A United States federal judge has dismissed a Department of Justice lawsuit accusing eBay of violating environmental laws by allowing the sale of harmful products on its platform. The ruling cited Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability over user content.
The judge concluded that eBay’s administrative support for sellers did not make it liable for the unlawfulness of the products sold. She also ruled that eBay was not a ‘seller’ as it did not physically possess or hold title to the items in question.
The lawsuit accused eBay of enabling the sale of thousands of devices designed to evade vehicle emissions controls, unregistered pesticides, and products containing harmful chemicals. The government argued that this conduct violated several environmental laws, including the Clean Air Act.
eBay responded by stating its dedication to maintaining a trusted marketplace and promised to continue investing in measures to prevent the sale of prohibited items. The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling.
Epic Games has accused Google and Samsung of conspiring to protect Google’s Play Store from competition through Samsung’s Auto Blocker feature. The gaming company plans to file a lawsuit in a United States court, alleging that the Auto Blocker, introduced in late 2023, deters users from downloading Android apps from sources outside Google’s Play Store or Samsung’s Galaxy Store.
Epic argues that Samsung’s Auto Blocker was made the default setting in mid-2024 to reduce the impact of a 2023 US court ruling that required Google to make it easier for users to access apps from alternative sources. Epic claims this action violates US antitrust laws by reducing consumer choice and stifling competition, which would otherwise drive down app prices.
Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, described the lawsuit as part of a larger global effort to defend competition and its benefits for consumers. The company also plans to raise these concerns with regulators in the European Union, which has scrutinised Google’s business practices in the past.
Epic previously sued Google in 2020, accusing the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly over app distribution and payments. The lawsuit follows the verdict in that case, where a US court found Google had acted unlawfully.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled that social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, must pay $5 million in pending fines before being allowed to resume operations in the country. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, was suspended in Brazil after failing to comply with court orders to block accounts spreading hate speech and to appoint a legal representative.
Judge Alexandre de Moraes said the fines, totalling 18.3 million reais ($3.4 million), remain unpaid, alongside an additional fine of 10 million reais ($1.8 million) imposed after X became briefly accessible to some users last week. The court can use frozen funds from X and Starlink accounts in Brazil, but Starlink must first withdraw its appeal against the fund freeze.
X has since complied with court orders, blocking the accounts as instructed and naming a legal representative in Brazil. A source close to the company suggested that while X is likely to pay the original fines, it may contest the extra penalty imposed after the platform ban.
The platform has been unavailable in Brazil since late August. Musk had initially criticised the court’s actions as censorship but began complying with the rulings last week.
Amazon has secured a partial victory in a US antitrust case brought by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The federal court ruled in favour of Amazon’s request to dismiss some of the claims, though others will proceed. The ruling, issued in Seattle, has not yet been fully disclosed.
The FTC initially accused Amazon of using unfair tactics to maintain its dominance in the online market. The lawsuit claimed Amazon’s algorithms raised prices, costing US households over $1 billion. The company has stated it ceased using the controversial pricing system in 2019.
Although the court granted some of Amazon’s requests, other parts of the case remain active. Judge John Chun ruled that the trial would proceed in two phases, separating evidence on violations and proposed remedies. The FTC continues to pursue remaining claims.
Amazon, along with other tech giants like Meta, Apple, and Google, is facing increased scrutiny from antitrust regulators. FTC Chair Lina Khan has been vocal in challenging Amazon’s practices, citing longstanding concerns about its market influence.
Russia has ordered Discord to delete nearly 1,000 posts that are deemed illegal. The communication regulator, Roskomnadzor, highlighted that the posts include content related to child pornography, extremism, drug abuse, and LGBT promotion.
Discord, a San Francisco-based platform, and the regulator have yet to respond to queries regarding the order. Previous actions have seen Discord fined 3.5 million roubles for failing to remove illegal material.
Russia’s demands follow a long-standing policy of controlling content on foreign technology platforms. Regular fines are issued for non-compliance, with social media platforms even facing bans in some instances.
President Vladimir Putin continues to emphasise traditional values, particularly with stricter rules on LGBT promotion. Moscow’s broader push aims to restrict content that contradicts the state’s values and regulations.
