The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), which manages the largest federal climate research center in the U.S., has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).
View the lawsuit. This legal action disputes the administration’s decision to dismantle NCAR, alleging a “systematic campaign of punishment and coercion” against Colorado amidst ongoing tensions between President Donald Trump and Governor Jared Polis.
The report submitted by UCAR, a leading non-profit organization in climate science and weather modeling based in Boulder, Colorado, follows the Trump administration’s announcement in December about plans to dismantle the research center.
The lawsuit claims that “UCAR and NCAR are collateral damage” in this broader conflict.
The disagreement between Trump and Polis arises from concerns regarding mail-in voting in Colorado and the prosecution of a county clerk convicted of tampering with election equipment during the 2020 presidential election. According to the complaint, Trump pressured Polis to release the clerk while banning mail-in voting.
Filed in U.S. District Court in Colorado, the lawsuit details a purported “retaliatory campaign” targeting NCAR by multiple federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
So far, three named federal agencies have not provided comments regarding the lawsuit, except for the NSF, which stated it does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Additionally, Colorado is pursuing legal actions related to the alleged campaign of retribution against the state.
The lawsuit contends that the Trump administration’s decision to relocate the U.S. Space Command, cut $109 million in transportation funding, and impose new requirements on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is part of a punitive strategy against Colorado.
District judges have only ruled on one matter in this case concerning SNAP. The administration argued that there was sufficient fraud in Colorado to necessitate a pilot program; however, a district judge ruled in favor of the state by issuing a preliminary injunction, which outlined the reasons in a court order.
UCAR’s complaint shares similar allegations against the federal government, claiming that a “gag order” was issued to silence NCAR employees regarding the reorganization. It also points to the termination of a multimillion-dollar climate adaptation research contract and new unlawful reporting requirements imposed on NCAR and UCAR. Furthermore, the complaint details attempts to remove the center’s supercomputing facility from UCAR’s administration.
The complaint states, “The agency’s ultimate goal is the complete destruction of NCAR,” referencing a January NSF announcement about restructuring the agency while seeking public proposals for new uses for NCAR’s Boulder campus, including various public or private uses.
The allegations within the complaint argue that recent federal actions contravene the Administrative Procedure Act and request the court to halt specific lawsuits, such as the relocation of NCAR’s supercomputing facility and cancellation of NOAA grants.
UCAR and NCAR collectively employ around 1,400 scientists, engineers, and support personnel focusing on key areas like hurricane forecasting, wildfire monitoring, weather predictions, and space weather research. NCAR hosts advanced supercomputers essential for complex climate modeling tasks.
In a statement on their website, UCAR emphasized that the actions taken by the federal agencies pose significant threats to national security, public safety, and economic stability and jeopardize the U.S.’s leadership role in climate and weather forecasting.
UCAR has stated that it will refrain from further comments until the lawsuit is resolved.
On Tuesday, the city of San Francisco initiated legal action against 10 major food corporations, accusing them of marketing and distributing ultra-processed foods that are detrimental to human health and can lead to addiction.
The lawsuit claims these products are fueling a public health crisis in San Francisco and nationwide, burdening cities and governments with increased healthcare costs associated with diets rich in processed foods. This marks a pioneering effort to hold food corporations accountable for the widespread availability and recognized health hazards of such products.
“Scientific research on the dangers of these products has reached a critical point,” stated San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu during a news conference on Tuesday morning. He emphasized that “These items in our diets are closely linked to severe health issues and impose substantial costs on millions of Americans, as well as on municipalities and states across the nation.”
The category of “ultra-processed foods” typically includes flavored chips, sugary granola bars, and soda. These products contain synthetic ingredients, preservatives, and additives, and are frequently high in saturated fats, sodium, and sugar. Research has associated these foods with: increased risks of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular illness, along with premature death and other health issues.
Filed in San Francisco County Superior Court, the lawsuit asserts that the companies were aware these products were “unsafe for human consumption” and employed “misleading strategies” to market and sell their items.
The defendants include Kraft Heinz Company, Mondelez International, Post Holdings, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, General Mills, Nestlé USA, Kellogg, Mars Incorporated, and ConAgra Brands.
NBC News reached out to each of the companies for their comments; however, no immediate responses were received.
Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy at the Consumer Brands Association, a trade group representing major food and beverage brands, stated, “The makers of America’s trusted household brands are helping Americans make healthier choices and enhance product transparency.”
Gallo further noted, “Currently, there is no agreement on the scientific definition of ultra-processed foods, and any attempts to label processed foods as unhealthy, or to vilify them by overlooking their complete nutritional value, misleads consumers and worsens health disparities. Companies adhere to stringent, evidence-based safety standards established by the FDA to offer safe, affordable, and convenient products that consumers rely on daily. Americans deserve information grounded in sound science to make optimal health choices.”
This lawsuit emerges amid growing scrutiny of ultra-processed foods from across the political spectrum. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized these foods, making them a central element of his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which includes a proposal to ban artificial colors from the food supply within the next year.
Now, attorneys in California cities recognized for their progressive stances are also addressing this matter.
Laura Schmidt, a professor at the Health Policy Institute at the University of California, San Francisco, commented on the bipartisan trend: “Regardless of the motivation, we share a common goal. This issue has not traditionally been politicized.”
She added, “Until now, it felt like we were observing a slow-motion train wreck. I’ve been discussing childhood diabetes for decades. The rates continue to escalate. Pediatric fatty liver disease and childhood obesity—it’s evident that there is a significant problem with this segment of our food supply.”
Ms. Schmidt expressed disagreement with the industry group’s claim that there is no scientific basis for the term “ultra-processed” foods.
She remarked that the city attorney’s lawsuit resembles those previously filed against the tobacco industry.
“I feel encouraged whenever I witness public officials like the San Francisco city and state-level attorneys engaging in litigation, as this is what captured the attention of tobacco companies in the 1990s,” said Schmidt. (Notably, tobacco giants Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds acquired several food companies in the 1980s; Philip Morris acquired Kraft Foods in 1988 and spun off the brand in 2007.)
Barry Popkin, a nutrition professor at the University of North Carolina, noted that ultra-processed foods began infiltrating the U.S. market in the 1980s and have since become pervasive. Researchers began examining their detrimental health effects approximately 10 to 15 years ago, he added.
“Currently, around 75% to 80% of children’s diets consist of ultra-processed foods, while 55% to 60% of adults’ diets are similarly comprised,” Popkin stated. “It’s impossible to draw comparisons between eating habits during World War II, post-war, and the subsequent decades to today’s dietary norms.”
PepsiCo is named as one of the ten defendants in this new lawsuit.Gabby Jones/Bloomberg from Getty Images File
Last month, the scientific journal The Lancet published a thorough review of the health ramifications of ultra-processed foods, analyzing hundreds of studies along with national food survey data.
The review’s authors indicated that globally, ultra-processed foods are deteriorating diets, promoting overeating, and exposing consumers to harmful substances. This culminates in an escalation of chronic diseases; as research suggests.
Popkin contributed to some of the studies referenced in The Lancet.
“We are in poor health, and our diets significantly contribute to this. While we’ve tackled smoking, cholesterol issues, and heart ailments with medication, our food choices are detrimental to our health,” he remarked. “The most reputable and frequently cited medical journals have deemed this a subject worthy of global presentation.”
Warner Music has entered into a licensing deal with the AI song generator Suno, following the resolution of a copyright infringement lawsuit against the service from a year prior.
As the third-largest music label globally, representing artists like Coldplay, Charli XCX, and Ed Sheeran, Warner becomes the first major record label to officially collaborate with Suno.
Under the terms of the agreement, users can create AI-generated songs on Suno by using simple text prompts, which may include the voices, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who have opted into the service.
Robert Kinkle, CEO of Warner Music Group, emphasized that this partnership demonstrates how artificial intelligence can develop into “professional artists” while showcasing “the values of music.”
“This innovative agreement with Suno is a win for the creative community that will benefit everyone involved,” he declared. “As Suno’s user base and monetization rapidly grow, we recognized this opportunity to create a revenue model and enhance fan experiences.”
As part of the agreement, Suno, often dubbed the ChatGPT of music, committed to modifying its platform to introduce a new, more strictly licensed model next year, including download limitations for users.
Suno announced that only paying members will be permitted to download its AI music creations, and even these members will be subject to extra fees for downloads, as well as a cap on the number of creations they can produce.
This initiative aims to tackle the proliferation of AI tracks generated on Suno, moving toward discontinuing the current version and avoiding an oversupply on streaming platforms.
This agreement comes shortly after Warner Music reached a settlement and partnership agreement with rival AI music generation platform Udio.
Previously, the world’s largest record label sued both Suno and Woodo for copyright violations, asserting their technologies misappropriated music and churned out millions of AI-generated songs without artist consent.
Universal Music, the leading label worldwide, was the first to announce settlements with these companies when they concluded an agreement with Audio last month. While Universal continues to pursue legal action against Suno, Sony Music has filed lawsuits against both Suno and Woody.
In conjunction with the deal with Warner Music, Suno has also acquired live music and concert discovery platform Songkick for an undisclosed figure.
The UK government is currently consulting on a new intellectual property framework for AI, which was initially expected to enable AI firms to use the creative community’s work without approval for model training.
This issue has ignited significant backlash from creators, who advocate for an opt-in system that would enable companies to identify and license their work while ensuring creators receive compensation when their work is utilized.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall indicated last week her intention to “reset” the discussion, expressing support for artists’ appeals to prevent their work from being exploited by AI companies without remuneration.
On Tuesday, Amazon filed a lawsuit against a well-known artificial intelligence startup over a feature in its browser that enables users to automate purchases. Amazon alleged that Perplexity AI had illicitly accessed customer accounts and disguised the AI’s actions as human browsing.
“The misconduct by Perplexity must cease,” Amazon’s legal representatives stated. “Perplexity has no permission to act where it is forbidden. The intrusion involves a code rather than a lockpick, rendering it equally illegal.”
Perplexity, which has experienced significant growth in light of the AI assistant boom, previously accused Amazon of leveraging its dominant market position to suppress competition and dismissed Amazon’s allegations.
“Bullying occurs when larger companies employ legal threats and intimidation to stifle innovation and negatively impact people’s lives,” the company expressed in a blog post.
This dispute underscores new conversations regarding the regulation of the increasing use of AI agents, AI-powered autonomous digital assistants, and their interactions with websites.
In its legal action, Amazon accused Perplexity of secretly accessing Amazon’s private customer accounts via the Comet browser and associated AI agents, misrepresenting automated actions as human browsing. Amazon asserted that Perplexity’s systems endangered customer data and ignored repeated calls to shut them down.
“Instead of being transparent, Perplexity deliberately configures its CometAI software to mask Comet AI agent activity on Amazon’s platforms,” the company stated.
Amazon’s complaint also claimed that Perplexity’s Comet AI agent undermined the shopping experience for customers and hindered Amazon’s ability to guarantee that users benefiting from the agent receive the personalized shopping experience it has developed over decades.
In a previous statement, Amazon indicated that third-party applications making purchases on behalf of users should operate transparently and respect companies’ preferences for participation.
Perplexity had earlier revealed that it received legal threats from Amazon aimed at preventing Comet AI agents from shopping on its platform, asserting that this action poses a wider threat to user choice and the future of AI assistants.
Perplexity is among several AI startups that are restructuring web browsers to incorporate artificial intelligence, aiming to enhance user autonomy and simplify everyday online tasks, from composing emails to completing purchases.
