AG Paxton targets more Chinese software companies for violating Texans' personal data
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Tuesday that he is taking legal action against several software companies for allegedly violating Texans' data privacy rights.
According to an announcement Tuesday, Paxton put several "Chinese or Chinese Communist Party aligned companies" on notice. Some of the companies included were video-editing software CapCut, which is used predominantly in conjunction with apps like TikTok or Instagram, smart home and network company TP-Link and e-commerce platform Alibaba.
'I have notified several Chinese-owned companies that they must stop violating Texas's privacy laws and protect Texans' data from falling into the hands of the CCP. Failure to do so will be met with the full force of my office,' Paxton said in the announcement. 'I will always protect our citizens' data privacy rights and use every tool I have to hold companies accountable for acting unlawfully.'
The companies have 30 days to comply with heightened privacy protections through the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, including disclosing whether they process consumer data, allow consumers to opt out and enable consumers to delete their personal data.
The Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, which went into effect in July, creates transparency and disclosure obligations on the collection of consumer data.
Tuesday's actions against CapCutm TP-Link, Alibaba and others is part of a larger investigation Paxton launched in February into Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek and other "CCP-aligned companies." Before he launched that investigation, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott banned the use of DeepSeek and several other AI and social media apps on government-issued devices due to security and data privacy concerns.
Paxton also has filed two lawsuits against short-form video social media platform TikTok, one for violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the other for violating Texas' Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment, or SCOPE, Act. Both lawsuits include concerns over TikTok's collection of consumers, specifically minors', personal data.
Paxton has also used the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act in a lawsuit against insurance company Allstate and its subsidiary Arity for collecting and selling driving data.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Paxton takes legal action against CapCut, other Chinese tech companies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
New disputes emerge ahead of US-China trade talks in London
BEIJING (AP) — U.S.-China trade talks in London this week are expected to take up a series of fresh disputes that have buffeted relations, threatening a fragile truce over tariffs. Both sides agreed in Geneva last month to a 90-day suspension of most of the 100%-plus tariffs they had imposed on each other in an escalating trade war that had sparked fears of recession. Since then, the U.S. and China have exchanged angry words over advanced semiconductors that power artificial intelligence, 'rare earths' that are vital to carmakers and other industries, and visas for Chinese students at American universities. President Donald Trump spoke at length with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by phone last Thursday in an attempt to put relations back on track. Trump announced on social media the next day that trade talks would be held on Monday in London. The latest frictions began just a day after the May 12 announcement of the Geneva agreement to 'pause' tariffs for 90 days. The U.S. Commerce Department issued guidance saying the use of Ascend AI chips from Huawei, a leading Chinese tech company, could violate U.S. export controls. That's because the chips were likely developed with American technology despite restrictions on its export to China, the guidance said. The Chinese government wasn't pleased. One of its biggest beefs in recent years has been over U.S. moves to limit the access of Chinese companies to technology, and in particular to equipment and processes needed to produce the most advanced semiconductors. 'The Chinese side urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its erroneous practices,' a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wasn't in Geneva but will join the talks in London. Analysts say that suggests at least a willingness on the U.S. side to hear out China's concerns on export controls. One area where China holds the upper hand is in the mining and processing of rare earths. They are crucial for not only autos but also a range of other products from robots to military equipment. The Chinese government started requiring producers to obtain a license to export seven rare earth elements in April. Resulting shortages sent automakers worldwide into a tizzy. As stockpiles ran down, some worried they would have to halt production. Trump, without mentioning rare earths specifically, took to social media to attack China. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump posted on May 30. The Chinese government indicated Saturday that it is addressing the concerns, which have come from European companies as well. A Commerce Ministry statement said it had granted some approvals and 'will continue to strengthen the approval of applications that comply with regulations.' The scramble to resolve the rare earth issue shows that China has a strong card to play if it wants to strike back against tariffs or other measures. Student visas don't normally figure in trade talks, but a U.S. announcement that it would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students has emerged as another thorn in the relationship. China's Commerce Ministry raised the issue when asked last week about the accusation that it had violated the consensus reached in Geneva. It replied that the U.S. had undermined the agreement by issuing export control guidelines for AI chips, stopping the sale of chip design software to China and saying it would revoke Chinese student visas. 'The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions,' the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a May 28 statement that the United States would 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' More than 270,000 Chinese students studied in the U.S. in the 2023-24 academic year.
Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
New disputes emerge ahead of US-China trade talks in London
BEIJING (AP) — U.S.-China trade talks in London this week are expected to take up a series of fresh disputes that have buffeted relations, threatening a fragile truce over tariffs. Both sides agreed in Geneva last month to a 90-day suspension of most of the 100%-plus tariffs they had imposed on each other in an escalating trade war that had sparked fears of recession . Since then, the U.S. and China have exchanged angry words over advanced semiconductors that power artificial intelligence, 'rare earths' that are vital to carmakers and other industries, and visas for Chinese students at American universities. President Donald Trump spoke at length with Chinese leader Xi Jinping by phone last Thursday in an attempt to put relations back on track. Trump announced on social media the next day that trade talks would be held on Monday in London. Technology is a major sticking point The latest frictions began just a day after the May 12 announcement of the Geneva agreement to 'pause' tariffs for 90 days. The U.S. Commerce Department issued guidance saying the use of Ascend AI chips from Huawei , a leading Chinese tech company, could violate U.S. export controls. That's because the chips were likely developed with American technology despite restrictions on its export to China, the guidance said. The Chinese government wasn't pleased . One of its biggest beefs in recent years has been over U.S. moves to limit the access of Chinese companies to technology, and in particular to equipment and processes needed to produce the most advanced semiconductors. 'The Chinese side urges the U.S. side to immediately correct its erroneous practices,' a Commerce Ministry spokesperson said. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick wasn't in Geneva but will join the talks in London. Analysts say that suggests at least a willingness on the U.S. side to hear out China's concerns on export controls . China shows signs of easing up on rare earths One area where China holds the upper hand is in the mining and processing of rare earths . They are crucial for not only autos but also a range of other products from robots to military equipment. The Chinese government started requiring producers to obtain a license to export seven rare earth elements in April. Resulting shortages sent automakers worldwide into a tizzy. As stockpiles ran down, some worried they would have to halt production. Trump, without mentioning rare earths specifically, took to social media to attack China. 'The bad news is that China, perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US,' Trump posted on May 30. The Chinese government indicated Saturday that it is addressing the concerns, which have come from European companies as well. A Commerce Ministry statement said it had granted some approvals and 'will continue to strengthen the approval of applications that comply with regulations.' The scramble to resolve the rare earth issue shows that China has a strong card to play if it wants to strike back against tariffs or other measures. Plan to revoke student visas adds to tensions Student visas don't normally figure in trade talks, but a U.S. announcement that it would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students has emerged as another thorn in the relationship. China's Commerce Ministry raised the issue when asked last week about the accusation that it had violated the consensus reached in Geneva. It replied that the U.S. had undermined the agreement by issuing export control guidelines for AI chips, stopping the sale of chip design software to China and saying it would revoke Chinese student visas. 'The United States has unilaterally provoked new economic and trade frictions,' the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a May 28 statement that the United States would 'aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.' More than 270,000 Chinese students studied in the U.S. in the 2023-24 academic year. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Tom's Guide
3 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
These are the 10 prompts in DeepSeek to help you create a budget
Creating a home budget doesn't have to always involve an Excel spreadsheet and coffee to keep you awake during the process. Instead, AI bots can guide you through a budget and make it much easier to track your income and expenses. I should know — I avoid the topic as much as possible. For years, I calculated most of my expenses in my head and hoped it all worked out. Roughly about 10 years ago, I started relying on apps like Mint to help me and even the tools provided by my bank. Recently, I tried using DeepSeek to guide me through the process. It's amazing how these 10 prompts can help you figure out where all of the money is going. Here are the best ones to try. Before diving into the details of a home budget, you can start by asking DeepSeek which home budget works best for you. Fortunately, this prompt provides a wealth of information, no pun intended. DeepSeek presents several options for home budgets including the popular Zero-Based Budget' that helps you track income, expenses and savings down to the last dollar. In that home budget, you put money into savings first, then allocate money to other things. This prompt really narrows things down, because it means you'll need to budget more aggressively. DeepSeek recommends several budgets but two of them are worth calling out. The first one is a percentage system called an Aggressive Savings plan. 50% goes to needs, 20% to savings, 10% to debt, and 20% to wants. DeepSeek also recommended the zero-based budget, which prioritizes savings even more — but maybe a little too much for me. I decided to try the Aggressive Savings plan because it looked practical and achievable to me. I was impressed with all of the detail DeepSeek provides here, listing a full table of expenditures with suggestions for how much to set aside for groceries, gas, and credit card debt. Using this budget means I could save $192 per week — reaching my $10,000 per year goal. So far the prompts and suggestions have all been generic — they could apply to anyone. I decided to make it more personal. I asked about customizing for my income level and DeepSeek then guided me through the entire budget process. The AI asked for my annual income and expenses including car payments and student loans. DeepSeek also asked where I sometimes slip up — say, by overpaying for Uber Eats. I inputted all of this info. (Truth be told — I made up some details. I am not yet comfortable adding actual data to an AI bot yet.) I noticed my final home budget required saving about $833 per month, which seemed a little high. I asked DeepSeek to adjust my budget to save a little less, and suddenly it all seemed more practical. I was allocating more money to eating out and gas/groceries without having to sacrifice so many things that I'd end up failing. I was happy with the results so far. I knew at this point that a home budget would not be useful if it was just contained within a chatbot. I asked DeepSeek to generate an Excel file and was a little surprised when it generated a CSV file instead. (I'm sure there are copyright issues with providing an Excel file.) No matter — I imported the file into Google Sheets using the comma-separated values. A home budget is not just about the numbers and creating a spreadsheet. What works the best is when you have an action plan each month that helps you adhere to the budget. I was surprised, though, when DeepSeek offered some unusual suggestions to help. The bot said I could consider doing a side gig to help generate more income, which seemed smart. Another surprise is that the bot suggested a temporary pause on some charitable donations. Mint is a popular home finance app and I've used it many times. Ironically, I had never actually important a spreadsheet before and DeepSeek noted that is not even possible. Instead, the chatbot suggested inputting all of the info manually, which seemed clunky. And guess what? The bot actually used that word. DeepSeek said 'If this feels clunky…' to try some competing apps that do support imports. DeepSeek also offered to show screenshots of Mint to help me see where to input the budget info. This process took several minutes, though. And, they were not real screenshots — instead, DeepSeek created text-based guidelines. I asked DeepSeek for more guidance, and the bot covered quite a few practical tips for managing my money — one involved using a cash-based budget where you put money into envelopes for different spending categories. Another tip was to wait 24 hours before spending X amount of money (say $5) if it is an impulse buy. Lastly, I asked DeepSeek to save my home budget and all of the tips. It turns out, DeepSeek can't save anything as a text file, so the bot suggested I copy all of the text and paste it into Google Docs or another word processor. That worked just fine for me! Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
