Samsung has filed a legal challenge against India‘s Competition Commission (CCI), accusing the watchdog of unlawfully detaining employees and seizing data during a 2022 raid connected to an antitrust investigation involving Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart. The CCI claims Samsung colluded with the e-commerce giants to launch products exclusively online, a practice it argues violates competition laws.
In its filing with the northern city of Chandigarh’s High Court, Samsung alleged that confidential data was improperly taken from its employees during the raid and requested the return of the material. Samsung has secured an injunction to pause the CCI’s proceedings but seeks a broader ruling to prevent the use of the seized data. The CCI, in turn, has asked the Supreme Court to consolidate similar challenges by Samsung and 22 other parties, arguing that companies are attempting to derail the investigation.
The case stems from findings earlier this year that Amazon, Flipkart, and smartphone companies like Samsung engaged in anti-competitive practices by favouring select sellers and using exclusive product launches. While Amazon and Flipkart deny wrongdoing, brick-and-mortar retailers have long criticised their pricing and market strategies. Samsung, a major smartphone brand in India with a 14% market share, maintains it was wrongly implicated and cooperated only as a third party in the investigation.
Australia‘s Federal Court has fined Bit Trade, the local operator of cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, A$8 million ($5.1 million) for unlawfully offering credit facilities to over 1,100 customers. The ruling came after the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) filed civil proceedings against the company, accusing it of non-compliance with regulations for its margin trading product.
ASIC revealed that Bit Trade failed to assess whether its margin extensions—a form of credit repayable in digital assets like bitcoin or national currencies—were suitable for customers. This led to combined customer losses exceeding $5 million, while Bit Trade charged over $7 million in fees and interest. The court classified the margin extension product as a credit facility requiring a specific consumer suitability document, which the company had not provided.
In a statement, Kraken expressed disappointment, arguing the ruling could stifle economic growth in Australia. The exchange emphasised its willingness to work with regulators to shape the evolving cryptocurrency framework. The case marks a milestone for ASIC, as it is the first penalty imposed on a company for failing to provide a target market determination for a financial product.
The US Justice Department has urged a federal appeals court to reject TikTok‘s emergency request to delay a law requiring its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app by 19 January or face a nationwide ban. TikTok argued the law threatens to shut down one of America’s most popular social media platforms, which boasts over 170 million US users, while the Justice Department maintains that continued Chinese ownership poses a national security risk.
While the law would not immediately block users from accessing TikTok, the Justice Department admitted the lack of ongoing support would eventually render the app inoperable. A three-judge appeals court panel recently upheld the divestment requirement, and ByteDance has asked the US Supreme Court to review the case.
The controversy places TikTok’s future in the hands of the incoming presidential administration. President Joe Biden could grant a 90-day extension to the divestment deadline before President-elect Donald Trump, who has vowed to prevent a ban, takes office on January 20. Trump’s stance on TikTok has been consistent since his unsuccessful attempts to ban the app during his first term.
The law also strengthens the US government’s powers to ban other foreign-owned apps over data security concerns, following a broader trend initiated under Trump, including an earlier attempt to block Tencent-owned WeChat. As legal battles continue, TikTok’s operations in the US hang in the balance.
Synopsys has proposed remedies to address EU antitrust concerns over its $35 billion acquisition of engineering software company Ansys. The deal, which was announced in January, marks one of the most significant mergers in the technology sector since Broadcom’s $69 billion purchase of VMware in 2023.
The European Commission, tasked with reviewing the merger, has set a decision deadline for 10 January. Details of the proposed remedies remain undisclosed, but the Commission may consult industry rivals and customers before making a final determination. If concerns persist, the regulator could launch an in-depth investigation lasting up to four months.
As part of its plans, Synopsys announced in September the sale of its Optical Solutions Group to Keysight Technologies. This divestiture is conditional on the completion of the Ansys acquisition, suggesting efforts to address market competition issues raised by the deal.
Recent feedback sought by the Commission has centred on whether electronic design automation (EDA) tools offered by Synopsys and Ansys can operate seamlessly with competitors’ products. Concerns about bundling practices in EDA software, services, and hardware have also been highlighted, adding pressure on Synopsys to alleviate antitrust fears.
TikTok‘s Canadian branch has filed an emergency motion with the country’s Federal Court to review a government order requiring it to cease operations due to national security concerns. The company, owned by China’s ByteDance, is challenging the December 5 order and seeking either its annulment or a return to the government for further review. The motion argues that shutting down TikTok’s Canadian operations could result in significant job losses.
The legal challenge comes after Canada began investigating TikTok’s plans to expand its business in the country last year. The investigation led to last month’s order, which did not block Canadian access to the app but mandated the company’s exit from the Canadian market. TikTok emphasised the importance of maintaining a local presence for its platform in Canada, where it has over 14 million monthly users.
