Category: Technology

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Digibee appoints Nithin Bose as chief customer officer

Following a $60 million series B round and CRO hire, Digibee further expands its C-suite with an industry veteran who will be a critical touch point for Digibee customers, investors and teams


WESTON, Fla. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Digibee, an integration-platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) company that helps organizations build flexible, highly scalable integration architecture with low code, on Thursday announced the appointment of Nithin Bose as chief customer officer.

 

With over 20 years of experience in building and deploying enterprise data products, Bose is a seasoned leader in customer success, sales engineering, professional services and support. He has a proven track record of scaling product and customer success organizations, driving revenue growth and enhancing product-market fit. He will report to CEO Rodrigo Bernardinelli and serve as a member of the leadership team, unifying customer success, customer support, professional services and solution architecture functions under one umbrella to drive optimal outcomes for the company’s global customers.

 

“Following a successful series B funding round, it is critical that Digibee have the right leaders in place to scale the company through the next stage of growth and beyond. Nithin’s passion, dedication, and impressive work in customer success will help advance our leadership position in digital transformation and customer service, experience and success,” said Bernardinelli.

 

“I joined Digibee because I was drawn to the company’s strong platform, passionate customer-focused team and disruptive approach to integration in a fast-growing market. There is a massive opportunity to bring Digibee’s cloud-native, low-code and high-productivity approach to more enterprise integration customers and complex use cases. The timing is right for Digibee’s success as a leading integration platform to be advanced globally,” said Bose.

 

Bose previously served as vice president of product and customer success at Very Good Security, a data security platform which secures the storage and exchange of the world’s payment data while maximizing its utility. There, he was the executive responsible for the post-sale customer journey including adoption, expansion and renewals for hundreds of customers. He improved net retention to more than 130% while growing the overall business by over 500%. He established customer engagement programs driving the Net Promoter Score (NPS) to 60 and built a global team from the ground up to drive sales engineering, customer success, professional services and customer support. He also launched multiple new product offerings to better serve customers and rebuilt product management, product marketing and design functions to drive innovation. He also held customer success leadership roles at Splunk, Deloitte, ServiceSource and other B2B IT product organizations.

 

Bose holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in computer science from the R.V. College of Engineering, Bangalore, India, and a Master of Science degree in computer engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

About Digibee

The Digibee integration platform allows enterprises to compete and excel in today’s rapidly changing digital environment. The technology is cloud native, low code, fully recyclable and discoverable — connecting applications, processes and people for faster time to market without a major investment. Digibee is the preferred iPaaS solution for 250-plus corporate customers including Assai, B3, Barkley, Bauducco, GoPro, Oobe, Payless, and others. For more information visit Digibee.com.

Contacts

Sara Black

Bospar

prfordigibee@bospar.com

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Business Culture Economics Healthcare Lifestyle Technology

Organon to report third quarter results and host conference call on Nov. 2, 2023

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Organon (NYSE: OGN), a global healthcare company with a focus on women’s health, will release its third quarter 2023 financial results on Nov. 2, 2023, prior to the company’s webcast and conference call scheduled for 8:30 a.m. EST.

 

Interested parties may access the live call via webcast on the Organon website at https://www.organon.com/investor-relations/events-and-presentations/. A replay of the webcast will be available approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event on the company’s website.

Institutional investors and analysts interested in participating in the call must register in advance by clicking on this link: https://conferencingportals.com/event/VfCOQYEG.

 

Following registration, participants will receive a confirmation email containing details on how to join the conference call, including dial-in information and a unique passcode and registrant ID. Pre-registration will allow participants to bypass an operator and be placed directly into the call.

 

About Organon

Organon is a global healthcare company formed to focus on improving the health of women throughout their lives. Organon offers more than 60 medicines and products in women’s health in addition to a growing biosimilars business and a large franchise of established medicines across a range of therapeutic areas. Organon’s existing products produce strong cash flows that support investments in innovation and future growth opportunities in women’s health and biosimilars. In addition, Organon is pursuing opportunities to collaborate with biopharmaceutical innovators looking to commercialize their products by leveraging its scale and presence in fast growing international markets.

