π― Google Resists EU Rules, iOS Revamps, Tech Celebrates Trump
Good morning. Friday, January 17. Today we are covering:
Google won't add fact-checks despite new EU law
iOS 18.3 makes 5 changes to Apple Intelligence notification summaries
A Euphoric Tech Industry Is Ready to Celebrate Trump and Itself
Biden administration will leave it to Trump to implement TikTok ban
FBI Warned Agents It Believes Phone Logs Hacked Last Year
Letβs dive in
Google won't add fact-checks despite new EU law
By Sara Fischer via Axios
Google has informed the EU it will not integrate fact-checking into search results or YouTube videos, nor adjust content ranking or removal, despite requirements in the EU's Code of Practice on Disinformation and the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Google's global affairs president, Kent Walker, defended the company's existing moderation practices, citing tools like Synth ID watermarking, AI disclosures, and a YouTube feature allowing contextual user notes.
The decision follows a broader trend among tech giants, with Meta scaling back fact-checking on its platforms and Elon Musk reducing content moderation efforts on X (formerly Twitter).
π: Scoop: @Google says it won't do fact-checkingβDays after @Meta said it would end fact-checking, @google is telling EU regulators it won't add fact-checks to its search results or YouTube videos, despite requirements from a new EU law - Sara Fischer (@sarafischer)
iOS 18.3 makes 5 changes to Apple Intelligence notification summaries
By Chance Miller via 9to5Mac
iOS 18.3 introduces five changes to Apple Intelligence notification summaries, including clearer beta labeling, the ability to disable summaries directly from the Lock Screen, and warnings about potential errors in the Settings app.
Notification summaries are now temporarily disabled for the News & Entertainment category of apps as Apple refines the feature for future updates.
A public beta featuring these changes will be released soon, while the general public release date remains unspecified.
π: What people really want is for the feature to work properly and accurately, but I guess this will do for now. - Mark Gurman (@markgurman)
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A Euphoric Tech Industry Is Ready to Celebrate Trump and Itself
By Theodore Schleifer via The New York Times
Silicon Valley's elite are hosting high-profile inaugural celebrations for President-elect Donald J. Trump, with events featuring major tech figures like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and David Sacks, alongside corporations like Amazon, Google, and Ripple.
A standout event, the Crypto Ball, celebrates Trump as the "first crypto president" and includes a $100,000-per-person VIP reception hosted by MAGA Inc., with attendees like the Winklevoss twins and a performance by Snoop Dogg.
Inaugural events underscore the tech industry's growing political influence, with lavish parties organized by donors, corporations, and networks like the American Opportunity Alliance and the Rockbridge Network.
π: The "Tech Industry" was aligned overwhelmingly with Democrats. There should be a lot of skepticism with "some" of the leaders, over their sudden new alliances. A Euphoric Tech Industry Is Ready to Celebrate Trump and Itself - Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley)
Biden administration will leave it to Trump to implement TikTok ban
By Elizabeth Schulze via ABC News
The Biden administration will not enforce a TikTok ban set to take effect on January 19, leaving implementation to President-elect Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in preserving the app while addressing security concerns.
The law empowers the Justice Department to fine app stores and hosting services up to $5,000 per user if TikTok remains owned by ByteDance, but a Supreme Court ruling and negotiations could shape the outcome.
Trump's team is exploring options, including an executive order, to prevent the ban and broker a deal, with the president-elect calling TikTok "a great platform" that supports free speech and his political messaging.
π: The Biden Administration's handling of the TikTok Ban looks impressively stupid. 1. Sign the bill that'll ban it without a sale. 2. Sale doesn't happen. 3. Scramble last second to keep it available in the US. 4. Then just lay the problem at Trump's feet? - Philip DeFranco (@PhillyD)
FBI Has Warned Agents It Believes Hackers Stole Their Call Logs
By Jake Bleiberg via Bloomberg
Hackers breached AT&T's system, stealing six months of call and text logs, including data from FBI agents' devices, prompting concerns over the exposure of confidential informants.
The breach affected billions of records tied to AT&T's public safety network, including all FBI devices using the service, according to an internal document reviewed by Bloomberg.
FBI leadership has alerted agents nationwide and is taking steps to safeguard sensitive information following the breach.
π: FBI leaders warned that they believe hackers who broke into AT&T last year stole months of agentsβ phone logs, a document seen by @business Shows. The hack set off a race in the FBI to protect the identities of confidential informants. - Jake Bleiberg (@JZBleiberg)
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