US Congress Passes Landmark GENIUS Act for Crypto Regulation, Netflix Leverages AI, and More Tech News

GENIUS Act and Cryptocurrency Regulation

• 🏛️ The US House of Representatives has passed the GENIUS Act, marking the first major legislation to regulate cryptocurrency.
• ✅ The bill received bipartisan support, with a vote of 308 to 122, and now proceeds to the president's desk.

Russia's Digital Market and WhatsApp

• 🇷🇺 A Russian lawmaker has warned WhatsApp to prepare for its potential exit from the Russian market, possibly being designated as restricted software.
• 📱 This move aligns with Russia's aim to reduce reliance on foreign platforms, with a new state-backed messaging app, MAX, poised to gain market share.
• 🚫 Meta's platforms, Facebook and Instagram, have already been banned in Russia since 2022.

Netflix's AI Integration and Financial Performance

• 🎬 Netflix is actively using AI in film and show production, including generative AI for speeding up scenes and reducing costs, as seen in 'El Antinata'.
• 💡 Co-CEOs noted AI's role in empowering creators for previsualization, shot planning, and visual effects.
• 📈 The company anticipates its advertising revenue to double this year and reported robust second-quarter earnings of $11.08 billion, a 16% year-over-year increase.
• 📊 Netflix users watched 95 billion hours in the first half of 2025, with 'Adolescence' being the most-watched series.

Other Tech and Business News

• 🍎 Apple has filed a lawsuit against two individuals for alleged misappropriation of trade secrets related to an iPhone and iOS 26 features.
• 🚗 Rivian is resuming prep work on its Georgia factory, with groundbreaking expected early next year after securing a $6.6 billion loan.
• 🇪🇺 Meta has refused to sign the EU's code of practice for its AI act, citing legal uncertainties and exceeding the scope of the act.
• 🎮 Nintendo is launching a playtest program for an unnamed feature requiring Switch Online Plus expansion pack members.
• 📹 Twitch is alpha testing a new vertical video feature to compete with platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
• 🔍 DuckDuckGo has introduced a new filter to combat AI-generated images in search results, allowing users to opt out of viewing such content.