Bloomberg reported investors including Oracle, private equity player Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi investment company MGX will take an 80.1 per cent stake in a new TikTok USDS joint venture, while ByteDance will retain 19.9 per cent.

The news outlet reported it had seen an internal memo from TikTok CEO Shou Chew, who revealed the deals had been signed and the transactions were expected to close on 22 January 2026.

Chew apparently added “there’s more work to be done before then”.

Should the deals close, TikTok will operate as an independent US joint venture, controlling data, content moderation and algorithm security, Chew added. It will be governed by a new seven-member US majority board of directors.

The deal is significant, potentially ending years of uncertainty around the future of TikTok in the US. President Donald Trump first began a campaign to have the social media app banned in 2020 due to security concerns given its Chinese ownership.

In September this year, Trump signed an executive order to split off TikTok from ByteDance, allowing US investors to hold a majority stake in the new entity.

CNBC reported at the time the trio of companies that have now been named as investors would take a 15 per cent stake each in the entity.

Chinese regulators have, however, not confirmed they will sign off on the deals, added Bloomberg.

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China’s top tech giants, led by e-commerce giant Alibaba, earmarked at least CNY380 billion ($54 billion) in compute power and AI infrastructure this year.

While both countries are investing huge sums to emerge as a leader in the segment, they have vastly different goals.

Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei last month pointed out the US is exploring artificial general intelligence (AGI) and artificial superintelligence to solve big issues, such as “what it means to be human”.

This is clearly demonstrated by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s bold ambition, outlined in July, to bring “personal superintelligence” to billions of users. It has allocated to up $27 billion to AI compute this year.

Real-world applications
In contrast, Ren said China is studying the adoption of AI in real-world scenarios, aiming to create more value and drive growth, with a focus on improving industrial efficiency, safety and profitability.

The CEO said the key technical requirement for AI is having sufficient electricity and a well-developed information network, two areas where China has a significant advantage over the US. “China has excellent power generation and grid transmission systems, and its communication network is the most advanced in the world.”

He told a gathering of students last month at its Lianqiu Lake Campus AI’s sensing and control capabilities will depend on data transmitted across thousands of kilometres, which will require advanced networks.

Leonardo Dinic, an adviser on geopolitics and international business, highlighted in an article in China-US Focus that while both countries’ AI strategies are globally ambitious, there are clear differences. 

He suggested the US “explicitly promotes the export” of end-to-end AI technology, covering hardware, models, software, applications and standards to allies and firm geopolitical partners, to prevent competing adversaries from free-riding on innovation. 

Meanwhile, China is positioning itself as a partner for Global South nations by emphasising “open technology exchange, cross-border cooperation”, which is less conditioned by each actor’s political alignment, Dinic noted.

Lagging in AI chips
Despite restricted access to the most advanced AI chips, Chinese AI companies, demonstrated by start-up DeepSeek introducing its R1 model in January, are keeping up with US leaders in many categories.

TrendForce analyst Frank Kung told Mobile World Live Chinese AI suppliers have adopted an approach of using a larger number of chips compared with US-based GPUs, such as Nvidia’s. 

He explained: “This entails disadvantages such as higher costs and a much larger data centre footprint when assembling equivalent systems, but it is also a breakthrough strategy that they are effectively compelled to pursue.”

The country’s AI suppliers face disadvantages in upstream supply, such as wafer fabrication and high-bandwidth availability, as well as in process technology, Kung added. 

As a result, their development path is mainly focused on two directions.

First, they adopt a server-cluster approach: while individual chips may underperform compared with leading alternatives, system-level performance is achieved by aggregating a larger number of chips.

Second, they place greater emphasis on AI inference applications. Although their capabilities in large-scale LLM training may be less competitive, they aim to compensate by developing more diversified AI application scenarios, he noted.

The pod advantage
Huawei rotating chair Eric Xu acknowledged at the chip level, the performance of an individual AI Huawei chip is not as good as Nvidia’s, “but at a super pod level, we can deliver the most powerful systems in the market”.

In September, he detailed the company’s roadmap for AI computing platforms, with plans to release the world’s most powerful single system in Q4 2026 and then double the performance with a new launch a year later.

