United Nations

Microsoft ain't happy with Russia-led UN cybercrime treaty

Could be used to put ethical hackers, and citizens, behind bars

Security30 Aug 2023 | 20

UN cybercrime treaty risks becoming a 'global surveillance pact'

Diplomats debate Russia-backed rules on what can be said online

Networks24 Aug 2023 | 17

Generative AI won't steal your job, just change it, says UN

Unless you're a woman in a clerical position, in which case your role might never come into existence

AI + ML23 Aug 2023 | 15

ICANN warns UN may sideline tech community from future internet governance

'We built this thing and now you don't want to hear from us – WTF?' is the gist of it

Networks22 Aug 2023 | 55

UN boss recommends nuclear option for AI regulation

Proposes global brainbox-bossing body based on the International Atomic Energy Agency's blueprint

AI + ML14 Jun 2023 | 18

Russia-pushed UN Cybercrime Treaty may rewrite global law. It's ... not great

Special report Let's go through all the proposed problematic powers, starting with surveillance and censorship

Cyber-crime14 Apr 2023 | 23

Red Cross seeks digital equivalent of its emblems to mark some tech as off-limits in war

Suggests tweaks to IP semantics as one way to identify protected tech and traffic

Security07 Nov 2022 | 25

Russia says Starlink satellites could become military targets

Urges peace in space, while also threatening to shoot western war zone internet out of the sky

Networks28 Oct 2022 | 104

Climate change prevention plans 'way off track', says UN

To stay under threshold of 1.5°C of warming, the world needs to work seven times harder, says the UN's WMO

Science14 Sep 2022 | 81

46 years after the UN proclaimed the right to join a union, Microsoft sort of agrees

Redmond is open to its staff organizing, but feels they don't need to

Legal03 Jun 2022 | 40

UN mulls Russia's pitch for cybercrime treaty

US, EU, human-rights bods say proposal would allow more nation-state abuses

Security07 Mar 2022 | 10

Cambodia cans critics of its snoopy Internet Gateway, says every nation has one

Government says it’s just collecting tax, United Nations points to data harvesting and chilling effects on free speech

Security15 Feb 2022 | 29

Shazam! Two world-record lightning events recognised

One streaked across 750km of sky, the other set a duration record

Science01 Feb 2022 | 22

US grounds investors in Chinese drone maker DJI over 'Xinjiang human rights abuses'

Alleges it and seven other Middle Kingdom tech outfits aid systematic oppression of Uyghur minority

Personal Tech17 Dec 2021 | 85

United Nations calls for moratorium on sale of surveillance tech like NSO Group's Pegasus

Suggests the world to sort out a ban to preserve human rights, issues sternly worded 'Please Explain' to Israel

Security13 Aug 2021 | 23

UK tells UN that nation-states should retaliate against cyber badness with no warning

Comment Even nuclear missile attacks came with a 4-minute heads-up

Security11 Jun 2021 | 44

International infosec rules delivered to make nations and non-state actors behave themselves online

Don't hack, don't backdoor, don't hurt the internet … and don't expect rapid adoption because there's still a lot of multilateral work to be done

Security16 Nov 2020 | 23

China makes treatment of its 5G vendors an issue to rank with climate change or disarmament

'No government should politicize 5G' says position paper published to mark United Nations’ 75th birthday

Networks11 Sep 2020 | 16

United Nations reportedly tears up Tencent's invite to its big 75th birthday bash

Deal announced two weeks ago would have seen shiny new VooV vid chat tool used around the world

Security16 Apr 2020 | 7

Attempts to define international infosec rules of the road bogged down by endless talkshops, warn diplomats

FIC 2020 Do you want Russia or China writing treaties on what's cool online?

Security31 Jan 2020 | 12

WIPO 'temporarily suspends' whistleblower CIO amid allegations of misconduct

Exclusive - updated Top techie probed by UN patent body in move branded 'retaliation' for his previous lid lifting

Legal28 Nov 2018 | 6

Total WIPOut: IT chief finds his own job advertised

Talked to UN investigators, boss given unredacted report

On-Prem12 Apr 2018 | 50

Shhh! Don’t tell KillBots the UN’s about to debate which ones to ban

Next Monday is a fine moment for bad bots to come back through time and change history

Science05 Apr 2018 | 40

State surveillance boom sparked by fear-mongering political populists, says UN

Special Rapporteur calls for privacy as a right, but also for International Data Warrants

Legal10 Mar 2017 | 18

UN staff demand ouster of controversial WIPO boss Francis Gurry

Protest arrives over alleged mistreatment of whistleblowers and bad management relations

On-Prem25 Jan 2017 | 9

WIPO chief trying to 'fix the composition of the Staff Council' – lawyer

50 ambassadors stream in to read locked-down report

Legal06 Jul 2016 | 13

United Nations orders plan for tackling online terror propaganda

Calls for counter-narratives and collaboration plan with tech giants

Legal13 May 2016 | 16

'Toxic' WIPO catches flak as US congressmen call for Gurry's head

Director general in the sights as legislators urge publication of controversial report

Legal04 May 2016 | 13

Secret UN report finds WIPO chief 'broke procurement rules'

Demands to view redacted document

Legal25 Apr 2016 | 10

Critics hit out at 'black box' UN internet body

Who exactly decides who sits on the Internet Governance Forum's main body?

