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The EU could take "interim measures" against WhatsApp as it investigates AI providers' access to the app. On Monday, the EU's regulatory arm announced its "preliminary view" that Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, violated antitrust laws by blocking third-party AI assistants from operating on WhatsApp. The European Commission's is concerned that Meta's actions will limit competitors from entering the AI assistant market. "We must protect effective competition in this vibrant field, which means we cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance to give themselves an unfair advantage," Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition said in a statement. Ribera continued: "AI markets are developing at rapid pace, so we also need to be swift in our action. That is why we are considering quickly imposing interim measures on Meta, to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation is ongoing, and avoid Metas new policy irreparably harming competition in Europe." The issue arose in October when Meta announced updates to its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms. According to the European Commission, the January 15 update would "effectively" make Meta AI the only AI assistant available on WhatsApp. The regulatory agency opened an investigation into the matter on December 4. Today's update stands as a warning to Meta that the European Commission initially believes the company has violated antitrust regulation. A final decision is still to come. It also gave Meta a chance to respond to the allegations which it swiftly did. "The facts are that there is no reason for the EU to intervene in the WhatsApp Business API," a Meta spokesperson told Reuters. "There are many AI options and people can use them from app stores, operating systems, devices, websites, and industry partnerships." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-warns-meta-over-blocking-rival-ai-chatbots-on-whatsapp-121708895.html?src=rss
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Lyft has officially introduced teen accounts for ages 13 to 17. This is a rideshare feature in which teenagers can request their own rides, which is similar to Uber's pre-existing platform. Teens request the rides on their own, but parents can keep an eye on things every step of the way. Lyft says that parents or guardians can see every ride in real time and manage the account. They also get updates at pickup and drop-off and the app allows communication with the driver when needed. This is a rideshare service for teens, so there are several new safety features. The drivers must "meet the highest standards" on the platform. Lyft says they get annual background checks and must have "proven safe driving records, positive passenger interactions and experience behind the wheel." The teens have to enter a PIN to ensure the correct rider gets in the car, which is something Lyft has been experimenting with for adults. Audio recording of the ride is on by default, for an added layer of safety. Lyft Teen is available right now, though not everywhere. The company has launched the platform in 200 markets, including New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Miami, among others. It's coming to more cities as the year winds on.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/lyft-rolls-out-teen-accounts-with-enhanced-safety-protections-110002761.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
YouTube Music has started putting lyrics a previously free feature introduced in 2020 behind a paywall, according to multiple users and 9to5Google. In the latest update, the Lyrics tab in the Now Playing screen displays a warning message: You have [x] views remaining. Unlock lyrics with Premium. Free users get lyrics for five songs, then after that, will only see a few lines before the rest of the song is blurred.Google has been testing the feature since at least September with a limited number of users, according to previous reports. Its been speculated that YouTube may have made the change to recuperate costs spent with lyric aggregators like Musixmatch. Spotify also put lyrics behind its Premium paywall in 2024, but a user backlash forced it to reinstate the feature for free users. Google has yet to confirm the change, and while it appears to be a larger rollout, the feature change could still be in testing. YouTube Musics Premium subscription costs $10.99 in the US with ad-free playback, offline downloads, AI features and more the same as its main rivals Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/youtube-music-starts-limiting-lyrics-for-free-users-101258311.html?src=rss
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