Surveillance Capitalism

Colorado Lawsuit Targets Oil Companies over Climate Impacts

May 31, 2018

The nongovernmental organization EarthRights International recently announced it is supporting a lawsuit in the names of a group of Colorado communities against Suncor and ExxonMobil to force these energy companies to cover costs these communities expect to incur over the next three decades to deal with impacts of these companies' contributions to global warming.
EC Proposes Rules to Aid Corporate Whistleblowers

May 31, 2018

The Guardian reports on a European Commission (EC) proposal to harmonize corporate whistleblower standards across the EU in legislation that would create a special legal status for such whistleblowers and grant them access to legal aid and financial support to encourage them to expose unlawful business conduct.
FIFA Creates Human Rights Complaint Mechanism

May 30, 2018

Acting on recommendations from nongovernmental organizations and its Human Rights Advisory Board, the International Federation for Association Football (FIFA) has created a complaints mechanism through which "human rights defenders" and media representatives can anonymously report rights violations related to FIFA's activities.
EC Proposes Tighter Regulation of Food Supply Chain

May 24, 2018

The European Commission (EC) has issued a proposal requiring EU member states to set up regulators to prohibit a variety of "unfair trade practices" by companies in the food supply chain, targeting actions by retailers and others that the EC asserts have harmed European farmers and small businesses by decreasing their bargaining power and lowering their prices.
Study Calls for Taxation to Achieve UN Health Targets

May 23, 2018

IP Watch reports that a recent study published in The Lancet Journal pushes for increased taxes on sugary drinks, alcohol, and tobacco around the world to help combat non-communicable diseases and achieve health targets contained in the UN's comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals.
Colombian Court Requires Action on Rainforest, Climate

May 22, 2018

The Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia recently ruled that the country's government must take action to combat deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, citing the country's international commitments and asserting that the rainforest is an "entity subject of rights."
EU Data-Protection Rules Aim for Global Standard-Setting

May 22, 2018

An article by Emily Stewart of Vox examines the global reach of the EU's new data-protection regime, which enters into force this week and whose strict standards purport to control the activities of many major American tech companies that engage in transactions with European users.
US Judge Rejects Exxon Lawsuit Against State AGs

May 18, 2018

The New York Times reports that a federal judge in New York has rejected a lawsuit by energy giant Exxon seeking to limit investigations pursued by a group of state attorneys general regarding Exxon's knowledge of its contributions to global warming on the ground that the state officials were pursuing the investigation in bad faith.
Citigroup Pushes Business Clients on Gun Restrictions

May 09, 2018

The New York Times reports that, in response to broad pressure on corporations to take action against gun violence in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, banking giant Citigroup has announced it will require business clients who sell guns to halt firearm sales to customers who have not passed background checks or who are younger than 21.
YouTube Bans Promotion of Firearm Sales

May 08, 2018

The New York Times reports that, after the recent mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Florida, online video platform YouTube announced it would remove videos promoting the construction or sale of firearms and their accessories.