TikTok’s lawyer is off the stage, and Judge Noemi Rao is questioning Jeffrey Fisher, who represents a lawsuit from users of TikTok. Fisher’s argument so far centers on the claim that American media creators have a right to work with publishers of their choosing. Rao is questioning how far that right should stretch — emphasizing the judges’ focus on TikTok’s Chinese ownership.
The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has just started its morning session, where TikTok and the US Government will be fighting over the divest-or-ban law passed earlier this year. There’s one brief argument in another case before it starts.
Debates over AI’s artistic value have focused on its generative output. But so far, interactive systems have proved far more interesting.
The Virginia courthouse is a stickler about security, so I’m posting on behalf of Lauren Feiner, who sent the following this morning:
The government didn’t say who would be testifying before court adjourned yesterday, but we left off with several industry players explaining the publisher side of the market. Blissfully, the DOJ said we’re running ahead of schedule already. About to say goodbye to my phone, take my last sip of water (neither allowed in the courtroom!) and head back in.
The Verge’s Lauren Feiner will be reporting on Google’s latest antitrust battle from Virginia, where the Department of Justice will argue that it’s not just a search monopolist, but an advertising monopolist as well.
The democratic process is nice and all, but who could go back to normal “I Voted” stickers after this?
Researchers propose this one weird trick to catch ads for drugs, deepfake nudes, forgery services, and even child sexual abuse material on Facebook and Instagram: see if the ad links to a Telegram channel.
[Cybersecurity For Democracy]
A judge partially blocked a Texas law that would mandate filters for minors on social media. But other rules about parental consent and data collection are still in force, and Meta, for one, tells The Verge it will be making changes:
Due to new laws in Texas, people in the state may experience some changes to our services including how teens and parents access and use our apps.
