Business

363 articles · page 6 of 8

Business

US states secure $25 billion settlement from Meta over child safety claims

A coalition of U.S. states has secured a $25 billion settlement from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, resolving allegations that the company misled users about the safety of its platforms for children and teenagers. The agreement, announced on Wednesday, marks one of the largest multi-state settlements in history and underscores growing regulatory pressure on social media giants worldwide.

27 Aug 2026
Business

Meta settlement insufficient to protect teens, key trial witness says

Arturo Béjar, a former Facebook employee and whistleblower who served as the star witness in the US government's landmark trial against Meta, said Wednesday that the company's multibillion-dollar settlement does not go far enough to stop harm to young users. His comments came after Meta agreed to major changes to Facebook and Instagram as part of the settlement, which he called insufficient to make the platforms safe for teenagers.

27 Aug 2026
Business

Nvidia denies pausing AI cloud partnerships as record earnings and next-gen chip ramp dominate headlines

Nvidia on Friday denied a Wall Street Journal report that it had paused some transactions under its new AI Compute Partnership initiative, even as the company announced record quarterly revenue of $96.2 billion and projected $108 billion for the next quarter. The disagreement over partner restrictions comes as Nvidia prepares to ship its fastest-ramping data center product in history and launches its controversial DLSS 5 neural rendering technology.

27 Aug 2026· 8 sources
Business

Meta Agrees to Sweeping Child Safety Changes on Instagram and Facebook in Settlement with 51 US States

Meta has agreed to implement far-reaching child safety measures across Instagram and Facebook as part of a settlement with attorneys general from 51 US states and territories, resolving a lawsuit that accused the company of designing platforms that are addictive and harmful to minors. The agreement, announced Tuesday, mandates default privacy settings for teens, limits on late-night use, and enhanced parental controls, marking one of the most significant regulatory actions against a social media giant over youth safety.

27 Aug 2026
Business

Meta Offers $18 Billion Settlement in Teen Harm Case, Conditions Payout on Rival Platforms' Compliance

Meta has proposed an $18 billion settlement with 52 U.S. attorneys general to resolve a 2023 lawsuit alleging the company illegally collected data from minors and designed its platforms to drive excessive use while concealing the risks. The settlement, announced Wednesday, includes sweeping changes to Facebook and Instagram accounts for users under 18 — but Meta has tied 30 percent of the payout to YouTube and TikTok agreeing to implement equivalent measures within a yet-unspecified timeframe.

27 Aug 2026
Startups

Flipboard Acquires Graze, Bringing Monetization Tools to the Open Social Web

Flipboard has acquired Graze, a startup known for building customizable feeds on the Bluesky social network, in a move that brings privacy-friendly ad technology and creator monetization tools into Flipboard's open social web strategy. The acquisition, announced on August 26, 2026, underscores Flipboard's push to become a central hub for the federated social web, integrating Graze's technology to help creators and publishers earn revenue across decentralized platforms.

27 Aug 2026· 2 sources
Business

Meta Settles Landmark Teen Addiction Lawsuit for Up to $18 Billion, Agrees to Default Safety Limits

Meta has agreed to sweeping changes to Instagram and Facebook in a settlement that ends a landmark lawsuit brought by California and 28 other US states, which alleged the company deliberately designed addictive products harming young people. The agreement, announced Tuesday, requires Meta to pay up to $18 billion and to make safety features — including a two-hour daily usage limit and night-time blocks — the default for teenage accounts nationwide. The company denies any wrongdoing.

27 Aug 2026· 2 sources
Business

Meta Settles Major Kids Online Safety Lawsuit with 47 States, Agrees to Tough Age Verification and Default Privacy Settings

Meta has agreed to a sweeping settlement with a coalition of 47 states and several territories, resolving a high-stakes lawsuit over the harmful effects of its platforms on young users. The agreement, announced Tuesday, requires the company to implement a court-supervised age assurance system with strict accuracy thresholds, provide teens with default privacy settings, and offer the option to disable personalized feeds, marking one of the most comprehensive regulatory interventions into social media design for minors.

27 Aug 2026
Business

Meta Agrees to Up to $24 Billion Settlement in Landmark Teen Social Media Addiction Lawsuit

Meta has reached a proposed settlement with a bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general, resolving allegations that it deliberately designed Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for children and teenagers. The settlement, which could total up to $24 billion depending on the source, includes both a substantial financial payout and a commitment to platform-wide child safety changes, according to court filings and state officials.

27 Aug 2026· 9 sources
Business

Discount wars and Ooshies signal Woolworths resurgence, business columnist argues

Woolworths is staging a comeback by leaning into perpetual discounting and nostalgia-driven collectibles like Ooshies, according to business columnist Elizabeth Knight. Writing in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Knight argues that after years of being "beaten up by politicians and targeted by the consumer regulator," the supermarket giant's renewed focus on price competition is a good first step toward winning back shoppers.

26 Aug 2026· 3 sources
Business

Instagram chief testifies teen safety feature usage low as Meta faces trial over youth mental health harms

Instagram’s head testified Monday that very few teens used the platform’s built-in safety tool, as Meta stands trial over allegations that it deliberately hooked young users despite clear mental health risks. The trial, brought by a coalition of state attorneys general, focuses on whether Meta’s product design and data practices violate consumer protection laws.

26 Aug 2026· 2 sources
Business

US National Debt Tops $40 Trillion as Treasury Secretary Dismisses Concerns

The US national debt has surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, with the federal deficit nearing 6% of GDP, prompting debate over the Trump administration's fiscal strategy. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has dismissed fears as overblown, arguing that strong economic growth will address the debt, but his recent moves to alter the maturity structure of government debt have sparked accusations of panic from critics, including his former mentor, billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller.

26 Aug 2026
Business

Woolworths posts $1.14bn profit amid cost-of-living crisis, CEO denies price gouging

Woolworths has reported a $175 million surge in net profit to $1.14 billion for the 2026 financial year, lifting its market value briefly above $50 billion. CEO Brad Banducci attributed the result to increased customer traffic and the popular Ooshies toy promotion, not to higher shelf prices. The announcement comes as Australian households continue to grapple with a severe cost-of-living crisis, reigniting debate over whether supermarket giants are profiteering during a period of economic hardship.

26 Aug 2026
Business

Nine signals focus shift away from traditional TV after ‘transformative year’

Nine Entertainment Co has signalled a strategic pivot away from its legacy free-to-air television business, citing a 'transformative year' that has pushed premium subscription services and outdoor advertising to the forefront of its future growth plans. The shift reflects a broader trend in the media industry as audiences migrate to digital and on-demand platforms, and advertisers follow.

26 Aug 2026· 3 sources
Business

Pennsylvania AG Sues Snapchat, Accusing Company of Misleading Parents on Child Safety

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday (R) announced a lawsuit Tuesday against Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, accusing the platform of failing to protect children from harmful content and knowingly lying about the frequency of adult-themed material to preserve its 13+ age rating. The complaint, filed in state court, adds to a growing wave of legal actions targeting social media companies over youth safety.

26 Aug 2026