Hey, folks, welcome to BlackHatGalaxy’s newsletter encompassing the most noteworthy events in the techosphere, or at least the bulk of them!
This week, Roku took a firm stance with its customers, mandating their consent to new dispute resolution terms. This action implies that users cannot utilize their Roku devices until they agree to these terms or opt out via traditional mail. Furthermore, these terms necessitate any customer with legal grievances against Roku to first address them with the company’s legal team.
In addition, a breach in security led to the exposure of two-factor authentication codes for tech giants worldwide, including Facebook, Google, and TikTok. YX International, an Asian tech and internet firm responsible for routing millions of SMS text messages globally, inadvertently disclosed a repository containing one-time security codes that could potentially grant unauthorized access to users’ accounts.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, CEO of X, initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging a departure from its nonprofit mission. OpenAI, initially established as a nonprofit entity, transitioned to a “capped-profit” company managed by a nonprofit entity in 2019. Musk, a co-founder and early supporter of OpenAI, accuses CEO Sam Altman and President and Co-founder Greg Brockman of prioritizing profit over the organization’s original mission to develop AI for the betterment of humanity.
Numerous other events unfolded this week, all of which we summarize. But before delving into the details, don’t forget to subscribe to receive the latest newsletter in your inbox every Saturday.
Announcements
Epic showdown: Apple has terminated Epic Games’ App Store developer account, citing it as a “threat” to the iOS ecosystem. The ongoing dispute between Epic and Apple, characterized by rhetorical clashes and numerous legal battles, revolves around Apple’s dominance and influence in the app economy.
Social media blackout: Facebook, Instagram, and Threads experienced a massive outage under Meta on Tuesday. Following the restoration of service, Meta attributed the issue to a “technical” glitch but refrained from providing further details.
Musk’s legal entanglement: Four former Twitter executives, including ex-CEO Parag Agrawal, filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk on Monday, alleging unpaid severance totaling over $128 million.
Unrestricted data transfers: Following Google’s lead, AWS has announced unrestricted free data transfers to other cloud providers. This decision, driven by regulatory pressure surrounding cloud lock-in practices, leaves Microsoft Azure as the lone exception.
