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Chinese gov fears Instagram, Europe vs. Google [Government IT News]

The Chinese government is cracking down on Instagram, fearing dissidents and food porn. Europe is once again telling Google how it feels, and the FBI is releasing software. Plus more gov news 'round the globe.
Written by David Gewirtz, Senior Contributing Editor

ZDNet's worldwide team provides global 24/7 technology news and analysis. In addition to my own coverage analysis here in the ZDNet Government column and on ZDNet's DIY-IT, every week I'll bring you a selection of the best government-related articles posted by our intrepid reporters and analysts. Here are some of the most interesting from the last week.

Top stories this week

Instagram blocked in China: Reports
Just over a week after Hong Kong residents took to the streets demanding full democracy for the city, social media site Instagram has been blocked across mainland China, according to reports.

Europe's watchdogs give Google a shopping list of how to sort out privacy
The Article 29 Working Party has given Google a bunch of recommendations on how to brings its unified privacy policy into line with European law.

FBI collars alleged mobile spyware seller
The FBI has arrested a man in the US for allegedly selling StealthGenie.

FBI releases Malware Investigator portal to industry players
The FBI has granted businesses access to a formerly in-house malware analysis tool called the Malware Investigator portal.

Other government coverage around ZDNet

After China quizzes Apple on backdoors, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus go on sale
Following Chinese scrutiny over the security of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple’s big new smartphones will go on sale in China next month.

3M wins NZ$80m monitoring contract with New Zealand government
3M will be providing the New Zealand Department of Corrections with electronic monitoring solutions to monitor a range of offenders who are in home detention, electronic bail, and community detention.

Telstra's national public Wi-Fi trial will be unsecured
Telstra's free trial of national Wi-Fi out to 1,000 sites by the end of this year will be on an unsecured public Wi-Fi network that will be less safe than the one the company ultimately brings in.

Elections and World Cup prompt PC sales drop in Brazil
And this year will see the sharpest decline in sales to date, says IDC.

Vodafone reveals plan to retain customers' browsing history
Vodafone Australia is working on rolling out a system that will record customers' web-browsing IP history for up to 90 days, as the government moves to compel telcos to hold on to users' metadata for up to two years.

Senators' ignorance isn't bliss with new surveillance laws
Events of the past 24 hours show that Australian politicians still don't understand the issues around internet surveillance — and that's dangerous.

NBN Co execs face grilling over Melton fibre trial 'conspiracy'
NBN Co CEO Bill Morrow has said there is no conspiracy over fibre savings with the company reviewing the outcome of a trial of new fibre deployment technology and methods implemented in a trial in Victoria that was leaked to media earlier this month.

One-stop shop for cybercrime set up
Internet users will soon to be able to report a cybercrime to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network that is being setup by police information agency Crimtrac.

ASIO powers to spy over the entire internet pass the Senate
Labor senators voted with government senators to defeat Greens and cross-bench attempts to limit ASIO's new expansive powers to spy on all Australian internet users, as the legislation passed the Senate overnight.

Australia's spy agency to get power to tap unlimited devices
Legislation that is likely to pass the Australian parliament this week will allow ASIO to get a warrant for access to an unlimited amount of devices, Attorney-General George Brandis has confirmed.

IC3 flags scam after branding disgruntled IT staff a 'threat'
The US Internet Crime Complaint Center has revealed that cyber criminals are posing as its employees in order to dupe the public, only a day after announcing that disgruntled IT employees posed a "significant cyber threat" to the US businesses.

Australian government launches search for cloud services panel
The Department of Finance has listed a request for tender on AusTender for suppliers interested in helping the government establish a whole-of-government cloud services panel.

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