Development

Google pays around $1.4 billion over privacy case

Google has agreed to pay $1.375 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by the state of Texas over allegations that it violated users’ privacy through features such as Incognito mode, Location History, and biometric data collection.

Despite the sizable sum, Google denies any wrongdoing, stating that the claims were based on outdated practices which have since been updated.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the settlement, emphasising that large tech firms are not above the law.

He accused Google of covertly tracking individuals’ locations and personal searches, while also collecting biometric data such as voiceprints and facial geometry — all without users’ consent. Paxton claimed the state’s legal challenge had forced Google to answer for its actions.

Although the settlement resolves two lawsuits filed in 2022, the specific terms and how the funds will be used remain undisclosed. A Google spokesperson maintained that the resolution brings closure to claims about past practices, instead of requiring any changes to its current products.

The case comes after a similar $1.4 billion agreement involving Meta, which faced accusations of unlawfully gathering facial recognition data. The repeated scrutiny from Texas authorities signals a broader pushback against the data practices of major tech companies.

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Starkville Utilities hit by cyberattack

Starkville Utilities, a Mississippi-based electricity and water provider that also services Mississippi State University, has revealed a data breach that may have exposed sensitive information belonging to over 11,000 individuals.

The breach, which was first detected in late October last year, led the company to disconnect its network in an attempt to contain the intrusion.

Despite these efforts, an investigation later found that attackers may have accessed personal data, including full names and Social Security numbers. Details were submitted to the Maine Attorney General’s Office, confirming the scale of the breach and the nature of the data involved.

While no reports of identity theft have emerged since the incident, Starkville Utilities has chosen to offer twelve months of free identity protection services to those potentially affected. The company maintains that it is taking additional steps to improve its cybersecurity defences.

Stolen data such as Social Security numbers often ends up on underground marketplaces instead of staying idle, where it can be used for identity fraud and other malicious activities.

The incident serves as yet another reminder of the ongoing threat posed by cybercriminals targeting critical infrastructure and user data.

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Amazon expands warehouse automation with Vulcan robots

Amazon has officially unveiled its Vulcan robots, an advanced robotics system designed to improve safety and efficiency in its fulfilment centres. Already in operation at facilities in Spokane, USA, and Hamburg, Germany, the new technology was showcased at an event in Dortmund this week.

The robots combine AI-powered software with a spatula-like gripping mechanism and sensors to pick up and stow items with a high degree of precision. Amazon says the robots are capable of handling around 75 percent of its product inventory and can operate at speeds comparable to human workers.

Their design allows them to safely access items stored at the highest and lowest levels of the eight-foot storage pods used throughout Amazon’s centres.

A wider rollout is expected in the UK over the next three years, with several distribution centres in Yorkshire set to adopt the technology.

Amazon highlights the Vulcan system as a key advancement in warehouse automation, aimed at improving worker safety and streamlining complex logistics operations.

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Wiley and Perplexity partner to deliver smarter study tools

Perplexity has announced a major partnership with global academic publisher Wiley to integrate its answer engine with Wiley’s extensive library of scientific, technical, and medical learning materials.

The collaboration is designed to streamline access to trusted curriculum content, delivering a more engaging and efficient learning experience for students and educators alike.

Through an institution’s Enterprise Pro subscription, students can now access assigned Wiley materials directly within Perplexity.

This removes the need to switch between platforms, enabling students to ask questions about textbook content, receive tailored explanations, and explore real-time examples from across the web—all in one place.

The integration supports Gen Z learning preferences by offering features such as custom study guides, level-appropriate explanations, and context that links core concepts to real-world applications.

Educators will benefit from the ability to create lesson plans, tailor curriculum to current events, and generate customised learning materials with minimal effort. Institutions gain a competitive edge in education technology, while improving resource efficiency and academic outcomes.

The partnership also promotes critical AI literacy—a growing priority in classrooms. By offering students a structured environment in which to interact with AI tools and academic content, the integration supports responsible use of AI.

It emphasises information quality, proper attribution, and encourages students to develop essential critical thinking skills. Administrators interested in integrating Perplexity with Wiley can contact their Wiley representative to authorise the connection.

Once enabled, students gain seamless access to academic materials directly within the Perplexity platform.

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Meta and Ray-Ban launch smart glasses in the UAE

Meta Platforms, Inc. and EssilorLuxottica have officially launched the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in the United Arab Emirates, unveiling the new tech-forward eyewear during an exclusive event on May 7 at Gitano Beach Club.

The collection will be available across all Ray-Ban stores and partner opticians in the UAE starting May 12.

Ray-Ban Meta glasses combine stylish design with cutting-edge technology, offering users hands-free photo and video capture, discreet audio playback through open-ear speakers, and access to built-in Meta AI.

The glasses allow for real-time translations—including sign language—voice-activated search, and contextual AR experiences such as landmark information, menu translations, or recipe suggestions based on visible items.

A standout feature is the livestreaming function, enabling users to broadcast directly to Instagram Live or Facebook Live for up to 30 minutes from their own point of view.

Users can toggle between the glasses and their phone camera, creating immersive, real-time content. The MetaAI companion app (iOS and Android) also supports easy content import, editing, and special effects.

The glasses include five microphones and upgraded audio hardware for clearer sound and ambient awareness.

Live language translation support—covering Spanish, French, Italian, and English—even while offline—is expected to launch in the UAE later this year. Software updates will continue enhancing the glasses’ AI capabilities over time.

Offered in styles such as Wayfarer, Wayfarer Large, and the universally fitting Skyler, Ray-Ban Meta glasses are available with prescription, sun, clear, polarised, or Transitions® lenses.