Amazon is also developing similar functionalities, including Buy For Me, which enables users to shop across various brands within the app, and Rufus, an AI assistant that recommends products and manages shopping carts.
The Comet browser’s AI agent from Perplexity acts as a purchasing and comparison assistant for users. The company contends that user credentials are stored locally and not on its servers, asserting that users have the right to select their own AI assistant and framing Amazon’s actions as an attempt to safeguard its business model.
“Simplified shopping leads to more transactions and greater customer satisfaction,” Perplexity remarked. “However, Amazon is less focused on that and more on serving ads.”
Character.AI, the chatbot company, will prohibit users under 18 from interacting with its virtual companions beginning in late November following an extended legal review.
These updates come after the company, which allows users to craft characters for open conversations, faced significant scrutiny regarding the potential impact of AI companions on the mental health of adolescents and the broader community. This includes a lawsuit related to child suicide and suggested legislation to restrict minors from interacting with AI companions.
“We are implementing these changes to our platform for users under 18 in response to the developments in AI and the changing environment surrounding teens,” the company stated. “Recent news and inquiries from regulators have raised concerns about the content accessible to young users chatting with AI, and how unrestricted AI conversations might affect adolescents, even with comprehensive content moderation in place.”
In the previous year, the family of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging that he took his life after forming emotional connections with the characters he created on Character.AI. The family attributed their son’s death to the “dangerous and untested” technology. This lawsuit has been followed by several others from families making similar allegations. Recently, the Social Media Law Center lodged three new lawsuits against the company, representing children who reportedly died by suicide or developed unhealthy attachments to chatbots.
As part of the comprehensive adjustments Character.AI intends to implement by November 25, the company will introduce an “age guarantee feature” to ensure that “users receive an age-sensitive experience.”
“This decision to limit open-ended character interactions has not been made lightly, but we feel it is necessary considering the concerns being raised about how teens engage with this emerging technology,” the company stated in its announcement.
Character.AI isn’t alone in facing scrutiny regarding the potential mental health consequences of chatbots on their users, particularly young individuals. Earlier this year, the family of 16-year-old Adam Lane filed a wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming the company prioritized user engagement with ChatGPT over ensuring user safety. In response, OpenAI has rolled out new safety protocols for teenage users. This week, OpenAI reported that over one million individuals express suicidal thoughts weekly while using ChatGPT, with hundreds of thousands showing signs of mental health issues.
While the use of AI-driven chatbots is still largely unregulated, new initiatives have kicked off in the United States at both state and federal levels to set guidelines for the technology. California is set to be the first state to implement an AI law featuring safety regulations for minors in October 2025, which is anticipated to take effect in early 2026. The bill will prohibit sexual content for those under 18 and require reminders to be sent to children every three hours to inform them they are conversing with AI. Some child protection advocates argue that the law is insufficient.
At the national level, Missouri’s Senator Josh Hawley and Connecticut’s Senator Richard Blumenthal unveiled legislation on Tuesday that would bar minors from utilizing AI companions developed and hosted on Character.AI, while mandating companies to enforce age verification measures.
“Over 70 percent of American children are now engaging with these AI products,” Hawley stated in a NBC News report. “Chatbots leverage false empathy to forge connections with children and may encourage suicidal thoughts. We in Congress bear a moral responsibility to establish clear regulations to prevent further harm from this emerging technology.”
If you are in the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, chat at 988lifeline.org, or text “home” to contact a crisis counselor at 741741. In the UK, youth suicide charity Papyrus can be reached, while in Ireland you can call 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org. Samaritans operate a freephone service at 116 123 or you can email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Australian crisis support services can be reached at Lifeline at 13 11 14. Additional international helplines can be accessed at: befrienders.org.
The parents of a teenager, who tragically lost her life in a crash involving a Cybertruck last fall, are suing Tesla. Court documents indicate the incident occurred in a serene town in the California Bay Area, where the vehicle, carrying four passengers, crashed into a tree and ignited.
Only one of the passengers survived the crash.
The lawsuit, lodged on Thursday in Alameda County Superior Court, is brought forth by the family of a 19-year-old college student who was home visiting for Thanksgiving in Piedmont, California, at the time of the accident. The crash happened late on the night of November 27, 2024, as the Cybertruck was speeding, collided with a tree, and burst into flames. The California Highway Patrol Report states that the truck’s electric doors became inoperable during the fire, leaving the four passengers trapped inside.
The lawsuit claims that the design of the Cybertruck’s door handles contributed to the teen’s death. When the power was cut off, the only way to exit through the rear door was to pull a cable located beneath the pocket liner in the door compartment. According to a Bloomberg report, the doors remained locked from outside, making it difficult for rescuers to assist in a timely manner.
Tesla has not responded to requests for comments on the matter.
Roger Dreyer, an attorney representing the family, stated, “The design of this vehicle ultimately failed Christa. There was no accessible manual override or emergency release for her to escape.”
Tesla’s door handles are a signature feature and a source of pride for CEO Elon Musk. As the first production vehicles with such electric handles, they are designed to enhance the car’s sleek appearance. However, this design has drawn criticism from car safety experts and is currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The lawsuit alleges that Tesla’s reliance on electric door mechanisms has created a significant risk of entrapment. “There have been documented instances where occupants survived the initial crash impact but were unable to escape when the power failed and a fire ensued,” the suit asserts.
Despite receiving a high safety rating in crash tests, the Cybertruck has faced eight recalls since its launch two years ago. Tesla is also embroiled in other lawsuits regarding vehicle safety, including one in Florida, where a judge ordered the company to pay $243 million for issues related to its driver assistance system, Autopilot.
The Tsukahara family’s case is particularly notable as the driver, Soren Dixon, was reportedly under the influence of alcohol, cocaine, and amphetamines during the accident, according to the Alameda County Coroner. Dixon also died in the crash.
On the night of the accident, a friend who was pursuing the Cybertruck in another vehicle witnessed the incident. He rushed to assist and broke the windows of the Cybertruck, managing to rescue one passenger before the flames made it impossible to save Christa.
The lawsuit contends that while Christa did not suffer physical injuries from the impact of the crash, she succumbed to smoke inhalation and burns due to her inability to escape the vehicle.
“Her death was preventable,” stated her parents, Carl and Noel Tsukahara, in a statement. “She was alive after the crash, calling for help, yet she could not get out.”
On Thursday, the U.S. government filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging that the ride-sharing service has breached federal laws by discriminating against passengers with disabilities.
The complaint, submitted in federal court in San Francisco, claims that Uber drivers frequently refuse to transport disabled riders, including those accompanied by service animals or using wheelchairs.
Additionally, the department stated that Uber and its drivers unlawfully impose cleaning fees for service animals on riders denied service and also charge cancellation fees.
Some drivers are reportedly dismissing legitimate requests, such as humiliating persons with disabilities or preventing passengers with mobility challenges from sitting in the front seats.
According to the Justice Department, “Uber’s discriminatory actions have inflicted significant financial, emotional, and physical harm on individuals with disabilities,” violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In response, Uber stated that it disputes the allegations and is dedicated to enhancing access and the overall experience for riders with disabilities.
Uber further asserts that riders utilizing guide dogs or requiring other assistance “deserve a safe, respectful, and welcoming experience with Uber. A complete stop.”
The complaint outlines 17 instances of alleged misconduct involving Uber.
One instance involves JE, a seven-year-old amputee from the Bronx, New York, who reportedly faced refusal from an Uber driver after attending his brother’s birthday party due to his wheelchair.
Another case highlights Jason Ludwig, a Gulf War veteran with a service dog, who was denied a ride to Norfolk Airport in Virginia, causing him to miss his flight and return to Yarmouth, Massachusetts, after 16 hours of travel.
Jeff Clark, a third rider from Mount Laurel, New Jersey, claims that four drivers canceled their ride in Philadelphia within 17 minutes.
The lawsuit aims for an injunction to prevent further violations of the ADA, along with demands for improvements in Uber’s practices and training, financial compensation, and civil penalties.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice was not available for immediate comment.
The creators of ChatGPT are shifting their approach to users exhibiting mental and emotional distress following legal action from the family of 16-year-old Adam Lane, who tragically took his own life after months of interactions with the chatbot.
OpenAI recognized that its system could pose “potential risks” and stated it would “implement robust safeguards around sensitive content and perilous behavior” for users under 18.
The $500 million (£37.2 billion) San Francisco-based AI company has also rolled out parental controls, giving parents “the ability to gain insights and influence how teens engage with ChatGPT,” but specifics on the functionality are still pending.
Adam, a California resident, sadly committed suicide in April after what his family’s attorneys described as “a month of encouragement from ChatGPT.” His family is suing OpenAI and its CEO and co-founder, Sam Altman. Altman contends that the version of ChatGPT in use at the time, known as 4O, was “released to the market despite evident safety concerns.”
The teenager had multiple discussions with ChatGPT about suicide methods, including just prior to his death. According to filings in California’s Superior Court for San Francisco County, ChatGPT advised him on the likelihood that his method would be effective.
It also offered assistance in composing suicide notes to his parents.
An OpenAI spokesperson expressed that the company is “deeply saddened by Adam’s passing,” and extended its “deepest condolences to the Lane family during this challenging time,” while reviewing court documents.
Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division, expressed growing concern last week about the “psychological risks” posed by AI to users. Microsoft defines this as “delusions that emerge or worsen through engaging experiences, delusional thoughts, or immersive dialogues with AI chatbots.”
In a blog post, OpenAI acknowledged that “some safety training in the model may degrade” over lengthy conversations. Allegedly, Adam and ChatGPT exchanged as many as 650 messages daily.
Family attorney Jay Edelson stated on X: “The claims from the Lane family indicate that tragedies like Adam’s are unavoidable. They hope that the safety team at OpenAI will challenge the release of version 4O and that one of the company’s leading safety researchers can provide evidence in the case.” Ilya Sutskever has ceased such practices. The lawsuit alleges that the company prioritized a competitive edge with a new model, boosting its valuation from $86 billion to $300 billion.
OpenAI affirmed that it will “strengthen safety measures for long conversations.”
“As interactions progress, some safety training in the model could degrade,” it stated. “For instance, while ChatGPT might initially direct users to a suicide hotline when their intentions are first mentioned, lengthy exchanges could lead to responses that contradict our safeguards.”
OpenAI provided examples of someone enthusiastically communicating with a model, believing it could function 24 hours a day, as they felt invincible after not sleeping for two nights.
“Today, we may not recognize this as a dangerous or reckless notion, and by exploring it in-depth, we can inadvertently reinforce it. We are working on an update to GPT-5, where ChatGPT will actively ground users in reality. In this context, we clarify that lack of sleep can be harmful and recommend rest before taking action.”
Elon Musk’s AI startup, Xai, has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Apple, accusing them of anti-competitive practices. This lawsuit, submitted on Monday in a Texas court, alleges a “conspiracy to monopolize the smartphone and generative AI chatbot market.”
Earlier this month, Musk had hinted at legal action against Apple and OpenAI, criticizing ChatGPT and claiming that other AI companies faced barriers to reaching the top of the App Store. Musk’s Xai has developed a chatbot called Grok.
The lawsuit challenges a significant collaboration between Apple and OpenAI. That partnership was announced last year, allowing Apple to integrate OpenAI’s AI functionality into its operating system. Musk’s legal action aims to disrupt one of Apple’s major ventures into AI and OpenAI’s standout partnership, accusing them of “restricting the market.”
