Technology

• Big Tech was hit with $3.5B fines over three years, Surfshark found
• Many were fined for using personal data unlawfully
• Enforceability remains a key challenge

Major tech companies have already been hit by fines totalling $3.5 billion for using vast amounts of users’ personal data to train their AI models, raising hopes that the days of AI operating in a regulatory vacuum might be coming to an end.

The figures come from Surfshark, one of the best VPNs on the market, which recently analysed 10 AI-related sanctions imposed on the usual suspects — Anthropic, Meta, Google, Clearview, Apple, Amazon, and OpenAI — between 2022 and 2026.

Disturbingly, nine out of ten fines were imposed for using users’ personal data — including biometric data, copyright-protected content, facial images, and children's voice recordings — without user consent or legal authorisation.

AI violations: which company misused our data the most?

(Image credit: Surfhsark)

According to Surfshark’s study, Clearview AI was the first, in 2022, to be fined a total of around $46 million for collecting facial images for its facial recognition database.

But the pace picked up in 2024, with five new separate fines imposed on Google, OpenAI, Meta, Clearview, and Amazon.

The size of the fines has also increased substantially, signalling a positive shift from regulatory warnings to severe financial consequences. In 2024, Meta was fined $1.4 billion for collecting users’ biometric data without consent, followed by Anthropic in 2025 with a record $1.5 billion for training its AI models using pirated books.

On a different note, the $250 million fine imposed on Apple in 2026 for AI misleading marketing practices might signal that current AI advertisement tactics might also soon become a thing of the past.

"This could be only the beginning," says Dr. Luis Costa, research lead at Surfshark. "The overarching trend suggests that accountability is catching up with innovation, and the industry must re-evaluate both how it builds AI and how it markets it."

The industry must re-evaluate both how it builds AI and how it markets it

Dr. Luis Costa, Surfshark

While regulations and authorities seem to be starting to catch up and match their punishments with Big Tech's wrongdoings, the findings continue to raise serious questions about the risks users face when using these AI platforms.

"Firstly, the scale of unauthorised data collection is unprecedented: 90 per cent of AI-related fines imposed since 2022 relate to the use of data without the necessary consent," Costa explains.

"Second, this harvesting often targets highly sensitive, unchangeable data, as seen in Meta’s $1.4 billion biometric settlement and Amazon’s fine over children’s voice recordings," he adds.

It also remains alarming that many companies fail to adequately inform the public about how their sensitive data is used, leaving consumers oblivious to the fact that their personal information is permanently baked into commercial AI models.

Better enforceability is needed

Additionally, while these fines may seem exorbitant, it is worrying that the financial impact of such punishments rarely acts as a deterrent to these large technology companies, whose market capitalisation runs into the hundreds of billions of dollars.

In its research, Proton previously found that the $7.8 billion in privacy and competition fines imposed on Big Tech in 2025 could be collectively paid by these firms in less than a month.

However, Costa argues that the issue is more complex and regulators might be working toward targeted changes. "First, regulators are escalating the financial stakes, shifting toward massive penalties like Anthropic's $1.5 billion and Meta's $1.4 billion settlements."

Additionally, a major challenge right now is actually enforceability — particularly as some companies have already been exploiting loopholes to avoid paying fines. Clearview AI, for example, managed to avoid paying $105 million in fines imposed by four different European regulatory authorities by arguing that it did not fall within European jurisdiction.

"Even if these early fines are manageable for tech giants, their real value lies in establishing the firm legal precedents that will govern how AI must operate in the future," Costa concludes.

Sorry Sony (and Bose, and AirPods) I know the best earbuds I've ever tested — and they're a Technics product called the EAH-AZ100.

I know, try to see past the immediately forgettable name, because once you get past that alphabetty spaghetti, there's a seriously good set of earbuds in a great little offer here.

Do you like my lead image? I just went out into the full glare of the sun on the hottest recorded UK day in June — for a full three minutes — to get it, to prove I'm using them right now. I also snapped the photo above because the most-asked question I get when I tell people I'm TechRadar's Audio Editor is 'What are the best earbuds with noise cancelling?'

Take note of the subtle shift in phrasing there; not the best noise cancelling earbuds — no, the best current earbuds with noise cancelling. They're quite different things actually, because one can be read as 'I just want the closest thing to actively-generated silence I can get, in a small box please', whereas this specific question above prioritises sound quality, but adds ANC because it is a desirable extra. And I love that.

