Meta ordered to pay New Mexico $25 billion for deceiving users about privacy on Facebook

A judge has ordered Meta to pay New Mexico $25 billion after a jury found the company liable for deceiving users about privacy and content moderation on Facebook. At a news conference Wednesday, state Attorney General Raúl Torrez described it as “one of the largest, if not the single largest state verdict against a company in American history.” The ruling follows a September decision in which jurors found Meta responsible for over 43 million violations of state consumer protection laws. The violations stem from the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where user data was harvested for political ads in the 2016 election. New Mexico pursued the case independently after 48 other states settled. Meta is expected to appeal.

Some websites go dark as operators address an AI-detected flaw in a web programming language

The FBI’s cyber division warned Wednesday about the discovery of two “critical vulnerabilities” in PHP, a widely used programming language that powers many websites and web applications. The FBI said the vulnerabilities could allow malicious actors to remotely execute code in PHP core, potentially compromising sensitive data and networks. The PHP Foundation, which includes developers who work on securing and working on the programming language, said Wednesday it has released fixes for the vulnerabilities along with instructions on how to update systems.

A First Nation community in Canada is using a data center to preserve its heritage

WIIKWEMKOONG UNCEDED TERRITORY, Ontario (AP) — The Wiikwemkoong First Nation in Canada is using a data center to help preserve its heritage. The data center on the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in rural Ontario stores digital files, including Anishinaabe language videos. Chief Tim Ominika emphasizes the importance of protecting the community's language and data. The idea of digital sovereignty has gained momentum in places like Europe, where leaders are wary of the widespread influence of American Big Tech. For the Wiikwemkoong First Nation and other Indigenous communities, it is also about asserting authority over their own information after historically being excluded from its collection and use by colonizers.

Nvidia CEO encourages Europe's lagging AI sector and offers tools to accelerate data center buildout

BERLIN (AP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang urged Europe’s lagging artificial intelligence industry to get going and touted a modular system to quickly build the AI data centers with the massive computing power Europe currently lacks. In an upbeat speech Wednesday at a company conference for developers and investors in Berlin, Huang also laid out tools to keep AI applications from running amok by confining them in a digital “sandbox” that restrains activities violating company policy.

Elon Musk's SpaceX reports a profit and he hints at a possible merger with Tesla

NEW YORK (AP) — SpaceX reported a bigger quarterly profit than expected Tuesday as its satellite communications and artificial intelligence businesses boomed. The company run by Elon Musk posted net income in the three months through September of $4.4 billion, or 35 cents per share. That's more than double what Wall Street had expected. Revenue soared by 161%. The stock rose in after-hours trading. Musk said that for next month’s launch of its Starship rocket, SpaceX will attempt to grab both the booster and ship with mechanical arms upon return to base. On a call with analysts, Musk suggested a merger with his electric car company Tesla might be in the works.

Malaysia bans civil servants from using navigation app Waze, citing data risks over Israeli links

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia has banned civil servants from using the navigation app Waze due to data security concerns linked to its Israeli origins. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's office said Wednesday that Waze Mobile Limited, incorporated in Israel, operates under Israeli law. Officials say sensitive government information and citizens' personal data must be protected from potential exploitation by Israel. Anwar urged Malaysians to switch to local alternatives like the TuJu app, which offers strong security guarantees. Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country, supports the Palestinian cause and has no diplomatic ties with Israel. The Waze restriction adds a digital security element to this policy.

Ahead of massive IPOs, AI companies are sketching plans to share their wealth

NEW YORK (AP) — As they steam toward massive public offerings on Wall Street, the companies at the forefront of artificial intelligence have begun sketching plans to share their wealth with the public. Executives at Anthropic and OpenAI have long argued the technology’s arrival will bring many benefits for everyday people and outlined a range of proposals for distributing their fortunes. On Sunday, Anthropic said it would commit 5% of its shares to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity within the company, pending approval from stockholders. But many questions around how that will work remain.

Ex-OpenAI worker accused of bugging conference room planned to fly to Saudi Arabia, prosecutors say

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a former OpenAI engineer secretly installed a recording device in a conference room to gather company details. The Saudi national was reportedly close to fleeing to Saudi Arabia. Abdulrahman Alfozan's wife and son left the U.S. after his arrest, with tickets paid for by a Saudi military official. Prosecutors argue Alfozan has resources and foreign support, noting Saudi Arabia has no extradition treaty with the U.S. Alfozan's lawyers claim the trip was planned for paternity leave and that he was pursuing U.S. citizenship. A judge on Monday sided with prosecutors and ordered him held until trial.

China defends DeepSeek after US ban of its AI from government systems

HONG KONG (AP) — China has criticized a U.S. ban on AI startup DeepSeek for federal civilian agencies and is warning of possible retaliatory measures, highlighting tensions in the tech race between the two countries. The Department of Homeland Security ordered U.S. civilian agencies to remove DeepSeek products from their IT systems. Concerns include potential data access by Chinese authorities, the department said. Beijing said Tuesday that China will closely monitor the situation and will take all necessary measures to defend its rights and interests. The U.S. and China have made some progress in cooperation on AI governance in recent weeks, but disagreements remain. U.S.-led restrictions also limit China's access to the world's most advanced AI chips.

Meta tells Brazil's electoral court it treats Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro equally ahead of Sunday vote

SAO PAULO (AP) — Meta says it has complied with an order from Brazil’s electoral court to treat Brazil's presidential candidates equally before Sunday's runoff. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had filed a lawsuit accusing Meta of using biased algorithms and AI restrictions to favor opposition candidate Flávio Bolsonaro. The tech company that owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp said it had implemented measures to comply with the court's directive. It added the restrictions ordered by the court “do not affect organic posts.”