Prices start at AED 1,330 and include a sleek charging case. The glasses support pairing with multiple devices and offer a blend of fashion, function, and future-ready innovation.

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FTC says Amazon misused legal privilege to dodge scrutiny

Federal regulators have accused Amazon of deliberately concealing incriminating evidence in an ongoing antitrust case by abusing privilege claims. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Amazon wrongly withheld nearly 70,000 documents, withdrawing 92% of its claims after a judge forced a re-review.

The FTC claims Amazon marked non-legal documents as privileged to keep them from scrutiny. Internal emails suggest staff were told to mislabel communications by including legal teams unnecessarily.

One email reportedly called former CEO Jeff Bezos the ‘chief dark arts officer,’ referring to questionable Prime subscription tactics.

The documents revealed issues such as widespread involuntary Prime sign-ups and efforts to manipulate search results in favour of Amazon’s products. Regulators said these practices show Amazon intended to hide evidence rather than make honest errors.

The FTC is now seeking a 90-day extension for discovery and wants Amazon to cover the additional legal costs. It claims the delay and concealment gave Amazon an unfair strategic advantage instead of allowing a level playing field.

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Meta brings back Robert Fergus to lead AI lab

Meta Platforms has brought back Robert Fergus to lead its AI research lab, FAIR, which he helped found in 2014 alongside Yann LeCun. After spending five years as a research director at Google’s DeepMind, Fergus returns to replace Joelle Pineau, who steps down on 30 May.

Fergus, who previously spent six years as a research scientist at Facebook, announced his return on LinkedIn, expressing gratitude to Pineau and reaffirming Meta’s long-term commitment to AI.

FAIR, Meta’s Fundamental AI Research division, focuses on innovations such as voice translation and image recognition to support its open-source Llama language model.

The move comes as Meta ramps up its AI investment, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg allocating up to $65 billion in capital spending for 2025 to expand the company’s AI infrastructure.

AI is now deeply integrated into Meta’s services, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and a new standalone app meant to rival OpenAI.

By bringing Fergus back instead of appointing a new outsider, Meta signals its intent to build on its existing AI legacy while pushing further toward human-level machine experiences.

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Apple prepares low-power chip for smart eyewear

Apple is developing custom chips to power future smart glasses, AI servers, and new Mac models, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

The chip for the glasses is being designed with a focus on energy efficiency and advanced camera handling, and production could begin as early as late 2026 or 2027.

Built on technology similar to that of the Apple Watch instead of the iPhone, the chip is expected to consume significantly less power.

It will be manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC and tailored to manage multiple cameras efficiently, potentially positioning Apple as a rival to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.

At the same time, Apple is working on new Mac processors—possibly branded as the M6 and M7—as well as AI server chips designed to support the Apple Intelligence platform. This system enables features like notification summaries, email rewriting, and access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

These projects come as Apple expands its silicon strategy. Earlier in 2025, the company unveiled its first custom modem for iPhones, and it plans to source over 19 billion chips from the US this year instead of depending on China, while also boosting production in India.

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Microsoft bans DeepSeek app for staff use

Microsoft has confirmed it does not allow employees to use the DeepSeek app, citing data security and propaganda concerns.

Speaking at a Senate hearing, company president Brad Smith explained the decision stems from fears that data shared with DeepSeek could end up on Chinese servers and be exposed to state surveillance laws.

Although DeepSeek is open source and widely available, Microsoft has chosen not to list the app in its own store.

Smith warned that DeepSeek’s answers may be influenced by Chinese government censorship and propaganda, and its privacy policy confirms data is stored in China, making it subject to local intelligence regulations.

Interestingly, Microsoft still offers DeepSeek’s R1 model via its Azure cloud service. The company argued this is a different matter, as customers can host the model on their servers instead of relying on DeepSeek’s infrastructure.

Even so, Smith admitted Microsoft had to alter the model to remove ‘harmful side effects,’ although no technical details were provided.

While Microsoft blocks DeepSeek’s app for internal use, it hasn’t imposed a blanket ban on all chatbot competitors. Apps like Perplexity are available in the Windows store, unlike those from Google.

The stance against DeepSeek marks a rare public move by Microsoft as the tech industry navigates rising tensions over AI tools with foreign links.

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LockBit ransomware platform breached again

LockBit, one of the most notorious ransomware groups of recent years, has suffered a significant breach of its dark web platform. Its admin and affiliate panels were defaced and replaced with a message linking to a leaked MySQL database, seemingly exposing sensitive operational details.

The message mocked the gang with the line ‘Don’t do crime CRIME IS BAD xoxo from Prague,’ raising suspicions of a rival hacker or vigilante group behind the attack.

The leaked database, first flagged by a threat actor known as Rey, contains 20 tables revealing details about LockBit’s affiliate network, tactics, and operations. Among them are nearly 60,000 Bitcoin addresses, payload information tied to specific targets, and thousands of extortion chat messages.

A ‘users’ table lists 75 affiliate and admin identities, many with passwords stored in plain text—some comically weak, like ‘Weekendlover69.’

While a LockBit spokesperson confirmed the breach via Tox chat, they insisted no private keys were exposed and that losses were minimal. However, the attack echoes a recent breach of the Everest ransomware site, suggesting the same actor may be responsible.

Combined with past law enforcement actions—such as Operation Cronos, which dismantled parts of LockBit’s infrastructure in 2024—the new leak could harm the group’s credibility with affiliates.

LockBit has long operated under a ransomware-as-a-service model, providing malware to affiliates in exchange for a cut of ransom profits. It has targeted both Linux and Windows systems, used double extortion tactics, and accounted for a large share of global ransomware attacks in 2022.

Despite ongoing pressure from authorities, the group has continued its operations—though this latest breach could prove harder to recover from.

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