All articles tagged with #lawsuits
Maryland announced a settlement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Group, the owner and operator of the Dali cargo ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024, killing six workers. The agreement is still being finalized, and a civil trial is scheduled for June 1 to determine whether the owners can cap their liability.
Two California-backed class-action lawsuits in the Northern District of California allege LinkedIn secretly scans users’ browsers to detect installed extensions and shares related data with third parties; LinkedIn says it discloses such extension scanning in its Privacy Policy to detect abuse and protect site stability, while the suits draw on the BrowserGate report and involve Teamfluence, seeking damages and an injunction.
Several January 6 attendees filed a federal class-action in Florida against the U.S. Capitol Police and DC Police, seeking about $18.405 million in damages for alleged physical injuries and emotional distress caused by police responses (tear gas and other irritants) on the Capitol grounds. Named plaintiffs Patrick Sullivan, Marie Sullivan and Alan Fischer seek to certify a class of all Capitol grounds attendees harmed that day and a jury trial to determine damages. Fischer, who was prosecuted in 2022, was pardoned by Trump. In total, 46 protesters are pursuing similar claims (43 others), with the case highlighting ongoing political divisions five years after the riot.
A Los Angeles jury found Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube were designed to addict children, awarding $6 million in LA and a separate $375 million verdict against Meta in New Mexico, with both companies planning appeals. The rulings could weaken platform protections under Section 230, spur tighter safeguards and parental controls, and unleash waves of similar lawsuits that could reshape how social networks operate and are held accountable for harm to minors.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican candidate for governor, seized 426 additional ballot boxes as part of a criminal probe into alleged voter irregularities, adding to a prior seizure of about 650,000 ballots. State officials led by Attorney General Rob Bonta say the investigation lacks credible evidence and have filed lawsuits to pause or challenge it; a separate lawsuit seeks to block a recount tied to last year’s Prop 50. A UCLA Voting Rights Project suit and a secretary of state critique underscore concerns about undermining public trust in elections, while a court panel denied a bid to stop the recount. Critics note a claimed discrepancy of 45,896 votes versus the actual difference of 103, highlighting the dispute over the case’s basis.
Meta Platforms slid about 8% after lawsuits and regulatory risks sparked fears of a tobacco-style crackdown, erasing around $119 billion from its market value. Analysts say the drop may be overblown and point to Meta’s AI ambitions and a relatively reasonable forward earnings multiple, though the regulatory outlook remains a key overhang.
A federal judge in San Francisco blocked the Pentagon’s order labeling Anthropic a national security risk, finding officials likely violated the law and retaliated against the AI lab for speaking about how its technology should be used, a win for Anthropic amid a high-stakes tech-policy fight.
Two separate juries finding Meta and Google’s YouTube harmed children, with New Mexico ordering $375 million and a Los Angeles verdict totaling $6 million in damages against Meta and YouTube, heighten regulatory and political pressure on Big Tech to redesign platforms and tighten safeguards for minors as lawmakers consider federal and state online-safety rules and debates over Section 230.
Meta Platforms (META) slid to a 52‑week low after California and New Mexico juries found its platforms negligent and failing to safeguard users, fueling concerns about ongoing lawsuits across the U.S. and abroad. The stock has dropped from its 52‑week high near $800, even as analysts maintain a Strong Buy consensus with an average target around $865, underscoring potential upside but leaving a cloud of litigation risk weighing on sentiment.
Juries are increasingly holding social media platforms and Big Tech accountable for harm to children, signaling a shift in public sentiment and cracking the industry’s invincible aura as lawsuits and high-profile trials mount.
The U.S. Department of Justice has settled a lawsuit filed by Michael Flynn, the former Trump national security adviser, for $1.2 million, according to AP sources.
A Los Angeles jury found Meta negligent and awarded damages in a child-safety case, following a separate ruling against YouTube; advocates say two back-to-back verdicts show courts are willing to hold major platforms accountable for social media harms to children, potentially reshaping Silicon Valley regulation.
A New Mexico jury ordered Meta to pay $375 million for allegedly allowing child predators to target young users on Facebook and Instagram, citing algorithms and weak protections; Meta plans to appeal and says it remains committed to user safety.
Preservation groups ask a D.C. court to halt Trump’s multimillion-dollar Capitol redesigns, including a 250-foot arch and Kennedy Center renovations, arguing they bypass design-review processes and violate the law. The case adds to lawsuits challenging the scope and symbolism of the projects, leaving Washington’s architectural future uncertain as legal and congressional input unfolds.
Minnesota officials filed a lawsuit against the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, accusing federal agencies of withholding evidence connected to three shootings by federal officers during the immigration crackdown, including the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti and the wounding of an undocumented immigrant, as state investigators seek greater transparency.