Government & Policy

FCC rule would make carriers unlock all phones after 60 days

The FCC wants to make it significantly easier for consumers to unlock their phones from their carriers, proposing that all devices must be unlockable just 60 days after purchase. How this will mesh with current plans and phone-buying trends, however, is something the agency is hoping to learn before putting such a rule into effect. […]

FCC rule would make carriers unlock all phones after 60 days Read More »

Unbabel among the first AI startups to win millions of GPU training hours on EU supercomputers

The European Union has announced the winners of a “Large AI Grand Challenge” it kicked off earlier this year in a bid to accelerate the pace of homegrown innovation by large-scale AI model makers. Four startups will share €1 million in prize money and, perhaps more importantly, 8 million GPU hours to train their models

Unbabel among the first AI startups to win millions of GPU training hours on EU supercomputers Read More »

Supreme Court rejects claim that Biden administration pressured social media firms into removing misinformation

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a Republican-led challenge to the Biden administration’s communication with social media companies to combat online misinformation on topics related to COVID-19 and the 2020 election. The ruling overturns an injunction, which was currently on hold, that would have limited contact between government officials and social media companies. The Republican

Supreme Court rejects claim that Biden administration pressured social media firms into removing misinformation Read More »

Internet goes dark in Kenya in the wake of major protests over finance bill

London-based internet rights monitoring group NetBlocks has reported a major internet disruption in Kenya following a wave of demonstrations across the country, as police violently cracked down on citizens taking to the streets to protest a government bill to hike taxes despite tough economic times and widespread corruption. The interruption in access comes as the

Internet goes dark in Kenya in the wake of major protests over finance bill Read More »

The EU’s DMA is coming for Apple, and X bots are on the loose

Apple has been named the first of tech’s so-called “gatekeepers” to be charged for violating the EU’s Digital Markets Act. In a press release this morning, the European Commission alleged that Apple’s App Store rules, “prevent app developers from freely steering consumers to alternative channels for offers and content,” blocking developers from providing customers with

The EU’s DMA is coming for Apple, and X bots are on the loose Read More »

EU Member States remain divided on controversial CSAM-scanning plan — but for how long?

A key body of European Union lawmakers remains stalled over a controversial legislative proposal that could see millions of users of messaging apps forced to agree to their photo and video uploads being scanned by AI to detect child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Critics of the plan include tech industry messaging giants like WhatsApp to

EU Member States remain divided on controversial CSAM-scanning plan — but for how long? Read More »

Steve Case on why policy is crucial to make sure AI success isn’t concentrated to a few players

Steve Case is no stranger to how policy can help aid innovation. His former company AOL would have been dead in the water if not for the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which required telecoms companies to open access to their tech. Now, Case is hoping the federal government will look to take the same stance

Steve Case on why policy is crucial to make sure AI success isn’t concentrated to a few players Read More »

US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Adobe alleging that the company deceives consumers by hiding the early-termination fee and making it difficult for people to cancel their subscriptions. In the complaint filed on Monday, the DOJ wrote that “Adobe has harmed consumers by enrolling them in its default, most lucrative subscription

US sues Adobe for hiding termination fees and making it difficult to cancel subscriptions Read More »

FTC Chair Lina Khan on startups, scaling, and ”innovations in potential lawbreaking”

FTC Chair Lina Khan was the youngest person appointed to her position when she assumed the job in 2021. But once her term ends in September –  after which she’ll stay until a successor is named – her age might be the last thing that people remember about her reign. It’s more likely that Khan’s

FTC Chair Lina Khan on startups, scaling, and ”innovations in potential lawbreaking” Read More »

Meta pauses plans to train AI using European users’ data, bowing to regulatory pressure

Meta has confirmed that it will pause plans to start training its AI systems using data from its users in the European Union and U.K. The move follows pushback from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), Meta’s lead regulator in the EU, which is acting on behalf of several data protection authorities across the bloc.

Meta pauses plans to train AI using European users’ data, bowing to regulatory pressure Read More »