Yazılar

Texas Company Sues Apple Over Alleged Theft of Technology Behind Apple Pay

/in /tarafından

Apple (AAPL.O) faces a lawsuit from Texas-based firm Fintiv, accusing the tech giant of stealing trade secrets and technology developed by CorFire, a company Fintiv acquired in 2014, to create Apple Pay. The complaint, filed in Atlanta federal court, alleges that Apple held multiple meetings and nondisclosure agreements with CorFire in 2011 and 2012 intending to license its mobile wallet technology but instead used the information and persuaded CorFire employees to join Apple.

Fintiv claims Apple used this technology to launch Apple Pay in 2014 and profited by generating fees for major credit card issuers and payment networks without compensating Fintiv. The lawsuit accuses Apple of corporate theft and racketeering under federal and Georgia trade secrets and RICO laws, seeking both compensatory and punitive damages.

Apple has not commented on the lawsuit. A related patent infringement case by Fintiv against Apple was dismissed earlier this month in Austin, Texas, with Fintiv planning to appeal.

Google Ordered to Pay $314 Million in California Cellular Data Class Action Verdict

/in /tarafından

A jury in San Jose, California, has ruled that Google misused Android smartphone users’ cellular data without their permission, awarding over $314.6 million in damages to an estimated 14 million affected Californians. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, found that Google collected and transmitted data from idle Android devices for its own benefit, imposing “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” on users.

The class action lawsuit, filed in 2019, argued that Google’s unauthorized data use served corporate purposes like targeted advertising while consuming users’ cellular data at their expense. Google denied wrongdoing, maintaining that users consented to data use via its terms of service and privacy policies, and claimed no harm was caused.

Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda stated the company plans to appeal, arguing the verdict “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android devices.” Plaintiffs’ attorney Glen Summers praised the decision, calling it a strong vindication of the case’s merits and highlighting the seriousness of Google’s misconduct.

Separately, a similar federal lawsuit covering Android users outside California is set for trial in April 2026 in San Jose.

Elon Musk’s X Sues New York Over Social Media Hate Speech Disclosure Law

/in /tarafından

Elon Musk’s social media company, X Corp, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the constitutionality of New York’s Stop Hiding Hate Act, which mandates social media platforms to publicly disclose how they monitor and manage hate speech, extremism, disinformation, harassment, and foreign political interference.

X argues the law violates the First Amendment and state constitutional rights by forcing the company to reveal “highly sensitive and controversial speech” that New York officials might find objectionable, potentially exposing the company to lawsuits and heavy fines. The law imposes civil penalties of up to $15,000 per violation per day.

The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, states that deciding what speech is acceptable is a complex issue that “engenders considerable debate among reasonable people,” and that regulating this is not a role for government authorities.

X cited a letter from the law’s sponsors, state Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblymember Grace Lee, accusing Musk and X of having a “disturbing record” on content moderation that allegedly threatens democratic foundations.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who enforces the law, is the named defendant. Her office did not immediately comment.

Since acquiring Twitter in October 2022 for $44 billion, Musk has promoted himself as a free speech absolutist, significantly reducing content moderation on the platform, which was rebranded as X.

New York’s law, signed in December by Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul with help from the Anti-Defamation League, requires platforms to disclose their efforts and report progress in combating harmful content.

The law mirrors a similar 2023 California law, whose enforcement was partially blocked by a federal appeals court last September over free speech concerns. Notably, California agreed in February to suspend enforcement of disclosure requirements after reaching a settlement with X.

Legislators Hoylman-Sigal and Lee expressed confidence that the court will uphold New York’s law, emphasizing the necessity of transparency given Musk’s resistance.

Case Reference: X Corp v. James, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 25-05068.