Report: Meta and US states discuss settlement in landmark social media trial
Social media giant Meta has been in discussions with multiple US states to settle a major child privacy and consumer protection case out of court, Bloomberg News reported on Aug 25.
Fave or flop? A guide to gauging video game success
The video game industry is notoriously tight-lipped about its numbers, filled with members-only metrics like wishlists, pre-orders and player numbers, so it can be hard to know which games have actually proven popular and turned a profit.
Instagram chief admits touting teen safety tool while omitting it was barely used
Adam Mosseri, who oversees Instagram at Meta, admitted in a California court on Aug 25 that he touted newly launched safety tools for teens without disclosing low adoption rates from early testing several years ago.
Brazilian data protection regulator fines TikTok's owner nearly US$30mil over safety of minors
Brazil's data protection regulator on Aug 25 fined TikTok parent company ByteDance more than 153mil reais (nearly US$30mil/RM120.7mil) because of alleged failures in the handling of personal data of children and teenagers.
Teens return to TikTok after world’s first usage ban, data show
Eight months after implementing a ban on under-16s accessing social media services like TikTok, Australia finds its younger users are returning in droves, according to new data from Qustodio.
France readies high school phone ban from new term
The French government said on Aug 24 it would press ahead with a ban on mobile phones in high schools from the start of the new school year.
Australian PM wants to ban data centres near schools
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will seek to ban large data centres being built near schools, homes and farms when he meets with state leaders this week, according to plans seen by AFP on Aug 24.
New Zealand plans social media ban for under-16s
New Zealand plans to ban under-16s from social media, saying access is causing harm to a generation of the nation's children.
Mystery AI model Ox Alpha draws developers with free access
A new artificial intelligence model called Ox Alpha is gaining traction among developers after appearing online for free, even as the identity of its creator remains a mystery.
Even the people who build screen time apps struggle with phone addiction. Here’s what actually helps
Screentime apps promise control, but even their creators sometimes struggle to stay off their phones. New research reveals why — and what tools make a real difference.
