Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
Hong Kong Investigates Louis Vuitton After Data Breach Affecting 419,000 Customers
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog announced on Monday that it is investigating the data breach affecting over 419,000 Louis Vuitton customers in the region. The cyberattack took place in June and was reported by the luxury brand in July.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog announced it is investigating the data breach affecting over 419,000 Louis Vuitton customers.
- The investigation includes whether the incident involved delayed notification.
- Louis Vuitton detected suspicious activity on June 13 and reported it on July 17.
According to Reuters , Hong Kong’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said in an email that people’s personal data, including names, passport details, phone numbers, and email addresses, have been exposed.
Louis Vuitton reported the incident to the authorities on July 17. The French head office detected suspicious activity on June 13 and confirmed it affected customers in Hong Kong by July 2. Authorities are now investigating the breach, including whether the company delayed its notification.
“The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data has launched an investigation into Louis Vuitton Hong Kong in accordance with established procedures, including whether the incident involved delayed notification,” said the watchdog.
According to the South China Morning Post , Louis Vuitton Hong Kong stated that it had recently discovered unauthorized access and immediately took action, with the help of cybersecurity experts, to contain it. The luxury brand also clarified that its customers’ financial information remains protected.
“We sincerely regret any concern or inconvenience this situation may cause,” said Louis Vuitton. “We continuously work to update our security measures to protect against the evolving threat landscape, and we have taken steps to further strengthen the protection of our systems.”
Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog urged all companies to immediately notify them of cyberattacks and data breaches so they can offer support to both the affected organizations and individuals.
Louis Vuitton was also one of the brands affected in the recent wave of cyberattacks reportedly carried out by the hacking group Scattered Spider in May. The group has developed sophisticated malware and phishing kits, targeting multiple companies in the past few months, including Nike, Vodafone, and T-Mobile.
Image by Denys Nevozhai, from Unsplash
China Offers Global South Role In AI Governance Push
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
China called for a new international AI cooperation body, warning that the technology risks becoming monopolized by a restricted number of powerful players.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- China proposed a global AI cooperation organization at the WAIC in Shanghai.
- Premier Li warned AI risks becoming exclusive to powerful nations and companies.
- China released a 13-point AI action plan focused on global cooperation.
China proposed establishing a new international organization to promote AI global cooperation through inclusive governance and open-source development. Reuters notes how this announcement comes just days after the U.S. announced its plans to expand its AI dominance.
At the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Premier Li Qiang cautioned that AI development risked becoming a privileged domain for a limited number of nations and corporations unless proper regulation and sharing mechanisms were put into place.
“Only by upholding openness, sharing, and equitable access to AI can we ensure that more countries and communities benefit from its advancements,” Li said, as reported by SCMP .
The proposed organization, which could be headquartered in Shanghai, aims to address what Li called the “fragmented” current state of global AI governance. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu reported that thirty-plus nations, including Russia, Germany, South Korea, and South Africa, participated in discussions about this initiative.
SCMP says that the Chinese government published a 13-point strategic plan, which emphasizes partnerships with nations from the Global South. The proposed action plan promotes joint research activities alongside AI education initiatives and high-quality training data development.
“We should enhance coordination and alignment to establish a widely accepted global governance framework for AI at an early date,” Li urged, as reported by SCMP.
The announcement by China occurred shortly after Donald Trump presented his low-regulation AI strategy, which aims to enhance U.S. exports and reduce what his administration calls “woke” AI models, as observed by The Guardian .
“The two camps are now being formed,” said George Chen, of the Asia Group, as reported by CNBC . “China clearly wants to stick to the multilateral approach while the U.S. wants to build its own camp,” he added.
China maintains its semiconductor innovation through domestic technology development despite U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shows admiration for these efforts.
As the global tech race intensifies, AI emerges as the latest battleground between the world’s two largest economies.
