TGIF. Let’s get stuck in one last time before the week is over.
1. OceanGate submarine passengers now thought to be dead
As you’ve likely heard by now, the five people aboard the OceanGate submarine that disappeared this week are now thought to be dead. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the search for the missing submarine yielded debris “consistent with a catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber”, including a landing frame and the Submarine’s rear cover. When the submarine went missing, it was expected that there was only 96 hours of oxygen aboard. It has been an emotional journey for many people not even remotely connected to the people aboard.
2. Canadians to say buh-bye to news on FB
Meta Platforms Inc, the company we all know as Facebook, plans to end access to news on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada once a Parliament-approved legislation requiring internet giants to pay news publishers comes into effect, Reuters is reporting. The legislation, known as the Online News Act, was approved by the country’s Senate upper chamber earlier on Thursday and will become law after receiving royal assent from the governor-general, which is merely a formality.
3. eSafety puts Musk on notice
It’s not quite a cage match, but Australia’s online safety commissioner is ready to rumble with Elon Musk. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has issued a legal warning to the Musk-owned site, that could lead to a fine of up to $700,000 per day if ignored. The eSafety Commission is seeking information and assurance from Twitter over how it is handling hate speech in the wake of Musk’s October 2022 takeover. In a press statement, the watchdog agency said it has received more hate complaints regarding Twitter than any other online platform in the past year, and that reports of abuse on Twitter have multiplied since the beginning of Musk’s reign — despite the site’s own policies.
4. Hearing over Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard takeover begins
Microsoft’s $US68.7 billion bid to acquire video game maker Activision Blizzard has arrived in court. The U.S. regulators launched a legal attack on the proposed takeover by depicting it as an anticompetitive weapon while Microsoft hailed the deal as a way to make popular games such as Call of Duty more widely available at cheaper prices. Per AP, the U.S. FTC is trying to persuade District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley to issue an order that would prevent the takeover from being consummated before a more extensive administrative trial begins on August 2 in Washington. Meanwhile, Microsoft is fighting to close the deal ahead of a July 18 deadline that would require paying a $US3 billion breakup fee to Activision.
5. TPG throws shade at NBN Co
Meanwhile home in Australia, itNews is reporting on claims from TPG that the NBN’s price rises are evidence that the network has no competitive pressure, and that the price increases should be a signal to policy makers to easy restrictions on fixed internet alternatives. “In a competitive market, NBN Co would be expected to reduce or minimise price increases, increase service quality, or do both,” TPG said. This goes against what NBN Co has been saying, with the NBN operator citing increased pressure from alternatives like satellite and 5G internet types.
BONUS ITEM: Something lighthearted, considering everything else today seems so bleak.
Have a good weekend, all, hope you’re doing ok.