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Google to Pay $68 Million to Settle Lawsuit Over Alleged Private Conversation Recordings

Google agreed to pay $68 million (£51 million) to settle a lawsuit alleging the company secretly recorded users' private conversations through their phones. The lawsuit claimed Google Assistant, a virtual assistant on many Android devices, recorded conversations after being inadvertently triggered. According to the lawsuit, these recordings were then shared with advertisers for targeted advertising.

The users accused Google Assistant of listening to people's private conversations through their phones. In a filing seeking to settle the case, Google denied any wrongdoing and stated it was seeking to avoid further litigation. The BBC contacted Google for comment. Google Assistant is designed to wait in standby mode until it hears a particular trigger word.

Other News in Brief

Duterte Fit for Trial, ICC Says

The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is fit to attend pre-trial proceedings for alleged crimes against humanity. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, has been detained at the Hague since March 2025. He is accused of being responsible for dozens of murders under his so-called war on drugs, during which thousands of people died. The ICC will hold a hearing on February 23 to decide whether the prosecution's case against Duterte is strong enough to proceed to trial. Duterte's lawyers previously argued that the 80-year-old was unfit to participate in the ICC proceedings, citing "cognitive impairment."

Nipah Virus Outbreak Prompts Airport Screenings in Asia

An outbreak of the Nipah virus in India's West Bengal state triggered increased screening measures at airports across Asia. Thailand began screening passengers at three airports receiving flights from West Bengal, while Nepal initiated screenings at Kathmandu airport and land border points with India. Five healthcare workers in West Bengal were infected with the virus earlier this month, with one in critical condition. Approximately 110 people who had contact with the infected individuals have been quarantined. The Nipah virus can spread from animals to humans and has a high mortality rate, ranging from 40% to 75%.

Trump Raises US Tariffs on South Korea Imports to 25%

U.S. President Donald Trump announced he is raising tariffs on South Korean imports to 25% after accusing Seoul of "not living up" to a trade deal reached last year. In a post on social media, Trump said he would increase levies on South Korea from 15% across a range of products including automobiles, lumber, pharmaceuticals and "all other Reciprocal TARIFFS". Trump said South Korean lawmakers have been slow to approve the deal while "we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to". South Korea said it had not been given official notice of the decision to raise tariffs on some of its goods, and wanted urgent talks with Washington over the matter.

California Probes TikTok Over Alleged Censorship of Anti-Trump Content

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an investigation into claims that TikTok censored content critical of the Trump administration. The investigation follows a deal to split off the U.S. operation of the app. Following the deal, many American users reported issues, including "zero views" on new posts and an inability to see political content, such as content criticizing the shooting by federal agents of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. TikTok has not commented on accusations this is related to last week's deal, blaming user problems on a "major infrastructure issue" relating to the app.