer price of $109 per share. Like rivals SAP SE and Microsoft Corp, Oracle has focused on moving its business to the cloud-based model, essentially providing services remotely via data centers rather than selling installed software. NetSuite, founded in 1998, pioneered the cloud computing revolution, by creating the first company dedicated to providing business applications over the internet. Oracle has also acquired companies such as Textura and Opower to increase its competitiveness in the cloud market. The company expects the deal to immediately add to its adjusted earnings in the first full fiscal year after the transaction closes. Oracle shares were up 1.6 per cent at $41.6 in premarket trading. (Reuters)

Tech giant Oracle to buy cloud computing pioneer in $9.3 billion deal

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. 
 
Aquila, Facebook&#39;s lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. 
 
Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. 
 
Yael Maguire, Facebook&#39;s engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re thrilled about what happened with our first flight,&quot; Maguire said. &quot;There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission.&quot; He said he hoped the system might be brought into service &quot;in the near future&quot;. 
 
Zuckerberg laid out the company&#39;s biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. 
 
Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. 
 
Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. 
 
(Reuters)

Aquila, the lightweight and high-altitude aircraft, aims to provide internet connectivity around the globe

Facebook said on Thursday it had completed a successful test flight of a solar-powered drone that it hopes will help it extend internet connectivity to every corner of the planet. Aquila, Facebook's lightweight, high-altitude aircraft, flew at a few thousand feet for 96 minutes in Yuma, Arizona, chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his Facebook page. The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60,000 feet (18,290 metres) and communicate with each other to deliver internet access. Google parent Alphabet Inc has also poured money into delivering internet access to underserved areas through Project Loon, which aims to use a network of high-altitude balloons to made the internet available to remote parts of the world. Yael Maguire, Facebook's engineering director and head of its Connectivity Lab, said in an interview that the company initially hoped Aquila would fly for 30 minutes. "We're thrilled about what happened with our first flight," Maguire said. "There are still a lot of technical challenges that need to be addressed for us to achieve the whole mission." He said he hoped the system might be brought into service "in the near future". Zuckerberg laid out the company's biggest challenges in flying a fleet of Aquilas, including making the plane lighter so it can fly for longer periods, getting it to fly at 60,000 feet and creating communications networks that allow it to rapidly transfer data and accurately beam down lasers to provide internet connections. Maguire said Aquila will go through several more test flights and hopes it will soon break the world record for the longest solar-powered unmanned aircraft flight, which currently stands at two weeks. Facebook, which has more than 1.6 billion users, has invested billions of dollars in getting more people online, both through an initiative called internet.org - which offers a pared-down version of the internet to poor areas - and by building drones. (Reuters)

Facebook's solar-powered drone successfully completes test flight

Recent graduate Maxim Kormelitsky did not think twice when he shared a picture online with an expletive-ridden caption about Russian Orthodox believers and their tradition of jumping into freezing cold water. 
 
But then he got a summons from investigators in his small Siberian hometown. Within a few months the 21-year-old was put on trial on charges of inciting hatred and sentenced to more than a year in jail. 
 
The harsh punishment for Kormelitsky is part of a broader trend in Russia that has seen a small but growing number of people prosecuted for reposting messages online. For critics, this is a crackdown on the one place authorities don&#39;t yet control, the internet. 
 
&quot;I think being tried for reposts especially for ones like these, especially for real prison time is complete and utter nonsense,&quot; Kormelitsky, who is still free as he appeals his sentence, wrote to AFP. 
 
The young man was denounced by local religious believers but he thinks officials singled him out because of his previous support for an opposition party. 
 
Others who fell foul of the powers that be have been prosecuted under a vaguely defined law on &quot;extremism&quot; that rights defenders feel gives authorities far too much power. 
 
Among them was Andrei Bubeyev, an electrician from the central Russian town of Tver. 
 
Earlier this year he was sentenced to more than two years behind bars for sharing a picture of a tube of toothpaste with the inscription &quot;Squeeze Russia out of yourself!&quot; 
 
Last year some 200 people were convicted for online posts with 43 of them sentenced to jail, according to the Sova Centre, a Moscow-based group that studies xenophobia and nationalism. 
 
