ToplineThe Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Friday morning over whether TikTok should be banned in the U.S. if it doesnt separate from parent company ByteDance, a major case that will have far-reaching implications for the First Amendment and TikToks millions of usersthough its still unclear how the court will rule.Participants hold signs in support of TikTok outside the U.S. Capitol Building on March 13, 2024 in ... [+] Washington, DC.Getty ImagesKey FactsJustices will hear arguments in two consolidated cases taking aim at the federal law, which requires Chinese-owned ByteDance to divest from TikTok, or else TikTok will be banned from U.S. app stores and from being hosted by American internet service providers.One case is brought by TikTok and ByteDance themselves, while another case is brought by content creators on the app.TikTok and creators on the app argue the law violates their First Amendment rights by taking away access to the platform and its users speech, while the federal government argues the law is necessary to protect national security given ByteDances Chinese ownership.A lower appeals court previously sided with the federal government, ruling the ban on TikTok is justified and doesnt violate the apps and its users First Amendment rights, given that all speech on TikTok is still permitted if the company just separates itself from ByteDance.The law is set to take effect Jan. 19 unless the Supreme Court steps in and either overturns the law or pauses it from taking effect.Its unclear when the court could issue its ruling, but the court quickly scheduling the case for oral arguments and declining to pause the law in the meantime suggests its likely prepared to rule swiftly, possibly within days of hearing oral arguments.What Are The Arguments For Banning Tiktok?The federal government emphasized in its brief to the Supreme Court the grave national security threats it believes keeping TikTok in ByteDances hands could pose, arguing the Chinese government could use the data TikTok collects on U.S. users for espionage or blackmail. The Chinese government could also covertly manipulate the platform to advance its geopolitical interests and harm the United States, the federal government posits, pointing to past efforts by China to harm the U.S. The governments specific evidence for banning TikTok has never been released publicly and remains classified, but the government said in its filing that sealed evidence lends further support to its conclusion that TikTokif still linked to ByteDanceshould be banned. The Biden administration denies that the law infringes on TikTok or its users First Amendment rights, arguing the TikTok ban does not target or regulate speech; instead, it restricts the provision of services to a platform that Congress determined was controlled by a foreign adversary. The interest in preventing a foreign adversary from harvesting Americans sensitive data does not involve speech at all, the government argued. And the interest in preventing covert content manipulation by a foreign adversary seeks to prevent all such manipulation regardless of the content or viewpoint being advanced.What Are The Arguments Against Banning Tiktok?TikTok and ByteDance claimed in a filing that the ban taking effect will silence the speech of the company and its more than 170 million American users, arguing that even if there is a valid national security threatwhich it doesnt concede there isthe government shouldnt ban the app except as a last resort after it considers less-restrictive alternatives. TikTok argued the government also manifestly failed to consider other options before it approved the ban. The specter of threats from China cannot obscure the threat that the Act itself, and the decision below upholding it, pose to all Americans, TikTok argues, claiming the company is a U.S. company exercising editorial discretion over a U.S. speech platform and is fully protected under the First Amendment. Creators suing the government over the ban similarly argue the federal law is a direct and severe restraint on speech, claiming the lower courts ruling upholding the ban is utterly antithetical to the First Amendment and flies in the face of our countrys historical practices and decades of precedent concerning the regulation of speech that supposedly threatens national security. TikTok and ByteDance have also rejected the idea that ByteDancewhich controls TikToks algorithmcan just divest from TikTok, telling the Supreme Court that the two entities separating would imperil the algorithms future functionality and fundamentally alter the content TikTok offers, putting U.S. users on an uncompetitive American island where they could not access other countries TikTok content or have their content seen by other countries users.How Will The Supreme Court Rule?Its still unclear how the Supreme Court will rule and whether it will uphold the TikTok ban, though justices could give some sense of how theyre leaning when the court hears oral arguments Friday. Some legal experts suggested before the lower courts ruling upholding the ban that they thought the federal law is a violation of the First Amendment, telling NPR the government seemingly shouldnt be able to shut down speech on the app without a concrete and specific national security threat. A panel of judges on the federal appeals courtappointed by Presidents Barack Obama, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trumpultimately took the opposite view, however, ruling they trusted the governments conclusion