Jurisdiction

Ubisoft under fire for forcing online connection in offline games

French video game publisher Ubisoft is facing a formal privacy complaint from European advocacy group noyb for requiring players to stay online even when enjoying single-player games.

The complaint, lodged with Austria’s data protection authority, accuses Ubisoft of violating EU privacy laws by collecting personal data without consent.

Noyb argues that Ubisoft makes players connect to the internet and log into a Ubisoft account unnecessarily, even when they are not interacting with other users.

Instead of limiting data collection to essential functions, noyb claims the company contacts external servers, including Google and Amazon, over 150 times during gameplay. This, they say, reveals a broader surveillance practice hidden beneath the surface.

Ubisoft, known for blockbuster titles like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, has not yet explained why such data collection is needed for offline play.

The complainant who examined the traffic found that Ubisoft gathers login and browsing data and uses third-party tools, practices that, under GDPR rules, require explicit user permission. Instead of offering transparency, Ubisoft reportedly failed to justify these invasive practices.

Noyb is calling on regulators to demand deletion of all data collected without a clear legal basis and to fine Ubisoft €92 million. They argue that consumers, who already pay steep prices for video games, should not have to sacrifice their privacy in the process.

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Gemini user surge trails ChatGPT and Meta AI

Google’s Gemini AI chatbot has rapidly gained popularity, reaching over 350 million global users by March 2025.

The milestone was revealed during testimony in the ongoing US antitrust trial against Google, where the company is facing scrutiny over its dominance in the search market.

Daily active users of the app have surged to more than 35 million, a significant leap from just nine in October 2024.

The rise in Gemini’s adoption may be linked to its integration with Samsung devices, Google Workspace, and Chrome. In the past year, Google also rolled out improved versions of the chatbot — Gemini 2.0 and Gemini 2.5 — which have reportedly enhanced its capabilities.

Despite the growth, Gemini still trails OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Meta’s AI assistant, which reported 600 million and 500 million monthly active users, respectively.

Testimony in court also revealed Google pays substantial sums to Samsung to pre-install Gemini on its devices, raising further concerns about the company’s dominance.

The current phase of the trial focuses on potential penalties for Google after a 2024 ruling found its search engine to be an illegal monopoly.

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JusticeLink breach leads to arrest in Sydney

A man has been charged following a serious cyberattack on JusticeLink, New South Wales’ largest online court-filing system.

Authorities say more than 9,000 files were illegally downloaded over a two-month period, although no personal data appears to have been compromised. The breach was first detected in March, prompting an immediate shutdown of the suspect’s account.

JusticeLink handles sensitive legal documents for over 400,000 cases annually. The 38-year-old suspect, arrested in Maroubra, Sydney, now faces charges of unauthorised access and misuse of a carriage service to cause harm. Two laptops were seized during the arrest.

Officials have reassured the public that the system is now secure, with no indication that personal information was leaked or found online.

Acting Attorney-General Ron Hoenig confirmed that people under court protection orders were not exposed to heightened risk. The man is expected to appear in Waverley Court on Thursday.

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OpenAI partners with major news outlets

OpenAI has signed multiple content-sharing deals with major media outlets, including Politico, Vox, Wired, and Vanity Fair, allowing their content to be featured in ChatGPT.

As part of the deal with The Washington Post, ChatGPT will display summaries, quotes, and links to the publication’s original reporting in response to relevant queries. OpenAI has secured similar partnerships with over 20 news publishers and 160 outlets in 20 languages.

The Washington Post’s head of global partnerships, Peter Elkins-Williams, emphasised the importance of meeting audiences where they are, ensuring ChatGPT users have access to impactful reporting.

OpenAI’s media partnerships head, Varun Shetty, noted that more than 500 million people use ChatGPT weekly, highlighting the significance of these collaborations in providing timely, trustworthy information to users.

OpenAI has worked to avoid criticism related to copyright infringement, having previously faced legal challenges, particularly from the New York Times, over claims that chatbots were trained on millions of articles without permission.

While OpenAI sought to dismiss these claims, a US district court allowed the case to proceed, intensifying scrutiny over AI’s use of news content.

Despite these challenges, OpenAI continues to form agreements with leading publications, such as Hearst, Condé Nast, Time magazine, and Vox Media, helping ensure their journalism reaches a wider audience.

Meanwhile, other publications have pursued legal action against AI companies like Cohere for allegedly using their content without consent to train AI models.

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OpenAI eyes Chrome in bid to boost ChatGPT

OpenAI has expressed interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser if it were to be made available, viewing it as a potential boost for its AI platform, ChatGPT.

The remarks, made by Nick Turley, head of product for ChatGPT, surfaced during the US Department of Justice’s antitrust trial against Google. The case follows a 2023 ruling that found Google had maintained an illegal monopoly in online search and advertising.

Although Google has shown no intention to sell Chrome and plans to appeal, the DoJ has suggested the move as a remedy to restore competition.

Turley disclosed that OpenAI previously approached Google to use its search technology within ChatGPT, after facing limitations with Microsoft Bing, its current provider.

An email from OpenAI presented in court showed the company proposed using multiple partners, including Google’s search API, to improve the chatbot’s performance. Google, however, declined the request, citing fears of empowering rivals.

Turley confirmed there is currently no partnership with Google and noted that ChatGPT remains years away from answering most queries using its own search system.

The testimony also highlighted OpenAI’s distribution challenges. Turley voiced concerns over being shut out of key access points controlled by major tech firms, such as browsers and app stores.

While OpenAI secured integration with Apple’s iPhones, it has struggled to achieve similar placements on Android devices. Turley argued that forcing Google to share search data with competitors could instead speed up ChatGPT’s development and improve user experience.

