The $100million (£79million) defamation lawsuit was settled in August.

American chess grandmaster Hans Niemann vehemently denied allegations that he utilized a vibrating device to gain an unfair advantage during tournaments. In a recent appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored”, Niemann addressed the specific rumor circulating on social media that he had used vibrating anal beads to cheat in chess matches.

This controversy gained traction following Niemann’s win against former World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the Sinquefield Cup’s third round in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 5, 2022. Soon after the match, Carlsen unexpectedly left the tournament.

Following his victory, Niemann was suspended by Chess.COM due to cheating accusations. Although he admitted to employing a computer for assistance twice in his younger years, he firmly denied any malpractice in over-the-board (face-to-face) chess games.

Amidst these accusations, Niemann pursued legal action against several parties, including Carlsen, Chess.com, and grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. As of August 28, a $100 million defamation lawsuit was settled in Niemann’s favor, resulting in the reinstatement of his Chess.COM account and permission to join future events.

In the interview with Morgan, Niemann was directly questioned about the specific device alleged to be involved in the cheating scandal. Niemann responded by expressing concern about the nature of the inquiry but firmly stated, “No, categorically, no.” He further emphasized his commitment to the integrity of the game, stating he’d willingly play under any stringent conditions, even suggesting he would “strip fully naked” or play in an environment with “zero electronic transmission” to prove his sincerity.

Source: CNN

Congressman Bob Good, backed by 29 fellow members of Congress, has urged the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to detail its strategy against the alarming rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

In his letter dated Sept. 14 to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, Good highlighted initial reports from 2019 showing AI’s capability to produce explicit images of minors. He has requested a response from Garland by Oct. 13.

Good expressed the necessity for the attorney general to not only investigate and prosecute these cases but also identify if there are legislative gaps hindering action. Despite these AI-generated images being illegal, no known prosecutions have occurred.

A poll from a dark-web forum, reported by The Washington Post, revealed about 80% of participants had used or planned to use AI for creating CSAM. Additionally, a BBC investigation cited instances of AI-generated explicit images of children being sold on Patreon.

Good emphasized that while AI offers numerous positive applications, there are growing apprehensions about its misuse. Every state’s attorneys general echoed this sentiment in a bipartisan letter earlier in September, highlighting the urgent need to address AI’s potential to exploit children.

In his inquiry to the DOJ, Good posed six pivotal questions, particularly focusing on whether the department possesses the necessary legal and resource capabilities to counteract AI-created CSAM.

Law enforcement’s challenge intensifies with the advent of these materials, as it complicates victim identification and necessitates discerning between real and AI-generated images.

Good commented on the gravity of the issue, noting its potential to escalate further. The DOJ has yet to reply.

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Cassandra Granade has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation, alleging the tech giant created and sustained a hostile workplace environment towards her during her gender transition. The suit claims Microsoft eventually dismissed her in retaliation for her raising concerns.

Details of the Case:

Location: The lawsuit was lodged in the Superior Court for the State of Washington.

Background: Granade, a former senior software development engineer at Microsoft, alleges the company fostered an “offensively hostile work environment against LGBTQ+ employees.”

Specifics: Granade claims she was subjected to consistent bullying and harassment due to her gender transition. Despite reporting such issues as early as 2018, she states no remedial actions were taken.

Retaliation: After making repeated complaints, Granade says she received an “unjust and biased performance review in 2022,” diverging from Microsoft’s standard protocols. This purportedly prompted her to take a mental health break. Granade further alleges that Microsoft terminated her employment unlawfully while she was vacationing in October 2022 based on her sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

Legal Claims: The lawsuit contends that Granade has incurred significant economic losses due to Microsoft’s alleged discriminatory conduct. She accuses Microsoft of infringing the Washington Law Against Discrimination and is seeking a jury trial and compensatory damages.

The legal team representing the plaintiff comprises Jordan A. Taren and Robin J. Shishido of Shishido Taren Goldsworthy PLLC.

In a separate, unrelated development, an investor from Activision Blizzard sued the gaming company in November 2022. The suit claims that the proposed merger between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft adversely affected investors. This merger was allegedly expedited to safeguard Activision CEO Robert Kotick’s reputation following harassment and discrimination controversies.

Have you experienced discrimination at work due to your sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation? Share your experiences below.

The case in reference is Granade v. Microsoft Corporation, Case No. 23-2-17623-5 SEA.

Source: https://topclassactions.com/