Judge Dismisses Claims That Google Tracked Users' Personal Information

Alphabet Inc.’s Google defeated a privacy lawsuit by consumers who accused the company of snooping on them even after they opted out of sharing their web activity. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers dismissed claims that Google tracked users’ personal information, including IP addresses and browsing history, if they chose not to “Sync” their Google accounts with Chrome — and even if they didn’t have an account.

FTX Founder Bankman-Fried Arrested in Bahamas After U.S. Indictment

FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested by Bahamian authorities after the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York shared a sealed indictment with the Bahamian government, setting the stage for extradition and U.S. trial for the onetime crypto billionaire at the heart of the crypto exchange’s collapse. His arrest is the first concrete move by regulators to hold individuals accountable for the multibillion-dollar implosion of FTX last month.

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Twitter Dissolves Trust and Safety Council as Musk Criticizes Members

Twitter abruptly dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the latest sign that Elon Musk is unraveling years of work and institutions created to make the social network safer and more civil. Members of Twitter’s Trust and Safety Council received an email with the subject line, “Thank You,” that informed them the council was no longer “the best structure” to bring “external insights into our product and policy development work.”

FTC Sues to Block Microsoft's $69 Billion Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

The Federal Trade Commission, in one of the most aggressive actions taken by federal regulators in decades to check the power of the tech industry’s giants, sued to block Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of the video game maker Activision Blizzard. The FTC said that the deal would harm consumers because Microsoft could use Activision’s blockbuster games like Call of Duty to lure gamers from rivals.

FTC Asks Judge to Block Meta's Acquisition of Virtual-Reality Startup

The Federal Trade Commission asked a judge to halt Meta Platforms Inc.’s planned acquisition of a virtual-reality startup, a case that represents a shift in U.S. antitrust enforcement and poses a challenge to the Facebook parent’s metaverse strategy. The FTC is seeking an injunction blocking Meta’s planned acquisition of Within Unlimited Inc., the company behind the popular virtual-reality fitness game “Supernatural.”

Biden Administration Argues for Limits on Section 230 at Supreme Court

The Biden administration argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that social media giants like Google could in some instances have responsibility for user content, adopting a stance that could potentially undermine a federal law shielding companies from liability. Lawyers for the U.S. Department of Justice made their argument in the high profile lawsuit filed by the family of Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old American citizen killed in 2015 when Islamist militants opened fire on the Paris bistro where she was eating.

Indiana's Attorney Files Suit Against TikTok Under Consumer Protection Laws

Indiana’s attorney general sued the Chinese-owned app TikTok for deceiving users about China’s access to their data and for exposing children to mature content, in the first state lawsuits against the popular video service. Todd Rokita, the attorney general, claimed that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, violated state consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the Chinese government’s ability to tap sensitive consumer information.

Previously Banned Twitter Users Regaining Access to Their Accounts

Thousands of previously banned Twitter users, including members of the far-right and users sharing blatant misinformation, have begun to have their accounts restored to the platform, according to an independent analysis. The mass restoration of accounts comes after new owner Elon Musk said late last month that he would offer “general amnesty” to many who had been removed from the platform.

Court Dismisses Australia's Lawsuit Against Google Over Ad Targeting

Australia's competition regulator said its lawsuit against Alphabet Inc's Google that alleged consumers were misled about expanded use of personal data for targeted advertising had been dismissed by a court. The proceedings, initiated by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission in July 2020, alleged Google did not explicitly take consent from users about a change made in 2016 that combined personal information in Google accounts with activity on non-Google sites that use its technology to display advertisements.

Hong Kong Officials Criticize Google for Pro-Democracy Song in Search Results

Google is under fire from officials and legislators in Hong Kong over a pro-democracy song that is showing up in search results for the national anthem, which raises tensions between American tech giants and authorities as Beijing tries to spread patriotism in the city. Two members of Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing legislative council in recent days have joined the city’s chief secretary in criticizing the Alphabet Inc. unit for showing the song, “Glory to Kong Kong,” among its top results.

Australian Competition Regulator Sues Telstra Over Broadband Speed Disclosures

Australian competition regulator took the country's top telecom firm Telstra Corp. to court for failing to inform some customers about downgrading the upload speed of its broadband plan. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) initiated the lawsuit in the Federal Court, alleging Telstra downgraded broadband upload speed for nearly 9,000 residential customers in October and November 2020 without informing them or lowering its charges.

Officials Predict Antisemitic Speech on Twitter Will Lead to Violence

Current and former federal officials are warning that a surge in hate speech and disinformation about Jews on Twitter is uniting and popularizing some of the same extremists who have helped push people to engage in violent protests including the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress. The officials are predicting that Twitter will contribute to more violence in the months ahead, citing the proliferation of extreme content, including support for genocidal Nazis by celebrities with wide followings and the reemergence of QAnon proselytizers and white nationalists.

Chinese Hackers Stole Millions of Dollars of Covid Relief Benefits

Chinese hackers have stolen tens of millions of dollars worth of U.S. COVID relief benefits since 2020, the Secret Service said. The Secret Service declined to provide any additional details but confirmed a report by NBC News that said the Chinese hacking team that is reportedly responsible is known within the security research community as APT41 or Winnti.

Facebook Considers 'Removing News' if U.S. Adopts 'Journalism Competition' Act

Facebook warns it could ban news in the U.S. if Congress passes a bill that would require the platform to negotiate with and compensate publishers for their content. Andy Stone, Meta’s head of policy communications, said on Twitter that Facebook will “be forced to consider removing news” from Facebook if the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) is passed.

New Zealand Proposes Requiring Online Platforms to Pay for News Content

New Zealand said it would seek to require online platforms like Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc. to pay news publishers for content, becoming the latest country to wade into a worldwide debate about whether tech giants unfairly benefit from news shared on their platforms. New Zealand’s proposal will be based on a similar law in Australia and introduced legislation in Canada and will be designed to act as an incentive for digital platforms to reach voluntary deals with local news outlets, according to a statement from New Zealand Broadcasting Minister Willie Jackson.

Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange Settles with Treasury Department Over Sanctions

Kraken, a U.S. cryptocurrency exchange, agreed to pay more than $360,000 to the Treasury Department to settle accusations of sanctions violations involving virtual currency transactions by users in Iran. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said Kraken, the second-largest crypto exchange by volume in the United States, had agreed to a settlement for enabling nearly $1.7 million of transactions to individuals who appeared to be in Iran between October 2015 and June 2019.

Supreme Court Refuses to Hear $2.75 Billion Patent Case Against Cisco

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a bid by Centripetal Networks Inc to reinstate the largest award in the history of U.S. patent law — $2.75 billion — to be paid by Cisco Systems Inc. in a cybersecurity patent dispute. The justices turned away Reston, Virginia-based cybersecurity company Centripetal's appeal of a lower court's decision to negate the award after the judge who presided over the trial disclosed that his wife owned Cisco stock worth $4,688.

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