According to Yahoo Finance, the investigation started during Biden’s administration but has now been take over by the new FTC chair Andre Ferguson under Trump. Alex Haurek, a Microsoft spokesman, “We are working cooperatively with the agency.”

FTC Expands Its Microsoft Antitrust Probe

The FTC is investigating Microsoft to see if the company is indulged in practices to impede market competition. The company has been heavily investing in AI growth such as Microsoft’s AI investment in India worth $3 Billion. The regulatory agency shows special interest in examining how Microsoft approaches bundling software with other products while assessing its growing cloud computing business.

The FTC Investigation of Microsoft continues to increase its speed due to leadership changes implemented by former President Donald Trump. Market competitors have raised claims with the agency about Microsoft’s strategic use of its market power which specifically affects competition in software licensing terms along with cloud computing and gaming markets.

Microsoft Software Licensing Practices Under Scrutiny

The Microsoft antitrust probe concentrates on the company’s software licensing standards. Businesses argue that Microsoft enforces strict licensing requirements that limit their ability to use third-party services. They claim these restrictions are particularly problematic when Microsoft offers similar competing solutions. Antitrust laws may be breached because these practices work against fair competition throughout both software and cloud industry sectors. In December 2024, Microsoft integrated third party AI models in 365 Copilot for diversifying its AI strategy.

The European regulatory authorities have issued complaints against Microsoft because of comparable issues. Microsoft faces investigation with the FTC to determine whether certain business practices restrict competition unfairly throughout the American market.

Potential Outcomes of the Microsoft Antitrust Probe

The Microsoft antitrust investigation potentially holds several major impacts for Microsoft as a business entity. The company could receive many regulatory penalties if proven guilty of anti-competitive activities. Microsoft could also need to adjust its software licensing practices to create equal competition conditions while expanding access for external service suppliers.

The investigation would require Microsoft to undergo additional regulatory oversight that will ensure their upcoming acquisitions and business approaches abide by antitrust regulations. The company risks legal challenges including lawsuits from both authorities and competitors when regulators detect significant monopolistic practices. The FTC Investigation of Microsoft will modify how the company operates while affecting the entire tech sector.

The Future of Microsoft’s Business Operations

As the FTC investigation of Microsoft moves forward, the company faces increased regulatory scrutiny. With Microsoft’s vast influence in software, gaming, and cloud computing, the results of the investigation could have lasting implications for on the tech industry. If the FTC imposes stricter regulations, it may change how Microsoft operates and competes in the global market.

For now, industry analysts and competitors are closely watching the FTC Investigation into Microsoft, as the outcome could reshape the future of technology regulations in the U.S.

The post FTC Expands Microsoft Antitrust Probe Under Trump Administration appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Notable Progress

Chinese innovators now consider Xi Jinping’s economic policies as critical to their success both locally and abroad. When he met private sector entrepreneurs, Jinping emphasized the need to eliminate barriers in the country in order to ensure ‘equal use of production factors and fair participation in the market’.

The President also committed to enhance fair ‘opening of the competitive field of infrastructure to all kinds of business entities, and continue to make great efforts to solve the problem of difficult and expensive financing for private enterprises’ during the summit.

Some Chinese executives, including Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun and BYD executive Wang Chuanfu, have said that the private sector was encouraged by the President’s comments about China’s private sector growth.

“Chinese enterprises actually form an ecosystem, and we become more united when we face external pressure. We have the global market in mind, and we want to increase the influence of Chinese products abroad,” Lei said.

Wang said that the Chinese electric vehicle industry is about three to five years ahead of rival companies. The BYD executive said the quality of Chinese EVs will stand on its own merit regardless of protectionist measures.

“Today, our country is moving from being a big market for cars to becoming a strong auto producer. We will continue to do real business and the industry will serve the country,” Wang said.

The Tariff Headache

BYD and Xiaomi global strategies have been hit hard by new tariffs. BYD has been hit by EU tariffs that the region imposed on Chinese manufactured EVs. The company is also staring at a US ban that could block it from selling its products in the American market.

Xiaomi’s innovation initiatives include EVs and smartphones. The company launched low-cost EVs in the Chinese market early last year. The EU and US launched investigations into the EVs to see whether they should allow the EVs to benefit unfairly from their markets. Both regions were concerned that the Xiaomi EVs could collect sensitive information about drivers.

Last year, the US government took steps to limit the entry of Chinese manufactured EVs into the American market. The government also mulled on the possibility of banning autonomous vehicle software in the country citing security reasons.

On his part, Unitree founder Wang Xingxing attributed the achievements that his company has realized to the resilience in the Chinese supply chain.

