After years of moving fast and breaking things, governments around the world are waking up to the dangers of uncontrolled tech platforms and starting to think of ways to rein in those platforms. Sometimes, that means data privacy measures like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or more recent measures passed in the wake of Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal. On the smaller side, it takes the form of specific ad restrictions, transparency measures, or anti-tracking protocols. With such a broad problem, nearly any solution is on the table. It’s still too early to say whether those measures will be focused on Facebook, Google, or the tech industry at large. At the same time, conservative lawmakers are eager to use accusations of bias as a way to influence moderation policy, making the specter of strong regulation all the more controversial. Whatever next steps Congress and the courts decide to take, you can track the latest updates here.
In a split decision, the DC Circuit Court lifted a preliminary injunction preventing the administration from continuing mass layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The union suing the administration still has seven days to file a petition for the case to be reheard before the injunction is lifted.
Ofcom is now investigating whether four companies that collectively run 34 pornography sites are complying with new Online Safety Act (OSA) rules that require them to have “highly effective age checks” in place — the same rules that are widely restricting parts of the internet across the UK. Other OSA investigations were already underway, but these are the first to fall under the age verification requirements.
The search giant has followed OpenAI in signing the EU’s voluntary AI code of practice, after Meta snubbed the agreement over “legal uncertainties.” Google also has its complaints despite signing, saying in a statement:
“We remain concerned that the AI Act and Code risk slowing Europe’s development and deployment of AI. In particular, departures from EU copyright law, steps that slow approvals, or requirements that expose trade secrets could chill European model development and deployment.”
[blog.google]
The Trump administration wants to build data center projects on Superfund sites, and with as little oversight as possible.
Trump wants everyone using AI — as long as he agrees with what it says.
Online Safety Act rules are now in effect that require online platforms to have “strong age checks” in place to prevent children from accessing pornographic materials and other “harmful content.” Bluesky, Reddit, and Discord, for example, have all introduced age verification tools that require users to upload a selfie or a picture of their government ID.
A federal appeals court granted the Trump administration an emergency stay blocking Federal Trade Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter from returning to work. The lower court had called President Donald Trump’s decision to fire her “unlawful,” and reinstated her. Slaughter says the public will remain in the dark on FTC decisions in her absence. “Right now, the FTC isn’t doing the job it should be to protect consumers and competition, and Americans deserve to know why.”
The House voted against a procedural step to advance a slate of three President Donald Trump-endorsed crypto bills that would regulate stablecoins, determine who can regulate cryptocurrency, and prevent the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. Thirteen Republicans defied Trump’s encouragement to advance the legislation amid disputes about whether the bills should be combined in a vote. It’s not clear what happens next, but Crypto Week might not be done just yet.
As part of an initiative to purge its own regulations, the FCC says it’s removed rules (that hadn’t taken effect) to reclassify broadband providers as common carriers. They were already struck down by a federal appeals court, but advocates can still appeal to the Supreme Court. Free Press General Counsel Matt Wood says the deletion, which came without advanced notice, is “a premature housekeeping step,” that helps “score points with broadband monopolies and their lobbyists.”
The Justice Department released an unsealed indictment against Oak View Group CEO Timothy Leiweke, alleging he conspired with competitor Legends Hospitality to rig the bids for an arena project. Leiweke allegedly convinced Legends not to bid on the project in exchange for subcontracts he later reneged on. The DOJ says Oak View and Legends cooperated and entered non-prosecution agreements, including penalties of $15 million and $1.5 million, respectively.
Oak View Group said in a statement it “cooperated fully” and “is pleased to have resolved this matter with no charges filed against OVG and no admission of fault or wrongdoing.” Leiweke spokesperson Ellen Davis, however, said he “has done nothing wrong and will vigorously defend himself and his well-deserved reputation for fairness and integrity.”
Update: Added comment from Oak View and Leiweke.
[documentcloud.org]
This expected development follows App Store changes being introduced in June to avoid being slapped with additional fines for violating anti-steering rules under the EU’s DMA. Apple spokesperson Peter Ajemian sent the following statement to The Verge:
“Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission’s decision—and their unprecedented fine—go far beyond what the law requires. As our appeal will show, the EC is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users. We implemented this to avoid punitive daily fines and will share the facts with the Court.”
[bloomberg.com]
A complaint filed by a group of independent publishers alleges that Google abuses its market power by not allowing them to withhold their content from AI Overviews without losing the ability to appear in Search results — a choice that Google believes may impact AI monetization.
The group is calling on the EU Commission to put “interim measures” in place to prevent irreparable harm to competition and news access.
The Environmental Protection Agency placed 144 employees on administrative leave, the New York Times reports. The move comes after hundreds of EPA employees signed a letter accusing the Trump administration of “ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters.”
Since Donald Trump stepped back into office, the EPA has worked to roll back dozens of environmental regulations, including plans to weaken protections against forever chemicals in drinking water. DOGE also tore into the agency, making it more difficult to hold companies accountable for breaking environmental laws.
Congress can still vote to effectively bar states from enforcing their own AI laws after what Politico calls the Senate’s “rules referee” decided it meets the criteria to be included in the bill. That slashes opponents’ hope it would be excluded through the Byrd Rule, which restricts the kind of provisions that can be included in reconciliation bills. The Senate version ties the enforcement ban to states’ ability to receive broadband infrastructure funds.
The US District Court in Washington, DC, was the home of two of the most important tech trials in decades — plus so much more.
The Supreme Court sent a fax spam case back to a lower court after determining it erred in deferring to the Federal Communications Commission’s legal interpretation. After the FCC said the law didn’t cover online fax services, a lower court decertified a class of fax recipients seeking damages for receiving unsolicited ads. SCOTUS says the court should have made its own interpretation, which could be meaningful for medical professionals who still use faxes.
[supremecourt.gov]
The Trump administration is thinking about scrapping a ban on white asbestos, a material used in roofing, chlorine manufacturing, and more. White asbestos is banned in many countries; exposure to it has been linked to lung cancer and other serious health risks.
“By siding with corporate polluters and willfully ignoring decades of public health evidence, they are dismantling life-saving protections,” Michelle Roos, executive director of the Environmental Protection Network, said in a press release today.
The Trump administration is apparently trying to shut down the board that investigates chemical explosions in the US. What could go wrong?
