Tag

Regulation

All articles tagged with #regulation

technology2 hours ago•19 min saved

Meta strikes $16.68B settlement, pledges teen-safety upgrades on Instagram and Facebook

Meta Platforms agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion to settle a multi-state lawsuit alleging Instagram and Facebook hooked young users and mishandled data from under-13s. The deal imposes a suite of teen-safety features on Instagram and Facebook for five years, including a two-hour daily time limit with pauses at 15, 60 and 90 minutes, nighttime blocks (12 a.m.–6 a.m.), limited school-time access, stricter age verification, stronger parental controls, and safeguards against harmful content and excessive social comparisons, overseen by an independent auditor. If comparable terms are adopted by other apps, the daily limit could drop to 60 minutes for 10 years. The settlement ends the case as Nvidia earnings were awaited after the close on the same day.

via Yahoo Finance|

#meta-platforms #regulation #settlement

technology6 hours ago•3 min saved

Meta's $16.7B settlement aims to curb teen use on Facebook and Instagram

Meta reached a $16.7 billion settlement with California and 28 other states over claims it misrepresented the impact of its apps on youths’ mental health. The proposed consent judgment would require safety measures such as daily usage limits, nighttime blocks for teens, stronger age verification, and expanded parental controls, with funds funding youth-online-safety initiatives over 10 years. California could receive about $1.5–$2.1 billion if approved; the remaining money will be distributed to participating states (with some funds tied to other platforms like YouTube and TikTok adopting similar changes). Meta also notes roughly $10 billion in related legal expenses in Q3 2026, and the deal would end the Oakland trial with a waiver of appeals.

via CNBC|

#child-safety #meta #regulation

technology1 day ago•7 min saved

Meta on Trial: States allege addictive design aimed at children

A landmark multistate lawsuit in Oakland accuses Meta of designing addictive products that trap children and of concealing harms, with a whistleblower alleging CEO Mark Zuckerberg lied about commitments to child safety. The high-profile trial highlights how US courts are driving tech accountability amid broader debates over data practices, while policymakers and industry figures respond to growing scrutiny of AI infrastructure and regulation.

via The Guardian|

#child-safety #data-harvesting #meta

business1 day ago•2 min saved

Regulatory Headwinds Rebalance the Data Center Playbook Toward the Giants

CNBC’s Jim Cramer argues rising political opposition to data-center projects could slow the buildout and pressure valuations of traditional vendors, but tighter rules may primarily benefit hyperscalers—Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta—who can absorb compliance costs and outcompete smaller developers, potentially reducing competition for land, labor and electricity.

via CNBC|

#ai-infrastructure #business #data-center

technology1 day ago•12 min saved

Robotaxis multiply, regulators scramble to set the rules

Robotaxis are expanding across U.S. cities, but a patchwork of state and local rules, union opposition, and safety concerns are shaping how quickly fleets grow. While companies like Waymo, Zoox, and Tesla push for clearer federal and local oversight and funding for transit and worker retraining, regulators are weighing testing requirements, first-responder coordination, and vehicle-safety standards, all amid worries about jobs, urban mobility, and the pace of deployment.

via The Verge|

#autonomous-vehicles #regulation #robotaxis

business1 day ago•2 min saved

Arizona Ends Zillow-Redfin Non-Compete, Orders $2M to Restore Competition

Regulators say Zillow and Redfin secretly agreed not to compete in large-apartment listings, with Redfin ceding business to Zillow; the 2025 payout of $100 million is cited as part of the anticompetitive deal. Under the settlement, they must resume real competition: Redfin will list its own apartment units and drop exclusive listings, with a $2 million penalty and a ban on similar deals in the future, supported by the FTC and AGs from AZ, CT, NY, WA, and VA.

via AZ Family|

#antitrust #arizona #business

environment2 days ago•17 min saved

Great Lakes microplastics study aims to spur tougher plastics rules

Researchers at the Experimental Lakes Area seed Lake 378 with microplastics to study their fate, transport, and entry into the food web, part of a broader effort to push monitoring and policy action across the Great Lakes; the work, along with a growing body of evidence that microplastics are widespread in the basin, has spurred calls for stronger regulation and binational cooperation, even as local pollution issues—like Sarnia's Chemical Valley emissions and nurdle pollution—highlight ongoing health and environmental concerns.

via Chicago Tribune|

#environment #great-lakes #microplastics

business2 days ago•23 min saved

Chicago Breweries Ride THC Drinks Boom, Now Bracing for Regulatory Cliff

Hemp-derived THC beverages helped local Chicago breweries like Marz Community Brewing, Hopewell, and Revolution reach new customers as craft beer faced declines. Now, looming federal and state rules—including a December federal ban tightening THC limits and a November shift to selling intoxicating hemp products only in licensed dispensaries—threaten the market’s future. Enforcement timelines have been delayed, but producers say they will adapt and press for sensible regulations (mg caps, testing, taxes). The outcome remains uncertain, with some vendors forecasting a pause rather than an end to THC drinks.

