Tag Archive for: congress
Congress is about to ban TikTok from U.S. government phones in spending bill : NPR
TikTok would be banned from most U.S. government devices under a government spending bill Congress unveiled early Tuesday, the latest push by American lawmakers against the Chinese-owned social media app.
Michael Dwyer/AP
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Michael Dwyer/AP
TikTok would be banned from most U.S. government devices under a government spending bill Congress unveiled early Tuesday, the latest push by American lawmakers against the Chinese-owned social media app.
Michael Dwyer/AP
Having TikTok on a device issued by the federal government is about to become illegal under a sprawling spending bill for the upcoming fiscal year released by lawmakers in Washington on Tuesday. It is expected to become law in the coming days to avert a partial government shutdown.
While the Chinese-owned app is already not allowed on many federal government devices, the measure in the new spending bill expands the prohibition. The ban will likely result in a hit to TikTok’s reputation at a time when the Biden administration is still attempting to complete a national security review of the popular app.
TikTok is used by more than 100 million monthly active users in the U.S. alone, and its ability to create instant viral hits has put it at the forefront of internet culture, though concerns about data security have long dogged the app.
If you count yourself among its users and you’re wondering how this crackdown might affect you, here is what you need to know:
Is this going to affect my use of TikTok?
Probably not — unless you’re a federal government employee who uses a work phone to browse TikTok. The White House, the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department already prohibit staff from having TikTok on government-issued devices, so this ban just extends the rule for all U.S. government employees….
AIIMS Server: Hacking of AIIMS server raises serious questions about cyber security in country: Congress
The Congress on Tuesday hit out at the Modi government over the hacking of the AIIMS server and said it raises “serious questions” about cyber security in the country. AICC general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s promise of a new cyber security policy which he announced two years ago.
“It has been a week since the server of AIIMS was hacked. It raises serious questions about the cyber security of the country. In 2020, PM Modi had announced that the country will soon have a new cyber security policy. It’s been two years and we’re still waiting,” Venugopal said on Twitter.
Services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi remained affected on the seventh consecutive day, official sources said.
It is feared that data of around 3-4 crore patients could have been compromised due to the breach detected on November 23.
Patient care services in emergency, outpatient, inpatient and laboratory wings are being managed manually as the server remained down, the sources said.
The Delhi Police, however, issued a statement, saying “no ransom demand as being quoted by certain sections of the media has been brought to notice by AIIMS authorities”.
The India Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN), Delhi Police and representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs are investigating the ransomware attack.
A case of extortion and cyber terrorism was registered by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police on November 25.
The official sources said internet services are blocked on computers at the hospital on the recommendations of the investigating agencies.
The AIIMS server has stored data of several VIPs, including former prime ministers, ministers, bureaucrats and judges.
Xi to Unveil Leadership in China Communist Party Congress: Live Updates
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It was a moment packed with symbolism.
China’s frail former leader, Hu Jintao, who presided over one of China’s more open and prosperous periods, was shepherded out of the closing session of an important political meeting on Saturday, a rare disruption in a highly choreographed proceeding.
Mr. Hu, 79, was sitting in the front row next to his successor, Xi Jinping, when two attendants approached his table. One tried to lift him out of his chair, an effort Mr. Hu resisted. But then he stood up by himself, as the attendants continued standing behind him, while some of the senior officials nearby looked on in apparent concern.
After a brief exchange with the attendants, Mr. Hu, who appeared hesitant and possibly confused, said a few words to Mr. Xi, who gave the elder leader an expressionless nod, and Li Keqiang, who as China’s premier is the nation’s second-ranking official. Then Mr. Hu was led out of the hall.
Observers cycled through possible explanations: A positive Covid-19 test? Something else health-related? Or a scripted political gesture for international cameras to capture and frame?
The truth, like much else with Chinese politics, will probably never be revealed. But the timing, moments after reporters were allowed to enter the hall, was at least suggestive.
“Given how carefully these meetings are rehearsed and arranged, the fact that they let this happen in front of everyone, in front of the media, is the most important thing,” said Henry Gao, a law professor at Singapore Management University.
Last Sunday, in his keynote speech at the opening of the Party Congress, Mr. Xi went down a list of dissatisfactions, those accumulated during the decade before his rule. They included weakness in the Party, in the economy, and in national security, as well as the Party’s posture toward Hong Kong and Taiwan.
“With Xi, he doesn’t do these things for nothing,” Mr. Gao said. “Hu was the one in power 10 years ago.”
Mr. Hu, who led China from 2003 to 2013,…