Technology News
50 articles in technology
Why TikTok’s first week of American ownership was a disaster
App endured a major outage and user backlash over perceived censorship. Now it’s facing an inquiry by the California governor and an ascendant competitor A little more than one week ago, TikTok stepped on to US shores as a naturalized citizen. Ever since, the video app has been fighting for its life. TikTok’s calamitous emigration began on 22 January when its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, finalized a deal to sell the app to a group of US investors, among them the business software giant Oracle. The app’s time under Chinese ownership had been marked by a meteoric ascent to more than a billion users, which left incumbents such as Instagram looking like the next Myspace. But TikTok’s short new life in the US has been less than auspicious. Continue reading...
US authorities reportedly investigate claims that Meta can read encrypted WhatsApp messages
A lawsuit filed last week alleges tech firm ‘can access virtually all’ private communications, a claim the company has denied US authorities have reportedly investigated claims that Meta can read users’ encrypted chats on the WhatsApp messaging platform, which it owns. The reports follow a lawsuit filed last week, which claimed Meta “can access virtually all of WhatsApp users’ purportedly ‘private’ communications”. Continue reading...
Women, science and the price of integrity
From the shadow of the Acropolis to the forefront of nuclear materials research, Professor Konstantina Lambrinou reflects on ambition, injustice The post Women, science and the price of integrity appeared first on The European Magazine.
Abusers using AI and digital tech to attack and control women, charity warns
Exclusive: Smartwatches, Oura rings, smart home devices and Fitbits being weaponised, says Refuge Domestic abusers are increasingly using AI, smartwatches and other technology to attack and control their victims, a domestic abuse charity says. Record numbers of women who were abused and controlled through technology were referred to Refuge’s specialist services during the last three months of 2025, including a 62% increase in the most complex cases to total 829 women. There was also a 24% increase in referrals of under-30s. Continue reading...
AI-generated news should carry ‘nutrition’ labels, thinktank says
The Institute for Public Policy Research also argues that tech companies must pay publishers for content they use AI-generated news should carry “nutrition” labels and tech companies must pay publishers for the content they use, according to a left-of-centre thinktank, amid rising use of the technology as a source for current affairs . The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) said AI firms were rapidly emerging as the new “gatekeepers” of the internet and intervention was needed to create a healthy AI news environment. Continue reading...
Universal basic income could be used to soften hit from AI job losses in UK, minister says
Lord Stockwood says people in government ‘definitely’ talking about idea as technology disrupts industries • Business live – latest updates The UK could introduce a universal basic income (UBI) to protect workers in industries that are being disrupted by AI, the investment minister Jason Stockwood has said. “Bumpy” changes to society caused by the introduction of the technology would mean there would have to be “some sort of concessionary arrangement with jobs that go immediately”, Lord Stockwood said. Continue reading...
‘Wake up to the risks of AI, they are almost here,’ Anthropic boss warns
Dario Amodei questions if human systems are ready to handle the ‘almost unimaginable power’ that is ‘potentially imminent’ Quarter of Britons fear losing jobs to AI in next five years Humanity is entering a phase of artificial intelligence development that will “test who we are as a species”, the boss of the AI startup Anthropic has said, arguing that the world needs to “wake up” to the risks. Dario Amodei, a co-founder and the chief executive of the company behind the hit chatbot Claude , voiced his fears in a 19,000-word essay titled “The adolescence of technology”. Continue reading...
UK organisations still falling short on GDPR compliance, benchmark report finds
A new benchmark report finds UK organisations across sectors still struggling with GDPR compliance, particularly privacy by design and accountability. The post UK organisations still falling short on GDPR compliance, benchmark report finds appeared first on The European Magazine.
Life after Molly: Ian Russell on big tech, his daughter’s death – and why a social media ban won’t work
Molly Russell was just 14 when she took her own life in 2017, and an inquest later found negative online content was a significant factor. With many people now pushing for teenagers to be kept off tech platforms, her father explains why he backs a different approach Ian Russell describes his life as being split into two parts: before and after 20 November 2017, the day his youngest daughter, Molly, took her own life as a result of depression and negative social media content. “Our life before Molly’s death was very ordinary. Unremarkable,” he says. He was a television producer and director, married with three daughters. “We lived in an ordinary London suburb, in an ordinary semi-detached house, the children went to ordinary schools.” The weekend before Molly’s death, they had a celebration for all three girls’ birthdays, which are in November. One was turning 21, another 18 and Molly was soon to be 15. “And I remember being in the kitchen of a house full of friends and family and thinking, ‘This is so good. I’ve never been so happy,’” he says. “That was on a Saturday night and the following Tuesday morning, everything was different.” The second part of Russell’s life has been not only grief and trauma, but also a commitment to discovering and exposing the truth about the online content that contributed to Molly’s death, and campaigning to prevent others falling prey to the same harms. Both elements lasted far longer than he anticipated. It took nearly five years to get enough information out of social media companies for an inquest to conclude that Molly died “from an act of self-harm while suffering from depression and the negative effects of online content”. As for the campaigning, the Molly Rose Foundation provides support, conducts research and raises awareness of online harms, and Russell has been an omnipresent spokesperson on these issues. Continue reading...
