• AMC Theatres has announced the launch of AMC Stubs A-List. 
• For $19.95 (plus tax) a month, you can see three movies per week.
• You get perks like free refills of popcorn and online ticket fees waived, while also being allowed to see a movie in any format and see the same movie as many times as you want.
• AMC, the biggest movie chain in the world, is now in direct competition with MoviePass.
• AMC Stubs A-List launches on June 26.

AMC Theatres has decided to up its subscription game and go head-to-head with MoviePass. 

In an clear move to compete against the subscription upstart, the largest theater chain in the world announced in a press release on Wednesday that it will add a new tier to its subscription loyalty program, AMC Stubs. On June 26, the company is launching "AMC Stubs A-List."

For $19.95 (plus tax) per month, members will get to see three movies a week in theaters. They will also get all the benefits of the AMC Stubs Premiere plan (free refills on popcorn, online ticketing fees waived) plus being able to book tickets in advance, see a movie in any format (IMAX, RealD 3D), and can come back and see the same movies. (However, if you don't see three movies in a week, they do not carry over to the following week).

Many of these perks — like advance tickets, seeing non-2D movies, and seeing the same movie again — are restricted by MoviePass. 

AMC and MoviePass have been at odds since the app launched its $9.95-per-month model last summer. AMC has been its loudest opponent, even hinting at trying to block the service from its theaters. MoviePass later stoked the fires when it suddenly pulled the app service from 10 AMC locations in January. (It later reactivated them.)

MoviePass responded to the AMC news via Twitter on Wednesday:

AMC's launch of Stubs A-List doesn't just make it a major competitor with MoviePass (Cinemark also has a $8.99 subscription service that lets you go to one 2D ticket per month), but shows that movie theater subscription plans are not going away. 

With MoviePass proving that audiences will go to the movies more often if given an attractive way to do it (MoviePass boasts it represents more than 5% of US box office receipts and has over 3 million subscribers), the chains are clearly taking the model and running with it.

They no doubt, however, hope their subscription programs can be more financially viable than MoviePass. Stock of MoviePass' parent company, Helios and Matheson, sank to an all-time low of $0.29 early Wednesday.

SEE ALSO: The positive Rotten Tomatoes audience score for "Gotti" has raised suspicions after the movie's thrashing by critics

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• In an interview with Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera ripped President Donald Trump's zero tolerance border policy, calling it "child abuse."
• Rivera pushed back on Trump's false claims that he can't stop families from being separated at the border, calling on the president to stop his administration's policy.
• "When did we become the party of child abuse?" Rivera said to Hannity in a heated exchange before they cut to commercial.

In an interview with Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, Fox News commentator Geraldo Rivera ripped President Donald Trump's zero tolerance border policy, calling it "child abuse" and "cruelty".

"This is cruelty as policy," Rivera said after Hannity accused the Democrats of playing politics. "This is an obscenity. This is the government of the United States and the president that we both love, advocating a system by which young children are torn from their mothers."

After Hannity tried to cut him off, Rivera continued by saying that people need to stand up to this immigration policy and do something.

"2,300 children have been torn from their parents forcibly!" Rivera said. "These are little babies, 18 months old. These are 10-year-olds with disabilities! Taken from their parents. This is impossible. We can't condone this. The Republicans are the party of faith and family. When did we become the party of child abuse?"

Hannity's other guest, conservative pundit Chris Farrell from Judicial Watch, attempted to jump into the conversation before Rivera once again reiterated that the policy is a form of child abuse.

Hannity said that it was up to Congress to sit down with Trump and put together an immigration bill for the separation policy to be ended — one of Trump's false claims about the issue— but Rivera said Trump should end it himself given that his administration implemented the zero-tolerance policy.

A fellow New Yorker who also appeared on the president's reality show "Celebrity Apprentice", Rivera is good friends with Trump but doesn't always support his policies.

Rivera's criticism of Trump's policy comes amid growing outrage from members of both political parties over children being detained and separated from their parents when crossing the southern border illegally. Rivera is the latest of several notable Republicans to urge Trump to bring an end to this policy.

SEE ALSO: Rachel Maddow breaks down in tears on air while reading about babies detained at US border

DON'T MISS: Former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski taunts commentator who mentioned a 10-year-old girl with Down syndrome separated from her mother at the US-Mexico border

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• "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" comes to theaters this weekend, and sadly, it's not as good as "Jurassic World."
• The latest addition to the "Jurassic Park" franchise takes itself way too seriously.

Three years after “Jurassic World” hit theaters and revamped the “Jurassic Park” franchise with a record-breaking $208.8 million opening weekend, and an incredible $1.6 billion worldwide earned at the box office, the sequel is here, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.” And honestly, don’t get too excited.

“Jurassic World” gave a nice dose of nostalgia for the original “Jurassic Park” movie directed by Steven Spielberg in 1993, but “Fallen Kingdom” (in theaters Friday) falls into the usual sequel trappings that, well, the sequel to “Jurassic World,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park,” fell into as well.

In trying not to repeat the things that made the first movie so great, "Fallen Kingdom" turns into a bland continuation instead of a fun companion.

In “Fallen Kingdom,” we are back into the story three years later. The park in Isla Nublar has been abandoned, but with a volcanic eruption on the island coming soon, a major debate has been sparked about whether the dinosaurs on the island should be saved or left to become extinct once more.

Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) has launched an organization to help save the dinosaurs, and one day while hustling with her follow volunteers for donations, she gets a call from Benjamin Lockwood (James Cromwell), a former partner of John Hammond, the man behind the cloning of the dinosaurs and the brains behind Jurassic Park (played by Richard Attenborough in the first “Jurassic Park” movie).

Lockwood has a proposition for Claire.

Claire goes out to Lockwood’s massive estate to hear him out. Lockwood’s second-in-command, Eli (Rafe Spall), informs Claire of their plans to extract all the dinos on Isla Nublar and take them to an island sanctuary to live out their days. All they need is Claire’s access to the computer system on the island (remember, she was the operations manager at the park in the last movie) and Owen (Chris Pratt) to come along and track down the Velociraptor he raised, Blue.