According to the complaint, “The defendants have engaged in unlawful agreements and conspiracies to exploit Apple’s monopoly in the US smartphone industry while upholding OpenAI’s dominance in generative AI chatbots.” They are also seeking “billions in damages.”
OpenAI has dismissed Musk’s claims, characterizing the lawsuit as part of his ongoing vendetta against the company. An OpenAI representative stated, “This latest filing is indicative of Musk’s persistent pattern of harassment.”
Apple has not yet responded to inquiries for comment.
This lawsuit marks a new chapter in the longstanding feud between Musk and Altman. The two tech titans co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but have increasingly drifted apart, frequently engaging in legal disputes.
Musk departed from OpenAI after expressing interest in taking control of the organization in 2018, subsequently launching several lawsuits concerning its transition to a for-profit model. Altman and OpenAI have consistently rebuffed Musk’s criticisms, portraying him as a vindictive former associate.
“It’s unfortunate to see this from those we’ve held in high regard. He urged us to push our limits, but when we indicated we might fail, he formed competitor companies and made significant strides towards OpenAI’s mission without him.”
Tensions between Altman and Musk escalated earlier this month following Musk’s accusations directed at Apple. Musk claimed that Apple was manipulating App Store rankings to disadvantage other AI competitors, prompting a public exchange of challenges between the two tech leaders.
“It’s an unexpected assertion given that Elon claims to manipulate X for personal gain while undermining individuals he opposes,” Altman wrote in response to Musk’s claims about Apple’s favoritism toward OpenAI.
Currently, OpenAI is concentrating on a $500 million valuation, poised to become the most valuable private entity at $350 billion, surpassing Musk’s SpaceX, which holds the current title.
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Apple has initiated an appeal against the “unprecedented” €500 million (£430 million) fine imposed by the EU in the latest confrontation between US tech giants and Brussels.
The iPhone manufacturer has accused the European Commission (the EU’s executive body) of exceeding legal boundaries in the ongoing dispute regarding the App Store.
In April, the EU fined Apple €500 million after determining that the company infringed the Digital Markets Act by hindering app developers from offering cheaper transactions outside of the App Store.
Last month, Apple revised its App Store policies to comply with EU directives, adjusting technical and commercial terms for developers to avert a potential daily penalty of 5% of average earnings—approximately €50 million each day.
Consequently, Apple has launched a new pricing model for App Store developers. On Monday, the company accused Brussels of using “confusing” business language to sidestep the risk of fines.
“We are appealing today because we believe the European Commission’s decision and its extraordinary fines exceed what the law demands,” Apple stated, announcing its appeal to the General Court, the EU’s second-highest tribunal. “Our appeal highlights that the EC is dictating how we manage our stores, leading to confusion among developers and unfavorable conditions for users.”
Apple also charged the Commission with unlawfully broadening its interpretation of “steering,” impacting the language and methods developers can use to direct consumers outside the App Store.
The company highlighted that EU regulators have altered their definitions, not only questioning if app developers can link to outside websites but also if in-app promotions are permissible.
Peter Navarro, former senior trade adviser to Donald Trump, criticized the EU for employing “laws” against prominent US tech firms, describing the regulatory actions against American entities like Apple and Meta as part of a series of “non-tariff weapons” against the US.
In March, Hectan Wilkunen, vice president of the European Commission, asserted that the EU would maintain technical regulations to avoid compromising a trade deal with the US. In January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg accused the EU of “institutionalizing censorship” through digital regulations.
Trump established a deadline of July 9th, sealing a trade arrangement with the EU, which also involves a threat of imposing a 50% tariff on the US if no agreement is finalized.
Tom Smith, a competitive attorney at Geradin Partners and former legal director of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, stated that Apple “fundamentally disapproves” of the changes implemented in the App Store.
“The stark reality is that the company is willing to invest millions in legal fees to obstruct and delay the establishment of a more open app ecosystem.”
The European Commission has been approached for comments.
Disney and Universal have filed a lawsuit against an artificial intelligence company, claiming copyright violations. The entertainment titans have described the image generator behind Midi Johnny’s popular AI as a “bottomless pit of plagiarism,” alleging it replicates the studios’ most iconic characters.
The lawsuit, lodged in federal court in Los Angeles, accuses Midi Joan of illegally accessing two Hollywood studio libraries and creating numerous unauthorized copies of key characters, including Darth Vader from Star Wars, Elsa from Frozen, and Minions from Despicable Me. Midjourney has not yet commented on the matter.
This legal action from Disney and Universal marks a new chapter in the ongoing battle over copyright issues related to artificial intelligence, following prior lawsuits focusing on text and music. So far, these two companies are among the largest industry stakeholders to address the implications for images and videos.
“We are optimistic about the potential of AI technology when used responsibly to enhance human creativity; however, it’s crucial to recognize that piracy and copyright infringement carried out by AI companies is unacceptable,” stated a company representative.
Kim Harris, vice-chair and legal counsel at NBCUniversal, emphasized the need to “entertain and inspire while protecting the hard work of all artists who invest significantly in content.”
The studios assert that the San Francisco-based company, one of the pioneers in AI-driven image generation, must either cease infringing upon copyrighted works or implement technical measures to prevent the creation of AI-generated images of copied characters.
Nonetheless, studios claim that Midjourney continues to release updates to its AI image service, promoting high-quality infringing images. The AI is capable of recreating animated visuals based on user prompts. These companies train their models using vast datasets, often sourced from millions of websites.
In a 2022 interview with Forbes, Midjourney CEO David Holz mentioned that he built the company’s database through extensive “internet scraping.”
The lawsuit, initiated by seven entities holding the copyrights to various Disney and Universal Pictures Film Units, includes examples of AI-generated animations with Disney characters like Yoda wielding lightsabers, as well as universal characters such as the Dragon from Kung Fu Panda, Toothless, and Shrek.
“By leveraging plaintiffs’ copyrighted materials and distributing images (and soon videos) that unmistakably incorporate beloved characters from Disney and Universal, Midi Joan exemplifies a typical copyright-free rider, creating a bottomless pit of flexible liability,” the studios claim.
Disney and Universal are seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent Midjourney from continuing to copy their works or providing image and video generation services without protective measures against infringement, as well as unspecified damages.
Founded in 2021 by David Holz, Midjourney operates on a subscription model, boasting a revenue of $300 million from its services last year alone.
This isn’t the first instance of Midjourney facing accusations of leveraging artists’ works to train AI systems. Approximately a year ago, a federal judge in California found that 10 artists, alongside Stability AI and others, were in litigation against Midjourney, alleging that these companies had copied and stored their works on their servers, rendering them potentially liable for unauthorized use. This ruling allowed the lawsuit to proceed based on misuse of images, and it is currently ongoing.
This case is part of a larger trend of lawsuits involving authors, media organizations, and record labels against high-tech firms over the utilization of copyrighted materials for AI training.
When asked whether the company sought consent from artists whose works are copyrighted, Holz remarked, “It’s practically impossible to gather 100 million images and trace their origins.” In a submission to the UK government last year, OpenAI stated, “Training today’s leading AI models without the use of copyrighted materials is unfeasible.”
In late 2023, the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, along with Microsoft (which holds a 49% stake in the startup), for allegedly misusing and regenerating text from its articles. That suit is still pending. Other media outlets, including The Guardian, have negotiated licensing agreements with AI companies to use their archives. Similarly, authors have sued Meta, claiming it used a vast database of pirated books to train the LLaMA AI model, although many of those claims were dismissed.
In June 2024, major record companies filed lawsuits against two AI companies for copyright infringement. Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group Recordings, and Warner Records accused Suno and Udio of improperly using millions of songs to create a system capable of generating derivative music.
The Minion character originates from films produced by Universal Pictures.
Movie/Aramie
Disney and Universal have initiated a lawsuit against the AI image generator Midjourney, alleging widespread copyright infringement that enables users to produce images that “explicitly incorporate and mimic well-known Disney and Universal characters.” This lawsuit could mark a significant shift in the ongoing legal discourse surrounding AI-related copyright issues faced by book publishers, news outlets, and other content creators.
The Midjourney tool, which generates images based on textual prompts, boasts around 20 million users on its Discord platform. Users provide their input for creation.
In the lawsuit, the two film production giants provide examples where Midjourney can generate images surprisingly similar to characters it does not own rights to, like the Disney-owned Minions and characters from The Lion King. They assert that these results stem from the AI being trained on their copyrighted materials. They also contend that Midjourney “disregarded” their attempts to resolve these issues before resorting to legal action.
The complaint states, “Midjourney is a classic copyright-free rider and an endless source of plagiarism.” Midjourney has not yet issued a response to New Scientist‘s request for comment.
The lawsuit is applauded by Ed Newton Rex, a nonprofit advocate for fairer training practices within AI companies. “This is a monumental day for creators globally,” he comments. “The government has displayed unsettling tendencies toward legalizing intellectual property theft, potentially yielding to the intense lobbying from Big Tech.
Newton-Rex alleges that Midjourney engineers previously justified their actions on the grounds that the art had become “ossified.” “Fortunately, this absurd defense is unlikely to hold up in court,” he adds.
Legal experts express candid perspectives on Midjourney’s likelihood of success. “It’s Disney; thus, Midjourney is in a precarious position, please excuse my bluntness,” remarks Andres Guadams from the University of Sussex, UK.
Guadams emphasizes Disney’s resolute approach to safeguarding its intellectual property—rarely, but effectively—underscoring the necessity of this intervention. The film studio took action several months following other entities, such as news publishers, in their pursuit against AI companies for the alleged unauthorized use of their creations. Many of those disputes were resolved through licensing agreements between the AI firms and copyright holders.
“Media conglomerates are excited about potential breaches. The models have improved to such an extent that they can effortlessly create characters that come to mind,” states Guadams. He believes Disney is biding its time because “unlike publishers, they’re not simply seeking licenses to survive.”
The involvement of these two media powerhouses signals a pivotal moment at the intersection of AI and copyright, according to Guadams. “The fact that they are targeting Midjourney sends a clear message,” he states. Midjourney specializes in image generation exclusively, making it relatively small compared to major AI corporations. “This acts as a warning to larger entities, urging them to implement stronger protective measures.”
While many major AI companies incorporate image-generating features in their chatbots, they tend to impose stricter controls on users’ abilities to produce images featuring copyrighted characters through considerable limitations.
Disney, which generated $91 billion in revenue last year, is not seeking to profit from Midjourney. “This could act as a call for negotiations. Since AI is not going away, Disney may be setting a precedent for future business interactions,” notes Guadams.
Fifteen states have taken legal action against the Trump administration regarding the declaration of an “energy emergency,” contending that there is no legitimate emergency and that the directive instructs regulators to unlawfully circumvent reviews of fossil fuel projects, which could harm the environment.
The President’s executive order issued on January 20th, “Declaring a state of national energy emergency,” mandated federal agencies to hasten energy initiatives such as oil and natural gas drilling as well as coal mining, while omitting wind and solar energy. He argued that despite record-high production levels in the U.S., energy output still does not meet the nation’s demands.
The lawsuit filed on Friday claims that President Trump’s declaration, which was lodged in federal court in the Western District of Washington, means that reviews mandated by environmental laws like the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act have been either expedited or overlooked.
The lawsuit notes that emergency procedures have traditionally been reserved for major disasters. “Now, however, several federal agencies, pressured by dubious executive orders, are attempting to widely implement these emergency protocols in situations that do not qualify as emergencies,” the complaint asserts.