Meet ‘Amelia’: the AI-generated British schoolgirl who is a far-right social media star
The avatar, created to deter young people from extremism, has been subverted and is breaking out of niche online silos In certain corners of the internet, on niche news feeds and algorithms, an AI-generated British schoolgirl has emerged as something of a phenomenon. Her name is Amelia, a purple-haired “goth girl” who proudly carries a mini union flag and appears to have a penchant for racism. Continue reading...
Google AI Overviews cite YouTube more than any medical site for health queries, study suggests
Exclusive: German research into responses to health queries raises fresh questions about summaries seen by 2bn people a month • How the ‘confident authority’ of AI Overviews is putting public health at risk Google’s search feature AI Overviews cites YouTube more than any medical website when answering queries about health conditions, according to research that raises fresh questions about a tool seen by 2 billion people each month. The company has said its AI summaries, which appear at the top of search results and use generative AI to answer questions from users, are “reliable” and cite reputable medical sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mayo Clinic. Continue reading...
SandSound Launches: A Modern Open-Source YouTube Downloader Built for Musicians and Content Creators
**January 23, 2026** - In a landscape dominated by outdated YouTube downloaders with cluttered interfaces, a new open-source project has emerged to challenge the status quo. SandSound, a modern desktop application for downloading YouTube videos and audio, officially launches today with version 1.0.2, bringing a fresh perspective to a problem that has frustrated users for years. ## The Problem: Outdated Tools in a Modern World For years, YouTube downloaders have been plagued by interfaces that look like they were designed in 2005. Cluttered UIs, missing features, poor configuration options, and lack of playlist management have been common complaints among users. Musicians, content creators, and casual users alike have struggled to find a tool that combines functionality with a pleasant user experience. Enter SandSound, created by developer Nisipeanu Ionut, who built the application out of personal frustration with existing tools. "I created SandSound because existing open-source YouTube downloaders frustrated me," the project's README states. "They either had cluttered, ugly UIs that felt like they were designed in 2005, missing features that should be standard, poor configuration options, or no playlist management." ## A Modern Solution SandSound addresses these pain points head-on with a clean, modern interface built using CustomTkinter, a Python library that brings modern UI components to desktop applications. The result is a beautiful dark-themed interface that doesn't just look good—it's also highly functional. ### Smart Playlist Management One of SandSound's standout features is its intelligent playlist management system. When you paste a playlist URL, the application displays a visual table showing each video with its download status. More impressively, it includes smart re-download detection that automatically identifies and downloads only new videos added to playlists you've previously processed. This is particularly valuable for musicians who maintain music libraries from YouTube playlists that are regularly updated. ### Concurrent Downloads for Speed SandSound doesn't make you wait. The application supports concurrent downloads of up to 4 files simultaneously, dramatically reducing the time needed to download entire playlists. This feature, combined with real-time progress tracking showing download speed and estimated time remaining, makes managing large downloads a breeze. ### Format Flexibility The application supports a wide range of audio and video formats: - **Audio**: MP3, M4A, OPUS, FLAC, WAV - **Video**: MP4, WebM, MKV Users can select their preferred format and quality settings, with options ranging from 128k audio to 8K video quality. The application handles format conversion automatically using FFmpeg, which can be auto-detected from the system PATH or manually configured. ### Built for Musicians While SandSound is useful for anyone downloading YouTube content, it's particularly well-suited for musicians and audio enthusiasts. The application focuses on high-quality audio extraction and batch playlist downloads, making it easy to build and maintain music libraries. The clean, distraction-free interface is designed to keep users focused on what matters: getting their content downloaded efficiently. ## Technical Foundation SandSound is built on solid technical foundations: - **Python 3.10+**: Modern Python development with type hints and clean code - **yt-dlp**: The powerful, actively-maintained YouTube downloading library - **CustomTkinter**: Modern UI components that bring a contemporary look to desktop applications - **Thread Pool Executors**: Efficient concurrent download management - **JSON-based Storage**: Lightweight configuration and history tracking The application follows best practices for open-source development, including comprehensive documentation, contributing guidelines, code of conduct, and security policies. ## Open Source and Community-Driven SandSound is released under the MIT License, making it completely free and open-source. The project is designed to be community-driven, with clear contribution guidelines and welcoming documentation for new contributors. The launch version (1.0.2) includes: - Professional README with comprehensive documentation - Contributing guidelines (CONTRIBUTING.md) - Code of Conduct following Contributor Covenant standards - Security policy for responsible vulnerability disclosure - GitHub issue templates for bugs, features, and questions - Pull request templates for consistent contributions - Complete changelog following Keep a Changelog format ## Cross-Platform Support SandSound works seamlessly across all major operating systems: - **Windows**: Pre-built executable available for easy installation - **Linux**: Full support with Python installation - **macOS**: Native support with Python installation The application automatically adapts to each platform's conventions while maintaining a consistent user experience. ## Getting Started Users can get started with SandSound in two ways: 1. **Pre-built Executable (Windows)**: Download the latest release from the GitHub releases page and run the executable. No Python installation required. 