 

Organon has a global footprint with significant scale and geographic reach, world-class commercial capabilities, and approximately 10,000 employees with headquarters located in Jersey City, New Jersey.

 

For more information, visit http://www.organon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Contacts

Organon Media:

Karissa Peer

(614) 314-8094

Kate Vossen

(732) 675-8448

Organon Investor:

Jennifer Halchak

(201) 275-2711

Alex Arzeno

(203) 550-3972

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Business Healthcare Lifestyle Science Technology

Pioneers in virtual care at MouthWatch and Dentistry One named to list of ‘Top 50 Teledentistry Leaders to Know in 2023’

METUCHEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Brant Herman, Founder and CEO of MouthWatch, LLC, and Dentistry One LLC, was named to the American Mobile and Teledentistry Alliance (AMTA) list of “Top 50 Teledentistry Leaders to Know in 2023.”

 

Three additional members of the company’s leadership team were also named to the list, including:

  • Dr. Carolyn Brown, Chief Health Innovation Officer for Dentistry One;
  • Eden Ivie, Director of Client Success for MouthWatch and Dentistry One; and
  • Sharity Ludwig, Senior Director of Clinical Operations for Dentistry One.

 

According to the AMTA, individuals on this year’s list include leaders who are “pioneering virtual oral healthcare and who are taking dentistry where it has never gone before.”

 

“We are deeply honored to be included on AMTA’s list of teledentistry leaders,” said Herman.

 

“The MouthWatch and Dentistry One teams have long been committed to bringing innovation to dental care, improving access, and making oral health a more connected part of overall healthcare. We are entering a new era of teledentistry, one that will build on a foundation proven in alternative models and approaches, including mobile and portable dental care, support of providers working at the top of their scope of practice, and virtual-first care that engages patients, regardless of location or access.”

 

MouthWatch is widely recognized as a leader in intraoral imaging and teledentistry, with over 40,000 practices, over 40 leading Dental Service Organizations, and over 100 dental and hygiene schools using its products and software.

 

Earlier this year, MouthWatch extended its virtual care offering with the introduction of Dentistry.One, a virtual-first care platform with a national network of on-demand dentists and Care Advisors who offer personalized care coordination.

 

About MouthWatch, LLC

MouthWatch, LLC, is a leader in developing digital technology solutions that drive success for dental professionals, improve oral health care, and enhance the overall patient experience.

 

Headquartered in Metuchen, New Jersey, MouthWatch is widely known for its intraoral cameras that help engage patients in treatment planning through high-quality, affordable imaging technology, and its TeleDent software that provides practices and organizations with a teledentistry option to engage patients with providers remotely.

 

MouthWatch launched Dentistry.One, a virtual-first care network that addresses the expectations of today’s modern healthcare consumers, the need for greater efficiency in healthcare, and the proven connection between good oral health and total health. Dentistry.One features on-demand dental consultations, personalized care coordination, and oral health coaching for prioritizing oral health.

 

MouthWatch hardware and software are in use at over 40,000 practices, over 40 leading Dental Service Organizations (DSOs), and over 100 dental and hygiene schools. The company has been recognized three times in the Inc. 5000.

 

For more information, visit mouthwatch.com. or dentistry.one.

Contacts

Media:
Michael Ventriello

Ventriello Communications

732-458-3497

michael@ventriello.com

Shifra Pfister

Marketing Operations Manager

MouthWatch, LLC & Dentistry One LLC

shifra@mouthwatch.com
609.721.3187

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Business Culture Lifestyle Technology

NICE named a leader in Everest Group’s Task Mining Products PEAK Matrix

NICE NEVA Discover scored high on both ‘Vision and Capability’ as well as the ‘Market Impact’ axis in leading analyst’s Task Mining Products Assessment

 

HOBOKEN, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #NICE—NICE (Nasdaq: NICE) today announced that NEVA Discover, its process analytics and task mining offering, has been recognized as a ‘Leader’ in Everest Group’s Task Mining Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2023 out of 19 task mining providers evaluated.

 

NEVA Discover utilizes its rich desktop data collection and desktop analytics to pinpoint areas for employee improvement and optimize performance. Leaders were recognized for strong growth momentum in the task mining market and the ability to continue to differentiate by offering innovative features.

