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Stuck in dating app loop with no date in sight? A lawsuit filed Wednesday against Match Group claims that is by design. Tinder, Hinge and other Match dating apps are filled with addictive features that encourage “compulsive” use, the proposed class-action lawsuit claims. This, the suit claims, turns users into “addicts” who purchase ever-more-expensive subscriptions to access special features that promise romance and matches. It was filed by six dating app users and seeks class action status.

Persons: —, ”, “ Organizations: Match Group, Northern District of, Dallas, Facebook Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Ukraine’s army chief: The design of war has changed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Opinion Valerii Zaluzhnyi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Editor’s Note: Valerii Zaluzhnyi has been Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since 2021. It is well known by now that a central driver of this war is the development of unmanned weapons systems. The challenge for our armed forces cannot be underestimated. Join us on Twitter and FacebookCreating a system to provide our armed forces with high-tech assets. And mastering new combat capabilities as soon as possible.

Persons: Zaluzhnyi, Read, Valerii Zaluzhnyi Organizations: Armed Forces of, CNN, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukraine, Russia

That same year, Amazon unsuccessfully sought to get her recused from agency probes against the company, arguing she was too biased. The District of Columbia also tried to sue Amazon on antitrust grounds before, but its lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge last year. Experts say the FTC faces a few hurdles in its own case, including convincing the court which slice of the market Amazon is allegedly monopolizing. In a blog post responding to the lawsuit, Amazon General Counsel David Zapolsky accused the FTC of attempting to “gerrymander alleged market” to portray Amazon as something it’s not. The FTC also alleges Amazon keeps sellers dependent on services that have allowed it to collect billions in revenue every year.

Persons: Lina Khan, hasn’t, Khan, Joe Biden, ” Khan, David Zapolsky, “ gerrymander, ”, Neil Saunders, Maurice Stucke, Stucke, Sean Sullivan, they’re Organizations: Federal Trade, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Microsoft, Yale Law, Amazon, of, Walmart, GlobalData, Google, Department of Justice, University of Tennessee, University of Iowa College of Law Locations: California, of Columbia, U.S, monopolization

☆ Biden’s pro-competition agenda put to the test as net neutrality, tech trials take shape
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Shortly after that, the Federal Communications Commission chair announced a proposal to reinstate net neutrality rules, which prohibit internet service providers from favoring certain websites over others. It included appointing strong enforcers and starting the White House Competition Council. Even as several prongs of competition policy take shape, the Biden administration is up against the clock. That timeline may be particularly concerning for the ability to implement and uphold net neutrality rules, given that the FCC didn't have a Democratic majority able to advance the rulemaking until just this week. Wu and other net neutrality advocates have blamed the telecom industry for opposing Biden's initial FCC nominee, Gigi Sohn, holding up her nomination for well over a year until she ultimately withdrew.

Persons: Joe Biden, Department's, Anna Gomez, Biden, Tim Wu, Wu, Hannah Garden, Gigi Sohn Organizations: White, Federal Trade Commission, Amazon, Federal Communications Commission, Department of Justice, Google, Washington , D.C, FCC, Antitrust, Biden, Competition Council, FTC, Competition, Democratic, CNBC, Comcast Locations: Washington U.S, Washington ,

☆ An Egyptian official responded with a 'thumbs up' emoji when Sen. Bob Menendez offered sensitive weapons information for gold and bribes, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Sen. Bob Menendez was hit with bribery charges by federal prosecutors in a newly-unsealed indictment. Prosecutors claimed that Menendez provided sensitive US government data to Egypt, to which in one instance, Egyptian officials responded to a weapons deal with a thumbs-up emoji, per the indictment. In 2018, Menendez met with Egyptian officials, where the senator expressed his support for foreign military aid for Egypt. Egypt: 46,000 120MM Target Practice Rounds and 10,000 Rounds Tank Ammunition: $99 million," Sen. Bob Menendez texted his wife, Nadine, per the indictment. Both Hana and Nadine Menendez are also charged in the indictment.

Persons: Sen, Bob Menendez, Menendez, Will Hana, Hana, Bob Menendez texted, Nadine, Prosecutors, Nadine Menendez, Chuck Schumer Organizations: Prosecutors, Service, Bob Menendez of New, Menendez, Foreign Relations Locations: Wall, Silicon, Bob Menendez of, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, New Jersey, Egypt

The back-and-forth came in the federal government’s first monopoly trial since it tried to break up Microsoft more than two decades ago. If Google wins, it could act as a referendum on increasingly aggressive government regulators, raise questions about the efficacy of century-old antitrust laws and further embolden Silicon Valley. The Justice Department has filed a second lawsuit against Google over its advertising technology, which could go to trial as early as next year. The Federal Trade Commission is separately moving toward a trial in an antitrust lawsuit against Meta. Investigations remain open in efforts that could lead to antitrust lawsuits against Amazon and Apple.

