.
.
Law Technology Daily Digest
Monday, December 15, 2025 - Volume 21 No. 1257
rAndomness can mean unpredictable behavIor
In this holiday season, a discussion of toys seem to be quite appropriate. Sadly the US Public Interest Group Education Fund discussion is all about how INAPPROPRIATE these AI-powered toys are. When I was a child I got a talking GI Joe. You pulled his string and he'd said prerecorded things like "Get the Jeep, Joe!," "I've got a tough assignment for you," "Set up team headquarters here," and "That's teamwork." He didn't hold conversations with me about running away from home, what kinks are or how to light matches. Scharon Harding writes, "Toys with integrated chatbots can offer more varied and natural conversation, which can increase long-term appeal to kids since the toys 'won't typically respond the same way twice, and can sometimes behave differently day to day.' However, that same randomness can mean unpredictable chatbot behavior that can be dangerous or inappropriate for kids." Imagine the different things these toys could be talking to children! They might even offer answers to homework questions. Read and watch more at
ars technica :
Chatbot-powered toys rebuked for discussing sexual, dangerous topics with kids
- o/|oo|\o -
Welcome to pell-mell hell
Stephen Embry has been out at the AI Summit and after sitting through some of the fireside chats with various business leaders, he notes, "The contrast with AI legal thinking could not have been more striking. Legal still sees AI as just something to add on here and there instead of a potential new reality. It's like driving pell-mell into the future while looking at the rear-view mirror." Stephen reports on the message from the fireside chats writing, "Their conclusions? Be flexible. Look at AI and what it can do holistically. Deal with not knowing the future by admitting that you don't." "Three different businesses. Remarkably consistent viewpoints." Pell-mell is a good term as the majority of the legal industry seems to be locked in pell-mell hell. Be sure to read more at
ABOVE THE LAW :
Morning At AI Summit: Tech Debt, Cultural Debt, Whack-A-Mole, And The Benefits Of 'I Don't Know'
- o/|oo|\o -
The Apple Tax is dead
Kyle Orland reports on the iOS App Store payments case and pretty much declares that everyone has
malusdomesticaphobia . District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is none too happy with Apple and charged them with contempt of court. "That contempt of court finding has now been almost entirely upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals," writes Kyle. Apple has long enjoyed the walled garden it put up around iOS and Mac products. Now it would seem the court has confirmed the age old thought that apples and gardens don't mix. Read more at
ars technica :
Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case
- o/|oo|\o -
Jeffrey Brandt , EditorJeffrey Brandt Corporate Counsel Business Journal @jeffrey_brandt @PinHawkHappens PinHawk.com ILTA Strategic Partner Liaisons - NetDocuments
Top News
Chatbot-powered toys rebuked for discussing sexual, dangerous topics with kids Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 Morning At AI Summit: Tech Debt, Cultural Debt, Whack-A-Mole, And The Benefits Of “I Don’t Know“ TechLaw Crossroads, December 13, 2025 Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Ars Technica, December 12, 2025
Security News
Frogblight threatens you with a court case: a new Android banker targets Turkish users Secure List, December 15, 2025 Microsoft: December security updates cause Message Queuing failures Bleeping Computer, December 15, 2025 Kali Linux 2025.4: New tools and “quality-of-life” improvements Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 How researchers are teaching AI agents to ask for permission the right way Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 Prometheus: Open-source metrics and monitoring systems and services Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 Europe’s DMA raises new security worries for mobile ecosystems Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 What types of compliance should your password manager support? Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 Manufacturing is becoming a test bed for ransomware shifts Help Net Security, December 15, 2025 Game of clones: Sophos and the MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise 2025 Evaluations Sophos News, December 15, 2025 Why Traditional Business Continuity Planning is No Longer Relevant for Today’s Cloud-First SMBs Pivot Point Security, December 14, 2025 Beware: PayPal subscriptions abused to send fake purchase emails Bleeping Computer, December 14, 2025 CyberVolk’s ransomware debut stumbles on cryptography weakness Bleeping Computer, December 14, 2025 Upcoming Speaking Engagements Schneier on Security, December 14, 2025 Week in review: 40 open-source tools securing the stack, invisible IT to be the next workplace priority Help Net Security, December 14, 2025 Implementing HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) across AWS services AWS Security Blog, December 13, 2025 Meet digital sovereignty needs with AWS Dedicated Local Zones expanded services AWS Security Blog, December 13, 2025 Multiple Threat Actors Exploit React2Shell (CVE-2025-55182) Mandiant Blog, December 13, 2025 Black Hat Europe 2025: Was that device designed to be on the internet at