Looking ahead, talk of an AI bubble rages on not only in the US but globally, with downside risks coming from over-investment (possibly repeating Meta’s metaverse overreach) to a lack of electricity to power data centres in some locations.

From a global perspective, Kung noted the major source of uncertainty stems from geopolitical risks. “An unstable political and economic environment – such as export controls, bans or tariffs – could lead enterprises to adopt a more cautious stance, increasing the risk of tightened procurement spending and slower adoption.”

Ren earlier suggested the development of AI will take decades, even centuries, advising “don’t worry.”

Such a “long march” view leaves plenty of time for shares of AI companies to soar to new peaks and for the market to sustain a wrenching correction, and the two countries to continue to battle for the claim of AI champion.

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The 40-page report stated: “The real tragedy here was the duration of the Triple Zero call outage and the failure of Optus and its contractors to deal immediately with the warning signals they received. At Optus and Nokia, the necessary processes were in place, but their requirements were not performed properly.”

Optus chair John Arthur detailed in a response to the report: “I have made it clear the Optus failures were unacceptable. The board is taking further action in relation to individual accountabilities flowing from the incident, which will extend from financial penalties through to termination in appropriate cases.”

He added sharing the report “underscores our commitment to being open” about what occurred, and it will assist the broader industry in tackling the challenges facing the sector.

The report highlighted a number of key issues. The first was “the very poor management and performance within networks [department] and its contractor Nokia. Process was not followed, and incorrect procedures were selected. Checks were inadequate, controls avoided and alerts given insufficient attention.”

It noted “there appeared to be reticence in seeking more experienced advice within networks and a focus on speed and getting the task done, rather than an emphasis on doing things properly. This behaviour must be rectified to ensure that such mistakes are not repeated.”

The second problem was at the call centre. “Instructions to operators did not recognise that they may be the first alert channel for Triple Zero difficulties.”

The review acknowledged Optus is moving part of its call centre back to Australia and operating that service locally 24/7, which it noted will improve call centre response.

The internal investigation was ordered following a failure of its emergency call network on 18 September that was linked to two deaths.

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The government-led Women in Tech Taskforce was established to develop ways to encourage women into the sector, but also to stay once there.

Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said the group was established to “break down the barriers that still hold too many people back”.

She said the taskforce would work with industry to conceive “practical solutions”.

“When women are inspired to take on a role in tech and have a seat at the table, the sector can make more representative decisions”.

The government stated the taskforce is targeting an imbalance which sees men outnumber women by four-to-one in terms of having computer science degrees.

It stated “systemic barriers” restrict women and it would take 283 years to achieve equality without action.

The taskforce is to have the government’s ear regarding methods to boost diversity in the tech industry by removing barriers to education, training and career progression. The work is expected to complement an AI and digital skills curriculum the country is deploying in schools.

Kendall said promoting women in the tech sector can “unlock the innovation and growth our economy needs”.

The government highlighted recruitment company Ivee, Starling Bank, and childcare service Koru Kids as examples of successful businesses run by women.

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In a letter to employees, Netflix co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos said the company’s stance on the tie-up “hasn’t changed”, arguing it would “offer consumers more choice and value” and “fuel our long-term growth”.

Earlier this month, the streaming group struck a a $72 billion deal with WBD for its TV, film studios and streaming assets. Days later, Paramount launched a hostile $108.4 billion bid for the entire company, arguing Netflix’s deal offers “inferior and uncertain value”. Peters and Sarandos described the rival move as “entirely expected”, but stressed that Netflix has “a solid deal in place”.

On regulatory scrutiny, the executives said they remains confident in securing approvals, arguing the deal is “great for our shareholders, great for consumers and a strong way to create and protect jobs in the industry”. They pointed to data from American media audience measurement company Nielsen showing that Netflix’s US view share would rise from 8 per cent to 9 per cent post-transaction, “still well behind YouTube (13 per cent) and a potential Paramount/WBD combination (14 per cent)”.

However, attorneys have cautioned that regulators may not view Netflix and YouTube as direct competitors, given the differences in their content and business models, Reuters reported.

Netflix also played down fears over job cuts, stating WBD would bring “businesses and capabilities we don’t have”, resulting in “no overlap or studio closures”.