Click here for a complimentary copy of the report.

 

NEVA Discover offers a scientific approach to scaling task mining capabilities, allowing CX organizations to take employees’ performances to a new level and ground business decisions on rich processes and interaction data. Utilizing NEVA Discover’s desktop analytics, organizations can drive employee performance improvements by developing and engaging employees with proactive, personalized coaching using actionable data. The report noted that NEVA Discover “helps users to discover best practices by combining the captured data with additional metrics, such as interaction data, employee data, and interaction outcomes, leveraging the power of the CXone Platform.” The report also noted that clients appreciated NEVA Discover’s ease of use as well as key areas of strength including the power of its task discovery and handling capabilities as well as quick adaptation to the product.

 

“NICE has reinforced its position as a Leader on Everest Group’s Task Mining Products PEAK Matrix® 2023, underpinned by its strong vision, depth and breadth of product functionalities, focus on product support, and integration with its automation capabilities,” said Amardeep Modi, Vice President at Everest Group. “Discovery capabilities, ease of maintenance, and data security are some of the key strengths indicated by its clients.”

 

Barry Cooper, President, CX Division, NICE, said, “We are pleased to be recognized as a Leader in this assessment, demonstrating NICE’s excellence in Task Mining. As CX organizations continue to struggle with employee retention, NICE’s NEVA Discover enables organizations to provide objective, targeted coaching to empower employees and make them even more effective. With our ongoing investments in Enlighten AI, NICE will continue its momentum as a market leader in Task Mining.”

 

This recognition adds to NICE’s past accomplishments in this space. NICE was recognized as a ‘Leader’ in Everest Group’s Task Mining Products PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2022. NICE was also named a ‘Leader’ in Everest Group’s Robotic Process Automation (RPA) PEAK Matrix Assessment 2022.

 

About NICE

With NICE (Nasdaq: NICE), it’s never been easier for organizations of all sizes around the globe to create extraordinary customer experiences while meeting key business metrics. Featuring the world’s #1 cloud native customer experience platform, CXone, NICE is a worldwide leader in AI-powered self-service and agent-assisted CX software for the contact center – and beyond. Over 25,000 organizations in more than 150 countries, including over 85 of the Fortune 100 companies, partner with NICE to transform – and elevate – every customer interaction. www.nice.com

 

Trademark Note: NICE and the NICE logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NICE Ltd. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners. For a full list of NICE’s marks, please see: www.nice.com/nice-trademarks.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, including the statements by Mr. Cooper, are based on the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of the management of NICE Ltd. (the “Company”). In some cases, such forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “seek,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “should,” “project,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “estimate,” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results or performance of the Company to differ materially from those described herein, including but not limited to the impact of changes in economic and business conditions, including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; competition; successful execution of the Company’s growth strategy; success and growth of the Company’s cloud Software-as-a-Service business; changes in technology and market requirements; decline in demand for the Company’s products; inability to timely develop and introduce new technologies, products and applications; difficulties or delays in absorbing and integrating acquired operations, products, technologies and personnel; loss of market share; an inability to maintain certain marketing and distribution arrangements; the Company’s dependency on third-party cloud computing platform providers, hosting facilities and service partners;, cyber security attacks or other security breaches against the Company; the effect of newly enacted or modified laws, regulation or standards on the Company and our products and various other factors and uncertainties discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the company, refer to the Company’s reports filed from time to time with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise them, except as required by law.

Contacts

Corporate Media Contact
Christopher Irwin-Dudek, +1 201 561 4442, ET

media@nice.com
Investors
Marty Cohen, +1 551 256 5354, ET

ir@nice.com

Omri Arens, +972 3 763 0127, CET

ir@nice.com

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Business Culture Lifestyle Technology

MipJunior opens as global kids TV commissions plunge, and the industry looks ever more to IPs, technology

First, the bad news. A session helping to launch an extended MipJunior on Friday afternoon, underscored just how hard the kids TV business is suffering.

 

Prefacing a panel discussion on the State of the Kids Entertainment Industry, Challenges & Opportunities, Ampere Analysis’ Cyrine Amor suggested global kids TV commissions were down 48% through August 2023. That’s a radically more significant decrease than the 11% decline in commissioning seen across all genres for the same period.

