Image by Jay Rogers, from Flickr
Apple Faces First EU Fine Under Digital Markets Act Over App Store Practices
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- The fine targets Apple’s failure to allow alternative payment options outside its App Store.
- The penalty follows a €1.8 billion fine in the Spotify case earlier this year.
- The EU’s DMA aims to prevent anti-competitive behavior before it harms markets.
Apple Inc. is set to face a significant fine under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) for anticompetitive practices related to its App Store, as first reported today by Bloomberg . The fine marks the first enforcement of the new rules targeting big tech companies accused of monopolistic behavior.
The European Commission is preparing the penalty after Apple allegedly failed to allow app developers to direct users to alternative, cheaper deals outside the App Store, as noted by Bloomberg. Reuters reports that sources suggest the fine is expected to be issued this month, though the timing could change.
This move comes after a similar €1.8 billion fine was imposed on Apple earlier this year for blocking Spotify from promoting cheaper subscriptions outside of Apple’s platform, said Bloomberg.
The EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) is designed to prevent anti-competitive behavior before it can harm the market. The penalty, expected to be issued soon, could include additional periodic fines if Apple fails to comply with the new regulations, reported Bloomberg.
Under the DMA, regulators can fine tech giants up to 10% of their global annual sales, with higher penalties for repeated violations. Additionally, the EU has forced Apple to allow third parties to access iPhones’ payment chips, opening up competition to Apple Pay, noted Bloomberg.
Apple has not commented on the potential fine, and the European Commission declined to provide further details, as reported by Bloomberg.
Image by Ash_Arashi, from Civitai
Vatican’s Anime-Style Mascot Quickly Turns Into AI Porn Trend
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!
- Luce, inspired by Japanese animation, aims to engage younger generations in Catholic culture.
- Some images portray Luce in compromising scenarios due to customizable AI model features.
- Luce’s childlike appearance raises concerns, especially in explicit, AI-generated content.
In an unexpected turn of events following the launch of a new Catholic Church mascot, online communities have taken to creating explicit AI-generated images of the character, as first reported by 404Media .
Launched last week as the official mascot for the Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year celebrations and the Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, Luce is a cartoon character inspired by Japanese animation.
The initiative, led by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, aimed to foster a connection with younger generations. Fisichella explained at the launch that Luce was “created from the desire to enter into the world of pop culture, so beloved by our young people,” as first reported by Sky News .
However, shortly after her debut, Luce has sparked controversy as users on platforms like Civitai, a popular AI model-sharing site, have created explicit images using AI models based on her likeness.
Although the models themselves are not explicitly designed for adult content, Civitai’s customizable features allow users to combine AI models in ways that yield explicit images, as noted by 404Media.
According to 404Media, one of the models, titled Luce – Vatican’s Mascot [PONY] , contains numerous user-generated images depicting Luce in compromising scenarios.
The deeper issue goes beyond the stark contrast between Luce’s innocent, official image and the explicit online content. The character’s perceived age is particularly concerning.
Although the Vatican has not specified Luce’s age, her youthful, childlike appearance in official images has been replicated in some of the explicit AI-generated content on Civitai. This aspect of her portrayal raises serious ethical concerns regarding the use and depiction of the mascot.
So far, the Vatican has not issued any statement addressing Luce’s intended age or the explicit content circulating online.
