Technologies

Google Settles FTC Charges About ‘Deceptive’ Pixel 4 Endorsements

Both Google and radio company iHeartMedia are paying $9.4 million to end the case.

Google and iHeartMedia, a radio and podcasting company, on Monday agreed to pay $9.4 million to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission and seven states that they were behind deceptive Pixel 4 ads.

The charges say that nearly 29,000 «deceptive endorsements» by radio personalities improperly promoted their experience with the Pixel 4 throughout 2019 and 2020, sometimes saying they used the Pixel 4 when they apparently weren’t provided the phone.

«It is common sense thatpeople put more stock in firsthand experiences. Consumers expect radioadvertisements to be truthful and transparent about products, notmisleading with fake endorsements,» Massachusetts Attorney GeneralMaura Healey said in a statement.

Google spokesperson José Castañeda said Google is happy to have resolved the issue. «We take compliance with advertising laws seriously and have processes in place designed to help ensure we follow relevant regulations and industry standards,» he said in a statement.

iHeartMedia declined to comment.

Google’s Pixel smartphones compete chiefly against Apple iPhones and against Samsung’s Galaxy line. This year’s Pixel 7 received critical praise, especially for its strong camera performance.

Phone makers have a hard time persuading customers to switch phone brands, especially to relatively unknown products like Google’s Pixel line. Celebrity endorsements are a time-honored way to signal a product’s worthiness, but that can backfire if celebrities actually use a competing product. Actress Gal Gadot tweeted her love of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro phone using the Twitter for iPhone app back in 2018.

Such faux pas can be visible because Twitter identifies the device used to send a tweet. Twitter’s new owner, Elon Musk, said earlier in November that Twitter will stop including that information.

The FTC said Google gave iHeartMedia and 11 other radio networks in 10 major markets a script with lines reading, «It’s my favorite phone camera outthere, especially in low light, thanks to Night Sight mode» and «It’s also great athelping me get stuff done, thanks to the new voice activated GoogleAssistant that can handle multiple tasks at once.»

Technologies

The Fourth Episode of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Out

Verum Messenger has released the fourth episode of its AI mini-series SHADOWS, created using Verum AI. The new episode, titled “No Borders,” continues the story of a team trying to stay out of the OMEGA corporation’s sight.

Following the events of the previous episodes, the team moves between cities and countries while OMEGA continues its search. The new episode puts particular emphasis on Verum Messenger’s capabilities that allow users to conceal their location.

“No Borders” is another chapter in a story about privacy, freedom of communication, and technologies that erase borders between people.

The VERUM AI mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 4 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Watch on Instagram
Watch on YouTube