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☆ Mark Zuckerberg isn't personally liable for any harm caused to children by Facebook and Instagram, judge says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-09 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A federal judge said Mark Zuckerberg is not personally liable in over two dozen lawsuits. AdvertisementA federal judge said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is not personally liable in over two dozen lawsuits accusing his company of causing social media addiction in children. Plaintiffs said that Meta knew Instagram and Facebook posed health risks to its users, especially children. The court's ruling comes as world leaders crack down on some social media companies over claims that they are addictive to children and teens. AdvertisementIn Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week announced plans to introduce a law banning children under 16 from having social media accounts.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Meta, Instagram, —, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Plaintiffs, Zuckerberg, TikTok, Anthony Albanese, Antigone Davis, Previn Warren Organizations: Facebook, Service, Associated Press, Meta, Business, Motley Rice LLC, Big Tech, Google Locations: California

☆ Judge's ruling against Google in Epic Games case highlights a shift in antitrust law
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A law professor said the ruling shows how antitrust law is used against Big Tech companies. Management and law experts told Business Insider the ruling highlights how antitrust law is being used against Big Tech companies — and could cost Google billions of dollars in lost revenue. Historically, he said, liberal judges tended to favor antitrust law more than conservative ones. When Epic Games' case against Apple was similarly appealed, the Supreme Court denied requests to hear it, leaving Apple with its partial victory. AdvertisementRepresentatives for Epic Games directed Business Insider to a public thread about the Google ruling, posted on X by the company's CEO, Tim Sweeney.

Persons: —, James Donato's, Peter Cohan, Cohan, Apple, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Eric Chaffee, Chaffee, Alden Abbott, Abbott, Tim Sweeney, Sweeney Organizations: Google, Apple, Big Tech, Service, Management, Epic Games, Northern, Northern District of, Babson College, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Epic, DOJ, Business, Mercatus Center Locations: California, Northern District, Northern District of California, United States

☆ Zuckerberg isn't on the hook for kids' Instagram addiction, a judge just ruled
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Alexandra Bacon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Zuckerberg has avoided personal liability in 25 cases that accuse Meta of fuelling social media addiction. AdvertisementA judge has granted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's motion to dismiss 25 cases that alleged he was personally responsible for Instagram and Facebook fuelling social media addiction. The cases filed sought to hold Zuckerberg personally responsible for keeping children hooked on Meta products. Meta is facing lawsuits by two tribal nations, who are accusing the company, along with Google, TikTok, and Snapchat of fostering social media addiction. They accuse social media companies of contributing to high suicide rates by purposefully getting kids hooked on the platforms.

Persons: Zuckerberg, —, Mark Zuckerberg's, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers's, Rogers Organizations: Meta, Service, Business, Google

☆ Google to destroy browsing data to settle consumer privacy lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A man walks through Google offices on January 25, 2023 in New York City. Google agreed to destroy billions of data records to settle a lawsuit claiming it secretly tracked the internet use of people who thought they were browsing privately. Lawyers for the plaintiffs valued the accord at more than $5 billion, and as high as $7.8 billion. The class action began in 2020, covering millions of Google users who used private browsing since June 1, 2016. Users alleged that Google's analytics, cookies and apps let the Alphabet unit improperly track people who set Google's Chrome browser to "Incognito" mode and other browsers to "private" browsing mode.

Persons: Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Organizations: Google, U.S, Lawyers Locations: New York City, Oakland, California

