EU formally investigates TikTok, fines Apple over music streaming
The EU has launched a formal investigation into whether TikTok has broken online content rules, including the safeguarding of children. The EU’s executive arm, the European Commission, said it had opened official proceedings against the Chinese-owned short video platform over a potential breach of the Digital Services Act (DSA). It said the investigation was looking at areas including protection of minors, maintaining records of its advertising content and whether its algorithms led users down damaging content “rabbit holes”. The Guardian
Most of the world’s largest tech companies, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, have agreed to tackle what they are calling deceptive artificial intelligence (AI) in elections. The twenty firms have signed an accord committing them to fighting voter-deceiving content. They say they will deploy technology to detect and counter the material. But one industry expert says the voluntary pact will “do little to prevent harmful content being posted”. The Tech Accord to Combat Deceptive Use of AI in 2024 Elections was announced at the Munich Security Conference on Friday. BBC
An uncontrolled satellite is expected to hurtle through Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, almost 30 years after it was launched. The satellite, known as ERS-2, is expected to break up into pieces on reentry, the majority of which will burn up. Because the reentry is “natural” – in other words, not controlled by humans – it is impossible to predict exactly when and where it will happen, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). But as the time draws closer, the agency is able to say with greater accuracy what will happen. Sky News
The British microchip champion Graphcore is exploring a sale to foreign owners after struggling to cash in on the artificial intelligence boom. Industry sources said Graphcore has been discussing a potential deal with major tech companies as it seeks to raise new funding to cover heavy losses. Senior investors in the Bristol-based company have also significantly marked up the value of their stakes in the company in a potential indication of a deal that could be worth more than $500m (£400m). Telegraph
Apple is set to be hit with a €500 million ($538 million) fine for allegedly breaking EU law over access to music streaming services, according to a Financial Times report.
The focus of the European Commission’s investigation has been Apple’s policy of preventing streaming music apps from informing iPhone and iPad users within the app that lower subscription prices are available when signing up outside of the App Store. The investigation began in 2019 after Spotify filed an antitrust complaint against Apple. EU regulators formally charged Apple in the anti-competitive probe in 2021. Mac Rumors
Shares of Nintendo fell on Monday after a report suggested the launch of the Switch 2, the next version of its flagship gaming console, would be delayed. Nintendo’s stock in Japan closed 5.84% lower. Bloomberg reported on Saturday that Nintendo had told game publishers that the Switch 2 would be delayed until the early months of 2025, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Nintendo was targeting a release of the console toward the end of this year, but told game makers it could slip into next year, the report said. Nintendo was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.
