Meta’s artificial intelligence assistant may publicly share user prompts, and its apps may have exploited a technical loophole to track Android users without their knowledge, CPO Magazine reported.

Meta’s AI app introduced a pop-up warning that content entered by users — including personal or sensitive information — may be publicly shared, per a June 20 report. It seems these prompts can be published in the “Discover” feed. The feature, which launched earlier this year, showcases AI-generated content and occasionally displays user-submitted prompts, some of which have included private data such as legal documents, personal identifiers and even apparently audio of minors.

Although users can opt out, the setting is enabled by default, and users must manually disable it, the report said. Privacy advocates argue that no other major chatbot service offers a comparable mechanism that proactively republishes private inputs.

Consumers already have privacy concerns around generative AI. The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Generation AI: Why Gen Z Bets Big and Boomers Hold Back” found that 36% of generative AI users are nervous about these platforms sharing or misusing their personal information, and 33% of non-users are kept from adopting the technology because of the same hesitations.

Separately, Meta may have taken advantage of an Android system vulnerability known as “Local Mess” to harvest web browsing data, per a June 17 CPO Magazine report. The loophole, involving the mobile operating system’s localhost address, potentially allowed Meta and Russian tech company Yandex to listen in on users and correlate their behavior across apps and websites. The tech giants may have been able to do this even when users were browsing in incognito mode or using other privacy protections. This data could be linked to a user’s Meta account or Android Advertising ID.

Meta has since halted sending data to localhost, characterizing the issue as a miscommunication with Google’s policy framework. Privacy watchdogs and experts say both cases could trigger regulatory action in the European Union and other jurisdictions.

Meta is already facing legal action over its privacy practices in an $8 billion lawsuit concerning alleged data misuse.

Google, for its part, is scheduled to appear in court later this month for allegedly violating the privacy of both Android and non-Android mobile phone service users.

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But as uncertainty prevails, some firms are finding their footing by leaning on a combination of disciplined capital allocation, high-quality assets and strategic growth investments.

That was the news Simon Property Group’s executives shared on Monday (Aug. 4) during the company’s second quarter 2025 earnings call, stressing that that scale, location and operational rigor can yield durable financial results.

“We delivered another successful quarter, driven by the quality of our portfolio and disciplined execution,” said Simon Property Group President and CEO David Simon. “Our strategic investments and A-rated balance sheet position us for sustained long-term cash flow growth.”

The company’s management raised its full-year 2025 guidance, setting Real Estate FFO between $12.45 and $12.65 per share. The upward revision reinforces Simon’s narrative: even amid macro turbulence, its diversified real estate platform continues to generate steady cash flow.

Read more: Simon Property Group: Elimination of De Minimis Exemption Provides ‘Material Benefit’ to US Retailers 

Consumer Expectations and the New Retail Equation

Even as inflationary concerns and high interest rates continue to pressure household budgets, shoppers are still engaging with in-person retail — particularly in premium, well-located centers.

At the property level, Simon’s U.S. Malls and Premium Outlets segment, which accounts for over 70% of Net Operating Income (NOI), demonstrated renewed strength. Occupancy reached 96% as of June 30, an increase of 40 basis points year-over-year.

Base minimum rent per square foot climbed to $58.70, a 1.3% increase, while reported tenant sales per square foot rose to $736, suggesting continued consumer engagement with physical retail experiences.

Geographically, Simon’s NOI remains concentrated in high-income, high-tourism states. Florida (19.2%), California (13.8%) and Texas (10.2%) represent the lion’s share of U.S. contributions, positioning Simon to benefit from population migration trends, international tourism rebounds and luxury spending resilience.

In June, Simon acquired its partner’s interest in the retail and parking components of Brickell City Centre in Miami, consolidating full ownership of the high-profile urban asset. While terms were undisclosed, the move underscores Simon’s appetite for trophy properties in gateway markets. Brickell’s dense urban footprint and proximity to affluent consumers align with Simon’s broader strategy of controlling iconic assets in prime locations.

The continued rise of eCommerce is no longer viewed as a death knell for physical retail but as a catalyst for transformation. Simon’s strategic equity stakes in digital platforms and hybrid retail operators like Rue Gilt Groupe and Catalyst Brands indicate a willingness to straddle both worlds. Consumers today aren’t choosing between online and in-person — they want both, seamlessly.

The PYMNTS Intelligence report, “2024 Global Digital Shopping Index,” gleaned insights from a survey of nearly 14,000 consumers across seven countries about their omnichannel buying behaviors and preferences. The results revealed roughly four in 10 consumers are now Click-and-Mortar™ shoppers, favoring purchasing journeys that combine the digital and the physical over pure-play brick-and-mortar or eCommerce.

Navigating Sector, Macro and Global Headwinds

As macro uncertainties persist, the strength of Simon’s Q2 may be less about beating expectations and more about restoring belief in the resilience of the American shopper.

Yet despite its strong fundamentals, Simon is not insulated from structural and cyclical risks. The competitive threat of eCommerce persists, particularly in commodity retail categories. Lease renegotiations, tenant bankruptcies and mall footfall volatility remain watch points, per the company’s investor call.

Simon leadership also flagged global risk factors, including geopolitical instability, supply chain disruptions and foreign currency volatility, given its exposure to Europe and Asia.

Management acknowledged these headwinds but pointed to diversified income streams, tier-one property locations and disciplined cost management as key buffers.

Ultimately, the broader retail narrative may remain muddied by disruption and doubt, but Simon Property Group’s results underscore that where consumer confidence intersects with quality, retail may be both viable and vibrant.

Consumers can now browse, compare and purchase used and certified preowned Hyundai vehicles directly on Amazon, according to a company blog post on Monday (Aug. 4). More car brands and cities will follow in the coming months.

Amazon is offering a 3-day, 300-mile return policy and a minimum 30-day, 1,000-mile limited warranty for used car purchases. All fees will be included in the price, along with vehicle history. Buyers can go to a participating dealer for a test drive. 

The program expands on Amazon’s relationship with Hyundai, the first car company to let the eCommerce giant sell its cars on the shopping website. Before this partnership, Amazon let users research vehicles and referred them to car dealers. It did not sell cars directly to consumers. 

That changed in 2024, when Amazon began selling new Hyundais in partnership. Now, the service is expanding to 130 U.S. cities, as well as adding used car options in LA. The feature will also be available in other cities in the future. 

JPMorgan analyst Rajat Gupta views Amazon’s latest move as “essentially providing an alternative lead generation channel for new and used car dealers,” according to TipRanks.

Gupta sees “minimal risk of disintermediation of the dealer channel given the complexities involved in franchise regulations and used car sourcing and reconditioning as well as the criticality of a robust service network.” 

Moreover, the analyst believes dealers are “unlikely” to list their inventory if finance and insurance commissions are not guaranteed.

Amazon said dealers can focus on developing a relationship with the customer in person during the handoff.

In March, Hyundai also formed a partnership with autonomous vehicle/robot delivery firm Avride.

The deal focused on the development of autonomous vehicles using Avride’s driving system, while also expanding Avride’s fleet of Hyundai IONIQ 5 self-driving vehicles.

The companies also said at the time that they planned to explore autonomous delivery services using Avride’s robots.