Competition regulation

Meta wins antitrust case over monopoly claims

Meta has defeated a major antitrust challenge after a US federal judge ruled it does not currently hold monopoly power in social networking. The decision spares the company from being forced to separate Instagram and WhatsApp, which regulators had argued were acquired to suppress competition.

The judge found the Federal Trade Commission failed to prove Meta maintains present-day dominance, noting that the market has been reshaped by rivals such as TikTok. Meta argued it now faces intense competition across mobile platforms as user behaviour shifts rapidly.

FTC lawyers revisited internal emails linked to Meta’s past acquisitions, but the ruling emphasised that the case required proof of ongoing violations.

Analysts say the outcome contrasts sharply with recent decisions against Google in search and advertising, signalling mixed fortunes for large tech firms.

Industry observers note that Meta still faces substantial regulatory pressure, including upcoming US trials regarding children’s mental health and questions about its heavy investment in AI.

The company welcomed the ruling and stated that it intends to continue developing products within a competitive market framework.

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UAE unveils first regulated AED-backed stablecoin

The UAE has taken a major step in its digital finance strategy as the Central Bank of the UAE approved Zand to launch Zand AED, the nation’s first regulated, multi-chain AED-backed stablecoin. The new asset places the dirham on global blockchain rails under the oversight of a fully licensed bank.

Zand AED is fully backed by reserves in regulated accounts, with real-time transparency through independently audited smart contracts and attestations.

Being available on multiple public blockchains enables fast cross-border settlement and simpler integration for developers, enterprises, and financial institutions.

Zand leadership described the launch as a significant advancement for the UAE’s position in global financial innovation. They highlighted that Zand AED bridges traditional and decentralised finance, enabling payments, tokenisation, and digital asset applications.

Analysts expect the global stablecoin market to expand to trillions, and Zand AED positions the UAE as a leading hub for regulated digital finance. The stablecoin offers a secure, scalable foundation for institutions and FinTechs in a leading global financial ecosystem.

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EU examines Amazon and Microsoft influence in cloud services

European regulators have launched three market investigations into cloud computing amid growing concerns about sector concentration.

The European Commission will assess whether Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure should be designated as gatekeepers for their cloud services under the Digital Markets Act, despite not meeting the formal threshold criteria.

Officials argue that cloud infrastructure now underpins AI development and many digital services, so competition must remain open and fair.

A move that signals a broader shift in EU oversight of strategic technologies. Rather than focusing solely on size, investigators will examine whether the two providers act as unavoidable gateways between businesses and users.

They will analyse network effects, switching costs and the role of corporate structures that might deepen market dominance. If the inquiries confirm gatekeeper status, both companies will face the DMA’s full obligations and a six-month compliance period.

A parallel investigation will explore whether existing DMA rules adequately address cloud-specific risks that might limit competition. Regulators aim to clarify whether obstacles to interoperability, restricted access to data, tying of services and imbalanced contractual terms require updated obligations.

Insights gathered from industry, public bodies and civil society will feed into a final report within 18 months, potentially leading to changes via a delegated act.

EU officials underline that Europe’s competitiveness, technological resilience and future AI capacity rely on a fair cloud environment. They argue that a transparent and contestable market will strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy and encourage innovation.

The inquiries will shape how digital platforms are regulated as cloud services become increasingly central to economic and social life.

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AI search tools put to the test in UK study

AI tools are shaping online searches, but testing reveals notable risks in relying on them. ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Meta AI, and Perplexity were tested on 40 questions in finance, law, health, and consumer rights.

Results show errors, incomplete advice, and ethical oversights remain widespread despite AI’s popularity.

More than half of UK adults now use AI for online searches, with frequent users showing higher trust in the responses. Around one in ten regularly seeks legal advice from AI, while others use it for financial or medical guidance.

Experts warn that overconfidence in AI recommendations could lead to costly mistakes, particularly when rules differ across regions in the UK.

Perplexity outperformed other tools in accuracy and reliability, while ChatGPT ranked near the bottom. Google’s AI overview (AIO) often delivers better results for legal and health queries, while its Gemini chatbot scores higher on finance and consumer questions.

Users are encouraged to verify sources, as many AI outputs cite vague or outdated references and occasionally promote questionable services.

Despite flaws, AI remains a valuable tool for basic research, summarising information quickly and highlighting key points. Experts advise using multiple AI tools and consulting professionals for complex financial, legal, or medical matters.

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Microsoft and NVIDIA expand partnership with Anthropic

Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Anthropic have announced new strategic partnerships to expand access to Anthropic’s rapidly growing Claude AI models. Claude will scale on Microsoft Azure with NVIDIA support, offering enterprise customers broader model choices and enhanced capabilities.

Anthropic has committed to purchase $30 billion of Azure compute capacity and additional capacity up to one gigawatt. NVIDIA and Anthropic will optimise Claude models for performance, efficiency, and cost, while aligning future NVIDIA architectures with Anthropic workloads.

The partnerships also extend Claude access across Microsoft Foundry, including frontier models like Claude Sonnet 4.5, Claude Opus 4.1, and Claude Haiku 4.5.

Microsoft Copilot products, including GitHub Copilot, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Copilot Studio, will continue to feature Claude capabilities, providing enterprise users with integrated AI tools.

Microsoft and NVIDIA have committed $5 billion and $10 billion respectively to support Anthropic’s growth. The partnership makes Claude the only frontier AI model on all three top cloud platforms, boosting enterprise AI adoption and innovation.

