the americas – The News Desk

24Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

States sue Instagram-parent Meta over ‘addictive’ features and youth mental health harms

CNN — Dozens of states sued Instagram-parent Meta on Tuesday, accusing the social media giant of harming young users’ mental health through allegedly addictive features such as infinite news feeds and frequent notifications that demand users’ constant attention. In a federal lawsuit filed in California by 33 attorneys general, the states allege that Meta’s products have harmed minors and contributed to a mental health crisis in the United States. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem,” said Letitia James, the attorney general for New York, one of the ...

Genesis and Gemini face civil suit alleging $1 billion fraud

20Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

Genesis and Gemini face civil suit alleging $1 billion fraud

CNN — The fallout from the colossal implosion of Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto business is still rippling through the digital asset industry nearly a year later. On Thursday, New York’s attorney general filed a lawsuit against three digital asset firms that were caught up in the collapse of Bankman-Fried’s empire last fall — Gemini Trust, Genesis Global Capital and Digital Currency Group, parent company of Genesis. The lawsuit accused the companies of lying to investors and covering up more than $1 billion in losses. The AG’s office said that an investigation found Gemini, the crypto firm founded by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, deceived investors about significant risks associated with a lending ser...

AI chip exports: US escalates tech battle by cutting China off from more semiconductors

18Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

AI chip exports: US escalates tech battle by cutting China off from more semiconductors

Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Hong Kong/Washington CNN — The Biden administration is reducing the types of semiconductors that American companies will be able to sell to China, citing the desire to close loopholes in existing regulations announced last year. On Tuesday, the US Commerce Department unveiled new rules that further tighten a sweeping set of export controls first introduced in October 2022. The updated rules “will increase effectiveness of our controls and further shut off pathways to evade our restrictions,” US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a st...

17Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

New York City unveils | CNN Business

CNN — The same New York City administration to launch a “Rat Action Plan” is back with an “Artificial Intelligence Action Plan.” Mayor Eric Adams on Monday unveiled a citywide AI “action plan” that pledged – in broad-brushstrokes – to evaluate AI tools and associated risks, boost AI skills among city employees and support “the responsible implementation of these technologies to improve quality of life for New Yorkers,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office. The city’s 51-page AI action plan establishes a series of steps the city will take in the coming years to help better understand and responsibly implement the technology that has taken the tech sector and broader business world by st...

iPhone 15 demand dips in China, analysts say

16Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

iPhone 15 demand dips in China, analysts say

CNN — Demand for Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup is weaker in China than for last year’s models, according to analysts. Sales for the iPhone 15 are down 4.5% in China compared to iPhone 14 sales in the first two weeks after its launch, according to Counterpoint Research. Separately, Bloomberg reported on Monday financial firm Jefferies said iPhone 15 sales dropped by a double-digit percentage following strong customer demand for Huawei’s new Mate 60 smartphone line. Apple (AAPL) shares fell 0.08% following the reports. The reports come amid a floundering Chinese economy, a struggling housing market, and more competition among higher-end vendors in China, part...

Federal judge rips into Montana’s statewide TikTok ban in preliminary injunction hearing

15Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

Federal judge rips into Montana’s statewide TikTok ban in preliminary injunction hearing

CNN — A Montana federal judge on Thursday tore into a contested state law that bans TikTok from all personal devices, saying in a hearing that the legislation appears driven by “paternalistic” views of social media users and suggesting lawmakers could have taken many steps short of an attempted ban to achieve their goals. The sharp criticism of Montana’s legislature and attorney general comes as TikTok and a group of content creators on the platform have sought a ruling temporarily blocking the law. The legal battle is closely watched because it is viewed as a bellwether for TikTok’s future in the United States, where dozens of states and the US government have already banned the app on official ...

Chipmaker Qualcomm to lay off over 1200 California workers

13Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

Chipmaker Qualcomm to lay off over 1200 California workers

New York CNN — Qualcomm, one of the largest microchip manufacturers globally, is scaling back its workforce. The San Diego, California-based company will be laying off about 1258 roles in California, according to a filing with the California Employment Development Department. Impacted employees include those based out of San Diego and Santa Clara in multiple roles, from engineers to legal counsel to human resources, with job reductions coming around December 13th. The layoff news comes about a month after the company announced a deal with Apple to provide 5G chips through at least 2026. Qualcomm is also the chip supplier for the newly announced Meta Quest 3. But in an August call with...

The world will pay a high price if China cuts off supplies of chipmaking materials

12Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

The world will pay a high price if China cuts off supplies of chipmaking materials

Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Hong Kong CNN — Just one month after China announced it would curb exports of germanium and gallium, both essential for making semiconductors, its overseas shipments of the materials fell to zero. Beijing says it has since approved some export licenses but the restrictions are a stark warning that China has a powerful weapon it can deploy in the escalating trade war over the future of tech. The curbs came after the United States, Europe and Japan restricted sales of chips and chipmaking equipment to China to cut off its access to key technology that c...

South Korean firms get indefinite waiver on US chip gear supplies to China

10Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

South Korean firms get indefinite waiver on US chip gear supplies to China

Seoul Reuters — Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will be allowed to supply US chip equipment to their China factories indefinitely without separate US approvals, South Korea’s presidential office and the companies said on Monday. The United States had been expected to extend a waiver granted to the South Korean chipmakers on a requirement for licenses to bring US chip equipment into China. “Uncertainties about South Korean semiconductor firms’ operations and investments in China have been greatly eased; they will be able to calmly seek long-term global management strategies,” said Choi Sang-mok, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs. The United States has already notified S...

Federal appeals court expands limits on Biden administration communications with social media companies

4Oct

By adminNo Comments

Technology

Federal appeals court expands limits on Biden administration communications with social media companies

Washington CNN — A federal appeals court has expanded the scope of a ruling that limits the Biden administration’s communications with social media companies, saying it now also applies to a top US cybersecurity agency. The ruling last month from the conservative 5th Circuit US Court of Appeals severely limits the ability of the White House, the surgeon general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FBI to communicate with social media companies about content related to Covid-19 and elections that the government views as misinformation. The preliminary injunction had been on pause and a recent procedural snafu over a request from the plaintiffs in the case to broaden its sc...