Big Tech News

Apple, Meta Fined as EU Presses Ahead With Tech Probes

Apple was fined 500 million euros ($570 million) on Wednesday and Meta 200 million euros, as European Union antitrust regulators handed out the first sanctions under landmark legislation aimed at curbing the power of Big Tech. The EU fines could …

Big Tech’s Data Center Boom Poses New Risk to Grid Operators

Data Center Alley, a 30-square-mile stretch outside Washington D.C. and home to more than 200 data centers, consumes roughly the same electricity as Boston. So power company officials were alarmed when a big chunk of those centers – 60 of …

Trump’s Antitrust Trio Heralds Big-Tech Crackdown to Continue

President-elect Donald Trump’s antitrust picks are likely to take a hard-line on the tech giants, and a harder line on corporate consolidation than the average Republican. All three of the new administration’s selections – Gail Slater as DOJ antitrust chief, …

Facebook Users Affected by Data Breach Eligible for Compensation: German Court

A German court said on Monday that Facebook users whose data was illegally obtained in 2018 and 2019 were eligible for compensation. The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled that the loss of control over one’s data online was grounds …

Meta Fined €798 Million by EU Over Abusing Classified Ads Dominance

Meta Platforms Inc. was hit with a €798 million ($841 million) fine by European Union regulators by tying its Facebook Marketplace service to the social network, the US tech giant’s first ever penalty for EU antitrust violations. In a groundbreaking …

EU’s Vestager Triumphs in Crackdown on Apple’s Tax Deal, Google’s Practices

EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager scored two major wins on Tuesday as Europe’s top court backed her crackdown against Apple’s Irish tax deal and Google’s anti-competitive practices in two landmark cases. Vestager, who ends her term in November, has made …

Google’s Ad Empire Under Fire With US Antitrust Trial to Begin

Alphabet Inc.’s Google heads back to court Monday to face US Justice Department allegations that it manipulates the $677 billion display advertising market in violation of antitrust laws, just one month after losing a landmark ruling that it illegally dominates …

US Appeals Court Takes Aim at Big Tech Liability Shield

A US appeals court has struck down a long-standing argument from social media platforms: that a federal law grants them blanket immunity from being held accountable for user harms – even the wrongful death of children. In a ruling delivered …

Apple Unfairly Fired UK Worker Who Was Part Toxic Workplace Culture, Judge Says

Apple Inc. unfairly fired an employee for making racist comments that were part of a toxic workplace culture at one of its London stores, according to a UK court ruling. Apple’s investigation, before firing Timothy Jeffries who worked as a …

Growing Reliance on Big Tech for AI Carries New Risks, Banks Say

The boom in artificial intelligence will increase banks’ dependence on big U.S. tech firms, creating new risks for the industry, European banking executives said. Excitement around using artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services – widely used already for detecting fraud …