Media News Daily: Top Stories for 09/03/2026

Trump Administration Backs OpenAI in New York Times Copyright Suit

The Trump administration is signaling support for OpenAI in its copyright lawsuit with The New York Times, arguing that broad liability for training AI models on copyrighted material would be legally incorrect and could weaken the U.S. artificial intelligence ecosystem. The Times sued OpenAI in 2023, claiming the company used its journalism without permission to train chatbots and other systems. Federal lawyers argued that a strong domestic AI industry is important for national security and government priorities, while Times leadership says tech companies are exploiting original reporting without compensation and threatening the sustainability of news organizations. The case is being closely watched as publishers and AI companies battle over copyright, licensing, and the future of online news. (Read More) (The Hill Rating)

Judge Lets Google Keep Ad Exchange in Antitrust Case

A federal judge has ruled that Google does not have to sell off its AdX advertising exchange, giving the company a partial win in a major Justice Department antitrust case. Judge Leonie Brinkema previously found that Google illegally maintained a monopoly in parts of the digital advertising market, but instead of ordering a breakup, she required behavioral remedies for the company’s ad technology business. The Justice Department said the ruling still provides substantial relief and moves the case closer to restoring competition, while Google praised the court for rejecting a forced divestiture. (Read More) (Washington Examiner Rating)

X Makes X Money Mandatory for U.S. Creator Payouts

X is making its X Money payments platform the required payout method for U.S. creators participating in its Original Content Rewards and subscriptions programs. The company says the change will allow creators to access payouts immediately instead of waiting to meet cashout thresholds, but users must verify their phone number and qualify for an X Money account. Non-U.S. creators will continue to receive payments through Stripe. The rollout comes after X partnered with Cross River Bank to support X Money accounts and Visa debit cards, following regulatory hurdles for its payments ambitions. X is also facing security concerns as attackers reportedly target accounts tied to the new payments system. (Read More) (Social Media Today Rating)