Outside of a thrilling opening scene to the movie in which a team retrieves DNA from the remains of the Indominus Rex from the last movie, things get dull until Claire and Owen, who interrupts his ambitious house-building project to go on the mission — I mean, he had the house all framed out, should he really have stopped building? — touch down on the dino island.

It doesn’t take long for Claire to get into the system or Owen to find Blue (along for the ride is a geeky IT guy, played by Justice Smith, and a no nonsense paleo-veterinarian played by Daniella Pineda). But with the now-erupting volcano and the pissed dinosaurs all around them, there are a lot of challenges.

This time around, franchise staple Dr. Wu (played by the ageless B.D. Wong) has crafted an Indoraptor — a hybrid of the Indominus Rex and a Raptor — that is scary as all heck and gets loose by the end of the movie.

It leads to a thrilling conclusion back on the Lockwood estate, as Claire and Owen uncover a sinister plot and befriend Lockwood’s granddaughter, Maisie (Isabella Sermons), in the process. (Did you really think one of these movies wasn’t going to have a kid character in it?)

But the biggest problem with “Fallen Kingdom” (outside of not nearly enough Jeff Goldblum) is everything is taken way too seriously. Like “Jurassic World,” there’s nothing in the sequel that we haven’t seen before in a summer blockbuster movie (from the long-winded exposition to the stale plot points), the only glaring thing is director J.A. Bayona (“A Monster Calls”) tries to be more dramatic than the other movies in the franchise, and offer “real” stakes. That’s not what this franchise is about.

Despite all that, though, the final few minutes of the movie have you excited about the inevitable third chapter in the reboot franchise. I don’t know how the heck they did it, but despite everything I didn’t like about “Fallen Kingdom,” I’ll be first in line to see part three.

SEE ALSO: 11 rising cinematographers taking over Hollywood

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This week, Pokémon Go will finally get the ability to trade Pokémon with each other, fulfilling a promise made back when the game launched in 2016. 

We don't know exactly when the update will drop. But if history teaches us anything, it will probably come out on Thursday at 1 p.m. PT, which is when the current "Water Festival" event in the game concludes. 

However, developer Niantic is taking a different approach than you might expect - there are all sorts of rules and caveats that come with Pokémon trading, making it a little more complicated than just swapping mega-powerful monsters with strangers. 

Here's how trading in Pokémon Go will work, according to Niantic:

SEE ALSO: Pokémon Go is adding a feature it promised since day one — and it's the perfect time to return to the game

The key to trading is your friends list, which will be a new feature in the update.

The more you battle alongside your friends, the stronger your friendship will get, granting you in-game rewards. At the outset, you'll get the ability to trade anything except the most powerful Legendary Pokémon.

At the strongest level, though, you'll be able to trade anything. Plus, you'll get additional bonuses when you play with your friends, like more chances to catch those same Legendary Pokémon when you complete a Raid Battle.

• MoviePass mocked AMC Theatres on Twitter on Wednesday after AMC announced its own subscription plan.
• MoviePass tweeted, "AMC has repeatedly disparaged our model as a way to discourage our growth because all along they wanted to launch their own, more expensive plan."
• AMC will begin offering a $19.95 a month plan next week for three movies a week and other perks, putting it in direct competition with MoviePass.

AMC Theatres wants to directly compete with MoviePass, and MoviePass isn't taking it lightly. The upstart movie- theater subscription service called out AMC on Twitter on Wednesday after the theater chain debuted its own subscription plan. 

"Heard AMC Theaters jumped on board the movie subscription train," MoviePass tweeted. "Twice the price for 1/4 the theater network and 60% fewer movies. Thanks for making us look good AMC!"

A follow-up tweet continued to diss AMC: "AMC has repeatedly disparaged our model as a way to discourage our growth because all along they wanted to launch their own, more expensive plan. We want to make movies more accessible, they want more profit."

AMC Theatres, the biggest movie chain in the world, announced a new tier to its AMC Stubs program, called AMC Stubs A-List, to begin June 26. For $19.95 (plus tax) a month, members can see three movies a week in theaters. That comes with additional perks, such as concession benefits, premium tickets (3D, IMAX), and the ability to see a movie more than once with the service.

While MoviePass doesn't offer premium tickets and recently restricted the ability to see a movie more than once, it's also only $9.95 a month, subscribers can see a movie a day, and it can be used at any theater that accepts the service.

MoviePass and AMC have been at odds ever since MoviePass lowered its subscription cost to the $9.95 a month plan. AMC looked into banning MoviePass from its theatres last year. MoviePass also kicked 10 of AMC's theater locations from the service in January but later reinstated them. 

Moviegoers will have to decide for themselves what plan they'll rely on when going to the theater, but expect the theater subscription war to heat up.

SEE ALSO: AMC takes aim at MoviePass with new $20-a-month subscription plan

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NOW WATCH: Trump pitched peace to Kim Jong Un with this Hollywood-style video starring Kim as the leading man

PlayStation owners are furious at Sony, and they've started a hashtag to air their grievances: #BlameSony.

The reason? Sony is locking "Fortnite" accounts on PlayStation 4 to its service, PlayStation Network.

If you tie your "Fortnite" account to PSN, you're unable to use it — and anything you've earned in game or, more importantly, purchased in game — anywhere else.

Nintendo Switch owners learned this the hard way last week when the game finally arrived on Nintendo's eShop last week:

Compounding the issue is the fact that "Fortnite" accounts tied to all other platforms — from the Xbox One to the Nintendo Switch to iPhone and PC/Mac — can be used interchangeably.

For example: You can buy the game's "Battle Pass" on Xbox One, complete a bunch of challenges, then continue completing challenges from the Nintendo Switch (or the iPhone, or a computer). Like "Minecraft" and "Rocket League" before it, "Fortnite" is the latest example of truly "cross-platform" games — where one account is carried across all platforms, from smartphone to home console to PC, with progress and stats and in-game purchases included.

"Fortnite" can even be played across competing platforms — except for Sony's PlayStation 4, which doesn't work with the Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions of the game. Thus, #BlameSony.

It's the latest example of Sony taking an exclusionary stance with gaming on the PlayStation 4 that's out of step with what consumers expect in 2018.

SEE ALSO: There's a 'dumb reason' why PlayStation and Xbox gamers can't play online together, according to a former Sony insider

Why lock PlayStation 4 "Fortnite" players to the PS4? "The stated reason internally for this was money."