2. **From Source**: Clone the repository, create a virtual environment, install dependencies, and run the application. This method works on all platforms and is ideal for developers who want to contribute or customize the application. The only external requirement is FFmpeg for audio/video conversion, which can be installed system-wide or configured within the application's settings. ## Real-World Use Cases ### Musicians Building Music Libraries A musician discovers a YouTube playlist with hundreds of songs they want to add to their collection. With SandSound, they can: 1. Paste the playlist URL 2. View all videos in a clean table interface 3. Select which songs to download 4. Download multiple songs simultaneously 5. Rely on smart re-download detection when the playlist is updated later ### Content Creators Gathering Reference Material A content creator needs to download reference videos for a project. SandSound provides: - Quick, one-click downloads - Format selection for their specific needs - Cookie support for accessing age-restricted content - Clean interface that doesn't distract from their workflow ### Audio Enthusiasts Maintaining Collections An audio enthusiast wants high-quality FLAC files from YouTube music videos. SandSound offers: - Multiple audio format support including lossless options - Quality selection up to best available - Batch processing for entire playlists - Persistent history to avoid re-downloading ## The Road Ahead SandSound has an active roadmap with planned features including: - Thumbnail embedding in audio files - Audio normalization - Scheduled downloads - Multi-language support - System tray integration - Download notifications The project welcomes community input and contributions, with a clear process for suggesting features and reporting bugs. ## Why This Matters In an era where many software tools are moving to subscription models or cluttered with ads, SandSound represents a return to the core principles of open-source software: free, community-driven, and focused on solving real problems. The application demonstrates that open-source tools can be both powerful and beautiful, challenging the notion that free software must sacrifice user experience. For musicians, content creators, and anyone who needs to download YouTube content, SandSound offers a modern alternative that respects both their time and their aesthetic sensibilities. ## Availability and Links SandSound is available now on GitHub: - **Repository**: https://github.com/Nasapan23/sandsound - **Releases**: https://github.com/Nasapan23/sandsound/releases - **Issues**: https://github.com/Nasapan23/sandsound/issues - **Discussions**: https://github.com/Nasapan23/sandsound/discussions - **License**: MIT (Free and Open Source) ## Conclusion SandSound represents a significant step forward in YouTube downloading tools. By combining modern UI design with powerful features and a focus on user experience, it addresses real pain points that have existed in this space for years. Whether you're a musician building a music library, a content creator gathering reference material, or simply someone who needs to download YouTube content, SandSound offers a free, open-source solution that doesn't compromise on quality or aesthetics. The project's commitment to open-source principles, comprehensive documentation, and community involvement positions it well for long-term growth and improvement. As the project continues to evolve, it's likely to become a go-to solution for anyone who needs a reliable, beautiful YouTube downloader. **Try SandSound today and experience the difference a modern interface makes.** *For more information, visit the GitHub repository or join the community discussions. Contributions, feedback, and feature suggestions are always welcome.*
Cracking open the black box: why AI-powered cybersecurity still needs human eyes
Why AI-powered cybersecurity still depends on human oversight to ensure transparency, compliance, and effective defence against phishing threats. The post Cracking open the black box: why AI-powered cybersecurity still needs human eyes appeared first on The European Magazine.
TikTok announces it has finalized deal to establish US entity, sidestepping ban
Majority US-owned venture includes Larry Ellison’s Oracle, private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX TikTok announced on Thursday it had closed a deal to establish a new US entity, allowing it to sidestep a ban and ending a long legal battle. The deal finalized by ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, sets up a majority American-owned venture, with investors including Larry Ellison’s Oracle, the private-equity group Silver Lake and Abu Dhabi’s MGX owning 80.1% of the new entity, while ByteDance will own 19.9%. This article was amended on 23 January 2026 to clarify that the new board includes a senior advisor to TPG, not a current TPG executive. Continue reading...
