TikTok
TikTok business and news from across the web.
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The EU is investigating Snapchat over possible child protection breaches
The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Snapchat for potential breaches of the Digital Services Act concerning child protection. Regulators are examining whether the platform adequately safeguards minors from grooming, illegal drug access, and age-inappropriate content, questioning the effectiveness of its age verification system. The EU is also investigating reporting mechanisms for illegal content and accounts, and how user data is recommended.
Jury rules against Meta and YouTube in social media addiction case
A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a lawsuit concerning social media addiction, ordering them to pay $3 million in damages to a plaintiff who claimed harm from addictive features during her childhood. Meta was found responsible for 70% of the compensatory damages, with YouTube covering the rest. This case is significant as it's the first time a jury has heard testimony and seen internal documents regarding allegations that social media platforms harmed minors due to their design.
Meta And YouTube Lose Social-Media Addiction Lawsuit
A California jury found Meta and YouTube liable in a lawsuit alleging their platforms contributed to a young adult woman's social media addiction and mental health issues. The companies were found negligent in their design, failing to warn users of risks, and causing substantial harm. Meta was assigned 70% of the $3 million compensatory damages, with YouTube responsible for the remaining 30%.
AI Yi-Yi!
TikTok has removed AI-generated videos depicting sexualized Black women following a BBC investigation. Separately, XDA reports that AI agents pose a security risk for home labs, with Tailscale releasing a fix for related vulnerabilities.
Evening Metaverse
Facebook, now Meta Platforms, is offering $3,000 to TikTok and YouTube creators to post reels on its platform. This initiative aims to attract more content creators and boost engagement on Facebook's short-form video offerings.
Morning Metaverse
Disney is overhauling Disney+ by adding new experiences, games, and features to the streaming platform. Separately, Tubi has partnered with TikTok to provide creators with a path to develop long-form premium content.
Meta's latest creator push comes with $3,000 bonuses for posting on Facebook
Meta has launched a new "Creator Fast Track" program offering bonuses up to $3,000 per month to lure popular creators from platforms like TikTok and YouTube to post on Facebook. The initiative aims to boost Meta's Content Monetization program, with bonuses lasting for three months and intended to offset the initial effort of joining a new platform.
Sunday Metaverse
The Trump administration was reportedly set to receive $10 billion for brokering a deal involving TikTok. Separately, a reboot of 'Buffy' starring Sarah Michelle Gellar has been canceled at Hulu.
Trump administration will reportedly get $10 billion for brokering the TikTok deal
The Trump administration is reportedly set to receive $10 billion in fees for brokering the deal that allowed TikTok to remain operational in the US. Investors including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX have already paid $2.5 billion, with further payments expected to reach the total sum. This follows previous significant financial dealings by the administration with companies like Intel and Boeing.
TikTok will let you stream full songs in its app if you're an Apple Music subscriber
TikTok is integrating with Apple Music, allowing subscribers to stream full songs directly within the TikTok app using the new Play Full Song feature. This integration, built with Apple's MusicKit APIs, ensures artists are compensated for streams. Additionally, a new Listening Party feature will enable live shared music listening experiences with artists.
TikTok can continue its operations in Canada after agreeing to enhanced security measures
TikTok will continue its operations in Canada after agreeing to enhanced data security and regulatory oversight measures. This decision reverses a previous ban citing national security risks posed by the company and its parent ByteDance. The agreement aims to protect Canadian jobs and invest in the country's cultural sector.
COPPA 2.0 passes the Senate again, unanimously this time
The US Senate has unanimously passed the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), which aims to enhance online protections for minors by preventing platforms from collecting their personal data without consent. This bipartisan bill, a modernized version of the 1998 act, seeks to address current online activities like targeted advertising. While it has passed the Senate multiple times, it has yet to clear the House of Representatives, facing opposition from industry groups like NetChoice.
US government reportedly debating whether to force Tencent to give up its US-based game holdings
The US government is reportedly considering forcing Tencent to divest its stakes in US and Finnish game companies due to national security concerns. Tencent holds significant shares in numerous major developers, raising fears of potential access to personal data of US citizens. This debate has been ongoing since 2020, with a recent meeting on the matter postponed.
TikTok won't add end-to-end encryption to DMs
TikTok has stated it will not implement end-to-end encryption for its direct messages, citing safety concerns. The company believes this feature would hinder its ability to protect users, particularly younger ones, by preventing safety teams and law enforcement from accessing messages when necessary. While standard encryption is in place, TikTok confirmed that authorized employees can access messages upon requests from authorities or reports of harmful behavior.
Report: US government may compel Tencent to divest gaming investments
The US government, under the Trump administration, is reportedly considering forcing Tencent to divest its gaming investments due to national security and data privacy concerns. Investigations initiated under the Biden administration have raised questions about Tencent's access to data from millions of American players through its stakes in companies like Epic Games and Riot Games.
Tiktok refuses to axe racist AI-generated ads for Finji games
Developer and publisher Finji is facing a situation where TikTok is refusing to remove racist and sexist AI-generated advertisements for its games, despite the company not producing them. CEO Bekah Saltsman reported that TikTok's customer support acknowledged the issue but ultimately refused to take action, leading Finji to cease advertising on the platform.
Night in the Woods publisher Finji accuses TikTok of creating "racist, sexist" and uneditable GenAI ads for its games
Indie publisher Finji has accused TikTok of creating unauthorized, racist, sexist, and sexualized AI-generated advertisements for its games, including the upcoming Usual June. Finji claims they are unable to view or edit these ads and that TikTok's support team has been unhelpful in resolving the issue, despite acknowledging the unauthorized use of AI and misrepresentation of their characters.
Night in the Woods, Tunic Publisher Finji Slams Unauthorized "Racist" TikTok Gen AI Ads
Finji, the publisher of games like Tunic and Night in the Woods, has accused TikTok of running unauthorized and allegedly racist and sexist generative AI advertisements for its titles. Despite Finji opting out of TikTok's ad remix program, the company claims these ads appeared, and their attempts to resolve the issue with TikTok's support have been met with dismissiveness and deflection.
