The UK’s ICO could fine TikTok £27M after provisionally finding that the company breached data protection rules around children’s data (Stephanie Bodoni/Bloomberg)

Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg:
European Commission opens an in-depth investigation into Microsoft’s proposed $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition, setting a March 23 deadline for phase two  —  Microsoft Corp.’s proposed $69 billion takeover of games developer Activision Blizzard Inc. faces an in-depth European Union probe …

Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg:
An EU court backs the European Commission’s decision to fine Google over Android antitrust breaches but trims the fine from €4.3B to €4.1B; Google can appeal  —  Google lost most of the first round of its battle to topple a landmark 4.3 billion-euro ($4.3 billion) …

Wall Street Journal:
Sources: ByteDance plans to expand its Resso music streaming service globally, starting with over a dozen markets excluding the US, and integrate it into TikTok  —  Company is negotiating with labels as it seeks more than a dozen new global markets  —  TikTok parent ByteDance Ltd …

Mack DeGeurin / Gizmodo:
ICO, the UK’s privacy watchdog, warns organizations of the risks of using “emotional analysis” tech, and plans to publish its biometric guidance in spring 2023  —  The watchdog’s deputy commissioner warned the tech wasn’t backed by science and that any benefits were outweighed by the risks.

Zheping Huang / Bloomberg:
Kuaishou reports Q3 revenue up 12.9% YoY to ~$3.2B, beating estimates, and a ~$378M net loss, holding its own against ByteDance and China’s slowing economy  —  Kuaishou Technology’s revenue beat estimates, holding its own against a slowing Chinese economy and competition from TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd.

Coco Feng / South China Morning Post:
Sources: ByteDance CFO told staff that it has no plans to go public; report: CEO Liang said the company plans to reduce input into noncore businesses  —  TikTok ‘s parent company ByteDance , the world’s most valuable unicorn, has no plans to go public, its chief financial officer told employees …