all? WeLiveSecurity, December 13, 2025 Friday Squid Blogging: Giant Squid Eating a Diamondback Squid Schneier on Security, December 12, 2025 Apple fixes two zero-day flaws exploited in 'sophisticated' attacks Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 Coupang data breach traced to ex-employee who retained system access Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 Building Trustworthy AI Agents Schneier on Security, December 12, 2025 Fake ‘One Battle After Another’ torrent hides malware in subtitles Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 Kali Linux 2025.4 released with 3 new tools, desktop updates Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 Shadow spreadsheets: The security gap your tools can’t see Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 New Windows RasMan zero-day flaw gets free, unofficial patches Bleeping Computer, December 12, 2025 ImmuniWeb enhances AI vulnerability testing and compliance reporting Help Net Security, December 12, 2025 The 12 most common internet scams to be aware of in 2025 Stephen's Lighthouse, December 13, 2025
News and Blogs
High five: Scrolling through 2025 McKinsey Insights & Publications, December 15, 2025 How to capture the elusive performance edge in true transformations McKinsey Insights & Publications, December 15, 2025 Risk Reading — Deepfake Risk Engagement Letter Advice, ABA on Client Disengagement and Law Firm Confidentiality in Withdrawal Motions, The True Costs of Lawyer Ethics Investigations Bressler Risk Blog, December 12, 2025
Corporate Legal Focus
Tariff Compliance: The DOJ’s On the Hunt CorporateCounsel.net Blog, December 15, 2025 False Claims Act: Federal Courts Question Qui Tam Constitutionality CorporateCounsel.net Blog, December 15, 2025 Annual Reporting: Key Reminders for Your 10-K CorporateCounsel.net Blog, December 15, 2025
PRACTICE SUPPORT / E-DISCOVERY
News and Blogs
Modeling Consent in Storytime Stephen's Lighthouse, December 13, 2025 Debunking Myths About the U.S. CLOUD Act’s Impact in Europe The Logikcull.com Blog, December 12, 2025 Navigating FOIA Requests Involving Third-Party Information The Logikcull.com Blog, December 12, 2025 101 Christmas Quotes for Cards, Your Letterboard and a Joyful Holiday Stephen's Lighthouse, December 12, 2025 Breaking Barriers: Steps for Supporting Minority Women Law Firm Owners Attorney at Work, December 12, 2025
Vendor Announcements
Last week, the OCC and FDIC issued a joint statement rescinding the Interagency Guidance on Leveraged Lending. The statement marks... Winston & Strawn LLP, December 12, 2025 Deal News | A team led by Justin F. Hoffman served as initial purchasers’ counsel to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Barclays Capital... Winston & Strawn LLP, December 12, 2025 Winston & Strawn is proud to have secured a landmark settlement for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in their antitrust case... Winston & Strawn LLP, December 12, 2025
KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT / LEAN / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / MACHINE LEARNING
News and Blogs
New Research on AI and Fairness in Hiring Harvard Business Review, December 12, 2025 AI in Asia: Reimagining banking operations through agentic AI McKinsey Insights & Publications, December 12, 2025 What If Students Want Something More Than AI? Stephen's Lighthouse, December 12, 2025 OpenAI unveils GPT‑5.2 for advanced professional work Stephen's Lighthouse, December 12, 2025 Two Decades Online: The Evolution of Digital Behavior and the AI Decade to Come Stephen's Lighthouse, December 12, 2025 This AI Licensing Standard for Scraping Web Content is Now Official: Artificial Intelligence Trends EDiscovery Today, December 12, 2025 Trump tries to block state AI laws himself after Congress decided not to Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 Trump’s Executive Order on AI Promises Clarity. It May Cause More Confusion Instead. Legaltech News from law.com, December 12, 2025 Australia Kicks Kids Off Social Media + Is the A.I. Water Issue Fake? + Hard Fork Wrapped New York Times: Technology, December 12, 2025 OpenAI built an AI coding agent and uses it to improve the agent itself Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 Scientists built an AI co-pilot for prosthetic bionic hands Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 AI is already part of Linux's plumbing - whether developers like it or not ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Chatbot-powered toys rebuked for discussing sexual, dangerous topics with kids Ars Technica, December 12, 2025
Vendor Announcements
'A Whole Sequence of Attacks': White House Increases Heat on Proxy Advisers With New Executive Order Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025 ‘Seems Significant': 11th Circuit Probes Constitutionality of FCA Whistleblower Provisions Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025 US Judge Rules WWE Co-Founders Must Answer Child Sex Abuse Negligence Claims Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025 Deregulation Pushing Markets Toward 'Darkest Depths of Winter,' SEC's Crenshaw Says Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025 FTC Weighs Petition to Revive ‘Click to Cancel' Rule Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025 Big Law Hires From Government—'Like Nothing We've Ever Seen'—Jumped 225% in the DC Region This Year Blog of Legal Times, December 12, 2025
