[ad_1] Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed concerns that just a handful of companies control the internet and technology at large. Earlier this summer, a House antitrust subcommittee grilled executives from Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google. In May, we learned that the Justice Department was considering an antitrust investigation into Google, and as far back […]
Category: investigation
The FTC is reportedly investigating Juul’s teen marketing tactics
[ad_1] Critics have said the company’s marketing campaigns make the brand attractive to teens. According to federal data, vaping among teens jumped 78 percent from 2017 to 2018. But the company says it has never marketed to youth and that its target market is existing adult smokers. The company previously came under fire for ads […]
Facebookâs Libra Association is being investigated by EU antitrust regulators
[ad_1] The investigation, still in its early stages, is examining the governance structure and membership of the Libra Association. The purpose-built, independent nonprofit is meant to govern the digital currency. Founding members include the likes of MasterCard, PayPal, Visa, eBay, Spotify, Uber and Lyft. According to Bloomberg, regulators fear that the way information will be […]
Facebook may have scrapped talks to buy Houseparty over antitrust concerns
[ad_1] It was reportedly in discussions last year to buy Houseparty, a group video chat app from the team behind Meerkat. However, it ended the talks after a few weeks, according to the New York Times. Sources told the paper Facebook ultimately decided buying another sizeable player in the social networking space posed too much […]
Las Vegas autonomous shuttle crash happened due to lack of manual control
[ad_1] Apparently, the truck driver thought the shuttle would stop at a “reasonable” distance from the truck. Although the shuttle did start slowing down when it was 98.4 feet away, it’s not programmed to stop until it’s only 9.8 feet away from obstacles. The attendant hit the emergency stop button when the vehicle was 10.2 […]
FTC reportedly investigating YouTube over children’s privacy
[ad_1] While it’s not certain just what would happen, a truly late-stage investigation suggests that a fine, a settlement or both could be right around the corner. YouTube has declined to comment on the FTC investigation claims, but repeated an earlier statement that many of its product ideas “remain just that — ideas.” The FTC […]
Microbiome testing startup faces FBI investigation over billing
[ad_1] The specifics of those practices aren’t clear, although insurance companies like Aetna, Anthem and Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield are also said to be looking into uBiome’s billing habits. An unnamed member of the insurance industry told the WSJ that uBiome had billed some patients who had private Medicare plans, while one customer complained […]
Ford under criminal investigation for miscalculating vehicle emissions
[ad_1] In February, Ford launched its own investigation into emissions testing practices at the prompting of employees who noticed inconsistencies in results. The whistleblowers believe that Ford may have been miscalculating “road load,” or factors that affect a car while it is traveling. That includes aerodynamic drag and tire resistance. A lab test that doesn’t […]
EU believes BMW, Daimler and VW colluded over clean emissions tech
[ad_1] In particular, the Commission believes BMW, Daimler and VW coordinated their AdBlue dosing strategies and delayed the use of Otto Particle Filters. AdBlue is a urea product that’s meant to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel passenger cars. The Commission believes the three manufacturers limited AdBlue-consumption between 2006 and 2014, essentially leading to […]
US conducts criminal investigation into Facebook’s data deals
[ad_1] Facebook acknowledged the investigation to the Times, stating that it was “cooperating with investigators” and was taking probes “seriously.” The deals typically revolved around making it easier to fill out contacts, share content and otherwise integrate Facebook with devices and websites. There’s a concern that these deals weren’t always transparent to everyday users, though. […]