Grok AI generated about 3m sexualised images in 11 days, study finds
Estimate made by Center for Countering Digital Hate after Elon Musk’s AI image generation tool sparked outrage Grok AI generated about 3m sexualised images in less than two weeks, including 23,000 that appear to depict children, according to researchers who said it “became an industrial-scale machine for the production of sexual abuse material”. The estimate has been made by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) after Elon Musk’s AI image generation tool sparked international outrage when it allowed users to upload photographs of strangers and celebrities, digitally strip them to their underwear or into bikinis, put them in provocative poses and post the images on X. Continue reading...
The year of the ‘hectocorn’: the $100bn tech companies that could float in 2026
OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX and Stripe are rumoured to be among ten of the biggest companies considering IPOs You’ve probably heard of “unicorns” – technology startups valued at more than $1bn – but 2026 is shaping up to be the year of the “ hectocorn ”, with several US and European companies potentially floating on stock markets at valuations over $100bn (£75bn). OpenAI, Anthropic, SpaceX and Stripe are among the big names said to be considering an initial public offering (IPO) this year. Continue reading...
Lords put pressure on Starmer with vote to ban social media for under-16s
Commons will now have to consider Tory-led amendment, which is likely to be supported by Labour MPs As a parent – and a Conservative – I know that banning social media for under-16s is the right thing to do The House of Lords has voted decisively for a ban on social media for under-16s in a move that puts pressure on Keir Starmer to bring in Australian-style restrictions. Peers voted by 261 to 150 in favour of a Tory-led amendment to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill, which was not backed by the government. Continue reading...
The Agentic AI Revolution – Managing Legal Risks
Meta's eye-catching end-of-year acquisition of Manus, a Singapore-based developer of AI agents, for a purported value of more than $2 billion[1], reflects a wider sector shift towards the development and deployment of semi-autonomous, outcome-focused, software agents, which are capable of performing complex tasks without direct and constant human input. The Meta deal notably follows Salesforce's...... Continue Reading
UK study to examine effects of restricting social media for children
Trial involving 4,000 children will explore impact on mental health, sleep and time spent with friends and family A pioneering investigation into the impact of restricting social media access for children in the UK has been announced as politicians around the world consider action on the issue. In December, Australia became the first country to ban under-16s from social media , with governments in other countries, including the, coming under pressure to do the same . Continue reading...
UK exposed to ‘serious harm’ by failure to tackle AI risks, MPs warn
Government, Bank of England and FCA criticised for taking ‘wait-and-see’ approach to AI use in financial sector Consumers and the UK financial system are being exposed to “serious harm” by the failure of government and the Bank of England to get a grip on the risks posed by artificial intelligence, an influential parliamentary committee has warned. In a new report, MPs on the Treasury committee criticise ministers and City regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), for taking a “wait-and-see” approach to AI use across the financial sector. Continue reading...
Ed Zitron on big tech, backlash, boom and bust: ‘AI has taught us that people are excited to replace human beings’
His blunt, brash scepticism has made the podcaster and writer something of a cult figure. But as concern over large language models builds, he’s no longer the outsider he once was If some time in an entirely possible future they come to make a movie about “how the AI bubble burst”, Ed Zitron will doubtless be a main character. He’s the perfect outsider figure: the eccentric loner who saw all this coming and screamed from the sidelines that the sky was falling, but nobody would listen. Just as Christian Bale portrayed Michael Burry , the investor who predicted the 2008 financial crash, in The Big Short , you can well imagine Robert Pattinson fighting Paul Mescal, say, to portray Zitron, the animated, colourfully obnoxious but doggedly detail-oriented Brit, who’s become one of big tech’s noisiest critics. This is not to say the AI bubble will burst, necessarily, but against a tidal wave of AI boosterism, Zitron’s blunt, brash scepticism has made him something of a cult figure. His tech newsletter, Where’s Your Ed At , now has more than 80,000 subscribers; his weekly podcast, Better Offline , is well within the Top 20 on the tech charts; he’s a regular dissenting voice in the media; and his subreddit has become a safe space for AI sceptics, including those within the tech industry itself – one user describes him as “a lighthouse in a storm of insane hypercapitalist bullshit”. Continue reading...
