Rumble Joins X’s Suing Spectacle; Disney to Hike Streaming Prices; Reddit Jumps on AI Search Bandwagon

by Aimee Newell Tarín on 8th Aug 2024 in News

On today’s news digest: Rumble Joins X’s Suing Spectacle; Disney to Hike Streaming Prices; Reddit Jumps on AI Search Bandwagon

Just as one storm subsides, X starts brewing another. In a move which left many quite perplexed, X revealed on Tuesday that it would be suing major industry groups and advertisers for unlawfully boycotting the platform – supposedly. Among those being sued are the Global Alliance for Responsible Media and the World Federation of Advertisers, as well as companies including Unilever. Online video platform Rumble has joined the action to file antitrust lawsuits alleging a conspiracy to withhold ad revenue. Rumble states it is “seeking a declaration that the defendants’ conduct is illegal, a permanent injunction against the continued conduct, damages, interest, and legal fees, among other relief.” Legal experts have predicted that the lawsuits are unlikely to succeed.

Over in the streaming sector, Disney has announced it will be hiking prices for all of its streaming plans from 17th October. Hulu's prices will be increasing too, along with the Disney Trio Bundle which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+. Most of the price hikes range from one to two dollars (up to £1.57), while the cable bundle including Hulu + Live TV will see an increase of six dollars (£4.72) for both ad-supported and ad-free plans. On another note, Disney+ is introducing “continuous playlists” which will be available from early September. The new feature will give subscribers access to a variety of curated content streams, with the objective of creating a more seamless viewing experience.

Revisiting the social sphere, Reddit announced plans to test AI-generated summaries at the top of search results on its platform starting later this year. The feature will be powered through a combination of both first and third-party tech. Steve Huffman, Reddit’s co-founder and CEO, stated that the feature should help users dive deeper into content and discover new communities on the platform.