Changpeng Zhao, founder of Binance, was released from a correctional facility in California on Friday. Zhao had been sentenced to four months earlier this year after admitting to money laundering violations at Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.
Prosecutors accused Binance of enabling criminal activity by failing to report over 100,000 suspicious transactions, including those linked to terrorist groups such as Hamas, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. The platform was also said to have facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse materials and received funds from ransomware activities.
In a settlement with US authorities, Binance agreed to pay a $4.32 billion penalty, while Zhao was personally fined $100 million. It includes a $50 million fine to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, alongside the criminal penalties.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed a contentious AI safety bill, citing concerns that it might stifle innovation and drive companies out of the state. The bill, proposed by Senator Scott Wiener, aimed to impose strict regulations on AI systems, including safety testing and methods for deactivating advanced AI models. Newsom acknowledged the need for oversight but criticised the bill for applying uniform standards to all AI systems, regardless of their specific risk levels.
Despite the veto, Newsom emphasised his commitment to AI safety, directing state agencies to assess the risks of potential catastrophic events tied to AI use. He has also called on AI experts to help develop regulations that are science-based and focus on actual risks. With AI technology advancing rapidly, he plans to work on a more tailored approach with the legislature in the next session.
The AI bill faced mixed reactions from both the tech industry and lawmakers. While companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta opposed the measure, Tesla’s Elon Musk supported it, arguing that stronger regulations are essential before AI becomes too powerful. The tech industry praised Newsom’s decision, stating that California’s tech economy thrives on competition and openness.
Newsom’s veto has raised questions about the future of AI regulation, both in California and across the US. With federal efforts to regulate AI still stalled, the debate over how best to balance innovation and safety continues.
The United States Department of Justice is investigating Super Micro Computer, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar with the matter. Following the news, shares of the AI server maker fell by about 5%.
Earlier in the month, Super Micro had denied allegations made by short-seller Hindenburg Research, which accused the company of ‘accounting manipulation’ and cited issues like undisclosed related-party transactions and failure to comply with export controls.
Hindenburg revealed its short position in Super Micro in August, prompting a further examination of the company’s financial practices. Super Micro has dismissed the report as containing ‘false or inaccurate statements.’ The server maker did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
Brazil’s Social Development Ministry will soon propose new measures to stop social benefit payments from being used for online gambling. This follows a report showing that 5 million recipients of Bolsa Familia, a cash transfer program, spent 3 billion reais on online betting in August. Bolsa Familia, which provides aid to 21 million families for essentials like food, saw nearly 20% of its monthly budget diverted to gambling, raising concerns about the misuse of these funds.
Social Development Minister Wellington Dias proposed potential solutions, such as banning the use of social benefits for gambling and implementing control mechanisms tied to tax ID numbers. These measures will be submitted to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva for approval. Dias stressed that the misuse of Bolsa Familia funds for betting undermines the program’s core goal of supporting low-income families with necessities.
Central Bank Chief Roberto Campos Neto emphasised that the bank’s report was not meant to criticise Bolsa Familia but to serve as a warning. He highlighted that the rapid rise of online gambling among lower-income households could jeopardise their financial stability.
A British man has been arrested and charged by US authorities for hacking into the computers of five companies to illegally obtain information about their expected earnings, resulting in profits of $3.75 million from insider trading. Robert Westbrook, 39, from London, faces multiple charges, including securities fraud, wire fraud, and five counts of computer fraud, with the US Department of Justice seeking his extradition.
Westbrook was arrested this week in the UK and is facing additional civil charges from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Although the companies involved were not explicitly named in court documents, financial details indicate that they could include Tupperware, Tutor Perini, Guidewire Software, Murphy USA, and Lumentum Holdings.
Authorities allege that Westbrook was involved in a “hack-to-trade” scheme, gaining access to executives’ email accounts between January 2019 and May 2020. He allegedly utilised nonpublic information to trade stocks and options before at least 14 earnings announcements and even set up automatic forwarding of emails from these executives to his accounts.
Jorge Tenreiro, acting chief of the SEC’s crypto assets and cyber unit, characterised Westbrook’s actions as sophisticated international hacking, involving the use of anonymous email accounts, VPNs, and bitcoin to conceal his activities. Each charge of securities and wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, while the computer fraud charges could lead to up to five years each.
