AT&T investors have less than two weeks to keep their lawsuit against the company alive
AT&T
AT&T
Receive the latest AT&T news
Subscribe
By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy
AT&T
AT&T
AT&T
AT&T
AT&T
Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free!
Secure your connection now at a bargain price!
We may earn a commission if you make a purchase
Check Out The Offer
A judge just threw out an investor lawsuit against one of the biggest telcos out there – AT&T , which is in the courtroom over toxic lead cables left across the country.Long ago, like two years ago, there was a major scandal that Verizon , and other telecom giants had forgotten to remove miles of cables wrapped in lead, stretching across rivers, buried in soil, and hanging overhead on poles. These cables, once essential, now pose a danger to the environment.That's because of the lead.As the cables aged and decayed, the toxic metal began to break apart, spreading into places where people live, work, and play, the WSJ reported in 2023. Tests found lead along major rivers like the Mississippi and the Passaic, and in unexpected places – beneath a fishing spot in Louisiana, a playground in New York, and near a school in New Jersey.Then, a group of several public retirement systems from New York City, among which – the New York City Police Pension Fund, New York City Fire Department Pension Fund, filed a lawsuit againstand five of its executives. They claimed that the company misled investors by making false or incomplete statements between July 2018 and July 2023.According to the plaintiffs,failed to tell investors about the environmental and financial risks tied to a large number of old telephone cables covered in toxic lead. These lead-covered cables were left in place whenupgraded its network, and the plaintiffs argued that the company knew or should have known that the cables were leaking lead into the environment.The plaintiffs claimedhad made misleading public statements about cost savings from retiring old copper wires, its environmental responsibility, and its employee safety practices. They argued thatexecutives downplayed or hid the risks of leaving lead cables in place, even though the company presented itself as committed to safety and environmental protection.The plaintiffs sued under federal securities laws, arguing that these omissions and misleading statements caused financial harm to investors who boughtsecurities during that time.Recently, Chief Judge David C. Godbey dismissed the case. He ruled that the plaintiffs did not meet the strict legal standards required for securities fraud. Most importantly, the judge found that the complaint did not show that any of the defendants acted with the intent to mislead investors or were severely reckless in what they said or failed to say. The court also said that the plaintiffs' claims were often too general and did not clearly link specific executives to specific misleading statements.The judge also dismissed the related claims that the executives were "control persons" responsible for the company's actions, because the main fraud claims were not strong enough to move forward.The dismissal is without prejudice, meaning the plaintiffs are allowed to try again. They have 30 days from the date of the order (June 16, 2025) to file an amended complaint with more detailed allegations. If they do not amend the complaint within that time, the case will be dismissed permanently.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Phone Arena
an hour ago
- Phone Arena
Apple's legal fight with the DOJ is about to become a lengthy one
Apple's request to throw out the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit has been denied. This means the company will now face a full trial that could affect how it runs several of its services. The DOJ filed the case in 2024 after years of concerns from companies like Spotify. The reason: the DOJ claims Apple limits competition by controlling access to its devices and services in ways that harm users and developers. Since then, Apple asked the court to dismiss the case, saying the accusations were too broad and unclear. But in a recent development, U.S. District Judge Julien Neals has now ruled the case can continue. The trial could examine how Apple handles apps, messaging, digital payments, smartwatches, and more. One of the DOJ's key concerns is that Apple's ecosystem makes it harder for other companies to compete. The case highlights things like Apple's control over Messages, limits on game streaming, and how Apple Watch connects to iPhones. Apple argues these decisions are based on privacy and security, but regulators believe they reduce user choice. For example, Apple now supports RCS in the Messages app and will allow users to set third-party messaging apps as the default starting in iOS 18.2. But these updates came after years of pushback from competitors. The U.S. Department of Justice is not letting up on the case against Apple. | Image credit — Reuters Apple has also opened up some NFC features, allowing apps like Square to use tap-to-pay directly. Still, the DOJ might push for users to choose their own default payment app, something already required in the EU. Smartwatch makers have also complained about limited access to iPhone features. While some third-party watches do work with iPhones, developers say the Apple Watch has special integration that's hard to match. The lawsuit also brings up "super apps," which are all-in-one platforms that include messaging, banking, and app stores. Some companies say Apple's rules stop these kinds of apps from launching in the U.S., even though apps like WeChat are allowed in China. According to Reuters, an Apple spokesperson stated that the company believes the lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and thus will continue to fight this in court. The DOJ, however, declined to comment on Reuters' request. Even though Apple has addressed some of these issues, it looks like the trial will still move forward. Furthermore, with U.S. regulators become more aggressive, I'd expect that it will take years to resolve, with appeals being very likely. Whether this case leads to major changes or just more oversight, it's clear that Apple's business practices will be under close watch for the foreseeable future. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
