Entertainment
Google ordered to pay $425m in privacy case
A federal jury decided on Wednesday that Alphabet’s Google must pay $425 million for invading users’ privacy by continuing to collect data for millions of users who had switched off a tracking feature in their Google account.
The verdict followed a trial in the federal court in San Francisco over allegations that, for more than eight years, Google accessed users’ mobile devices to collect, save, and use their data, breaking privacy assurances under its Web & App Activity setting.
The users had been seeking more than $31 billion in damages.
The jury found Google liable on two of the three claims of privacy violations raised by the plaintiffs. However, it decided that Google had not acted with malice, meaning the company was not liable for any punitive damages.
A spokesperson for Google confirmed the verdict. Google had denied any wrongdoing.
The class action lawsuit, filed in July 2020, alleged that Google continued collecting users’ data even when the setting was turned off, through its connections with apps such as Uber, Venmo, and Meta’s Instagram, which rely on Google’s analytics services.
At trial, Google argued that the data collected was “nonpersonal, pseudonymous, and stored in segregated, secured, and encrypted locations.” The company said the data was not tied to users’ Google accounts or any individual identity.
US District Judge Richard Seeborg certified the case as a class action, covering about 98 million Google users and 174 million devices.
Google has faced other privacy lawsuits, including one earlier this year where it paid nearly $1.4 billion in a settlement with Texas over claims that the company violated the state’s privacy laws.
In April 2024, Google also agreed to destroy billions of data records of users’ private browsing activities to settle another lawsuit, which alleged it tracked people who believed they were browsing privately, including in “Incognito” mode.
Entertainment
Katie Price teases ‘something exciting’ despite health and vaping worries
Katie Price looked uplifted by the festive spirit as she wore a Santa costume, but her noticeable weight loss remains a point of concern for her millions of fans.
The former glamour model, 47, showcased her multiple tattoos in a Christmas minidress paired with a matching Santa hat and white fishnet tights.
Despite the worrying weight loss, Katie appeared upbeat in her new sizzling photos as she posed on her wooden staircase at home. Alongside a microphone emoji, she teased: ‘Something exciting coming soon.’
This comes after reports that Katie is planning a surprise bid for the Christmas number one spot following the release of her song, Best Of Me, earlier this year.
It also follows fresh concerns for her health after she admitted she is addicted to vaping in a recent social media post.
Katie has reportedly struggled to quit vaping. She was previously spotted using a vape on a train last year and was seen puffing on one during her live tour with friend Kerry Katona.
A source told The Mirror: ‘Katie needs to stop for health reasons, obviously, her family members have been very worried.
‘But she’s so stressed and it vaping is simply her way of releasing that stress. It’s also very addictive and as we know, Katie’s got a very addictive personality.’
The reality star has also faced several health scares this year. In September, she was rushed to hospital after accidently stabbing herself while cooking a curry.
Entertainment
Updated UK mortgage rates hit lowest since september 2022
Mortgage rates in the UK have touched their lowest mark since early September 2022, the first time the average five-year fixed rate has dipped below 5% since May 2023.
Citing new data from Moneyfacts, The Guardian reported that the average fixed UK mortgage rates for two and five years have fallen to 4.86% and 4.91%, respectively.
Why UK mortgage rates hit lowest since september 2022?
This steep low in UK mortgage rates is attributed to lenders’ growing confidence that the Bank of England will soon lower interest rates from 4% to 3.75%.
The Moneyfacts Average Mortgage Rate plunged from 4.99% to 4.91% month-on-month, and it has dropped by 0.53% year-on-year from 5.44% in December 2024.
Rachel Springall, a finance expert at Moneyfacts, noted that November was particularly favourable for fixed-rate cuts, with the average two-year fixed rate facing its largest monthly decline since August. The five-year fixed rate also recorded its deepest fall in over six months.
As a result, the average shelf-life of a UK-based mortgage product has fallen to just 18 days, while the number of available mortgage deals has risen to over 7,000.
This positive trend in UK mortgage rates reflects a shifting landscape in the UK housing market, providing potential homeowners with easier borrowing conditions.
Entertainment
Travis Kelce’s future appears uncertain after fresh blow
Taylor Swift being the lucky charm for Travis Kelce’s games could not work in the Kansas City Chiefs’ favour in their latest matchup against the Houston Texans.
The 36-year-old tight end reportedly had the worst performance of this season during the game on Sunday, December 7, which greatly affected the team’s chance to enter the playoffs and make their six-year streak of playing the Super Bowl.
Football fans on social media were equal parts angry and sympathetic towards the NFL star, as they flocked together to express their feelings after the game.
The New Heights co-host himself looked dejected after the Texans defeated the Chiefs by a great margin, as he was seen walking off the field with his face still hidden behind the helmet.
The pop superstar, 35, who was watching the game with her friends Selena Gomez and Lena Dunham, was also seen sharing worried looks with her pals.
Kelce’s performance is not only a setback for the team but also for his personal football journey, as he confessed to still being unsure about his retirement.
While it has been commonly believed that the Grotesquerie star is playing his last season before he retires, he recently shared that he would come back for another season if the team asked him.
However, sports enthusiasts claim that given his unsatisfactory performance for the past two seasons, Kelce should bid farewell to the NFL.
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