Xingxing also said that his company expects the AI humanoid industry in the country to achieve more this year. The robot maker has previously been compared to American robotics company, Boston Dynamics.

Soaring Share Prices

On Wednesday February 19, Chinese investment banks said President Jinping’s summit had built a case for the purchase of tech stocks, causing share prices to soar. Analysts say tech companies that participated in the summit are critical to China’s tech and supply-chain security.

These include companies that addressed President Xi and those that took the front row seats at the summit like the electronic vehicle manufacturer and smartphone maker Huawei technologies. President Jinping met tech executives and founders of some of the largest tech companies in China on February 17.

The Chinese leader encouraged private companies to make more investments amidst the economic slowdown and geopolitical friction that the company is experiencing. Public conversations about Jinping’s meeting with tech companies have been highly controlled. The state media only highlighted the President’s remarks and left out what tech leaders said.

The latest symposium with tech executives was the second since he ascended power. The first time that the Chinese President chaired a private sector symposium was in 2018, about six years after he assumed office.

The post Xi Jinping’s Strategy Succeed as China Business Innovators Resist External Pressure appeared first on Tech Research Online.

After the victory, Trump will focus on executing significant changes in the Big Tech, AI industry, and Tesla, making them more profitable.

CHIPS Act: A Key Policy Under Scrutiny

One major legislation that would be under the scrutiny of Trump would be the CHIPS Act, enacted under the Biden administration in 2022. The act was supported by both parties initially. But it faced immense criticism from Trump, who disapproved of its high price tag during his campaign.

Despite Trump’s critical stand on the act, experts say that Trump will uphold the CHIPS Act after taking office. According to a CNBC report, industry experts believe that the policy’s impact on Asian semiconductor giants like TSMC and Samsung can make the Trump administration to uphold the CHIPS Act.

Trump’s Take on Semiconductor Policy

On November 7, 2024, Paul Triolo, Senior Vice President for China and Technology Policy at Albright Stonebridge, shared his perspective on CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia,” in spite of being “not” thrilled about the CHIPS Act, Trump’s government will uphold the act. Triolo further added. “There’s support for this kind of onshoring of advanced manufacturing.”

Signed by the Biden administration in 2022, the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act committed $53 billion to semiconductor research and domestic manufacturing. The investment aimed to strengthen the U.S. position against China.

However, Trump previously labeled the act a “bad” deal, saying that applying tariffs on chips imported from Taiwan rather than using federal funds to support companies is a better strategy.

During a podcast with Joe Rogan, Trump stated, “We put up billions of dollars for rich companies to come in and borrow the money to build chip facilities here, and they’re not going to give us the good companies anyway.”

Changes Expected, But Core Elements Likely to Remain

The US CHIPS Act offers funds worth $6.6 billion and $6.4 billion allocated to TSMC and Samsung, respectively, for setting up U.S. facilities. Despite concerns about the act’s cost, industry analysts expect Trump’s administration to retain much of it, though with possible adjustments to funding priorities and allocations.

The amendments to the CHIPS Act is one of the major changes that Trump could make after returning to presidency in January 2025. The modifications may involve shifting funds to align better with priorities of Trump’s government rather than reducing overall support but will keep most of it intact.

Adam Posen, President of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia,” “The Trump administration will try to reinterpret the bill, so they can spread the money a little differently than Biden, but I don’t think they’re going to roll it back.”

Posen further highlighted that Trump’s approach might resemble Biden’s retention of tariffs on Chinese imports, which were initially introduced during Trump’s first term. He added, “But I do think there’ll be much more expansion on the tariff front, rather than industrial policy expanding.”

The post Trump’s Plan for the CHIPS Act: Future Changes for U.S. Semiconductor Policy appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to morningstar.com, Trump’s policies are expected to create favorable conditions for tech companies, leading to a surge in stock prices.

Even with continuous concerns over Election Cybersecurity, authorities have declared the election fair. Following decisive wins in key swing states, Trump took the stage to celebrate his victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Trump’s Praise for Elon Musk

During his post-victory speech, Trump gave special recognition to Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Trump referred to Musk as “a super genius” and said, “We have a new star… a star is born—Elon!”

Donald Trump praised Elon Musk’s efforts in pushing forward America’s space program through his company Space X and the new starship rocket, saying “He (Elon) is a super genius. We must protect our geniuses, we don’t have many of them,“.

Trump also promised Musk to make him the head of a government efficiency commission post winning the 2024 US Elections.

AI, Big Tech, and The EV Market Under Trump

Wedbush Analysts expect Trump’s administration to prioritize AI development, which could be highly beneficial to major tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google.