☆ Apple reaches $490 million settlement over Tim Cook's China sales comments
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., speaks during the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, US, on Monday, June 6, 2022. Apple has reached a $490 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged Chief Executive Tim Cook defrauded shareholders by concealing falling demand for iPhones in China. A preliminary settlement was filed on Friday with the U.S. District Court in Oakland, California, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. Apple posted $97 billion of net income in its latest fiscal year, and its payout equals a little under two days of profit. The case is In re Apple Inc Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: Tim Cook, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Cook, Shawn Williams, Rogers, Apple Organizations: Apple Inc, Apple Worldwide, Apple, U.S, Norfolk Pension Fund, Apple Inc Securities Litigation, Court, Northern District of Locations: Cupertino , California, China, Oakland , California, Brazil, India, Russia, Turkey, Norfolk, Norwich, England, Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Mark Zuckerberg is arguing he can't be held liable for kids' Instagram addiction just because he's the boss. He may be right.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mark Zuckerberg is trying to avoid personal liability in lawsuits over kids' social media addiction. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is arguing he can't be held personally liable for accusations that his platforms have led to kids being addicted to social media — and he may have a point. A ruling in the billionaire's favor would excuse him from being held personally liable but would not dismiss the cases against Meta. AdvertisementThe lawsuits claim that Zuckerberg's actions and inaction led to social media addiction and accused him of ignoring warnings that Facebook and Instagram were unsafe for kids. AdvertisementIf Zuckerberg is deemed personally liable, it could have major implications for other lawsuits filed against CEOs of social media giants.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Oberheiden, Oberheiden P.C, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Meta, Titania Jordan Organizations: Meta, NBC Bay, Business, Bloomberg, Bark Technologies Locations: Oakland , California

☆ U.S. Supreme Court snubs Epic Games legal battle with Apple
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Apple App Store app on a smartphone arranged in New York, US, on Monday, Aug. 14, 2023. The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear an antitrust challenge by Epic Games, maker of the popular video game "Fortnite," to the way Apple runs its lucrative App Store, handing the software company a setback in its lengthy legal battle against the iPhone maker. The justices also decided not to hear Apple's appeal of the same decision, which barred certain App Store rules. The Supreme Court in 2023 denied a bid by Epic to let the injunction take effect. In its appeal to the Supreme Court, Epic had said that the 9th Circuit's decision "guarantees severe anticompetitive harm and effectively insulates the most monopolistic tech-platform practices from antitrust scrutiny."

Persons: Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Rogers, Apple Organizations: Apple, U.S, Supreme, Epic Games, Circuit Locations: New York, San Francisco

The appeal stemmed from an antitrust lawsuit filed in 2020 by Epic Games, maker of the popular Fortnite video game. Epic lost its broader claim that Cupertino, California-based Apple was violating federal antitrust law, and the justices also rejected Epic's appeal Tuesday. That change would make it easier for developers to avoid paying Apple’s commissions ranging from 15% to 30%. Apple's shares declined by 2% in Tuesday's early afternoon trading, leaving the company with a market value of about $2.8 trillion. Apple ousted Epic from its app store after it tried to get around Apple's restrictions.

Persons: —, Apple, Apple didn't, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Tim Sweeney Organizations: WASHINGTON, Epic Games, Apple, Microsoft, U.S, Google Locations: California, Cupertino , California, U.S, Apple's, Cary , North Carolina, San Ramon , California

☆ Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok must face teen addiction claims, federal judge rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Major social media companies must face allegations that their services addicted teen users and caused other mental health harms after a federal judge on Tuesday denied a motion to dismiss the bellwether lawsuit filed by a wave of consumer plaintiffs. The ruling paves the way for hundreds of plaintiffs to continue their case against the tech companies, and could indirectly lift the prospects for a bevy of similar suits filed by dozens of state attorneys general last month against Meta. “Protecting kids across our platforms has always been core to our work,” José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said in a statement. Gonzalez Rogers said Tuesday that Section 230 does shield the tech platforms from claims that try to hold the companies accountable as publishers of other users’ speech. For example, she said, the companies will not have to face claims they violated the law by implementing infinite news feeds or by using algorithms to increase user engagement.

Persons: Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Gonzalez Rogers, TikTok didn’t, ” José, ” Lexi Hazam, Previn Warren, Chris Seeger Organizations: CNN, Google, Communications, Meta, YouTube

