Technologies
TikTok Fined $600M Over Europe’s Fears of China Surveilling People’s Data
TikTok disputes the claim it hasn’t adequately protected people’s personal data, and has said it plans to appeal.

TikTok will need to reach deep into its pockets after the Irish data watchdog hit the social video platform with a massive 530 million euro ($600 million) fine on Friday.
Ireland’s Data Protection Commission charged the company with violating Europe’s strict privacy laws by not doing enough to ensure that anyone’s data transferred to China is properly protected from government surveillance. The DPC also said that if TikTok doesn’t make changes to comply with its ruling within six months, it will have to completely suspend data transfers to China.
TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that it was adequately protecting people’s personal data that could be remotely accessed by staff in China, DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said in a statement. «As a result of TikTok’s failure to undertake the necessary assessments, TikTok did not address potential access by Chinese authorities to EEA personal data under Chinese anti-terrorism, counter-espionage and other laws identified by TikTok as materially diverging from EU standards,» he added.
Read more: Best Identity Theft Protection for 2025
The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, which came into effect in 2018, means that people in Europe benefit from strong privacy protections. When companies are found to be breaking the rules, they can receive fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of their annual turnover, whichever is greater. The GDPR has formed the basis of other data privacy rules around the world, including California’s Consumer Privacy Act. The intention behind these rules is to guarantee people transparency over how their data is used, and to empower them to object when it’s used in ways they don’t approve of.
In the case of TikTok and the EU, the company has said that it’s never received any specific requests for European user data from the Chinese government. It believes that the period the fine applies to precedes 2023, when it put in place a 12 billion euro data security initiative in the EU called Project Clover.
«The decision fails to fully consider these considerable data security measures,» said Christine Grahn, TikTok’s head of public policy and government relations for Europe in a statement. «We disagree with this decision and intend to appeal it in full.»
Technologies
Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for May 3, #1414
Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle No. 1,414 for May 3.
Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.
Today’s Wordle puzzle answer is a word that seems to have slipped out of favor. It’ll be interesting to see if it stumps a lot of players. It’s also a first name that isn’t very popular as that anymore, either. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.
Today’s Wordle hints
Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.
Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats
Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.
Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels
There is one vowel in today’s Wordle answer, and one sometimes vowel.
Wordle hint No. 3: First letter
Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter P.
Wordle hint No. 4: Name game
Today’s Wordle answer used to be a popular girl’s name, but it’s not used that much anymore.
Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning
Today’s Wordle answer can refer to someone who’s easily taken advantage of.
TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER
Today’s Wordle answer is PATSY.
Yesterday’s Wordle answer
Yesterday’s Wordle answer, May 2, No. 1413 was WHOSE.
Recent Wordle answers
April 28, No. 1409: DUMMY
April 29, No. 1410: BLISS
April 30, No. 1411: IDLER
May 1, No. 1412: ADEPT
Technologies
How to Get a Free Fortnite Star Wars Skin and 4 Other Outfits Now
Fortnite has several promotions running simultaneously, letting you get your hands on multiple free skins right now.
Fortnite is once again brewing up crossovers with a galaxy from far, far away — and luckily for you, that means there are free skins up for grabs. The First Order Stormtrooper skin is available for free right now when you connect your Epic Games and MyDisney accounts.
If a stormtrooper skin from the Star Wars sequel trilogy era isn’t quite your style, there are other non-Star Wars skins that you can earn for free, whether you’re completing tasks in-game or redeeming promotional offers. Two more free skins are unlocked by linking your Epic Games and Lego accounts.
Other skins are available through quests — in-game tasks that unlock new items across the different Fortnite modes. The Trailblazer Tai skin is unlocked for free through Lego Fortnite quests, while the limited-time Vanguard Zadie skin is available through an account-level quest.
Here are all of the current free Fortnite skins and how to unlock them.
Free Fortnite skins in May 2025
These are the current free skins available through crossover promotions, account activations and in-game quests.
First Order Stormtrooper
Unlocking the First Order Stormtrooper skin requires you to have an eligible MyDisney account, used to log into Disney’s empire of streaming services like Disney Plus and Hulu, to which you’ll need to connect your Epic Games account in order to earn this skin. In order to do so, navigate to the Apps and Accounts page of your Epic Games account and click «connect» on the MyDisney option. This will take you to the MyDisney webpage to complete the process and bind the accounts. You will have the First Order Stormtrooper skin upon your next Fortnite login.
