UK Court Allows Lawsuit Against Valve Over Steam Pricing to Proceed

A UK tribunal ruled that legal action against Valve Corporation, the company behind the Steam online game store, could proceed, potentially leading to a £656 million lawsuit. The suit, brought by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt in 2024, accuses Valve of abusing its market dominance by imposing restrictive terms on game publishers and locking players into using Steam. According to the BBC, Shotbolt is representing up to 14 million Steam users across the UK, who could be in line for compensation if she wins the case. Valve, which has been contacted for comment, had argued the case should not be certified to proceed towards a trial.

The lawsuit alleges that Valve's practices have resulted in unfair prices for consumers. The core of the argument centers around the claim that Valve leverages its market position to dictate terms that are unfavorable to both game publishers and consumers. If successful, the suit could have significant implications for how digital game distribution platforms operate in the UK.

Meta to Trial Premium Subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp

In other tech news, Meta is planning to trial premium subscriptions for Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp users in the coming months. According to the BBC, these subscriptions would provide access to features including expanded artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The company stated that access to the platforms' core services would remain free. Meta also plans to test subscriptions for features, such as its Vibes video generation app, which the firm says "can bring your ideas to life with new AI visual creation tools". Meta announced Vibes in September as part of the latest version of the Meta AI app. It also aims to use Manus, a Chinese-founded AI f

Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial Begins

Meanwhile, a landmark social media addiction trial began in California on Tuesday. The plaintiff, identified as KGM, alleges that the design of the platforms' algorithms led to her addiction and negatively affected her mental health. Meta, ByteDance (owner of TikTok), and Google (parent of YouTube) are among the defendants. Snapchat settled with the plaintiff last week. Top tech executives, including Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify during the trial, according to the BBC. The case is being closely watched as it could set a precedent for future litigation against social media companies regarding their impact on users' mental health.

Google to Pay $68 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over Recorded Conversations

Google has agreed to pay $68 million (£51 million) to settle a lawsuit claiming it secretly listened to people's private conversations through their phones. Users accused Google Assistant of recording private conversations after being inadvertently triggered on their devices. The recordings were allegedly shared with advertisers for targeted advertising. According to the BBC, Google denied wrongdoing in a filing seeking to settle the case, stating it was seeking to avoid litigation.

Labour MPs Call for Halt to Business Rate Rise for Music Venues

In business news, nearly fifty Labour MPs have written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling for a halt to a forthcoming increase in business rates for music venues. The letter, which has been seen by the BBC, argues that a revaluation of business rates, effective from April, could increase music venues' bills by between 45% and 275%. Reeves has been warned that music venues in the UK are facing "an existential threat" from increased costs. She has been working on a support package for pubs, to be unveiled imminently, under pressure from the hospitality industry and backbench Labour MPs.