Technology
Amazon fends off greenwashing lawsuit after SCOTUS refuses to hear case
The highest court in the land has declined to hear a case brought up from the lower circuit courts early this year involving online retail giant Amazon and its protections under Section 230.
Amazon was sued by Planet Green Cartridges, a U.S. re-manufacturer of printer cartridges, for allowing third- party companies to advertise and sell falsely labelled products claiming to be re-manufactured or recycled. Re-manufacturing is considered a more sustainable manufacturing process, reducing raw material and energy consumption by restoring products to manufacturer standards.
SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Get live updates on the latest sales, doorbusters, and deal dropsPlanet Green Cartridges sought $500 million in third-party liability damages from Amazon based on the recommendation of greenwashed products. The lawsuit argued that Amazon's algorithm promoted listings that falsely advertised new, imported cartridges, raking in $3 billion in sales and creating unfair competition among sellers as customers were deceived by false advertising into purchasing less sustainable products.
Amazon's counterargument hinged on online merchandiser protections outlined in Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which protects internet service hosts from government regulation and shields them from legal liability for the content their users post. It is considered by many to be a tentpole of a free and open internet.
Following several conflicting lower court decisions, the case was dismissed by the 9th Circuit court in March, stating that Amazon couldn't be held liable for the claims written by third-party sellers. Planet Green Cartridges then petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and clarify whether Section 230 protections extend to online marketplaces that also profit from the recommendation, promotion, or distribution of products on their website — as Amazon does — in addition to hosting the listings.
Section 230 and online censorship have become hot button topics in the U.S., especially as social media platforms have mostly backed off from content moderation. Increasingly powerful, AI-enhanced algorithms have complicated the matter. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard two Section 230 cases brought against YouTube and Twitter (now X), which argued the social media companies should be held accountable for aiding and abetting terrorism through their algorithmic feeds. The court dismissed the complaint against Google, YouTube's parent company, and ruled in favor of Twitter's Section 230 protections.
Vivaldi has finally added this long-requested feature
Vivaldi is probably one of the third-party browsers I like the most—though I've stuck with Chrome on both my phone and computer, if I were to choose something to switch, I'd switch to Vivaldi. And it just got a lot better with the addition of a new feature on Android.
This Quake-inspired terminal is my new favorite on Linux
Do you open the terminal a lot on your Linux desktop? There's a terminal you can open faster than a standard emulator window, and it might feel familiar to you if you've ever played the game Quake.
iOS 26.2 will remove one feature in parts of the world
The latest version of iOS will somewhat negatively affect Apple Watch users in the European Union.
Specifically, automatic WiFi network syncing between iPhones and Apple Watches will be toned down for EU users when iOS 26.2 launches later this year, per the French publication Numerama (via 9to5Mac). Normally, when you set up an Apple Watch by pairing it with an iPhone, it automatically gets access to all the WiFi networks stored in the phone's memory banks. When iOS 26.2 drops, users in the EU will find that this no longer happens in the same way.
SEE ALSO: How to use Apple Pay on Amazon when Black Friday shoppingNamely, the difference seems to be that an Apple Watch will only automatically connect to a WiFi network if its paired iPhone is physically nearby. If you run to the cafe with your watch but not your phone, you'll have to manually type in the WiFi password on the watch now. This really only seems like it will affect people who regularly leave the house with their Apple Watch but not their iPhone, which I imagine to be a pretty small subset of users.
You're probably wondering why Apple would do this. The answer, of course, is to avoid market regulations. The EU's Digital Markets Act mandates that companies like Apple make that sort of interoperability available to third-party devices as well as their own devices. Apple doesn't want to do that, so Europeans have to suffer a bit.
Only a bit, though.
Amazon has Echo devices on major discounts for Black Friday on almost every model
Amazon's Black Friday sale is underway and it's packed with great deals. You'll be able to save on Apple tech, Bose headphones, and load up on stocking stuffers. But major Amazon sale periods like Black Friday are an ideal time to get the best prices on Amazon's own devices like Kindles and the family of Echo devices.
Amazon Echo devices have something for everyone. They have great models for keeping the family's calendar organized, speakers for kids, and tablet-like displays that are perfect for following a recipe in the kitchen. Best of all, Amazon's Black Friday sale has major discounts on almost every Echo device, including some fun bundles that would make for a great gift.