"Fortnite" is a free game.

The main way Epic Games makes money on "Fortnite" is by selling in-game stuff, like the $10 Battle Pass. Every time Epic Games sells a Battle Pass through the PlayStation 4 version of "Fortnite," Sony takes a cut of that sale. If you buy a Battle Pass in "Fortnite" on Xbox One, Microsoft takes a cut of that sale. So if you buy a Battle Pass on Xbox One, then play the game on PlayStation 4 with that Battle Pass, you've given Sony's competitor money for something that you're using on PlayStation 4.

And Sony, apparently, isn't too big on that idea.

"When I was at Sony, the stated reason internally for this was money," Amazon Game Studios head John Smedley said on Twitter this week. Smedley worked at Sony for 13 years as the head of Sony Online Entertainment; he left the company in 2015. "They didn't like someone buying something on an Xbox and it being used on a PlayStation," he said.

In 2017, Microsoft opened "Minecraft" to cross-platform play. That changed everything.

This all started with "Minecraft."

The Microsoft-owned blockbuster is available on pretty much everything that plays games, from consoles to phones to handhelds. It wasn't always owned by Microsoft, but Microsoft made a commitment to maintain the game on all platforms. A new version of the game even launched on Nintendo's Switch console last year.

Microsoft — maker of the Xbox One, and direct competitor to Sony's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo's Switch — publishes "Minecraft" on Sony and Nintendo (and Apple and Google) platforms in addition to its own Xbox consoles.

More importantly, even though Microsoft owns "Minecraft," the game can be played across competing devices. "Minecraft" players on Xbox One can join up with players on iPhone, Nintendo Switch, Android, and PC/Mac — even if you're playing in a virtual reality headset! But Xbox One can't play with PlayStation 4, and vice versa. Microsoft wants the PlayStation 4 version of the game to work with the others, but talks have thus far resulted in nothing.

"Minecraft" was the first of several major games to offer cross-platform play; "Rocket League" and "Fortnite" followed soon after. It's telling that some of the biggest games in the world are the forerunners of cross-platform play.

Microsoft's move with "Minecraft" was a small change with huge implications. Player expectations changed forever.

Why don't more online multiplayer games function across platforms? If "Overwatch" is the same game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, why can't I play with a friend?

The answer is obvious, if illogical: Because Sony and Microsoft are competitors. Of course their consoles don't work with each other. It's a basic principle that goes back to the original Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Master System.

But it's 2018. If iPhone and Android users are able to play games together, why aren't Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 users able to play games together? 

That question has come into stark relief with the launch of "Fortnite" on Nintendo's Switch.

"I just get stuck in who this is helping," Microsoft head Phil Spencer told me in an interview last week. "Say you're not into gaming, and it's your kid's birthday. You buy them a console. I buy my kid a console. We happen to buy consoles of different colors — you bought the blue one, I bought the green one. Now those kids want to play a game together and they can't because their parents bought different consoles. I don't know who that helps."

• Instagram just effectively declared war on YouTube and Snapchat.
• On Wednesday it announced IGTV, a new longform-video app.
• Users can access it via a dedicated app for iOS and Android or a section within the Instagram app.
• IGTV won't have ads at launch, but they'll most likely be added later. "There will be a way for creators to make a living," Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said. 

Instagram just unveiled a new way to help it compete with the likes of YouTube and Snapchat.

On Wednesday, the Facebook-owned social-networking app unveiled IGTV, a new app for publishing longform videos on Instagram. It will allow creators to produce 4K vertical videos that are significantly longer than the current limit of 60 seconds.

"We've come a really long way in just eight years, and it's thanks to this incredible community ... that we've been able to launch IGTV," Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said on stage at a launch event in San Francisco that was beset by delays and technical issues.

It's a move that brings Instagram into direct competition with YouTube, as well as Snapchat's Discover section, as it attempts to persuade high-profile influencers — and ordinary users — to make the jump for their web-video needs.

It's also a gamble. The mobile-first, vertical-video format is popular when it comes to short clips like Instagram Stories, but it's relatively untested when it comes to longer content. Will people want to watch videos up to an hour long vertically? Instagram is betting the answer is yes.

"It's mobile first, it's simple, and it's quality," Systrom said. "That's IGTV."

There will be a standalone IGTV app, as well as an IGTV experience built into the Instagram app, where it can be accessed via a dedicated section. (The longform videos won't appear in the Instagram feed, though users' followed accounts and followers will transfer over to the new section.)

Systrom said IGTV would be available on Wednesday for Android and iOS and through an update in the Instagram app.

The app is aimed at what Instagram calls "creators," but anyone can create and upload videos. High-profile initial users include Kim Kardashian West, Selena Gomez, and Kevin Hart, Instagram said in a press release, as well as the influencer Lele Pons, who will be making a cooking show, and the Instagram-famous dog Jiffpom.

To start, there will be a cap on the videos: 10 minutes for most users, and an hour for certain accounts with more followers. Those limits are likely be to temporary, however, and Instagram says it intends to remove them down the line.

In a press Q&A after the event, Systrom said there would not be ads on the videos for now but there most likely would be in the future.

"Right now we're focused on building engagement, and there are no ads on IGTV from Day One," Systrom said. "But that's obviously a very reasonable place to end up. There will be a way for creators to make a living."

SEE ALSO: Instagram just reached 1 billion users

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• The bidding war between Disney and Comcast over 21st Century Fox assets could have some juice left in it, according to Jefferies analyst John Janedis. 
• Disney and 21st Century Fox agreed to a $71.3 billion deal Wednesday morning. 
• The deal is reportedly close to receiving regulatory approval. 
• Still, another Comcast counter-offer could value 21st Century Fox at $80 billion. 
• Watch 21st Century Fox trade in real time here. 

Disney has beat Comcast in the 21st Century Fox sweepstakes — for now. 

Disney and 21st Century Fox agreed to a deal Wednesday morning that values 21st Century Fox at $71.3 billion, or $38 a share. The revised $71.3 billion bid topped Comcast's all-cash offer of $65 billion, and will allow 21st Century Fox shareholders to decide between receiving all cash or a mix of cash and stock. 