The group said a dedicated internal team is managing the transaction while the broader business remains focused on its longer-term growth ambitions.

The post Netflix stands firm on WBD deal as Paramount circles appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The watchdog stated the BT issue occurred between 24 July and 25 July, with the company informing it of a software issue resulting in UK-wide disruption to mobile call services interconnecting to and from its EE network.

The problem resulted in customers being unable to make or receive calls to other networks and emergency services.

A similar incident occurred for 3 UK, resulting in a UK-wide disruption on 25 June.

Ofcom explained operators are required to take appropriate and proportionate measures to identify and reduce the risks and prepare for the “occurrence of anything that compromises the availability, performance or functionality of their network or service”.

It added: “Our investigations will seek to establish the facts surrounding these incidents and assess whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that BT and Three have failed to comply with regulatory obligations.”

BT stated it will fully cooperate with Ofcom throughout its investigation.

Ofcom hit BT with a £17.5 million fine in July 2024 for what it described as a “catastrophic failure” of its emergency call handling services.

3 UK was last hit with an Ofcom fine in 2017, when it was ordered to pay £1.9 million over a network issue.

The operator has merged with Vodafone UK, with a deal between the pair completing at the end of May. However, Vodafone was not mentioned in Ofcom’s statement.

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The case to the country’s High Court also disputes Reddit, a social news aggregation and discussion site, being classified as an age-restricted social media platform. It argues it should be exempt as it doesn’t meet the definition of social media, the news agency wrote.

Reddit claims its platform is a forum primarily for adults without traditional social media features.

Australia’s health minister Mark Butler reportedly declared the action by Reddit was “to protect the profits that they make at the expense of the mental health of young people”.

He compared the action to Big Tobacco’s fight against tobacco controls, adding the country would defend the legal challenges “every step of the way”.

Last month, two teenagers filed a legal challenge against the social media curbs backed by the Digital Freedom Project.

Starting 10 December, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube are required to take reasonable steps to prevent children under the age of 16 from having accounts.

The post Reddit challenges Australia social media ban appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The broad initiative includes setting up a 12-inch, 40nm foundry to help fabless chipmakers develop and test chips with a KRW4.5 trillion budget as well as increasing the number of chip factories to 37 from the current 21.

The investment will be focused commercialising neural processing units and advanced packaging technology. The government also will expand state funding to ensure the facilities have a sufficient supply of power and water.

President Lee Jae-Myung held meetings with executives from the country’s chipmakers.

SK Hynix led the global DRAM market in Q3 with a 33.2 per cent share, marginally ahead of rival Samsung with a 32.6 per cent share, data from TrendForce showed.

In September, Lee revealed the five-year Nation Growth Fund was increased to KRW150 trillion from KRW100 trillion. The investment will be used across the country’s AI, semiconductors, biotechnology, defence, robotics and green mobility sectors.

The post South Korea earmarks billions to maintain memory lead appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Justice Department is investigating the Hong Kong-listed company for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, with the most recent case occurring in 2018.

Reuters cited sources alleging the Chinese vendor worked out deals in South America that the Justice Department suspects involved bribery.

The Department of Commerce is also reviewing the same facts as the Justice Department to determine if ZTE violated a ten-year agreement reached in 2018 to settle a case related to breaches of US government trade embargoes covering Iran, the news agency stated.

In a stock market filing, ZTE said it communicating with the US Department of Justice and will “resolutely defend its rights and interests through legal means and other measures”. It added the company “opposes all forms of corruption and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any individuals who may be involved in such activities”.

Failure to reach a settle with the US government could lead to key US suppliers being barred from exporting to ZTE.

In 2018, the company was forced to suspend global operations shortly after a US government order in April banned domestic companies from selling equipment to the vendor.

The company later complied with all requirements of a settlement to resume operations after agreeing to overhaul its board and management, and had paid a $1.4 billion penalty. A year earlier, it pleaded guilty and paid $892 million to settle the case.

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According to Bloomberg, Apple’s app store rankings showed TikTok-backed Lemon8 as the most downloaded free app in Australia, followed by private photo-sharing service Yope and Coverstar, which positions itself as “the safest alternative to TikTok” for children aged 9 to 16.