that banning the app is necessary and that the law is actually a less restrictive way of handling the concerns about TikTok since it still allows the app to operate without ByteDance. Vox notes the bipartisan nature of the appeals courts ruling makes it unlikely the Supreme Court will vote to overturn it, though ultimately it still remains to be seen how the case will go.What About Trump?President-elect Donald Trump is not a party in the TikTok lawsuit, and the law is scheduled to take effect one day before hes inaugurated. Trump has nevertheless asked the Supreme Court to pause the law from taking effect until after he takes office, saying he opposes the TikTok ban and should be given the chance to negotiate a solution with TikTok before the ban can take effect. It remains unclear whether the court will comply with Trumps request if it votes to uphold the law, and when the law could take effect if it does side with Trump and pause the ban.Whos Supporting And Opposing The Tiktok Ban?Among those arguing against the ban are free speech groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and the Knight First Amendment Institute, along with groups of professors who focus on national security, cybersecurity and the First Amendment and internet law. The TikTok ban will violate the expressive rights of millions of Americans, the ACLU and other free-speech groups argued in a brief, while three national security professors argued a national security agreement previously negotiated between the U.S. government and TikTok already successfully safeguards against lawmakers concerns that they used to justify banning the app. Other coalitions are arguing the ban should be upheld, including former national security officials, former officials at the Federal Communications Commission and activist groups that advocate on behalf of the Uyghur people, people in Hong Kong and others against the Chinese government. Twenty-two states with GOP attorneys general also urged the Supreme Court to uphold the ban due to the national security threat allegedly posed by TikTok, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia. Members of Congress were divided on the TikTok ban: Leaders of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Partychairman Rep. John L. Moolenaar, R-Mich., and ranking member Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.filed a brief arguing in favor of the law, while Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who have been critical of the ban, argued the court should overturn it.What Happens If The Tiktok Ban Takes Effect?Its still unclear what will happen if the ban on TikTok takes effect and what it will look like for users. The law bans U.S. app stores from hosting the TikTok app, meaning users cant download or update TikTok. It also bans internet service providers from hosting TikTok, including Oracle, which houses the apps U.S. user data. TikTok predicted in a court filing that would have a serious impact, suggesting the company could no longer provid[e] the services that enable the TikTok platform to function, effectively shutting down TikTok in the United States. University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein noted to CBS News TikTok could just move those servers out of the U.S., however, which would keep TikTok online but mean the app would eventually stop working if U.S. users cant update it. The law is also expected to impact other ByteDance-owned apps, like CapCut and Lemon8, but its not clear how the ban could impact things like the TikTok Shop or TikToks creator fund. TikTok and ByteDance have also so far ruled out the possibility of divesting, with TikTok claiming in a filing it would not be possible technologically, commercially, or legally.Can Trump Stop The Tiktok Ban?If the ban does take effect Jan. 19 as scheduled, Trump could pause the ban for 90 days under the law if theres evidence TikTok is in the process of separating from ByteDance. Trump could also pause the law without evidence of thator just declare TikTok is complying with the law, whether it actually is or notbut that would mean it would still be possible for one of TikToks rivals to sue in court and have the ban put in effect, Rozenshtein noted in an article for Lawfare. Trump could also try to negotiate with TikTok and ByteDance, and James Lewis, director of the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told NPR China could be persuaded to approve of ByteDance selling TikTok in exchange for Trump backing off his threat of high tariffs on Chinese imports. The president-elects hands are otherwise tied on the TikTok ban, whichunless the Supreme Court overturns itcant be undone unless Congress repeals it.Key BackgroundPresident Joe Biden in April signed the law restricting TikTok, following longstanding concerns by lawmakers on both slides of the aisle about the app and its ties to China. TikTok has long denied any wrongdoing and any ties to the Chinese government, though Forbes has reported on concerns involving the company, including TikTok spying on journalists, promoting Chinese propaganda that criticized U.S. politicians, mishandling user data and tracking sensitive words. TikTok and creators on the app filed lawsuits against the federal ban days after it was approved, and the federal appeals court upheld the ban in December, as both the plaintiffs and government asked for a ruling in time to appeal it before the law took effect. The courts ruling set off a scramble by TikTok to appeal the case, and the company and creators went to the Supreme Court after the appeals court declined to pause the law from taking effect in order to give TikTok more time to bring its case before the Supreme Court. The high court quickly scheduled oral arguments for Jan. 10, which is much faster than the courts usual months-long timeline.Further Reading