And Bloomberg reports the deal could receive regulatory approval within two weeks. Additionally, Disney CEO Bob Iger told analysts Wednesday morning, "We are already six months into the regulatory process and we are confident we have a clear and timely path to approval." 

But Jefferies analyst John Janedis is confident Comcast could counter yet again, with a bid as high as $80 billion. "Given the strategic importance of the 21st Century Fox assets, we expect Comcast will come back with a higher offer," he wrote in a note out to clients on Wednesday. 

"Given timing and regulatory risk that could lengthen a path to close, we believe the next counter offer from Comcast will be in the low $40 per share," he added. 

Shares of 21st Century Fox are up more than 7% Wednesday, and have gained about 40% this year. 

SEE ALSO: Trump says he'll sign order to stop separating families at the border

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NOW WATCH: This top economist has a radical plan to change the way Americans vote

• "Fortnite: Battle Royale" isn't available for Android yet, but that hasn't stopped hackers and bad actors from tricking eager players into downloading malware disguised as the game.
• The real game is actually slated to release this summer.

"Fortnite: Battle Royale" is the most popular video game in the world right now, and understandably so. The online game is available for free on nearly every gaming console and platform, yet has still earned $100 million in revenue in its first 90 days on Apple iOS devices alone.

Hackers and malware authors have started to take advantage of Fortnite fever by tricking people into downloading fake versions of the game for Android — one of the few platforms that does not yet support the game. 

An analysis from Nathan Collier, a senior intelligence analyst with internet security company Malwarebytes, shows that these bad actors are advertising "leaked" versions of "Fortnite" — they can be found on YouTube, and often turn up with a simple internet search for "How to install Fortnite on Android” or “Fortnite for Android."

In a blog post Wednesday, Collier explains that these fake apps use many of the same images and loading screens found in the iOS app, making them look very realistic when you first open them.

But then, many of the malware apps will redirect users to a browser, with a similarly realistic-looking landing page telling would-be players that they have to download a certain number of other apps and games before they can play "Fortnite." In reality, he says, no matter how many other apps are downloaded, the game will never be unlocked. 

"The malware developer is paid for every redirect that results in a download. Unfortunately, the promise of unlocking Fortnite is never kept. Thus, the user is left empty handed," said Collier in a comment provided to Business Insider.

Epic Games was not immediately available for comment.

Those who have fallen for a fake app will be happy to hear that the actual game will be coming to Android devices this summer, according to Epic. To protect your phone from malware, you're better off waiting for the actual release. 

In general, it is always a good idea to avoid downloading an app that isn't hosted in the Google Play Store, and to be on the lookout for apps that require you to download any additional apps to unlock features.

SEE ALSO: Fortnite made $100 million on iOS in its first 90 days, catapulting it into the most successful mobile launches ever

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NOW WATCH: This $530 Android phone is half the price of an iPhone X and just as good

• According to Collider, future "Star Wars" standalone movies are being put on hold to focus on "Episode IX" and what the next trilogy will be.
• The Hollywood Reporter reported last month that Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi movies were in development. Now we may not be seeing them any time soon.
• "Episode IX" comes to theaters next year. Lucasfilm has already announced that Rian Johnson will create a new trilogy, and that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will produce a new series, as well.

Future "Star Wars" anthology movies like "Rogue One" and "Solo" may not be coming to theaters any time soon.

Collider reported on Wednesday that standalone movies previously thought to be in development, such as Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi movies, are being put on hold to focus on next year's "Episode IX" and the next trilogy of films. 

Lucasfilm was not immediately available for comment. 

The Hollywood Reporter reported in May that "Logan" director James Mangold was attached to write and direct a Boba Fett spin-off movie, and that an Obi-Wan movie was also in the works with Stephen Daldry in talks to direct. But this new report from Collider indicates that those movies might be on the backburner after "Solo" disappointed at the box office.

"Solo" is expected to lose Disney at least $50 million after a turbulent run in theaters that fell well below box-office predictions. This was preceded by a troubling production in which director Ron Howard was hired to replace original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller well into filming. 

The franchise's other standalone movies have also experienced production trouble. "Chronicle" and "Fantastic Four" director Josh Trank was fired from a standalone movie. And while "Rogue One" managed to be a box-office success, Tony Gilroy was brought in for extensive reshoots.

Lucasfilm has already announced that "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson will write and direct a new "Star Wars" trilogy and that "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B Weiss will write and produce a new series of films. It seems that Lucasfilm will now focus on what the next set of films will be after the J.J. Abrams-directed "Episode IX" hits theaters next December. 

SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' actress Kelly Marie Tran deleted all her Instagram posts after months of harassment

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On Wednesday, AMC Theatres amped up the movie subscription rivalry it has with MoviePass by announcing AMC Stubs A-List, a $20-a-month service that lets you see three movies per week.

The announcement didn't just ruffle the feathers of MoviePass, but made moviegoers pause for a brief moment and figure out if it was worth it to sign up for another service. 

AMC's service (launching June 26) may be double what MoviePass is, but you get more perks like being able to see IMAX and Real 3D movies, and see the same movie multiple times. However, with MoviePass you get to see more movies per month at less of the cost, and you can go to almost any theater in the US to use the service (not just AMC theaters). 

Conflicted? Us too. Here's the tale of the tape:

Honestly, there's no clear winner here. 

But if you're looking long term, it's possible AMC will be the better play. AMC is the largest theater chain in the world. That has its perks. Soon after announcing the launch of Stubs A-List, IMAX announced that it would be in full cooperation with the service and that there would be no added charge to see IMAX movies through the A-List service. 

And in an earnings call Wednesday afternoon, AMC CEO Adam Aron, while promising that "our program will be profitable," noted that those who come in early on the service will be guaranteed that $20 monthly price for the next year. Aron foresees the membership price going up or down depending on the marketplace.

SEE ALSO: "Jurassic Park: Fallen Kindgom" takes itself way too seriously, and that dampens the fun

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• The four major US cellular network carriers have pledged to stop selling customer location data to data brokers after a glitch was found in one of the broker's websites. 
• The glitch gave access to customers' real-time location data to anyone. 
• It was also alleged that law enforcement was using the data in a way that the carriers did not authorize. 