via Block Club Chicago|

#breweries #business #chicago

health2 days ago•9 min saved

Sunshine State's peptide boom: promises, perils, and regulatory gaps

Florida is seeing a surge in injections of unapproved, often online-sold peptides promoted by clinics and social media influencers. While some advocates claim benefits for recovery, sleep, fat loss and anti-aging, most peptides lack robust safety data and proven efficacy. Experts warn about quality control issues, impurities, immune reactions, and potential cancer risk, plus a lack of standardized dosing. Regulators are considering tighter access through compounding pharmacies, but costs vary widely—from around $30 for raw powders to $1,500+ per month for clinic programs—and insurance rarely covers them. The trend highlights ongoing tensions between hype, science, and patient safety.

via Sun Sentinel|

#florida #health #influencers

technology2 days ago•10 min saved

Data Centers in the Crossfire: Backlash Pushes Regulators to Act

A bipartisan backlash against AI-powered data centers is intensifying, with governors and lawmakers proposing moratoriums, local-permit hurdles, and audits of tax breaks and water use. Pennsylvania, Texas and Michigan have moved to curb growth, while eight states enacted data-center tax-subsidy rollbacks in 2026 and more legislation is under consideration. Industry voices warn the issue could redefine investment and policy ahead of the 2028 elections, even as some leaders seek smarter planning and clearer community benefits to counter public concern about higher energy costs, water use, and landscape impact.

via Politico|

#artificial-intelligence #data-centers #policy

technology3 days ago•6 min saved

Open-Source AI Watermark Remover Goes Viral, Sparking Debate Over AI Attribution

Guillaume Meyer’s open-source project Watermarks Remover, created in response to Anthropic’s announcement of invisible AI watermarks, went viral after a few hours of work and now has contributed contributors and millions of impressions. Meyer argues the watermark approach can cause false positives and mislabel non-AI content (like Grammarly-generated text), highlighting regulatory and trust concerns. The tool demonstrates a broader tension between attributions, AI regulation, and practical use, and Meyer says he may turn it into a business while plans to adapt as detectors evolve.

via Business Insider|

#ai #open-source #regulation

health3 days ago•4 min saved

Hidden Toxins Lurk in Most Personal Care Products, Study Finds

A peer‑reviewed study tested 113 consumer personal care products from major retailers and found unlabeled toxic chemicals in about 85% of them, including phthalates, parabens, PFAS and formaldehyde; 26% of products labeled as 'eco','green' or 'natural' contained at least one dangerous compound, and many items carried multiple undisclosed ingredients. Using non-targeted chemical analysis cross-checked against EPA data, researchers identified 303 chemicals and highlighted fragrance as a common source of undisclosed chemicals. The findings prompt questions about labeling, oversight, and the need for mandatory testing, while offering consumer tips to reduce exposure (avoid fragrance, prefer less plastic packaging, and consult resources like the EWG Skin Deep database). Million Marker plans to fund more testing.

via The Guardian|

#fragrance #health #personal-care-products

technology3 days ago•6 min saved

OpenAI executive warns of persistent AI cyberattacks, urges global safety rules

OpenAI leaders warn of ongoing, persistent AI-enabled cyber threats as frontier models advance, citing a sandbox breach and rising risk from open-source AI. The company has paused training of some frontier models to add safeguards and is pressing for mandatory safety standards and national (and international) regulation to govern deployment of high-risk AI.

via The Guardian|

#ai-safety #cybersecurity #frontier-ai

business3 days ago•22 min saved

Dutch regulator hits Uber with near-$1B penalty over account suspensions

Dutch regulators fined Uber nearly $1 billion for suspending driver and rider accounts, signaling intensified oversight of ride-hailing practices and platform accountability.

via AP News|

#business #drivers #fines

business3 days ago•6 min saved

Airbnb's new all-in host fee nudges pricing decisions

Airbnb will move US hosts to a single 15.5% service fee by Sept. 15, eliminating the guest checkout fee. Past shifts showed many hosts raised prices to offset the higher fee (about 30% fully offset and 30% partially offset in earlier cohorts). While Airbnb says the change will create clearer upfront pricing and could lift demand, profitability still hinges on platform dynamics, demand, operating costs and local regulations, making four factors essential: platform rules, pricing/demand, costs, and regulations.

via CNBC|

#airbnb #business #host-fee