How Indian politicians are using influencers to escape accountability | Supreme Court agrees to review TikTok ban-or-sale law | Blacklisted Chinese AI chip firm gained access to UK technology
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Modi… sought to bill the burgeoning influencer economy as an index of the success of a ten-year “data revolution” under his tenure. Modi asked the audience to use their “creativity” to… make videos in support of his government. “I know all of you die for me more than I do”. He asked that they use their platforms to clear “wrong perceptions” and improve India’s image globally. The Caravan
The Supreme Court is stepping into the TikTok debate. The high court agreed on Wednesday to decide whether a law banning the app next month, unless it is sold, is constitutional. The court did not place the law on hold, putting off that decision until oral arguments, which have been set for Jan. 10, which is nine days before TikTok's sell-or-be-banned deadline. NPR
Two former senior Imagination insiders claim that “knowledge transfer programmes” accompanying the licences were so comprehensive that they risked the Chinese companies learning how to replicate Imagination’s [AI-Chip making] expertise. One believed that the information provided meant Imagination may “have given [the Chinese companies] the capability to make the technology”. The Guardian
World
Indo-Pacific: A blueprint for democracy in the digital age
The Mandarin
Alana Ford
As years go, 2024 has been big on democratic reckoning, and the elections across the Indo-Pacific have shown how technology impacts almost every facet of the democratic process. From the cyberattacks in Palau in retaliation for its diplomatic ties with Taiwan, to the young activists in Bangladesh who used social media to organise mass protests calling for electoral reform, the region provides a blueprint for building more resilient democracies in the digital age.
Australia
Meta to pay landmark $50 million settlement over privacy scandal
ABC News
Jesmine Cheong
Meta has agreed to a landmark $50 million settlement with Australia's information commissioner. The Cambridge Analytica scandal saw Meta unlawfully release the personal data of millions of Facebook users.
A doubtful military revolution: replacing choppers with multirotor electric aircraft
The Strategist
Bill Sweetman
You can read eVTOL media all day without running across one awkward fact: after six years and billions spent, no eVTOL has performed a basic VTOL mission, flying 40km out, landing, taking off and returning, all while carrying a representative payload on one charge. The best available batteries are not up to the job.
China
Inside Huawei's mission to boost China's tech prowess
Nikkei Asia
Katherine Creel
Huawei continues to be China's most prominent tech company, employing 207,000 worldwide, compared to Google's 182,000 employees, Intel's 125,000 and Apple's 164,000. More than 50% of its employees work in research and development, and the company spent over 23% of its annual revenue, or around 164.7 billion yuan ($22.7 billion), on R&D last year, putting it in the top 10 among global companies.
China is recruiting embassy staff with a focus on electric vehicles, source says
South China Morning Post
Most of the applicants were said to be fluent in English and had been educated overseas. They were assessed on their understanding of Communist Party ideology – a standard test for all government-related positions – as well as knowledge of the electric vehicle sector.
China’s AI elite rethink their Silicon Valley dream jobs
Rest of World
Yvonne Lau
Intensifying U.S.-China tech competition and fears of Chinese industrial espionage have translated into tough-on-China security and immigration screenings that are posing practical challenges for Chinese diaspora tech workers. These hurdles could deprive North American tech companies of top AI talent.
China’s billionaires are making money for first time since 2020
Bloomberg
Venus Feng and Pui Gwen Yeung
The combined fortunes of 55 of the nation’s wealthiest tracked by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index have risen 16% to $809.6 billion since the beginning of January, after a rollercaster year marked by sweeping easing measures from Beijing that ultimately drove stocks higher.
USA
Supreme Court agrees to review TikTok ban-or-sale law
NPR
Bobby Allyn
The Supreme Court is stepping into the TikTok debate. The high court agreed on Wednesday to decide whether a law banning the app next month, unless it is sold, is constitutional. The court did not place the law on hold, putting off that decision until oral arguments, which have been set for Jan. 10, which is nine days before TikTok's sell-or-be-banned deadline.
High-tech radar used in Ukraine-Russia war to be deployed to crack Northeast drone mystery
ABC News
Bill Hutchinson
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have asked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deploy the Robin Radar System to assist investigators in getting to the bottom of who is behind the alleged drones that residents and local and state officials say have been flying over communities at night since mid-November.
North Asia
Climate and energy security: opportunities for Taiwan under Trump
The Diplomat
Elizabeth Frost and Meng-Hui Lin
While the outlook for U.S. climate policy seems bleak, Trump’s pivot will open up new opportunities Taiwan – both in climate leadership and clean tech.
Flight from chip risks boosts Japan’s gaming stocks ahead of Trump
Bloomberg
Alice French and Takashi Mochizuki
Japanese gaming stocks are emerging as unlikely winners from Donald Trump’s election, as tech investors seek less exposure to trade uncertainties swirling around China-dependent chipmaking gear companies.
South & Central Asia
Sponsored Content. How politicians use influencers to escape accountability
The Caravan
Aathira Konikkara
Modi… sought to bill the burgeoning influencer economy as an index of the success of a ten-year “data revolution” under his tenure. Modi asked the audience to use their “creativity” to… make videos in support of his government. “I know all of you die for me more than I do”. He asked that they use their platforms to clear “wrong perceptions” and improve India’s image globally.