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 14 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday rejected efforts by major social media companies to dismiss nationwide litigation accusing them of illegally enticing and then addicting millions of children to their platforms, damaging their mental health. The decision covers hundreds of lawsuits filed on behalf of individual children who allegedly suffered negative physical, mental and emotional health effects from social media use including anxiety, depression, and occasionally suicide. "Today’s decision is a significant victory for the families that have been harmed by the dangers of social media," the plaintiffs' lead lawyers - Lexi Hazam, Previn Warren and Chris Seeger - said in a joint statement. More than 140 school districts have filed similar lawsuits against the industry that are also before Gonzalez, and 42 states plus the District of Columbia last month sued Meta for youth addiction to its social media platforms. She cited as an example allegations that companies could have used age-verification tools to warn parents when their children were online.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Lexi Hazam, Previn Warren, Chris Seeger, Gonzalez, Meta, Rogers, Jonathan Stempel, Nate Raymond, Chizu Nomiyama, Matthew Lewis, Alexia Garamfalvi, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, of Columbia, U.S, Communications, Thomson Locations: Oakland , California, New York, Boston

☆ Federal judge hints that Big Tech companies may have to face consumer allegations of mental health harm9
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

This week, dozens of states filed a virtually identical federal lawsuit against Meta alleging the company knew that the design of its social media platforms had been harmful to kids. She also expressed skepticism in response to claims by industry lawyers that tech companies have no legal obligation to ensure their platforms are safe for children. Still, she said, the burden falls on the tech platforms to prove why she should throw out the cases at an early stage in litigation. “It doesn’t seem to me that you can escape that,” Gonzalez Rogers said. But one thing is certain, Gonzalez Rogers said: “Your billing fees today exceed my annual salary.”

Persons: —, Meta, it’s, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Gonzalez Rogers, ” Gonzalez Rogers, “, ” Organizations: DC CNN, Google, Meta, Court, Northern Locations: Washington, California, Northern District

☆ States sue Instagram-parent Meta over 'addictive' features and youth mental health harms
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Dozens of states sued Instagram-parent Meta on Tuesday, accusing the social media giant of harming young users’ mental health through allegedly addictive features such as infinite news feeds and frequent notifications that demand users’ constant attention. In a federal lawsuit filed in California by 33 attorneys general, the states allege that Meta’s products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States. “Social media companies, including Meta, have contributed to a national youth mental health crisis and they must be held accountable. Battle lines renewedTuesday’s multipronged legal assault marks the newest attempt by states to rein in large tech platforms over fears that social media companies are fueling a spike in youth depression and suicidal ideation. In some cases, the tech industry has challenged those laws in court — for example, by claiming that Arkansas’ social media law violates residents’ First Amendment rights to access information.

Persons: Instagram, Meta, ”, Letitia James, Brian Schwalb, ” Meta, “ We’re, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers Organizations: CNN, “ Social, Meta, District of Columbia, Google Locations: California, United States, New York, Arkansas, Louisiana, District, Colorado , Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii , Idaho , Illinois , Indiana , Kansas , Kentucky, Maine , Maryland , Michigan, Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , New Jersey , New York, North Carolina , North Dakota , Ohio , Oregon , Pennsylvania, Rhode Island , South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, District of Columbia , Massachusetts , Mississippi , New Hampshire , Oklahoma , Tennessee , Utah, Vermont

Smartphone with Epic Games logo is seen in front of Apple logo in this illustration taken, May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationAug 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday dealt a setback to Epic Games, maker of the popular video game "Fortnite," in its legal battle against Apple (AAPL.O), declining to let a federal judge's injunction take effect that could force the iPhone maker to change payment practices in its lucrative App Store. Circuit Court of Appeals that effectively delayed implementing an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers barring certain App Store rules while Apple pursues a Supreme Court appeal. The 9th Circuit in April had upheld the injunction but in July put that decision on hold. Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Apple, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: Apple, REUTERS, U.S, Supreme, Epic Games, San, Circuit, Appeals, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, New York

☆ Google fails to end $5 billion consumer privacy lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Google LLC is seen at the Google Store Chelsea in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 17, 2021. The Oakland, California-based judge also pointed to several Google statements, including in its privacy policy, suggesting limits on information it might collect. "As we clearly state each time you open a new incognito tab, websites might be able to collect information about your browsing activity during your session." The lawsuit covers Google users since June 1, 2016. The case is Brown et al v Google LLC et al, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Monday, David Boies, George Orwell, Rogers, Jose Castaneda, Brown, Jonathan Stempel, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Google, Chelsea, REUTERS, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, , California, Oakland , California, California, Northern District, Northern District of California, New York