‘We could hit a wall’: why trillions of dollars of risk is no guarantee of AI reward
Progress of artificial general intelligence could stall, which may lead to a financial crash, says Yoshua Bengio, one of the ‘godfathers’ of modern AI Will the race to artificial general intelligence (AGI) lead us to a land of financial plenty – or will it end in a 2008-style bust? Trillions of dollars rest on the answer. The figures are staggering: an estimated $2.9tn (£2.2tn) being spent on datacentres , the central nervous systems of AI tools; the more than $4tn stock market capitalisation of Nvidia, the company that makes the chips powering cutting-edge AI systems; and the $100m signing-on bonuses offered by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta to top engineers at OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Continue reading...
He called himself an ‘untouchable hacker god’. But who was behind the biggest crime Finland has ever known?
How would you feel if your therapist’s notes – your darkest thoughts and deepest feelings – were exposed to the world? For 33,000 Finnish people, that became a terrifying reality, with deadly consequences Tiina Parikka was half-naked when she read the email. It was a Saturday in late October 2020, and Parikka had spent the morning sorting out plans for distance learning after a Covid outbreak at the school where she was headteacher. She had taken a sauna at her flat in Vantaa, just outside Finland’s capital, Helsinki, and when she came into her bedroom to get dressed, she idly checked her phone. There was a message that began with Parikka’s name and her social security number – the unique code used to identify Finnish people when they access healthcare, education and banking. “I knew then that this is not a game,” she says. The email was in Finnish. It was jarringly polite. “We are contacting you because you have used Vastaamo’s therapy and/or psychiatric services,” it read. “Unfortunately, we have to ask you to pay to keep your personal information safe.” The sender demanded €200 in bitcoin within 24 hours, otherwise the price would go up to €500 within 48 hours. “If we still do not receive our money after this, your information will be published for everyone to see, including your name, address, phone number, social security number and detailed records containing transcripts of your conversations with Vastaamo’s therapists or psychiatrists.” Continue reading...
Zero Knowledge Proof Gets $1.7B Raise Projections as Solana and Ethereum Hold Price Levels
Zero Knowledge Proof gains momentum as Solana and Ethereum hold key price levels, with analysts eyeing strong funding projections and long term crypto growth.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 17, 2026
Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #951. The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love fun group activities. Connections is one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between ...
GAC Energy Releases 2025 EV Charging Ecosystem Report: Over 23,000 Self-Operated Charging Piles Across China
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, GAC Energy has released its 2025 Ecological Service Report, highlighting strong advances in ultra-fast charging technology, nationwide network deployment, and V2G innovation under the GAC Group's "26 Energy Action" strategy – the strategic plan launched by GAC Group to develop a comprehensive, vertically integrated new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain and ecosystem. By the end of 2025, GAC Energy operated 23,274 self-operated charging piles across 31 provinces and 211 cities, including 17,577 DC piles. It had 1,956 charging stations serving 8.92 million users and delivering 1.43 billion kWh of electricity, leading the industry in 1000V high-voltage fast-charging piles. In ultra-fast charging technology, GAC Energy continued to strengthen its technology and operations throughout the year. Ultra-fast charging piles were upgraded to 640 kW, with individual gun capability reaching 720 kW and 800 A. In May, an AI-powered smart management cloud platform was introduced, enabling real-time control and automated operation of charging facilities, raising equipment online availability to 99.2% and significantly enhancing service stability. The charging network has entered a phase of accelerated expansion. By March 2025, GAC Energy's charging services had surpassed 100 million cumulative sessions, with the user base exceeding 5 million and 24/7 service ensuring worry-free travel. In July, total charging volume exceeded 1 billion kWh. In September, the number of self-operated charging piles took the industry lead by surpassing 20,000. By November, the charging network covered China's major cities and main travel corridors, with more than 1,800 self-operated charging stations deployed, ensuring that users in core urban areas can conveniently reach a station within 1 km. In the V2G field, GAC Energy completed China's first private car owner V2G discharge order in August 2025 and, in September, built the country's largest V2G microgrid, with an average daily discharge of more than 11,000 kWh per station. By the end of 2025, GAC Energy's national V2G discharge exceeded 1.35 million kWh, with power trading surpassing 130 million kWh and cumulative carbon reduction reaching 3.43 million tons, contributing to a low-carbon, sustainable energy ecosystem. Entering 2026, GAC Energy is accelerating its momentum—driving the evolution of smarter, faster, and greener charging solutions, and building a secure, sustainable energy ecosystem that powers the future of mobility.
GAC Energy Releases 2025 EV Charging Ecosystem Report: Over 23,000 Self-Operated Charging Piles Across China
GUANGZHOU, China, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, GAC Energy has released its 2025 Ecological Service Report, highlighting strong advances in ultra-fast charging technology, nationwide network deployment, and V2G innovation under the GAC Group's "26 Energy Action" strategy – the...