We'll keep this page updated as Black Friday sales continue to roll on, especially since we occasionally see other retailers like Best Buy offers better prices than Amazon.
Best Echo deal Amazon Echo Dot $31.99 at Amazon$49.99 Save $18.00 See It at Amazon Why we like it
It's impossible to go wrong with an Amazon Echo Dot, especially now that it's 36% off. It's the perfect companion for the bedroom or the office, allowing you to stream you favorite playlists and podcasts thorough Bluetooth. In Mashable's review of the best Echo Devices, the Echo Dot earns top marks for its vibrant sound as well as motion and temperature sensors. Plus, its compact size makes it great for even cramped spaces like the kitchen.
More Echo deals at AmazonAmazon Echo Auto — $14.99 $54.99 (save $40)
NFL Echo Dot Bundle — $79.98 $109.98 (save $30)
Star Wars Echo Dot Bundle — $79.98 $109.98 (save $30)
Amazon Echo Frames — $114.99 $299.99 (save $185)
Amazon Echo Show 11 — $194.99 $219.99 (save $25)
Amazon Echo Show 15 — $254.99 $299.99 (save $45)
YouTube tests direct messaging. Heres how it works.
Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Elon Musk's X – all these sites allow users to privately chat with other users right inside the platform.
Almost every major social media platform has a direct message feature. Well, almost every major social media platform except for YouTube.
That looks like it may soon change though.
According to a post from a YouTube employee on a Google support thread, YouTube is currently testing a new way to "share videos" through direct messages on the platform through the mobile app.
YouTube says in the post that this has been a "top feature request."
SEE ALSO: YouTube Shorts finally adds daily time limit. Here's how to get it."We're experimenting with a new feature that makes it easy for you to share videos you love (long-form, Shorts and live streams) and have conversations about them directly on the YouTube mobile app," reads the YouTube post. "By messaging on YouTube, you accept that messages may be reviewed to ensure they follow our Community Guidelines. Community Guidelines apply to all content on YouTube, including on-platform video shares and messages."
As mentioned in its statement, YouTube will uphold its moderation policies for content sent via direct message as it would with public content, and will review flagged material.
How YouTube direct messaging will workYouTube says that the direct messaging experiment is just rolling out to users over the age of 18 in Poland and Ireland right now. However, this is a typical testing phase for the company's experiments and it will likely roll out even further to more users in the future.
A YouTube help page first discovered by 9to5Google further explains how this new direct messaging feature will work.
Users will be able to share videos with other users on the platform using the feature in the YouTube mobile app. Once shared, the contacted user will be able to accept the chat invite or decline it. Every user will be given the option to accept or decline a chat when a new channel contacts them.
When accepted, users will receive the shared video and be able to privately chat and share more videos with each other. Users will also be able to block channels that they don't want to receive invite requests or chats from. Message notifications will appear alongside other notifications when a user taps the Notification bell icon.
Longtime YouTube users have actually experienced direct messaging on the platform before. The company rolled out a way to privately share and discuss videos with specific users back in 2017. But YouTube suddenly removed the private messaging feature, much to the chagrin of many of its users, in 2019.
Now, YouTube seems poised to finally bring back direct messaging in the app.
10 Lego Star Wars sets at record-low sale prices ahead of Black Friday, including retiring sets
Between the Lego Gingerbread AT-AT being severely backordered and the Lego Death Star simply being $1,000, attainable Star Wars Legos that aren't the basic Battle Packs can feel scarce around the holidays. Rest assured that some exist: I found five relatively-premium Lego Star Wars ship deals at Amazon ahead of Black Friday, all sitting at record-low pricing more than a week ahead of Amazon's official Black Friday sale (as confirmed by Amazon price tracker Camelcamelcamel).
SEE ALSO: Best gifts under $50 that are great for absolutely everyoneSome options on sale are midi-scale ships that my Star Wars head brother has confirmed are sick, and others are sets that come with some classic mini figs that any respected collection should have. A handful are retiring in 2025, so this might be your last change to snag 'em outside of a reseller's hiked prices.