Persons: Judge Amit P, Mehta, ”, Bill Baer, Biden Organizations: Microsoft, Google, U.S, District of Columbia, Justice Department, The, Federal Trade Commission, Meta, Amazon, Apple

☆ Landmark Google trial opens with sweeping DOJ accusations of illegal monopolization
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Also being called anticompetitive are Google’s contracts to ensure that Android devices come with Google apps and services — including Google search — preinstalled, the Justice Department claimed. For Google’s opening statement, attorney John Schmidtlein said that Apple’s decision to make Google the default search engine in its Safari browser demonstrates how Google’s search engine is the superior product consumers prefer. The Google case “could not be more different” from the historic Microsoft litigation at the turn of the millennium, Schmidtlein continued. Google has previously said that consumers choose Google’s search engine because it is the best and that they prefer it, not because of anticompetitive practices. Google’s search business provides more than half of the $283 billion in revenue and $76 billion in net income Google’s parent company, Alphabet, recorded in 2022.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Google’s, Kenneth Dintzer, ” Dintzer, John Schmidtlein, Apple, ”, Schmidtlein, Bing, General Merrick Garland, Anna Moneymaker, ” Schmidtlein, “, Kent Walker, Ken Buck, Trump, Global Affairs Kent Walker, Biden, Amit Mehta, Mehta Organizations: CNN, Google, Justice Department, Microsoft, Apple, Samsung, DOJ, Netscape, Gmail, U.S, The Justice Department, Global Affairs, Court, District of Columbia, Eastern, of Locations: United States, Washington, Apple . WASHINGTON, DC, Washington ,, California , New York , Colorado, Virginia, Colorado, of Virginia

☆ Google stands trial against US government officials in antitrust lawsuit over the company's accused search monopoly
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Google’s search business provides more than half of the $283 billion in revenue and $76 billion in net income Google’s parent company, Alphabet, recorded in 2022. Now, the company is set to defend itself in a multiweek trial that could upend the way Google distributes its search engine to users. WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference on a new antitrust lawsuit against Google at the Justice Department on January 24, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Justice Department and states including California, New York, Colorado and Virginia, have filed a lawsuit against Google over the company's monopolization of the market for online ads. Despite that ruling, the trial represents the US government’s furthest progress in challenging Google to date.

Persons: Trump, Eddy, ”, Global Affairs Kent Walker, Biden, General Merrick Garland, Anna Moneymaker, Amit Mehta, Mehta Organizations: CNN, Google, Microsoft, Justice Department, Samsung, Apple, Global Affairs, U.S, The Justice Department, LG, Motorola, Mozilla, Opera, Court, District of Columbia, Eastern, of Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, DC, Washington ,, California , New York , Colorado, Virginia, United States, Colorado, of Virginia

☆ Here's how Google plans to fight the DOJ
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

He pointed to Apple CEO Tim Cook's comments in 2018 that Google's search engine is the "best." Google isn't the only company that pays for prominent placement on browsers, Walker wrote. Consumers can easily change search engine defaults on their devices if they prefer another service. Walker wrote that consumers showed a willingness to do this in 2014 when many Mozilla users switched their default from Yahoo to Google. The DOJ and the Colorado state AG's office, which is leading the states' case, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Microsoft's Bing, Kent Walker, Walker, Tim Cook's, Bing Organizations: Google, District of, Court, Department of Justice, Microsoft, DOJ, Apple, Microsoft's, Yahoo, Mozilla, Big Tech Locations: District, District of Columbia, U.S, Colorado

☆ Google targets DOJ antitrust chief with bias allegations in monopoly defense
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Google went on the offensive Thursday in a closely watched antitrust case dealing with the tech giant’s digital advertising dominance, questioning the motives of the Justice Department’s top antitrust official. Google’s filing targets Jonathan Kanter, the US assistant attorney general for antitrust, and his widely reported past legal representation of Google-parent Alphabet’s corporate rivals, such as Microsoft, Yelp and News Corp, among others. Google’s attorneys argue that Kanter’s past clients create an ethical conflict and should raise doubts about the US government’s overall lawsuit. They also cited evidence in the case that, prior to joining DOJ, Kanter lobbied in a personal capacity for the agency to pursue an antitrust case against Google. The Biden administration has sought to limit the scope of discovery to prevent Google from gathering evidence about Kanter’s advocacy, according to Thursday’s filing.

