Regulation
Ripple CTO David Schwartz Dismisses CharacterAI Lawsuit
Ripple CTO David Schwartz has dismissed the legal case against Character.AI, asserting that it lacks merit under U.S. law. Schwartz expressed his views on social media, emphasizing that while he does not defend Character.AI’s moral responsibility, the legal arguments made against the company are flawed.
Ripple CTO David Schwartz’s Argument on Free Speech
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ripple CTO David Schwartz highlighted that Character.AI’s actions fall under the protection of the First Amendment. He argued that the company’s chatbot platform produces expressive content, which remains protected unless it falls into one of the narrowly defined categories of unprotected speech, such as incitement or direct threats.
According to Schwartz, the lawsuit’s complaint revolves around the idea that Character.AI was reckless in how it designed its platform to generate speech.
He stated, “Any argument that the expressive contents of protected speech are reckless, dangerous, or ‘defective’ is wholly incompatible with freedom of speech.”
Schwartz compared the situation to previous moral panics over new forms of media, suggesting that the legal challenge against Character.AI mirrors past controversies involving video games, comic books, and other expressive content. He emphasized that regulating how speech is chosen would conflict with constitutional rights.
The Character.AI Lawsuit and Its Claims
The lawsuit, filed by the mother of a 14-year-old boy named Sewell Setzer III, accuses Character.AI of negligence, wrongful death, deceptive trade practices, and product liability. It alleges that the platform is “unreasonably dangerous” and lacked adequate safety measures, despite being marketed to minors.
The suit also references the company’s chatbots, which simulate characters from popular media, including TV shows like Game of Thrones. Setzer had reportedly interacted with these chatbots extensively before his death.
Character.AI’s founders, Noam Shazeer and Daniel De Freitas, along with Google, which acquired the company’s leadership team in August, are named in the lawsuit. The plaintiff’s lawyers claim that the platform’s anthropomorphization of AI characters and chatbots offering “psychotherapy without a license” contributed to Setzer’s death.
The company has responded with updates to its safety protocols, including new age-based content filters and enhanced detection of harmful user interactions.
Character.AI’s Response and Policy Changes
Character.AI has implemented several changes to improve user safety in response to the incident and subsequent lawsuit. These updates include modifications to content accessible by minors, a reminder pop-up that alerts users that the chatbots are not real people, and a notification system for users who spend prolonged time on the platform. The company’s communications head, Chelsea Harrison, stated,
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of one of our users and want to express our deepest condolences to the family.”
Harrison further explained that the platform now has improved detection systems for user inputs related to self-harm or suicidal ideation, which direct users to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Despite these efforts, the legal battle continues, with Character.AI maintaining that it remains committed to user safety.
Meanwhile, the Aptos Foundation has announced a new partnership with Flock IO to develop AI tools using the Move programming language. Move, originally designed by Meta for the Diem project, is now being adapted for broader blockchain applications.
Kelvin Munene Murithi
Kelvin is a distinguished writer with expertise in crypto and finance, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science. Known for his incisive analysis and insightful content, he possesses a strong command of English and excels in conducting thorough research and delivering timely cryptocurrency market updates.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren secured her third Senate term on Tuesday, defeating Republican candidate and cryptocurrency advocate John Deaton in Massachusetts.
CoinGape has confirmed Elizabeth Warren’s victory, which maintains her position as one of the Senate’s leading voices on financial oversight and cryptocurrency regulation. Warren, a prominent critic of the cryptocurrency industry, overcame Deaton, who campaigned with support from influential figures within the crypto sector.
Elizabeth Warren Wins Senate Term Over John Deaton
Throughout her political career, Warren has taken a firm stance against the cryptocurrency industry, citing concerns about its potential for financial crime and regulatory evasion. She has been active in pushing legislation to increase oversight on digital assets.
Notably, Warren has championed an anti-money laundering bill that seeks to extend Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) requirements, including know-your-customer (KYC) rules, to entities in the crypto space, such as miners, validators, and wallet providers. This regulatory push aims to bring the crypto industry in line with traditional financial sectors, a point she has reiterated in debates and public appearances.
During an October debate, Warren highlighted Deaton’s ties to the crypto industry, stating, “He’s saying he has really made crypto folks mad, so mad that they came here to Massachusetts and are funding 90% of his campaign to try to take back this Senate seat to take it away from me.” Subsequently, Elizabeth Warren used her opponent’s connections to the industry to emphasize her stance that crypto must follow established financial rules.
