Plus: A massive federal child safety trial against Meta begins opening arguments. And Apple plans to change its terms for app developers to appease EU’s antitrust officials. Julie Chang hosts.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
[00:00:01] Here's your afternoon TNB Tech Minute for Tuesday, August 18. I'm Julie Chang for The Wall Street Journal. Pennsylvania has become the latest state to restrict data center construction. Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order today placing strict guardrails on new data centers. He said the order follows reports from constituents that developers have been harassing and strong-arming residents.
[00:00:24] Prospective builders will have to agree to several requirements to win state approval, including an energy plan that won't shift costs to Pennsylvania households and secure local buy-in. Shapiro, a Democrat and possible 2028 presidential contender, said there are no centers currently operating in the state, though five have the permits they would need to move forward. Dozens of cities and counties have temporarily paused new construction of data centers, and many states are weighing similar bans.
[00:00:54] New York ordered a temporary ban on large data center construction last month. Opening arguments began in a massive child safety trial against META, brought by the Attorneys General of California, Kentucky, Colorado, and New Jersey. The lawsuit will explore whether Meta violated state consumer protection laws and the Federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by knowingly designing addictive platforms and targeting young users.
[00:01:23] The trial comes on the heels of META's nearly $1 billion loss in New Mexico State Court. According to a recent filing, this one would cost the tech company 200 times more if it loses. META spokeswoman called the allegations unsubstantiated. The company is facing thousands of similar lawsuits from over 40 state AGs, school districts, and individuals, alleging growth was prioritized over the safety of its underage users.
[00:01:50] And Apple will change its terms for app developers in the European Union. The move is an effort to end a years-long antitrust dispute over how the tech company manages its devices and app store that included a $579 million fine.
[00:02:06] Apple's changes include placing developers under a single set of business terms, adjusting commission fees, and adding protections for younger users, such as not allowing apps to link away from the app store for payments if a user is under 13 years old. The changes go into effect in October, and European Union officials said they would monitor their implementation. And that's your WSJ Tech News Briefing. Check back in the morning for another quick tech update. Thank you.