Market intelligence company SensorTower reportedly found Coverstar’s usage in Australia jumped 488 per cent compared with the same period last year, while Chinese-owned app Rednote recorded a 37 per cent increase in weekly active users.

At the same time, demand for VPNs, a potential method for bypassing restrictions, rose 103 per cent in the country compared with the daily average of the previous 28 days, Top10VPN statistics showed.

Profound reform
Australia’s controversial new law obliges social media platforms including TikTok and Meta Platforms’ Instagram to prevent under-16s from holding accounts or face fines of up to AUD49.5 million ($33 million). Australia is the first democracy to impose such restrictions as a response to growing concerns around online harm, cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content.

While major platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have begun enforcing the rules by blocking attempts to create underage accounts, several have warned the law risks pushing minors into dangerous online spaces. Elon Musk’s X also confirmed compliance, stating: “It’s not our choice – it’s what the Australian law requires.”

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese argued the ban is “pushing back against big tech, saying that social media companies have a social responsibility”. 

He noted the new law marks “a profound reform which will continue to reverberate around the world in coming months,” adding it “will change lives for Australian kids” and allow them “just have their childhood”.

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Under the plan Meta will give users a choice between consenting to share all of their data to enable personalised advertising, or opting to share less and limit the volume of targeted advertising.

“The European Commission acknowledges Meta’s undertaking to offer users in the EU an alternative choice of Facebook and Instagram services that would show them less personalised ads, to comply with the Digital Markets Act,” the EC stated.

The two options will be available to users in the European Union from January 2026. After implementation, the EC will collect feedback and evidence from Meta and other stakeholders to assess the impact and adoption of the new model.

In April 2025 Meta came under fire for its consent-or-pay model rolled out in November 2023 across Facebook and Instagram, which forced users to choose between consenting to personal data usage or paying for an ad-free experience.

The set-up failed to offer an alternative that used less personal data, a measure required by the DMA. As a result, the EC slapped a €228 million fine on the social media giant.

Reuters reported the DMA violation applied to Facebook and Instagram from November 2023 to November 2024.

The post EC signs off on Meta option to cut use of personal data for ads appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said the US would allow the sale of the chips to China and other countries under conditions which allow for “continued strong national security”.

President Trump added Chinese President Xi Jinping responded positively to the move.

The policy does not include Nvidia’s advanced Blackwell and Rubin chips, but also covers AMD, Intel and other US chipmakers.

It requires checks by the Department of Commerce to ensure national security.

The move could keep China-based companies more reliant on US technology standards instead of using domestic AI chips from vendors including Huawei.

Opening sales of its more advanced chip creates huge upside for Nvidia, which excluded sales of its H20 chips to China in recent financial outlooks.

The H200 chip offers significantly more memory bandwidth than the H20, enabling faster data processing for AI applications. However, it is less capable than Nvidia’s flagship Blackwell chips.

Nvidia reconfigured the H200 for China following US export controls on AI chips introduced in October 2023 during President Joe Biden’s term.

The decision by President Trump is similar to deals Nvidia and AMD reached with the US government in August to restart sales of H20 chips to China.

In September, a regulator in China reportedly ordered domestic technology companies to stop buying Nvidia AI chips to support local alternatives.

Reuters reported the prospective compromise follows a recent truce in the US-China trade and tech war, brokered by President Trump and President Xi.

The news agency also reported US senator Elizabeth Warren opposes selling the H200 chips to China.

On 3 December, Warner criticised Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for lobbying President Trump to approve the sale of advanced AI chips to China.

“This risks turbocharging China’s bid for technological and military dominance and undermining US economic and national security,” Reuters reported the senator as saying.

Additional reporting by Joseph Waring

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“I will be doing a one rule Executive Order this week,” he stated in a Truth Social post. “We are beating all countries at this point in the race, but that won’t last long if we are going to have 50 states, many of them bad actors, involved in rules and the approval process.

The Financial Times reported Trump is facing opposition from members of his own political party and supporters over the order, who contend the President is favouring big tech such as Apple, Meta Platforms and Amazon which have donated to various projects.

“You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something,” Trump stated. “That will never work!”