Most of the prison cases were for posts &quot;aimed against the authorities and the President of Russia personally, Russia&#39;s meddling in Ukraine&#39;s affairs and calls for armed jihad&quot;, the group said. 
 
Rights activists have warned that this recent string of convictions could pave the way for a broader crackdown on online dissent. 
 
&quot;This example (Kormelitsky&#39;s case) is sufficient to show that hundreds of thousands of people could be imprisoned,&quot; veteran human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov told AFP. 
 
And the proliferation of cases was meant to &quot;scare people so they don&#39;t criticise authorities and go onto the streets&quot; in case the country&#39;s current economic woes fuel discontent, he said. 
 
Denounced herself 
 
As mass protests against a pro-Kremlin leader roiled Ukraine in early 2014, President Vladimir Putin approved a law that stepped up the potential penalties for statements online. 
 
At the same time, authorities started invoking existing legislation on extremism which critics says is so vaguely defined it can be easily abused against those who expressed their disapproval of Moscow&#39;s meddling in Ukraine. 
 
The head of the Sova centre Alexander Verkhovsky thinks the current cases are not a deliberate attempt to imprison government opponents but part of a wider crackdown that dates back to the start of the Ukraine crisis. 
 
The majority of prison sentences for extremism were against individuals with ties to far-right and jihadist groups, he said, but some opposition activists have been caught in the mix. 
 
Verkhovsky said he doubted Kormelitsky will serve his sentence, saying that only a small portion of online dissenters were actually imprisoned.&nbsp;Nonetheless, the situation could be set to get worse. 
 
New legislation signed into law by Putin on Thursday in spite of wide-ranging criticism increases the maximum prison time from four to five years for inciting hatred online. 
 
But even the few harsh punishments doled out so far seem to have been enough to frighten some internet users. 
 
In Novosibirsk, activist Svetlana Kaverzina denounced herself to authorities after posting the same picture that saw Kormelitsky sentenced and is waiting to see if she will face charges. 
 
Russia&#39;s powerful Investigative Committee, the main national investigating authority, called her in this month &quot;for a chat&quot;, Kaverzina told AFP, to ask her about her attitudes toward the Orthodox Church, which enjoys a cosy relation with the state. 
 
&quot;I might understand if they gave you a fine or community service,&quot; Kaverzina said. &quot;But prison, criminal responsibility, that&#39;s just out of line.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Few dissenters end up in prison, but the laws may scare internet users from criticizing the government