All four of the major US carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint have declared that they'll stop selling customer location data to certain data brokers on Tuesday after it was discovered that the data was being mishandled, according to Ars Technica.

The carriers' announcements come in response to an investigation by Senator Ron Wyden's (D-Ore.), as well as the beginnings of an FCC investigation.

Prison telecommunication firms Securus and 3Cinteractive were accused of mishandling location data they bought from data aggregator LocationSmart. LocationSmart brokers smartphone location data for "specific,
approved purposes, like roadside assistance, cargo tracking and elder safety," the company told Business Insider. 

Securus and 3Cinteractive were only approved to provide smartphone location data for prisons to confirm that "call recipients were not within a certain distance of the prison from which the collect phone call was placed," Verizon said in a letter to Wyden. But Securus and 3Cinteractive also provided the data to law enforcement for investigative purposes, according to Verizon and AT&T's letter to Wyden. "Use of location information for investigative purposes was not an approved use case in our agreement with LocationSmart," Verizon added in its letter.  

Here's how each company has responded to the issue:

SEE ALSO: Verizon will stop selling cell phone location data to information brokers

Verizon

Verizon responded to Wyden's request in a letter on Tuesday saying that it will stop selling its customers' location data to the two data brokers it deals with, including LocationsSmart and Zumigo. 

By preventing the sale of customer location data to LocationSmart, Verizon is also restricting Securus and 3C from accessing the data, too. 

In a statement to Business Insider, Verizon said "When these issues were brought to our attention, we took immediate steps to stop it. Customer privacy and security remain a top priority for our customers and our company. We stand-by that commitment to our customers."

AT&T

AT&T is no longer selling its customer location data to location data aggregators. 

In a statement to Business Insider, AT&T said "Our top priority is to protect our customers’ information, and, to that end, we will be ending our work with aggregators for these services as soon as practical in a way that preserves important, potential lifesaving services like emergency roadside assistance."

The company also said in its letter to Wyden that it "shut down 3Cinteractive and Securus's access to AT&T customer location data."

T-Mobile

The company also shut down Securus' access to T-Mobile customer location data, as well as other location data brokers per the company's statement to Business Insider:

"We ended all transmission of customer data to Securus and are terminating our location aggregator agreements." 

For months now, "Fortnite: Battle Royale" has kept players on their toes with weekly — and sometimes daily — updates to the game, including new character skins, limited-time game modes, and fun and interesting challenges.

Some of those updates have been just for fun, and some actually change the way the game is played. For example, in the days leading up to the beginning of Season 4, the game hinted that a meteor shower would change the island forever. When the meteor did hit, it caused a large crater in the enter of the map, turning Dusty Depot into the craterous Dusty Divot. Later, there was even a limited-time tie-in with "Avengers: Infinity War."

The developers have also introduced or removed a few truly game-changing tools, including jetpacks, guided missiles, and even a rideable shopping cart. 

This week had just one notable addition, a Stink Bomb throwable weapon. Here is it, along with everything else that's been introduced to the game in the last few weeks:

SEE ALSO: How to find and use the new shopping cart in 'Fortnite: Battle Royale,' whether you're playing solo or with your friends

The Stink Bomb was the only new item in the June 20th update.

The newest throwable item has arrived! Stink Bombs create a green cloud that causes five damage every half a second for nine seconds.

Check out the official trailer:

SEASON 4, WEEK 8 CHALLENGES

The new challenges unlock every Thursday, but like most things in Fortnite, they almost always leak a few days beforehand. 

These are the leaked Season 4, Week 6 challenges, according to Fortnite Insider:

• Deal Headshot damage to opponents (250)
• Search treasure chests in Salty Springs (7)
• Search 7 chests in a single match (7)
• TBD
• Search between… (HARD) (1)
• Suppressed Weapon eliminations (HARD) (3)
• Eliminate opponents in Pleasant Park (HARD) (3)

This week, it looks like the developers left two of the challenge spots empty (literally listed as "TBD" and "Search between...") in the game's code, probably in an effort to keep them a secret until they actually launch on June 21. Whatever the reason, the cryptic listing makes it hard to predict what those who challenges will actually be. 

And here's a look at what came to "Fortnite" last week: Thermal Scope Assault Rifle

From here on out, we're talking about stuff that came in last week's update.

The newest gun was introduced to the game last week, and social media is already ablaze with videos like this one of players testing it out:

The thermal scope causes other players to shine bright yellow against a dark purple background, and is already proving to be one of the most accurate guns in the game. 

• A European parliament committee voted in favor of legislation designed to help content creators pocket a greater share of the money that they help YouTube-esque sites generate. 
• The proposed law could require YouTube to license copyrighted content that users post to the site, or be required to quickly remove it.
• The way it works now under current copyright law is that the owners of the IP can choose to share ad revenue from the infringing content with Google, or send Google a takedown notice and have it removed from YouTube entirely. 
• Tech companies say the legislation is misguided and will "break the internet."
• The bill must still be voted on by the full European Parliament. 

In Europe, YouTube is trying to fend off the most serious challenge to its business model since Viacom filed a $1 billion copyright lawsuit against the service a decade ago.

A year ago, the European Commission concluded in a report that the financial relationship between services like the Google-owned YouTube and content creators was too one-sided. The commission said the European Union (EU) should "modernize" copyright rules so that it's easier for music artists and filmmakers to negotiate better deals with YouTube and similar services.

Today those proposals took a step closer to becoming law, after a European parliament committee voted in favor of the legislation. Tech companies have bashed the proposals, and say that if passed, the proposals will “break the internet.”

Following the vote, Google said in a statement: "We’ve always believed there’s a better way than this, and that innovation and partnership are the keys to successful, diverse and sustainable news and creative sectors in the EU."

The proposed law covers a lot of ground. Google and Facebook might be forced to pay newspapers for linking to their articles in what has been called a “link tax.” Web sites and apps would be required to filter and block copyrighted material, turning them into censors, according to critics of the proposals.

But for YouTube, Google’s golden goose of a video-sharing site, the legislation threatens to strip the “safe” out of the safe harbor provision in copyright law. This is what shields YouTube from liability for the vast amounts of copyright-infringing material posted to the site by users. Without this provision, Viacom, the entertainment conglomerate and parent company of Paramount Studios, might have prevailed in the landmark copyright-infringement suit it filed against YouTube a decade ago.