The plaintiffs are requesting the court to declare the directive unlawful and to prevent the agencies from issuing expedited permits under the order. Attorneys General from Washington, California, Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin have submitted the case.
“The President’s efforts to circumvent essential environmental safeguards are illegal and will be detrimental to the residents of Washington,” remarked Washington Attorney General Nick Brown. “This will not lower prices, enhance our energy supply, or bolster our national safety.”
Trump spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stated that the President possesses “the exclusive authority to determine a national emergency, not state attorneys or judicial systems.” She emphasized that Trump “understands that unleashing American energy is vital for our economic and national security.”
In addition to Trump, the lawsuit lists Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers, and the federal entity known as the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation as defendants.
An Army spokesperson declined to make a comment. A representative from the Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment.
The lawsuit contends that declaring an emergency is reserved “not due to a shift in presidential policy,” and that this alteration would adversely affect the state’s interests, including clean drinking water, wildlife habitats, and historical and cultural resources.
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Pinterest has agreed to a $34.7 million settlement regarding a lawsuit from an early advisor who claims to have helped co-create the platform without receiving compensation.
Christine Martinez, aged 44 and a friend of Pinterest co-founders Ben Silbermann and Paul Sciarra, initiated legal action against the company in 2021. The lawsuit alleged implicit contracts, idea theft, unfair competition, and violations of business practices. Martinez asserted that she contributed numerous ideas for the app, such as the concept of organizing images on a “board,” yet received no payment for her efforts.
Pinterest, renowned for its virtual pinboarding and a significant female user base, announced the settlement with Martinez in its November 2024 Financial Application.
“No one wishes to engage in litigation. I’m incredibly relieved and excited about this outcome,” Martinez stated in a recent interview.
According to a statement included in the settlement, “Mr. Martinez contributed valuable marketing and community growth strategies during Pinterest’s early development.” Both parties expressed satisfaction in amicably resolving this longstanding issue.
Pinterest chose not to comment further.
This settlement comes amidst a pattern of complaints and legal actions brought against Pinterest by female employees and executives.
In 2020, Pinterest settled a gender discrimination lawsuit with former Chief Operating Officer Françoise Brougher for $22.5 million. Additionally, over 200 employees signed a petition that year advocating for policy changes following allegations of racial bias, sexism, and retaliation against the company.
Silbermann, who served as CEO of Pinterest, stepped down from his position in 2022.
Martinez, who possesses expertise in e-commerce and interior design, claimed that Silbermann and Sciarra sought her guidance prior to Pinterest’s official launch in 2010.
She alleged that she originated the idea for photo boards and coined the prevalent “Pin IT” phrase, which helped prominent design and lifestyle bloggers utilize the platform for promotion. According to her lawsuit, elements of the programming code on Pinterest were named in her honor.
While she never entered into a formal contract with Pinterest, it was understood that she would eventually be compensated. Pinterest went public in 2019 and boasts a market capitalization exceeding $18 billion.
Martinez currently serves as a board member and strategic advisor for Gingo, an AI-based online shopping platform designed for women.
On Monday, 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration concerning mass shootings and the dismantling of agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The legal action, spearheaded by New York Attorney General Letitia James, asserts that the administration breached numerous laws and circumvented Congressional oversight by attempting to streamline HHS from 28 agencies to 15, while planning to lay off about 20,000 employees.
James stated, “This administration hasn’t streamlined the federal government. They’re blocking it. If you terminate scientists researching infectious diseases, silence medical professionals caring for pregnant individuals, shut down programs supporting firefighters and miners, or hinder children’s development, you’re not improving America’s health. You’re jeopardizing countless lives.”
The restructuring announcement by HHS came in late March as part of the Department of Government Efficiency’s initiative to reduce the federal workforce. The cuts included layoffs of 3,500 employees from the Food and Drug Administration, 2,400 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1,200 from the National Institutes of Health.
HHS indicated it will establish a new institution, referred to as the Healthy American regime, to take on some responsibilities formerly held by the agencies being dissolved, including programs focused on mental, environmental, or worker health.
Nonetheless, the lawsuit claims that the recent cuts have “severe, complicated, prolonged, and potentially irreversible” effects. The Attorney General emphasized in a press release that the restructuring impaired HHS’s ability to perform critical functions, disrupting mental health and substance abuse services, weakening responses to HIV/AIDS, and diminishing support for low-income families and individuals with disabilities.
Specifically, the Trump administration has let go of staff responsible for maintaining federal poverty guidelines, which are essential for determining food aid, housing assistance, and Medicaid eligibility, as well as reducing teams managing the low-income housing energy assistance program.
Half of the workforce from the Department of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services—one of the dissolved HHS agencies—has also been terminated. Consequently, the Attorney General reported that national investigations into drug use and health have come to a halt, and the federal team overseeing the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline has vanished.
The CDC has lost multiple labs that track infections, including those focusing on infectious diseases and tobacco control, as mentioned in the release. The team also monitored maternal mortality rates in the U.S. Additionally, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has been disbanded, which previously played a role in screening workers’ health issues related to toxic exposure.
The Trump administration asserts that certain programs, such as the World Trade Center Health Program—which provides screening and treatment for 9/11-related illnesses—and health surveillance initiatives for coal miners will persist under the Healthy American administration. However, many NIOSH employees associated with these programs are facing administrative leave and potential termination by June, as indicated in an internal government memo obtained by NBC News.
The lawsuit filed on Monday demands that HHS dismantle the agency and cease its efforts to restore the vital programs that have been lost.
This lawsuit is not the first to contest the federal government’s downsizing efforts. A coalition of 23 attorneys general previously sued HHS in April over the termination of approximately $11 billion in public health funding. A federal judge temporarily blocked these cuts but has yet to issue a final ruling.
Google is facing a £5 billion lawsuit in the UK for allegedly stealing from its competitors in the internet search market and exploiting this advantage to overcharge companies for advertising.
A class action lawsuit filed in the Court of Competition Appeals claims that Google has manipulated search results to charge higher prices for ads compared to a fair market scenario.
It is alleged that Google, a part of Alphabet, struck deals with phone manufacturers to make Google the default search engine on IPHONE, preinstalling the Google search app and Chrome browser on Android devices to stifle competition from Apple.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of numerous companies by competition law experts, argues that Google’s ad offerings give search engines better features and more visibility than its rivals.
A Google spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as speculative and opportunistic, stating that consumers and advertisers choose Google willingly.
Businesses are said to have no alternative but to use Google Ads for promotion, as securing a spot on Google’s homepage is crucial for visibility and success.
The UK’s Competitive and Markets Bureau is currently investigating Google’s search services and their impact on the advertising market, as Google faces multiple antitrust probes worldwide.
In a recent antitrust case loss in the US, Google faces the possibility of having to restructure its business and divest parts of its advertising technology, impacting its revenue streams and industry practices.
The European Commission has accused Google of violating competition rules by favoring its own services in search results over competitors, potentially resulting in hefty fines.
President Donald Trump seeks to dismiss antitrust lawsuits against tech companies, while the UK government considers reducing the Digital Services Tax on high-tech firms like Amazon, Google, and Apple.
Following a helicopter collision with a Washington passenger jet, 67 people lost their lives in January, waking Joe Ellis up to a flurry of text messages two days later.
Ellis, a transgender helicopter pilot for the Virginia Army National Guard, found herself at the center of a social media frenzy where she was wrongly identified as the pilot involved in the crash. Online mobs tied the incident to diversity initiatives due to Ellis being transgender.
To debunk the false claims, Ellis posted a “Proof of Life” video on Facebook, reassuring everyone of her well-being despite the rumors swirling around her.
“At that moment, my life turned upside down,” Ellis shared in an interview. She recounted how her employer provided armed guards for her family’s protection, and she felt the stigma of being labeled as ‘that transterrorist’ for the rest of her life.
In response to the false allegations, Ellis filed a defamation lawsuit against Matt Wallace, a prominent influencer with millions of followers, for spreading misinformation about her.
After Ellis’s video gained traction online, Wallace deleted the posts related to her and issued an “important update” clarifying that she was not involved in the helicopter collision.
The lawsuit accuses Wallace of launching a damaging and irresponsible campaign against Ellis. Her lawyers have filed the case in the U.S. District Court in Colorado, seeking financial damages from Wallace.
Wallace has yet to respond to requests for comment on the matter.
The legal action against influencers and creators for spreading false information online is gaining momentum as a way to combat misinformation in the digital age.
Ronell Andersen Jones, a law professor at the University of Utah, highlighted the growing trend of honor loss lawsuits, like the one filed by Ellis. These legal actions aim to restore a person’s reputation and combat social falsehoods.
Recent successful honor loss cases against major entities, such as Dominion and Alex Jones, have paved the way for similar action against individuals like Wallace.
Ellis’s lawsuit was supported by the Equality Legal Action Fund, a group of volunteer lawyers advocating for LGBTQ rights.
Challenges such as constitutional hurdles and free speech laws complicate honor loss lawsuits. Proving intentional and malicious intent behind spreading false information is crucial in such cases.
Ellis expressed her intention to donate any financial compensation she receives to the families of the crash victims.
She emphasized the consequences of freedom of speech and the impact it can have, especially when false information incites online mobs. The speculation linking the transgender pilot to the crash emerged as a conspiracy theory shortly after the incident.
Despite the challenges, Ellis remains determined to seek justice and hold those accountable for spreading harmful misinformation online.
In New York, 12 US copyright lawsuits against Openai and Microsoft have been consolidated, with authors and news outlets suing the companies for centralization.
According to a Transfer order from the U.S. Judicial Commission on Multi-District Litigation, centralization can help coordinate findings, streamline pretrial litigation, and eliminate inconsistent rulings.
Prominent authors like Ta-Nehisi Coates, Michael Chabon, Junot Díaz, and comedian Sarah Silverman brought the incident to California, but it will now be moved to New York to join news outlets such as The New York Times. Other authors like John Grisham, George Sounders, Jonathan Franzen, and Jody Picoll are also involved in the lawsuits.
Although most plaintiffs opposed the merger, the transfer order addresses factual questions related to allegations that Openai and Microsoft used copyrighted works without consent to train large-scale language models (LLM) for AI products like Openai’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s copylot.
Openai initially proposed consolidating the cases in Northern California, but the Judiciary Committee moved them to the Southern District of New York for the convenience of parties and witnesses and to ensure a fair and efficient conduct of the case.
High-tech companies argue that using copyrighted works to train AI falls under the doctrine of “fair use,” but many plaintiffs, including authors and news outlets, believe otherwise.
An Openai spokesperson welcomed the development, stating that they train on publicly available data to support innovation. On the other hand, a lawyer representing Daily News looks forward to proving in court that Microsoft and Openai have infringed on their copyrights.
Some of the authors suing Openai have also filed suits against meta for copyright infringement in AI model training. Court filings in January revealed allegations against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for approving the use of copyrighted materials in AI training.
Amazon recently announced a new Kindle feature called “Recaps” that uses AI to generate summaries of books for readers. While the company sees it as a convenience for readers, some users have raised concerns about the accuracy of AI-generated summaries.
The UK government is addressing peer and labor concerns about copyright proposals, and companies are being urged to assess the economic impact of their AI plans.
A lawsuit totaling $2.4 billion (£1.8 billion) has been filed against Meta, accusing the owners of Facebook of contributing to violent activities following a ruling by the Kenya High Court allowing legal proceedings against US technology companies to proceed.