Persons: Jonathan Kanter, Kanter, AAG Kanter, Susan Athey, Athey, Biden, Trump, Leonie Brinkema, Judge Brinkema Organizations: CNN, Google, Microsoft, News Corp, DOJ, Justice, Stanford, Court, Eastern, of, US Locations: Alexandria , Virginia, United States, of Virginia, Manhattan, Virginia

☆ Gannett Sues Google, Alleges Monopolization of Ad-Tech Markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/gannett-sues-google-alleges-monopolization-of-ad-tech-markets-100a76

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: gannett

☆ A federal judge just told American and JetBlue to undo the Northeast Alliance in 30 days
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Taylor Rains | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US Department of Justice has won its antitrust lawsuit against JetBlue Airways and American Airlines. Judge Leo Sorokin ruled the pair has 30 days to undo their powerful Northeast Alliance. It looks like the controversial partial union of JetBlue Airways and American Airlines may be over. According to Judge Sorokin, JetBlue and American have 30 days to undo their alliance, meaning they cannot work together to coordinate their fares or routes. Both airlines have already sold tickets, and the unraveling could cause a headache for JetBlue, American, and their customers.

☆ Opinion | Lina Khan: We Must Regulate A.I. Here’s How.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Lina M. Khan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

The trajectory of the Web 2.0 era was not inevitable — it was instead shaped by a broad range of policy choices. A handful of powerful businesses control the necessary raw materials that start-ups and other companies rely on to develop and deploy A.I. Enforcers have the dual responsibility of watching out for the dangers posed by new A.I. is well equipped with legal jurisdiction to handle the issues brought to the fore by the rapidly developing A.I. Alongside tools that create deep fake videos and voice clones, these technologies can be used to facilitate fraud and extortion on a massive scale.

☆ FTC chair Lina Khan says she's on alert for abusive A.I. use
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"Although these tools are novel, they are not exempt from existing rules, and the F.T.C. In the op-ed, Khan detailed several ways AI might be used to harm consumers or the market that she believes federal enforcers should be looking for. One possible effect enforcers should look out for, according to Khan, is the impact of only a few firms controlling the raw materials needed to deploy AI tools. Khan also warned that AI tools used to set prices "can facilitate collusive behavior that unfairly inflates prices — as well as forms of precisely targeted price discrimination." Khan also warned that generative AI "risks turbocharging fraud" by creating authentic-sounding messages.

☆ Inside the Wild World of Celebrity Keynote Speakers: Drugs, Alcohol
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( David Kushner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +31 min

"I never saw myself as a speaker, let alone a motivational speaker," Leonard tells me while his assistant irons his jeans. 'When I ramble," Hunter told me, "hit me in the leg!" Every plane had been grounded, including the one stuck on the tarmac with an increasingly inebriated Hunter Thompson trapped inside. But by far the most all-consuming task was booking gigs for Hunter Thompson. Just before a debate with G. Gordon Liddy at Brown University, Hunter demanded that Betsy Berg, whom I now worked alongside at GTN, score him some crystal meth.

SAPPORO, Japan, April 15 (Reuters) - Members of the Group of Seven rich nations must act to help emerging countries reduce emissions, including the financing of decarbonisation in "hard-to-abate" industries, Japan's economy and trade minister said on Saturday. Ministers from the G7 are meeting for climate and energy talks in the Japan's northern city of Sapporo on Saturday and Sunday, as part of Japan's G7 presidency this year. The issue of emissions in emerging markets has long been a focus for developed countries. However, the world's richest countries need to do more to help emerging nations reduce carbon, said Alden Meyer, a senior associate at E3G, a climate change think tank. There needs to be "much stronger leadership" from G7 countries in leveraging financial and technology resources to help developing countries reduce emissions, Meyer said.

SAPPORO, Japan, April 14 (Reuters) - Canada is ready to become a reliable provider of critical minerals to its international allies including Japan, a senior official said, as the Group of Seven (G7) countries deem such minerals essential for climate goals and energy security. Canada has signed a joint action plan with the United States to advance secure supply chains for critical minerals. It has similar critical minerals cooperation agreements with Japan and the European Union. China dominates the market for critical minerals used to make electric vehicle batteries, central to developed nation goals to decarbonise, and Russia - which invaded Ukraine last year - is also a major player. "We have a lot of those critical minerals, we have almost all of them in Canada with a few exceptions.

