It was one of the most anticipated court cases involving a big tech firm in recent years but now it won’t happen. Meta Platforms agreed to pay a maximum $16.68 billion (€14.3 billion) as part of a settlement to resolve claims brought by states across the US that the company designed Facebook and Instagram to addict children, misled consumers about their safety and improperly collected personal data of children who used its platforms.
As Meta settles those claims, Ciara O’Brien asks why AI companies appear so desperate to be liked. Is it reassuring to consumers that tech firms seem over earnest in their efforts to promote the good that AI may be able to do?
In Ask the Lawyer, Joanne Hunt answers a reader question on how to guarantee a sibling will be able to stay in their parents home, even if the parents have died and not prepared a will.
If you work in an office there is a good chance it’s open plan. Advocates of open plan say it helps foster collaboration and break down silos. But is that really the case? Margaret E Ward looks the issue in World of Work.
Volkswagen problems are well known at this stage, but chief executive Oliver Blume outlined to workers just how difficult to position is now, as the car giant plans to slash jobs. Derek Scally reports.
In Technology, Ciara O’Brien shows how bad wifi at home can be improved with a few straightforward, though not obvious, fixes.
In Innovation, Olive Keogh meets the founders of Coso – a social media tech firm with customers around the world.
A voluntary redundancy scheme in RTÉ failed to deliver the number of departures needed by the broadcaster to meet plans for staff cuts. As Ken Foxe reports, an internal analysis showed substantial work had been put into preparing early exit packages for staff, but only a relatively small number eventually received offers.
Kneat Solutions, a Limerick-headquartered software company, has confirmed plans to cut up to 36 roles at the company just weeks after being bought by a US private equity group. The company, formerly listed in Toronto, was acquired in a €404 million deal in recent weeks. Killian Woods reports.
The Harvey Nichols saga continues, but time appears to have run out for its Dublin store. Staff at the outlet in Dundrum in Dublin have been told the store is closing. Killian has the details.
Killian also reports that US semiconductor manufacturer Analog Devices has used an Irish entity to shift more than €5.4 billion of dividends back to the US in less than two years.
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