Google to Stop Showing Political Ads to Users in European Union

Google has announced it will stop showing political ads to users in the European Union next year due to uncertainties around the bloc’s new transparency regulations. In a new blog post, Google says the upcoming Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) rules that aim to prevent election interference and help voters make informed choices will introduce significant “operational challenges and legal uncertainties.”

Putin Vows to Investigate Slow Speeds, Disruptions on YouTube

President Vladimir Putin is looking into slow speeds and disruptions on YouTube in Russia after the country's top cinema official raised the matter with him, the Kremlin said. Critics believe YouTube is being deliberately disrupted by the authorities to prevent Russians from viewing a mass of content there that is critical of Putin and his government.

X Sues to Block California Law Against AI-Generated Deceptive Election Content

Elon Musk’s social media platform X sued to block a California law aimed at curbing AI-generated deceptive election content on social media, claiming the measure is an unconstitutional affront to free speech. The law, which requires large online platforms to remove content deemed “materially deceptive,” will lead to widespread censorship of political speech, according to the complaint filed late Thursday in Sacramento federal court.

European Commission Fines Meta $840 Million Over Classified-Ads Service

The European Commission fined Meta $840 million over allegations that it unlawfully used its signature social media platform to power its classified-ads service, Facebook Marketplace. The executive body of the 27-nation European Union found that Meta broke E.U. antitrust laws by closely linking Facebook with its classified-ads business, giving it a “distribution advantage which competitors cannot match.”

Apple Deletes Radio Free Europe App from Russian App Store

Apple has deleted one of U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Russian-language news apps from the Russian App Store at the request of state communications regulator Roskomnadzor, the news outlet said. Apple and Roskomnadzor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters reporters in Russia could still access the app on mobile devices.

FTC Preparing to Open Probe of Microsoft's Cloud Software Business

The Federal Trade Commission is planning to launch an investigation into Microsoft’s cloud software business over alleged anticompetitive practices, as the Democratic-led agency tries to cement a legacy of aggressive regulation during President Joe Biden’s final weeks in office. President-elect Donald Trump’s antitrust policies are still unclear, but there are indications he will pressure Big Tech companies on some fronts.

Musk Makes New Claims in Amended Lawsuit Against OpenAI, Microsoft

Elon Musk escalated his legal feud with OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming the companies colluded to eliminate competition in an attempt to dominate the development of artificial intelligence. In an amended lawsuit filed in a San Francisco court, Musk made fresh antitrust claims against OpenAI, the ChatGPT creator he helped found, and added Microsoft and venture capitalist Reid Hoffman as defendants.

Judge Requires Meta to Face Trial in FTC's Antitrust Lawsuit

Facebook owner Meta Platforms must face trial in a U.S. Federal Trade Commission lawsuit seeking its break up over claims that it bought Instagram and WhatsApp to crush emerging competition in social media, a judge in Washington ruled. Judge James Boasberg largely denied Meta's motion to end the case filed against Facebook in 2020, during the Trump administration, alleging that the company acted illegally to maintain its social network monopoly.

Republican Attorneys General Sue SEC Over Cryptocurrency Enforcement

Eighteen Republican attorneys general sued the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Chair Gary Gensler for allegedly overstepping the agency’s authority in its enforcement actions against the cryptocurrency industry. The states, led by Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman, argue that the SEC has sought to “unilaterally wrest regulatory authority away from the States” on crypto enforcement.

Lawyers Predict Less Cryptocurrency Regulation Under Trump White House

Less enforcement in the cryptocurrency sector is on the horizon, as Republican President-elect Donald Trump prepares to reset policy at the Justice Department and regulatory agencies, current and former senior government lawyers said. Speaking at a conference in New York, the lawyers said financial fraud cases would still be brought, but that the new administration's Justice Department would prioritize other areas such as enforcing immigration laws — a major focus of Trump's campaign.

Trump Spokeswoman Says President-Elect 'Will Deliver' on TikTok

TikTok, the Chinese-owned video app set to be banned in the United States in two and a half months, is hoping that President-elect Donald J. Trump will find a way to rescue it after a smattering of promises to that effect on the campaign trail this year. Mr. Trump’s team says he will “deliver” on those promises — though the details are hazy.

OpenAI Outlines Proposal for Fewer Regulations to Incentivize New Projects

OpenAI outlined a proposal calling on the United States to support the artificial intelligence industry with a landmark infusion of funding and resources, previewing a potential lobbying and policy battle emerging for the incoming Trump administration. The proposal, presented by OpenAI’s head of global affairs, Chris Lehane, at a think tank event in Washington, calls for special economic zones with fewer regulations to incentivize new AI projects, a fleet of small nuclear reactors to power data centers aided by the U.S. Navy and a “North American Compact” allowing U.S. allies to collaborate to bolster the field, according to a document provided by OpenAI.

Meta Agrees to EU Concessions, Will Offer 'Less Personalized Ads'

Meta Platforms plans to give European users of Instagram and Facebook the option of receiving what it says are “less personalized ads,” a concession to regulators that risks hitting the company’s revenue in one of its largest markets. The social-media company plans in coming days to begin prompting users in Europe with the choice of the new ad format, without paying a fee, according to people briefed on the plans.

U.S. to Support UN Cybercrime Convention Despite Concerns of Misuse

The United States will support the United Nations cybercrime convention when it comes up for a vote this week, top officials said. The decision follows months of internal deliberations at the White House and other agencies over whether to support the treaty, which digital rights groups and other officials have raised serious concerns over due to its potential misuse by countries like Russia and China.

Businesses May Get Incentives to Bolster Cyber Defenses Under Trump

Businesses in critical infrastructure sectors — which have been besieged by hacking — should expect perks in exchange for improving their cyber defenses under the Trump administration, said Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank focused on national security. Those incentives might include safe harbor or liability protections for cloud providers, for example.

Judge Dismisses Professor's Facebook Suit Over 'Unfollow Everyone' Tool

A federal judge dismissed a suit brought by a professor who wants to build a tool that allows Facebook users to unfollow everyone in their feed. Ethan Zuckerman, who teaches public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, had asked a federal court to rule that Meta, Facebook’s owner, couldn’t sue him if he went through with his plan.

Trump Expected to Soften Regulation for Big Tech Companies

Donald Trump will likely dial back some of the antitrust policies pursued under the administration of President Joe Biden, potentially including a bid to break up Alphabet's Google over its dominance in online search, experts said. Trump is expected to continue cases against Big Tech, several of which began in his first term, but his recent skepticism about a potential Google breakup highlights the power he will hold over how those cases are run.

Read the article: Reuters

Canada Orders TikTok to Shut Business Operations, Citing National Security

Canada said it ordered TikTok Technology Canada, or the domestic unit of the social-media app’s China-based owner, to dissolve its business operations due to national-security concerns. The decision follows a review and is on the advice of the country’s security and intelligence agencies, said Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

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