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US Lawmakers Push New Chip Export Curbs Targeting China

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A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers has proposed new legislation to tighten export restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment destined for China, escalating efforts to maintain U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.

The draft MATCH Act would expand controls on advanced chipmaking tools, directly impacting companies such as ASML and Nikon, which dominate key segments like deep ultraviolet (DUV) lithography systems.

The proposal specifically targets equipment used to produce advanced chips, aiming to block access for major Chinese firms including SMIC, Huawei and other leading domestic chipmakers.

Unlike previous export controls introduced through executive actions, this initiative originates in Congress and seeks to align restrictions across allied countries, ensuring foreign suppliers adhere to similar limitations as U.S. companies.

Currently, Dutch regulations already prevent ASML from exporting its most advanced chipmaking tools to China. However, the company continues to sell less advanced DUV systems. The proposed law would extend restrictions to cover these products as well, potentially cutting off a significant portion of China’s access to critical semiconductor equipment.

China has been a major market for ASML, accounting for roughly one-third of its sales in 2025, though this share is expected to decline. The proposed legislation underscores intensifying technological competition between the United States and China, particularly in strategic sectors such as AI and semiconductor manufacturing.

U.S. judge weighs school districts’ addiction claims against social media companies

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A U.S. federal judge is considering whether school districts can take their lawsuits against major social media companies to trial over claims that platform designs knowingly addict young users. At a hearing in Oakland, California, attorneys for Meta and other companies argued that federal law shields them from liability, while school districts said they have been forced to spend significant resources addressing student mental health problems linked to social media use.

The companies urged U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers to block the cases, citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which generally protects platforms from liability over user-generated content. Defense lawyers argued that the districts’ claims rely heavily on such content and should therefore be barred.

Lawyers for the school districts countered that their cases focus not on user content but on platform features they say were deliberately designed to keep children and teenagers engaged for as long as possible. They argued that these design choices have contributed to rising anxiety, depression and cyberbullying among students, creating financial and staffing burdens for schools.

The lawsuits are part of a broader wave of thousands of cases nationwide accusing companies including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube of fueling a youth mental health crisis. Judge Rogers is weighing whether several test cases should proceed to trial, a decision that could shape future litigation and potential settlements across the country.