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las ... [+] Vegas, Nevada on January 6, 2025. Gadgets, robots and vehicles imbued with artificial intelligence will once again vie for attention at the Consumer Electronics Show, as vendors behind the scenes will seek ways to deal with tariffs threatened by US President-elect Donald Trump. The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opens formally in Las Vegas on January 7, 2025, but preceding days are packed with product announcements. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesCES is showcasing flying cars, smarter AI and Samsung AR headsets that astound us. But the real takeaway isnt whats possible its whether youre asking the right questions to shape whats next.We mocked AI for generating six-fingered images only a year ago, using them as proof that technology couldnt replace human creativity. Today, AI can produce hyper-realistic videos, generate nuanced content, and even hold conversations that feel eerily personal. Yet many still ask: Isnt AI just a tool?If so, why does it feel like AI is evolving faster than we can adapt? The real question should be: Are we prepared to keep pace with a world reshaped by AIs advancements? This creates more questions that not enough businesses are asking.Here are the uncomfortable topics that business leaders must explore to move forward:AI in 2025: Where Are We Going?AI is no longer a shiny new toy its becoming invisible, interconnected and increasingly human-like. But what does that mean for businesses? Invisible AI: AI will seamlessly integrate into our daily lives without us even noticing. What happens when we no longer differentiate between human and machine-driven interactions?MORE FOR YOU Connected AI: Agentic AI can finally start to solve the problem of siloed systems and bloated tech stacks. Are businesses replacing outdated infrastructures with the right streamlined solutions? Emotional AI: AI can now deliver experiences that feel deeply human, reshaping how we think about customer and user experiences. Should historical web user experiences and interfaces be rethought for owned brand touchpoints?And what happens to the startups riding the AI wave? Will the bubble burst for those merely building on standardized frameworks? If so, who will remain standing, and are your investments in last years start-ups the right bets?E-Commerce: A Shift in Focus?The world of e-commerce continues to evolve. But are we asking the right questions about its future? Most are not. Consider these: Could faceless YouTube creators become the next wave of entrepreneurs, bypassing traditional dropshipping and SEO for video-first engagement? Will live video shopping become the norm for brands seeking real-time consumer interaction? Do they all need their own live studios? Should they own these channels, or is there a new economy of partnerships with streamers or publishers? How might AI-driven merchandising reshape inventory management, SKUs and the entire shopping experience?Hardware: Beyond 3 Screens and 4 Wheels?How we receive information and deliveries is about to change drastically: Will last-mile delivery truly be disrupted by drones and autonomous systems? Or will logistical challenges hold back this transformation? If it does evolve, will this change consumer expectations? Could concierge doctors revolutionize health care by introducing wearable, connected devices for real-time monitoring? What role does trust play in this relationship? Will autonomous transportation replace the need for humans' second biggest purchase behind a home, the car? Could it solve traffic problems? Will it change our relationships with each other and our children?Web3: A Quiet Comeback?Could Web3 make its return under a new guise? Without the hype, what practical applications might emerge? Will stablecoins become the financial backbone for businesses, or are there barriers we still havent addressed? How important will proof of authentication become in verifying brands, people, content and products in a decentralized digital world? Will blockchain technology be used beyond payments, like AI security? (Samsung thinks so.) Will brands realize that the metaverse was never actually a fad for Gen Alpha and remains the most engaged platform for younger people?Content: A New Era of Creation?As content creation evolves, are we ready for what comes next? Could low-creative/no-creative content automated and AI-driven become the dominant form of engagement? If so, what happens to human storytellers? Will synthetic content auto-generated videos, images and postsaccount for 25% of consumer engagement across social channels? Could an AI-first studio produce a long-form cultural hit, and what would that mean for traditional content creators?And what about the rise of an automated influencer economy? Could virtual influencers and AI-driven personas redefine how brands interact with consumers? What does authenticity mean in this new landscape?Marketing and Design: Reimagined or Reinforced?In marketing and design, possibilities abound. But how many will materialize? Will Generative UX dynamic, ephemeral experiences tailored to user needs reshape digital interfaces? Could this redefine what makes a website or