While he did not provide any additional details on his forthcoming executive order, Reuters reported Trump has threatened to withhold federal funding from states which do not comply or file lawsuits against them.

The news agency noted President Trump’s order will likely face opposition from various states.

In July, the Trump administration revealed its AI action plan, designed to solidify the US’ position as the global leader in the face of competition from countries such as China.

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The plan, backed by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), would require device makers to activate Assisted GPS (A-GPS) on all smartphones to give authorities more precise location data during legal investigations, Reuters reported. According to documents seen by the news outlet, the proposal would remove users’ ability to switch off location services.

Today, law enforcement agencies rely largely on cellular tower data that can only provide approximate locations. Technology experts cited by Reuters said continuous A-GPS access could allow authorities to track users to within about a metre.

The COAI also urged the government to require device makers to disable location tracking alerts on users’ smartphones, warning they can tip off targets of investigations.

Regulatory overreach
Lobby group India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), which represents Apple and Google, warned the government there is “no precedent anywhere else in the world” for compulsory, device-level A-GPS surveillance. In a confidential letter to the government in July, the group reportedly argued the technology “is not deployed or supported for location surveillance” and described the proposal as a potential “regulatory overreach”.

The industry association flagged risks to national security, noting that smartphones are widely used by military members, journalists and judges, who could be exposed if precise location data were misused or compromised.

The ICEA also told authorities that location tracking notifications are essential to maintaining transparency and trust, arguing that privacy protections should take priority.

India’s IT and home ministries are reviewing the proposal, but no decision has been made. A meeting with senior smartphone industry executives scheduled for this week has apparently been postponed.

The proposal follows a separate privacy controversy last week after the government scrapped a mandate requiring smartphone makers to preload a state-backed cyber safety app on all devices, a move that drew criticism from companies including Apple over privacy risks.

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Speaking at an event in Washington yesterday (7 December), Trump stated the deal “could be a problem”, due to the market share the combined company would take in the streaming market.

“That’s got to go through a process and we’ll see what happens,” he added, before stating he would have a say on if the deal should get the green light.

Trump also confirmed he had met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently, following media speculation that the pair had indeed held discussions before the mega-deal was announced.

Netflix stated on Friday (5 December) it had agreed to buy WBD in a deal that brings together two global entertainment leaders. Should the deal be passed through regulators, it will give Netflix access to WBD’s movie studio and streaming networks.

The tie up is slated to be completed in the second half of 2026, after Warner Bros completes a formal separation of its businesses.

As well as scrutiny from Trump himself, the deal will also face close examination from the US Justice Department over antitrust concerns and the European Commission.

The post Trump warns Netflix, Warner Bros deal could be a problem appeared first on Mobile World Live.

It stated breaches include the “deceptive” design of X’s blue tick, a lack of transparency in its advertising repository and a failure to provide access to public data for researchers.

The EC stated using the tick for verified accounts deceives users and violates DSA obligations for online platforms “to prohibit deceptive design practices on their services”. The regulator pointed out anyone could pay to obtain verified status without the company meaningfully proving who is behind the account.

On the second point, the EC explained X’s advertisement repository fails to meet DSA transparency and accessibility requirements, adding these are critical for researchers and civil society to detect scams and other threats.

Thirdly, the EC stated X fails to meet DSA obligations around access to public data, with its terms of service restricting eligible researchers, while its processes for researchers imposes unnecessary barriers.

Garbage
The sum of fine was calculated by considering the nature of the infringements, their gravity in terms of affected European Union (EU) users and their duration.

X has 90 days to submit an action plan to address its alleged infringements, however Musk already indicated he will oppose the penalty.

US Vice President JD Vance hit out at the fine, writing on X the EU should be “supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage”.

The post EU regulator hits X with €120M DSA penalty appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted more young people are unintentionally encountering age-inappropriate content at a young age, adding the new codes are about “protecting our kids from accidental exposure”.

The codes, for example, require search engines to blur image results of online pornography and extreme violence to protect children from incidental exposure.

The 98-page regulatory guidance covers new codes applying to age-restricted material and existing unlawful material codes and standards. They complement the under-16 social media ban which goes into effect 10 December, the statement noted.