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AI to draft and amend UAE laws

The United Arab Emirates has announced a pioneering scheme to employ AI in drafting, amending and reviewing its laws. Launched by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the new Regulatory Intelligence Office will steer what the ruler describes as a world‑first legislative overhaul.

Expected to accelerate lawmaking by up to 70 per cent, the system will analyse vast government and legal datasets rather than merely summarise documents. Ministers hope that AI will enhance precision and allow active review of existing statutes alongside drafting new provisions.

Legal experts caution that AI models may misinterpret complex texts or produce proposals at odds with human norms.

Nevertheless, observers such as Oxford Internet Institute’s Keegan McBride argue that the centralised governance of the UAE can adapt to emerging technologies faster than more fragmented democracies.

Building on its 2017 appointment of the world’s first minister for AI and its national AI strategy, the Gulf state has also backed innovation through the MGX fund, which includes support for BlackRock’s $30 billion AI‑infrastructure venture.

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ChatGPT search grows rapidly in Europe

ChatGPT search, the web-accessing feature within OpenAI’s chatbot, has seen rapid growth across Europe, attracting an average of 41.3 million monthly active users in the six months leading up to March 31.

It marks a sharp rise from 11.2 million in the previous six-month period, according to a regulatory filing by OpenAI Ireland Limited.

Instead of operating unnoticed, the service must now report this data under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which defines monthly recipients as users who actively view or interact with the platform.

Should usage cross 45 million, ChatGPT search could be classified as a ‘very large’ online platform and face stricter rules, including transparency obligations, user opt-outs from personalised recommendations, and regular audits.

Failure to follow DSA regulations could lead to serious penalties, up to 6% of OpenAI’s global revenue, or even a temporary ban in the EU for ongoing violations. The law aims to ensure online platforms operate more responsibly and with better oversight in the digital space.

Despite gaining ground, ChatGPT search still lags far behind Google, which handles hundreds of times more queries.

Studies have also raised concerns about the accuracy of AI search tools, with ChatGPT found to misidentify a majority of news articles and occasionally misrepresent licensed content from publishers.

Instead of fully replacing traditional search, these AI tools may still need improvement to become reliable alternatives.

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DOJ adds to Google’s antitrust trial the AI-driven search monopoly

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) launched its opening arguments this week in a landmark antitrust trial against Google, aiming to curb the tech giant’s dominance in online search and prevent it from leveraging AI to entrench its position further.

Prosecutors argue that Google’s market control is bolstered by exclusive contracts, such as being the default smartphone search engine, and now by integrating AI tools that guide users back to its ecosystem. 

The DOJ calls for decisive action, including the potential sale of Google’s Chrome browser and changes to its default settings agreements with device manufacturers.

Central to the DOJ’s argument is the concern that Google’s AI products, including its Gemini app installed on Samsung devices, create feedback loops reinforcing its search monopoly. 

Court documents reveal that Google pays Samsung a significant monthly sum for this privilege, with the deal potentially extending into 2028. 

The DOJ contends that remedies must be forward-looking to ensure competition as generative AI becomes increasingly intertwined with search.

Google, however, rejects the proposed measures as excessive. Its legal team argues that competitors perform well in AI without regulatory intervention and that forced divestitures or licensing obligations would harm innovation. 

The company insists that AI falls outside the scope of the case, which is focused on traditional search, and has pledged to appeal any adverse ruling. 

A key concern for Google is the DOJ’s suggestion that, should other remedies fail, the court could mandate the breakup of its Android mobile business, a move Google claims would disrupt the wider digital ecosystem.

DOJ officials emphasised that the legal remedies proposed are nonpartisan and reflect a consistent policy direction. Meanwhile, other tech giants, including Meta, are also under increasing scrutiny, with separate trials looming over market dominance and acquisitions.

Sweden unable to determine cause of Baltic Sea cable damage

The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority (SHK) has published its final report on the damage to the C-Lion 1 subsea cable in the Baltic Sea on 18 November 2024, concluding that it cannot determine whether the incident was the result of an accident or intentional sabotage.

The investigation focused on the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which was initially identified as having caused the damage.

While investigators from several neighbouring countries, including Sweden, were allowed to board the vessel, the SHK reported that the visit was time-constrained and that access to key evidence—such as surveillance footage and the vessel’s Voyage Data Recorder—was not granted.

Interviews with the crew were conducted in the presence of Chinese officials.

The SHK outlined two possible scenarios: one in which the anchor was deliberately released to damage seabed infrastructure, and another in which it detached due to improper security.

The report noted that certain technical details—such as the absence of damage to key anchor components—make the accidental scenario less likely, but acknowledged that neither hypothesis could be confirmed due to investigative limitations.

Under international maritime law, flag states typically lead investigations in international waters, though exceptions may apply in cases involving suspected criminal activity.

While some analysts have raised concerns about potential state-sponsored sabotage, officials from several European countries have indicated increasing confidence that the recent cable breaks were not the result of coordinated or intentional activity.

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Japan tells Google to stop Android search dominance

Japanese regulators have accused Google of breaching the country’s anti-monopoly laws by restricting competition through the pre-installation of its search engine on Android smartphones.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) issued a cease and desist order on Tuesday, directing the US tech giant to halt the practice.

Google Japan called the move ‘regrettable’ and emphasised its long-standing investment in Japan to support innovation. The company has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the ruling.

The JFTC’s investigation began in 2023, with input from overseas regulators handling similar concerns in the United States and Europe.

This marks the first time the JFTC has taken such action against a major global technology firm. It follows global scrutiny of Google’s dominance, including a US court ruling last year that found Google had unfairly used its market power to suppress rivals.

European authorities have also raised similar concerns, accusing the company of monopolistic behaviour.

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