What to expect at MWC 2024: smartphone launches from Xiaomi and others, OnePlus Watch 2, Brain.ai's "app-less phone" and other experimental concepts, and more (Jon Porter/The Verge)

A U.S. federal judge ruled that First Amendment free-speech protections do not exempt Character.AI from a lawsuit filed by Megan Garcia, the mother of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III, who died by suicide after interacting with Character.AI chatbots. Judge Anne C. Conway dismissed the defendants' motions to dismiss, stating that the output of AI chatbots trained by large language models does not qualify as speech. In response, Character.AI has implemented safety features, including under-18 chatbots and...

In March, an executive order mandated the creation of two stockpiles of crypto assets, alongside traditional reserves, with an estimated value of over $21 billion, primarily sourced from cryptocurrency seized in federal proceedings. According to Chainalysis, the U.S. government's top 20 crypto holdings include approximately $20.4 billion in Bitcoin and $493 million in other digital assets, such as Ethereum and various stablecoins, raising concerns among crypto enthusiasts about the potential conflict with the decentralized ethos...

TechCrunch Sessions: AI at UC Berkeley On June 5, TechCrunch Sessions: AI will take place at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, marking the third day of AI trivia events. Participants have the opportunity to demonstrate their AI knowledge by answering a series of trivia questions. By doing so, they stand a chance to win two tickets, making this an exciting occasion for AI enthusiasts. Full Article

The indie gaming scene continues to thrive with exciting new releases and showcases like Thinky Direct, which featured intriguing titles such as He Who Watches and Echo Weaver. Playdate Season Two has kicked off with two new games each week, including Dig! Dig! Dino! and Fulcrum Defender, while Trails offers a charming puzzle experience on Steam. As Summer Game Fest approaches, gamers can look forward to extensive coverage of new announcements and hands-on experiences with...

A multinational law enforcement operation has successfully dismantled an online cybercrime syndicate that provided services to threat actors, enabling their malicious software to evade detection by security software. On May 27, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) announced the seizure of four domains and their associated servers that facilitated this crypting service. This operation highlights the ongoing efforts to combat cybercrime and enhance digital security measures globally. Full Article

A report from Enders Analysis highlights that major tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, are failing to address the rampant piracy of premium video services, particularly live sports, which is costing broadcasters significant revenue and exposing users to cyber-crime risks. The Amazon Fire Stick is identified as a key device facilitating illegal streaming, with data showing that 59% of UK users who accessed pirated content did so through such devices. The report also...