Networks31 Mar 2016 | 9

Secret UN report finds against controversial WIPO chief

Exclusive Brit diplomats: We support this probe by external bods

Legal22 Feb 2016 | 19

Music lovers move to block Phil Collins' rebirth

'There is far too much suffering in the world as it is'

Legal04 Nov 2015 | 193

ICANN: Just give us the keys to the internet – or the web will disintegrate

Do what we say or the UN will take over, techies walk away, cats and dogs living together

Legal08 Oct 2015 | 21

Tremble, Vodafone! The UN ain't happy about your phone-hacking

You’ve ‘no respect’, says powerless, unknown official

Networks17 Sep 2015 | 2

WIPO whistleblowers beg UN for protection as probe into possible corruption starts

Chats in Geneva over DNA claims

Legal21 Jul 2015 | 5

United Nations sends peacekeeping forces to Internet of Things war

New ITU study group hopes to make sense of cluttered, confusing world

Networks17 Jun 2015 | 9

Row at UN domain-name body WIPO: Probes shut down, payout from controversial chief

Exclusive 'Mr X' fingered in tale of DNA skulduggery

Legal15 May 2015 | 9

United Nations: For pity's sake don't use your iPhone in your car

Just 9 mobes from a year ago can be trusted, says ITU

Networks06 Mar 2015 | 26

Snowden, NSA spying, hard drive malware ... what we need is a UN privacy watchdog!

EFF writes a very angry letter asking United Nations to write a very angry letter to the US

Security04 Mar 2015 | 42

'Net neutrality will turn the internet communist – and make Iran's day'

We think that's what this former FCC commish is trying to say

Legal18 Feb 2015 | 36

China and Russia start again with this UN internet takeover bull****

Scram, geeks – General Assembly document raises government-run specter

Legal04 Feb 2015 | 28

US Ambassador: No, net neutrality will NOT allow the UN to seize control of the internet from us

Analysis It won't impact foreign policy, please go away

Legal30 Jan 2015 | 9

Five-eyes partners dilute UN resolution criticising metadata collection

We need privacy, but not too much, say US and allies

Legal26 Nov 2014 | 10

ICANN creates 'UN Security Council for the internet', installs itself as a permanent member

Now to 'protect children through a browser'

Legal07 Nov 2014 | 10

UN takeover of internet postponed indefinitely

Analysis Two weeks of negotiations may have turned the ITU super-tanker

Networks05 Nov 2014 | 19

Staff unions call for removal of controversial UN patent agency chief

Masked meeting to be held in Geneva tonight

Legal22 Sep 2014 | 10

UN to Five Eyes nations: Your mass surveillance is breaking the law

And Navi Pillay calls for Snowden to be protected

Legal17 Jul 2014 | 76

Revealed: SECRET DNA TEST SCANDAL at UN IP agency

Exclusive El Reg publishes scorching internal report, ex ICANN CEO named

Legal08 Jul 2014 | 19

UN to debate killer drone ethics

Can Skynet withstand the slow, grinding fury of a COMMITTEE?

Legal09 May 2014 | 16

ITU says IT industry must become 'resilient' in face of climate change

Your data centre needs a levee and comms should go wireless, say UN techies

Legal30 Apr 2014 | 11

United Nations signs off on 'right to privacy in the digital age'

Calls upon world to respect privacy and 'context' of communications

Legal19 Dec 2013 | 20

Young? Been online five years? Congrats, you are the ELITE MINORITY

Most of world's youth still not 'digital natives,' study finds

Legal08 Oct 2013 | 33

UN report says killer bots could fight WAR WITHOUT END

Moratorium proposed on development and use of lethal autonomous robots

Legal31 May 2013 | 59

United Nations: 'Overpopulated Earth? Time to EAT BUGS'

Or feed them to cattle, pigs, chickens, and fish, then eat them

Legal13 May 2013 | 110

Broadband too costly in developing countries, says ITU

National network policy now all the rage

Networks24 Sep 2012 | 2

United Nations gifts NORTH KOREA with tech worth $50k

HPC blog A glimpse at Kim Jong-un's IT wish list...

HPC05 Apr 2012 | 17