5 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Google's latest AI rollout targets students and teachers in surprising ways
Google is expanding its Gemini AI tools into the classroom with a range of new features for students, educators, and school administrators. Called Gemini for Education, the update adds AI-powered tools to Google Workspace for Education at no extra cost, with built-in privacy protections and admin controls. The version of the Gemini app being introduced is powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro. It offers access to Google's premium AI features, along with higher usage limits, enterprise-level data protection, and admin management. These tools are now considered core services in Workspace for Education, which means schools can use them with the same oversight as other Google services. One key update is that Gemini in Classroom is now free for all Workspace for Education editions. Over 30 new features are being added to help teachers plan lessons more efficiently. These include tools to automatically create vocabulary lists with definitions and example sentences, making it easier to tailor lessons to different learning levels. Google is also expanding NotebookLM, a note-taking and research tool. It already includes Audio Overviews, and now it's getting Video Overviews that let users turn written content into short videos. Teachers using the paid Workspace with Gemini add-on can also create short videos using Google Vids, and Gemini in Forms can now auto-generate surveys or quizzes based on files stored in Drive. Veo 3 in Google Vids. | Image credit — Google Students can also use Gemini Canvas to make personalized quizzes for studying. This tool is currently for students 18 and older but will soon be available to younger users. Gemini is also starting to include visuals like diagrams to explain complex topics more clearly. Additionally, instructors will soon be able to assign custom AI agents called Gems and class materials in NotebookLM directly through Google Classroom. These features will also be supported in Schoology Learning and Canvas platforms. Google says it has taken steps to make these tools safe for students. That includes AI literacy training, stronger content filters for users under 18, and stricter privacy protections. Data from education users won't be used to train Google's models, and NotebookLM will be available to younger students in the coming months. Admins can control access to these tools in the Admin console, monitor usage, and search through Gemini app conversations within their domain. The platform has also been awarded the Common Sense Media Privacy Seal, which may give schools added confidence. While the updates offer time-saving tools for teachers and new learning options for students, how well they work in classrooms will likely depend on how schools implement and monitor them. I think it's always good when new tools are expanded free of charge to benefit the education sector. The more tools available, the more possibilities students have of learning and putting into practice what they have learned. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
5 hours ago
- Phone Arena
Apple turns to OpenAI and Anthropic for Siri, considers abandoning in-house models
Do you think Apple should abandon its own models? Yes, it's too late to catch up No, I still think Apple can do it Yes, it's too late to catch up 0% No, I still think Apple can do it 0% Apple Intelligence Receive the latest iOS news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Apple Intelligence features promised back in WWDC 2024. | Video credit — Apple Such an approach would be very similar to what Samsung has done: using Google's Gemini for If this goes through, we may even see the new Siri that Apple has promised before its currently expected release of 2026, though I wouldn't hold my breath given past broken promises. Apple has usually been fashionably late to emerging technologies, but AI just isn't a field where it can afford to follow its code of conduct. New product categories are taking shape: for example, AI-powered smart Such an approach would be very similar to what Samsung has done: using Google's Gemini for Galaxy AI on its devices. The Galaxy S25 series is leagues ahead of the iPhone 16 when it comes to AI, but a new Siri powered by either ChatGPT or Claude would catch up almost this goes through, we may even see the new Siri that Apple has promised before its currently expected release of 2026, though I wouldn't hold my breath given past broken promises. Apple has usually been fashionably late to emerging technologies, but AI just isn't a field where it can afford to follow its code of product categories are taking shape: for example, AI-powered smart AR glasses . If Apple doesn't catch up in AI, then it will be way too late to the market with these new products. And, considering CEO Tim Cook's new obsession , I doubt that that's something that the company is willing to let happen. Grab Surfshark VPN now at more than 50% off and with 3 extra months for free! Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer In a massive U-turn, Apple has reached out to OpenAI and Anthropic for help with Siri, asking for custom models of Claude and ChatGPT that can run on the company's private servers. Apple is also weighing the pros and cons of abandoning its in-house Foundation Models, which currently power some of the company's Apple Intelligence suite of AI isn't the first time in recent days that news about Apple considering a third-party solution has surfaced. Apple is also considering buying Perplexity AI for Siri , which it can use to power a new search engine on Safari if the courts tell it to end its $20 billion agreement with Google. Using Claude and ChatGPT for Siri will help Apple catch up in a field where it has fallen significantly wants to use custom models of both companies' flagship AI offerings so that everything can still stay private. This way, the company can continue to marketas a service that values user data a new Siri is still under research and development, the project will likely be scrapped if this agreement goes through. ChatGPT already helps out on Apple devices, but Siri itself still uses the company's own models.
