All articles tagged with #big tech
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced tech giants' claims to defend free speech, insisting platforms must be transparent about how their algorithms work and acknowledging inherent biases; he made the remarks during a New Delhi event on India-France university partnerships, framing the debate within broader EU tech rules and his push to curb youth access to social media.
The Department of Homeland Security has issued hundreds of administrative subpoenas seeking personal data from online users who criticized ICE, targeting major platforms like Google, Meta, Reddit and Discord. The requests seek identifiers such as usernames, emails, phone numbers and IP logs, with companies typically notifying users and allowing challenges within 10–14 days. The move raises First Amendment concerns cited by the ACLU amid protests against ICE, as DHS and the platforms emphasize privacy review processes and legal safeguards.
Reddit, Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and Google reportedly complied with hundreds of DHS administrative subpoenas seeking the identities of users who criticized ICE, a tactic DHS is expanding beyond traditional court orders; Google says it reviews demands and informs users when possible, while activists push back with a Resist and Unsubscribe campaign, and related reporting highlights data-sharing concerns connected to Amazon Ring and law enforcement access.
The abrupt resignation of Gail Slater, the DOJ’s top antitrust official, has sparked fears among Trump supporters and others that corporate influence is corroding the populist antitrust agenda, threatening enforcement against major tech firms and high-profile mergers such as Ticketmaster-Live Nation and other antitrust cases.
Big Tech is pouring more than $660 billion into AI this year, mainly for chips and data centers, but the funding gap between AI costs and cash flow is widening. JPMorgan analysts expect significant high-grade bond issuance to cover the bill; Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet face varying degrees of cash-flow pressure, with BNP Paribas warning free cash flow for Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Oracle could turn negative. The trend suggests more debt or equity raises and potentially slower stock buybacks, even as AI remains a long-term growth bet. Only Microsoft is viewed as steadier by some analysts.
Alphabet, Amazon and Meta are leading a $660 billion AI infrastructure drive this year, funding chips and data centres with a mix of cash flow, debt and potential equity issues. The scale may outpace current cash generation, pressuring shareholders’ returns and prompting a surge in bond and equity issuances as analysts flag capital spending overhangs and funding risks.
Big Tech trimmed about $1.35 trillion from market value in a week as fears about AI-related capital expenditure persist, with Amazon down sharply while Alphabet slipped and Apple rose on strong iPhone demand. Investors weigh whether giant AI investments by hyperscalers will pay off, signaling ongoing volatility around Nvidia, Microsoft, Oracle, Meta, Alphabet and other tech giants.
Spain’s youth minister Sira Rego suggested the country may limit or even ban access to Elon Musk’s platform X due to violations of fundamental rights, framing this as part of a broader push to reclaim sovereignty from powerful tech giants; the remarks come as Spain advances plans to bar under-16s from social media amid ongoing regulatory clashes between Europe, the US, and Big Tech.
Amazon said it will spend about $200 billion this year on AI, chips, robotics and related infrastructure, part of a broader $650 billion Big Tech AI push; the plan sent its shares down more than 11% in after-hours trading. Meta, Google and Microsoft are also pledging large AI investments, while Amazon CFO Brian Olsavsky says cost cuts will continue elsewhere and CEO Andy Jassy asserts AI will reinvent customer experiences and eventually become profitable. The moves follow Amazon’s recent job cuts of about 16,000 roles to reduce costs.
U.S. stock futures were mixed overnight as gold hit fresh highs on a softer dollar; Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 futures rose modestly while Dow futures slipped. In after-hours trading, Meta jumped on a stronger Q1 outlook, Microsoft fell on slower cloud growth and tighter margins, and Tesla edged higher after solid Q4 results. The Fed left rates unchanged around 3.5%–3.75%; Nvidia and Micron supported the Nasdaq. Investors await Apple’s fiscal Q1 results and other reports, with data on weekly jobless claims, durable goods orders, and wholesale inventories in view.
A new California-focused super PAC, California Leads, launched with about $10 million from Google and Meta to back pragmatic candidates for the California Legislature; it will use research, polling and candidate interviews to target races, led by Nathan Click with Scott Kozar, Dave Metz and Austin Heyworth. Google and Meta each seeded roughly $5 million, and donors say they won’t dictate which races are pursued.
Evercore ISI strategist Julian Emanuel says the tech rally is cooling as earnings roll in, and suggests using bullish risk-reversal option trades on Microsoft, Meta and Apple to gain upside at lower cost: buy the April calls (MSFT 515, META 765, AAPL 265) and sell the corresponding puts (MSFT 435, META 590, AAPL 235). The moves come as the market remains cautious ahead of Big Tech results, with software AI doubts and valuations weighing on tech, while hyperscalers remain a favored purchase archetype.
Seven major tech firms told senators they will cover the electricity used by their data centers and fund grid upgrades, but with few specifics or enforceable guarantees, leaving consumers exposed to higher costs and federal enforcement uncertain as states pursue varied rules and officials weigh long-term power contracts.
Conservative coalitions are clashing over how to regulate AI as the White House pushes a single federal framework to preempt state laws, drawing backlash from DeSantis and Hawley. The fight splits the base into accelerationist tech insiders tied to Silicon Valley, populist/job-protection advocates, pro-family voices, and national-security hawks, complicating efforts to balance innovation, jobs, and safety. Sen. Blackburn has floated a universal AI act to unite the factions behind guardrails and competitiveness.
Investors are rotating away from Big Tech into a broader leadership group, expanding market breadth and helping the S&P 500 push higher in 2026 even as concerns about Fed independence linger. The shift has seen consumer staples rally and smaller/mid-cap stocks gain traction, signaling a more durable, breadth-driven rally beyond the magnified Tech-led moves.