WhatsApp rejected a class-action lawsuit accusing Meta of accessing encrypted messages, calling such claims false. The company reaffirmed that chats remain protected by device-based Signal protocol encryption.
Filed in a US federal court in California, the complaint alleges Meta misleads more than two billion users by promoting unbreakable encryption while internally storing and analysing message content. Plaintiffs from several countries claim employees can access chats through internal requests.
WhatsApp said no technical evidence accompanies the accusations and stressed that encryption occurs on users’ devices before messages are sent. According to the company, only recipients hold the keys required to decrypt content, which are never accessible to Meta.
The firm described the lawsuit as frivolous and said it will seek sanctions against the legal teams involved. Meta spokespersons reiterated that WhatsApp has relied on independently audited encryption standards for over a decade.
The case highlights ongoing debates about encryption and security, but so far, no evidence has shown that message content has been exposed.
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The certification allows the advertising technology firm to manage personal data without relying on additional transfer mechanisms.
The framework, adopted in 2023, provides a legal basis for EU-to-US data flows while strengthening oversight and accountability. Certification requires organisations to meet strict standards on data minimisation, security, transparency, and individual rights.
By joining the framework, StackAdapt enhances its ability to support advertisers, publishers, and partners through seamless international data processing.
The move also reduces regulatory complexity for European customers while reinforcing the company’s broader commitment to privacy-by-design and responsible data use.
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Scientists are divided over when quantum computers will become powerful enough to break today’s digital encryption, a moment widely referred to as ‘Q–Day’.
While predictions range from just two years to several decades, experts agree that governments and companies must begin preparing urgently for a future where conventional security systems may fail.
Quantum computing uses subatomic behaviour to process data far faster than classical machines, enabling rapid decryption of information once considered secure.
Financial systems, healthcare data, government communications, and military networks could all become vulnerable as advanced quantum machines emerge.
Major technology firms have already made breakthroughs, accelerating concerns that encryption safeguards could be overwhelmed sooner than expected.
Several cybersecurity specialists warn that sensitive data is already being harvested and stored for future decryption, a strategy known as ‘harvest now, decrypt later’.
Regulators in the UK and the US have set timelines for shifting to post-quantum cryptography, aiming for full migration by 2030-2035. However, engineering challenges and unresolved technical barriers continue to cast uncertainty over the pace of progress.
Despite scepticism over timelines, experts agree that early preparation remains the safest approach. Experts stress that education, infrastructure upgrades, and global cooperation are vital to prevent disruption as quantum technology advances.
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The pace of the AI infrastructure boom continues to accelerate, with semiconductor supply chains signalling sustained long-term demand.
NVIDIA remains the most visible beneficiary as data centre investment drives record GPU purchases, yet supplier activity further upstream suggests confidence extends well beyond a single company.
ASML, the Dutch firm that exclusively supplies extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, has emerged as a critical indicator of future chip production.
Its machines are essential for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, meaning strong performance reflects expectations of high chip volumes across the industry rather than short-term speculation. Quarterly earnings underline that momentum.
ASML reported €32.7 billion in net sales, while new bookings reached a record €13 billion, more than double the previous quarter.
New orders reflect how much capacity manufacturers expect to need, pointing to sustained expansion driven by anticipated AI workloads.
Company leadership attributed the surge directly to AI-related demand, with customers expressing growing confidence in the durability of data centre investment.
While order fulfilment will take years and some plans may change, industry signals suggest a slowdown in AI infrastructure spending is not imminent.
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India’s data centre expansion, fuelled by investment in AI-ready infrastructure and cloud capacity, is creating strong demand for legal services, with law firms increasingly advising on land acquisition, regulatory approvals, financing and long-term compliance for large projects.
Major global and Indian investors, including Google, Amazon and Tata Consultancy Services, are driving multibillion-dollar data centre builds that require complex legal structuring to align global business models with India’s licensing and regulatory frameworks.