India’s arrests of suspected human traffickers to Cambodia show cyber-slavery begins at home
The Diplomat
David Whitehouse
The Kerala victims reported that they would telephone people in India to try to get credit card numbers by falsely claiming that the card had been misused. The scam-compound operators went as far as creating rooms designed to look like the inside of an Indian police station. The slaves would be dressed as Indian police officers and would make video calls from the rooms.
Ukraine - Russia
U.S. tech continues to power Russian weapons despite export controls, Senate Democrats find
NBC News
Julie Tsirkin and Rob Wile
U.S.-made technology continues to fall into Russian hands in Ukraine as a key national security office remains critically underfunded, according to a report from Senate Democrats released Wednesday. The 30-page report says enforcement of export controls “is a shadow of what it should be, and inadequate at every level.”
UK
Chinese AI chip firms blacklisted over weapons concerns gained access to UK technology
The Guardian
Tom Burgis
Two former senior Imagination insiders claim that “knowledge transfer programmes” accompanying the licences were so comprehensive that they risked the Chinese companies learning how to replicate Imagination’s expertise. One believed that the information provided meant Imagination may “have given [the Chinese companies] the capability to make the technology”.
Imagination Technologies and asset stripping by the Chinese Communist Party, UK-China Transparency
Africa
PTSD, depression and anxiety: why former Facebook moderators in Kenya are taking legal action
The Guardian
Robert Booth and Caroline Kimeu
According to a compensation claim filed in Kenyan courts by 185 of the moderators, they toiled through day and night shifts in a facility with glaring bright lights, chilly air conditioning, and uncomfortable seats and screens at full brightness. There was close monitoring of performance levels that could lead to contract termination if they dipped. They typically had a minute to evaluate each piece of content – but it would be seared into their minds’ eye for much longer.
NZ & Pacific Islands
Tuvalu, the first purely digital, sovereign nation to exist in the metaverse?
Law Society Journal
Cat Woods
The metaverse would be the platform through which future Tuvaluans and the world can have an immersive experience, via a virtual copy of Tuvalu that would be maintained via uploaded data about the weather and conditions, projections on the impacts of climate change. The government could also track fishing activities in Tuvaluan waters. Kofe says this is “a valuable sovereign asset that we want to retain our claims to”, which is why global recognition of Tuvalu’s sovereignty regardless of its physical presence, is fundamental to its existence.
Big Tech
Cornell researchers warn of new way to obfuscate crypto transactions
Bloomberg
Olga Kharif
There are reasons to be alarmed at the innovation: “Liquefaction can also obfuscate transaction histories, enable stealthy wash trading, erode the fidelity of on-chain cryptocurrency analytics, and corrupt reputation-dependent systems,” according to their research paper, out this month.
The energy transition that couldn’t
The Strategist
Richard Haass and Carolyn Kissane
Today, it is ‘energy transition’ that has gained a hold over policymakers. While the term suggests the necessity of shifting from fossil fuels to renewables—a seemingly compelling idea that aligns with climate goals and technological innovation—it inaccurately describes what is happening (and will happen) and has led some governments to adopt costly, counterproductive policies. And it has pitted goals that should be complementary—addressing climate change and promoting energy security—against each other.
Tech executive found guilty for murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee
ABC News
Max Zahn
A fellow tech executive was found guilty in a San Francisco courtroom on Tuesday for the murder of Cash App founder Bob Lee. Prosecutors said Nima Momeni stabbed Lee three times with a kitchen knife after driving him to a secluded area in April 2023.
Events & Podcasts
Women in Cyber Security Summit
AISA
The tech world's most critical frontier is calling for change. With women representing a mere 17% of the cyber security workforce, our upcoming Women in Cyber Security Summit is set to challenge the status quo and redefine industry potential. This ground breaking event brings together top industry leaders, visionary experts, and emerging talents to address the most pressing challenge in cyber defence: diversity. We're not just discussing problems - we're crafting solutions that will reshape the technological landscape.
Jobs
ASPI Director – Defence Strategy Program
ASPI
ASPI is recruiting for one of its key leadership positions - the Director of its Defence Strategy Program. This is an exceptional opportunity for a talented senior leader to contribute to the work of one of the Indo-Pacific’s top think-tanks with a focus on military strategy and capability, emerging security issues and our region. The closing date for applications is Friday, 10 January 2025 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
Researcher/Analyst/Senior Analyst - Defence Strategy
ASPI
There are a small number of potential roles available in ASPI’s Defence Strategy Program, across multiple levels including researcher, analyst and senior analyst. This is an exceptional opportunity for talented individuals to contribute to the work of Australia's leading think tank on defence and strategic policy issues. The closing date for applications is 15 January 2025 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
ASPI Deputy Director – Cyber, Technology & Security Program
ASPI
ASPI is seeking a talented leader for the Deputy Director of Cyber, Technology & Security (CTS) Operations. This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to one of the Indo-Pacific’s leading think tanks, focused on advancing policy and research at the intersection of cyber, technology, and national security. The CTS Program is ASPI’s largest program, and includes ASPI’s China Investigations and Analysis team. The closing date for applications is Friday, 17 January 2025 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
ASPI Analyst – Hybrid Threats – Cyber, Technology & Security Program
ASPI
ASPI is seeking a motivated and detail-oriented individual to join the Cyber, Technology & Security (CTS) program as an Analyst – Hybrid Threats. This role involves contributing to the analysis of hybrid threats and information manipulation, including election integrity, resilience of critical technologies, and cybersecurity. The closing date for applications is Friday, 17 January 2025 – an early application is advised as we reserve the right to close the vacancy early if suitable applications are received.
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