The new rules apply to online service providers such as app stores, social media services, equipment providers, online pornography services and generative AI services.

The post Australia issues guidelines on new online safety rules appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The EC stated the policy announced in October prohibits providers from using a tool allowing businesses to communicate on WhatsApp when AI “is the primary service offered”.

Set to roll-out widely in 2026, the policy would allow businesses to use AI tools for ancillary or support functions including automated customer support through WhatsApp.

However, the EC explained its concerns centre on the fact the new policy may prevent AI providers from offering their service through WhatsApp.

“As a result of the new policy, competing AI providers may be blocked from reaching their customers through WhatsApp,” the EC stated.

“On the other hand, Meta’s own AI service Meta AI would remain accessible to users on the platform.”

The watchdog pointed out WhatsApp currently allows businesses to communicate with their customers through the platform, while several AI providers offer access to their assistants through the service.

Meta Platforms plans to implement the policy through an update to its WhatsApp terms and conditions for business users, applying to AI providers already present on messaging service as of 15 January 2026.

AI providers new to WhatsApp have been subject to the policy since 15 October.

A thorough formal investigation will cover the European Economic Area except for Italy, avoiding potential overlap with a separate case brought forward by Italian regulators against the Facebook owner.

The post EC probes Meta Platforms AI practices appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Rachel Lord, public policy senior manager at Google and YouTube Australia, expressed disappointment “this rushed regulation misunderstands our platform and the way young Australians use it”.

She declared the law would “not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube”.

The Social Media Minimum Age Act is due to come into effect on 10 December.

Lord argued it “removes the very parental controls and safety filters built to protect them, it will not make kids safer on our platform”, because it will result in children using YouTube without an account.

She added parents would also lose the ability to supervise their child’s account because they only work when they are signed in.

At a press event today (4 December), Minister for Communications Anika Wells stated it is “outright weird” YouTube highlighted the lack of safety when users are not logged in.

She said if the platform is “reminding us all that it is not safe”, it is a “problem that YouTube needs to fix”.

The politician highlighted the origin of the law was a campaign by thousands of parents.

The post YouTube argues Australia risking safety appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement, India’s Ministry of Communications announced given increasing uptake of the Sanchar Saathi app, the decision had been made to not make installation by manufacturers mandatory.

“The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily,” it explained.

Earlier in the week Apple said it did not plan to comply with the government directive to preinstall the app on all new handsets, Reuters reported.

Criticism
Reversal of the policy comes a day after communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia issued a statement on X clarifying use of the app was voluntary and users would be allowed to delete the app. This went against the original policy whereby the app was unremovable.

Scindia said it could be activated “at their convenience to access its benefits, and they may deactivate or delete it from their devices at any time”.

He insisted the app “is not surveillance, it is a citizen safety tool”, adding it is both an app and a portal that enables citizens to secure themselves through transparent, easy-to-use tools.

Canalys senior analyst Sanyam Chaurasia told Mobile World Live allowing users to delete the app significantly softened the original mandate and reduced the impact on device experience and OEM strategies.

More importantly, he suggested “the real inflection point” will depend on how convincingly data privacy, user consent and transparency are addressed.

“Until strong safeguards and legal clarity are in place, this is likely to remain a developing policy experiment rather than a hard, industry-wide operating requirement.”

Story updated on 3 December at 12.30 GMT to include the latest statement. Additional reporting by Chris Donkin.

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Tokyo Electron failed to take necessary steps to prevent the alleged theft by an employee referred to as Chen who was indicted in August, Reuters reported prosecutors as stating.

Prosecutors reportedly stated the company’s unit in Taiwan had a legal duty to supervise Chen and “should bear corporate criminal liability”.

The unit could be fined up to TWD120 million ($3.8 million).

In August, Taiwanese prosecutors charged three staff for allegedly attempting to access TSMC’s confidential 2nm development and production data.

Chen is a former TSMC employee who joined Tokyo Electron and was one of those indicted.

Meanwhile, TSMC is taking legal action against a former senior executive suspected of stealing trade secrets when he retired and moved to a job at rival Intel.

Intel denies TSMC’s claims.