app successful? Could synthetic data become table stakes, changing the game with pre-optimized creative? How might small-C creativity (scalable, automated content) connect with small-I insights (pre-optimized, data-driven strategies) to deliver more personalized consumer experiences?Creativity: What Remains Uniquely Human?As AI continues pushing the boundaries of what it can create, were left wondering: What is creativity, really? Are humans about predictability or unpredictability? Is unique human creativity about context and story collisions seeing connections others might miss to create new ideas? Could AI learn to do the same? Or is creativity fundamentally serendipitous, tied to something ineffable and deeply human? If so, can it ever be simulated?AI can now tell stories, argue perspectives and create with remarkable skill. But can it find meaning in the unseen or understand narratives with multiple layers of interpretation?The Pace of Change: Are We Ready?AI is already creating hyper-realistic outputs, reasoning effectively and adapting faster than we can imagine. But has your business kept pace? Are you still relying on siloed systems, outdated tech stacks or bloated consultants to address the future? Is your business intentionally defining the role of humans versus machines? Have you considered how AI could reshape your consumer touchpoints, communications and value propositions?The past reminds us how quickly things can change. In 2004, the iPhone didnt exist, social media was just networking and online video was pixelated at best. That was only 20 years ago.Whats going to happen 20 years from now? What will the landscape look like over the next year? (At this point, we are closer to 2026 than when you first heard of ChatGPT.) Small, incremental or highly disruptive change?The six-finger images of 2023 remind us how far weve come and how far we still have to go. Businesses that embrace this evolution with intention and curiosity will lead the way. Those who dismiss AI as just a tool risk falling behind and wondering why they didnt act sooner.

What just happened? Getty Images has agreed to purchase rival stock media provider Shutterstock as part of a cash and stock deal valued at approximately $3.7 billion. The combined company, which will be known as Getty Images Holdings, would emerge as one of the leading stock media outlets that is, if regulators don't intervene. Getty Images already works with more than half a million content creators around the globe and serves customers in nearly every country. The outlet, which also owns the iStock and Unsplash brands, covers over 160,000 news, sports, and entertainment events annually, and licenses its content to ad agencies, news organizations, documentary makers, and others.Shutterstock, meanwhile, was founded in 2003 by Jon Oringer using 30,000 of his own photos. The company has continued to build its portfolio ever since through contributions from creative partners and acquisitions; as of September 30, 2024, the service had more than 530 million assets in its library.Per the terms of the acquisition, Shutterstock shareholders can choose to receive one of the following for each share they own: $28.85 in cash, 13.67 shares of Getty Images common stock, or a mixed combo of 9.17 shares of Getty Images stock plus $9.50 in cash. Upon closing, Getty Images stockholders will own approximately 54.7 percent of the combined company while Shutterstock shareholders will own the remaining 45.3 percent.Stock services like Getty Images and Shutterstock find themselves at a pivotal place in their journeys. While demand for stock media remains high thanks to our increasingly digital world, the emergence of AI-generated pictures, videos, and audio appears poised to throw a wrench into the mix. Some services, including Shutterstock, have signed licensing deals with AI companies to let them use their images for training purposes. Should that strategy continue, the stock media industry could look vastly different in the near future.For now, the two companies will need to focus on obtaining regulatory approval for the merger, which could be tricky in given the current political climate. // Related Stories

In a nutshell: Displace is back at CES, this time showing off revised versions of its fully wireless televisions that are on track to finally ship in the coming months. The lineup includes the Displace Pro and Displace Basic, both of which will be available in 27-inch and 55-inch variants. The Basic models feature an Intel N-100 four-core CPU with integrated GPU alongside 16GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 5,000 mAh integrated battery. Pro variants, meanwhile, get an Intel N-300 eight-core CPU with 32GB of memory, 256GB of local storage, and a bigger 10,000 mAh battery. Displace Pro sets also ship with a soundbar and speakers that extend the combo's battery life and afford a more premium audio experience. According to the company, a set paired with the soundbar and speakers can provide 60 hours of continuous playback on a single charge.The soundbar and speakers can be added as an optional accessory to the Basic set, but pricing isn't yet available.Aside from its cordless operation, what sets Displace 4K OLED TVs apart from others is its easy wall mounting system. Each set is equipped with four suction cups that use active loop vacuum technology to stick onto any wall. A set can be "hung" in as little as 10 seconds without tools or drilling, or stood up on a flat surface using the push-to-pop legs.The AI-driven Displace OS, meanwhile, manages streaming using either voice commands, gestures, or via the included multi-touch remote that's said to double as a second screen for additional viewing. It is also possible to connect a wireless keyboard and mouse for more productivity-focused tasks. Concealed charging ports and HDMI connections help maintain the clean aesthetic, we are told.Displace is now accepting pre-orders for its new wireless televisions, with a $1,000 discount on sets ordered during CES. Pricing starts at $1,499 for the 27-inch Basic model and scales up to $4,999 for the 55-inch Pro set. The first units are scheduled to ship on March 28, 2025. // Related Stories

