Data Breach at Canvas Highlights Schools' Cyber Weaknesses

The vast data breach at education platform Canvas exposed the vulnerability of student information as hackers increasingly target school systems, colleges and the tech companies they rely on in hopes of scoring big ransom payouts. The latest attack comes as a handful of big educational technology providers are managing a huge amount of information and as a backlash brews among parents who want to curb computer use in classrooms.

Advances in AI Prompt White House to Reconsider Addressing Risks

The arrival of a new generation of powerful artificial intelligence models, like Anthropic’s Mythos, has begun to crack the White House’s hard-line stance on promoting the technology, as top officials confront security risks posed by tools that can easily find flaws long buried in computer code. President Donald Trump’s team is considering an executive order to tackle those risks, and National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett compared the approach this week to how the FDA tests new drugs “so that they’re released to the wild after they’ve been proven safe.”

Malaysia Considers Action Against Meta Over Fake Accounts for Royals

Malaysia is studying actions to be taken against Meta Platforms Inc. for failing to curb fake accounts involving the country’s Malay rulers, Bernama reported, citing Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil. Between January and May this year, public complaints and monitoring by the communications ministry flagged more than 15,000 fake accounts using the names of 26 royal family members, the report said, citing Fahmi.

Software Developer Rave Files Antitrust Suit Against Apple

Software developer Rave filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the iPhone maker kicked Rave's app for shared viewing ​of video content off the Apple App Store after introducing a competing product called ‌SharePlay. Ontario, Canada-based Rave is demanding reinstatement into the App Store and "hundreds of millions of dollars" in damages, according to the complaint filed in U.S. federal court in New Jersey.

Student Software Used by Millions Unavailable Due to Cyber Incident

From Berkeley to Harvard, students at thousands of schools abruptly lost access to their coursework, after a key software provider pulled the plug to deal with a cybersecurity incident. Canvas, one of the most widely used education apps, posted a notice on its website saying its software was currently unavailable and it was investigating the situation.

Meta Asks Judge to Overturn Verdict in Social Media Danger Trial

Meta Platforms has asked a Los Angeles judge to throw out a jury’s verdict finding the company liable for a woman’s depression in a landmark trial ​over whether the company has harmed young users by designing its platforms to ‌be addictive. In the filing, Meta asked the judge who oversaw the trial to overturn the verdict and rule in its favor or order a new trial.

Google Scientist Warns EU of Privacy Risks in Sharing Search Engine Data

A top Google scientist sent a warning to EU antitrust regulators that its proposal requiring the company to share search engine data with rivals such as OpenAI risked exposing users' private information, the sternest rebuke yet in a tussle over ​Google's lucrative business model. The European Commission, which acts as the EU competition enforcer, has in recent ​years cracked down on Big Tech via a slew of legislation to ensure that ⁠users have more choices and smaller rivals room to compete that has however triggered the ire of ​the U.S. government.

Google, Microsoft, xAI to Share Model AI Programs with White House

Alphabet’s Google, Microsoft and xAI have reached an agreement with the Trump administration to share early versions of their artificial-intelligence programs to assess their capabilities and security before releasing the models to the public. The Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation will lead evaluations of the AI programs.

Publishers Sue Meta for Using Copyrighted Works to Train AI

A group of publishers have filed a class action lawsuit against Meta Platforms, alleging the tech conglomerate illegally used their copyrighted works to source and train its AI platform. Publishers including Cengage Learning, Hachette, Macmillan, McGraw and Scott Turow are demanding a jury trial to review their claims of copyright infringement.

Seven AI Companies Agree to Deploy Tech on Pentagon Networks

Seven leading artificial intelligence companies have reached deals to deploy their technology in classified Pentagon computer networks, the Defense Department said. The announcement leaves Anthropic — one of the industry’s key players — increasingly isolated as it battles the Trump administration in court over being branded a national security risk by the Pentagon.

Apple to Pay $250 Million to Settle Lawsuits Over Inflated AI Claims

Apple agreed to pay $250 million to settle legal claims that it misled consumers about the abilities of its artificial intelligence system, Apple Intelligence, according to court filings. The settlement resolves a handful of class action lawsuits filed against Apple last year, which claimed the company oversold what its product could do during its rollout in 2024.

Families Sue OpenAI for Not Flagging Suspect in Mass Shooting

Families of seven victims in the Canadian mining town shattered by a mass shooting in February are suing OpenAI over its failure to flag the shooting suspect’s ChatGPT activity to police. The families filed the suits against the artificial-intelligence company, alleging it acted in negligence, violated product liability standards and aided and abetted the shooting, which killed eight people and injured more than 25 in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Use of Geofence Warrants

During two hours of oral arguments that scrambled the court’s usual ideological alliances, the U.S. Supreme Court justices debated how the Constitution’s traditional protections apply to the rapidly changing technology that has made it easier for the police to scoop up vast amounts of data to assemble a detailed look at a person’s movements and activities. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, a conservative, and Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a liberal, lobbed the toughest questions at the Justice Department’s lawyer, expressing a deep concern that the government’s position on accessing location data would apply similarly to other forms of electronic data, including emails, photos and documents.

Musk Testifies in Trial Over OpenAI's Nonprofit Status

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk testified in a federal court in the trial for his lawsuit brought against ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, a court battle that could upend the company that kicked off the AI arms race. “Fundamentally I think they’re going to try to make this lawsuit seem complicated, but I think it’s very simple, which is, it’s not okay to steal a charity,” Musk said in his testimony Tuesday at a federal court.

Google Contract Allows Pentagon to Use AI Tools for 'Lawful' Purposes

Google said that it had signed a deal to provide the Pentagon with its artificial intelligence models for classified work, amid a dispute between the Department of Defense and the AI start-up Anthropic over how to responsibly use the technology during war. Now the Pentagon can use Google’s AI on classified systems for “any lawful governmental purpose,” people with knowledge of the deal said.

Europeans Fail to Reach Agreement on AI Rules

EU countries and European Parliament lawmakers failed to reach a deal on watered-down landmark artificial intelligence rules after 12 ​hours of negotiations and will resume talks next month. The ‌changes to the AI Act, which entered into force in August 2024 with key elements set to be enforced in stages starting this year, are part of the ​European Commission's Digital Omnibus, which aims to simplify a slew of ​regulations in the digital sector to help businesses catch up ⁠with U.S. and Asian rivals.

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