Law firms report that work on joint ventures, permits, power procurement and environmental clearances is now a key growth area as digital infrastructure projects become more capital-intensive and long-lived.
Firms such as Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Khaitan & Co have seen this become one of their fastest-growing practice areas, reflecting broader trends in India’s digital transformation and data economy.
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Social media and visual discovery platform Pinterest disclosed a major global restructuring plan in early 2026 that will cut between 700 and 800 jobs, roughly 10–15% of its workforce, and shrink its physical office footprint, with most reductions expected to occur in the first half of the year.
In regulatory and internal communications, CEO Bill Ready framed the layoffs as necessary to ‘position the company for long-term success in an increasingly AI-driven world’, enabling the business to redirect funds and talent from legacy roles toward AI-focused teams and AI-powered products, including visual search, personalisation and ad technologies.
Pinterest’s workforce cuts are part of a wider industry trend where tech firms trim staff in traditional areas and bolster AI capabilities, reflecting pressure to improve efficiency, respond to slowing advertising growth and compete with rivals leveraging generative and recommendation technologies.
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AI is expanding rapidly, driving rising electricity and water consumption, which has fuelled concerns about environmental damage. Growth in data centres and intensive computing workloads is increasing pressure on global energy systems.
At the same time, AI is being deployed to reduce resource use and emissions across multiple industries. In agriculture, data-driven irrigation systems help farmers apply water more precisely, cutting waste while lowering the energy needed for pumping and distribution.
Efficiency gains are also visible in data centres, where intelligent systems manage workloads and cooling more effectively. Despite a sharp rise in global internet traffic, improvements in energy management have helped slow the growth of electricity consumption.
Energy companies, building operators and airlines are adopting AI to cut emissions and improve efficiency. From detecting methane leaks to optimising heating systems and flight routes, wider use of these technologies could help balance AI’s environmental costs with measurable climate benefits.
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SoftBank is in discussions to invest an additional $30 billion in OpenAI, as the Japanese conglomerate deepens its commitment to the AI pioneer. The potential funding round could reach $100 billion, valuing OpenAI at approximately $830 billion.
Chief Executive Masayoshi Son has taken an aggressive approach in the AI race, following a $41 billion investment last year that secured an 11 percent stake. OpenAI is facing increasing operational costs to train and maintain its AI models while competing with Alphabet’s Google.
Both SoftBank and OpenAI are also investors in Stargate, a $500 billion project to build AI data centres critical to US efforts to maintain a technological edge over China. The ambitious plan highlights the strategic importance of AI infrastructure in the global market.
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Yahoo has introduced Scout, a new AI-powered search engine designed to compete with Google AI Mode and Perplexity. The tool transforms traditional search results into direct answers, interpreting natural language queries with the help of Yahoo’s extensive user data and content.
Scout combines the Claude AI model from Anthropic with Bing’s grounding API to ensure information is accurate and drawn from authoritative sources. Users can access personalised insights, whether checking the weather, tracking stock prices, or verifying news stories.
The platform also includes shopping and finance features, offering quick comparisons between products and synthesised financial information refreshed every ten minutes. Currently in beta, Yahoo Scout is available to US users via the Yahoo Search app and website, with plans to expand its personalisation features.
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Pinterest is cutting under 15% of its workforce as part of a broader restructuring aimed at shifting more investment toward AI-driven products and roles.
In a regulatory filing, the company said the changes are designed to support transformation initiatives, including reallocating resources to AI-focused teams and reshaping its sales and go-to-market strategy.
The restructuring will also include reductions in office space, with completion targeted for the end of September and expected pre-tax charges ranging from $35 million to $45 million.
Pinterest had around 5,200 employees at the end of last year, meaning the layoffs will affect several hundred staff as the platform accelerates its AI integration.
Recent launches such as AI-powered board updates and the Pinterest Assistant shopping tool reflect a wider trend across the tech sector, where companies are trimming headcount while expanding AI investment.
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