Technology — Presented by American Edge Project — FTC sues to block Microsoft-Activision merger

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View Online Technology Technology PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EDGE PROJECT The Big Story  FTC sues to block Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued to block Microsoft's acquisition of the game developer, according to a complaint filed Monday in San Francisco federal court. © AP The FTC seeks a temporary restraining order and an injunction to stop the tech giant and maker of the Xbox game system from acquiring the developer behind popular games including "Call of Duty," adding an additional hurdle to Microsoft's push to take over the company for $69 billion.   "Both a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction are necessary because Microsoft and Activision have represented that they may consummate the proposed acquisition at any time," the FTC said in a complaint.    "We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court," said Brad Smith, Microsoft's vice chairman and president, in a statement.   "We believe accelerating the legal process in the U.S. will ultimately bring more choice and competition to the market," Smith added.    The FTC last year sought to block the merger in a case brought to the agency's in-house judge. A trial is set to begin Aug. 2 on that decision.   The agency's complaint asks the court to put the order in place to block the deal from closing by Thursday.    Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill's Technology newsletter, we're Rebecca Klar and Ines Kagubare — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future: Top cybersecurity official warns of sabotage from Chinese hackers A top U.S. cyber official warned Monday that Chinese hackers are likely to disrupt U.S. critical infrastructure, including pipelines and railways, if a conflict were to occur between the two nations, Reuters reported. Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said the Chinese government is heavily investing in ways to sabotage U.S. infrastructure. “Given the formidable nature …  Full Story Ex-Samsung exec charged with stealing trade secrets to create copycat chip factory in China SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have arrested and indicted a former executive of Samsung Electronics suspected of stealing trade secrets while attempting to establish a copycat computer chip plant in China.  Full Story Jack Smith gear floods online stores as Trump pleads not guilty Online sellers are smitten with Jack Smith, creating and potentially cashing in on everything from mugs to baby bibs inspired by the special counsel who indicted former President Trump.   Full Story A MESSAGE FROM AMERICAN EDGE PROJECT The Refresh  News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics: France accuses Russia of spreading disinformation French officials claimed that Russian groups have launched a disinformation campaign impersonating government agencies and media outlets, The Record reported. Commercial real estate in crisis as employees continue to work remotely Commercial buildings in downtowns across the country are facing a crisis with low office occupancy rates caused by remote work, The Washington Post reported.  On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: The Senate Judiciary Committee will mark up the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act during a meeting Thursday at 10 a.m. ET. In Other News  Branch out with other reads on The Hill: The Beatles are releasing their 'final' record. AI helped make it possible LONDON (AP) — Artificial intelligence has been used to extract John Lennon’s voice from an old demo to create "the last Beatles record," decades after the band broke up, Paul McCartney said Tuesday. McCartney, 80, told the BBC that the technology was used to separate the Beatles’ voices … Full Story A MESSAGE FROM AMERICAN EDGE PROJECT What Others are Reading  Two key stories on The Hill right now: GOP lawmaker drops f-bomb as moderates bash conservatives over revolt: 'A little spicy in there' Moderate House Republicans lashed out Tuesday against the conservative lawmakers who shut down the chamber floor last week, using a closed-door GOP … Read more Trump ordered to not speak with Walt Nauta, witnesses about documents case: reports Former President Trump was ordered Tuesday not to speak about the case involving classified documents with Walt Nauta, Trump's aide and co-defendant … Read more What Others are Reading  Opinions related to tech submitted to The Hill: AI gets political: How do we keep fake news out of campaign ads? The Hill Jobs  Interested in exploring a new career? Visit The Hill Jobs Board to discover millions of roles worldwide, including:   Communication Director — Federation for American Immigration Reform, Washington, D.C.  Apply   Director of Communications — USTelecom, D.C.  Apply   Vice President, PGIM Government Affairs (Hybrid) — Prudential, D.C.  (hybrid remote)  Apply   Americas Ethics & Compliance Director — KPMG, New York, N.Y. Apply   Click here to get your job mentioned   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Technology page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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