If you're considering gifting one to someone else, just ask them which Star Wars Legos they do already have — don't fully ruin the surprise by inquiring about a specific one.
Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Our pick: Lego Star Wars: Millenium Falcon 'A New Hope' 25th Anniversary 75347 $67.97 at Amazon$84.99 Save $17.02 It's not nearly as massive as the $849.99 Millenium Falcon you can buy, but it's still unquestionably display worthy. This smaller Millenium Falcon celebrates the 25th anniversary of "A New Hope," exhibited by a special plaque that sits on the display stand. Get Deal Lego Star Wars: 'A New Hope' Tantive IV 75376 $58.90 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $21.09 Retiring soon! Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Lego Star Wars: 'The Phantom Menace' Mos Espa Podrace Diorama 75380 $50.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $29.00 Retiring soon! Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars: Desert Skiff & Sarlacc Pit 75396 $63.99 at Lego
$79.99 Save $16.00 Retiring soon! Get Deal Lego Star Wars: Droideka Model 75381 $41.99 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $23.00 Retiring soon! Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Lego Star Wars: Ahsoka Tano's T-6 Jedi Shuttle $63.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $16.00 Retiring soon! Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars: Invisible Hand 25th Anniversary 75377 $34.99 at Target
$49.99 Save $15 Retiring soon! Get Deal Lego Star Wars: 'Attack of the Clones' Acclamator Class-Assault Ship 75404 $39.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10 Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars: Tie Bomber 75347 $51.95 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $13.04 Get Deal Lego Star Wars: 'Revenge of the Sith' ARC-170 Starfighter 75402 $52.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $17.00 See It at Amazon Lego Star Wars: Grogu with Hover Pram 75403 $49.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal at Amazon
Stop obsessing over horsepower when buying a new car
Horsepower is a key specification most people will at least consider when looking at buying a new vehicle. After all, there's nothing worse than buying a car only to realize that it doesn't have enough power to overtake someone on the highway, or get you going from the lights at a reasonable pace.
Remove your personal data from the internet with Incogni this Black Friday
It’s not paranoia. Your personal information really is out there. Your name, phone number, home address, email, and even your family connections are likely stored on hundreds of websites you’ve never heard of.
2026 Toyota RAV4 pricing announced: Full breakdown by trim
Toyota is making the RAV4 hybrid-only, and honestly, that’s a pretty big deal. The RAV4 is Toyota’s top-selling model, so any major shift here is going to get noticed.
Firefox is fixing a 21-year old problem on Linux
As part of the upcoming release of Firefox 147, Mozilla has resolved a bug report about missing support for Freedesktop's XDG Base Directory standard. The report had been open for a whopping 21 years, and the fix will make Firefox installation files cleaner and more organized.
Android Auto is getting Gemini today
As promised earlier this year, Google's AI assistant is officially starting to roll out to Android Auto. However, whether or not you’ll get it depends on the choices you’ve made on your phone.
My favorite smart home scene is the one I use last of all
To many, creating a smart home means getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty of designing complex smart home automations. While I’m not afraid to nerd out once in a while, the greatest benefit I've received from my smart home has been the simplification of everyday tasks.
Windows 11 has a massive kernel vulnerability
It's always bad when a new security issue pops up, and it's even worse when it affects multiple builds across multiple versions of an operating system. A lot of Windows users are being affected by a brand new security flaw, and this one looks pretty bad.
Somehow, AirPods are only $79.99 for Black Friday — lowest ever price
There is a battle brewing between leading Black Friday retailers, and it's all about Apple AirPods 4.
Under normal circumstances, we would be shouting loud about the fact that you could pick up AirPods 4 for $84.99 at Amazon. This is objectively a very good price, but this is Black Friday. The rules go out the window at this time of year, so we're actually not suggesting you score this low price at Amazon. Instead, look elsewhere for a truly low price.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are all offering the AirPods 4 for under $80 right now. That is a ridiculously good price for a pair of AirPods. The question now is whether or not Amazon can match that price. They usually respond quickly to competition, so we're surprised to see they haven't acted yet. Maybe for once, Amazon has been beat? We'll believe it when we see it.
For now, you can score the AirPods 4 for under $80 this Black Friday. Keep an eye on our guide to the best Black Friday AirPods deals to get updates on the latest AirPods price drops.
