Suddenly, everyone is gunning for Google

The large cyberlaw story of the week is the Justice Division’s antitrust lawsuit towards Google and the various hats the corporate wears within the on-line advert ecosystem. Lee Berger explains the Justice Division’s concept, which isn’t dissimilar to the Texas Legal professional Normal’s two-year-old lawsuit. Once you’ve misplaced each the Biden administration and the Texas Legal professional Normal, I counsel, you can not look too many locations for buddies – and positively to not Brussels, which can be pursuing related claims of its personal. So what’s the Justice Division’s late-to-the-party contribution to this dogpile? Not less than two issues, Lee suggests: a jury demand that may put all these advanced Borkian consumer-welfare doctrines in entrance of a Northern Virginia jury and a “rocket docket” that may permit Justice to meet up with and perhaps lap the opposite lawsuits towards the corporate. This case appears as if it is going to be lengthy and ugly for Google, until it seems to be quick and ugly. Nonetheless, Mark reminds us, for Justice, discovering an efficient treatment could also be more durable than proving anticompetitive conduct.

Nathan Simington assesses the administration’s introduced cope with Japan and the Netherlands to implement its powerful decoupling coverage towards China’s semiconductor trade. Particulars are nonetheless a little bit sparse, however some form of deal was important for the U.S. marketing campaign to work. For Japan and the Netherlands, the main points are crucial, and any association would require flexibility and class on the a part of the US Commerce Division whether it is to work in the long term.

Megan Stifel and I chew over the Justice Division/FBI victory lap after they put a stick within the spokes of The Hive ransomware infrastructure. We agree that the lap was warranted. Amongst different issues, the FBI dealt with its entry to decryption keys with extra care than previously, offering them to many victims earlier than taking down a giant chunk of the ransomware gang’s instruments. The dangerous information? No person was arrested, and the infrastructure can most likely be reconstituted within the close to time period.

This is an evergreen headline: “Fb goes to reinstate Donald Trump’s account.” That might be the opening line of any Trump-Fb story in the previous couple of months, and that’s most likely Fb’s technique – an extended, teasing dance of seven veils in order that, by the point Trump begins posting, it is going to be outdated information. If that’s Fb’s PR technique, it is working, Mark MacCarthy experiences. No person a lot cares concerning the return of Trump, they usually actually don’t appear to be mad at Fb. So the corporate is out of the woods, however for the ex-President it is a blow to the ego that’s certain to sting.

Megan has extra excellent news on the cybercrime entrance: The FBI recognized the North Korean hacking group that stole $100 million in crypto final yr – and should have saved the regime from getting its arms on any of the funds.

Nathan unpacks two competing information tales. First, “OMG, ChatGPT will assist dangerous guys write malware.” Second: “OMG, ChatGPT will assist good guys discover and repair safety holes.” He thinks they’re each a bit overwrought, however perhaps a glimpse of the long run.

Mark and Megan clarify TikTok’s new supply to Washington. Megan additionally covers Congress’s “TayTay v. Ticketmaster” listening to after disclosing her private battle of curiosity.

Nathan solutions my query: how can the FAA be so good a stopping airliners from crashing and so dangerous at stopping its techniques from crashing? The following dialogue turns up extra on-point toilet humor than anybody would have anticipated.

In fast hits, I cowl three tales:

Obtain 440th Episode (mp3)

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