<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Hello ISOC-NY,<br><br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Some weekend reading for you. A lot going on in the world! You will find a sub link for this excellent newsletter (out of Geneva) towards the end.</div><br><br><u></u>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="padding:10px 20px"><div style="display:none;font-size:1px;line-height:1px;max-height:0px;max-width:0px;opacity:0;overflow:hidden;font-family:sans-serif;color:#666666">Every Friday, we update you on the developments from the digital policy world that are making headlines </div></td></tr></tbody></table><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><img src="https://curator.diplomacy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/banner-1.jpeg" width="560" style="display:block;max-width:560px"></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 0;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#00a5ea"><strong style="color:inherit">Issue #83 – Friday, 29th April 2022</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">Dear readers, </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">Either the digital battlefield in Ukraine is winding down, or the news coverage has shifted its focus to other topics. We will still provide day-to-day updates on the situation in Ukraine on our <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=daffabca0e&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">dedicated page on the Digital Watch observatory</a>.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">This week, the headlines were dominated by the Twitter Board of Directors’ change of heart and consequent decision to sell Twitter to Elon Musk, as well as the EU’s Digital Services Act deal. The USA has led more than 60 partners in signing an international Declaration for the Future of the Internet. We examine its principles below. The Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on cyber has agreed on how stakeholders will participate in the group’s discussions. We round off this issue with updates on cryptocurrencies and digital identities, as well as some reading suggestions.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">Stay safe,<br><strong>Andrijana and the Digital Watch team</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<div id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646elonmusk" style="margin-right:10px;margin-left:0;color:#666666;display:inline-block;width:100%;padding:0"><a rel="https://youtu.be/5XdhWV6GKyw" style="display:inline-block;text-align:center;box-sizing:border-box;padding:11px 20px;text-decoration:none;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-radius:0px;background-color:#815ac1;color:#ffffff;min-width:150px;width:100%"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#ffffff">STORY OF THE WEEK</span></a></div>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Elon Musk buys Twitter</strong><br><a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=1d599f1b73&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">Elon Musk's bid to buy Twitter has been unanimously approved</a> by the Twitter Board of Directors. The deal, estimated to be worth $44 billion, will close in 2022, after which Twitter will become a privately held company. The sale, however, must be approved by other Twitter stakeholders as well as regulators.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">‘Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated’, Musk stated. ‘I also want to make Twitter better than ever by enhancing the product with new features, making the algorithms open source to increase trust, defeating the spambots, and authenticating all humans. Twitter has tremendous potential – I look forward to working with the company and the community of users to unlock it.’</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">In the latest instalment of our 'Diplo experts explain' series, we consider how Musk's purchase of Twitter might affect the company's content policies. Take a look at this video:</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=14db1109e0&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank"><img src="https://curator.diplomacy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/vlada.jpeg" width="480" height="269" style="height:auto;display:block;max-width:480px;margin:auto"></a><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-size:13px;opacity:0.7;padding:10px 0;padding-top:0">Click on the image to watch the video</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<div style="margin-right:10px;margin-left:0;color:#666666;display:inline-block;width:100%;padding:0"><a rel="https://dig.watch/updates" style="display:inline-block;text-align:center;box-sizing:border-box;padding:11px 20px;text-decoration:none;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-radius:0px;background-color:#815ac1;color:#ffffff;min-width:150px;width:100%"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#ffffff">THIS WEEK'S UPDATES</span></a></div>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><h2 id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646topic-1" style="margin:0;line-height:120%;text-align:left;color:#00a5ea;font-size:16px;padding:0"><strong>// CONTENT POLICY //</strong></h2></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646dsa" style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>The DSA deal</strong><br>A week ago, officials from the European Parliament, the French presidency of the Council of the EU, and the Commission <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=57ea7e50cc&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">reached a political agreement</a> on the new <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=4601e3a742&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">Digital Services Act (DSA)</a>, opening the way to formal adoption in the coming weeks. The Act is the most important update in the regulation of intermediary liability in the EU in the last 20 years. Its rules apply to intermediary services related to internet infrastructure, hosting services, online platforms, and very large online platforms (with at least 45 million monthly active users in the EU). </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">The DSA follows previous regulations and exempts intermediaries from liability when they merely transfer, cache, or host information. It also confirms that intermediaries have no general obligation to monitor content. However, it imposes new obligations for digital service providers in terms of transparency, strengthening user rights, and risk management. Very large online platforms are subject to stricter obligations on information, reporting, auditing, risk management, and cooperation. The fines for non-compliance are up to 6% of annual turnover. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">The <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=6e79670828&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">DSA gives strong enforcement powers</a> to the Commission to supervise the extensive online platform obligations and establishes cooperation mechanisms to facilitate stakeholder participation in the enforcement of DSA violations. It will also establish a European Board for Digital Services. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">The DSA <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=99af2c19bb&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">has been criticised</a> for not granting encryption rights to users, not allowing anonymous use of digital services, and the possibility of platforms preemptively removing content to avoid liability, for example.