Elon Musk misled investors during his Twitter takeover, jury finds

A group of former Twitter investors have prevailed at a federal civil trial over Elon Musk’s actions amid his $44 billion acquisition of the social platform in 2022. A jury in San Francisco found Friday that tweets made by Musk about fake accounts on the platform had defrauded investors in the company. The jury sided with Musk on other allegations in the case. 

It’s not yet clear how much Musk will owe in damages as a result of the case but, as the Associated Press reports, it could amount to billions of dollars. Jurors calculated that shareholders should get “between about $3 and $8 per stock per day.” 

The class action lawsuit, one of several brought against Musk in the months following his takeover of the company, cited Musk’s tweets about fake accounts on the platform. Facing a sinking Tesla share price in the days after announcing he would buy Twitter for $54.20 a share, the suit said Musk made tweets and statements that were intentionally meant to drive down Twitter’s share price in an attempt to renegotiate or exit the deal. 

The suit called out Musk’s May 13, 2022, tweet that claimed the Twitter deal was “temporarily on hold” due to the number of fake accounts and bots on the platform, as well as one a few days later that suggested fake accounts might account for more than 20 percent of users. Twitter’s stock dropped significantly following the May 13 tweet.

During the trial, Musk said the tweets were him “speaking his mind” and maintained that Twitter executives had “lied” about the number of bots on the platform, according to KQED. Former Twitter shareholders, on the other hand, said “they sold shares at deflated prices amid Musk’s public waffling.” 

Musk faced several lawsuits during and after his $44 billion takeover of the company. That includes other shareholder lawsuits related to his delay in disclosing his stake in the company, as well as one from former executives related to unpaid severance benefits (Musk later settled those claims). He also narrowly avoided a trial over his attempts to back out of the deal. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/elon-musk-misled-investors-during-his-twitter-takeover-jury-finds-232033028.html?src=rss 

Pinterest CEO says teens under 16 should be banned from social media (but not Pinterest)

Pinterest’s CEO has thrown his support behind an Australia measure banning social media for younger teens and is calling for governments around the world to implement similar bans. “Social media, as it’s configured today, is not safe for young people under 16,” Ready writes in a piece published by Time. “We need a clear standard: no social media for teens under 16, backed by real enforcement, and accountability for mobile phone operating systems and the apps that run on them.”

Ready is one of the highest-profile tech CEOs to come out in favor of a broad ban on social media for teens. That may also seem like a bold stance for someone who runs a platform with a user base that’s more than 50 percent Gen Z, but Ready doesn’t think that ban should apply to Pinterest. Pinterest, as he notes, already bars teens under 16 from accessing messaging features and other social features. It also makes teen accounts private by default

A spokesperson for Pinterest confirmed the company has no plans to change its own policies regarding users under 16, and said Pinterest considers itself a “visual search platform” not social media. Pinterest, like most social media and social media-adjacent companies, doesn’t allow users under 13 to sign up. 

Social media or not, Pinterest has encountered child safety-related issues in the past. In 2023, NBC News reported that Pinterest’s recommendation algorithm was surfacing photos and videos of young girls to adults who were “seeking” such content. Some of those users had created Pinterest boards featuring images of young girls with titles like “sexy little girls,” their investigation found. The company made profiles for teens under 16 private and “not discoverable” six months later. 

According to Ready, Pinterest’s popularity with younger users is proof its policies are also good for the company’s business. “Our experience shows that prioritizing safety and well-being doesn’t push young people away; it builds trust,” he writes.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/pinterest-ceo-says-teens-under-16-should-be-banned-from-social-media-but-not-pinterest-211630443.html?src=rss 

Microsoft will yank Copilot from some Windows apps and let you move the taskbar again

After one too many of you threatened to switch to Linux, Microsoft has published a long list of changes it plans to make to Windows 11. In a lengthy blog titled “Our commitment to Windows quality,” Pavan Davuluri, the executive vice president of Windows and Devices, said the company has spent a “great deal” of time in recent months reading feedback from users. “What came through was the voice of people who care deeply about Windows and want it to be better,” he said. To that end, Windows Insiders can expect to see some of the changes Microsoft plans in response to all criticism begin rolling out starting this month.  