Trump’s policies will focus on prioritizing AI advancements that will offer a massive boost to companies leading in the industry. The new president will also promote Tesla’s full self-driven car and autonomous initiative.

Although amendments made in the Inflation Reduction Act could negatively impact certain companies like Intel but the broader focus on AI could help other Big Tech firms grow.

Regulatory Changes and Antitrust Relief for Big Tech

A key change under Trump’s leadership could be the departure of Lina Khan from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Khan has been a prominent figure in regulating tech deals and has posed challenges for Big Tech in terms of antitrust scrutiny.

Her potential exit would be seen as a positive development for the industry, easing regulatory pressures on the tech deals.

Tesla and The EV Market

While the broader EV market may face challenges due to tax and rebate changes, Trump’s policies are expected to favor Tesla. The increased tariffs on Chinese EV manufacturers in the U.S. market could also benefit Tesla, as it faces less competition from Chinese companies. Overall, Trump’s presidency is to provide significant opportunities for growth in both Big Tech and the EV sector.

The post Big Gains for Tesla, AI and Big Tech as Donald Trump Wins 2024 US Presidential Elections appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to Reuters, Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), confirmed on Monday, October 4th, 2024 that there is no evidence of any cyber activities that could affect the US election results, despite an “unprecedented amount of disinformation” from foreign adversaries this election cycle.

She emphasized, “election infrastructure has never been more secure and that the election community has never been better prepared to deliver safe, secure, free and fair elections.”

Surge in U.S. Election Misinformation

U.S. cybersecurity agencies have noted a substantial increase in election misinformation attributed to foreign actors aiming to divide and disrupt American society.

A recent example involved a fake viral video that showed a Haitian immigrant possessing multiple Georgian IDs and claiming to have voted multiple times.

Officials traced the video back to Russian sources, though Russian authorities denied any involvement. Such misinformation attempts aim to destabilize public trust in US election security and the integrity of the voting process.

Cyber Threats and AI-Driven Influence Campaigns

In the weeks leading to Election Day, cybersecurity threats remain a significant concern. Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center recently warned of sustained, AI-generated disinformation campaigns by foreign adversaries intended to sway public perception and influence voter behavior.

This warning aligns with concerns over potential misinformation, ransomware, and DDoS attacks that could disrupt security on Election Day, November 5, 2024.

The efforts underscore how advanced AI-driven information is becoming a potent tool in election misinformation campaigns, complicating efforts to maintain a secure electoral environment.

Post-Election Security and Foreign Influence Concerns

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), CISA, and the FBI issued a joint statement highlighting the risk of unrest and further influence operations by foreign actors following the election.

They said that foreign adversaries led by Russia were “conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of U.S. election polls and stoke divisions among Americans.”

Officials have stressed that these disinformation campaigns may persist through January 6, 2025, when Congress is scheduled to certify the results. Agencies have urged voters to rely on verified sources for information on election security and process, encouraging a measured approach to avoid falling prey to election misinformation.

The post U.S. Election Cybersecurity Pushes Back Against Unprecedented Foreign Interference appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Yahoo Finance reported that the US government plans to introduce a rule that will disallow Chinese software in vehicles that have level 3 automation and above in the American market.

This autonomous cars software ban effectively makes testing of Chinese manufactured driverless vehicles on US roads illegal.

Limiting Chinese EVs

The US government has already taken steps to limit the entry of Chinese manufactured EVs into the American market. The government introduced tariffs of more than 100% on such EVs. In June this year, a U.S. representative introduced the ‘Connected Vehicle National Security Review Act’.

The purpose of this bill is to set up formal security reviews on Chinese made EVs. If it takes effect, this law will result in a complete ban on importation of Chinese EVs to the US if they pose a security threat.

Additionally, the clean energy bill introduced by the Biden administration will make it more challenging for EV makers to use batteries imported from China. As tensions between Beijing and Washington increase, concerns have extended to the Chinese software for autonomous vehicles.

Sensitive Data

The move by the U.S. government to initiate the Chinese software ban is due to rising concerns that EV vehicles collect sensitive data from American infrastructure and transmit it to the Chinese government.

The Biden administration plans to escalate the Chinese autonomous car software ban by disallowing Chinese manufactured vehicles that have advanced wireless communication systems.

With this proposal, EV makers and suppliers will be required to verify that no advanced driverless or connected vehicle software was designed in a foreign entity of concern such as China.

China’s Stand

But Beijing is opposed to generationalization of national security and discriminatory practices against Chinese manufactured EVs and connected cars by the U.S.

“China urges the US to respect market principles and provide an open, fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises. “China will resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests,” A spokesperson from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

A spokesperson in the U.S. Commerce Department said that connected technologies in autonomous vehicles have raised national security risks in government.