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Kelvin Munene Murithi
Kelvin is a distinguished writer with expertise in crypto and finance, holding a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science. Known for his incisive analysis and insightful content, he possesses a strong command of English and excels in conducting thorough research and delivering timely cryptocurrency market updates.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has published Grayscale’s 19b-4 filing for its Digital Large Cap Fund in the Federal Register. This significant development has officially kickstarted the US SEC’s review process for the asset manager’s application to convert this fund into an ETF.
US SEC Publishes Grayscale’s Filing In Federal Register
Grayscale announced in a press release that the US SEC has published the NYSE’s 19b-4 filing to list and trade its Digital Large Cap Fund as an Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) in the Federal Register.
This formally initiates the review process for the Commission to review and possibly approve the application. As noted in the press release, this review process can take up to 240 days before the regulator must decide whether to approve or deny the application.
If the US SEC approves the NYSE’s proposed rule change, it would be the first time a national securities exchange would list and trade shares of multi-crypto asset ETPs. The SEC’s acknowledgment of the 19b-4 filing just comes around two weeks after the asset manager filed to convert the Digital Large Cap Fund into an ETF.
According to Grayscale, as of November 1, the GDLC currently holds over $530 million in assets under management (AuM) for the fund. The fund holds Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Avalance, which are weighted according to their respective market caps.
Boluwatife Adeyemi
Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across DeFi, NFTs, smart contracts, and blockchain interoperability, among others. Boluwatife has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making it easy for crypto newbies to understand. Away from writing, He is an avid basketball lover and a part-time degen.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
Former SEC official Marc Fagel has voiced concerns over the Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent issuance of a Wells Notice to Immutable, an Ethereum-based Web3 gaming company. Immutable claims that the Wells Notice arrived with limited prior communication or explanation, marking a sharp departure from what is typically a more extensive investigative process.
Fagel commented that it is unusual for the SEC to issue such notices without first conducting a thorough investigation, suggesting that this approach could be “risky.”
Former SEC Official Questions Rapid Wells Notice Issued to Immutable
Immutable announced it had received a sudden Wells Notice from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The notice, which serves as a formal alert for potential enforcement action, cited alleged securities law violations related to private IMX token sales in 2021. However, the specifics of these alleged violations were minimally detailed in the notice, sparking questions about the SEC’s procedural approach.
Former SEC Official Marc Fagel commented on the surprise issuance, noting that it’s uncommon for the agency to send such a notice without preliminary investigation. In typical cases, companies expect several months of interviews or exchanges before receiving a Wells Notice, and Fagel stated that deviating from this standard practice could be seen as “risky.”
In a heated discussion on the X platform, the former SEC official added,
“BTW, it’s hard to believe the SEC would Wells without conducting sufficient investigation to support the claims; way too risky outside the TRO scenario. That said, I’ve heard plenty of anecdotes about the crypto unit dropping a Wells out of the blue, which is kinda scuzzy.”
Wells Notice Reflects SEC’s “Regulation by Enforcement” Strategy
The crypto sector has witnessed similar actions, with companies such as Coinbase, Consensys, and Crypto.com also receiving Wells Notices. The sudden notice aligns with a broader trend criticized as “regulation by enforcement.” Here, the agency proceeds with legal action rather than establishing clear compliance guidelines.
Immutable pointed out that its interaction with the SEC was exceptionally brief before the Wells Notice was issued. More so, they noted that it lacked meaningful explanation, containing fewer than 20 words specifying the alleged securities violations.
The Securities and Exchange Commission approach has caused considerable frustration within the crypto community. Fagel highlighted that the SEC’s surprising strategy of issuing Wells Notices abruptly in the crypto sector has become increasingly common.
ConsenSys Responds to SEC Claims on MetaMask
In parallel, blockchain company ConsenSys recently filed a response to the SEC’s claims regarding alleged securities violations by MetaMask. ConsenSys disputed the allegations, stating that MetaMask’s product embodies essential blockchain principles. It allows users to interact in a decentralized way. The company also reinforced its commitment to defending its product and technology within the legal framework.
Notably, under SEC Chair Gary Gensler, crypto firms have reported heightened compliance burdens. Regulatory enforcement actions have cost the industry an estimated $400 million, according to the Blockchain Association. These reports aligns with what the former SEC official, Marc Fagel, terms as “scuzzy”.
Ronny Mugendi
Ronny Mugendi is a seasoned crypto journalist with four years of professional experience, having contributed significantly to various media outlets on cryptocurrency trends and technologies. With over 4000 published articles across various media outlets, he aims to inform, educate and introduce more people to the Blockchain and DeFi world. Outside of his journalism career, Ronny enjoys the thrill of bike riding, exploring new trails and landscapes.
Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.
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