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">The formal adoption of the Act is expected at the end of June, with regulation being in force 15 months later.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646cjeu" style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>CJEU rulings </strong><br>For all legal enthusiasts, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=21b7253073&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">is now live streaming</a> the delivery of judgements and readings of the Advocate General’s opinions.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;text-align:center;font-size:13px;opacity:0.7;padding-top:0">Credit: CJEU</td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">One of the first judgements to be streamed was on upload filters and obligations of content sharing services in Art. 17 of the Copyright Directive (<a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=dd407a91f9&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">C-401/19 Poland v Parliament and Council</a>). The CJEU dismissed Poland’s claim that provisions of Art. 17 ‘infringe the freedom of expression and information guaranteed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union’. The CJEU stated that the obligation to review content before posting is accompanied by the necessary safeguards to ensure that that obligation is compatible with freedom of expression and information.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:inherit"><tbody><tr style="text-align:inherit"><td style="text-align:inherit;padding:0;padding-bottom:10px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;text-align:inherit;font-size:16px;color:#00a5ea"><strong style="text-align:inherit;color:inherit">#OnOurRadar</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:inherit"><tbody><tr style="text-align:inherit"><td style="text-align:inherit;padding:0;padding-bottom:10px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;text-align:inherit;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong style="text-align:inherit">EU embraces tech diplomacy </strong><br>The EU intends to open an office in San Francisco, to support communication with companies in Silicon Valley, <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=edbf1c0059&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;text-align:inherit;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">POLITICO reports</a>. The new office – which would operate under the guidance of the EU delegation in Washington – seems quite timely, given the fact that the DSA and the Digital Markers Act (DMA) directly target big tech located in the area.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:inherit"><tbody><tr style="text-align:inherit"><td style="text-align:inherit;padding:0;padding-bottom:0;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;text-align:inherit;font-size:16px;color:#666666">Speaking of the EU and big tech, <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=f4a0ed8189&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;text-align:inherit;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">it seems Apple is a few days away</a> from being hit with antitrust charges by the European Commission over its mobile payment system. We’ll keep an eye on how this unfolds.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646declaration" style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>International declaration outlines vision and principles for a trusted internet</strong><br>Over 60 countries and territories, including EU member states, Australia, Canada, the UK, and the USA, have launched a <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=682c1883ea&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">Declaration for the Future of the Internet</a>, outlining their commitment to a free, open, interoperable, reliable, secure global internet and broader digital ecosystem.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<img src="https://curator.diplomacy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Future-of-the-internet.png" width="480" height="270" style="height:auto;display:block;max-width:480px;margin:auto"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align:center;font-size:13px;opacity:0.7;padding:10px 0;padding-top:0">Credit: European Commission</td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">To sustain this vision, the signatories intend to uphold and promote several key principles:</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<strong>Protect human rights and fundamental freedoms</strong>, as reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and respect principles such as the rule of law, effective oversight, and transparency.</li>
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<strong>Maintain a global internet</strong>, through actions such as refraining from internet shutdowns and blocking access to lawful content; enabling data free-flows with trust; and promoting cooperation in research, innovation, and standard-setting.</li>
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<strong>Promote inclusive, affordable, and reliable access to the internet</strong>, through supporting efforts to close the digital divide, enhance digital literacy, and foster exposure to diverse cultural and multilingual content.</li>
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<strong>Promote trust in the digital ecosystem</strong>, through actions ranging from combating cybercrime and protecting privacy and personal data, to supporting a rule-based global digital economy and refraining from using the internet to undermine electoral processes.</li>
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<strong>Protect and strengthen the multistakeholder model of internet governance</strong> and refrain from undermining the technical infrastructure of the internet.</li>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">These principles are intended to be transposed into concrete policies and actions and promoted within multilateral and multistakeholder processes, while respecting the regulatory autonomy of the partners. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">More countries are expected to join the Declaration, and other stakeholders, including industry, the technical community, civil society, and international organisations, will be invited to support it.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646oewg" style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>OEWG agrees on modalities of stakeholder participation</strong><br>The OEWG reached agreement to apply <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=ba0a8f01af&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">modalities for the participation of stakeholders</a> as proposed by the Chair on 20 April, through a silent procedure. NGOs both with and without ECOSOC status should inform the OEWG Secretariat of their interest to participate. If no state raises an objection to the Chair, NGOs will be invited to participate as observers in the formal sessions, make oral statements during a dedicated stakeholder session, and submit written inputs to be posted on the OEWG’s website. The modalities will be read out at the OEWG’s third substantive session for the formal record.