Technology

Meta’s beef with the press flares at its antitrust trial

Published

7 months ago

May 13, 2025

Meta’s beef with the press flares at its antitrust trial

Long-simmering tension between Silicon Valley and the press that covers it is surfacing during the Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust trial against Meta.

During a heated cross-examination of the FTC’s key economic expert, Scott Hemphill, Meta’s lead attorney, Mark Hansen, noted that Hemphill joined Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and former Biden official Tim Wu in pitching regulators on an antitrust probe of the company back in 2019. The pitch deck for the probe that was shown in court included “public recognition” of the company’s aggressive acquisition strategy from two reporters: Kara Swisher, who currently hosts two podcasts for The Verge’s parent company, Vox Media, and Om Malik, the founder of the early tech blog GigaOm who is now a venture capitalist.

In an attempt to undercut Hemphill’s credibility, Hansen caught Swisher and Malik in the crossfire. He called Malik a “failed blogger” with an axe to grind against Meta. He then suggested that Swisher, whom he referred to as a Vanity Fair columnist (she last wrote for the site in 2015), was similarly biased against the company. In court, he projected a headline about her recently calling Mark Zuckerberg a “small little creature with a shriveled soul.”

The 2019 pitch deck shown at court by Hansen also cited a Post story to support that Facebook should be investigated as a monopoly. Meta’s Hansen asked if Hemphill agreed that “The New York Post is a scandal sheet,” to which he replied that he didn’t “have a view one way or another.” Hansen showed the infamous Post front page headline, “Headless Body in Topless Bar,” to make his point.

The exchange resurfaced years-old tensions between the press and tech titans. After experiencing relatively positive coverage during the early, aspirational days of Silicon Valley, Facebook and a handful of startups grew to become the largest platforms in the world. Along the way, they’ve chafed at increasingly critical coverage of their businesses.

Malik and Swisher have indeed both criticized Meta and its executives. In 2016, Malik critiqued Facebook’s intentions for offering free access to its apps and others in India, after board member Marc Andreesseen blamed local resistance to the program on “anti-colonialism” in a later-deleted tweet. “I am suspicious of any for-profit company arguing its good intentions and its free gifts,” Malik wrote at the time.

It was not the first time Meta has pointed a finger at the media while at trial

Tuesday’s exchange was not the first time that Meta has pointed a finger at the media while at trial. When discussing major scandals like Cambridge Analytica from the witness stand, company leaders have chalked up downswings in user sentiment to negative media attention and testified that Meta’s services haven’t seen comparable declines in engagement.

The FTC has argued that this fact is a sign of monopoly power because people can’t leave Facebook and Instagram without viable alternatives. A judge will ultimately decide if that is true or not. In the meantime, Meta’s grudges with the press are on full display.

Related Topics:Antitrust Meta policy Politics regulation Tech

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Technology

YouTube made its video player easier to navigate on TVs

Published

3 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

YouTube made its video player easier to navigate on TVs

The YouTube watch screen has been given a new look on TVs. The redesign aims to provide a “more intuitive experience with easier navigation,” according to YouTube’s announcement, relocating the video title and several controls, and adding a new “Description” button to access creator information and other video features.

I’m already seeing the update on my own Nvidia Shield Pro streaming box and native Phillips TV OS, and I do think it makes it easier to find specific video features and controls. My colleague Thomas Ricker says he isn’t seeing the redesign in Apple TV’s YouTube player, however, so they may still be rolling out. These changes are pretty delayed, considering YouTube announced in April that they would arrive “this summer.”

Videos on the YouTube app for TV will now show the title in the top left corner of the screen instead of just above the video scrubber at the bottom of the page, and the title can no longer be clicked to open comments, metadata, and information about the creator. Instead, those controls are now available by clicking the new “Description” button. The channel thumbnail and subscribe function have also been separated into two buttons, with the creator’s thumbnail now taking users directly to their channel.

Controls have been reorganized into distinct groups under the video scrubber: Channel, Description, and Subscribe on the left, Previous, Pause/Play, and Next in the center, and Like, Dislike, Comment, Save, Closed Captions, and Settings placed into two groups on the right. YouTube says the Subscribe button will remain visible to subscribers, adapting to flag pay-gated content or alert users to new live streams. A “Multiview” control has also been added for live sports content, while Music and Premium subscribers will see a new “Display Mode” control.