The post Tokyo Electron implicated in TSMC secret theft appeared first on Mobile World Live.

An Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigation found the operator breached anti-scam rules on 168 occasions between July 2024 and February 2025.

Scammers bypassed identity verification processes to gain control of consumers’ mobile number services and access bank accounts, with customer losses totalling AUD393,000.

ACMA member Samantha Yorke noted the size of penalty “reflects the seriousness and scale of Southern Phone’s failures”.

She added the vulnerabilities in its systems went undetected for more than a year and “should have been identified and addressed much earlier to prevent consumers experiencing this harm”.

The operator also agreed to a 36-month court-enforceable undertaking, requiring an independent review of its processes, regular security tests of its systems and reporting to the regulator.

Southern Phone primarily uses Optus’ network to deliver mobile services. It was set up in 2002 after receiving AUD4.8 million from the government’s Networking the Nation scheme to deliver more affordable services in specific regions.

The post Australian MVNO hit with fine for scam rule breaches appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) stated after it took legal action, Google admitted it engaged in anti-competitive behaviour.

Google conceded its actions “had the likely effect of substantially lessening competition”, the ACCC stated.

ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh said the penalty “should send a strong message to all businesses that there are serious and costly consequences” for anti-competitive conduct.

“Today’s outcome, combined with the undertakings from Google and the telcos, creates the potential for millions of Australians to have greater search choice in the future,” he added.

Google earlier committed to removing certain pre-installation and default search engine restrictions from its contracts with Android device makers and mobile operators.

The operator deals ran between December 2019 and March 2021 and required them to pre-install Google Search on Android handsets.

Telstra and Optus received a share of the revenue Google generated from adverts displayed to consumers when they used Google Search on their Android phones.

In 2024, Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom agreed not to enter into new agreements with Google which would enable its search service being exclusively pre-installed and set as default on devices sold to customers.

The post Google fined millions for exclusive search deals appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The TRAI is expected to recommend the reduction, which then has to be approved by the Department of Telecommunications.

Operators’ total annual payment for backhaul spectrum charges is estimated at between INR40 billion ($446 million) and INR55 billion, the newspaper stated. The spectrum usage charge for backhaul ranges from 0.15 per cent to 3.95 per cent of operators’ adjusted gross revenue.

The proposal would reduce operating expenses for the sector and would be a welcome measure for debt-laden Vodafone Idea.

The operator is in talks with banks to secure debt financing to support its capex plans of INR500 billion to INR550 billion. Its deferred payment obligations were INR1.8 trillion at end-September.

The post India mulls slashing backhaul spectrum charges appeared first on Mobile World Live.

One New Zealand is also to contribute NZD100,000 towards the commission’s costs.

In response to the penalty, the operator issued a statement explaining it worked closely and with the Commerce Commission “to put things right” after identifying the breaches, no customers were found to be harmed as a result and “all registered vulnerable customers always had a way to contact 111 in an emergency”.

“We want to be clear this was not a failure of the 111 service or an issue preventing customers contacting 111 from our network in an emergency. The breaches never impacted our network or customers’ ability to reach emergency services.”

One NZ admitted to ten breaches of the code related to information disclosure record keeping and regular customer outreach between 2021 and 2023.

Telecommunications Commissioner Tristan Gilbertson noted as consumers move off traditional copper lines, “it’s crucial that vulnerable customers” retain the ability to contact emergency services during a power failure.

The code requires operators to provide such consumers a no-cost way of making an emergency call when power is cut, clearly communicate key information about their options and accurately report their consumer engagement in relation to the code, the Commerce Commission explained.

The post One NZ fined for emergency call breaches appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Alphabet-owned company originally filed a complaint with the European Commission (EC) last year, accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive conduct that allegedly locked customers into its Azure cloud platform.

Reuters reported that Giorgia Abeltino, head of government affairs and public policy for Google Cloud Europe, stated the company is withdrawing its complaint “in light of the recent announcement that the EC will assess problematic practices affecting the cloud sector under a separate process”.

Last week, the EC opened an investigation into whether structural features of the cloud computing industry are responsible for reinforcing the market power of players including Microsoft’s Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS).

