News of the Cyber World

[kyonides]

When you thought that Musk would stop stealing the news headlines in the tech world, his companies make a terrible comeback once again!

European Commission Initiates Formal Inquiry into Elon Musk’s X/Twitter

Business Insider reports that the European Commission’s decision to investigate Elon Musk’s X/Twitter marks a major development in the enforcement of the newly implemented regulations. The DSA, which came into effect in August, mandates social media platforms to maintain effective and transparent systems for moderating and removing false or harmful information within Europe. The Commission’s concerns revolve around X/Twitter’s capacity to effectively manage risk and content moderation.

Elon Musk has previously hinted at the possibility of withdrawing X/Twitter from the European market to circumvent the stringent regulations imposed by the DSA. However, the Commission’s latest action signifies a tightening of scrutiny over online platforms, particularly those owned by high-profile figures like Musk.

Thierry Breton, the Commissioner for Internal Market, emphasized the end of an era where large online platforms could operate with little regard for regulations. The investigation will particularly focus on how X/Twitter handles the spread of illegal content and the efficacy of its internal systems, including “community notes” and a blue tick verification system, to combat such content.
...
While the investigation could potentially lead to hefty fines for X/Twitter, amounting to up to six percent of its global revenues, several steps remain before such penalties could be applied. The timeline for the investigation and any subsequent actions remains unclear.

Tesla Cybertruck with Christmas Tree Gets Stuck in Snow, Is Rescued by Ford Truck

The Los Angeles Times reports that a Tesla Cybertruck became the center of attention after sliding down a snowy embankment while carrying a Christmas tree on its roof. Much to the embarrassment of fans of Elon Musk’s odd-looking electric vehicles, the stranded EV was rescued by a Ford F150 that pulled the Cybertruck to safety. The post was originally made to Facebook but quickly went viral on other platforms including X/Twitter.

The incident caught the eye of the U.S. Forest Service. Viewing this as a teachable moment, the Forest Service proposed a partnership with Tesla to launch an educational campaign about responsible off-road vehicle use on public lands.

This offer from the Forest Service, described as “a little bit cheeky” by spokesperson Benjamin Cossel, was issued through a news release by the Stanislaus National Forest. Jason Kuiken, the Forest Supervisor, emphasized the need for educating users about Motor Vehicle Use Maps and responsible off-road practices.

Other News

Founder of Electric Truck Company Nikola Sentenced to 4 Years for Defrauding Investors

CNBC reports that Trevor Milton, the founder of Nikola, an electric and hydrogen-powered truck manufacturer, was recently sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of defrauding investors. This sentence comes after Milton was convicted in October 2022 on two counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud.

Milton’s conviction centers around misleading investors about Nikola’s technological capabilities and financial prospects. He became a billionaire almost overnight when Nikola went public in June 2020 through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

However, the company soon faced allegations of fraud, which led to significant losses in its market value. Prosecutors compared Milton’s actions to those of Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos founder, highlighting a pattern of deception in high-profile startups.

Interestingly, Milton’s sentence is much lower than the 11 years requested by prosecutors, and he was also fined just $1 million. Despite what can be considered as leniency, it’s clear that the government is taking a dim view of the “fake it until you make it” startup culture of Silicon Valley.

Google Agrees to $700 Million Settlement in Antitrust Case over App Store Practices

Google has agreed to pay $700 million and implement minor changes to its app store practices, resolving an antitrust lawsuit with all 50 U.S. states. Critics say the internet giant is only promising to make minor changes to its Android app store as part of the agreement.

The jury’s decision on December 11th, 2023, declaring Google’s monopoly in its Google Play app store illegal, paved the way for this settlement. Epic Games, another party fighting an antitrust case against Google, scored a win in this decision. However, the broader implications of the settlement extend far beyond this individual case.

Under the terms of the settlement, Google will distribute $700 million, with $629 million allocated to consumers who may have overpaid for apps or in-app purchases, $70 million to the states, and $1 million for settlement administration. Additionally, Google has agreed to several operational changes over various timeframes, including allowing the installation of third-party apps, offering alternative in-app billing systems, and relaxing exclusivity requirements on app distribution and preloaded app stores.

One of Google’s changes is called “User Choice Billing,” which will allow developers to offer alternative in-app billing systems alongside Google Play’s billing option. This new policy will be in place for the next five years. Additionally, Google will no longer enforce some of the pricing and distribution exclusivity clauses that it used to. While these changes are relatively small, they represent a shift in Google’s approach to app store policies.

However, many of these changes come with expiration dates, and their impact on the app store ecosystem might be limited. Critics argue that the concessions are not substantial enough to alter Google’s market position significantly.

Apple Suspends Sales of Some Smartwatches Amid Patent Fight

CNBC reports that Apple has made a surprise decision to halt sales of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 in the United States. The suspension, which takes effect just days before Christmas, comes amid a legal tussle over the blood oxygen feature of the smart watches with Masimo, a medical technology company, which claims ownership over the technology used in these Apple Watches.

The sales pause follows two orders issued by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) on October 26, which may restrict Apple’s ability to sell products incorporating the disputed blood oxygen feature. While the White House had a 60-day review period ending on December 25, Apple chose to begin the suspension early to comply with the potential outcome of the ITC ruling.

Apple’s decision has immediate implications for its U.S. customers, as online sales of the affected models will cease this Thursday at 3:00 p.m., and in-store sales will follow suit after Sunday. However, this suspension does not affect customers outside the U.S., nor does it impact those who have already purchased these models.