Most notably, Microsoft ease up on the AI pedal. “You will see us be more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows, focusing on experiences that are genuinely useful and well-crafted,” writes Davuluri. As a first step, Microsoft says it will remove “unnecessary Copilot entry points,” starting with apps like the Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad. 

Elsewhere, users can look forward to additional taskbar customization, allowing them to position the interface element at the top or sides of the screen; less disruptive updates, with the option to shut down or restart your device without being forced to install a new patch; and a faster, less janky File Explorer. “Our first round of improvements will focus on a quicker launch experience, reduced flicker, smoother navigation and more reliable performance for everyday file tasks,” said Davuluri.  

Microsoft’s promise to fix Windows 11 is long overdue. In January, the company released a couple of emergency updates after what should have been a routine security patch caused bugs that left some PCs unable to shut down and broke Outlook. The general state of the operating system has led many to explore Linux alternatives like Bazzite. With Apple also recently releasing the $600 MacBook Neo, a laptop that few PC manufacturers can match right now, Microsoft’s dominance in the PC market is looking vulnerable for the first time in more than a decade.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/microsoft-will-yank-copilot-from-some-windows-apps-and-let-you-move-the-taskbar-again-202857203.html?src=rss 

Three people have been charged with illegally exporting NVIDIA GPUs to China

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has charged three people with illegally exporting NVIDIA GPUs to China in violation of the Export Control Reform Act. NVIDIA’s chips have become a critical component in the rush to train and run increasingly complex artificial intelligence models, one the US has sought to manipulate with export controls and profit-sharing schemes with NVIDIA.

The three people, Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang and Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun, two employees and one contractor working for US IT company Super Micro Computer, allegedly circumvented export control laws via a multi-step scheme that involved creating fake orders for servers with NVIDIA chips from Southeast Asian companies, that were then secretly sent to China. The plan involved paying a logistics company to repackage the servers in Taiwan, staging dummy servers to be inspected by Super Micro Computer’s compliance team and falsifying records so Liaw, Chang and Sun’s employer was unaware where the servers were actually being sent.

The DOJ claims Liaw, Chang and Sun facilitated the illegal purchase of $2.5 billion worth of servers between 2024 and 2025 in direct violation of US export laws. Super Micro Computer is not named as a defendant in the US Attorney’s indictment, but the company’s stock price has been impacted by the scheme, CNBC writes. In a statement released on Thursday, Super Micro Computer announced that it’s distancing itself from Liaw, Chang and Sun. “The individuals charged are Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, Senior Vice President of Business Development and a member of the Company’s Board of Directors; Ruei-Tsang “Steven” Chang, a sales manager in Taiwan; and Ting-Wei “Willy” Sun, a contractor,” the company writes. “Supermicro has placed the two employees on administrative leave and terminated its relationship with the contractor, effective immediately.”

This isn’t the first time people have attempted to illegally smuggle NVIDIA’s products out of the US, and it likely won’t be the last time. Reportedly $1 billion worth of NVIDIA’s AI chips were illegally sold in the three months after the Trump administration tightened export controls, and back in December 2025, Texas authorities seized more than $50 million worth of NVIDIA GPUs bound for China. As long as there’s demand for AI, there’ll be demand for the hardware that makes it possible.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/three-people-have-been-charged-with-illegally-exporting-nvidia-gpus-to-china-184928430.html?src=rss 

The White House proposes new AI policy framework that supersedes state laws

The White House has announced a new AI policy framework that calls for Congress to craft federal regulation that overrules state AI laws. The Trump administration has made multiple attempts to overrule more restrictive state-level AI regulation, but has failed so far, most notably in the passing of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

The framework focuses on a variety of topics, covering everything from child privacy to the use of AI in the workforce. “Importantly, this framework can succeed only if it is applied uniformly across the United States,” The White House writes. “A patchwork of conflicting state laws would undermine American innovation and our ability to lead in the global AI race.”

In terms of child privacy protections, the framework calls for Congress to require tools like “screen time, content exposure and account controls” while also affirming that “existing child privacy protections apply to AI systems,” including limits on how data is collected and used for AI training. The framework also calls for a carveout that allows states to enforce “their own generally applicable laws protecting children, such as prohibitions on child sexual abuse material, even where such material is generated by AI.”