LEADERSHIP / PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT / MARKETING
News and Blogs
Own a Fire TV? I changed 10 settings to make the system run like new again ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 15, 2025 Still running Windows 10? Here's why that's a bad idea ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 15, 2025 So many button batteries I've tested have hidden dangers - but this brand gets it right ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 15, 2025 Disney and OpenAI, Totems in an AI World, Google Versus the World Stratechery, December 15, 2025 Review: Snap Grip Wallet by ohsnap! iPhone, J.D., December 15, 2025 20+ useful Roku shortcuts and menus that every user should know about (and how to access them) ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 14, 2025 Why Traditional Business Continuity Planning is No Longer Relevant for Today’s Cloud-First SMBs Pivot Point Security, December 14, 2025 Baker McKenzie hires Luke Harber as Banking & Finance partner in London Corporate Counsel Business Journal: News, December 14, 2025 Nelson Mullins Welcomes Todd Gibson to Investment Management and Private Funds Practice Corporate Counsel Business Journal: News, December 14, 2025 Sidley Elects Partnership Class of 29 and Counsel Class of 15 Across Europe and U.S. Corporate Counsel Business Journal: News, December 14, 2025 Agiloft Advances AI-Native CLM with Obligation Management and Enhanced Screens Capabilities Corporate Counsel Business Journal: News, December 14, 2025 23andMe Research Institute Appoints John McLeod General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer Corporate Counsel Business Journal: News, December 14, 2025 The 5 most innovative tech products that surprised us this year (including a first for robot vacs) ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 14, 2025 2025 Year in Review: Generative AI, access to justice and law schools ABA Journal - Legal Rebels, December 14, 2025 Pete Recommends – Weekly highlights on cyber security issues, December 13, 2025 LLRX.com, December 14, 2025 Stop using your router's USB port - what PC experts recommend instead ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 14, 2025 Best of the blogs - 13 Dec 2025 UK Law Society Gazette: Comment and Opinion, December 13, 2025 How to install and configure Claude Code, step by step ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 13, 2025 The 9 tech gadgets I couldn't live without in 2025 (and they don't include AirTags) ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 13, 2025 How I use AI to bring my kid's art to life - and why it's a fun learning opportunity ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 13, 2025 Post Comments Aa..ha! [Thinking Inside The Blog!], December 13, 2025 You can save over $250 on this OnePlus Pad 3 bundle - here's how to qualify ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 13, 2025 Should you ever turn off Windows Security? It's tricky, but here's my rule of thumb ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 13, 2025 Morning At AI Summit: Tech Debt, Cultural Debt, Whack-A-Mole, And The Benefits Of “I Don’t Know“ TechLaw Crossroads, December 13, 2025 Podcast episode 224: Bot Fixers 🤖 Shazam Segments 🎵 Squeezed PDFs, and One Long Vapor-Cooled Piano 🎹 iPhone, J.D., December 13, 2025 Legal Tech Roundup: Luminance, Conveyd - Law360 (Legal Technology), December 12, 2025 When Does AI Content Use Cross the Line? - Legal Talk Network (Legal Technology), December 12, 2025 Electronic wills: Opportunity or undue influence? - Legal Futures (Legal Technology), December 12, 2025 I'm a shopping editor, and this is the No. 1 reason I prefer Best Buy over Amazon for tech purchases ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Best Buy is selling Meta Ray-Ban glasses for $70 off - these sizes and frames included ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 I tested a smart pet door, and it's the smart home gadget I didn't know I needed ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 The Oura Ring 4 Ceramic is a status symbol and a health tracker all in one ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 How I download YouTube videos for free - 2 easy and reliable methods to do it ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 I compared 5G network signals of Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T on a road trip - here's who wins ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 I tested GPT-5.2 and the AI model's mixed results raise tough questions ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Opera's Neon AI browser now available for $20/month - packed with these power user features ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Holiday shopping for refurbished tech? Test and buy it from Back Market's store - but hurry ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Google Translate expands live translation to all earbuds on Android Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 Legaltech Rundown: LexisNexis Updates Protégé General, Harvey Partners With Harbor, and More Legaltech News from law.com, December 12, 2025 In-House Legal Teams Tighten SOP Workflows as AI and Risk Converge Legaltech News from law.com, December 12, 2025 How Political Alignment Between Cities and Governors Shapes Municipal Borrowing Costs Disrupt Legal, December 12, 2025 Winston & Strawn in merger