☆ Drinking is killing Russian troops, according to UK intel. Widespread alcoholism during the first Crimean War 150 years ago resulted in Russia's defeat.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The Crimean War would become another example of the county's war drinking problem cataloged in the annals of Russian history. I don't think it's nearly as important nowadays, as it was during the Russo-Japanese War or World War One, but it's significant, right?" In an interview with Insider, Schrad expanded on the history of Russian drinking during wartime. A lot of it is the consequence of my research topic, which has been alcohol and Russian history. The Crimean War, the Russo-Japanese War, World War I, in particular, were all drunken fiascos.

☆ Spooked dealmakers scurry back into their foxholes
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jeffrey Goldfarb | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

NEW YORK, March 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Jonathan Kanter, a lawyer by training, has become something of a magician. Pay closer attention, however, and Kanter is methodically rewriting a decades-old regulatory playbook. Last year, these breakup charges reached their highest level in a decade, at an average 4.5% of deal prices. The Department of Agriculture partnered with the DOJ on the case, another feature of Kanter’s plan of attack. As legal weaknesses emerge, dealmakers should be in position to better structure transactions and defend themselves at trial.

☆ Google stacks its legal team with former DOJ employees as it faces antitrust cases
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

Former DOJ employees make up both its in-house team and members of outside counsel firms it employs. Google also uses four different outside counsel firms loaded with nearly 20 former DOJ officials, many of whom worked in the Antitrust Division at various times. The DOJ made the accusation in a legal filing after Epic Games raised the concern in its own antitrust litigation against Google. Those firms collectively have around 20 former DOJ employees on their staff, many of them working in antitrust. For example, DOJ antitrust chief Jonathan Kanter previously worked for clients including Microsoft and Yelp which have complained of Google's allegedly anticompetitive behavior.

☆ Tesla owners sue the carmaker, claiming they've faced long waits and high prices at service centers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tesla owners are suing, claiming they've faced long wait times and high prices at service centers. The carmaker has faced criticism over its service centers in the past. The electric-car maker has faced criticism over its service centers in the past. To date, Tesla has less than 200 service centers in the US. For comparison, GM or Ford owners can choose from thousands of independent repair and maintenance shops.

☆ Meta acquisition of Within reportedly approved by court in loss for FTC
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms Inc., left, arrives at federal court in San Jose, California, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The FTC could still appeal the decision and may also still decide to go through with in-house administrative proceeding on the merger. A Meta spokesperson said in a statement at the time the case was "based on ideology and speculation, not evidence. "In respecting the court's order, the FTC is not able to comment at this time," an FTC spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. A Meta spokesperson declined to comment.

☆ The DOJ's antitrust case against Google is ambitious but risky
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

But alongside the possibility of great reward comes significant risk in seeking to push the boundaries of antitrust law. "All antitrust cases are an uphill battle for plaintiffs, thanks to 40 years of case law," said Rebecca Haw Allensworth, an antitrust professor at Vanderbilt Law School. But, Allensworth added, the government's challenges may be different than those in many other antitrust cases. Like all antitrust cases, this one is unlikely to be concluded anytime soon. "This is clearly the blockbuster case so far from the DOJ antitrust division," Francis said.

☆ Activision Blizzard falls as FTC says it is suing to stop Microsoft's takeover of the gaming giant
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Activision Blizzard shares fell as the FTC announced it will sue to stop Microsoft from acquiring the video game giant. The deal would harm competition in the gaming industry, the FTC said in a statement on Thursday. Microsoft said it would buy the video game publisher for $69 billion in January. "Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets." Activision publishes many of the most popular video game franchises, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.

☆ Some of Taylor Swift's biggest fans are also lawyers. After Ticketmaster's botched handling of her Eras Tour, they're mobilizing to take the ticketing giant down.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Nicole Tabak | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Ticketmaster badly botched its sale of Taylor Swift tour tickets last week. Facing endless questions and concerns over the chaos that ensued during presales for Swift's upcoming Eras Tour, fans gathered on social media not just to commiserate, but to take action. How Ticketmaster's chaotic handling of the Eras Tour presale may lead to its undoingSwift fans shared screenshots of the long queues for tickets. "And I know that sounds stupid to people who don't love Taylor Swift the way that a lot of us do. The momentum may be thanks to her Eras Tour, but this is about holding a monopoly accountable.

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