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-white-house-proposes-new-ai-policy-framework-that-supersedes-state-laws-192251995.html?src=rss 

Here’s how not to leak military information with your Strava run

A French officer recently leaked the location of an aircraft carrier because of a run on the sports app Strava. This is not the first time this has happened, as the app tracks location data.

It was used to access the location of US military bases back in 2018 and members of the Secret Service accidentally shared their whereabouts while protecting then-US President Joe Biden. The same has happened to President Trump and other world leaders.

🚨🇫🇷 NEW: The location of the French aircraft carrier, FS Charles de Gaulle, has been given away by a sailor using Strava whilst jogging on the ship deck

[@lemondefr] pic.twitter.com/FuoKMAs06w

— Politics Global (@PolitlcsGlobal) March 19, 2026

In other words, the use of Strava to track runs is becoming a global security risk, but it doesn’t have to be. If you happen to find yourself in an undisclosed location as part of a military entourage, here are a couple of ways to keep things private.

Change the settings

Don’t want to give up those Strava runs? Just change the settings. On the web, click on “Do Not Share My Personal Information” on the feed page and then look for “Opt Out.”

This is also fairly easy for smartphone users. Just head to “Privacy Controls” for the app and follow the prompts on both iOS and Android. Both versions include an option to disable the sharing of personal information, including location data.

Use another running app

Most sports apps track location data, but they don’t all share Strava’s spotty history. There are plenty of apps out there to choose from, and some are quite good. No matter which one you download, be sure to take steps to change the privacy settings.

Run the old-fashioned way

Believe it or not, people still jogged before smartphones. Just lace up a pair of shoes and get out there. For extra protection, leave your phone and smartwatch at home.

Get a treadmill

Are you stuck on an aircraft carrier somewhere in the middle of the ocean? It could be tough to get your steps in, so consider bothering the top brass for a treadmill.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/heres-how-not-to-leak-military-information-with-your-strava-run-183635879.html?src=rss 

Netflix’s Assassin’s Creed is officially set in ancient Rome

Netflix’s live-action Assassin’s Creed show has entered production and will officially be set in Rome in the year 64AD, confirming previous reports.

The upcoming adaptation, then, will return to the setting of 2010’s Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, although the latter’s story took place more than 1,000 years after the events we’ll see in Netflix’s show. Ubisoft confirmed in a press release that the Netflix series will tell an original story centered on a war between the Templar Order and the Assassin Brotherhood, who each have very different ideas on how the future of mankind should look.

The full ensemble cast has also now been announced. Sandra Guldberg-Kampp (Foundation), Youssef Kerkour (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), Mirren Mack (28 Years Later: The Bone Temple), and Louis McCartney (Broadway production Stranger Things: The First Shadow) have all been cast as recurring characters. Netflix previously announced Lola Pettigrew (Trespasses) and Toby Wallace (Babyteeth) as possible leads, along with a number of other series regulars.

Roberto Patino (Westworld, Sons of Anarchy) and David Wiener (Halo, The Killing) are serving as creators, showrunners and executive producers on the show, which is primarily filming at Rome’s iconic Cinecittà Studios. No release date has been announced.

Assassin’s Creed won’t represent the first time that Netflix has adapted a Ubisoft property. 2023’s Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix was based on a Far Cry 3 expansion, and last year Sam Fisher made his TV debut in the broadly well received Splinter Cell: Deathwatch.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflixs-assassins-creed-is-officially-set-in-ancient-rome-171533234.html?src=rss 

Nintendo is reportedly making a Switch 2 with a user-replaceable battery for the EU

Nintendo is reportedly preparing a new version of the Switch 2 with a user-replaceable battery, according to Nikkei. This is to comply with a 2023 EU “right-to-repair” policy on portable electronics that mandates easy battery replacement.

The regulation also covers the Joy-Con 2 controllers, so they are reportedly being redesigned to allow users to replace each lithium-ion battery. We don’t know when this new Switch 2 will hit store shelves, but the policy gives companies until 2027 to make the required changes.

This is great news for Europe, but the rest of the world isn’t quite so lucky. There are no reported plans by Nintendo to bring this console refresh to other regions, but IGN notes that this could change if countries adopt similar policies to the EU. Tossing a perfectly good handheld console in the trash because the battery craps out isn’t exactly fun, so here’s hoping they do.