All the best early Black Friday streaming deals live: Apple TV+, AMC+, Spotify, and more
This has been a rough year for bank accounts overall, but streaming services in particular have really upped the ante. Nearly every major streamer got more expensive in 2025, including Netflix, Peacock, HBO Max, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, Disney+, Hulu, and Paramount+. So needless to say, we're extra excited about this year's Black Friday streaming deals. We could all use some discounts, amirite?
Black Friday is famously the best time of year to sign up for streaming services, as you can typically score some serious savings on monthly or annual subscription fees. And we're pleased to report that this year is no different. If you're looking for a way to cut back on streaming costs for 2026, now's a great time to take advantage of a majorly discounted subscription.
One thing to note: most Black Friday streaming deals are limited to new and returning subscribers (as in, you once subscribed to Peacock, but cancelled your subscription months ago) only.
We're still patiently waiting for the heavy hitters to drop their annual Cyber Week deals, but since Amazon's official Black Friday sale kicked off on Nov. 20, several impressive Prime Video add-on streaming deals are already live. In 2024, Peacock, Paramount+, Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max all dropped their deals closer to Black Friday proper. So we'll certainly be keeping our eyes peeled and will update you when those go live.
In the mean time, you can already lock in some serious savings on streaming — particularly if you're a Prime member or Prime Video subscriber. Here are all the best early Black Friday streaming deals live.
Best early Black Friday streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV+ Apple TV+ (Prime Video add-on) $5.99/month for 6 months (save $42) Get Deal Why we like itApple TV+, just like several other streamers, raised its subscription cost by 30 percent a few months back — from $9.99 to $12.99 per month. So this deal, which knocks the price down to only $5.99 per month for half a year, is much appreciated. The only catch? It's in the form of a Prime Video add-on, meaning you need to be a Prime member or Prime Video subscriber to secure the subscription discount.
Apple TV+ features a virtually all-original lineup filled with Emmy-winners like The Studio, Ted Lasso, Severance, and The Morning Show and Oscar-winners and nominees like CODA and Killers of the Flower Moon. TL;DR: You'll get more than your money's worth with this Black Friday deal.
More Black Friday streaming dealsAcorn TV (Prime Video add-on) — $2.25/month for 2 months $8.99/month (save $6.74)
AMC+ with ads (Prime Video add-on) — $1.75/month for 2 months $6.99/month (save $5.24/month)
AMC+ Premium (Prime Video add-on) — $2.50/month for 2 months $9.99/month (save $7.49/month)
Audible — $0.99/month for 3 months $14.95/month (save $13.96/month) + get $20 Audible credit
BET+ Essential (Prime Video add-on) — $1.50/month for 2 months $5.99/month (save $4.49/month)
BBC Select (Prime Video add-on) — $1.50/month for 2 months $5.99/month (save $4.49/month)
BritBox (Prime Video add-on) — $2.75/month for 2 months $10.99/month (save $8.24/month)
Crunchyroll Mega Fan (Prime Video add-on) — $2.99/month for 2 months $11.99/month (save $9/month)
Hallmark+ (Prime Video add-on) — $2/month for 2 months $7.99/month (save $5.99/month)
MGM+ (Prime Video add-on) — $1.99/month for 2 months $7.99/month (save $5/month)
MGM+ and MovieSphere+ bundle (Prime Video add-on) — $2.25/month for 2 months $8.99/month (save $6.74/month)
MGM+ and AMC+ bundle (Prime Video add-on) — $3.25/month for 2 months $12.99/month (save $9.74/month)
MovieSphere+ (Prime Video add-on) — $1.25/month for 2 months $4.99/month (save $3.74/month)
NFL Sunday Ticket — $48 $150 (save $102)
PBS Kids (Prime Video add-on) — $1.25/month for 2 months $4.99/month (save $3.74/month)
PBS Masterpiece (Prime Video add-on) — $1.75/month for two months $6.99/month (save $5.24/month)
Spotify Premium — free for 4 months $11.99/month (save $11.99/month)
Starz (Prime Video add-on) — $2.75/month for 2 months $10.99/month (save $8.24/month)
Starz and BET+ Premium bundle (Prime Video add-on) — $3.99/month for 2 months $15.99/month (save $12/month)
Walmart+ (Peacock OR Paramount+) — $49/year for your first year $98/year (save $49)
Wonder Project (Prime Video add-on) — $2.25/month for 2 months $8.99/month (save $6.74)
Linux's 3 biggest strengths are also it's biggest weaknesses
Have you ever wondered why some people swear Linux is the best thing ever while others think it’s over-hyped and useless? It’s primarily because the biggest strengths of Linux also happen to be its biggest weaknesses—and for some people, the pros outshine the cons, and vice versa!