 

U.S. SVOD services and pay TV channels are cutting back most sharply, she said. In the U.S. market, public broadcaster commissions of kids programs were down 8% through August. Pay TV commissions, in contrast, had dived 53%, SVOD orders by 33%.

 

“There are a lot of factors, including inflation,” she said.

 

Western Europe is also seeing declines, especially in public service broadcaster’s commissioning of kids TV content. That figure is down 19% percent through August.

 

This pressure is making Western platforms adopt trends already seen in the U.S. such as of relying more on IPs to develop properties.

 

While the majority of kids content in Western Europe is found on SVOD, over the last 12 months, kids programs that are the most popular were available across all platforms. Non-exclusivity can pay off for those wanting to stay popular after launch, Amor argued.

 

Moderator Deirdre Brennan, COO at Wildbrain, followed on the presentation grilling panelists Keith Chapman, creator of Kids IP, Keith Chapman Productions; Olivier Lelardoux, CEO of France’s Blue Spirit Studio), and Sarah Dewitt, senior VP & General Manager, PBS Kids).

 

Topics under discussion included changes in the industry over the last decade, instanced by the rise of digital and gaming, audience fragmentation, and the emergence of disruptive technologies such as AI.

 

The biggest topic was technology. “10 years ago, technology in studios was improving what you already do. Now it has a much bigger impact,” said Lelardoux. “It’s the first time in animation that technology not only disrupts animation but comes with a package of gaming.”

 

Technology has opened the playing field for experimentation.

 

“It’s time to try and fail,” he said. “It’s a new world, but we are all lost here. Of course you will fail but it’s O.K.. Little failures can lead to a big win.”

 

Meeting the audience, instead of following them, was another topic.

 

Said Dewitt: “We are always thinking about how technology allows us to find our audience. Coming out of the pandemic, kids and families like doing things together. What can they watch together?”

 

Technology enhances learning, she said “Kids learn more, when they have a conversation with a character that breaks the fourth wall, and asks the kids a question. Responses are written by our script writers,” she said. “Kids who are engaging like that are coming away with greater learning.”

 

All platforms are not equal. “Kids have different expectations for different platforms,” she said. “You can’t put the same product everywhere and expect them to respond. They do different things on different platforms.”

 

Added Chapman: Young entrepreneurs use technology in new ways.”

 

When asked where he finds inspiration, he said: “Having children helps. Watching them grow up in front of you makes you an expert in child behavior. I look for gaps and look to the future and ask what will be relevant to a kid in three to five years? Sometimes, ideas come out of nowhere. Reading. Talking. Observing kids.”

 

For Amor, developing a cross-media content brand is the key to the future.

MipJunior runs Oct. 13-15 in Cannes.

 

 

— Variety

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Business Culture Environment Government Lifestyle Science Technology

A look at the efforts of companies and governments to build their own satellite networks that can deliver internet connectivity anywhere on Earth

—  Elon Musk’s Starlink may soon face new competition from satellite companies offering internet service, available from anywhere on Earth where you can see the sky 

 

Christopher Mims / Wall Street Journal:

 

 

A new generation of satellites is redefining what’s possible in space.

They are radically different from what has been the standard for almost the entire history of humans hurling things into orbit. They tantalize potential customers—including governments, businesses and consumers—with the promise of fast, always-on internet access, anywhere on Earth, anytime.

Thousands of this new kind of satellite are already operational, most of them powering the Starlink satellite network from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which counts more than two million customers in 60 countries around the world, including Ukraine, where it has been critical to that country’s war with Russia, and Iran, where the network is helping citizens get around that country’s internet blockade.

Starlink may soon have plenty of competition, as countries and companies race to build their own internet-delivering constellations of satellites using this technology.

Efforts to build such networks, often in a public-private partnership, are currently under way in China, Europe, Taiwan, Canada and Germany. And last week

launched the first two satellites of what the company has said will ultimately be thousands in a network that will go head-to-head with Musk’s offering.

 

Most of these new satellites will be just a few hundred miles above Earth’s surface, where they can communicate with the ground much more quickly than the older generation of satellites in higher orbit. Because they’re constantly passing over the horizon, receivers and transmitters on the ground—like Starlink’s pizza-size antennas—must constantly hop their connection to the next satellite to come into view, which adds to the technical challenge.