This EU legislation has forced other companies to make changes to their products. Apple has modified the design of newer iPhones to make it easier for consumers to swap out the battery. It’s long been rumored that Sony will update its DualSense PS5 controllers for the same reason.

The EU regulates that by 2027, all smartphones must be equipped with replaceable batteries. The new iPhone’s adoption of a stainless steel battery case not only reduces the difficulty of removing the battery to meet EU regulations but also allows Apple to increase the battery… https://t.co/jLhEbw04po

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) June 30, 2024

It has also been suggested that the original Switch may stop being sold in the EU by the end of 2027. It’s either that or redesign the now-ancient device. Nintendo hasn’t issued an official response to any of this just yet. Engadget has reached out to the company and will update this post when we hear back.

This has been a big week for the company’s flagship console. It just received a software update that lets many older games run in 1080p while in handheld mode. There’s also a little game called Pokémon Pokopia currently taking over the world.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-reportedly-making-a-switch-2-with-a-user-replaceable-battery-for-the-eu-172318540.html?src=rss 

Project Hail Mary could teach humanity a thing or two

It’s hard not to find the premise of Andy Weir’s Project Hail Mary instantly compelling: Something is slowly killing the sun and threatening life on Earth. That same mysterious force, dubbed the Astrophage, also destroyed every nearby star — except one. Our only hope is to visit that solar system and figure out what helped it survive. And there’s just one middle school science teacher who can do it. 

At its core is Weir’s love of technical problem solving, along with a tremendous performance by Ryan Gosling in full nerd hero mode as the aforementioned science teacher (and former molecular biologist). It’s the sort of sweeping sci-fi epic that will make a whole generation of kids ready to science the shit out of humanity’s future problems. And maybe it’ll remind clueless adults that we gain much more by working together to solve global issues, instead of being purely self-interested.

The film starts with Gosling’s character, Ryland Grace, waking up from an induced coma with no memory. He’s shocked to find that he’s light years away from Earth, and that the other two members of his crew are already dead. As he gets his bearings, he recalls that he was sent on a last-ditch mission, Project Hail Mary, to save the sun and everyone on Earth. No pressure! These early moments make it clear that screenwriter Drew Goddard (who also adapted The Martian), as well as directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, can deftly juggle comedy alongside the inherent drama in the story.  

There’s something genuinely moving about the mission. With about 30 years before the planet is faced with a global cooling event likely ending in mass starvation, Earth’s major political powers put aside their differences and deliver their finest scientific minds to come up with a solution. You can really take your pick with real-world parallels, like the impending climate crisis, or the increasing threat of nuclear war. Simply seeing the world work together feels meaningful in these bleak times. And unlike other space disaster films like Armageddon and Interstellar, cooperation, rather than NASA alone, is the only way forward.

Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary.

Jonathan Olley for Amazon

Sure, humanity’s hope for survival ultimately falls on the shoulders of one of the most attractive white men on (or in this case, off) the planet, but you know, movies. It’s also not a spoiler to say that Grace isn’t entirely alone on his journey. As already revealed by the film’s trailers and a ton of social media clips, he’s also joined by a crab-like being made of rock, which he simply calls Rocky. They eventually learn to communicate, and it’s revealed that Rocky is also on a mission to save their own home planet. 

While we get brief glimpses of life on Earth, and the planning of Project Hail Mary, for the vast majority of the film we’re just left with Grace figuring things together with a rock alien. And yet, the film never drags. It’s a testament to Gosling’s inherent charm, but he also demonstrates an incredible ability to shift from joy and goofiness, to sheer terror, to leading-man heroics on a dime. It’s also hard to take your eyes off of Rocky, who is rendered with a loving mixture of practical puppetry and CG. We’ve never seen a creature like them before – one that, despite having no eyes or mouth, manages to connect with viewers mostly through their very expressive arms.

Ryan Gosling in Project Hail Mary.

Jonathan Olley for Amazon

Project Hail Mary is ultimately a work of pulp sci-fi as told by an author who loves deeply nerdy technical solutions, as well as a writer and directors who know precisely what makes a great blockbuster tick. But the notion that humanity can collectively come together to do the impossible always tugs at my heartstrings a bit. And yes, there’s the power of friendship, too. In this moment, when things seem particularly bleak, these ideas seem especially meaningful.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/project-hail-mary-could-teach-humanity-a-thing-or-two-154327806.html?src=rss 

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