G7 vows to work with ISPs, social media to fight abuse of personal data by ‘foreign actors’

[Matrix]

Canada and others members of the G7 vowed in their final communique to work directly with Internet service providers and social media platforms to curb what they called the “malicious misuse” of information technology by “foreign actors” who violate privacy through data breaches.

The communique issued Saturday also singled out Russia – accused by U.S. intelligence agencies of using disinformation through social media in an attempt to interfere in the 2016 U.S. election, and separately accused of hacking during the 2017 French election – “for destabilizing behaviour to undermine democratic systems.” Russia has denied both allegations.

However, shortly after he left the conference in Charlevoix, Que., U.S. president Donald Trump told his staff at the conference not to endorse the communique.

In addition to the 28-paragraph communique, the group also issued what it calls the Charlevoix Commitment on Defending Democracy From Foreign Threats. It says unnamed “foreign actors seek to undermine our democratic societies and institutions, our electoral processes, our sovereignty and our security.”

“We call on others to join us in addressing these growing threats by increasing the resilience and security of our institutions, economies and societies, and by taking concerted action to identify and hold to account those who would do us harm.”

In response the G7 promised to strengthen co-operation to prevent and respond to such interference.

One way is by creating a G7 Rapid Response Mechanism “to strengthen our co-ordination to identify and respond to diverse and evolving threats to our democracies, including through sharing information and analysis, and identifying opportunities for co-ordinated response.

Another is to “engage directly with Internet service providers and social media platforms regarding malicious misuse of information technology by foreign actors, with a particular focus on improving transparency regarding the use and seeking to prevent the illegal use of personal data and breaches of privacy.”

The commitment says the G7 – which also includes the U.K. France, Germany, Italy and Japan – will share lessons learned and best practices with members of civil society and the private sector that are developing related initiatives that promote free, independent and pluralistic media; fact-based information; and freedom of expression.

It also promises to promote critical thinking skills and media literacy to their residents on intentionally misleading information, and improving online security and safety. The commitment also vows to ensure a high level of transparency around sources of funding for political parties and all types of political advertising, especially during election campaigns. The Trudeau government is already partly dealing with this through a proposed election reform bill, which will make it clear that hacking into a computer during a federal election period is a criminal offence. Foreign states will also be forbidden from buying advertising during a federal election period.

The commitment document also references the promise in April by G7 foreign and security ministers in Toronto to look into “unacceptable actions by foreign actors with the malicious intent of undermining our countries’ democratic systems.”

The full communique says the G7 countries are committed to addressing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, including as a tool for recruitment, training, propaganda and financing. The governments also promise to work with agencies including the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism.

“I think the communique is well-intentioned but like any diplomatic statement, it is broad, does not include any specific thresholds or details,” commented Imran Ahmad, a privacy and cyber security lawyer with the Miller Thomson law firm who is also a member of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance’s (CATA) cyber council . “The specific reference to Russia as a state attempting to undermine democratic institutions, arguably by way of cyber-weapons, is important. What is more important, however, is the absence of the U.S. as a state endorsing the communique. It undermines the overall impact of the communique.”

Western countries are increasingly worried about foreign countries using the Internet to interfere in democratic processes. Earlier this year the conclusions from an academic conference organized by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) were released which said “disinformation has become a highly effective tool for state actors, profiteers, status seekers, entertainers and true believers. The most skilled national purveyor of falsehoods is Russia. Its historic mastery of ‘special measures’, magnified by modern technology, follows the basic operational principle of vilify and amplify.”

“The negative impact on democracy of false news could increase if Russia and other actors become role models for others, increasing the distribution of malignant material through all the pathways of the electronic age.”

Although sponsored by the Canadian government the report is not an official document.

source

[dMog]

so funny how trump did not agree to do this...any conjecture as to why

[tao]

39 minutes ago, dMog said:

how[ .] did not agree to do this

Isn't it so clear already?   

[dMog]

12 minutes ago, sva said:

Isn't it so clear already?   

thee are dozens of reasons possible...none of them bode well for anyone for anyone in the world..no matter what country they live in ...none of this will get better before it gets a lot worse for some time to come

[tao]

Comedians do it better.  For a laugh (not politics; we can laugh at politics; can't we?) visit < here >.  

[dMog]

yes we can

[straycat19]

3 hours ago, dMog said:

so funny how trump did not agree to do this...any conjecture as to why

 

It could be because we are 35 years too late.  The time to initiate securiy functions for personal data was the day darpanet was opened up to the public and became the internet.  Once the cat gets out of the bag it is impossible to put it back in.  Especially when it is the institutions that should be most protective of our data that have proven to be the least protective.  Other than that, nothing that comes out of the G7 or any other political entity means anything because they can do nothing about data protection.  There are a myriad of laws concerning data protection and reporting but they have no teeth.  In other words, the punishment for not protecting against a data breach is laughable.  So you fine a company a milliion dollars when that company makes 7.5 billion a year, what do they care, that's pocket change to them.  Now fine that same company 1.5 billion dollars and watch what happens.  And watch what other companies start doing to protect personal data.  Being able to maintain personal data should be a privilege, like a drivers license.  Every couple of years a company's system should undergo a test and validation and if they aren't secure then they lose the privilege of maintaining personal data and they are shut down.  Any company whose system is breached and results in lost data should be shut down.  Otherwise anyone can collect and maintain data on people without any regard for the securing of that data.

[dhjohns]

18 minutes ago, straycat19 said:

Any company whose system is breached and results in lost data should be shut down.

Sort of like if I own a car, and lock it up securely and someone busts in and steals stuff out of it, I shouldn't be allowed to drive?

[dMog]

as to the last two posts...WE  have allowed companies to leave the keys in the car...and more so we have allowed our governments stand by and do nothing... as tey themselves collect data on us

[knowledge-Spammer]

It says unnamed “foreign actors seek to undermine our democratic societies and institutions, our electoral processes, our sovereignty and our security.

 

 

plus trump talk about russia in g7

 

 

[tao]

36 minutes ago, knowledge said:

unnamed “foreign actors

 Unnamed; then why post their pictures? 

[knowledge-Spammer]

7 minutes ago, sva said:

 Unnamed; then why post their pictures? 

its the russia thing again

this is funny comment

The negative impact on democracy of false news could increase if Russia and other actors become role models for others, increasing the distribution of malignant material through all the pathways of the electronic

[knowledge-Spammer]

 

[tao]

15 minutes ago, knowledge said:

its the russia thing again

Talking with "Knowledge" here:  It's always the Russia thing.  Russia has become talk of the world.  Can't stop talking about Russia;  Russia-this.  Russia-that.

 

Why?  Russia must have some Super Magical Power, to do anything in the world, eh.

 

Therefore: Russia is a superlative super power!   Q.E.D.