News

Reports: Amazon under scrutiny by California, Washington

NEW YORK (AP) — State officials in California and Washington are reviewing Amazon’s business practices to determine whether the company is violating any laws with respect to the independent merchants that sell goods on its site, according to published reports. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that California is examining the retail giant’s business practices, […]

UK regulators investigate Facebook's purchase of Giphy

LONDON (AP) — British regulators have opened an investigation into Facebook’s recent purchase of Giphy over concerns that it will stifle competition. The Competition and Markets Authority said Friday it’s examining the deal over concern it will result in “substantial lessening of competition in any market or markets in the United Kingdom.” The social network […]

Japan court backs Karpeles conviction for data manipulation

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese high court on Thursday upheld a lower court’s decision that the French head of Mt. Gox, a Tokyo-based bitcoin exchange that went bankrupt after a massive hacking attack, was guilty of manipulating electronic data but not embezzlement. The Tokyo District Court last year sentenced […]

Amazon bans police use of its face recognition for a year

By JOSEPH PISANI and MATT O’BRIEN Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon banned police use of its face recognition technology for a year, making it the latest tech giant to step back from law-enforcement use of systems that have faced criticism for incorrectly identifying people with darker skin. The Seattle-based company did not say […]

Just Eat swallows Grubhub creating restaurant delivery giant

By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer Two pioneers in restaurant delivery — Just Eat Takeaway.com and Grubhub — are combining in a $7.3 billion deal that will create one of the world’s largest delivery companies. Amsterdam-based Just Eat Takeaway.com said late Wednesday that it was acquiring Chicago-based Grubhub, snatching it away from ride-hailing giant Uber, […]

IBM quits facial recognition, joins call for police reforms

By MATT O’BRIEN AP Technology Writer IBM is getting out of the facial recognition business, saying it’s concerned about how the technology can be used for mass surveillance and racial profiling. Ongoing protests responding to the death of George Floyd have sparked a broader reckoning over racial injustice and a closer look at the use […]

Feds seek $225M fine for pair who made a billion robocalls

By TALI ARBEL AP Technology Writer The U.S. communications regulator on Tuesday proposed a $225 million fine, its largest ever, against two health insurance telemarketers for spamming people with 1 billion robocalls using fake phone numbers. The Federal Communications Commission said John Spiller and Jakob Mears made the calls through two businesses. State attorneys general […]

China's companies emerge as global donors in virus pandemic

By JOE McDONALD AP Business Writer BEIJING (AP) — As the coronavirus spread, the world’s richest communist dug into his deep pockets. Jack Ma, founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group and a member of the ruling Communist Party, helped to pay for 1,000 ventilators delivered to New York in April. Ma’s foundation also is giving […]

Personal mobility machine needs no help at Tokyo airport

By YURI KAGEYAMA AP Business Writer TOKYO (AP) — An autonomous mobility system that works like a wheelchair without anyone pushing it is scuttling around a Tokyo airport to help with social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic. The personal mobility machine seats one person and runs on its own without crashing, even when people jump […]

Zuckerberg-funded scientists: Rein in hate on Facebook

By FRANK BAJAK Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Dozens of scientists doing research funded by Mark Zuckerberg say Facebook should not be letting President Donald Trump use the social media platform to “spread both misinformation and incendiary statements.” The researchers, including 60 professors at leading U.S. research institutions, wrote the Facebook CEO on Saturday asking […]