Paramount’s endeavor to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery (WBD) is embroiled in controversy. Critics have sued, arguing that the deal is detrimental to the movie-making and media industry. David Ellison, the company’s top figure and a supporter of President Trump, is leading a campaign to defend the merger. However, a Democrat-led legal challenge against the acquisition seems set for a jury trial in California next spring.
This week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta halted a settlement meeting, alleging that Paramount leaked details of prior meetings, compromising the negotiations. Both the company and the state government have been openly exchanging criticisms in both court and media. Paramount’s Chief Legal Officer previously stated that the company might relocate its headquarters from Southern California if the lawsuit isn’t dropped.
In related legal news, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday (R) has launched a lawsuit against Snap, the parent company of Snapchat. The lawsuit accuses Snapchat of deceiving users about the prevalence of adult-themed content, which impacts its 13+ app store rating.
Meanwhile, a Wisconsin prosecutor chose not to charge Elon Musk for alleged election bribery related to voter handouts during a state Supreme Court election. The prosecutor cited the reason that ultimately, ‘no one received anything for voting or promising to vote.’
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton introduced a plan to impose restrictions on data centers if elected to the U.S. Senate. He emphasized the importance of supporting state and federal policies aimed at regulating AI infrastructure.
Further, Google is nearing the claim deadline for a $68 million settlement following a lawsuit over Google Assistant allegedly recording conversations without users’ consent.
In the tech realm, Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri began his testimony in the Meta child social media addiction trial, while SpaceX announced a $100 billion spaceport project in Louisiana. Additionally, OpenAI’s head of data centers has departed the company.