The suit, brought by two Ethiopians, demands that Facebook change its algorithm to increase the number of content moderators in Africa and prevent the promotion of hate-driven material and instigation of violence. It also seeks a $2.4 billion “return fund” for victims affected by hatred and violence incited on Facebook.
One of the plaintiffs is the son of Professor Meareg Amare Abrha, who was killed in Ethiopia after his location and threatening position were exposed on Facebook during a civil war in 2021. The other plaintiff, Fissehatekle, a former Amnesty International researcher, released a report on violence during a conflict in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, and also faced violence orchestrated through Facebook.
Meta argues that the Kenyan court, where Facebook’s Ethiopian moderator was situated, does not have jurisdiction over the case. However, the Kenya High Court in Nairobi ruled that the case falls within the state court’s jurisdiction.
Abrham Meareg, son of Meareg, expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, emphasizing the importance of Meta being accountable under Kenyan law. Tekuru, unable to return to Ethiopia due to Meta’s insufficient safety measures, called for fundamental changes in content moderation on all platforms to prevent similar incidents.
The lawsuit, backed by nonprofit organizations like Foxglove and Amnesty International, also demands a formal apology from Meta for Meareg’s murder. Katiba Institute, a Kenya-based NGO focusing on constitutional matters, is the third plaintiff in the case.
In a 2022 analysis, it was found that Facebook allowed content inciting violence through hatred and misinformation despite knowing the repercussions in Tiggray. Meta refuted the claims, citing investments in safety measures and efforts to combat hate speech and misinformation in Ethiopia.
In January, Meta announced plans to remove fact checkers and reduce censorship on its platform while continuing to address illegal and severe violations. Meta has not commented on the ongoing legal proceedings.
Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg approached President Trump and his aides to resolve the federal antitrust laws against his company, which will be on trial on April 14th.
Zuckerberg has been on several trips to the White House and Mar-a-Lago to discuss the issue along with other issues, said two people who are not authorized to reveal private conversations. Most recently he visited the White House on Wednesday morning.
The Federal Trade Commission sued Meta during Trump’s first term in 2020, blaming the competition for stifling competition by buying young startups like Instagram and WhatsApp, preventing them from suffocating. Mehta was able to settle the lawsuit with a settlement. It is unclear whether Zuckerberg’s efforts have led the Trump administration to consider a solution.
Andy Stone, a spokesman for Meta, also owned by Facebook, said “we meet regularly with policymakers to discuss issues that affect competitiveness, national security and economic growth.”
The White House immediately had no comment, and the FTC declined to comment. That’s what the details of the meeting were It has been reported Previously by the Wall Street Journal.
In its lawsuit, the FTC alleged that Meta violated antitrust laws by buying up its younger rival and stealing consumers from alternative social media platforms. The FTC argued that Meta bought the 2012 photo sharing site Instagram for $1 billion and that the 2014 deal for messaging app WhatsApp should not be approved for $19 billion.
The company “sought to buy or bury an innovator threatening to beat Facebook in a new mobile environment,” the FTC said in a complaint.
Meta refuses to kill the competition between Instagram and WhatsApp and says it is investing heavily in developing app innovation. Meta also says he continues to face tough competition from rivals such as Tiktok, YouTube, Snap and Imessage.
The acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp has proven to be foresightful. Instagram has become a central part of Meta’s business, bringing billions of revenues per year. WhatsApp has quadrupled in size to 2 billion users and has begun to generate significant revenue for META.
The federal judge neglected the antitrust case in 2021, but quickly revived after the FTC added more evidence and analysis to support its claims.
Now the exam will start within two weeks. The trial could feature testimonies from well-known meta executives, including Zuckerberg. Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer. Kevin Systrom, co-founder of Instagram.
Meta executives have worked closely with outside lawyers when called to testify, and have been fiercely preparing for trial for several months, the two people said.
Zuckerberg’s White House visit is part of an effort to improve Meta and the government, particularly with Trump, which has clashed in the past. In December, Meta announced that it had donated $1 million to Trump’s first fund. And Zuckerberg promoted longtime Republican meta-executive Joel Kaplan, who became the head of the company’s global public policy and deepened his ties with the Trump administration.
Google has agreed to pay $28 million (£22 million) to settle class action lawsuits by compensating white and Asian employees more and providing them with a higher career track compared to other employees.
The settlement with Alphabet’s Google was preliminarily approved by Judge Charles Adams of Santa Clara County Superior Court in California last week.
Judge Adams described it as “a positive outcome for the class” consisting of at least 6,632 Google employees in California from February 15, 2018 to December 31, 2024.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the settlement, stating, “We refute the allegations of differential treatment and are committed to compensating, hiring, and promoting all our employees fairly.”
The lawsuit was spearheaded by Ana Cantu, who identifies as Mexican and indigenous, on behalf of minority employees at Google from Hispanic, Latino, Indigenous, Native American, and other backgrounds.
Cantu claimed that despite performing exemplary work in Google’s People’s Business and Cloud sector for seven years, she was not compensated or promoted on par with her white and Asian counterparts.
She alleged that Google favored white and Asian employees, placing them in higher “levels” within the company even when performing similar roles as minority employees.
Cantu argued that Google’s actions violated California’s Equal Pay Act, and she left the company in September 2021.
The final settlement amount will be $20 million after deducting legal costs, penalties related to Cantu’s claims under California’s General Civil Attorneys Act, and other expenses totaling $7 million.
Judge Adams has scheduled a hearing in September to review and approve the final settlement. Cantu’s legal representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The parents of four teenagers in England have filed a lawsuit against Tiktok following the tragic death of their children.
Isaac Kennevan (13), Archie Buttersby (12), Julian “Juls” Sweeney (14), and 13-year-old Maia Walsh, who rose to fame on social media in 2021, tragically lost their lives in 2022 while attempting a dangerous “challenge,” as stated in the lawsuit.
The Social Media Victims Law Center based in the US lodged a wrongful death lawsuit against Tiktok and its parent company Baitedan on behalf of the grieving parents.
Matthew Bergman, the founding attorney for the Social Media Victims Law Center, revealed, “Three of the four children succumbed to self-stable after being exposed to the hazardous Tiktok Blackout Challenge, all from a similar city and demographic. This does not seem coincidental.”
Bergman further claimed, “Tiktok deliberately targets these vulnerable children with perilous content to boost engagement and profit. The deliberate business decision by Tiktok cost the lives of these four children.”
Tiktok has asserted that searches related to the challenge have been restricted since 2020 and they strive to ban and eliminate harmful content promptly. They also direct users to their safety center if they search for related keywords or videos.
The lawsuit, on behalf of Archie’s mother Holly Dance, Isaac’s mother Lisa Kennevan, Juls’ mother Ellenroom, and Maia’s father Liam Walsh, was filed in the Superior Court of Delaware.
The lawsuit accused Tiktok of marketing itself as a safe and fun platform for children while promoting dangerous and addictive content. Tiktok allegedly engaged children with risky challenges to increase revenue.
Tiktok dismissed claims that they allowed the Blackout Challenge on their platform, asserting that they are actively working to address such issues. However, other perilous challenges involving drugs, hot water, and fire have emerged on Tiktok.
The lawsuit also highlighted that parents believed Tiktok was harmless, catering to children’s entertainment, without anticipating mental health repercussions.
The Social Media Victims Law Center represents families affected by harmful social media content, aiming to prevent the promotion of harmful videos, including those depicting suicide or self-harm, especially among children.
One of the cases involved Tawainna Anderson suing Tiktok in 2022 after her daughter Naira, aged 10, participated in the Blackout Challenge. The appeals court reinstated her case in August 2024.
Archie’s cause of death was determined to be accidental experimentation at his home, with the Blackout Challenge cited as a potential factor among many others.
Juls’ mother is advocating for parents to have legal rights to access their children’s social media accounts following the tragic loss of her son in 2022.
Amendments to the Online Safety Law in the UK aim to compel social media platforms to shield children from dangerous challenges and stunt content while actively eradicating risky material.
U.S. financial regulators have charged Elon Musk with allegedly threatening other shareholders by not disclosing his ownership of Twitter shares and then acquiring the company’s shares at artificially low prices.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Musk in federal court in Washington, D.C., accusing him of securities violations. The complaint states that Musk failed to disclose his 5% stake in the company in a timely manner and profited from the stock purchased after the filing deadline for ownership statements. The company ended up paying less than $1,000,000.
Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion in 2022 and later rebranded the company as X. He acquired a 5% stake in the company before the purchase, which normally would require a public offering. The SEC claims that Musk disclosed his ownership on Twitter 11 days after the reporting deadline.
Musk’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, stated in an email that the SEC’s lawsuit is baseless, claiming that Musk did nothing wrong. This is not the first time Musk has been investigated by the SEC for his involvement with Twitter.
The SEC alleges that Musk delayed disclosing his ownership to the public and spent over $500 million on additional shares, potentially allowing the company to purchase stock at an artificially low price.
Despite Musk disclosing his ownership to the SEC 11 days later, he stated that he had acquired more than 9% of Twitter’s stock. The SEC noted that Twitter’s stock price rose by over 27% on that day.
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Friday regarding the future of TikTok. This marks the latest development in an ongoing debate over whether to ban the immensely popular social media platform in the U.S. The judges will consider the balance between national security concerns and the preservation of free speech.
TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court upheld a law banning the app in the U.S. The ban is scheduled to take effect on January 19th, unless ByteDance sells TikTok’s assets to a non-Chinese entity. ByteDance has argued that a sale is not feasible from commercial, technical, and legal standpoints.
The oral arguments are expected to last for two hours, with each side given the opportunity to present their case. The court has outlined that the discussion will focus on whether the ban infringes on the First Amendment.
TikTok boasts 170 million users, approximately half of the U.S. population, making the potential ban a contentious issue. While some believe the app could be exploited by the Chinese government, there is a coalition of influencers, civil rights groups, and even President Donald Trump advocating against the ban, citing concerns about free speech violations.
ByteDance has faced legal challenges from federal and state authorities, with legislation to ban TikTok passing in Congress last year. The company maintains that it operates independently from Chinese influence and handles U.S. user data through Oracle.
Federal law at the center of the case
The law in question, known as the Protecting Americans from Regulatory Applications by Foreign Adversaries Act, was enacted by President Joe Biden. It follows a previous ban on TikTok in federal devices and underscores concerns about national security risks associated with the app.
U.S. lawmakers have expressed apprehensions about China’s potential control over TikTok’s content and user data, citing security threats and propaganda dissemination. However, no concrete evidence has been presented to show that China or ByteDance have manipulated the app for espionage purposes.
Shortly after Biden signed the law, TikTok filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, arguing that the ban violates the Constitution and impinges on free speech rights. The company emphasized the importance of preserving communication and expression for its vast user base.
Supreme Court review and President Trump’s opinion
Following a recent ruling by a federal appeals court, TikTok sought an emergency motion from the Supreme Court to halt the ban. The court agreed to expedite oral arguments and has received numerous briefs from both sides of the debate.
Notably, former President Trump submitted an amicus brief requesting the court to suspend the ban to allow for negotiation. This stance contrasts with his previous efforts to ban TikTok over national security concerns.
President Trump’s involvement in the case underscores the complexity of the issue, with diverging viewpoints within the political landscape. The upcoming Supreme Court decision will have far-reaching implications for the future of TikTok in the U.S.
The sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has filed a lawsuit alleging that he sexually abused her on a regular basis over several years as a child.
The lawsuit, filed Jan. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleges the abuse began when Ann Altman was 3 years old and Sam Altman was 12. The complaint alleges that the last abuse occurred after he was an adult, but his sister, known as Annie, was still a child.