Engineers are meeting that challenge. Better rockets have enabled cheaper and more frequent launches. New software makes the satellites reprogrammable and upgradable from the ground. And new kinds of antennas and digital innards for satellites are allowing space-based networks to deliver fast internet connectivity to pretty much anyplace on Earth a person can get an unobstructed view of the sky.

Read more here:

A look at the efforts of companies and governments to build their own satellite networks that can deliver internet connectivity anywhere on Earth

 

 

— Techmeme

Categories
Business Government Regulations & Security Technology

The US FTC says it remains focused on its appeal opposing Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision and will ‘assess’ the company’s cloud gaming deal with Ubisoft

Diane Bartz / Reuters:

 

 

—  The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Friday it remained focused on its appeal opposing Xbox maker Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) now-closed $69 billion deal to buy Activision (ATVI.O) but would “assess” the company’s agreement with Ubisoft (UBIP.PA).

 

The companies closed their transaction on Friday after winning approval from Britain on condition that they sell the streaming rights to Activision’s games to Ubisoft Entertainment (UBIP.PA) to address the UK regulator’s competition concerns.

 

In the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also fought the deal, and has an argument scheduled before an appeals court on Dec. 6. The agency said on Friday that it remained focused on that appeal.

“Microsoft and Activision’s new agreement with Ubisoft presents a whole new facet to the merger that will affect American consumers, which the FTC will assess as part of its ongoing administrative proceeding,” added spokeswoman Victoria Graham. “The FTC continues to believe this deal is a threat to competition.”

 

 

Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Susan Fenton

— Techmeme

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Business International & World Lifestyle Technology

A look at TSMC’s Open Innovation Platform, which debuted in 2008 and now involves tens of companies that help TSMC’s clients build better chips more efficiently

Anton Shilov / AnandTech:

 

 

—  This year TSMC is commemorating 15 years of its Open Innovation Platform, a multi-faceted program that brings together the foundry’s suppliers, partners, and customers to help TSMC’s customers better build innovative chips in an efficient and timely manner.

 

The OIP program has grown over the years and now involves tens of companies and over 70,000 IP solutions for a variety of applications. It continues to grow, and its importance will get higher than ever when next generation technologies, such as 2 nm, and advanced packaging methods become mainstream in the coming years.

 

“This is not a marketing program, it is actually an engineering program to enable the industry,” said Dan Kochpatcharin, Head of Design Infrastructure Management at TSMC, at the OIP 2023 conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. “We have a huge engineering team behind to work with the EDA partners, IP partners, and design partners.”

 

Read more here:

A look at TSMC’s Open Innovation Platform, which debuted in 2008 and now involves tens of companies that help TSMC’s clients build better chips more efficiently

 

 

— Techmeme

Categories
Business Economics Lifestyle Technology

Best noise-cancelling earbuds: Here’s where to get Bose, Sony, Apple, Samsung and more online

While noise-cancelling headphones are great, noise-cancelling wireless earbuds may have the upper hand when it comes to being more compact and lightweight. If you consider yourself an active person, then a good pair of noise-cancelling earbuds might be better for you, so you don’t have a clunky pair of headphones getting in your way.

 

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet when working from home, during your daily commute or just working out at the gym, then you’ll want to take a look our roundup of the best noise-cancelling earbuds for all sorts of different users from top brands, like Sony, Apple, Bose, Samsung and much more.

 

We considered audio quality, battery life, design and use cases to find what works best at a wide range of prices.

 

Best for most people

Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Earbuds

— Amazon

 

 

The Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Earbuds are the best for most people, thanks to their excellent audio, premium noise-cancellation settings and overall comfortable and secure in-ear fit. These earbuds connect to just about any mobile device or laptop via Bluetooth, while their long battery life of up to 24 hours of use with their included wireless charging case makes listening to your favorite music and podcasts a joy.

 

$278$299.997% Off

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

Best budget

Jabra Elite

— Amazon

 

 

If you’re on a budget, then the Jabra Elite 3 are for you. Not only do these earbuds feature fantastic audio, a sleek design and smart noise-cancellation, but their also very affordable at just $50 for the standard dark gray model. These earbuds also have an impressive battery life of up to 28 hours with their charging case.

