Let’s talk more regulation and legal moves.
Ohio has filed a lawsuit to declare Google a public utility. Quoting the Hill “Yost’s complaint, filed in Delaware County Court, alleges Google has used its dominance as a search engine to prioritize its own products over “organic search results” in a way that “intentionally disadvantages competitors.”
“Google uses its dominance of internet search to steer Ohioans to Google’s own products–that’s discriminatory and anti-competitive,” Yost said in a statement. “When you own the railroad or the electric company or the cellphone tower, you have to treat everyone the same and give everybody access.”
The IRS has asked Congress for more authority on reporting crypto transactions. The request is to try and collect data to develop regulation on the space.
Here’s one from Australia – the government there is positioning to mandate their “Essential Eight” security controls for all 98 non-corporate Commonwealth entities.
In Norway, the auditor general is focused on that country’s public energy sector, with an assessment of weaknesses in cyber defense and strategy. The office is requiring more oversight on the sector. In Norway, the parliament’s computer systems were breached twice in seven months.
And, the EU broadly is now investigating US-based cloud services by European public sector organizations to see if they are effectively protecting citizens’ data. Microsoft and AWS are both being examined, as well as specifically Microsoft Office 365.
Why do we care?
Thematically, governments are coming for technology.
I’m intrigued by Ohio’s move here around declaring Google a utility. Regulators are multiple levels and in multiple countries are poking at the various technology companies.
If you’re an American thinking you don’t care about EU regulations… think again. EU regulators are making changes to the way big US companies operate, and how data is managed in their clouds. Plus, each of these governments is issuing guidance you should consider both in your own territory.. but also to leverage any best practices. Why not borrow ideas?
