AP Technology SummaryBrief at 2:06 a.m. EDT

As juries turn against social media for harming kids, Big Tech's invincibility starts to show cracks

It’s too soon to tell if this week’s jury decisions will lead to fundamental changes in how social media treats its young users. But the dual verdicts signal a changing tide of public perception against tech companies that is likely to lead to more lawsuits and regulation. For years, they have argued that the harms their platforms cause to children are the unintentional and inevitable consequences of broader societal issues or bad actors taking advantage of safeguards. These verdicts show public’s growing willingness to hold the companies responsible for harms and demand meaningful changes in how they operate.

Verdicts against social media companies carry consequences. But questions linger

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two landmark jury verdicts against social media companies have arrived in a long line of lawsuits alleging harm to children who use platforms including Instagram and YouTube. Penalties in excess of $380 million were assigned by the juries in California and New Mexico in cases that hold uncertain implications for Meta and YouTube. The California jury’s decision Wednesday in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately causing harm. New Mexico's trial is heading toward a second phase to determine whether Meta created a public nuisance with its social media platforms and should pay for public programs to fix matters.

Jury finds Instagram and YouTube liable in a landmark social media addiction trial

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A jury has found Meta and YouTube liable in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that aimed to hold social media platforms responsible for harm to children using their services. The decision Wednesday came after more than 40 hours of deliberation across nine days and more than a month since jurors heard opening statements in the trial. The plaintiff is a 20-year-old woman identified as KGM in documents and her lawyers called her Kaley during the trial. She says she became addicted to social media as a child and that this addiction exacerbated her mental health struggles. The companies must pay her a total $6 million in damages.

Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI

A growing number of U.S. college instructors are turning to oral exams to help combat an AI crisis in higher education. Some are replacing written assignments with oral exams. Others are pairing Socratic-style questioning with written assignments or requiring students to attend office hours. Instructors say they know student use of AI is ubiquitous but hard to police, and it's impacting student learning. Oral exams allow instructors to determine what students know and where they need help. Students say they don't always love the testing format, but many agree that it's effective. As one student says, knowing that you will be face-to-face with a professor “makes you realize, ‘I should study this.’”

Supreme Court sides with Cox Communications in a copyright fight with record labels over downloads

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sided with internet service provider Cox Communications in its copyright fight with record labels over illegal music downloads by Cox customers. The justices ruled unanimously Wednesday that Cox bears no liability for the copyright violations of its customers. Cox was accused of not doing enough to deter or cut off customers who downloaded music they didn’t pay for. The music companies are disappointed by the ruling and say there was" overwhelming evidence" that Cox "knowingly facilitated theft.” Cox is praising the court for affirming that internet service providers "are not copyright police.”

Judge questions Pentagon's motives for labeling Anthropic as a security threat in battle over AI

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge weighing the merits of the Pentagon’s designation of rising Silicon Valley star Anthropic as a security threat repeatedly questioned the government’s reasons for vilifying the company following a dispute over how its artificial intelligence technology can be used in war. During a 90-minute hearing, Judge Rita Lin probed into why President Donald Trump’s administration took the extraordinary step of labeling Anthropic as a supply chain risk after balking at the company’s attempt to prevent its AI technology from being deployed in fully autonomous weapons or surveillance of Americans. The judge indicated she will rule on Anthropic's request for an order reversing the Pentagon's actions by the end of the week.

Parents see hope in back-to-back rulings that social media providers failed to protect young users

Parents are wondering what is next after juries in New Mexico and Los Angeles found social media providers failed to protect young users. The verdicts illustrate a growing shift in the public’s perception of social media companies and their responsibilities in keeping young people safe on their platforms. For parents whose kids have died after online abuse, the next step is legislation. For others, it is validation of their decision not to let their children use social media.

Melania Trump shares the spotlight with a robot at an education and technology event

WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump often commands the attention of any room she enters, but on Wednesday, she shared the spotlight with a robot. The humanoid robot Figure 03 accompanied the first lady on Wednesday as she arrived at the White House East Room for the second day of a summit she had convened with counterparts from around the world through her Fostering the Future Together global initiative. They have been discussing ways to empower children through education, innovation and the use of technology, including artificial intelligence. The robot thanked Melania Trump for the invitation to the White House.

New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico jury finds that social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children’s mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law. The jury announced its verdict Tuesday as another jury deliberates a similar case in California against Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. State prosecutors said Meta prioritized profits over safety in violation of the state’s Unfair Practices Act and failed to adequately monitor the platforms for child sexual exploitation. Attorneys for Meta say company discloses risks and makes efforts to weed out harmful content and experiences, but that some bad material gets through its safety net. A Meta spokesperson says the company will appeal.

World Food Prize goes to food safety scientist for preventing millions of cases of foodborne illness

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Dutch food scientist Huub Lelieveld has won the World Food Prize for shaping modern food processing safety standards used worldwide. The organization made the announcement Wednesday and gave Lelieveld the $500,000 prize. Lelieveld spent his early career as a commercial food scientist pioneering modern food safety technology that became standard around the world. He later founded the Global Harmonization Initiative to align food regulations and share food safety knowledge globally. He says access to safe food and water remains a major challenge.