CRWV: Kirby McInerney LLP Advises Coreweave, Inc. Investors of Class Action Lawsuit
NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirby McInerney LLP reminds investors who purchased Coreweave, Inc. (\"Coreweave\" or the \"Company\") (NASDAQ:CRWV) securities to contact Lauren Molinaro of Kirby McInerney LLP by email at
Tron and Polygon Struggle to Compete as Zero Knowledge Proof Becomes the Privacy Crypto Banks Want! Can it Deliver 1000x ROI?
Explore why Zero Knowledge Proof could be the best crypto today for banks, as it outpaces Tron price and Polygon price with a fully live privacy network.
ChatGPT Is Getting a Cheaper Subscription Tier (but Also Ads)
One step forward, two steps back.
Nebraska lawmaker seeks to hold AI companies accountable
Sen. Tanya Storer of Whitman introduced a bill (LB1083) requiring AI and chatbot companies to be more transparent in how they are mitigating harm, particularly against children.
Google Launches Flow: AI-Powered Video Creation for Workspace
Google's Flow, launched January 16, 2026, is an AI-powered video creation tool for Workspace users, integrating with Gemini to generate HD cinematic videos from simple prompts in apps like Docs and Sheets. Aimed at businesses and educators, it enhances productivity with automation, security controls, and usage limits. This innovation democratizes video production.
Australia’s social media ban for children has already wiped out 4.7 million accounts
Social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia since the country banned use of the platforms by those under 16, officials said.“We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done, some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world and their supporters,” communications minister Anika Wells told reporters on Friday. “Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back.”The figures, reported to Australia’s government by 10 social media platforms, were the first to show the scale of the landmark ban since it was enacted in December over fears about the effects of harmful online environments on young people. The law provoked fraught debates in Australia about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health and has prompted other countries to consider similar measures.Officials said the figure was encouragingUnder Australian law, Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.2 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove the accounts of Australian children younger than 16. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are exempt.To verify age, platforms can either request copies of identification documents, use a third party to apply age estimation technology to an account holder’s face, or make inferences from data already available, such as how long an account has been held.About 2.5 million Australians are aged between 8 and 15, said the country’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, and past estimates suggested 84% of 8- to 12-year-olds held social media accounts. It was not known how many accounts were held across the 10 platforms but Inman Grant said the figure of 4.7 million “deactivated or restricted” was encouraging.“We’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children,” Inman Grant said.The 10 biggest companies covered by the ban were compliant with it and had reported removal figures to Australia’s regulator on time, the commissioner said. She added that social media companies were expected to shift their efforts from enforcing the ban to preventing children from creating new accounts or otherwise circumventing the prohibition.Meta removed 550,000 accountsAustralian officials didn’t break the figures down by platform. But Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, said this week that by the day after the ban came into effect it had removed nearly 550,000 accounts belonging to users understood to be under 16.In the blog post divulging the figures, Meta criticized the ban and said smaller platforms where the ban doesn’t apply might not prioritize safety. The company also noted browsing platforms would still present content to children based on algorithms — a concern that led to the ban’s enactment.The law was widely popular among parents and child safety campaigners. Online privacy advocates and some groups representing teenagers opposed it, with the latter citing the support found in online spaces by vulnerable young people or those geographically isolated in Australia’s sprawling rural areas.Some said they had managed to fool age assessing technologies or were helped by parents or older siblings to circumvent the ban.Other countries might followSince Australia began debating the measures in 2024, other countries have considered following suit. Denmark’s government is among them, saying in November that it had planned to implement a social media ban for children under 15.“The fact that in spite of some skepticism out there, it’s working and being replicated now around the world, is something that is a source of Australian pride,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday.Opposition lawmakers have suggested that young people have circumvented the ban easily or are migrating to other apps that are less scrutinized than the largest platforms. Inman Grant said Friday that data seen by her office showed a spike in downloads of alternative apps when the ban was enacted but not a spike in usage.“There is no real long-term trends yet that we can say but we’re engaging,” she said.Meanwhile, she said, the regulator she heads planned to introduce “world-leading AI companion and chatbot restrictions in March.” She didn’t disclose further details.—Charlotte Graham-McLay, Associated Press
The End of Speculation: How ZKP Proof Pods Are Delivering the 5000x Utility Shiba Inu & Pepe Lacks
Discover why Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) stands out with real Proof Pod hardware, a $100M network, and a growing presale auction path.