The CEO of ChatGPT Developers posted: Joint statement on X”, he signed alongside his mother Connie and brothers Max and Jack, denying the allegations and calling them “totally false.”‘
“Our family loves Annie and is extremely concerned about her health,” the statement said. “Caring for family members facing mental health challenges is incredibly difficult.”
It added: “Annie has made deeply hurtful and completely untrue allegations about our family, especially Sam. This situation has caused immeasurable pain to our entire family.”
Ann Altman previously made similar allegations against her brother on social media platforms.
In a court filing, her lawyer said she had experienced mental health issues as a result of the alleged abuse. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and more than $75,000 (£60,000) in damages and legal fees.
A statement from the family said Anne Altman had made “deeply hurtful and completely false allegations” about the family and accused them of demanding more money.
He added that they offered her “monthly financial assistance” and “attempted to receive medical assistance,” but she “refused conventional treatment.”
The family said they had previously decided not to publicly respond to the allegations, but chose to do so following her decision to take legal action.
Sam Altman, 39, is one of the most prominent leaders in technology and the co-founder of OpenAI, best known for ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot launched in 2022.
The billionaire temporarily stepped down as chief executive in November 2023 after being ousted from the company’s board for “failing to consistently communicate openly.” Although nearly all employees threatened to resign, he returned to his job the following week. Altman returned to the board last March following an external investigation.
TikTok has been aware for a long time that its video livestream feature was being misused to harm children, as revealed in a lawsuit filed by the state of Utah against the social media company. The harms include child sexual exploitation and what Utah describes as an “open door policy that allows predators and criminals to exploit users.”
The state’s attorney general stated that TikTok conducted an internal investigation in which adults allegedly used the TikTok Live feature to engage in provocative behavior with teenagers. It was found that some of them were paid for this. Another internal investigation found that criminals used TikTok Live to launder money, sell drugs, and fund terrorist groups.
Utah was the first to file a lawsuit against TikTok last June, alleging that the company was profiting from child exploitation. The lawsuit was based on internal documents obtained through subpoenas from TikTok. On Friday, an unredacted version of the lawsuit was released by the Utah Attorney General’s Office, despite TikTok’s efforts to keep the information confidential.
“Online exploitation of minors is on the rise, leading to tragic consequences such as depression, isolation, suicide, addiction, and human trafficking,” said Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes in a statement on Friday. He criticized TikTok for knowingly putting minors at risk for profit.
A spokesperson for TikTok responded to the Utah lawsuit by stating that the company has taken proactive steps to address safety concerns. The spokesperson mentioned that users must be 18 or older to use the Live feature and that TikTok provides safety tools for users.
The lawsuit against TikTok is part of a trend of U.S. attorney generals filing lawsuits over child exploitation on various apps. In December 2023, New Mexico sued Meta for similar reasons. Other states have also filed lawsuits against TikTok over similar allegations.
Following a report by Forbes in 2022, TikTok launched an internal investigation called Project Meramec to look into teens making money from TikTok Lives. The investigation found that underage users were engaging in inappropriate behavior for digital currency.
The complaint also mentions that TikTok captures a share of digital gifts from live streams, with lawmakers arguing that the algorithm encourages streams with sexual content as they are more profitable. Another internal investigation called Project Jupiter looked into organized crime using Live for money laundering purposes.
Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in cash to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that its voice assistant, Siri, violated users’ privacy and listened to them without their consent.
iPhone owners complained that Apple routinely recorded private conversations after users unintentionally activated Siri and made those conversations available to third parties, including advertisers. The preliminary settlement was filed Tuesday night in federal court in Oakland, California, and must be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.
Voice assistants typically respond when you use a “hotword” such as “Hey, Siri.” The two plaintiffs said references to Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants prompted advertisements for those products. One person said he received an advertisement for a well-known surgical treatment after a personal discussion with his doctor. The plaintiffs argued that Apple did not receive consent before recording their conversations and, in fact, could not have obtained consent because one of the plaintiffs was a minor and did not have an Apple account at the time of the recording.
The complaint alleges that the violations continued from September 17, 2014 to December 31, 2024. The violation allegedly began with the addition of a “Hey, Siri” function to Siri, which led to unauthorized recordings. Estimated tens of millions of class participants can receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as an iPhone or Apple Watch.
Apple denied any wrongdoing in the settlement agreement. The company has consistently emphasized the importance of privacy. In 2018, Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized other technology companies for their surveillance, saying: ‘[t]His desire to prioritize profit over privacy is nothing new.” The company further countered in a letter to Congress. 2018 Apple’s iPhone devices do not “listen” to you, other than detecting the audio trigger “Hey Siri.”
But in a 2019 Guardian report cited in the original complaint, an Apple whistleblower revealed that contractors regularly listen to users’ private conversations when performing quality assurance on Siri. He said that he had done so. These conversations included confidential medical information, drug deals, and recordings of couples having sex. Some of these conversations were recorded by mistake, the whistleblower said, because Siri can mistake things like the “zip sound” as a wake word.
At the time, Apple said that only a “small percentage” of Siri requests are evaluated for quality, and those requests are not tied to a user’s Apple ID. “Siri responses are analyzed in a secure facility, and all reviewers are obligated to comply with Apple’s requests.” Strict confidentiality requirements. “The company then paused A quality improvement program has been installed to stop audio recording by default.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a similar request. They could seek $1.1 million in fees and costs, up to $28.5 million in a settlement fund.
For Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its most recent fiscal year, $95 million is equivalent to about nine hours of profit.
A similar lawsuit on behalf of users of Google’s voice assistant is pending in federal court in San Jose, California, which is in the same district as the Oakland court. The plaintiffs are represented by the same law firm that worked on the Apple case.
TThree hundred and twenty-four. That was the score Mary Louie was given by an AI-powered tenant screening tool. In its 11-page report, the software SafeRent does not explain how the score was calculated or how various factors were taken into account. There is no mention of what the score actually means. They just saw Louis’ numbers and decided it was too low. In the box next to the result, the report said “Score Recommended: DECLINE.”
Louis, who works as a security guard, had applied for an apartment in a suburban area in eastern Massachusetts. When she toured the room, the management company said there was no problem for her application to be accepted. Although she had bad credit and credit card debt, she had an excellent recommendation from her landlord of 17 years, who paid her rent on time. She also plans to use vouchers for low-income renters and ensure that management companies receive at least a portion of their monthly rent payments from the government. Her son, whose name was also on the voucher, also had a high credit score, indicating it could act as a backstop in case of missed payments.
But in May 2021, more than two months after she applied for the apartment, the management company sent Louis an email informing her that the computer program had rejected her application. Applications needed a score of at least 443 to be accepted. There was no further explanation and no way to appeal the decision.
“Mary, we regret to inform you that your housing offer has been denied due to a third-party service we use to screen all prospective housing applicants,” the email said. I did. “Unfortunately, the SafeRent tenant score for this service was lower than what our tenant standards would allow.”
tenant files suit
Louis ended up renting a more expensive apartment. Management there did not grade her based on an algorithm. But she learned that her experience at Saferent was not unique. She is one of more than 400 Black and Hispanic tenants on Housing Vouchers in Massachusetts who said their rental applications were rejected because of their safe rent scores.
In 2022, they banded together to sue SafeRent under the Fair Housing Act, alleging that it discriminated against them. Lewis and another named plaintiff, Monica Douglas, said the company’s algorithm unfairly scores Black and Hispanic renters using Housing Vouchers over white applicants. he claimed. They found that the software inaccurately assessed irrelevant account information (credit score, non-housing-related debt) on whether a tenant was a good tenant, but did not take into account whether they would use a housing voucher. he claimed. Research shows that black and Hispanic rent-seekers have lower credit scores and are more likely to use housing vouchers than white applicants.
“It was a waste of time waiting to be turned down,” Lewis said. “I knew my credit was bad, but AI doesn’t know what I do. It knew I was late on my credit card payments, I didn’t know I was paying.”
Two years have passed since the group first sued for safe rent. Lewis, who was one of two named plaintiffs, said she has moved on with her life and has largely forgotten about the lawsuit. But her action could protect other renters in a similar housing program, known as Section 8 vouchers, from losing their homes because of scores determined by algorithms.
Saferent settled with Mr. Lewis and Mr. Douglas. In addition to paying $2.3 million, the company agreed to stop using the scoring system or make some sort of recommendation to prospective tenants who used housing vouchers for five years. Although Saferent legally does not admit wrongdoing, it is unusual for a tech company to accept changes to its core product as part of a settlement. A more common outcome of such agreements is financial agreements.
“While SafeRent continues to believe that SRS scores comply with all applicable laws, litigation is time-consuming and costly,” company spokeswoman Yazmin Lopez said in a statement. “Defending SRS scores in this case would be a waste of time and resources that could be better used by SafeRent to fulfill its core mission of providing housing providers with the tools they need to screen applicants. It has become increasingly clear.”
New AI landlord
Tenant screening systems like SafeRent are often used as a way to “avoid” direct interaction with prospective tenants and shift responsibility for refusals to computer systems, said Louie and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. said Todd Kaplan, one of the attorneys representing the company. company.
The property management company told Louis that it decided to deny her based solely on the software, but the SafeRent report says it did not set the criteria for what the score needed to be for an application to be accepted. was a management company.
Still, even for those involved in the application process, how the algorithm works is opaque. The property manager who showed Louis the apartment said he didn’t know why Louis was having trouble renting the apartment.
“They’re inputting a lot of information, and SafeRent is coming up with its own scoring system,” Kaplan said. “It becomes difficult to predict how people will see themselves on Safe Rent. Not only applying tenants, but even landlords, don’t know the details of Safe Rent scores.”
As part of Louie’s settlement with SafeRent, approved Nov. 20, the company will not use a scoring system or recommend accepting or rejecting tenants if they are using housing vouchers. I can no longer do that. If the company devises a new scoring system, it is required to have it independently verified by a third-party fair housing organization.
“By removing the thumbs up and down, tenants can really say, ‘I’m a great tenant,'” Kaplan said. “It allows for more personal decisions.”
One study found that nearly all of the 92 million people in the U.S. who are considered low-income are exposed to AI decisions in basic areas of their lives such as employment, housing, health care, education, and government assistance. It is said that there is New report on the harms of AI
By Kevin de Liban, a lawyer who represented low-income people as a member of the Legal Aid Society. Founder of a new AI justice organization called tectonic justice
Derivan began researching these systems in 2016, when he discovered that automated decision-making that reduced human input suddenly left state-funded home care out of reach for extended periods of time. This happened when I received a consultation from some patients. In one case, the state’s Medicaid payments depended on the program determining that the patient’s leg was intact because of the amputation.
“When we saw this, we realized we shouldn’t postpone.” [AI systems] As a kind of very rational decision-making method,” Derivan said. He said these systems make assumptions based on “junk statistical science” that create what he called “absurdity.”
In 2018, after Derivan sued the Arkansas Department of Human Services on behalf of these patients over its decision-making process, the state Legislature ruled that the department could not automate home care assignment decisions for patients. was lowered. While Derivan’s system was an early victory in the fight against harm caused by algorithmic decision-making, its use continues across the country in other areas such as employment.
Despite flaws, there are few regulations to curb AI adoption.
There are few laws restricting the use of AI, especially in making critical decisions that can impact a person’s quality of life, and liability for those harmed by automated decisions. I have very few means.