Anyway, people want a definitive answer and leave the complicated reasoning to Scarrott. Obviously I'm flattered, because it means they trust my judgement (well done there. I do know my stuff). But I've already spilled the answer above: it's these Technics buds, and has been for quite some time.

They came out in January 2025, and they're built on the original May 2023-issue EAH-AZ80, which were also excellent. And both products are somehow still the only earbuds on the market able to offer multipoint to three devices simultaneously, rather than two. Think it's a small perk? Try it for two weeks, then give them back to me. You won't be able to…

Today's best Technics EAH-AZ100 deal

A new lowest-seen price! The excellent EAH-AZ80 that came before this model basically tore up the rule book on sound quality and features in wireless earbuds – and the AZ100 are even better. Released in January 2025, these little beauties are still the only earbuds to offer multipoint to three devices simultaneously, plus excellent sidetone tech for hearing your own voice in calls, as well as some of the most neutral and detailed audio in an even smaller, even more premium-feel design. Oh, and this deal is £17 cheaper than our price trackers have ever seen. Highly recommended. View Deal

Look, the Technics EAH-AZ100 are still sitting pretty at the top of my guide to the best earbuds for a reason. They're incredibly secure and comfortable to wear; Technics pioneered a 'concha fit' design (which initially looks a little deep for a top-plate, but works beautifully), and it's a trick several rivals soon adopted in a post-AirPods-stem market, whether they'd choose to admit it or not.

They also offer LDAC support, which is one of my favourite hi-res wireless codecs and a simple route to better-quality audio streaming for Samsung and Sony smartphone owners.

And did I mention the call handling? It's excellent. Technics deploys both its known Sidetone tech (to slightly amplify your own voice, so it's not muffled by the buds in your ears as you talk) plus its newer proprietary JustMyVoice technology here, which captures your speech while simultaneously suppressing background noise.

Noise cancelling is also very good, but best of all, though, is the sound. As we enthused in our Technics EAH-AZ100 review, the soundstage is neutral and natural, yet simultaneously expansive, engagingly dynamic, and energetic.

I've used the EAH-AZ100 earbuds practically every day since they launched. Before that, I'd used their older siblings every day, and let me tell you: they're the best. I say this as someone with much of the consumer earbuds oeuvre at their disposal (I'm not bragging, it's work — my job is to review earbuds and headphones), so I do know the best from the also-rans.

Yes, I typically prefer over-ears for sound quality, but when running around, earbuds are more portable — especially in a UK heatwave where those ear cups can get a little hot. And in an in-ear design, I love the sonic performance of these buds, especially when the Prime Day deal is this good.

Did you struggle to sleep in the heat last night? What you need is a super-quiet fan, and you're in the right place to find one in the Amazon Prime Day sales. We test dozens of fans here at TechRadar, and I've put together this collection based on brands and models we know are dependable and effective.

• Check out all Amazon's Prime Day fan deals

When choosing a quiet fan for your bedroom, take a minute to think about the space. Will you be keeping the fan on your bedside table? If so, a fan with a rechargeable battery might be the best option, letting you run it all night while leaving plug sockets free for phone chargers. If you want to blow a blanket of air over your bed, consider an adjustable-height fan that you can direct at your duvet.

Some of the best fans have been selling out extremely quickly in the Prime Day sale, for obvious reasons, but all these deals are still in stock at the time of writing so grab one before they blow away on their own.

Amazon Prime Day quiet fan deals

Levoit makes some of the best value fans we've tested here at TechRadar, and this is an exceptional deal for one you can control with either a remote or a smartphone app. It's hit a record-low price for Prime Day 2026.View Deal

Another super quiet fan from Levoit, this model is specially designed for night time, with adjustable height to direct airflow at your bed. At under £80 it's one of the cheapest fans from a reputable brand this Prime Day.View Deal

Dreo's air fans and air circulators have been selling out fast during the current heatwave, but you can still grab a great deal on this oscillating standing fan, which can drop as low as 20dB at night and includes a useful timer.View Deal

I'm a big fan of SwitchBot's smart home tech and this near-silent desk fan will play nicely with all your other smart devices. It's rechargeable so you can keep it on your bedside table even if there's no plug socket available.View Deal

I'm relying on a Dimplex fan to keep me cool at night, and this versatile desk/standing fan should do the job for you as well. At under £100 it's a great Prime Day deal, and will serve you well for many heatwaves to come.View Deal

Be prepared

The current heatwave might have broken by the time your new fan arrives, but it's still a good idea to grab one during the Prime Day sales. As we've seen, the weather forecast can change within the space of a week, so it's never a bad idea to have one handy and ready to go next time the mercury rises.