☆ Apple to ask US Supreme Court to undo App Store order in Epic Games case
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Mike Scarcella | Industry Insight | Corporate Attorneys Don T Want To Pay Law Firms For Chatgpt When They Could Use It Themselves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Circuit Court of Appeals that kept in place most of the order issued in 2021 by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. In appeals to the 9th Circuit, Epic challenged key parts of the judge's ruling that favored Apple, while Apple challenged the order concerning the App Store. On Friday, the 9th Circuit rejected petitions from Apple and Epic urging the court to revisit its April decision. Epic Games also can ask the Supreme Court to hear its appeal. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

Persons: Apple, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Rogers, Mike Scarcella, Leigh Jones, Will Dunham Organizations: Supreme, Epic, San, Circuit, U.S, Apple, Apple ., Apple Inc, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco, California

The lawsuit stemmed from Cook's comment on a Nov. 1, 2018, analyst call that while Apple faced sales pressure in markets such as Brazil, India, Russia and Turkey, where currencies had weakened, "I would not put China in that category." Rogers, based in Oakland, California, said jurors could reasonably infer that Cook was discussing Apple's sales outlook in China, not past performance or the impact of currency changes. The judge also said that prior to Cook's comment, Apple knew China's economy had been slowing and had data suggesting that demand could fall. Apple and its lawyers did not immediately respond on Tuesday to requests for comment. The case is In re Apple Inc Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

Persons: Tim Cook, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Rogers, Cook, Apple, Jonathan Stempel, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Apple Inc, Apple, U.S, Norfolk Pension Fund, Apple Inc Securities Litigation, Court, Northern District of, Thomson Locations: U.S, China . U.S, Brazil, India, Russia, Turkey, China, Cupertino , California, Oakland , California, Norfolk, Norwich, England, Northern District, Northern District of California, New York

June 8 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O) and "Fortnite" maker Epic Games on Wednesday both asked a U.S. appeals court to reconsider its April ruling in an antitrust case that could force Apple to change payment practices in its App Store. Apple and Epic, in separate court filings, mounted challenges to a ruling by a three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Epic also argued that the appeals court did not conduct a "rigorous" balancing between asserted asserted consumer benefits and anticompetitive effects of Apple's practices. Circuit Court of Appeals, No.

Persons: Apple, Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, Gonzalez Rogers, Mike Scarcella, Leigh Jones Organizations: Apple, Circuit, Appeals, banc, U.S, Supreme, Apple Inc, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, California, Epic's, Apple's, South Korea, Netherlands, Japan

☆ Robinhood must face customers' lawsuit alleging it hid trading costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Jonathan Stempel | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday said Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD.O) must face a lawsuit by customers who accused the online trading platform of fraudulently concealing their actual trading costs while promising "commission free" trades. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California, said customers in the proposed class action had standing to sue over securities they bought and sold on Robinhood's platform. Customers led by Ji Kwon, a Californian, said they ultimately bore these costs and often got worse prices on trades than if they had gone to rivals that charged commissions. The proposed class includes U.S. users of Robinhood from Sept. 1, 2016 to June 16, 2020 who placed trades where the company received payment for order flow. The case is In re Robinhood Order Flow Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

☆ Robinhood must face lawsuit concerning order flows
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Jan 18 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday allowed customers of Robinhood Markets Inc (HOOD.O) to sue the online trading platform over its alleged fraudulent concealment of the costs of sending their trade orders to other broker-dealers. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California rejected Robinhood's motion to dismiss the case, saying customers had standing to sue over securities they bought and sold on its platform. Robinhood had said the customers lacked standing because they did not allege any misstatements about the issuers of those securities. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Lucid Group Inc (LCID.O) on Wednesday won the dismissal of a lawsuit accusing the luxury electric car maker of defrauding investors in the special-purpose acquisition company that helped take it public, by significantly overstating its production outlook. Rogers said the Churchill shareholders had standing to sue over statements made by a different company, Lucid, because they alleged a "discernible" loss from "specific alleged misconduct." In Dec. 2021, Lucid received a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission subpoena for documents related to the merger. Lawyers for Churchill shareholders did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The case is In re CCIV/Lucid Motors Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No.

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