Michael Smith, 54, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $8 million after pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Prosecutors say he created up to 10,000 fake accounts to stream hundreds of thousands of AI-generated songs billions of times between 2017 and his 2024 arrest, spreading plays across many tracks to avoid detection. In one example cited by the Justice Department, his bots generated 80.9 million fraudulent family-plan streams in April 2023, compared with 9.3 million for Taylor Swift's entire catalogue that month.
thequietus.com
· 2026-10-08
The recent merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. has been finalized, raising questions about the future of Paramount+ and HBO Max. The newly combined entity has not yet detailed its plans for these streaming platforms, but some form of unification is anticipated. The deal was completed on Tuesday, marking a significant shift in the media company's structure.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-07
Michael Smith, 54, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to running a seven-year scheme that used AI-generated songs and bot accounts to defraud streaming platforms. The Justice Department said Smith created thousands of fake accounts on services like Spotify and Apple Music using stolen identities and fraudulent debit cards, then used automation to stream hundreds of thousands of AI-generated tracks billions of times. In one month alone, April 2023, his fake songs reportedly generated 80.9 million streams, more than Taylor Swift's entire catalog during the same period.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-10-07
Microsoft has reportedly obtained exclusive rights to stream Grand Theft Auto VI via Xbox Cloud Gaming, making it the only cloud service offering the game at launch. The deal coincides with Microsoft's new pay-as-you-go streaming option launching next month and revised streaming-hour limits for Game Pass tiers starting in November, the same month GTA 6 is due out.
games.slashdot.org
· 2026-10-07
Michael Smith, 54, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to running a scheme that used AI-generated songs and thousands of bot accounts to fraudulently generate billions of streams on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music between 2017 and 2024. Court documents say Smith worked with an AI music company's CEO and a music promoter, routing bot traffic through VPNs to dodge anti-fraud detection, and collected more than $10 million in royalties.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-10-07
JioHotstar, Reliance Industries' streaming platform with over 500 million monthly users, is expanding into the Middle East and North Africa through a partnership with regional streamer Starzplay. Indian content including films, shows and originals will appear in a dedicated section within Starzplay's app, with bundled plans priced between roughly $9.50 and $13.60 per month depending on sports access.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-06
Amazon revealed that the Emmy Awards will be broadcast exclusively on Prime Video from 2027, marking the first time the ceremony has a dedicated streaming platform. The event will be accessible worldwide in over 240 countries and territories, free for six years, with non-Prime members able to watch on the platform. The deal's financial terms remain undisclosed.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-10-06
Google confirmed in a reviewer's guide that Googlebooks need a paired phone running Android 17 to access key cross-device features, including task continuity, shared file and storage access, phone app streaming, and synced notifications. Google also noted some apps, such as those with DRM video or sensitive content, won't support app streaming regardless of OS version.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-10-05
New research examined the health consequences faced by 'night owls' who naturally stay up late and wake up late. Rather than simply advising these people to force earlier bedtimes, studies point to other strategies—such as controlling light exposure and timing of meals—that can improve sleep quality without requiring a full shift in circadian preference.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-10-04
YouTube TV continues offering subscribers unlimited DVR storage and an optional 4K Plus add-on for $10 more per month, covering sports, live events and some on-demand content. The service is set to lose three channels on September 30, which will also erase any DVR recordings tied to them, following last November's resolution of a separate blackout involving ABC and ESPN.
engadget.com
· 2026-10-03
New data from research firm Luminate shows CD sales climbing 16 percent so far in 2026, with K-pop acts like BTS, Enhypen and ATEEZ driving much of the growth through collectible editions that encourage fans to buy multiple copies. Even without K-pop sales factored in, CD sales still rose 6.7 percent. The format sold 16.3 million units in the first half of the year, far below its peak of over 900 million annual sales around 2000.
wired.com
· 2026-10-03
At a Bloomberg conference in Los Angeles, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said global engagement grew just 2% in the company's most recent reporting period, even as revenue kept growing at double-digit rates across every region. He said Netflix is responding by investing about $1 billion, roughly 5% of its $20 billion annual content budget, in live programming such as sports, wrestling, comedy and major cultural events.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-10-02
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