AI in Education: How Students and Teachers Can Balance Technology and Academic Integrity
AI has taken over the world, literally. From being integrated in research to embedded in classrooms, AI has stretched and continues to spawn its ever growing reach across every industry. AI’s impact cannot be denied, [...]The post AI in Education: How Students and Teachers Can Balance Technology and Academic Integrity appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.
As AI creeps into Hollywood, this filmmaker deepfaked Sam Altman. Then things got personal
AI is already remaking filmmaking. One director's experience with a deepfaked Sam Altman shows how strange it can get.
ICMSP Could Drive Additional 100EB Of AI Storage
Nvidia’s inference context memory storage initiative based will drive greater demand for storage to support higher quality and more efficient AI inference experience.
Adaptability is the new job security and 4 more future AI trends from EY’s global chief innovation officer
As we begin a new year, there are five AI trends shaping C-suite conversations. Each one represents enormous opportunities and challenges.
Never Reply to These Text Messages! How to Spot SMS Cost Traps
Beware of text messages promising wins or urgent calls to action! These often lead to unexpected mobile bill costs. Learn to spot risky SMS types and protect yourself. Messages targeting your money with prizes or urgency are dangerous traps.
THIRDREALITY CES 2026 Recap: Real Stories, Real Homes, and What Comes Next
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CES is always about what's new. But for THIRDREALITY, CES 2026 became something more meaningful: a moment to listen, reflect, and see how technology built around real-life needs is already shaping everyday homes. THIRDREALITY CES 2026 Recap Throughout the week, our booth welcomed partners, integrators, creators, and long-time users from around the world. They didn't just ask about product specifications—they shared stories. And those stories reminded us why we build. When Smart Technology Fits Real Homes One of the most frequently discussed products at our booth was the Smart Garage Door Opener, built on Matter over Wi-Fi and designed to work with existing garage remotes. A visitor told us how seamlessly it fit into their daily routine: "I didn't have to replace anything or change my setup. I just added the device, and now I can check and control my garage door remotely with total confidence. It's simple, and it just works." Another conversation stayed with us even longer. A long-time customer described how our Smart Switch helped transform their 1970s home into a modern smart living space—without rewiring or major renovation. "My house was never designed for smart devices," they said. "But your switch made it possible. It gave my old home a second life." For us, these moments captured the heart of what THIRDREALITY stands for:Smart technology should adapt to real homes, real people, and real constraints. Product Focus: Plant Care, Presence Sensing, and Smart Blinds While THIRDREALITY presented a broad range of smart home devices at CES 2026, several product areas in particular generated consistent attention at the booth. The Smart Soil Moisture Sensor Gen 2 was presented as part of a broader plant care solution, working alongside the company's smart watering system. Visitors asked about updates based on user feedback, including improvements aimed at measurement consistency and long-term durability. In addition to indoor plants and balcony gardens, many attendees also discussed outdoor use cases such as small yards and garden beds. Questions frequently focused on wireless coverage in outdoor environments, with interest in how THIRDREALITY's own Zigbee repeater can be used to extend network range and support reliable data transmission for soil monitoring and automated watering in these settings. Presence sensing was another frequently discussed topic, particularly across two radar-based products using 60GHz and 24GHz technologies. The 60GHz radar presence sensor is powered via USB-C for always-on applications, while the 24GHz version operates on three AA batteries to support flexible, wire-free placement. Both sensors offer adjustable sensitivity, allowing detection ranges to be tuned for different room sizes and use cases. Attendees asked about applications in bedrooms, kitchen, and workspaces, where precise presence detection can enable more responsive and context-aware automation than traditional motion sensors. The company's Smart Blind Gen2 also drew strong interest. Many visitors commented on the design of the battery module positioned at the bottom, which simplifies access for charging. The blind uses a Type-C rechargeable battery and supports custom sizing, with widths up to 80 inches and heights up to 74 inches. Discussions at the booth focused on ease of installation, maintenance convenience, and how the design fits into everyday living spaces. As we move into 2026 THIRDREALITY will continue developing across both Zigbee and Matter platforms, with a strong focus on Matter over Thread—bringing faster response, lower power consumption, and more resilient mesh networking to future devices. To every customer who shared their story, every partner who stopped by, and every friend we reconnected with: thank you. Your feedback, trust, and support continue to shape what we build. CES 2026 reminded us that innovation is not just about what's next—it's about what already matters to people today. We'll see you again next year, right here in Las Vegas. About THIRDREALITY Third Reality is a smart home technology company, dedicated to developing high-quality, user-friendly, and secure smart home products. Through continuous innovation and a deep understanding of market needs, the company strives to provide an improved smart home experience for users worldwide. Related Links: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok
Daily Search Forum Recap: January 16, 2026
Here is a recap of what happened in the search forums today...