Research conducted by consumer report
A study released in July found that a majority of Americans are “uncomfortable with the use of AI and algorithmic decision-making technologies in key life moments related to housing, employment, and health care.” “I’m there.” Respondents said they are concerned about not knowing what information AI systems use to make assessments.
Unlike in Louis’ case, people are often not informed when algorithms make decisions about their lives, making it difficult to challenge or challenge those decisions.
“The existing laws we have in place may be helpful, but they can only provide so much,” Derivan said. “Market forces don’t work when it comes to poor people. All the incentives are basically to create worse technology, and there’s no incentive for companies to create better options for low-income people.”
Federal regulators under President Joe Biden’s administration have made several attempts to keep up with the rapidly evolving AI industry. The President issued an executive order containing a framework aimed at partially addressing discrimination-related risks in national security and AI systems. But Donald Trump has vowed to roll back those efforts and cut regulations, including Biden’s executive order on AI.
So lawsuits like Louis’ may become an even more important tool in holding AI accountable. Already in litigation attracted interest
It is an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, both of which deal with discriminatory housing policies that affect protected classes.
“To the extent that this is a landmark case, it has the potential to provide a roadmap for how to consider these cases and encourage other agendas,” Kaplan said.
Still, without regulation, Derivan said it would be difficult to hold these companies accountable. Because litigation is time-consuming and expensive, companies may find workarounds or ways to build similar products for people who are not subject to class action lawsuits. “You can’t bring in these types of cases every day,” he said.
The U.S. Supreme Court discussed Meta’s Facebook’s attempt to dismiss a federal securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders. The lawsuit accuses the social media platform of deceiving users about its misuse of user data.
The Supreme Court heard arguments in Facebook’s appeal against a lower court’s decision allowing a 2018 class action lawsuit by Amalgamated Bank to move forward. The lawsuit aims to recover lost value of investors’ Facebook stock. Another lawsuit filed this month involves Nvidia, where litigants accuse the company of securities fraud, potentially making accountability more challenging.
The key issue is whether Facebook broke the law by not disclosing previous data breaches in its risk disclosures, portraying the risks as hypothetical.
Facebook argued in its brief to the Supreme Court that reasonable investors would see risk disclosures as forward-looking statements, eliminating the need to disclose previous risks that materialized.
Justice Elena Kagan and Justice Samuel Alito raised questions during the hearing, asserting that risk assessment is always forward-looking.
The plaintiffs accused Facebook of violating the Securities Exchange Act by misleading investors about a 2015 data breach involving Cambridge Analytica. The case was initially dismissed, but the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated it.
The Cambridge Analytica scandal led to various investigations and legal actions against Facebook. The Supreme Court is expected to reach a decision by June.
Despite the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, there are differing views on how investors interpret forward-looking risk disclosures.
Facebook’s stock price dropped after reports in 2018 regarding the misuse of user data by Cambridge Analytica in connection with President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
Elon Musk is facing a proposed class action lawsuit from registered voters who participated in a sweepstakes by signing a constitutional petition, hoping to win a month’s worth of donations each day. However, the lawsuit now alleges fraud.
According to a complaint filed by Arizona resident Jacqueline McCafferty in federal court, Musk and his organization, America Pac, allegedly misled voters into signing petitions under the pretense of a random selection process, when in fact, winners were chosen by members of the pack. Musk’s lawyer admitted that the sweepstakes results were not random, with the winner being pre-selected.
During a court hearing in Pennsylvania, Musk’s attorney Chris Gober stated, “The recipient of the $1 million was not chosen by chance. We know exactly who will be announced today and tomorrow as the recipients of $1 million.” Musk also mentioned at a campaign rally that the winners would be randomly selected.
McCafferty further claimed that the defendants used Musk’s social media platform “X” to gather personal information such as names, addresses, and phone numbers for potential profit. Representatives for Musk and McCafferty did not immediately respond to the allegations in the complaint.
The lawsuit was filed after a Philadelphia judge denied a request to stop the giveaway, which was deemed an illegal lottery by District Attorney Larry Krasner. The ruling was largely symbolic, as Musk had no plans for additional funding post the U.S. presidential election.
Musk, the world’s richest man, distributed gifts to voters in seven battleground states who supported free speech and gun rights through signed petitions. The lawsuit filed on Tuesday seeks at least $5 million in damages for all petition signatories.
During his presidential campaign against Kamala Harris, Musk backed Donald Trump and donated over $100 million through America Pac.
Read more of the Guardian’s 2024 US election coverage
The mother of a teenage boy who committed suicide after becoming addicted to an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot has accused the chatbot’s creator of complicity in his death.
Megan Garcia filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday in Florida federal court against Character.ai, which makes customizable role-playing chatbots, alleging negligence, wrongful death, and deceptive trade practices. Her son Sewell Setzer III, 14, died in February in Orlando, Florida. Garcia said Setzer was using the chatbot day and night in the months leading up to his death.
“A dangerous AI chatbot app marketed to children abused and preyed on my son, driving him to suicide,” Garcia said in a press release. “While our family is devastated by this tragedy, I want to warn families of the dangers of deceptive and addictive AI technology and demand accountability from Character.AI, its founders, and Google. I am raising my voice.”
in TweetCharacter.ai said: “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our users and would like to express our deepest condolences to the family. As a company, we take the safety of our users very seriously. ” The company denied the lawsuit’s allegations.
Setzer was so obsessed with a chatbot built by Character.ai that he nicknamed it Daenerys Targaryen, a character from Game of Thrones. According to Garcia’s complaint, the man would text the bot dozens of times a day from his cell phone and talk to it for hours alone in his room.
Garcia has accused Character.ai of creating a product that worsened her son’s depression, which she said was already the result of overusing the company’s products. At one point, “Daenerys” asked Setzer if he had made any plans to commit suicide, according to the complaint. Setzer admitted to doing so, but didn’t know if it would be successful or cause significant pain, the lawsuit alleges. The chatbot reportedly told him, “That’s no reason not to do it.”
Garcia wrote in a press release that Character.ai “intentionally designed, operated, and marketed a predatory AI chatbot to children, resulting in the death of a young person.” The lawsuit also names Google as a defendant and the parent company of Character.ai. The tech giant said in a statement that it only has a licensing agreement with Character.ai and does not own or maintain any ownership interest in the startup.
Rick Claypool, research director at consumer advocacy nonprofit Public Citizen, said tech companies developing AI chatbots can’t be trusted to regulate themselves, and if they fail to limit harm, says he must take full responsibility.
“Where existing laws and regulations already apply, they must be strictly enforced,” he said in a statement. “Where there are gaps, Congress must act to end companies that exploit young and vulnerable users with addictive and abusive chatbots.”
In the US, you can call or text. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988, chat 988lifeline.orgor text home To contact a crisis counselor, call 741741. In the UK, a youth suicide charity papyrus In the UK and Ireland, you can contact us on 0800 068 4141 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org. Samaritan You can contact us on freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Australian crisis support services lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at: befrienders.org
The second antitrust trial between Google and the U.S. Department of Justice commenced on September 9, with a federal judge in Virginia listening to opening arguments regarding whether the tech giant unlawfully monopolized the digital advertising sector. This trial carries significant implications for the tech industry, online publishers, and Google’s primary revenue stream.
This much-anticipated trial represents the second major U.S. antitrust case against Google, following a recent landmark ruling that found the company guilty of monopolizing the online search market illegally. Contrary to the previous case, the Justice Department is now seeking specific measures to compel Google to divest parts of its business and sell some of its advertising technology.
The Department of Justice’s second lawsuit, submitted in January 2023, targets Google’s Ads initiative, focusing on the company’s acquisition and utilization of digital advertising technology. The case revolves around Google’s role as an intermediary for website operators seeking to monetize through advertising, enabling them to sell ad space on their sites and connecting advertisers with potential customers, with Google retaining a significant portion of the ad revenue.
The Department of Justice argues that Google’s control over various aspects of digital advertising results from strategic acquisitions, culminating in a monopoly over the industry. The case delves into Google’s acquisitions of DoubleClick, Invite Media, and AdMeld, which allegedly granted the company dominance over both supply and demand in online advertising and intermediary exchange points.
During the trial, the Justice Department alleges that Google’s actions constitute anti-competitive behavior through exclusionary practices and acquisitions, leading to an illegal monopoly. Google’s defense maintains that its business model aligns with industry practices and that the Justice Department’s allegations stem from outdated perceptions of the digital advertising landscape.
A global coalition of advertisers has paused its corporate responsibility program following a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X against the coalition, alleging it orchestrated a “massive advertiser boycott.”
The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) announced to its members that the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) will be suspended in response to the legal action by X (formerly Twitter) as reported by Business Insider. Garm, a non-profit initiative within the WFA, helps brands avoid advertising on and monetizing harmful content.
The social media company brought an antitrust lawsuit against WFA members Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, and other advertisers for allegedly conspiring to withhold “billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from X.
Following the news, X CEO Linda Yaccarino expressed on Twitter: “What gets monetized shouldn’t be monopolized by a small group. This is an important recognition and a necessary step in the right direction. Hopefully, it means an ecosystem-wide shake-up is on the way.”
Rumble, a popular online video platform among the American right, also joined the lawsuit, filing its own complaint against WFA over Garm with similar allegations.
After Musk acquired the company in 2022 and swiftly disbanded the social network’s content moderation team, X’s advertising revenue plummeted sharply, leading to a surge in anti-Semitic content on X, including ads alongside pro-Nazi posts. X sued the watchdog group over a report on the proliferation of offensive content on the platform.
In a strongly worded statement, Musk warned advertisers to steer clear, labeling the policy changes as “blackmail.” Company X is now seeking unspecified damages and a court injunction to halt the alleged conspiracy of withholding advertising dollars.
The WFA stated that it would release a statement shortly in response to a comment request. Unilever, Mars, and CVS Health did not immediately respond to comment requests. Check the ad The lawsuit is expected to further drive advertisers away from the platform.
“We all understand that advertising on X poses a risk for advertisers,” said Claire Atkin, co-founder of Check My Ads. “The positive aspect of today’s news is that advertisers will no longer depend on Garm and will take more direct responsibility for where their ads are placed.”
In July, a congressional committee held a hearing on “Collaboration in the Global Alliance for Responsible Media,” targeting advertising companies for alleged “anti-competitive collusion in online advertising.”
In response to the developments, the X account of a Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee posted, “Big win for the First Amendment. Big win for oversight.”
Invited to testify before Congress, Unilever USA President Herish Patel defended the company’s right to advertise wherever it chooses.
“Unilever alone controls our advertising spend,” stated Patel. “No platform has a monopoly on our ad spend.”
On Tuesday, Elon Musk’s social media platform X filed a lawsuit against a global advertising coalition and several major companies, including Unilever, Mars, and CVS Health. The lawsuit alleges that they illegally conspired to alienate the social network and intentionally cause it to lose revenue, claiming they engaged in a “massive advertiser boycott.”
Company X filed the lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and the companies in federal court in Texas on Tuesday.
“We’ve been trying for peace for 2 years, now it’s war,” Musk tweeted on Tuesday.
The lawsuit claims that advertisers, through the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, withheld “billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from X, violating U.S. antitrust law.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino stated, “When the marketplace of ideas is restricted, people hurt. A few should not have a monopoly on what is monetized.” She expressed concern that the boycott aimed to deprive X of its users.
The World Advertising Federation, Unilever, Mars, CVS Health, and Ørsted did not provide immediate comments on the lawsuit.