Stripping the safe out of copyright law's safe harbor

It's unclear how the EU would ensure content creators get a better deal from YouTube-like sites, but some observers say that the service could be forced to license content just like Spotify, Apple and Amazon. 

Should the legislation become law in the EU, it would not be binding in the United States. But with legal precedents, one can never predict how they might sway the courts or politicians in the future. Certainly, US entertainment companies could cite Europe’s decision to try and persuade lawmakers here that US copyright rules are out of step with the rest of the Western world.

The legislation comes just as YouTube appears to be making good on the service’s early promise. Last month, investment bank Morgan Stanley estimated YouTube worth to be $160 billion based on a sum-of-the-parts valuation analysis. That would mean YouTube is worth more than Disney, General Electric, IBM, PepsiCo or Comcast.

One has to hand it to the entertainment sector. In recent years, Google’s enormous financial resources and growing political influence made the company seem nearly invincible in policy fights. But thanks largely to the numerous missteps in Europe of numerous US firms — not just tech companies — Google now seems much more vulnerable on the continent.

Last year, the EU hit Google with a record $2.7 billion antitrust fine that the company is appealing, even while the EU considers slapping another fine on the company after accusing it of anti-competitive practices involving Android. The EU cracked down on Apple, Starbucks, and McDonalds for allegedly dodging taxes. Facebook looked like a privacy nightmare following the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

American companies haven't behaved well in Europe

Perhaps the poster child for America’s often-negative reputation overseas is Uber, which once defied an order from the French government to shut down its low-cost UberPop service. Two Uber executives were eventually arrested for operating an illegal taxi service, put on trial and eventually fined.

The controversies have made it easier for rivals to find sympathetic ears in the EU parliament. In October, Cary Sherman, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, the lobbying group for the three top record labels, visited Paris and met with officials of the French government.

Sherman likely mentioned the "value gap." This is the term the labels use to describe the dissimilarity in the money paid by different music services. The RIAA says platforms such as YouTube account for 64 percent of music streaming time while generating only 9% of streaming revenue. In contrast, subscription services like Spotify make-up 17 percent of streaming while generating 82% of the revenue.   

The reason for the discrepancy is simple, Sherman told an audience at the Paris MaMA music conference the day before meeting French officials. Copyright laws protect YouTube from liability and because of that YouTube execs, who have denied the existence of a value gap, can largely dictate terms in licensing talks. They know recording companies fear pulling their songs off the site because users quickly upload new versions. That’s what happened to Warner Music Group a decade ago after licensing talks between the two companies broke down.

"Nine months later," Sherman told the audience, "after spending millions of dollars on pointless takedown efforts, Warner threw in the towel and accepted essentially the same terms YouTube had offered before. They were making no money, spending more money and the result was the same. The music was still (on YouTube)."

If the EU adopts the new proposals, YouTube wouldn’t possess the same protection in Europe, and at minimum the law stands to increase the company’s costs.

Google still has a chance

But don't count out Google just yet. The legislation still needs the approval of the full European Parliament. Google has a record of killing legislation that seemed a shoe-in to become law. In 2011, Google helped drum up huge opposition to the Stop Online Piracy Act, the entertainment sector's US anti-piracy bill. After that, support for the bill on Capitol Hill suddenly evaporated.

Google might argue there’s no reason for the EU to change copyright law. For example, music industry revenues are modestly climbing again. Sherman, the RIAA chief, however described the recording industry’s health during his conference appearance as promising but not yet out of danger. This might also be an apt appraisal of the fight with Google on the proposed legislation.

"We are not yet at the end of the road,” Sherman said. “We are still on the road and there are a lot of surprises along the way, and we don’t know what awaits us."

SEE ALSO: Morgan Stanley figured out how much YouTube would be worth if it were a separate company, and it's more valuable than Disney

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: This $530 Android phone is half the price of an iPhone X and just as good

What do George Clooney, David Beckham, Ryan Reynolds, and Angelina Jolie all have in common — apart from being incredibly famous?

They're all making money from your drinks cabinet.

The number of celebrity liquor brands has gone through the roof in recent years — and with George Clooney's tequila company selling for $1 billion last year, it's easy to see why.

Endorsements and side businesses are some of the easiest ways for celebrities to diversify their revenue streams and earn passive income — and you might be surprised to find how many celebrities choose to make their business ventures in the liquor industry.

Business Insider compiled a list of brands you might not have known were owned by celebrities and ranked them by the average the price of a bottle from cheapest to most expensive.

Scroll down to see which celebrity tipples made the list.

SEE ALSO: Ryan Reynolds just bought a gin company he called 'the best on the planet' — but his email reply to us makes it seem like a joke

12. Drew Barrymore, Barrymore Wine — $22-$28 (£16.70-£21.25)

Price source: Barrymore Wines.

Drew Barrymore partnered with Carmel Road winemaker Kris Kato to create an offering of Barrymore Wines.

"I am passionate about wine. There is so much to discover and experience and my travels help me do that," Barrymore says on the brand's website.

11. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Miraval Rosé — £20 ($26.35).

Price source: Majestic Wines.

While they were together, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt produced the award-winning Château Miraval rosé wine.

The pair bought Château Miraval in Provence in 2008 for a reported €40 million. They even got married on the estate in August 2014.

While it was believed that Pitt was more involved in the winemaking process than Jolie, in October, the couple announced they would be selling Miraval following their split.

10. Channing Tatum, Born and Bred Vodka — $30 (£23)

Price source: Universal Package Store.

Channing Tatum partnered with Grand Teton Distillery to create Born and Bred Vodka in 2017.

"Now, I'm a stripper that became an actor that I guess is working in vodka. Nothing surprises me anymore," Channin Tatum told Bon Appetit.

• Police arrested 22-year-old Dedrick D. Williams on Wednesday on suspicion of the first-degree murder of rapper XXXTentatcion. 
• The rapper, whose real name was Jasheh Onfroy, was shot and killed in his car outside of a motorsports store in Deerfield Beach, Florida on Monday, at the age of 20.
• TMZ reported that a judge signed arrest warrants for two other suspects on Thursday.

