The new Piracy shield law in Italy introduces stringent regulations on internet services, potentially leading to unforeseen consequences and increased censorship. Amendments by right-wing parties extend the platform's power, requiring internet service providers to report suspected illegal activities or face legal consequences. The law's vague language, particularly the term 'prevalently,' raises concerns about overreach and the impact on legitimate content. Despite criticism from major telecom operators and stakeholders, the law remains unchanged. The implementation will be overseen by Agcom, with discussions involving various industry players, including Google and Amazon. The law's implications could alter the internet landscape in Italy, with potential conflicts with European net neutrality regulations.

Piracy Shield, a national anti-piracy platform managed by Agcom and donated by Lega Serie A, successfully conducted its first test by blocking an IP address associated with Aruba. The platform aims to combat illegal streaming of sports events, particularly football, by automatically blocking infringing sites within 30 minutes. The test revealed some operational challenges, including delayed access credentials and the need for a comprehensive whitelist to prevent unintended blocks. The platform, developed by Sp Tech and hosted on Microsoft Azure, will be fully operational for the Serie A match between Lecce and Fiorentina.

Piracy Shield, a national anti-piracy platform developed by Sp Tech and donated by Lega Calcio Serie A to Agcom, is set to launch on February 1. The platform aims to combat illegal streaming of sports events by automatically blocking pirated content within 30 minutes of detection. The system involves rights holders uploading IP addresses or domain names of pirate sites, which are then blocked by telecom operators. Despite initial delays and technical challenges, the platform has undergone successful testing. Key stakeholders include major ISPs, big tech companies like Google and Microsoft, and regulatory bodies. The platform's effectiveness will be tested in the fight against illegal sports streaming, with potential expansion to other live events.

An appeal published in Le Monde by three French researchers calls for a user strike against Twitter, now rebranded as X, on October 27, marking the first anniversary of Elon Musk's acquisition of the platform. The researchers argue that Musk's changes, including the introduction of Twitter Blue, have exacerbated the spread of disinformation and reduced the effectiveness of content moderation. The article highlights the removal of verification badges from reputable sources like the New York Times and the amplification of false information, particularly concerning the Israel-Gaza conflict. The appeal also criticizes the significant reduction in moderation teams, which has led to the proliferation of harmful content.

Piracy Shield, Italy's national anti-piracy platform, mistakenly blocked a Google Drive domain, causing a six-hour service disruption. The incident highlights flaws in the platform's design, which is intended to prevent illegal streaming of sports events. Despite assurances of a 'white list' to protect critical domains, Google was not included, leading to questions about the platform's oversight and effectiveness. The issue has prompted political figures to call for legislative changes to prevent similar occurrences. The article also notes the lack of a centralized security operations center to manage such incidents, raising concerns about the platform's operational transparency and accountability.

Piracy Shield, Italy's national anti-piracy platform, mistakenly blocked a Google content delivery network in Milan, affecting services like Google Drive and YouTube. The incident, which began on the evening of October 19, led to widespread inaccessibility issues for users, including businesses and educational institutions relying on Google Workspace. The block was part of an automatic response to a piracy complaint, highlighting flaws in the system that often targets non-pirate resources. The issue was resolved after several hours, but it raised concerns about the platform's effectiveness and the need for better oversight. Giulia Pastorella, a member of the Italian parliament, plans to address the matter with Agcom, the communications authority responsible for the platform.

The YouTube channel dedicated to Enrico Berlinguer, managed by EB.it, was removed by Google due to a misunderstanding involving unauthorized access and rebranding to promote cryptocurrency. Pierpaolo Farina, the channel's administrator, reported the issue to Google, but the channel was temporarily taken down. The incident highlights the vulnerabilities in automated detection systems and the challenges of maintaining security even with two-factor authentication. Following the publication of the article, YouTube restored the channel and its content, acknowledging the hacking incident.

The Italian Ministry of Justice has published a new national pricing list for wiretaps and surveillance tools, standardizing costs across all Italian Prosecutor's Offices. The list, part of a reform initiated in 2017, aims to reduce overall expenses while maintaining service quality. The article details various costs associated with different types of surveillance, including phone taps, internet monitoring, and the use of trojans. It also addresses privacy concerns and the reactions from industry experts, who have mixed feelings about the new pricing structure. The reform is expected to save approximately 9.9 million euros annually. However, some experts argue that the monolithic pricing list does not account for the complexity of different surveillance tasks, potentially incentivizing providers to offer less sophisticated services.

The article discusses the proliferation and international market presence of Italian spyware companies, highlighting the risks and ethical concerns associated with their use. It details the involvement of various Italian firms in the spyware market, their international clients, and the regulatory challenges faced by authorities. The article also touches on the broader geopolitical implications of spyware technology, including calls for moratoriums and stricter regulations to protect human rights.

The article delves into the Predator spyware scandal in Greece, implicating the center-right government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in illegal surveillance activities. The spyware, developed by Cytrox and part of the Intellexa Alliance, targeted journalists, politicians, and entrepreneurs. The European Parliament's PEGA Committee is investigating the scandal, highlighting the broader issue of surveillance abuses within the EU. The article criticizes the Greek government and associated companies for their opaque operations and links to illegal activities, while praising investigative journalists and organizations for their efforts to uncover the truth.