The Green Bay Packers just fell victim to hackers or rather, the teams online store did. The bad news? That means your credit card information could be in danger if youve recently shopped at the NFL teams official online retail store. The Packers released a notice of a data breach, notifying its customers about the October hack. Heres what we know.Hackers managed to access the store and insert a card skimmer script to steal payment and personal information. The data affected includes credit card types, expiration dates, numbers, and verification numbers, which could put customers at risk of credit card fraud. Hackers also got access to names, addresses, and email addresses, says Bleeping Computer.Recommended VideosThe NFL team had already turned off all payment and checkout capabilities after discovering on October 23 that the site had been compromised. The Green Bay Packers hired cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident and determine whether any customer information had been accessed. Thanks to the investigation, they discovered that personal and payment information was stolen between September and early October 2024. Based on the results of the forensic investigation, on December 20, 2024, we discovered that the malicious code may have allowed an unauthorized third party to view or acquire certain customer information entered at the checkout that used a limited set of payment options on the Pro Shop website between September 23 and 24, 2024, and October 3 and 23, 2024.NFLThere is some good news in all of this. If customers paid for their items using PayPal, Amazon Pay, a Pro Shop website account, or a gift card, their information was not affected. The NFL team also took action.RelatedWe also immediately required the vendor that hosts and manages the Pro Shop website to remove the malicious code from the checkout page, refresh its passwords, and confirm there were no remaining vulnerabilities, said Chrysta Jorgensen, the Packers director of retail operations.Sansec, a Dutch security company, notified the Packers of the breach. According to Sansec, the threat actors used a JSONP callback (JSON with Padding, which means a technique that enables cross-domain requests) as well as YouTubes oEmbed features to bypass the Content Security Policy (CSP) and carry out their attack.The Green Bay Packers offered those affected three years of credit monitoring and identity theft restoration services. If you bought anything in the Packers online store during the period of September to October 2024, make sure to monitor your credit card statements for fraudulent activities.This isnt the first time hackers have targeted the NFL. Multiple teams were targeted back in 2023, and a total of 15 NFL teams had their social media accounts breached.Editors Recommendations

Hi-Rez Studios has finally confirmed a release date for the free-to-play open beta version of Smite 2. That free-to-play launch is coming next Tuesday, January 14.Smite 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena game (MOBA) sequel that was first announced one year ago. Paying Founders Edition players have had access to its alpha on PC and consoles since September 2024. This January 14 release will be its wider free-to-play launch, although Hi-Rez Studios still considers the game to be in an open beta state. The transition to open beta also comes alongside a massive update that brings tons of new content to the sequel, from new Gods to play as to new gameplay mechanics and modes.Hi-Rez StudiosCurrently, Smite 2 features 45 different gods to play as, but five more are coming as part of this open beta launch. That includes four updated Gods from the original Smite Ullr, Agni, Geb, and Mulan and a new God: Aladdin. Taking clear inspiration from the Disney movie, Aladdin fights alongside a blue genie to tag-team enemies. He can run on walls, has three single-use wishes for massive buffs he can use during a match, and traps opponents in a genie lamp to fight them with his Ultimate.Recommended VideosHi-Rez is introducing Aspects to Smite 2, which players can enable to Gods to change up their gameplay abilities. Twenty Gods including Athena, Morrigan, and Cernunnos have Aspects right now. Hi-Rez plans to bring more Gods and Aspects to the game over time. A new 3v3, one-lane mode called Joust is also coming to the MOBA with a new map, and lots of other gameplay updates for the other modes, with UI, balancing, and more coming as well.Hi-Rez StudiosThe Smite 2free-to-play open beta will begin on January 14, with Aladdin and the Joust mode also launching that day. Those who buy a Smite 2 Founders Edition are able to play the game now and can already access a lot of the new open beta content, like the reworked classic gods, Aspects, and other gameplay updates.Editors Recommendations

The Amazon-backed OpenAI rival was valued at $18 billion last year.