A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of rapper XXXTentacion, TMZ and The New York Daily News reported. 

Police took 22-year-old Dedrick D. Williams into custody on Wednesday evening on suspicion of first-degree murder, both outlets reported, citing local police. 

The arrest came two days after XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was shot and killed in his car outside of a motorsports store in Deerfield Beach, Florida. 

The Broward County sheriff's department said on Monday that Onfroy, 20, was approached and shot by two men in an apparent robbery. The men then allegedly fled in a dark colored SUV. 

Charges against Williams include first-degree murder, a probation violation for theft of a car motor vehicle, and driving without a valid license, Broward County sheriff’s office captain Robert Schakenberg told the New York Daily News.

According to TMZ, a judge signed arrest warrants for two other suspects in the case on Thursday. Those suspects have not yet been apprehended. 

At the time of his death, Onfroy was awaiting trial for a 2016 domestic-abuse case. He faced charges of aggravated battery of his pregnant girlfriend, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness tampering.

SEE ALSO: Rapper XXXTentacion shot dead in Florida

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NOW WATCH: Sneaky ways Costco gets you to buy more

• MTV is launching MTV Studios, which will make shows for streaming services like Neflix, Amazon, and Hulu.
• The network will use its library of IP to kickstart development, starting with shows like "The Real World" and "Aeon Flux."
• MTV president Chris McCarthy tells Business Insider he wants the network to be "platform agnostic."
• No distribution deals have currently been announced. 

For the past few years, MTV has faced a fundamental dilemma: What does a TV network for young people do when they are, quite simply, not watching as much TV?

MTV has boosted its TV ratings by doubling down on classic franchises like “Jersey Shore,” but there’s a natural ceiling on how much you can do on cable TV today. To fully reach young people, you have to stretch beyond a strict definition of TV.

On Wednesday, MTV made a step toward a “platform agnostic” future by unveiling MTV Studios, which will make original shows for streaming services. “Netflix, Apple, Hulu, and Amazon” were examples of potential distributors that MTV president Chris McCarthy listed to Business Insider in a recent interview (he’s also in charge of VH1 and Logo).

MTV announced a few big reboots currently being developed — including “The Real World,” a live-action “Aeon Flux,” and “Daria” — though the distribution deals with specific streaming services haven’t been finalized.

McCarthy was frank about MTV’s need to emphasize brand over platform: “There are not enough teens [watching] traditional cable.” Full stop. But they are watching more video than ever.

That presents an opportunity for MTV, according to McCarthy. “MTV was one of the first cable brands,” he said, and the overwhelming majority of its shows were produced by MTV itself, to the tune of over 200 original series and franchises. “We own that IP,” he said, and it doesn’t have to be confined to traditional TV.

The idea behind MTV Studios is to use that IP to inspire reboots, spin-offs, or completely new series. But instead of playing on MTV’s cable channel, they’ll be on Netflix (or another streaming service).

“We actually see the platforms really differently” than we see cable, McCarthy said. Traditional cable viewers come for live sports, competition shows, and docuseries, he said. Everything else is moving toward on-demand and streaming.

“For scripted and animation, we are going to focus that more on an SVOD [streaming video on demand] partner,” he said of MTV’s strategy moving forward. Unscripted, traditionally an MTV strength, will be more balanced between TV and streaming.

Distributing shows in places like Netflix, instead of on your own cable channel, gives up a certain amount of control — whether they renewed or promoted, for instance. Is McCarthy worried: “No, not at all,” he said.

One reason is that selling shows to other people is a good business to be in right now.

“Based on the data we have, it appears to us that the net winners from SVOD growth from a revenue perspective are the independent producers,” analysts at RBC wrote in a recent report. They also noted the “near-zero” for showrunners and producers. There’s a lot of demand out there for premium streaming shows.

MTV will certainly find a receptive ear when it comes to rebooting old classics. Netflix has been on a reboot spree— from “Full House” to “Gilmore Girls” to “Queer Eye.” And the streaming giant has recently made a push into unscripted content as well.

MTV has already signed up some big names for its new slate, including Jeff Davis, the creator of “Criminal Minds” and “Teen Wolf.”

“Jeff was a huge fan of ‘Aeon Flux,’” McCarthy said. “It was one of the ones he was focused on.” If it wasn’t for Davis, McCarthy said, the upcoming live-action take on “Aeon Flux” probably wouldn't have happened.

And look out for many unscripted projects. McCarthy spoke about the streaming potential to bring franchises like “The Real World” to a “whole new generation,” and to try reality TV that doesn’t have that traditional over-the-top tone, the “amplification that is necessary to succeed in cable.” (Admittedly, MTV had a big hand in crafting that tone: see “Jersey Shore.”)

One of the new shows meant to appeal to young people is called “The Valley,” which is a “docuseries” in the vein of “The Hills” or “Laguna Beach” but set in Nogales, Arizona, a border town. MTV describes it as “the real life story of friends who are growing up on the edge of two countries, two cities as they share one.” The show is meant to present “first loves, relationships and life decisions.”

“If we did ‘Laguna Beach’ today, we would do it on” a streaming service, McCarthy said.

Now we have to wait and see which streaming services will bite.

SEE ALSO: 12 fan-favorite shows Netflix has revived or rebooted, ranked from worst to best

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NOW WATCH: Sneaky ways Costco gets you to buy more

• MoviePass' parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, said Thursday that MoviePass' monthly losses ramped up to $40 million in May due to rapid increases in subscriber growth.
• The company said it expects its cash deficit to reach $45 million in June. 
• Helios and Matheson said it will "require a significant amount of additional capital for MoviePass" that could potentially exceed $1.2 billion.

MoviePass has been hemorrhaging cash since it initiated a $9.95-a-month service for seeing one movie per day in theaters, but the bleeding is getting worse as its popularity increases.

MoviePass' parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, said in an SEC filing on Thursday that MoviePass' monthly losses ramped up to $40 million in May due to rapid increases in subscriber growth. The company also said it expects its cash deficit to reach $45 million in June. That's up from nearly $23 million per month in the first quarter of this year.

"As the MoviePass subscriber base increases rapidly, and as we increase our investments in movies through MoviePass Ventures and MoviePass Films, and make other acquisitions, our monthly cash deficit will continue to increase in the coming months," the company said in the filing. 

