Alex Heath / Sources:
An interview with Nikita Bier, who wants to lure journalists back to X with a rebuilt recommendation algorithm with no keyword suppression or manual downranking  —  Product chief Nikita Bier on journalists who left: “We have to earn their trust.”  Also: Fidji Simo on OpenAI's Code Red, and a new episode of ACCESS.

Jay Peters / The Verge:
Tim Sweeney: the Ninth Circuit's decision on Epic v. Apple contempt ruling appeal “completely shuts down” App Store rules allowing Apple to collect “junk fees”  —  In an interview, Epic Games' CEO says that an appeals court ruling in its case against Apple is ‘really awesome for all developers.’

Reuters:
Reddit files a lawsuit against Australia over its social media ban for under-16s, saying the ban “infringes the implied freedom of political communication”  —  Message board website Reddit (RDDT.N) on Friday filed a lawsuit asking the High Court to overturn Australia's social media ban …

Igor Bonifacic / Engadget:
In his EO, Trump orders US AG Pam Bondi to create an “AI Litigation Task Force” that meets regularly with David Sacks to challenge “inconsistent” state AI laws  —  The administration will also attempt to prevent states with “onerous” AI laws from accessing broadband funding.

Zachary Small / New York Times:
A look at French indie game studio Sandfall Interactive, whose critically-acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sold 5M+ copies with a budget of less than $10M  —  Without a blockbuster budget or much experience, the creators of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 astounded the industry with an emotional narrative and old-school design.