Policy
Why a tech CEO sits across from presidents Apple turned 50 in 2026. That milestone has renewed attention on how the company runs at the intersection of technology, commerce and public policy — and on the role Tim Cook plays as its public face. Interactions between big tech leaders and administrations
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The legal reality: platforms keep the keys A recent court ruling reaffirmed something many mobile developers already suspected: Apple can remove apps from the App Store “with or without cause.” The case at the center involved the Musi app, which challenged Apple’s removal powers in court; the judge dismissed
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What happened, in short Discord ran a trial in the UK to verify the ages of users, using a third-party identity vendor (Persona). That pilot was later the focus of public criticism about privacy and risk. Persona has since confirmed it deleted the data from the trial. The episode is
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* Nintendo issued a public statement addressing the Dispatch censorship debacle, but the message provided few concrete details. * The company’s response did not fully explain what actions were taken, why they were taken, or who was responsible. * Media and readers remain confused; calls for clearer transparency and independent reporting are
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* Key Takeaways: * Court filings reveal a previously secretive $800 million deal between Google and Epic Games. * The agreement reportedly involved Epic helping Google market Android. * The disclosure comes as part of an ongoing court saga and raises competition and transparency questions. What the court disclosures say Court documents made public
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* Key Takeaways: * The Federal Trade Commission says the proposed Epic Games–Google settlement “may fail to restore meaningful competition” for Android app distribution. * The FTC’s skepticism signals continuing regulatory scrutiny and could delay or reshape any agreed remedies. * If regulators or courts agree, Google and Epic may need to
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* Valve amended its guidance on AI disclosure and clarified expectations for developers. * The company says developers using "AI-powered tools" must make players aware when generative AI is used. * The update emphasizes transparency and could affect how games and apps describe content creation. * Developers should review the revised guidance
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• Key Takeaways: * A U.S. federal court granted OCLC a default judgment and permanent injunction against Anna’s Archive, barring use of WorldCat data. * The injunction prohibits scraping, storing, distributing or encouraging sharing of WorldCat content and orders deletion of WorldCat-derived files. * Judge Michael Watson based the order on trespass
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* Elon Musk and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly pledged to “make Star Trek real” during an event at SpaceX’s Starbase, Texas campus. * The phrase “Arsenal of Freedom” invoked a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode about a self‑improving AI weapons system that destroys its creators. * Hegseth announced a
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* Key Takeaways: * Leaked documents obtained by The Washington Post show Meta pursued a yearslong strategy to bring teens back to Instagram. * Two weeks after dozens of state attorneys general sued Meta over teen safety and addiction concerns, Instagram head Adam Mosseri circulated a memo urging staff to "bring more
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* Key takeaways: * Google requires developers to enroll by Jan 28 to join its "external content links" and "alternative billing" programs. * Google plans per-install fees of $2.85 for apps and $3.65 for games when a user installs within 24 hours of clicking an external link.
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* Instagram will cap hashtags at five per post for reels and standard posts. * The change aims to reduce spam and encourage targeted tagging for better discovery. * Instagram tested lower limits earlier and now enforces a universal five-tag maximum. * Threads and other Meta products continue to adopt even stricter tag rules.