Buying a fan now also means you won't be in such a rush. If you're in a hurry, it can be tempting to grab anything that has a good review, but not all fans are suitable for all rooms, so it pays to take some time now and make sure you're making the right choice.

The latest fans can move a large volume of air much more easily than older models, and are more energy efficient as well, which will keep you cooler and reduce your energy bills in the long term. That's not necessarily something you have time to think about if you're rushing to pick up a fan — any fan — in a sweat-soaked panic.

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £24.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from under £10
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Father's Day: up to 50% off gifts & drinks
• Headphones: up to 50% off
• Laptops: from £149.99
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Eufy & Roborock
• Wearables: Garmin & Huawei from £36.99

• Sony is going all out for GTA 6 marketing
• The PS5 homepage, PS Store, and PS App have been updated with a GTA 6 theme
• Pre-orders have officially begun

Sony has gone full Grand Theft Auto 6 marketing mode as pre-orders for the most anticipated game of all time officially begin.

The wait is finally over, GTA 6 pre-orders are now live, and in anticipation of the game's release later this year, Sony is showing that it definitely has a favorite by updating the PlayStation 5 homepage, PS Store, and PS App with a new GTA 6 theme.

Now, when players boot up their PS5, they're greeted by a full-screen animation of the game's logo, before it fades into an ad for the game on the console's welcome hub.

When navigating to the PS Store, the background now features co-protagonists Jason and Lucia, and the "Must See" UI has been updated with purple boxes that provide details on the Ultimate Edition, trailers, the Vintage Vice City and GTA+ pre-order bonuses, and a way to pre-order.

GTA 6 is now the first thing you see when you boot up your PS5, they made an entirely new UI for this, insane. pic.twitter.com/xmz8h6RLzIJune 24, 2026

As spotted by Shinobi602, Sony has also updated the PS App logo with GTA 6 branding. Instead of the blue icon, it's been replaced by the game's sunset theme and palm trees.

It's clear that Sony is going all out to maximize the GTA 6 marketing, and it's not even a first-party exclusive.

It also shared in a post yesterday that "thanks to a close partnership" with the studio, "GTA 6 will play best on PS5" and take advantage of PS5’s features "to deliver a deeply engaging single-player experience."

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

GTA 6 officially launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S, and will cost $79.99 / AU$129.95 / £69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 / AU$159.95 / £89.99 for the Ultimate Edition. Pre-loads begin on November 12.

It's also confirmed that physical copies won't have a disc and only include a digital download code in the box.

As both a hardcore gamer and an audio geek, I used to spend a lot of time agonizing over whether to invest more money on a gaming headset or whether I could spend more on a great pair of headphones to cover both my hobbies. If you find yourself in the same boat, it's your lucky day: I'm here to help you make that decision and, with some of the great deals available this Prime Day, I can help save you some cash to boot.

• View the full Amazon Prime Day sale

I've been reviewing audio gadgets for many years now and have reviewed a bunch of gaming headsets in my time at TechRadar. What I've found is that headphones absolutely can do double duty as an alternative to a dedicated gaming headset, but you really need to consider what kind of features are the biggest priority for you personally.

Gaming headsets vs headphones: which should you buy?

When it comes to gaming headsets, there are a few kinds of features you can expect. Low-latency connectivity will often set these apart from wireless headphones, nixing any lag and ensuring you can respond to gunshots and monster cries quickly.

I've always found specific gaming sonic profiles super useful as well — headsets that can boost footsteps are fantastic for FPSes, for example, making it harder for people to sneak up on you. Pick up the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro for $167.94 at Amazon (was $329.99) and you can experience both of these features in spades.

Gaming headsets have historically been way ahead of the curve in terms of battery life. That's partly because not all of them offer ANC and some wireless headphone brands have really caught up in this area. For example, you can get the Sennheiser Momentum 4 for $179.55 at Amazon (was $299.99) and they offer up to 60 hours with ANC on, which is seriously competitive.