“We continue to work with policymakers, customers, and regulators across the EU, the UK, and elsewhere to advocate for choice and openness in the cloud market,” Abeltino reportedly added.

The EC’s year-long probe could result in cloud players including Azure and AWS being designated as “gatekeepers” under the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which would subject them to strict regulations designed to curb market dominance and promote competition.

Settled amicably
Microsoft has previously rebuffed Google’s claims. In July 2024, the company reached a €20 million settlement with trade body CISPE to resolve a separate antitrust complaint over its cloud licensing practices. Following that deal, a Microsoft representative told Mobile World Live it expected the Commission to dismiss Google’s complaint.

“Microsoft settled amicably similar concerns raised by European cloud providers, even after Google hoped they would keep litigating,” the company said at the time. “Having failed to persuade European companies, we expect Google similarly will fail to persuade the European Commission.”

The post Google drops EU antitrust complaint against Microsoft appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a petition filed at the Delhi High Court, Apple contested an amendment made in 2024 which allows the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to levy penalties based on a company’s global revenue rather than only its India turnover.

Reuters reported Apple stated in court filings it could face a penalty of up to $38 billion if the sum is calculated at 10 per cent of its average global services revenue in the three fiscal years to 2024.

The news outlet reported Apple believes such a penalty would be “arbitrary” and “unjust”.

Apple argued penalties should be linked only to the revenue of the specific business unit found in breach of antitrust law, warning the current approach risks sweeping in unrelated parts of a company’s global operations.

Abusive conduct
The CCI began investigating Apple’s conduct in the country in 2022 following complaints led by online dating platform Match accusing the company of abusing its dominance in the iOS apps market.

In 2024, the CCI reportedly stated there is evidence Apple engaged in “abusive conduct”, including preventing third-party payment processors from offering in-app purchases.

The company denied wrongdoing and a final CCI decision is pending.

Apple told the High Court it had “no choice but to bring this constitutional challenge now” to prevent the amended rules from being applied retrospectively, after the CCI invoked them in an unrelated case earlier this month.

A court hearing is scheduled for December.

The post Apple challenges India law as $38B fine risk looms appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Various outlets report Minister for Communications Anika Wells told Parliament the government is unwavering in its plan to implement the ban despite the High Court action by a pair of teenagers.

Sky News reported the politician said the government is steadfast in its support of parents and Reuters detailed a reference to resisting attempts at intimidation.

Each news outlet explained the DFP is led by John Ruddick, a politician in the New South Wales state Parliament, and the plaintiffs in the court action are 15-year-olds Noah Jones and Macy Neyland.

The latter reportedly drew parallels between Australia’s planned ban and the dystopian world envisaged in the novel 1984, written by George Orwell.

Neyland expressed concerns over a loss of outlets and society for younger users and the DFP branded the planned legislation as “excessive”.

Sky News emphasised the landmark nature of the legislation, noting many other governments and technology companies are waiting to see how the ban pans out.

The government recently added Twitch to a list of affected services, which include various Meta Platforms offerings, TikTok, X and YouTube.

The post Australia resists social media ban challenge appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil noted the government will review how other countries are approaching age restrictions to protect children from online harm, the newspaper wrote.

Last month, the country’s Cabinet approved a measure to raise the minimum age for social media users to 16.

Platforms will be required to use electronic know-your-customer identity checks to enforce the ban.

In Australia, starting 10 December Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X and YouTube will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent children under the age of 16 from having accounts.

Indonesia is considering a similar ban and is working on interim guidelines requiring platforms to follow child protection standards.

A number of countries in Europe, including France and Spain, are also considering or planning age restrictions on social media use for minors.

The post Malaysia to adopt child social media ban appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement explaining the decision, the department noted it was guided by Twitch’s self-assessment.

It added the platform has the “sole or significant purpose” of online social interaction with features designed to encourage user interaction.

Starting 10 December, Twitch will join Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube in being required to take reasonable steps to prevent children under the age of 16 from having accounts.

The regulator also informed Pinterest it does not meet the criteria for an age-restricted social media platform, noting that while the image-sharing platform enables some social interaction, it “is not the significant purpose”.

In September, the agency provided a self-assessment tool to help the industry understand if a platform is required to comply with the social media minimum age.

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