Subdued decision in Google antitrust trial may help keep a monopoly in power
After a five-year legal showdown pitting the U.S. Justice Department against Google, a federal judge concluded the disruptive forces of technology will have a better chance of hobbling an illegal monopoly than restraints imposed by a court order. That was one of the underlying themes of a highly anticipated ruling issued late Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. Even as the Justice Department claimed victory on behalf of consumers, most analysts and antitrust experts viewed the decision as a light-handed punishment that will enable Google to mostly conduct business as usual. Investors celebrated by sending the market value of Google's corporate parent Alphabet to a new high Wednesday.
Notorious online soccer piracy network Streameast shut down, antipiracy group says
Notorious online soccer piracy network Streameast has been shut down after more than 1.6 billion visits in the past year. The United States-based Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment says the shutdown was made in collaboration with Egyptian authorities. With its 80 associated domains Streameast was the largest illicit live sports streaming operation in the world, ACE says. ACE chairman Charles Rivkin says “Today ACE scored a resounding victory in its fight to detect, deter, and dismantle criminal perpetrators of digital piracy." Streameast offered users unauthorized access to matches across Europe’s top soccer leagues. It provided access to sport-specific piracy sites for American sports like the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.
Trump to host top tech CEOs — except Musk — at White House dinner Thursday
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will host a high-powered list of tech CEOs for a dinner at the White House on Thursday night. The guest list is set to include Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a dozen other executives from the biggest artificial intelligence and tech firms, according to the White House. One notable absence from the guest list is Elon Musk, once a close ally of Trump, whom the president tasked with running the government-slashing Department of Government Efficiency. Musk had a public break with Trump earlier this year.
Judge orders search shakeup in Google monopoly case, but keeps hands off Chrome and default deals
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a shake-up of Google’s search engine in an attempt to curb the corrosive power of an illegal monopoly while rebuffing the U.S. government’s attempt to break up the company and impose other restraints. The 226-page decision made by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., will likely ripple across the technological landscape at a time when the industry is being reshaped by artificial intelligence breakthroughs — including conversational “answer engines” as companies like ChatGPT and Perplexity try to upend Google’s long-held position as the internet’s main gateway.
Welcome to wplace: A chaotic, collaborative digital canvas where users 'paint the world'
NEW YORK (AP) — A new online platform called wplace invites users to “paint the world” on a massive digital canvas. This ever-evolving map allows people to create art using a limited number of pixels over time. Many team up to produce larger and more elaborate images. Users have painted tributes to pop culture and symbols of local identity, as well messages of protest and global conflicts. Experts say this reflects an ongoing desire for collaboration and expression in digital spaces. However wplace also faces challenges with content moderation. Some have raised concerns about hate speech, as well as frustrations about others “griefing” their artwork.
Trump administration agrees to restore health websites and data
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal officials have agreed to restore health- and science-related webpages and data following a lawsuit settlement with doctors' groups and other organizations. The settlement was announced this week by the Washington State Medical Association, the lead plaintiffs in the case. Soon after President Donald Trump's inauguration, federal health officials deleted information on topics like pregnancy risks and opioid-use disorder. This was in response to a Trump executive order to stop using the term “gender” in federal policies. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has agreed to restore more than 100 websites and resources.
C-SPAN announces deal for its service to be carried on YouTube TV, Hulu
NEW YORK (AP) — C-SPAN's three public affairs networks will be carried beginning this fall on YouTube TV and Hulu's live television package, according to a deal announced on Wednesday. Cord-cutting has reduced the number of homes with access to the networks that have traditionally been carried on all cable and satellite systems. But the new streaming services with live TV packages hadn't been carrying C-SPAN. Representatives in Congress who provide much of the Washington-based network's programming passed a resolution urging parent companies Alphabet and Disney to include C-SPAN on their services. C-SPAN says the companies would pay the same fee charged to cable and satellite companies, roughly 87 cents per subscriber each year.
OpenAI and Meta say they're fixing AI chatbots to better respond to teens in distress
OpenAI and Meta are adjusting how their chatbots respond to teenagers showing signs of distress. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, plans to introduce new controls for parents to link their accounts to their teen's account. Parents can choose which features to disable and receive notifications if their teen is in distress. The company says ChatGPT will redirect distressing conversations to more capable AI models. An attorney for parents who sued OpenAI for the wrongful death of their teenager criticized the changes as insufficient. Meta also says it is blocking its chatbots from discussing self-harm and suicide with teens, directing them to expert resources.
What to know about Russia's GPS jamming operation in Europe
LONDON (AP) — Bulgarian authorities aren't investigating a suspected Russian interference operation involving a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen because they say the interference is now common. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Nordic and Baltic nations have reported increased electronic disruptions. Russian authorities claim the jamming is defensive but NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte suggested the interference is part of a complex Russian campaign.
Israel launches a satellite to expand its surveillance capability throughout Middle East
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is expanding its surveillance capabilities with a new satellite that it says is part of a broader investment to monitor the broader Middle East. Military officials and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the satellite, launched late Tuesday, will join Israel’s existing roster of satellites and enhance its ability to collect images like the 12,000 gathered over Iran during a 12-day war earlier this year. Israel’s decades-old space program has expanded its fleet with several satellite launches in recent years and is one of the few globally with high resolution monitoring and intelligence gathering capabilities.