 

$49.99

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

Best for noise-cancelling

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds

— Amazon

 

 

Want complete peace and quiet? The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds feature the audio company’s “CustomTune” technology that analyzes your ears and adapts sound on-the-fly, while these buds offer you active noise-cancellation with premium audio — in which Bose is known. This means your listening experience is custom made just for you.

 

The Beats Fit Pro are sweat and water resistant, so they’re ideal for working out at the gym or going for a long run in the park. The earbuds feature a flexible and secure wingtip design that’s comfortable, while they keep the buds stable in your ears. And since they’re from Beats by Dre, the Fit Pro buds have high quality audio that’s clear and rich with deep and thumping bass.

 

 

Read more here:

https://variety.com/2023/shopping/news/best-noise-cancelling-earbuds-buy-online-1235755332/

 

 

— Variety

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Perspectives Regulations & Security Science Technology

A California judge allows a group of lawsuits against Meta and others alleging social media is addictive for children to proceed based on a negligence claim

—  California state judge allows negligence claim to proceed

— Judge dismisses seven other claims filed by kids and parents

 

Joel Rosenblatt / Bloomberg:

 

 

Minors and parents suing Meta Inc.’s Facebook and other technology giants for the kids’ social media platform addictions won an important ruling advancing their collection of lawsuits in a California court.

A state judge on Friday threw out most of the claims but said she’ll allow the lawsuits to advance based on a claim that the companies were negligent – or knew that the design of their platforms would maximize minors’ use and prove harmful. The plaintiffs argue social media is designed to be addictive, causing depression, anxiety, self-harm, eating disorders and suicide.

More than 200 such suits filed across the country have been assigned to two judges in California — one in state court in Los Angeles and the other in federal court in Oakland. Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl’s ruling applies only to the cases in state court. Her decision is part of a larger battle in which statewide social media bans pit concerns about privacy and national security against personal freedoms and the use of wildly popular apps – especially among young users.

In the California case, lawyers representing minors cleared a legal hurdle that allows them to pursue a claim that Facebook, Instagram, Snap Inc., TikTok Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube knew that the physical harms of social media were “foreseeable and substantial,” Kuhl wrote her the ruling.

The judge pointed to the “obvious inequality” between “unsophisticated minors” and the internet companies “who exercised total control over how their platforms functioned.”

Internet companies have long relied on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a federal statute that has consistently shielded them from liability over comments, ads, pictures and videos on their platforms. Importantly, Kuhl ruled that laws protecting free speech and Section 230 don’t stop the negligence claim in the collection of California cases from going forward.

Kuhl ruled the social media companies could be held liable for the allegations because they are “based on the fact that the design features of the platforms — and not the specific content viewed by plaintiffs — caused plaintiffs’ harms.”

“This decision is an important step forward for the thousands of families we represent whose children have been permanently afflicted with debilitating mental health issues thanks to these social media giants,” lawyers for the plaintiffs said in a statement. “We are determined to use every legal tool at our disposal to hold these companies accountable for their actions and reach a just resolution.”

Google defended its practices in a statement Friday.

“Protecting kids across our platforms has always been core to our work,” José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said. “In collaboration with child development specialists, we have built age-appropriate experiences for kids and families on YouTube, and provide parents with robust controls. The allegations in these complaints are simply not true.”

The other companies didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling but they too have defended their practices in the past. Antigone Davis, Meta’s Global Head of Safety, responded to one of the lawsuits in March saying the company wants teens to be safe online and offers more than 30 safety tools for kids and families, including supervision and age verification technology.

The judge also tossed out seven other claims in the lawsuit, including an argument that the companies should be held liable for the defective design of their platforms. The concept of product liability was “created in a different era to solve different problems,” Kuhl wrote. Social media present “new challenges” under the law, she said, because they’re not tangible. “One cannot reach out and touch them,” she said.

Lawyers representing minors in the similar collection of lawsuits filed in federal court also face a request by the companies to dismiss the litigation.

The case is Social Media Cases, 22STCV21355, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

 

 

— Techmeme