Good morning. Let’s just get right into it.
1. Australian court orders X to take down Western Sydney stabbing video
Last night, the eSafety Commissioner launched an urgent court case against X (formerly Twitter), with the court ordering an injunction to take down videos of the Western Sydney stabbing, per The Guardian. Over the weekend, the platform owned by Elon Musk claimed that eSafety’s order to remove the video was unlawful, claiming that it has no jurisdiction outside of Australia. Many of the posts were supposedly geo-blocked in Australia, however, they were still accessible to Australians with VPNs, with eSafety arguing that they are then therefore still available and not taken down.
2. RayGen snatches up $20 million
Breakthrough Victoria, the independent company set up to manage a $2 billion Victorian government investment fund, is putting $20 million towards energy startup RayGen, per InnovationAus. Raygen has been developing a photovoltaic and thermal water-based energy storage system to increase renewable impact on the grid with greater efficiency than many alternatives. Now, Breakthrough Victoria is giving them a splash of cash. “We are investing in RayGen Resources because they focus on what Victoria needs – sustainability, scale and local manufacturing,” Breakthrough Victoria chief executive Grant Dooley said. “Their innovative energy storage technology will help us better transition to renewable energy.”
3. Zuck opens up VR platform
Meta Horizon OS, the Android-based operating system that powers Meta’s VR headsets, such as the Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro, is being opened up to third-party developers, starting with ASUS and Lenovo. Meta has been the market leader for VR headsets for some time now, with this move mirroring Google’s handling of Android and Microsoft’s handling of Windows. “Looking forward to a new wave of headsets focused on productivity, entertainment, gaming, exercise, and more!” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Threads. Meta will also be building a limited edition Quest headset inspired by Xbox consoles for Microsoft.
4. Grindr facing data sharing lawsuit
Reuters reports that dating app Grindr is facing a lawsuit in the UK, with plaintiffs alleging that the app had shared the HIV status of users with third parties without consent. “Grindr has never shared user-reported health information for ‘commercial purposes’ and has never monetized such information,” Grindr said in a statement, labelling the lawsuit a “mischaracterisation of practices from more than four years ago.” Chaya Hanoomanjee, managing director of law firm Austen Hays said.
5. Russia sentences Meta spokesperson to prison (in absentia)
Wrapping things up with Engadget, which reports that Russia has sentenced Meta spokesperson Andy Stone to six years in jail… in absentia, because he’s not in Russia. Stone was sentenced on charges of “publicly defending terrorism”, with lawyers seeking to appeal the sentence.
BONUS ITEM: It’s related to the first story, but it’s a good quote.
PM @albo on @elonmusk: ‘
— Michael Rowland (@mjrowland68) April 22, 2024
‘We’ll do whatever’s necessary to take on this arrogant billionaire who thinks he’s above the law.’@abcnews
Have a lovely day.
Image: Meta