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Old laws now target modern tracking technology

Class-action privacy litigation continues to grow in frequency, repurposing older laws to address modern data tracking technologies. Recent high-profile lawsuits have applied the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the Video Privacy Protection Act.

A unanimous jury verdict recently found Meta Platforms violated CIPA Section 632 (which is now under appeal) by eavesdropping on users’ confidential communications without consent. The court ruled that Meta intentionally used its SDK within a sexual health app, Flo, to intercept sensitive real-time user inputs.

That judgement suggests an electronic device under the statute need not be physical, with a user’s phone qualifying as the requisite device. The legal success in these cases highlights a significant, rising risk for all companies utilising tracking pixels and software development kits (SDKs).

Separately, the VPPA has found new power against tracking pixels in the case of Jancik v. WebMD concerning video-viewing data. The court held that a consumer need not pay for a video service but can subscribe by simply exchanging their email address for a newsletter.

Companies must ensure their privacy policies clearly disclose all such tracking conduct to obtain explicit, valid consent. The courts are taking real-time data interception seriously, noting intentionality may be implied when a firm fails to stem the flow of sensitive personally identifiable information.

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Berlin summit links digital strategy to wider European security

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron will host a Berlin summit to reduce Europe’s reliance on US tech platforms and to shape a more independent EU digital strategy. The meeting coincides with planned revisions to EU AI and data rules.

The push for digital independence reflects growing concern that Europe risks falling behind the US in strategic technologies. Leaders argue that regulatory changes must support competitiveness while maintaining core privacy and safety principles.

Germany is also hosting a two-day European security conference in Berlin, featuring German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The parallel agendas highlight how digital strategy and geopolitical security are increasingly linked in EU policy debates.

The German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, has meanwhile backed the EU enlargement in the Western Balkans during a visit to Montenegro, signalling continued geopolitical outreach alongside internal reforms.

The Berlin discussions are expected to shape Europe’s stance ahead of upcoming AI and data proposals, setting the tone for broader talks on industrial policy, technology sovereignty, and regional security.

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WhatsApp to support cross-app messaging

Meta is launching a ‘third-party chats’ feature on WhatsApp in Europe, allowing users to send and receive messages from other interoperable messaging apps.

Initially, only two apps, BirdyChat and Haiket, will support this integration, but users will be able to send text, voice, video, images and files. The rollout will begin in the coming months for iOS and Android users in the EU.

Meta emphasises that interoperability is opt-in, and messages exchanged via third-party apps will retain end-to-end encryption, provided the other apps match WhatsApp’s security requirements. Users can choose whether to display these cross-app conversations in a separate ‘third-party chats’ folder or mix them into their main inbox.

By opening up its messaging to external apps, WhatsApp is responding to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which requires major tech platforms to allow interoperability. This move could reshape how messaging works in Europe, making it easier to communicate across different apps, though it also raises questions about privacy, spam risk and how encryption is enforced.

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Eurofiber France confirms the major data breach

The French telecommunications company Eurofiber has acknowledged a breach of its ATE customer platform and digital ticket system after a hacker accessed the network through software used by the company.

Engineers detected the intrusion quickly and implemented containment measures, while the company stressed that services remained operational and banking data stayed secure. The incident affected only French operations and subsidiaries such as Netiwan, Eurafibre, Avelia, and FullSave, according to the firm.

Security researchers instead argue that the scale is far broader. International Cyber Digest reported that more than 3,600 organisations may be affected, including prominent French institutions such as Orange, Thales, the national rail operator, and major energy companies.

The outlet linked the intrusion to the ransomware group ByteToBreach, which allegedly stole Eurofiber’s entire GLPI database and accessed API keys, internal messages, passwords and client records.

A known dark web actor has now listed the stolen dataset for sale, reinforcing concerns about the growing trade in exposed corporate information. The contents reportedly range from files and personal data to cloud configurations and privileged credentials.

Eurofiber did not clarify which elements belonged to its systems and which originated from external sources.

The company has notified the French privacy regulator CNIL and continues to investigate while assuring Dutch customers that their data remains safe.

A breach that underlines the vulnerability of essential infrastructure providers across Europe, echoing recent incidents in Sweden, where a compromised IT supplier exposed data belonging to over a million people.

Eurofiber says it aims to strengthen its defences instead of allowing similar compromises in future.

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EU aviation regulator opens debate on AI oversight and safety

EASA has issued its first regulatory proposal on AI in aviation, opening a three-month consultation for industry feedback. The draft focuses on trustworthy, data-driven AI systems and anticipates applications ranging from basic assistance to human–AI teaming.

The move comes amid wider criticism of EU AI rules from major tech firms and political leaders. Aviation stakeholders are now assessing whether compliance costs and operational demands could slow development or disrupt competitive positioning across the sector.

Experts warn that adapting to the framework may require significant investment, particularly for companies with limited resources. Others may accelerate AI adoption to preserve market advantage, especially where safety gains or efficiency improvements justify rapid deployment.

EASA stresses that consultation is essential to balance strict assurance requirements with the flexibility needed for innovation. Privacy and personal data issues remain contentious, shaping expectations for acceptable AI use in safety-critical environments.

Meanwhile, Airbus is pushing to reach 75 A320-family deliveries per month by 2027, driven by the A321neo’s strong order book. In parallel, Mitsui OSK Lines continues to lead the global LNG carrier market, reflecting broader momentum across adjacent transport sectors.

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