The post US Outlaws Chinese EV Software Over Security Concerns appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Filed in Texas State District Court, Harrison County in February 2022, Meta was accused of capturing and using biometric data from millions of Texas residents without complying with consent requirements.

The data included videos and photos uploaded on Facebook by users.

Historic Settlement

According to the Texas Attorney General office, the legal settlement with Meta demonstrates the State’s commitment to hold big tech accountable. The Meta data lawsuit settlement is the largest to be obtained following action by a single State. In the settlement, Meta will pay Texas a total of $1.4 billion over the next five years.

“This historic settlement demonstrates our commitment to standing up to the world’s biggest technology companies and holding them accountable for breaking the law and violating Texans’ privacy rights. Any abuse of Texans’ sensitive data will be met with the full force of the law,” Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton said.

Commenting on the facial recognition data lawsuit settlement deal, Meta said it was pleased to resolve the matter.

“We are pleased to resolve this matter, and look forward to exploring future opportunities to deepen our business investments in Texas, including potentially developing data centers,” Meta’s spokesperson told CNBC.

New Facebook Feature

Facebook introduced a new feature dubbed ‘tag suggestions’ in 2011. According to the Attorney General’s office, the tech giant stored huge volumes of biometric identifiers without the consent of users after launching the feature.

“Unbeknownst to most Texans, for more than a decade Meta ran facial recognition software on virtually every face contained in the photographs uploaded to Facebook, capturing records of the facial geometry of the people depicted,” Paxton said.

The tech giant did this despite being aware of the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act. This Act bars entities from capturing biometric data of Texas residents without their prior information and consent.

Meta closed its face recognition system on Facebook in 2021. The company cited rising concerns over the use of this technology as the reason for its decision.

Other Cases

Although the Texas Attorney General’s office announced the settlement deal on 30th July, the deal was reached on the eve of the scheduled June trial, which was about two months ago. In 2021, Facebook was ordered to make a $650 million settlement over similar allegations in Illinois.

“This is by far the biggest state governmental privacy settlement in history,” Jay Edelson, Chicago-based Class Action Attorney said. Edelson’s firm had filed the lawsuit that led to the $650 million settlement with Meta.

The Meta facial recognition lawsuit isn’t the only case that the Texas Attorney General’s office has been pursuing. The office is currently pursuing a lawsuit against Google’s parent company, Alphabet.

In this lawsuit, Texas State has accused Alphabet of collecting biometric data from millions of Texas residents.

The post Meta to Pay $1.4B in Texas Lawsuit Settlement Deal appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to TechCrunch, the ban was announced last month. The U.S Department of Commerce cited increased privacy and security risks that pose a threat to national security because Kaspersky’s headquarters are in Russia.

Closure After Two Decades

Kaspersky Lab plans to commence the shutdown process on July 20. The Kaspersky US operation shutdown ends close to two decades of operation in the country. Initially, the cybersecurity firm wanted to challenge the ban claiming that it does not engage in any activities that pose a threat to national security in the U.S.

“The company has carefully examined and evaluated the impact of the US legal requirements and made this sad and difficult decision as business opportunities in the country are no longer viable,” Kaspersky Lab said.

Potential Threats

Kaspersky has a wide user base across the globe. Over 400 million individuals and 240,000 companies use its antivirus software globally. However, it’s not clear how many users and businesses in the U.S will be affected by the Kaspersky US shutdown.

Officials from the U.S government claim that the Russian government could use the popular antivirus software to place Americans under surveillance by collecting data or hacking. Kaspersky denied these claims.

“Russia has shown it has the capacity, and even more than that, the intent to exploit Russian companies like Kaspersky to collect and weaponize the personal information of Americans,” Gina Raimondo, U.S. Commerce Secretary, said at the time of the ban.

Not the First Ban

A ban against the use of Kaspersky by U.S. Government agencies has been in place for a long time. However, the move by the Department of Commerce to ban the sale of software in the U.S was unprecedented.

When the ban takes effect, Kaspersky will not be allowed to sell antivirus products to U.S consumers either directly or through resellers. Some resellers have criticized the ban. Security updates on Kaspersky software will not be allowed after September 29 this year. The Department staggered the ban to enable U.S-based consumers time to find alternative antivirus software.

Previously, a Kaspersky government ban has been effected against the cybersecurity firm by the Trump administration as well as the Biden administration. The Trump administration banned Kaspersky throughout the federal government.

This happened after hackers in the Russian government stole classified documents from the home computer of an intelligence contractor.

The post Kaspersky Set to Exit US Market After Government Ban appeared first on Tech Research Online.