Business news

Consumer & Gadgets

Exploring the hidden costs of free apps

Procrastination, sleep deprivation and reduced focus are part of the price we pay for free mobile apps. This is according to researchers at Linköping University and RISE, who have investigated the costs hidden behind the ...

Business

Legal system fails to protect people from malicious copyright cases at the cost of sexual privacy, study warns

Changes need to be made to the UK legal system to protect people from exploitative litigation designed to prey on vulnerabilities, a new study warns.

Business

US weighs Google breakup in landmark trial

The US Department of Justice said on Tuesday it would demand that Google make profound changes to how it does business and even consider the possibility of a breakup, after the tech juggernaut was found to be running an illegal ...

Business

Canadian urban mobility is woefully lacking, but building a better future is still possible

Canadian cities are falling behind globally when it comes to efficiently moving people. Long commute times, high congestion rates and infrastructure that is vulnerable to climate change are symptoms of a mobility crisis.

Business

Samsung third-quarter forecast misses expectations

Samsung Electronics said Tuesday it expected third-quarter profits to jump almost three-fold, but fell short of market expectations as it struggled to leverage robust demand for chips used in artificial intelligence servers.

Business

US industrial policy may strengthen EV battery supply chain

Vehicle electrification is an important pathway to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The supply chain for electric vehicle battery materials relies heavily on China, a dependency that can leave the US vulnerable to ...

Business

EU states greenlight extra tariffs on EVs from China

EU countries gave a definitive green light on Friday to hefty additional tariffs on electric cars made in China, despite strong German opposition and fears it will trigger a trade war with Beijing.

Business

What next for OpenAI after $157 billion bonanza?

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has become an AI powerhouse after securing Silicon Valley's largest-ever funding round. The company now faces the challenge of delivering on its promise to become the next Apple or Google.

Business

Meta must limit data use for targeted ads: EU court

Social media platforms such as Meta's Facebook must limit the use of personal data including someone's sexual orientation for targeted advertising, the European Union's top court ruled Friday.

Business

Irish regulator to probe Ryanair use of facial recognition

Ireland's data watchdog said Friday it will probe whether budget airline Ryanair's use of facial recognition to check the identity of customers booking through third-party websites violates EU privacy laws.

Consumer & Gadgets

Social platforms failing to keep LGBTQ users safe, GLAAD says

A top LGBTQ advocacy organization, after seeing an escalation of hateful attacks on platforms such as TikTok and Twitter, came up with a score for the social media sites' safety for vulnerable users. All of the networks received ...

Business

Twitter shares up after hedge fund bets against Musk

Twitter shares jumped Wednesday after a hedge fund revealed it had taken a stake in the firm based on its "strong case" against Elon Musk for moving to back out of his $44 billion buyout bid.

Business

India raids second Chinese mobile company this month

Indian investigators have raided an Indian subsidiary of Chinese smartphone maker Oppo, accusing it of evading customs duties totaling 43.9 billion rupees ($551 million), the government said Wednesday.

Business

Russia fines Apple for violating data storage law

A Moscow court on Tuesday fined Apple 2 million rubles (about $34,000) for refusing to store the personal data of Russian users on servers in Russia, part of government efforts to control online activity.

Business

STMicro and GlobalFoundries plan 5.7 bn euro French factory

French-Italian chipmaker STMicroelectronics and US-based GlobalFoundries will plough 5.7 billion euros ($5.8 billion) into a new semiconductor factory in France, the firms and President Emmanuel Macron's office said Monday.

Business

Twitter stock sinks as Musk mocks lawsuit threat

Twitter shares plunged Monday as Elon Musk issued a mocking, defiant commentary about a looming court battle after he ditched a $44 billion buyout of the social media giant.

Business

Alibaba and Tencent stocks plunge after latest fines

Shares of Chinese technology firms Alibaba and Tencent fell sharply on Monday, a day after Chinese regulators fined their subsidiaries for not disclosing transactions and failing to comply with anti-monopoly rules.

Business

Elon Musk says he's terminating Twitter deal, board to fight

Elon Musk announced he will walk away from his tumultuous $44 billion offer to buy Twitter, leaving the deal on the verge of collapse. The Tesla CEO sent a letter to Twitter's board Friday saying he is terminating the acquisition.