Meta’s agreement to pay up to $17.1 billion and impose sweeping new protections for young users marks a significant turning point in the legal battle over children’s safety on social media. The settlement, announced after a federal trial had already begun, does more than put a financial value on years of allegations against Facebook and…
India’s latest action against fraudulent websites hosted on Google’s Firebase platform reflects a significant change in the country’s fight against digital financial crime. Instead of pursuing only the websites, phone numbers and bank accounts used by individual scammers, authorities are increasingly targeting the digital infrastructure that allows fraudulent operations to function. The Indian Cyber Crime…
Standard Chartered is expanding its use of hedge fund strategies for wealthy clients as financial markets become more difficult to navigate, reflecting a broader shift among global wealth managers toward alternative investments. The bank’s move is significant not because hedge funds are new to private wealth, but because banks are increasingly presenting them as an…
Meta is facing a legal challenge that could affect far more than the future of Facebook and Instagram. A major trial underway in California is testing whether social media companies can be held responsible for deliberately designing platforms to encourage prolonged use among children and teenagers. The case is important because the allegations focus not…
India’s food safety regulator has widened its scrutiny of the country’s spirits industry by inspecting a Pernod Ricard manufacturing facility in Bengaluru and collecting samples of popular whisky brands. The two day inspection, according to sources familiar with the matter, involved testing liquor samples, reviewing documentation and examining production and packaging practices. No adverse finding…
Alibaba is turning to the stock market to finance an artificial intelligence expansion that is already reshaping the company’s finances. The Chinese technology group has launched an HK$80 billion share placement, worth about US$10.2 billion, with all net proceeds earmarked for its artificial intelligence capabilities. The move is significant not simply because of its size,…
A Chinese humanoid robot running 100 metres faster than the fastest human in history is an extraordinary demonstration of engineering progress, but the significance of the achievement lies less in beating a sporting record than in what it reveals about the direction of China’s robotics industry. Tiangong Ultra completed the distance in 9.39 seconds at…
The investment habits of wealthy households are increasingly diverging from those of ordinary investors, not necessarily because they possess access to secret investments, but because they approach wealth as a system rather than a portfolio. Recent wealth research and financial-industry analysis suggest that affluent investors are putting greater emphasis on diversification across private markets, real…
India is preparing for a broader overhaul of health insurance as rapidly rising medical costs put pressure on households, insurers and hospitals. The proposed reforms are expected to focus on standard treatment prices, clearer coverage rules and faster claims processing, according to people familiar with the discussions. The central objective is not simply to expand…
Myspace is preparing another attempt at a comeback at a moment when the biggest problem facing social media may no longer be attracting users, but keeping them from spending too much time online. The platform that once helped define the early social internet is being positioned for a return just as concerns over endless scrolling,…
