IN THE NEWS: NINTENDO APOLOGIZES FOR NOT ALLOWING GAY-SEX IN LIFE-SIMULATOR GAME
UNDATED (AP) — Nintendo says it can’t change anything this time around. But it says it will bring “Mi-quality” to the next version of its life-simulator video game. The company came under fire from gay rights groups last week after refusing to add same-sex dating options for Mi’s representing players in the video game “Tomodachi Life.” Nintendo says it’s too late to change the game code now — even with a post-release software patch. But it says it’s committed to build in the same-sex option if it ends up producing future version of the game.
IN THE NEWS: FEDS DON’T HAVE TO TURN OVER INFO ON WARRANTLESS CELLPHONE TRACKING
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a big ruling in an issue that involves the privacy of those who use cellphones. A federal appeals court in Washington has ruled that the Justice Department doesn’t have to turn over information on cases involving warrantless cellphone tracking — if the cases ended without a defendant’s conviction. The ruling by a divided appeals court on Friday helps uphold privacy protections for those acquitted of crimes. The ruling came in a public records lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. The organization was seeking information on federal cases in which law enforcement had obtained cellphone tracking data without a warrant to track a user’s whereabouts.
ON THE WEB: SNAPCHAT SETTLES WITH THE FEDS
CYBERSPACE (AP) — It’s one of those apps people use because they think they can send messages, photos, videos and other messages without them being saved. But it turns out some of those messages may not be so secret, after all. Snapchat has agreed to settle with the Federal Trade Commission over charges that it deceived customers about how fleeting those messages are. The FTC says Snapchat misled users about the fact that some messages could be saved without the senders’ knowledge — and that it collected users’ contact without telling them — or asking permission.
IN STORES: NETFLIX RAISING PRICES FOR NEW CUSTOMERS
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It will cost you more to sign up for Netflix. The video streaming company is raising its prices by $1 per month for new customers. That means the base price is now $9, compared to $8. Those who are already Netflix customers are getting a break from the price increase. The $8 per month fee will continue until May, 2016 to Netflix’s current 36 million U.S. subscribers. The increase is the first in nearly three years for Netflix. The company says it needs a bigger influx of cash so it can afford to pay for more original programming, such as “House of Cards” and “Orange Is The New Black.”