TikTok Promises New Measures to Protect User Data; Google Opens Early Access to Bard Chatbot

by Hannah Dillon on 22nd Mar 2023 in News

In today's ExchangeWire news digest: TikTok's CEO promises to protect users' data from foreign access; Google gives select users in the US and UK access to its to Bard chatbot; and a private antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is dismissed.

TikTok to firewall US user data

The CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, has promised new measures to protect users’ data. In prepared remarks ahead of a congressional hearing tomorrow (23rd March), Chew said the app would firewall US user data from foreign access, stating “TikTok will remain a platform for free expression and will not be manipulated by any government”.

Google opens limited access to ChatGPT rival Bard

Tech giant Google has opened access to its in-house chatbot, Bard. Select internet users in the UK and US will be able to join a waitlist to test out the ChatGPT rival, with a date for full public access yet to be confirmed.

Microsoft wins dismissal of private antitrust lawsuit

A private consumer antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft over its USD$69bn (~£56.3bn) takeover of Activision Blizzard has been dismissed. The plaintiffs, all gamers, alleged that the acquisition would lead to “higher prices, less innovation, less creativity, less consumer choice, decreased output, and other potential anticompetitive effects”. A federal judge, however, dismissed the suit on the grounds that their allegations were “insufficient”.