The Hill: Authors slam publishers’ lawsuit against ‘Open Library,’ push for new e-book policies. “Hundreds of authors signed a letter slamming major publishing companies’ lawsuit against a free digital library, and urged publishers to update their policies to allow libraries to purchase copies of e-books.”
Associated Press: Drag performer sues blogger for defamation over edited video. “Eric Posey filed the lawsuit Monday in a court in northern Idaho, saying his reputation was damaged and his professional opportunities suffered after Summer Bushnell, who runs a blog called ‘The Bushnell Report,’ released the video and falsely told her social media followers that Posey had committed a felony by exposing himself to children during a Pride event in June. A subsequent police investigation cleared Posey of wrongdoing, and a city prosecutor said an unedited copy of the video showed no evidence of indecent exposure.”
CNN: Twitter CEO and Elon Musk depositions did not begin Monday, despite earlier filings in acquisition dispute. “Billionaire Elon Musk and Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal did not sit for depositions Monday as part of an ongoing merger lawsuit despite earlier scheduling notices filed in a Delaware court, marking another twist in a closely watched case about the future of one of the world’s most influential social media platforms.”
AP: Musk faces deposition with Twitter ahead of October trial. “Tesla CEO Elon Musk is scheduled to spend the next few days with lawyers for Twitter, answering questions ahead of an October trial that will determine whether he must carry through with his $44 billion agreement to acquire the social platform after attempting to back out of the deal.”
NBC News: Swizz Beatz and Timbaland reach settlement with Triller in lawsuit over Verzuz payments. “Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have settled their lawsuit with Triller, after suing the service last month for $28 million, an amount they contended was owed after their sale of Verzuz to the service in March 2021.”
Washington Post: How vigilante ‘predator catchers’ are infiltrating the criminal justice system. “In the past three years, at least 160 groups have been ‘catching predators’ in the United States, according to a Washington Post analysis of their social media posts. This year alone, a YouTube channel tracking catchers has counted more than 920 stings by amateurs. Some are fueled by right-wing rhetoric about ‘groomers’ and the need to ‘save the children.’ Some are parents fearful for their own kids, or, like Schmutte, say they are called by God to do this work. Some make thousands of dollars from clicks and donations.”
BuzzFeed News: The YouTube Channel Streaming Alex Jones’s Trial Disabled The Chat Because Of Threats To Sandy Hook Victims’ Families. “The trial, which is being livestreamed in its entirety on YouTube by the Law & Crime channel, has had thousands of viewers each day since it began last week, although Jones himself has yet to testify. As always on Law & Crime’s streams, there are hundreds of active and colorful commenters, but trial viewers and Twitter users had noted from day one that the chat was littered with the same conspiracy theories that Jones now faces paying damages for.”
Reuters: Florida asks U.S. Supreme Court to revive law targeting social media ‘censorship’. “Florida on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to revive a state law aimed at stopping social media companies from restricting users’ political speech after a federal appeals court blocked it earlier this year. The law, which had been challenged by industry group NetChoice, would require social media companies to disclose the rules they use for banning or censoring users and to apply them consistently, and would limit their ability to ban candidates for political office from their platforms.”
BBC: Twitter sued by Dutch town Bodegraven-Reeuwijk over paedophilia rumour. “A Dutch town has taken Twitter to court over the spread of a conspiracy theory claiming it was once home to a ring of Satan-worshipping paedophiles. False reports that Bodegraven-Reeuwijk was the site of the abuse and murder of multiple children in the 1980s were first circulated by three men in 2020.”
CNBC: Trump-linked SPAC faces new pressure from investors as merger hangs in the balance. “Digital World Acquisition Corp., the company planning to take Trump Media and Technology Group public, is facing investor concerns about a potential failed merger with former President Donald Trump’s company. The Financial Times reported Tuesday that DWAC Chief Executive Patrick Orlando is negotiating with investors who said they would back the company through a private investment in public equity, or PIPE, deal.”
CNET: Google’s $100 Million Privacy Settlement: How to Claim Your Money Before Time Runs Out. “There’s less than a week to file a claim in a class action lawsuit claiming Google illicitly uses a facial-recognition program to sort pictures in Google Photos. The search giant agreed to a $100 million settlement this spring and Individuals whose likenesses appeared in a Photos album could be eligible for up to $400.”
New York Times: Clearview AI, Used by Police to Find Criminals, Now in Public Defenders’ Hands. “After a Florida man was accused of vehicular homicide, his lawyer used Clearview AI’s facial recognition software to prove his innocence. But other defense lawyers say Clearview’s offer rings hollow.”