By watching the first two episodes of Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld on a special Fortnite island (the code is 2124-6713-8076) you can also earn a free Asajj Ventress loading screen.
Mr. Dappermint and Explorer Emilie
Unlocking the Mr. Dappermint and Explorer Emilie skins requires you to have an eligible Lego account, as you need to connect one to your Epic Games account in order to earn these skins. In order to do so, navigate to the Apps and Accounts page of your Epic Games account and click «connect» on the Lego option. This will take you to the Lego webpage to complete the process and bind the accounts. You will have the Mr. Dappermint and Explorer Emilie skins upon your next Fortnite login.
Trailblazer Tai
In order to start Trailblazer Tai’s quest, players must check the Lego Fortnite store. A free quest will be available at the bottom of the store — claiming this quest allows players to complete challenges to unlock the Trailblazer Tai skin. There is no time limit to complete Trailblazer Tai’s Lego Fortnite quest.
Vanguard Zadie
Available as part of a limited-time quest, players can earn the Vanguard Zadie skin by earning 50 Fortnite account levels by June 7. Account levels earned prior to the launch of this quest do not count toward unlocking the Vanguard Zadie skin. The Vanguard Zadie quest also rewards players with a new pickaxe and back bling.
Technologies
Apple Is Moving US iPhone Assembly to India Amid Tariff Turmoil
Apple CEO Tim Cook also said Vietnam will manufacture almost all iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods products sold in the US.
Apple will be sourcing almost its entire line of iPhones sold in the US — about 60 million phones a year — from assembly facilities in India, CEO Tim Cook said Thursday. The planned move comes against the backdrop of the Trump administration imposing tariffs against China of up to 145%.
The tech giant is predicting a $900 million impact to Apple’s costs this coming quarter if tariff policies, rates and applications stay as they are right now.
«For the June quarter, we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the US will have India as their country of origin,» Cook said during Apple’s Q1 earnings call on May 1, «and Vietnam to be the country of origin for almost all iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and AirPods products sold in the US.»
It comes as some products such as mobile phones and computers have been exempted from those tariffs for the time being. Apple has long centered its iPhone production in China, making it vulnerable to any trade war between the two countries and spurring speculation that tariffs could mean price increases for the company’s biggest-selling product.
By moving third-party assembly of US iPhones to India, Apple could avoid the most significant cost pressure of a trade war, though India itself faces new tariffs as well.
The company had already begun shipping iPhones made in India, adding to its product reserves, before new tariffs became active.
A global perspective on iPhones and tariffs
While it’s unclear how long the trade war with China will continue, Apple’s shift is part of a larger strategy that may include more US component manufacturing, says Angelo Zino, a senior vice president at CFRA Research.
«Apple must think long term with manufacturing capacity,» Zino said. «We think Apple will look to double its India iPhone capacity in the next two to three years to help mitigate future China-US tensions.»
That said, Zino expects Apple to keep a large China presence, as 15% of its sales will be in that country and global capacity of iPhone manufacturing will still rely on Chinese manufacturing. Cook confirmed that China will «continue to be the country of origin for the vast majority of total product sales outside the US.»
While Apple wouldn’t shift iPhone production entirely to the US, which would be cost-prohibitive, Zino said, it could potentially ramp up modem and internally designed processors with Taiwan Semiconductor in the US.
«That is clearly where the value of Apple lies for the Trump administration, in our view, rather than assembling its devices,» Zino said.
Will Apple’s manufacturing shift to India last?
Muzammil Hassan, head of patent portfolio management and monetization in India for Quandary Peak Research, noted that Apple’s shift to more manufacturing in India was already happening before tariffs were enacted.
«I don’t think it’s a temporary move,» Hassan said. «Foxconn has been training thousands of employees in their factories in Tamil Nadu. In fact, there were reports that iPhone 17 might be developed and manufactured exclusively in India.»
While shifting all US iPhone production to India may be bold, Hassan said, Apple is not pioneering with its manufacturing strategy. «I’d say Apple is late to the party. Samsung, Oppo, Vivo and Motorola among others were already manufacturing their phones in India.»
In addition, Google may be migrating production of its Pixel phone to India from Vietnam, he said.
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