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><img src="https://curator.diplomacy.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ig-brif-final-2-1024x683.jpg" width="560" style="height:auto;display:block;min-width:10px;max-width:100%;margin-bottom:0;margin:auto"></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Chinese drone maker DJI halts all shipments to Russia and Ukraine</strong><br>Chinese drone-maker DJI is <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=59822588c5&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">temporarily halting all business activities in Russia and Ukraine.</a> According to <em>The Verge</em>, this includes <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=0228b5dc91&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">halting shipments of its products</a> and stopping after-sales support because the company is concerned that its products are being used in combat.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">Previously, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=2baec9e2f9&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">claimed</a> that Russia is using DJI’s AeroScope drone detection system to navigate their missiles and kill civilians.<br>The <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=da48d5b5e1&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">company recently admitted – according to <em>The Verge</em></a> – that its drone-tracking system DJI AeroScope does not use encryption for broadcasted signals. This means that governments and others with the required technical ability may not require an AeroScope to see the precise location of every DJI drone and every pilot nearby.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><h2 id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646crypto" style="margin:0;line-height:120%;text-align:left;color:#00a5ea;font-size:16px;padding:0"><strong><strong>// CRYPTOCURRENCIES //</strong></strong></h2></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Central African Republic accepts cryptocurrencies as legal tender</strong><br>The Central African Republic became the second country in the world (after El Salvador) to <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=cb5f8b620f&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">accept bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as legal tender</a> along with the national fiat currency (CFA franc). A bill to this effect was passed by the parliament and signed into law by the country’s president <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=71395006cf&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">regulating the use of cryptocurrencies</a> in online trade and electronic transactions and stipulating that such exchanges are not subject to tax. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666">There is, however, <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=b4780b93a6&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">an expectation that the law will be challenged</a> at the Constitutional Court, over concerns that it may undermine the national currency.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Panama’s parliament passes crypto assets bill</strong><br>The Legislative Assembly of Panama has approved <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=73ba1e9bbe&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">a bill</a> regulating the use of crypto assets as payment systems. The bill, which needs to be signed into law by the country’s president, <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=5630bd7fa3&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">allows the use of crypto assets</a> as a means of payment for civil or commercial operations, and enables the provision of crypto asset services in the country. However, <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=fee5c9ac95&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">it does not give crypto assets</a> the status of legal tender.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646mexican" style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Mexican court rules biometric phone registry is unconstitutional</strong><br>In a win for privacy activists, Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that the <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=e7e178f1a7&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">government-backed cell phone registry with biometric data is unconstitutional</a>. The registry, called Panaut, was supposed to include eye biometrics or fingerprints, and ultimately make it more difficult for bad actors to remain anonymous when purchasing mobile phones.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<div id="m_-5460818454409903786m_-71053049625795646whatelse" style="margin-right:10px;margin-left:0;color:#666666;display:inline-block;width:100%;padding:0"><a style="display:inline-block;text-align:center;box-sizing:border-box;padding:11px 20px;text-decoration:none;border-width:1px;border-style:solid;border-radius:0px;background-color:#815ac1;color:#ffffff;min-width:150px;width:100%"><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;color:#ffffff">WHAT ELSE WE'RE READING</span></a></div>
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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>#ICYMI: UNCTAD eCommerce week 2022 </strong><br>The UNCTAD e-commerce week was held this week, under the theme ‘Data and Digitalization for Development’. The event provided the opportunity for a timely discussion on the role of data and cross-border data flows in the digital economy, and on the distribution of wealth generated by this data. We followed the event closely and produced <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=daea0685c6&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">reports from the conference’s thematic sessions</a>. Head on over to the Digital Watch Observatory to dive into the discussions.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Diplo Blog: National champions do not help to win the race for digital industrialisation</strong><br>In a blog post inspired by reflections during eCommerce week 2022, Diplo’s Head of Digital Commerce and Internet Policy Marília Maciel argues that <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=4f031751e7&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">national champions do not help win the race for digital industrialisation</a> and outlines what developing countries could do to expand the scope of their participation in value creation in the digital economy.</p></td></tr></tbody></table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:10px 20px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"><p style="line-height:150%;padding:0;margin:0;font-size:16px;color:#666666"><strong>Facebook’s ‘data lineage’ problem</strong><br>Motherboard obtained a <a href="https://diplomacy.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=89e7299f9fe54eed66d45cf3d&id=fde4bb06ea&e=81127bf748" style="text-decoration:underline;color:#0088a0" target="_blank">leaked document written by Facebook’s privacy engineers, </a>which claims that Facebook doesn’t know how its systems use data or where the data goes once it’s inside Facebook’s systems. ‘We can’t confidently make controlled policy changes or external commitments such as “we will not use X data for Y purpose.” And yet, this is exactly what regulators expect us to do,’ the engineers wrote. </p></td></tr></tbody></table>
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