The company said that between May 1 and June 15, it acquired approximately 545,000 new paying subscribers.

In describing MoviePass as a "hypergrowth company" in the filing — citing its acquisition of over 3 million paying subscribers since it lowered its prices in August 2017 — Helios and Matheson said that it will "require a significant amount of additional capital for MoviePass" that could potentially exceed $1.2 billion.

"We expect to continue raising debt or equity capital to achieve our objectives, as and when available. If we maintain our access to capital, we expect the rapid growth of MoviePass to continue for the foreseeable future," the company said in the filling. "To maintain our growth and continue to fundamentally transform the movie industry, for the benefit of the entire movie ecosystem, we will continue to incur a significant monthly cash deficit, until or unless we achieve positive cash flow or profitability, of which there is no assurance."

Helios and Matheson was trading at 34 cents per share on Thursday. It has crashed over 98% from its 52-week high.

SEE ALSO: MoviePass aims to launch a family plan within the next month

Join the conversation about this story »

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• MoviePass is planning to add a "high demand" charge beginning in July for movies the app deems popular.
• By the end of August, it is also planning to launch a bring-a-friend option and a premium option to see movies in Imax or Real 3D.
• MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe told Business Insider that AMC's recently announced monthly subscription plan was funny because the president of AMC told "everybody that our subscription was not sustainable, and then he comes out with a program that essentially could cost him $60 or $80 a month to pay the studios their minimums."

By the end of the summer, you'll see some major changes to your MoviePass subscription — and you're not going to like them all.

The movie-theater subscription service told Business Insider that by August members of the service would be able to add a friend when buying tickets through the app and would have the option, at an added price, to order tickets to Imax and Real 3D movies.

But the first change to the service will happen in the coming weeks, when MoviePass will start charging members what CEO Mitch Lowe calls "high demand" pricing.

The added charge will start at $2 for titles the app deems very popular with MoviePass subscribers, according to Lowe.

"At certain times for certain films — on opening weekend — there could be an additional charge for films," Lowe told Business Insider.

So don't be surprised if you have to pay a few dollars more for that next Marvel movie. Lowe said this decision was intended to let MoviePass' theater partners attract more traffic for big blockbusters in the middle of the week and on weekends after the movie's opening weekend. It was also designed to "make sure that we can continue to offer a valuable service and support the whole enterprise," Lowe added.

The company is also planning to roll out two new features later in the summer: a bring-a-friend option, which the company has been toying with for some time, and a premium price option to see movies in Imax or Real 3D.

With bring-a-friend, there will be an option on the app for MoviePass subscribers to add a ticket for a moviegoer who doesn't have MoviePass. That added ticket will cost "somewhere near the retail price of the ticket," Lowe said. The app will allow the MoviePass user to choose a seat for both people if assigned seating is available in a theater.

For the premium price, subscribers will be given the option to pay a fee to see a movie in Imax or Real 3D. Today, MoviePass offers subscribers only the option to see standard 2D movies. Lowe said the added price would range from $2 to $6.

Lowe said subscribers would eventually be able to use both the premium and bring-a-friend options for the same movie, but for the launch they would have to choose between the two. He added that both features would be available on the app by the end of August.

Lowe also said subscribers who signed up for the annual plan would not be subject to "high demand" pricing and could opt out of the bring-a-friend or premium-price features.

MoviePass' announcement comes on the heels of the news Wednesday that AMC Theatres, the largest theater chain in the world, was launching its own monthly subscription plan, AMC Stubs A-List, that for $20 a month would let subscribers see three movies a week, including Imax or Real 3D titles.

Lowe said the news "validates that subscription is really here to stay."

Though Lowe had a positive tone, MoviePass' Twitter handle didn't seem so welcoming that AMC was "jumping on board the movie subscription train." "We want to make movies more accessible, they want more profit," a tweet said.

"It's been tough when you have the president of AMC essentially for eight or nine months telling everybody that our subscription was not sustainable, and then he comes out with a program that essentially could cost him $60 or $80 a month to pay the studios their minimums and collecting $19.95," Lowe said, referring to AMC CEO Adam Aron. "So it is a little bit kind of funny that it's pretty clear what he wanted to do — clear the way for his own subscription program and not have competition."

At the same time, MoviePass' financial woes continue. Its parent company, Helios and Matheson Analytics, said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday that MoviePass' monthly losses soared to $40 million in May because of its subscriber growth (it passed 3 million this month). The company also said it expected its cash deficit to reach $45 million in June. That's up from nearly $23 million a month in the first quarter of this year.

Have a tip about MoviePass or anything else? Email jguerrasio@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: We compared AMC's new monthly subscription plan against MoviePass, and it's a close battle

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NOW WATCH: Learning to celebrate failure at a young age led to this billionaire's success

If you're tired of superhero movies, there's plenty of summer TV to keep you busy — and on your couch. 

We put together a list of all the notable new and returning shows coming this summer, and let you know whether or not you should watch them.

The lineup for summer 2018 is promising, but not overwhelming. The only sad thing about it is that there's no "Game of Thrones," which dominated TV last summer. 

Some returning favorites are starting new seasons including TV Land's "Younger" and Netflix's "Glow." "Nashville" will air is final episodes on CMT, and Katherine Heigl will attempt to make people forget Meghan Markle isn't on USA's "Suits" anymore, because she's pretty busy with other things now. 

There are also a few new shows to look forward to this summer, including HBO's "Sharp Objects" starring Amy Adams, and Amazon's "Jack Ryan" series starring John Krasinski, who became an action star when we weren't paying attention. 

Here are all of the notable shows premiering in summer 2018, and whether or not you should watch them:

SEE ALSO: Netflix shared a list of 15 great movies with strong female leads you can stream right now

"Pose" (FX) — premiered June 3

Should you watch it? Yes! Ryan Murphy's dance/musical show depicts an incredibly diverse New York City in the 80s - from ball dance culture to the finance world.

"Succession" (HBO) — premiered June 3

Should you watch it? Only if you're not easily bored. This show is well cast, but it's a bit of a slog. 

"Dietland" (AMC) — premiered June 4

Should you watch it? This show is funny and clever but it's also a meaningful story about a woman struggling with her self image.