No more fact-checkers Meta axes third-party fact-checkers in time for second Trump term Zuckerberg says Meta will "work with President Trump" to fight censorship. Jon Brodkin Jan 7, 2025 12:46 pm | 76 Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California on September 25, 2024. Credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during the Meta Connect event in Menlo Park, California on September 25, 2024. Credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreMeta announced today that it's ending the third-party fact-checking program it introduced in 2016, and will rely instead on a Community Notes approach similar to what's used on Elon Musk's X platform.The end of third-party fact-checking and related changes to Meta policies could help the company make friends in the Trump administration and in governments of conservative-leaning states that have tried to impose legal limits on content moderation. The operator of Facebook and Instagram announced the changes in a blog post and a video message recorded by CEO Mark Zuckerberg."Governments and legacy media have pushed to censor more and more. A lot of this is clearly political," Zuckerberg said. He said the recent elections "feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritizing speech.""We're going to get rid of fact-checkers and replace them with Community Notes, similar to X, starting in the US," Zuckerberg said. "After Trump first got elected in 2016, the legacy media wrote nonstop about how misinformation was a threat to democracy. We tried in good faith to address those concerns without becoming the arbiters of truth. But the fact-checkers have just been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they've created, especially in the US."Meta says the soon-to-be-discontinued fact-checking program includes over 90 third-party organizations that evaluate posts in over 60 languages. The US-based fact-checkers are AFP USA, Check Your Fact, Factcheck.org, Lead Stories, PolitiFact, Science Feedback, Reuters Fact Check, TelevisaUnivision, The Dispatch, and USA Today.The independent fact-checkers rate the accuracy of posts and apply ratings such as False, Altered, Partly False, Missing Context, Satire, and True. Meta adds notices to posts rated as false or misleading and notifies users before they try to share the content or if they shared it in the past.Meta: Experts have their own biasesIn the blog post that accompanied Zuckerberg's video message, Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan said the 2016 decision to use independent fact-checkers seemed like "the best and most reasonable choice at the time... The intention of the program was to have these independent experts give people more information about the things they see online, particularly viral hoaxes, so they were able to judge for themselves what they saw and read."But experts "have their own biases and perspectives," and the program imposed "intrusive labels and reduced distribution" of content "that people would understand to be legitimate political speech and debate," Kaplan wrote.The X-style Community Notes system lets the community "decide when posts are potentially misleading and need more context, and people across a diverse range of perspectives decide what sort of context is helpful for other users to see... Just like they do on X, Community Notes [on Meta sites] will require agreement between people with a range of perspectives to help prevent biased ratings," Kaplan wrote.The end of third-party fact-checking will be implemented in the US before other countries. Meta will also move its internal trust and safety and content moderation teams out of California, Zuckerberg said. "Our US-based content review is going to be based in Texas. As we work to promote free expression, I think it will help us build trust to do this work in places where there is less concern about the bias of our teams," he said. Meta will continue to take "legitimately bad stuff" like drugs, terrorism, and child exploitation "very seriously," Zuckerberg said.Zuckerberg pledges to work with TrumpMeta will "phase in a more comprehensive community notes system" over the next couple of months, Zuckerberg said. Meta, which donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, will also "work with President Trump to push back on governments around the world that are going after American companies and pushing to censor more," Zuckerberg said.Zuckerberg said that "Europe has an ever-increasing number of laws institutionalizing censorship," that "Latin American countries have secret courts that can quietly order companies to take things down," and that "China has censored apps from even working in the country." Meta needs "the support of the US government" to push back against other countries' content-restriction orders, he said."That's why it's been so difficult over the past four years when even the US government has pushed for censorship," Zuckerberg said, referring to the Biden administration. "By going after US and other American companies, it has emboldened other governments to go even further. But now we have the opportunity to restore free expression, and I am excited to take it."Brendan Carr, Trump's pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission, praised Meta's policy changes. Carr has promised to shift the FCC's focus from regulating telecom companies to cracking down on Big Tech and media companies that he alleges are part of a "censorship cartel.""President Trump's resolute and strong