Recent graduate Maxim Kormelitsky did not think twice when he shared a picture online with an expletive-ridden caption about Russian Orthodox believers and their tradition of jumping into freezing cold water. But then he got a summons from investigators in his small Siberian hometown. Within a few months the 21-year-old was put on trial on charges of inciting hatred and sentenced to more than a year in jail. The harsh punishment for Kormelitsky is part of a broader trend in Russia that has seen a small but growing number of people prosecuted for reposting messages online. For critics, this is a crackdown on the one place authorities don't yet control, the internet. "I think being tried for reposts especially for ones like these, especially for real prison time is complete and utter nonsense," Kormelitsky, who is still free as he appeals his sentence, wrote to AFP. The young man was denounced by local religious believers but he thinks officials singled him out because of his previous support for an opposition party. Others who fell foul of the powers that be have been prosecuted under a vaguely defined law on "extremism" that rights defenders feel gives authorities far too much power. Among them was Andrei Bubeyev, an electrician from the central Russian town of Tver. Earlier this year he was sentenced to more than two years behind bars for sharing a picture of a tube of toothpaste with the inscription "Squeeze Russia out of yourself!" Last year some 200 people were convicted for online posts with 43 of them sentenced to jail, according to the Sova Centre, a Moscow-based group that studies xenophobia and nationalism. Most of the prison cases were for posts "aimed against the authorities and the President of Russia personally, Russia's meddling in Ukraine's affairs and calls for armed jihad", the group said. Rights activists have warned that this recent string of convictions could pave the way for a broader crackdown on online dissent. "This example (Kormelitsky's case) is sufficient to show that hundreds of thousands of people could be imprisoned," veteran human rights activist Lev Ponomaryov told AFP. And the proliferation of cases was meant to "scare people so they don't criticise authorities and go onto the streets" in case the country's current economic woes fuel discontent, he said. Denounced herself As mass protests against a pro-Kremlin leader roiled Ukraine in early 2014, President Vladimir Putin approved a law that stepped up the potential penalties for statements online. At the same time, authorities started invoking existing legislation on extremism which critics says is so vaguely defined it can be easily abused against those who expressed their disapproval of Moscow's meddling in Ukraine. The head of the Sova centre Alexander Verkhovsky thinks the current cases are not a deliberate attempt to imprison government opponents but part of a wider crackdown that dates back to the start of the Ukraine crisis. The majority of prison sentences for extremism were against individuals with ties to far-right and jihadist groups, he said, but some opposition activists have been caught in the mix. Verkhovsky said he doubted Kormelitsky will serve his sentence, saying that only a small portion of online dissenters were actually imprisoned. Nonetheless, the situation could be set to get worse. New legislation signed into law by Putin on Thursday in spite of wide-ranging criticism increases the maximum prison time from four to five years for inciting hatred online. But even the few harsh punishments doled out so far seem to have been enough to frighten some internet users. In Novosibirsk, activist Svetlana Kaverzina denounced herself to authorities after posting the same picture that saw Kormelitsky sentenced and is waiting to see if she will face charges. Russia's powerful Investigative Committee, the main national investigating authority, called her in this month "for a chat", Kaverzina told AFP, to ask her about her attitudes toward the Orthodox Church, which enjoys a cosy relation with the state. "I might understand if they gave you a fine or community service," Kaverzina said. "But prison, criminal responsibility, that's just out of line." (AFP)

Even sharing online images can mean jail in Russia crackdown

China&#39;s internet regulator will launch a crackdown on the reporting of news gathered from social media, as part of what the government calls a campaign against fake news and the spreading of rumours. 
 
In a statement late on Sunday, the Cyberspace Administration of China said that online media cannot report any news taken from social media sites without approval.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It is forbidden to use hearsay to create news or use conjecture and imagination to distort the facts,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;All levels of the cyberspace administration must earnestly fulfil their management responsibility for internet content, strengthen supervision and investigation, severely probe and handle fake and unfactual news,&quot; the regulator added. 
 
It listed a number of fake news stories it said had recently circulated on the internet, including one about a bus fire. 
 
The Chinese government already exercises widespread controls over the internet and has sought to codify that policy in law. 
 
Officials say internet restrictions, including the blocking of popular foreign sites like Google and Facebook, are needed to ensure security in the face of rising threats, such as terrorism, and stop the spread of damaging rumours. 
 
Foreign governments and business groups have pointed to restrictions on the internet as a broader trade issue. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Chinese government already exercises widespread controls over the internet and has sought to codify that policy in law

China's internet regulator will launch a crackdown on the reporting of news gathered from social media, as part of what the government calls a campaign against fake news and the spreading of rumours. In a statement late on Sunday, the Cyberspace Administration of China said that online media cannot report any news taken from social media sites without approval. "It is forbidden to use hearsay to create news or use conjecture and imagination to distort the facts," it said. "All levels of the cyberspace administration must earnestly fulfil their management responsibility for internet content, strengthen supervision and investigation, severely probe and handle fake and unfactual news," the regulator added. It listed a number of fake news stories it said had recently circulated on the internet, including one about a bus fire. The Chinese government already exercises widespread controls over the internet and has sought to codify that policy in law. Officials say internet restrictions, including the blocking of popular foreign sites like Google and Facebook, are needed to ensure security in the face of rising threats, such as terrorism, and stop the spread of damaging rumours. Foreign governments and business groups have pointed to restrictions on the internet as a broader trade issue. (Reuters)

China steps up campaign against spread of fake news on social media

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