Under Canadian law, the government can assess foreign investments’ risks to national security, though details of the investigations are kept confidential. The case follows similar actions in the US, where the government has pressured ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US assets by January 2025 or face a ban. TikTok is currently seeking a temporary block on this US law as well.
The European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) is reviewing the European Commission‘s response to a March ruling that its use of Microsoft 365 violated the bloc’s data protection laws. Monday marked the deadline for the Commission to address the EDPS order to halt unlawful data flows and renegotiate its contracts with Microsoft.
On Tuesday, EDPS Wojciech Wiewiórowski confirmed receipt of the Commission’s report, emphasising the complexity of the case and hinting that a detailed analysis will take time. Both the Commission and Microsoft are appealing the EDPS decision, with related cases set to progress through the courts in 2025.
The outcome could have significant implications for the Commission’s use of tech platforms and broader data privacy enforcement in the EU. For now, all parties remain tight-lipped, extending the uncertainty over the resolution of this high-profile dispute.
A federal court ruling on December 4 has bolstered the Justice Department’s (DOJ) position that algorithm-driven price-fixing constitutes a clear antitrust violation. Judge Robert S. Lasnik of the US District Court for the Western District of Washington ruled that claims against Yardi Systems Inc., a property management software firm, could proceed under the “per se” theory of antitrust law. This theory automatically deems certain actions, like price-fixing, illegal without requiring additional proof of harm.
The case alleges that Yardi’s RENTmaximizer tool facilitated collusion among property managers to inflate rents. The decision marks a significant departure from earlier rulings where similar claims involving pricing algorithms were dismissed. Experts see this as a pivotal moment for antitrust litigation, enabling plaintiffs to pursue cases by demonstrating that shared algorithm use facilitated price collusion.
This ruling aligns with the DOJ’s broader push against anticompetitive practices in algorithm-driven pricing, a growing area of concern across industries like home rentals and hospitality. While the decision strengthens the DOJ’s stance, legal experts anticipate continued debates over whether traditional antitrust principles can adapt to emerging technologies, signaling years of legal uncertainty ahead.
Apple Pay has faced its first real competition on iPhones, thanks to Norway’s mobile payment app, Vipps. Leveraging new EU regulations, Vipps now allows iPhone users to make tap-to-pay transactions, shop online, and even set it as their default payment app. This is a significant milestone as Apple, under pressure from EU regulators, has opened its NFC chip to third-party developers with the release of iOS 18.1.
For a decade, Apple Pay was the exclusive method for tap-to-pay functionality on iPhones. That changed after EU rulings deemed Apple’s practices anti-competitive, prompting the company to commit to a more open ecosystem. In addition to enabling NFC access, Apple has also introduced RCS messaging support and expanded app deletion options in response to regulatory pressure.
Vipps’ debut as Apple Pay’s first competitor signals a shift toward a more diverse iPhone experience. While this development could usher in innovative payment solutions, it also raises concerns about potential fragmentation in mobile payment systems. For now, Norway is leading the charge in this new era of digital payments.
European regulators are investigating a previously undisclosed advertising partnership between Google and Meta that targeted teenagers on YouTube and Instagram, the Financial Times reports. The now-cancelled initiative aimed at promoting Instagram to users aged 13 to 17 allegedly bypassed Google’s policies restricting ad personalisation for minors.
The partnership, initially launched in the US with plans for global expansion, has drawn the attention of the European Commission, which has requested extensive internal records from Google, including emails and presentations, to evaluate potential violations. Google, defending its practices, stated that its safeguards for minors remain industry-leading and emphasised recent internal training to reinforce policy compliance.
This inquiry comes amid heightened concerns about the impact of social media on young users. Earlier this year, Meta introduced enhanced privacy features for teenagers on Instagram, reflecting the growing demand for stricter online protections for minors. Neither Meta nor the European Commission has commented on the investigation so far.
OpenAI has launched its text-to-video AI model, Sora, to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users, signalling a broader push into multimodal AI technologies. Initially limited to safety testers, Sora is now available as Sora Turbo at no additional cost, allowing users to create videos up to 20 seconds long in various resolutions and aspect ratios.
The move positions OpenAI to compete with similar tools from Meta, Google, and Stability AI. While the model is accessible in most regions, it remains unavailable in EU countries, the UK, and Switzerland due to regulatory considerations. OpenAI plans to introduce tailored pricing options for Sora next year.
The company emphasised safeguards against misuse, such as blocking harmful content like child exploitation and deepfake abuse. It also plans to gradually expand features, including uploads of people, as it enhances protections. Sora marks another step in OpenAI’s efforts to innovate responsibly in the AI space.