Technology

Android Emergency Live Video gives 911 eyes on the scene

Published

3 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Android Emergency Live Video gives 911 eyes on the scene

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Holiday travel and winter storms create risky moments for drivers and families. Stress rises fast during emergencies, and describing the scene to 911 can feel overwhelming.

Now, a new Android feature closes that gap by providing live visual information that helps responders act with speed and accuracy.

If you use an iPhone, Apple offers a similar tool through its Emergency SOS Live Video feature. You can learn how it works right here.

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Android Emergency Live Video gives 911 a secure live view of the scene, so responders understand what is happening right away. (Cyberguy.com)

What Android Emergency Live Video does

Google is rolling out Android Emergency Live Video to give dispatchers a secure view of the scene during an active call or text. A dispatcher can request a live video stream through your phone when it is safe for you to share it. With a single tap, you can stream real-time video that helps responders understand what is happening.

This can help during car accidents, medical emergencies or fast-moving hazards such as wildfire conditions. Live video can also help dispatchers guide you through steps that save lives, such as CPR, until responders arrive.

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How the Android Emergency Live Video feature works

Android designed this tool to work with no setup. When you call or text 911, the dispatcher reviews the situation. If they decide video would help, they will send a request to your phone. You see a clear prompt that lets you choose whether to start the secure stream. The feature uses encryption and gives you full control. You can stop sharing at any moment.

The feature works on Android phones running Android 8 or newer with Google Play services. It is rolling out across the U.S. and select regions in Germany and Mexico. Google plans to expand coverage with more public safety partners.

How to use Emergency Live Video on Android

You cannot turn this feature on in advance. It appears only during an active 911 call or text.

1) Call or text 911 on your Android phone. The dispatcher reviews your situation.

2) Watch for a request on your screen. If the dispatcher decides live video will help, they send a prompt to your device.

3) Tap the notification that appears. You will see a clear message asking if you want to share live video.

4) Choose Share video to start streaming. This opens your camera and begins a secure live feed.

5) Tap Stop sharing at any time. You stay in control the entire time and can end the video at any time.

With one tap, you can choose to share real-time video during a 911 call or text which gives dispatchers the clarity they need to guide you. (CyberGuy.com)

Why Emergency Live Video on Android matters now

Emergencies create confusion. Sharing details verbally takes time and can lead to miscommunication. Video removes guesswork. Responders gain clarity in seconds, which can speed up help and improve outcomes. This tool builds on Android’s safety features, including Satellite SOS, Fall Detection and Car Crash Detection.

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Alastair Breeze, a Software Engineer for Android, tells CyberGuy that the team built this feature with one goal in mind. “Providing people peace of mind is at the core of Android’s safety mission. Android Emergency Live Video gives you the ability to securely share real-time video to provide dispatchers the critical eyes-on-scene context they need to assist in emergencies.”

What this means to you

If you carry an Android phone, this feature adds another layer of protection during moments that demand quick action. You stay in control of when the video is shared. You also get a simple way to show the situation when describing it feels impossible. Faster clarity can lead to faster help, which can shape how an emergency ends.

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The feature works on Android phones running Android 8 or newer and helps responders act faster during emergencies when seconds matter. (Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com / USA TODAY)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Android Emergency Live Video brings real-time awareness to moments when every second matters. It gives responders a clear view, so they can guide you through urgent steps if necessary. Most of all, it adds peace of mind during situations no one plans for.

Would you feel comfortable sharing live video during an emergency if it helped responders reach you faster? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

The Game Awards 2025: all the news and announcements

Published

15 hours ago

December 11, 2025

Press Room

The Game Awards 2025: all the news and announcements

The Game Awards are back once again to showcase a metric ton of commercials, provide the gaming public with their monthly dose of Muppets, and validate gamers’ opinions on which title should be named the Game of the Year. I don’t wanna say it’s a foregone conclusion what this year’s GOTY will be — Silksong may surprise us — but it’s pretty obvious that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the frontrunner and for good reason. It’s netted 12 nominations, the most out of this year’s contenders, including all five craft awards (Direction, Art, Music and Score, Narrative, and Audio Design).

On the announcements side, Crystal Dynamics and Amazon Games are planning something related to the Tomb Raider series. Keighley also probably had plans to reveal big news about Resident Evil: Requiem, but unfortunately it got spoiled early thanks to some leaked key art on the PlayStation Store. Here’s all the news, announcements, and trailers from The Game Awards 2025.