As the news about Huawei reported in last week’s 4cast continues to unfold, it does so against a backdrop of other stories where technology and international diplomacy intersect. As the Cyber Cold War expands, can a new branch of diplomacy help keep it from heating up? Estonia, believed to be one of the first targets of state-sponsored cyberwarfare, is leading the way.
- Japan to limit foreign ownership of firms in its IT, telecom sectors (Reuters)
“The new rule, effective Aug. 1, comes amid heightening pressure from the United States in dealing with cyber-security risks and technological transfers involving China.” - America and its economic allies have announced five “democratic” principles for AI (MIT Technology Review)
“The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development…does not include China, and the principles outlined by the group seem to contrast with the way AI is being deployed there, especially for face recognition and surveillance of ethnic groups associated with political dissent.” - President Kaljulaid at CyCon 2019: Cyber attacks should not be easy weapon (ERR News)
“The threats to the security of states increasingly involve unlawful cyber operations. It is therefore important that states may respond collectively to unlawful cyber operations where diplomatic action is insufficient, but no lawful recourse to use of force exists. Allies matter also in cyberspace.” - Estonia’s Ambassador at Large for Cybersecurity talks about “cyber diplomacy” and the need to establish “arms control” for cyberwarfare among Western nations (The Next Web)
“The whole field of cyber diplomacy is still alien to many traditional diplomats, who like most of us regular folks can get discouraged by the barrage of technical jargon that comes with it. Tiirmaa-Klaar says there’s a real need for specialized diplomats like herself that can act as translators and find ways to bring about necessary actions to improve cybersecurity.”
From the Ohio Web Library:
- James Fernyhough. “Huawei Calls for End to Technology ‘Warfare.’” Australian Financial Review, 4 Apr. 2019, p. 23.
- “Attacks against Elections Are Inevitable – Estonia Shows What Can Be Done.” Moderate Voice, Mar. 2019, p. N.PAG.
- Meyer, Paul. “Give Cyber Peace a Chance.” Peace Magazine, vol. 33, no. 1, Jan. 2017, p. 20.
