In today’s Digest, we cover legal developments including Google being fined $314.6m and Paramount settling the ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit with Trump. We also look at X’s UK audience drop among the top 25 publishers and the US Senate’s rejection of a ban on state-level AI regulation.

Legal Developments: Google Fined $314.6M; Paramount Settles ‘60 Minutes’ Suit with Trump 

A jury in San Jose, California, has ruled that Google must pay more than USD$314.6m (£248m) to Android smartphone users in the state. The case, brought against Google, centred on claims that the company collected and transmitted data in the background without user permission placing what the lawsuit described as “mandatory and unavoidable burdens” on Android users for Google’s own benefit. The jury sided with the plaintiffs, citing that Google had engaged in unauthorised data activity, thereby violating consumer privacy rights.

In response, Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda stated the company intends to appeal the verdict, claiming it “misunderstands services that are critical to the security, performance, and reliability of Android.”

Paramount Global has also agreed to pay US President Trump USD$16m (£12.6m) to settle a lawsuit related to a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview, in a move aimed at clearing the path for its USD$8bn (£6.32) merger with Skydance Media. The legal action alleged that CBS’ “60 Minutes” misled US voters by broadcasting deceptively edited versions of an interview with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The interview, conducted by correspondent Bill Whitaker, aired in October 2024 just four weeks before the US presidential election.

Despite previously calling the lawsuit “meritless”, Paramount said that settling the case was a strategic decision to avoid further delays and reputational risks as it advances its high-stakes deal with Skydance. The company noted that while it disagrees with the claims, the payment resolves the matter without admission of wrongdoing.

X Suffers Sharpest UK Audience Drop Among Top 25 Publishers

X experienced the sharpest year-on-year audience decline among the UK’s top 25 online publishers, according to the latest Ipsos iris data: in May 2025, X Corp attracted 20.6 million UK users, down 12% from May 2024. These figures currently make X the 24th biggest online publisher in the UK. It also recorded the largest fall in time spent, with total user minutes declining 34% to 4 billion, though it remains ninth by that metric. The platform has faced significant user attrition since 2024, partly due to news surrounding owner Elon Musk.

Data from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 highlights a marked political shift in X’s UK user base. Left-leaning users engaging with news on X dropped from 29% in 2021 to 16% in 2025, while right-leaning usage grew from 10% to 18% over the same period.

US Senate Rejects Ban on State AI Regulation

The US Senate has voted against a proposed 10-year federal ban on state-level regulation of artificial intelligence models. In a 99 to one vote, senators approved an amendment to remove the controversial provision from President Trump’s flagship tax and spending package, which he has branded the “big, beautiful bill”.

The clause would have barred states from enacting their own rules for AI development and deployment. It was backed by lobbyists funded by leading tech firms including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI as well as Trump’s AI adviser, David Sacks. Proponents argued that a patchwork of state regulations would stifle innovation, create compliance burdens, and risk giving AI leadership to China.

According to MIT professor Max Tegmark, president of the Future of Life Institute, “The overwhelming rejection of this Big Tech power grab underscores the massive bipartisan opposition to letting AI companies run amok.”