But I wouldn't say headsets get the upper hand on every front, with some areas being more of dead heat. I've not always found gaming headset's boom mics to be higher quality than the built-in call mics on higher-end headphones. But some offer fold-to-mute functionality that makes it easier to mute yourself when you want some privacy, for example the Corsair HS55 Surround v2, which you can pick up for $39.99 from Amazon (was $59.99).

Meanwhile, while many headsets these days offer spatial audio, so do a good proportion of high-end headphones — honestly, both camps contain great examples with deeply immersive audio and yet there are also plenty of headsets and headphones that promise spatial effects that sound pretty mono-directional. The absolute undisputed champ here is also on offer right now: you can buy the Apple AirPods Max 2 for $399 at Amazon (was $549).

For me, traditional headphones get the edge over a gaming headset in a couple of key areas. Headphones tend to offer superior music playback, as they've been engineered with that in mind — I know, I know: 'thanks Captain Obvious' — so they tend to handle soundtracks and your fave tunes better.

On top of this, they can also come crammed with innovative features. For example, the Sony WH-1000XM6 offer nice touches like speak-to-chat for automatic transparency mode during conversations and head gestures for accepting and rejecting calls. If you're keen to try out some of these cutting-edge advances, you can currently grab the Sony WH-1000XM6 for $378 at Amazon (was $459.99).

Ultimately, whether you need a dedicated headset or you can get away with using the same pair of headphones for listening to tunes and gaming will depend on the features you most rely on. Fortunately, there are so many great Prime Day deals available on each right now that no matter which choice you make, you can be sure you'll get it for a bargain price.

Headsets for gaming

HyperX Cloud III S Wireless

Corsair HS55 Surround v2

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro

Pros

• Excellent sound quality
• Very detailed audio
• Long battery life
• Extremely versatile with multiple connectivity

Cons

• Eye-watering price tag
• ANC isn’t the best
• Non-intuitive physical controls

Razer BlackShark V2 Pro — PlayStation Version

Pros

• Battery life for days, literally
• Incredibly clear mic audio
• Beautiful stitching and finish
• Great sound reproduction
• Multi-device compatibility
• Comfortable and adjustable

Cons

• Physical chat mix control only on Xbox version
• No wired operation on consoles
• Synapse software required to get the best out of the mic

Beyerdynamic Tygr 300 R

Pros

• Best-in-class audio quality
• Comfortable as heck
• Robust cable
• Open back design great for single player

Cons

• Expensive
• No replaceable cable
• No built-in mic

Turtle Beach Stealth Pro

Pros

• Incredible audio quality
• Flawless active noise canceling
• Excellent build quality and comfort
• Versatile connectivity options

Cons

• Average sounding microphone
• Expensive

Headphones for gaming

Sony WH-1000XM6

Pros

• Class-leading noise cancellation
• Excellent audio performance
• Super lightweight and comfortable
• Highly intuitive touch controls
• They're foldable again!

Cons

• Price increase over previous model
• Battery life is nothing special
• Still not waterproof
• Some may find them to be a tad bulky

Apple AirPods Max 2

Pros

• Even better active noise cancellation
• Live Translation that's easier to use than on Apple's earbuds
• Adaptive Audio means meatier, punchier sound than the originals
• Even head-tracked Spatial Audio feels more accurate and crisp

Cons

• Battery life hasn't been improved
• That flimsy 'headphone bra' case remains
• Still very iOS-only (Android owners need not apply)
• No wireless hi-res codec support still

Sennheiser HD 599 SE

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Pros

• Predictably brilliant noise cancellation
• As comfortable as these things ever get
• Balanced, energetic sound

Cons

• Not quite the perceived value of some rivals
• Humdrum control app

Nothing Headphone (a)

Pros

• Great sound that's a big upgrade over Headphone (1)
• Fantastic on-ear control options and app
• Gigantic battery life

Cons

• Still heavy, with a strong clamping force
• Some rivals offer better sonic detail
• No auto-pause feature or case

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Pros

• Neutral, crisp, detailed sound
• Excellent ANC and transparency
• Incredible battery life even with ANC deployed

Cons

• A little plain aesthetically
• Design doesn't fold up into the headband

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Back-to-school tech: 48% off laptops, headphones & tablets
• Cheap TVs: Samsung, Sony & LG from $89.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Smartwatches: up to $250 off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Fans: from £20
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura