Silicon Valley Tech News Roundup – January 7th

Google starts disabling third-party cookies in Chrome – 1/5

Google started testing a new feature in Chrome that disables third-party cookies. The new feature will be available to 1% of Chrome users (or 30 million people). Google labeled the new feature as a test and announced its plans for a full rollout later in the year.

Third-party cookies monitor browsing, gather analytical data, and create personalized ads. They collect data like what devices you are using, your location, and what you do on the site (among other things).

Google Chrome is the most popular browser globally. Meanwhile, Mozilla Firefox and Safari already have the option to block third-party cookies.

Anthony Chavez (the Vice President of Google) announced the feature in a blog post. He wrote: “We’re taking a responsible approach to phasing out third-party cookies in Chrome… If a site doesn’t work without third-party cookies and Chrome notices you’re having issues… we’ll prompt you with an option to temporarily re-enable third-party cookies for that website.”

Tesla forced to recall 1.6 vehicles in China over issues with door locking and steering software – 1/6

The State Administration for Market Regulation (the Chinese regulator) announced Tesla has to recall over 1.6 million of its vehicles in China due to issues with the door-locking system and steering software. The recall applies to models Y and 3, made in China between 2014 and 2023, and to imported models S and X.

Customers will not have to take their cars to dealerships to have them fixed; the company can sort out the issue with a remote update to the software. Even though the company can correct the problem remotely, the State Administration for Market Regulation calls it a recall.

The regulator explained its decision in a statement: “For vehicles within the scope of this recall, when the automatic assisted steering function is turned on, the driver may misuse the level two combined assisted driving function, increasing the risk of vehicle collision and posing a safety hazard.“

In May 2023, The State Administration for Market Regulation stated over 1 million Tesla vehicles have braking system and acceleration issues. The development in China comes less than a month after Tesla recalled over 2 million vehicles in the United States because of autopilot software issues.

Department of Justice prepared to file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple – 1/5

According to a report published by the New York Times, the U. S. Department of Justice is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The lawsuit could happen in the first part of 2024.

The New York Times claims the investigation against the company is “in late stages” and, according to the sources familiar with the matter, was expanded beyond what was initially reported. The focus is on the company’s control over the software and hardware services, and its “walled garden” approach that makes it harder for customers to switch to competing products and for rivals to compete.

According to the report, executives from several companies talked to the DOJ investigators (including representatives from Meta, Tile, Beeper, and various payments and banking app). Meta representative urged the investigator to examine Apple’s App Tracking Privacy Tool.

Tile, who created Bluetooth trackers before AirTags, also met with the investigators. In a meeting with the representatives from banking and payment apps, allegedly investigators spoke about Apple’s practice of blocking rivals from using tap-to-pay on iPhones.

U. S. labor agency sues SpaceX for unlawfully firing its workers; SpaceX files a lawsuit against the agency – 1/5

A regional office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint against SpaceX for violating the workers’ rights under federal law.

SpaceX fired eight workers who wrote an open letter to the company’s executives in 2022 detailing their workplace conditions and being highly critical of Elon Musk. The workers called Musk “a distraction and an embarrassment.” Federal laws allow workers to advocate for better working conditions. Furthermore, as outlined in the complaint, the workers who penned the open letter were interrogated by the company and then discharged. Deborah Lawrence, one of the former employees, stated: “We wrote the open letter to leadership not out of malice, but because we cared about the mission and the people around us. “

The hearing is scheduled for March 5th. An administrative judge will hear the case, followed by a five-member board appointed by the President. The company can appeal the decision in federal court. The former employees can be reinstated and receive back pay, if the National Labor Relations Board concludes SpaceX violated federal labor laws.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, SpaceX filed a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board in Brownsville, Texas, claiming that the structure of the labor agency violates the United States Constitution. According to the lawsuit, SpaceX claims since federal law only allows for the board members and the administrative judge to be removed for cause (and not at will), the National Labor Relations Board’s structure is unconstitutional. The company used a similar tactic against the U. S. Department of Justice, which claimed SpaceX refused to hire asylum recipients and refugees.