support for the free speech rights of everyday Americans is already paying dividends," Carr wrote on X today. "Facebook's announcements is [sic] a good step in the right direction. I look forward to monitoring these developments and their implementation. The work continues until the censorship cartel is completely dismantled and destroyed."Group: Meta is saying the truth doesnt matterMeta's changes were criticized by Public Citizen, a nonprofit advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader. "Asking users to fact-check themselves is tantamount to Meta saying the truth doesn't matter," Public Citizen co-president Lisa Gilbert said. "Misinformation will flow more freely with this policy change, as we cannot assume that corrections will be made when false information proliferates. The American people deserve accurate information about our elections, health risks, the environment, and much more."Media advocacy group Free Press said that "Zuckerberg is one of many billionaires who are cozying up to dangerous demagogues like Trump and pushing initiatives that favor their bottom lines at the expense of everything and everyone else." Meta appears to be abandoning its "responsibility to protect its many users, and align[ing] the company more closely with an incoming president who's a known enemy of accountability," Free Press Senior Counsel Nora Benavidez said.X's Community Notes system was criticized in a recent report by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which said it "found that 74 percent of accurate community notes on US election misinformation never get shown to users." (X previously sued the CCDH, but the lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge.)Previewing other changes, Zuckerberg said that Meta will eliminate content restrictions "that are just out of touch with mainstream discourse" and change how it enforces policies "to reduce the mistakes that account for the vast majority of censorship on our platforms.""We used to have filters that scanned for any policy violation. Now, we're going to focus those filters on tackling illegal and high-severity violations, and for lower severity violations, we're going to rely on someone reporting an issue before we take action," he said. "The problem is the filters make mistakes, and they take down a lot of content that they shouldn't. So by dialing them back, we're going to dramatically reduce the amount of censorship on our platforms."Meta to relax filters, recommend more political contentZuckerberg said Meta will re-tune content filters "to require much higher confidence before taking down content." He said this means Meta will "catch less bad stuff" but will "also reduce the number of innocent people's posts and accounts that we accidentally take down."Meta has "built a lot of complex systems to moderate content," he noted. Even if these systems "accidentally censor just 1 percent of posts, that's millions of people, and we've reached a point where it's just too many mistakes and too much censorship," he said.Kaplan wrote that Meta has censored too much harmless content and that "too many people find themselves wrongly locked up in 'Facebook jail.'""In recent years we've developed increasingly complex systems to manage content across our platforms, partly in response to societal and political pressure to moderate content," Kaplan wrote. "This approach has gone too far. As well-intentioned as many of these efforts have been, they have expanded over time to the point where we are making too many mistakes, frustrating our users and too often getting in the way of the free expression we set out to enable."Another upcoming change is that Meta will recommend more political posts. "For a while, the community asked to see less politics because it was making people stressed, so we stopped recommending these posts," Zuckerberg said. "But it feels like we're in a new era now, and we're starting to get feedback that people want to see this content again, so we're going to start phasing this back into Facebook, Instagram, and Threads while working to keep the communities friendly and positive."Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 76 Comments

Break out the mousepads Switch 2 leaks point to controllers that work like computer mice Circumstantial rumors suggest a new hybrid hardware gimmick might be in the works. Kyle Orland Jan 7, 2025 11:59 am | 17 A Reddit user demonstrates how the Switch 2's mouse functionality might look (using an original Switch Joy-Con) Credit: Reddit / RNOWRONG A Reddit user demonstrates how the Switch 2's mouse functionality might look (using an original Switch Joy-Con) Credit: Reddit / RNOWRONG Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreHere at Ars, we're judicious about which of the many, many Switch 2 rumors we decide to highlight on this page. For every report on hardware power or magnetic Joy-Cons that we share, there are probably five others we see and decide are too lightly sourced, too unlikely, or just too plain obscure to spread here.But when we started hearing reports that the Switch 2's Joy-Cons could be cradled on their sides and manipulated like a full-fledged gaming mouse, we knew the concept was one you'd want to hear about.The rumors of mouse-like functionality on the Switch 2's included controllers got supercharged over the weekend when a Reddit poster shared detailed photos of purported Switch 2 Joy-Cons, sourced from an unnamed Chinese social media user. In between the longer shoulder buttons along