Half-Life 3 announcement: Why people think its happening
There's probably never been another unannounced video game with more hype around it than Half-Life 3, the theoretical follow-up to Valve's seminal first-person shooter series that has been mostly dormant since 2007. Now, as Kotaku and others have noted, a lot of folks online are theorizing that we're actually going to see or hear about it soon.
If you've been following games for a long time, that's probably pretty hard to believe. We've all been down this road before with Half-Life 3. However, there is a tiny bit of smoke to this fire. For starters, the series got an injection of life back in 2020 with the launch of Half-Life: Alyx for VR headsets, a game whose ending has major story implications for the future of the series, assuming it has a future. Data-miners also identified files for something in Valve's database called "HLX" in 2024, and further reporting on that has concluded that it is a new Half-Life game.
SEE ALSO: Valve announces new Steam Machine console: Price, specs, release dateThe simplest and most believable theory going around is that Valve is going to launch Half-Life 3 next year alongside its new Steam Machine home console. For more than two decades, new Half-Life releases have always been meant to sell you something else alongside the game. Half-Life 2 was the first blockbuster release on Steam, Half-Life 2: Episode 2 was bundled with Portal and Team Fortress 2, and Half-Life: Alyx was a system seller for the Valve Index VR headset. If Valve wants to get people interested in the Steam Machine, marketing it alongside a new Half-Life game would definitely do the trick.
You say there are two games, but I only see one, Valve. Credit: Screenshot: Valve/SteamBeyond that, there's an upcoming releases page specifically for Valve products on Steam. While the "Games" tab only shows Valve's in-development multiplayer shooter Deadlock right now, there's actually a little "2" next to it, meaning there may be one more unannounced game alongside that. As Kotaku noted, some believed that Nov. 18 would be the day of the announcement because that was when Alyx was announced several years ago, but that day came and went with nothing.
There's a slight (in my opinion) possibility that the game is announced at The Game Awards in December, which is something people online have also speculated about. While that is the only big game announcement event in the near future, it also stands to reason that Valve doesn't need anyone else's platform for Half-Life 3. It would be, by a wide margin, the most seismic video game announcement in more than a decade. Valve could just throw a trailer up on YouTube in the middle of the night, and it would still break the internet.
Fingers crossed we get some kind of resolution to all of this in the next year or so.
When Black Friday sales start and end: Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Kohl’s and more
Remember when Black Friday was an in-person, rush-the-store event held only on the actual Friday after Thanksgiving? Thankfully, those days are long gone. Now, the sales last for weeks, you can shop online, and there is no reason for a stampede of shoppers.
In fact, in many cases, the Black Friday deals have already begun. The shopping team at Mashable has collected some of the best early Black Friday deals — but here's all you need to know about when the shopping begins for some of the major retailers.
WalmartThe Walmart Black Friday deals span nearly half of November. It had deals from Nov. 14-16, but will have another event Nov. 25-30. It will also have deals on Dec. 1, aka Cyber Monday.
SEE ALSO: 60+ early Black Friday deals: Score huge discounts on MacBooks, Nintendo Switch 2, Keurig, and Garmin AmazonAmazon's Black Friday sale runs from today, Nov. 20, through Cyber Monday.
Best BuyThe retailer gave the events a bunch of different names, but in plain English, Best Buy has had deals going since Halloween and will continue to do so through Cyber Monday. It's actual Black Friday sale, however, began today, Nov. 20.
Kohl'sKohl's Black Friday deals kick off Nov. 23 and run through Nov. 29.
TargetTarget is promoting deals pretty much the entirety of November and December. It started its promotions on Nov. 1 and they run through Christmas Eve.
Gift Lab
