Tag: EU
Fox Corporation launches Netflix rival, Scientists attach ‘living skin’ to robots
Rupert Murdoch's Fox Corporation is entering the UK's highly competitive free, ad-supported video streaming market. Tubi will compete with the likes of Netflix, Disney+, ITVX and Channel 4's streaming platform as well as the BBC iPlayer. The platform has been quickly gaining market share in the US where, according to Fox, it has almost 80…
Steam accused of ripping off 14m UK gamers, Elon Musk drops ChatGPT lawsuit
Baldur's Gate 3 was the bestselling game on Steam in 2023. Image: Larian Studios The owner of Steam - the largest digital distribution platform for PC games in the world - is being sued for £656m. Valve Corporation is being accused of using its market dominance to overcharge 14 million people…
Tougher laws for smart devices, Tesla shares surge following China deal
Manufacturers will have to follow stricter rules if they want to sell internet-enabled ‘smart’ gadgets such as smart speakers and security cameras as a new law comes into force. From today, manufacturers will be legally required to protect consumers from hackers and cyber criminals from accessing devices with internet or network connectivity – from smartphones to…
TikTok faces US ban, Apple ‘reduces Vision Pro shipments’
The US Senate has approved a controversial landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in America. It gives TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, nine months to sell its stake or the app will be blocked in the United States. The bill will now be handed over to US President Joe Biden, who has said he will…
Study finds online harassment of girls ‘seen as normal’, EU investigates tech firms
Online harassment of girls is "so standard" that some parents see it as "normal", a study has found. Online safety charity Internet Matters found that 77% of girls aged 13 to 16 in the UK report digital experiences that are or may be harmful. The survey also found that parents "are coming to regard online…
Apple launches new MacBook Air, Jeff Bezos usurps Elon Musk as world’s richest man
Apple has launched a new MacBook Air, with a new chip inside. The laptop takes the same basic design of Apple’s smallest and cheapest computer, but gives it the M3 chip that was first launched late last year. In addition to that improved chip, the new computer has better WiFi, new microphone features and better…
Meta to block nudes in teens’ messages, Google Pixel 8 Pro can now measure body temp
Meta has said it will launch a new safety tool to block children from receiving and discourage them from sending nude images, including in encrypted chats later this year. The tool is likely to be optional and available to adults too on Instagram and Facebook. It follows criticism from government and police after Meta started to…
TikTok fined €345m for GDPR breaches, EU investigates Chinese EV subsidies
Irish regulators have fined TikTok €345m (£296m) for violating children's privacy. The complaint concerned how the social media app handled children's data in 2020 - particularly around age verification and privacy settings. It is the biggest fine to date TikTok has received from regulators. A spokesperson for the social media firm said it "respectfully disagree[s]…
ShinyShiny snippets: EU votes for replaceable smartphone batteries
The European Parliament has voted yes to replaceable battery legislation, putting Apple on a path to a second redesign just over a year after USB-C charging ports were mandated in the bloc. Unlike the USB-C redesign, which has a 2024 deadline, the "portable battery" rule will come into play in 2027 at the earliest. That rule, by…
ShinyShiny snippets: Half of female gamers face abuse while playing
One in 10 women feel suicidal because of the abuse they face while gaming. New research for Sky Broadband shows that of 4,000 female gamers surveyed 49% have faced abuse or harassment when playing or streaming online - rising to 75% of those aged 18 to 24. The levels of harassment are so strong that…