the Joy-Con's inner edge (SL and SR) and a new central connector port, eagle-eyed viewers noticed what looks suspiciously like the optical sensor that sits on the bottom of practically every mouse these days.That could suggest a mode where you stand the controller up vertically against a hard surface and slide it around like a mouse. The layout would even allow a user to put a thumb on the face buttons and an index finger on the shoulder buttons for various "click" functions.Reddit users quickly started experimenting to see if cradling a Joy-Con like an (extremely thin) mouse would even work. Some even started referring back to leaked Switch 2 component shipping data that referred to a mysterious "mouse sole," whatever that means.The new hybrid?The appearance of that optical sensor in leaked photos aligns somewhat with a (seemingly reliable) December leak suggesting that the new Joy-Cons would have new functionality related to "lasers." In response to a comment, the leaker guessed that this "laser" functionality might be similar to that on the Lenovo Legion Go, which features a circular controller stand that can be used in conjunction with detachable controllers for a mouse-like "FPS mode."At this point, it's still an awful lot of speculation based on circumstantial evidence. Still, after the portable/TV hybrid concept of the original Switch, a controller/mouse hybrid setup for the Switch 2 would serve as an interesting hardware gimmick from a company that's known for them. One thing's for sure: A mouse-like Joy-Con would certainly be an interesting twist in the never-ending battle between mouse and controller players in modern shooters.With an official announcement for the Switch 2 already promised before the end of March, we won't have to wait too much longer to find out if these latest rumors pan out.Kyle OrlandSenior Gaming EditorKyle OrlandSenior Gaming Editor Kyle Orland has been the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica since 2012, writing primarily about the business, tech, and culture behind video games. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He once wrote a whole book about Minesweeper. 17 Comments

Time to check the ol' phone drawer Google Pixel 4a gets an unexpected update: Lower battery life It's intentional, and eligible users can get cash or free battery replacements. Kevin Purdy Jan 7, 2025 11:41 am | 27 Credit: Ron Amadeo Credit: Ron Amadeo Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe Pixel 4a, a well-regarded release in Google's line of budget-minded phones with nice cameras and decent stock software, was not supposed to get any more updates. This week, it will receive a rather uncommon oneone that intends to lower its reported battery life.The Pixel 4a, released in the summer of 2020, was discontinued at the end of 2022. It received its last official software update in the summer of 2023, followed by a surprise security update in November 2023. Throughout 2024, there were no updates. This week, owners of the 4a (and likely many former owners) are getting a new update, along with an email titled "Changes coming to your Pixel 4a."The email addresses "an upcoming software update for your Pixel 4a that will affect the overall performance and stability of its battery." The automatic software update to Android 13 "introduces new battery management features to improve the stability of your device," which will "reduce your battery's runtime and charging performance."Google goes into more detail on a support page about the "Pixel 4a Battery Performance Program," noting that only some "Impacted Devices" will see the reduced capacity and charging performance. Those with such devices (determined by a survey) have three options beyond just taking the hit: sending their phone in for a free battery replacement, receiving $50 (or the non-US equivalent) payment, or getting $100 toward a new Pixel phone from the Google Store. Those with impacted phones have one year from the scheduled software update on January 8, 2025, to choose an "appeasement option."Google has skipped the details on why "available battery capacity and charging performance" are taking a hit and what makes a device "Impacted," stating only that the company has "determined that certain Pixel 4a phones" need to "improve the stability of their battery's performance." But there are some educated guesses to be made. Given that the batteries in most Pixel 4a phones are somewhere between two to five years old and some of them were likely kept in capacity-diminishing low states of charge, many are in rough shape.Being in such rough shape, they may not provide all the power demanded by the phone, especially in notably cold or hot conditions. By constraining the battery levels at which the phone can operate, Google can prevent phones from dealing with inconsistent power that can result in unexpected behavior or shutdowns. It's akin to what happened with older iPhones being slowed down in late 2017, except Google is coming out in front of its software fix and compensating users for the change rather than waiting for it to play out in the courts.Ars has contacted Google for comment and will update this post if we receive a response.Kevin PurdySenior Technology ReporterKevin PurdySenior Technology Reporter Kevin is a senior technology reporter at Ars Technica, covering open-source software, PC gaming, home automation, repairability, e-bikes, and tech history. He has previously worked at Lifehacker, Wirecutter, iFixit, and Carbon Switch. 27 Comments