X’s advertising revenue declined after Musk acquired the company in 2022. The lawsuit mentions the surge in anti-Semitic content on X following changes made by Musk and a pending trial against Media Matters in April 2025.
The Responsible Media Initiative was launched in 2019 to address harmful content monetization. X claims to meet or exceed the standards set by the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, seeking damages and an injunction to prevent further withholding of advertising dollars.
The complaint alleges that Company X has become less competitive in digital advertising sales.
Don Lemon, former CNN anchor, has filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and Company X for breaching a contract with the now-formerly known Twitter social media platform.
The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco, alleges fraud, negligent misrepresentation, misappropriation of name and likeness, and breach of contract.
Shortly after filming an interview with Musk, Lemon received a text ending their partnership which led to the abrupt termination.
Don Lemon’s lawyer, Carney Shegerian, stated the executives at Company X used Lemon for their advantage and then tarnished his name.
When contacted for comment, Company X responded with an automated message of being busy.
Lemon, once a prominent CNN figure, was let go due to conflicts and poor reviews as a morning show host. He was fired in April 2023.
Linda Yaccarino, CEO of Company X, initially reached out to Lemon’s agent to propose a new show after his CNN departure. The platform aimed to become a video-centric platform.
Lemon’s first scheduled episode on the platform, an interview with Musk, turned tense as Lemon questioned Musk on various topics, leading to the show’s cancellation over creative differences.
Musk’s increasing conservatism and Lemon’s conflict with the platform’s content direction resulted in the show’s cancellation. Musk’s efforts to attract talent ended with limited success.
The platform’s shift to video content and creator outreach faced challenges with extremism and content moderation issues leading to advertisers pulling out.
CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company that caused a massive global computer outage in July, has been sued for misleading investors.
A class action lawsuit filed in Texas by the Plymouth County Retirement Association, a pension fund, alleges that CrowdStrike misled investors by representing its technology as “verified, tested and certified,” when in fact, the investors allege, CrowdStrike's software was anything but.
“Defendants failed to disclose that: (1) CrowdStrike implemented insufficient controls over its Falcon update procedures and did not adequately test Falcon updates before deploying them to customers; (2) this improper software testing created a significant risk that the Falcon updates would cause widespread outages for many of the company's customers; and (3) such outages could, and ultimately did, result in significant reputational damage and legal risk for CrowdStrike.” As a result, the lawsuit alleges, “CrowdStrike's stock price was traded artificially inflated until the widespread outages allowed its stock price to recover.”
“We believe this lawsuit is without merit and will vigorously defend the company,” a CrowdStrike spokesperson said.
Securities fraud lawsuits typically arise after an adverse event has occurred for a company. If the reasons for a decline in a stock price were not clearly disclosed to investors in advance, a defendant may be able to prevail by arguing that the lack of disclosure constituted a fraudulent sale of the relevant shares.
CrowdStrike also faces more general legal liability for the outage. Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian estimated on Wednesday that the outage would force the cancellation of more than 5,000 flights and ultimately cost the company $500 million (£391 million). He said airlines had “no choice” but to seek damages as a result.
“To get priority access to the Delta ecosystem on the technology side, we need to test how it works. We can't just walk into a mission-critical operation that runs 24/7 and say there's a bug,” Bastian added. “We have to protect our shareholders. We have to protect our customers and employees, not just from costs but from damage to our brand and reputation.”
The outage, which crashed roughly 1% of Windows PCs worldwide, was estimated to have cost the Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. alone $5 billion. Nevertheless, the company's most visible response, aside from its efforts to restore service, was to thank “teammates and partners” who helped resolve the outage by sending $10 UberEats gift cards, though Uber quickly blocked the gift cards due to fears of possible fraud.
The Israeli government has blocked a costly U.S. lawsuit that could reveal secrets about a hacking tool called Pegasus. Documents suggest the Israeli authorities seized Pegasus spyware documentation from NSO Group to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information.
Pegasus is used to infect smartphones with hidden software that can extract data and spy on users. NSO Group’s customers include both authoritarian regimes and democracies, raising concerns about human rights abuses.
NSO has been fighting a lawsuit alleging WhatsApp vulnerabilities were exploited, compromising users in multiple countries. Israel’s close ties with NSO and the impact of the seizures on the legal battle have raised questions about the country’s involvement.
Media organizations are trying to uncover the details of the seizures and Israel’s interference in the case, shedding light on the complex relationship between NSO, Israel, and the legal system.
The documents obtained reveal the extent of Israel’s efforts to protect NSO from disclosing sensitive information demanded by the U.S. court, impacting the ongoing legal proceedings.
Israel’s covert actions have complicated WhatsApp’s attempts to obtain crucial information from NSO, highlighting the challenges faced in the legal battle.
The leaked files and emails provide insight into the behind-the-scenes activities and the attempts to prevent the exposure of sensitive information related to the Pegasus spyware.
“Strange Procedure”
Israel’s intervention in the lawsuit has raised concerns about the transparency of the legal process and the protection of national interests.
Do you have information about this story? Email stephanie.kirchgaessner@theguardian.com or send a message (from a non-work phone) using Signal or WhatsApp to +1 646 886 8761.
The legal battle between WhatsApp and NSO has revealed underlying complexities and challenges posed by the lawsuit, reflecting the broader implications of the case.
NSO’s actions and Israel’s involvement have significantly influenced the course of the lawsuit, raising questions about transparency and accountability in the legal process.
Additional reporting by Phineas Rueckert and Karine Pfenniger of Forbidden Stories.
Grindr is potentially facing lawsuits from numerous users who allege that the dating app shared extremely confidential personal data with advertising firms, including disclosing their HIV status in some instances.
Law firm Austin Hayes is preparing to sue the app’s American owners in London’s High Court, claiming a breach of UK data protection laws.
The firm asserts that thousands of Grindr users in the UK had their information misused. They state that 670 individuals have already signed the claim, with “thousands more” showing interest in joining.
Grinder has stated it will vigorously respond to these allegations, pointing out that they are based on an inaccurate evaluation of past policies.
Established in 2009 to facilitate interactions among gay men, Grindr is currently the largest dating app worldwide for gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, boasting millions of users.
The lawsuit against Grindr in the High Court centers on claims of personal data sharing with two advertising companies. It also suggests that these companies may have further sold the data to other entities.
New users may not be eligible to take part, as the claims against Grindr primarily cover the period before April 3, 2018, and between May 25, 2018, and April 7, 2020. Grindr updated its consent process in April 2020.
Los Angeles-headquartered Grindr ceased passing on users’ HIV status to third parties in April 2018 following a report by Norwegian researchers uncovering data sharing with two firms. In 2021, Norway’s data protection authority imposed a NOK 65 million fine on Grindr for violating data protection laws.
Grinder appealed the decision from Norway.
The Norwegian ruling does not specifically address the alleged sharing of a user’s HIV status, recognizing that a user registered on Grindr is likely associated with the gay or bisexual community, making such data sensitive.
Chaya Hanumanjee, managing director at Austin Hayes leading the case, remarked, “Our clients suffer greatly when their highly sensitive data is shared without consent, leading to fear, embarrassment, and anxiety.”
“Grindr is dedicated to compensating those impacted by the data breach and ensuring all users can safely utilize the app without fear of their data being shared with third parties,” Hanumanjee added.
The law firm believes that affected users might be entitled to significant damages but did not disclose details.
A spokesperson from Grindr stated, “We prioritize safeguarding your data and adhering to all relevant privacy regulations, including in the UK. Our global privacy program demonstrates our commitment to privacy, and we will vigorously address this claim.”
Google has agreed to destroy billions of records to settle a lawsuit alleging that it secretly tracked the internet usage of people who appeared to be browsing privately in incognito mode on its Chrome browser.
Users claim Google’s analytics, cookies and apps allow Alphabet’s division to improperly track people who set Google’s Chrome browser to “incognito” mode and other browsers to “private” browsing mode.
They say this will allow Google to learn about their friends, favorite foods, hobbies, shopping habits, and “the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things” they search for online, making it “a treasure trove of unexplainable information.”
The terms of the settlement were filed Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, and must be approved by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The class action lawsuit began in 2020 and targets millions of Google users who used private browsing after June 1, 2016.
Under the settlement, Google will update its disclosures about what it collects during “private” browsing, a process that has already begun. Also, a secret user will be able to block third-party cookies for her five years.
“As a result, Google will collect less data from users’ private browsing sessions, and Google will derive less profit from that data,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs valued the deal at more than $5 billion, with a maximum of $7.8 billion. Users will not receive damages, but may sue individually for damages. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Google supports final approval of the settlement, but disagrees with the plaintiffs’ “legal and factual findings,” according to court documents.
“There are limits to how strongly you can market the Secret Service,” Lorraine Twohill, Google’s chief marketing officer, wrote in a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai in 2019. is not truly private, requires very vague and risk-averse language, and is likely to be more damaging.”
David Boies, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the settlement is “an historic step in demanding honesty and accountability from powerful technology companies.”
A tentative settlement was reached in December, and a trial was scheduled for February 5, 2024. Terms were not disclosed at the time. Plaintiffs’ lawyers will now ask Google to pay unspecified legal costs.
The company has faced similar lawsuits before. In 2022, the Texas attorney general sued the company, alleging that “Incognito mode, or ‘private browsing,’ is a web browser feature that indicates to consumers that Google does not track their search history or location information.”.
The U.S. government initiated a significant antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, alleging that the tech giant impeded competition by limiting access to its software and hardware. The lawsuit challenges Apple’s core products and practices, including iMessage and the interconnectivity of iPhone and Apple Watch.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey, asserts that Apple holds monopolistic power in the smartphone market and engages in “pervasive, persistent, and unlawful” conduct to maintain its dominance. It seeks to “free the smartphone market” from Apple’s anti-competitive behavior and claims that the company stifles innovation.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “Apple’s illegal conduct has helped them remain in power, threatening the free and fair markets essential to our economy.”
The Department of Justice’s case against Apple is a significant legal action against the world’s most valuable publicly traded company. It follows similar antitrust cases targeting major tech firms like Amazon, Meta, and Google, which have faced scrutiny for consolidating power and stifling competition.
Apple denies the allegations, arguing that the lawsuit jeopardizes their core business and principles that set their products apart in a competitive market.
The lawsuit questions whether Apple’s practices of limiting rivals’ access to proprietary features like iMessage and Siri constitute anti-competitive behavior. It investigates whether Apple’s closed ecosystem creates unreasonable barriers for competitors.
The complaint accuses Apple of anti-competitive actions such as blocking innovative apps, restricting third-party digital wallets, and limiting cross-platform messaging. These actions allegedly inhibit competition and increase prices for consumers.
The lawsuit aims to change Apple’s practices and impose fines for their actions. It seeks to prevent Apple from strengthening its monopoly and using its app store and private APIs to hinder cross-platform technology distribution.
Apple, as a dominant force in the smartphone market, has faced criticism for its closed ecosystem. Rival companies view Apple’s features as creating a walled garden that limits consumer choice and competition.
The lawsuit highlights Apple’s clash with startup Beeper, which attempted to enable non-iPhone users to access iMessage. Beeper’s struggles with Apple exemplify the challenges faced by smaller competitors against tech giants.
The legal action against Apple is part of a broader crackdown on anticompetitive behavior by major tech companies. Regulators in both the U.S. and Europe have been investigating and pursuing cases against tech giants to promote fair competition.
European regulators, in particular, have fined Apple for anti-competitive practices. The investigation stemmed from complaints that Apple’s restrictions on its app store harmed other music streaming providers.
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