Judge Refuses to Block Imports of iPhones in Qualcomm Patent Case

A U.S. trade judge declined to block the importation of Apple Inc. iPhones with chips from Intel Corp., handing a major defeat to Qualcomm Inc. in its high-stakes legal dispute with the iPhone maker. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge said Apple’s phones infringed one Qualcomm patent related to power management technology, but denied the chipmaker’s request for a ban on the import of some iPhones into the United States.

Google CEO Visits White House, Congress Ahead of Hearings

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai paid a rare visit to Washington to defend the search giant against allegations that it silences conservatives online, part of an effort to defuse political tensions between the company, Congress and the Trump administration ahead of a key hearing on Capitol Hill later this year. Weeks after President Trump accused Google of having “rigged” search results, the company’s leader paid the White House a visit, meeting with Larry Kudlow, one of the president’s top economic advisors, a spokeswoman for the White House confirmed.

Appeals Court Reverses $234 Million Award Against Apple in Patent Case

Apple Inc. persuaded a federal appeals court to throw out a $234 million damages award in favor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s patent licensing arm for infringing a patent on computer processing technology. In a 3-0 decision, the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals said Apple deserved judgment as a matter of law, because jurors could not have found infringement based on evidence introduced in the liability phase of a 2015 trial.

Facebook Says Attack Exposed Personal Data on 50 Million Users

Facebook said that an attack on its computer network had exposed the personal information of nearly 50 million users. The attackers exploited a feature in Facebook’s code that allowed them to take over user accounts, and Facebook forced more than 90 million users to log out of their accounts, a common safety measure taken when accounts have been compromised.

Popular U.S. Election Machines Called Vulnerable to Cyberattacks

Election machines used in more than half of U.S. states carry a flaw disclosed more than a decade ago that makes them vulnerable to a cyberattack, according to a report to be delivered on Capitol Hill. The issue was found in the widely used Model 650 high-speed ballot-counting machine made by Election Systems & Software LLC, the nation’s leading manufacturer of election equipment.

EU Probing Whether Amazon Unfairly Copies Marketplace Products

European Union antitrust regulators are asking whether Amazon.com Inc. unfairly copies popular products sold by rivals on its online marketplace, according to a questionnaire sent to merchants. In a 16-page form to be filled out by Oct. 9, regulators want to know whether Amazon has in recent years started to sell products under its own brand that are "identical or very similar" to ones merchants have offered on the company’s website and what impact that’s had on their business.

Australian Teen Hacker Gets Probation for Downloading Apple Data

An Australian teenager who hacked Apple Inc. systems over several months and downloaded sensitive data avoided a jail term, as a court heard he was fascinated by the tech giant and found accessing its networks addictive. The now adult defendant, who was 16 at the time the hacking began, accessed Apple’s internal systems and copied data and authentication keys, a magistrate told a Children’s Court.

Tech Companies Testify in Congress on Privacy Protections

Facing growing pressure to protect their customers’ privacy, some of the biggest technology companies told Congress that they favor new federal consumer safeguards but diverged on some of the details. Representatives from AT&T, Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Twitter Inc. and Apple Inc. at a hearing of the Senate Commerce Committee that is assessing the need for new consumer protections.

Sessions, State Attorneys General Discuss Data Privacy, Influence

Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with a group of state attorneys general to discuss concerns about the tech industry’s practices, following allegations from Republicans of anti-conservative bias. According to attendees, Sessions raised the issue of how Silicon Valley handles political speech, the intended focus of the meeting. But many of the attorneys general instead put the spotlight on data privacy and concerns about market power.

Facebook, Google Agree to Code of Conduct to Fight Fake News in EU

Facebook, Google and other tech firms have agreed a code of conduct to do more to tackle the spread of fake news, due to concerns it can influence elections, the European Commission said. Intended to stave off more heavy-handed legislation, the voluntary code covers closer scrutiny of advertising on accounts and websites where fake news appears, and working with fact checkers to filter it out, the Commission said.

Google to Allow Ads from 'Regulated' Cryptocurrency Exchanges

Alphabet Inc.’s Google changed its blanket ban on cryptocurrency-related advertising, saying it will now allow “regulated” cryptocurrency exchanges in Japan and the U.S. to run ads on its websites. "Advertisers will need to be certified with Google for the specific country in which their ads will serve," Google wrote in a blog post, adding that advertisers can apply for certification starting in October.

Twitter Announces New Policy Against 'Content That Dehumanizes'

Twitter announced a new policy addressing “dehumanizing speech,” which will take effect later this year, and for the first time the public will be able to formally provide the company with feedback on the proposed rule. The policy will prohibit “content that dehumanizes others based on their membership in an identifiable group, even when the material does not include a direct target.”

Commerce Dep't Seeks Comments on Data Privacy Proposal

The Department of Commerce released a request for public comments as it outlined the Trump administration's approach to consumer data privacy. In the proposal, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, a branch under the Commerce Department, recommended privacy regulations focused on giving users control over how their data is used by tech companies.

Qualcomm Accuses Apple of Stealing Confidential Info for Chips

Qualcomm has unveiled explosive charges against Apple, accusing it of stealing "vast swaths" of confidential information and trade secrets for the purpose of improving the performance of chips provided by rival Intel, according to a court filing. Qualcomm hopes the court will amend allegations in its existing lawsuit against Apple accusing it of breaching the so called master software agreement that Apple signed when it became a customer of Qualcomm's earlier this decade.

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Lawyer Review Website Avvo Agrees to Changes, N.Y. Attorney General Says

New York’s attorney general said U.S. lawyer review website Avvo had agreed to reform its rating system and improve disclosures after a probe revealed shortcomings in how it presented information to consumers seeking to hire lawyers. Attorney General Barbara Underwood said Avvo, a Seattle-based unit of Internet Brands Inc, will no longer call its ratings “unbiased.”

British Regulator Considers Record Penalty for Cyberattack on Bank

Tesco's banking arm is facing the City regulator's biggest-ever cyberattack-related fine two years after its online services were hacked by criminals attempting to steal funds from customers. Sky News has learnt that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned Tesco that it is considering imposing a penalty of more than £30m on the company.

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