Law 15 January 2026 - 18 March 2026

Elon Musk, SEC Enter Twitter Lawsuit Settlement Talks as Shareholder Jury Deliberates
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Elon Musk, SEC Enter Twitter Lawsuit Settlement Talks as Shareholder Jury Deliberates

Elon Musk and the SEC are negotiating a settlement over his delayed disclosure of Twitter share purchases, according to a court filing Tuesday. The talks emerged as a San Francisco jury began deliberating a separate shareholder lawsuit over Musk’s statements about fake accounts during his $44 billion Twitter takeover. Both sides asked a judge to move a key deadline to April 1. The SEC seeks a civil fine and $150 million it says Musk saved.
March 18, 2026
Moderna’s $2.25 billion patent settlement: the deal that ends a COVID vaccine fight and reshapes its pipeline
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Moderna’s $2.25 billion patent settlement: the deal that ends a COVID vaccine fight and reshapes its pipeline

Moderna will pay up to $2.25 billion to settle a patent dispute with Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma over lipid nanoparticle technology in its COVID-19 vaccine, avoiding a Delaware trial. The settlement includes a $950 million upfront payment and up to $1.3 billion more tied to an appeal. Moderna shares rose over 10% after the news. The deal grants Moderna a global license for certain infectious-disease vaccines.
March 4, 2026
Google’s AI Overviews draw a fresh EU antitrust complaint from publishers
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Google’s AI Overviews draw a fresh EU antitrust complaint from publishers

The European Publishers Council filed an EU antitrust complaint against Google, alleging its AI Overviews in Search use journalism without consent, opt-outs, or fair pay. The move comes as the European Commission investigates Google’s AI use of publisher content. The complaint claims Google’s AI features threaten publishers’ traffic and revenue. Google has not commented.
February 10, 2026
EU charges TikTok over “addictive design” under Digital Services Act, setting up forced app changes
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EU charges TikTok over “addictive design” under Digital Services Act, setting up forced app changes

EU regulators accused TikTok of violating the Digital Services Act, citing features like infinite scroll and autoplay that may fuel compulsive use among minors. The Commission warned TikTok to overhaul these elements or face fines up to 6% of ByteDance’s global revenue. TikTok denied the allegations and said it will contest the findings. The case is in its early stages.
February 6, 2026
U.S. senators move to police synthetic DNA sales as bioweapon fears sharpen
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U.S. senators move to police synthetic DNA sales as bioweapon fears sharpen

Two U.S. senators introduced the Biosecurity Modernization and Innovation Act of 2026, requiring the Commerce Department to regulate synthetic DNA sales and screen orders for dangerous genetic sequences. The bill mandates audits, red-teaming, and penalties up to $750,000 for violations. It also proposes a federal list of “sequences of concern” and a NIST “governance sandbox” for oversight.
February 4, 2026
Paris prosecutors raid X offices, summon Elon Musk as Grok deepfake probe widens
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Paris prosecutors raid X offices, summon Elon Musk as Grok deepfake probe widens

French authorities raided X’s Paris office Tuesday as part of a cybercrime investigation now expanded to include AI chatbot Grok and sexually explicit deepfakes, some allegedly involving minors. Prosecutors summoned Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino for questioning on April 20. UK and EU regulators have also launched probes into X and its AI services over data handling and harmful content. X has not commented on the raid or summons.
February 3, 2026
Google’s $135 Million Android Data Settlement: Who Could Get Paid and What Changes Next
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Google’s $135 Million Android Data Settlement: Who Could Get Paid and What Changes Next

Google agreed to pay $135 million to settle claims it collected Android users’ cellular data without consent, according to a court filing Tuesday in San Jose. The deal requires judicial approval and would cap user payouts at $100 each. New rules would mandate explicit consent and easier data controls during Android setup. Plaintiffs’ lawyers may seek up to $39.8 million in fees.
January 28, 2026
India puts Apple’s iPhone App Store on the clock as $38 billion antitrust fine risk looms
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India puts Apple’s iPhone App Store on the clock as $38 billion antitrust fine risk looms

India’s antitrust regulator warned Apple it will proceed with its App Store probe next week if the company fails to respond. Apple says potential fines could reach $38 billion if calculated on global revenue. New Delhi is also weighing a rule requiring phone makers to share source code with the government, raising privacy concerns. The case stems from complaints by Match Group and Indian startups over Apple’s app policies.
January 15, 2026