talks with Taylor Wessing UK Global Legal Post: Big Stories, December 12, 2025 CMS expands Harvey AI rollout to 7,000-plus lawyers Global Legal Post: Big Stories, December 12, 2025 Ropes & Gray appoints ex-Meta exec as head of AI strategy Global Legal Post: Big Stories, December 12, 2025 AI could finally pay off for businesses in 2026 - thanks to this, experts say ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Your earbuds can translate 70 languages in real-time now, thanks to Gemini ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 This anti-theft tech bag foiled a pickpocket attempt live - here's how it did it ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 The 8 gifts I'd give to my cool techie friends this holiday season ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Save on refurbished iPhones at Back Market - no trade-in required ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 You can buy the 77-inch LG B5 OLED for 50% off right now, and I highly recommend it ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Weaponized AI risk is 'high,' warns OpenAI - here's the plan to stop it ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 One of the most durable power banks I've traveled with is also one of the slimmest ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 How to clear your iPad cache (and wipe out lag for good) ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 Investors commit quarter-billion dollars to startup designing “Giga” satellites Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 How to break free from smart TV ads and tracking Ars Technica, December 12, 2025 My favorite electric screwdriver just got replaced - and the upgrade is somehow cheaper ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 This Kindle nearly replaced my Remarkable tablet with just the display itself - but there's more ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 The 5 most innovative tech products we tested this year (including a tri-fold surprise) ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 Does picking the right HDMI port on your TV matter? Short answer: More than you think ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 The best small business web hosting services of 2025: Expert tested ZDNet: Beyond IT Failure, December 12, 2025 2025.50: Netflix and a Hollywood Chill Stratechery, December 12, 2025 The Second Voyage: Explore the World’s First Legal Design Journal Slaw.ca: Practice of Law, December 12, 2025 Phishing by the Numbers and Industry Corporate Counsel Business Journal: Blog, December 12, 2025 System Design Is a Governance Issue Corporate Counsel Business Journal: Blog, December 12, 2025 Tech M&A in 2025 Is a Governance Decision Corporate Counsel Business Journal: Blog, December 12, 2025 Geopolitics Is Reshaping Executive Decision-Making Corporate Counsel Business Journal: Blog, December 12, 2025 Thoughtful Innovation Legaltech News from law.com, December 12, 2025 Media Suits Against Perplexity AI Are Latest in Series Filed by Rothwell Figg Legaltech News from law.com, December 12, 2025
{NEWSLETTER_FORMAT_OPTION}
Copyright © 2025 by PinHawk LLC . All rights reserved.
This newsletter is edited by Jeff Brandt .Terms and Conditions.
Contact: PinHawk LLC, 104 Old Kings Highway North, Darien, CT 06820 or comments@pinhawk.com
Don't let this important email be caught by a spam filter, ensure delivery to your inbox.
Comment / Tell a friend / Advertise / Unsubscribe
In this holiday season, a discussion of toys seem to be quite appropriate. Sadly the US Public Interest Group Education Fund discussion is all about how INAPPROPRIATE these AI-powered toys are. When I was a child I got a talking GI Joe. You pulled his string and he'd said prerecorded things like "Get the Jeep, Joe!," "I've got a tough assignment for you," "Set up team headquarters here," and "That's teamwork." He didn't hold conversations with me about running away from home, what kinks are or how to light matches. Scharon Harding writes, "Toys with integrated chatbots can offer more varied and natural conversation, which can increase long-term appeal to kids since the toys 'won't typically respond the same way twice, and can sometimes behave differently day to day.' However, that same randomness can mean unpredictable chatbot behavior that can be dangerous or inappropriate for kids." Imagine the different things these toys could be talking to children! They might even offer answers to homework questions. Read and watch more at ars technica: 
Stephen Embry has been out at the AI Summit and after sitting through some of the fireside chats with various business leaders, he notes, "The contrast with AI legal thinking could not have been more striking. Legal still sees AI as just something to add on here and there instead of a potential new reality. It's like driving pell-mell into the future while looking at the rear-view mirror." Stephen reports on the message from the fireside chats writing, "Their conclusions? Be flexible. Look at AI and what it can do holistically. Deal with not knowing the future by admitting that you don't." "Three different businesses. Remarkably consistent viewpoints." Pell-mell is a good term as the majority of the legal industry seems to be locked in pell-mell hell. Be sure to read more at ABOVE THE LAW: 
Kyle Orland reports on the iOS App Store payments case and pretty much declares that everyone has 