Engadget Podcast: Why did Apple choose Gemini for next-gen Siri?
Apple's next-gen Siri is still far off, but this week the company announced that it'll be using Google's Gemini AI for its new foundation models. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonifacic discuss why Apple teamed up with Google again, instead of OpenAI or Anthropic. Also, they chat about Meta's Reality Lab layoffs, which is refocusing the company on AI hardware like its smart glasses.Subscribe!iTunesSpotifyPocket CastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsTopicsMeta announces 1000+ layoffs, closes 3 VR studios as it shifts focus to AI hardware – 2:12Gemini can now pull context from the rest of your Google apps including photos and Youtube history – 12:31Framework raises the price of its desktop by $460 because of the global RAM shortage – 18:36NVIDIA may revive the RTX 3060 and kill off 5070 Ti due to its VRAM demands – 21:57Apple creates a subscription bundle for Pro creative apps like Final Cut Pro, Logic, and others – 23:00Tesla’s Full Self Driving is also going subscription only, a year costs $999 – 29:15Matthew McConaughey trademarks himself to fight unauthorized AI likenesses – 33:27Apple announces that its long delayed ’smarter Siri’ will be powered by Google Gemini – 35:15X finally responds to Grok’s CSAM and nudity generation with limits – 51:46Cursor claims their AI agents wrote 1M+ lines of code to make a web browser from scratch, are developers cooked? – 57:52 CreditsHost: Devindra HardawarGuest: Igor Bonafacic Producer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O’BrienThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-why-did-apple-choose-gemini-for-next-gen-siri-150000993.html?src=rss
I asked ChatGPT and a board-certified sleep doctor what the 'perfect' nighttime routine looks like — here's the clear winner and why
I asked a (human) sleep doctor and AI to create me an ideal nighttime routine — this is the one who actually gave me good advice
Gemini powering the iPhone’s AI is great, but I want Apple to fix Shortcuts first
The Shortcuts app is a powerful, underrated tool, but creating automations is frustrating due to its confusing scripting system. Apple must fix it, now that it has the Gemini firepower at its disposal. The post Gemini powering the iPhone’s AI is great, but I want Apple to fix Shortcuts first appeared first on Digital Trends.
YouTuber MKBHD Hails Tesla Model Y Performance, Calls EV Giant's Self-Driving Technology 'The Best'
YouTuber Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, has shared his thoughts on the Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model Y Performance trim, as well as the company's self-driving technology.Tesla Self-Driving Is The Best Ever, MKBHD SaysThe YouTuber, in a review of the Model Y Performance on Thursday, hailed the crossover's software on the 16-inch touchscreen infotainment display, which is also a real-time representation of the car."This is the best software in a car that is not Android Auto or Apple CarPlay," both of which are wired/wireless smartphone projection services by Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), respectively, but conceded that the car ...Full story available on Benzinga.com
BP accused of ‘insidious’ influence on UK education through Science Museum links
Campaigners claim firm has bought sway over the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths Campaigners have accused BP of having an insidious influence over the teaching of science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) in the UK through its relationship with the Science...
Protect your agentic AI before you wreck your agentic AI
Artificial intelligence? It’s no mere tool, but a capability. And just like a superhero discovering their powers for the first time, you can’t expect an employee or organization to master that newfound capability without rethinking everything—and making a bit of a mess along the way.At the annual...
GIGABYTE Showcases Practical AI TOP Utility for Local AI Applications at CES 2026
TAIPEI, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As artificial intelligence continues to move from experimentation toward real-world adoption, GIGABYTE presents a clear local AI solution at CES 2026. GIGABYTE AI TOP suite highlights an approach to AI that is designed to operate locally, support real-world workflows, and be trusted with sensitive data. At CES, GIGABYTE demonstrates how AI can move from the cloud to the edge locally, where work actually happens, securely and efficiently. GIGABYTE Showcases Practical AI TOP Utility for Local AI Applications at CES 2026 GIGABYTE showcases three systems from the AI TOP lineup at CES, including AI TOP ATOM, AI TOP 100, and AI TOP 500, presenting a scalable path for local AI adoption. All three systems support AI TOP Utility, GIGABYTE's proprietary software for creating and operating AI workflows using locally stored data. The CES demo focuses on Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) running on the AI TOP ATOM. While standard setups prioritize raw token generation speed, AI TOP ATOM features 128GB of unified memory, making it uniquely suited for RAG tasks involving massive contexts. This hardware advantage, orchestrated by AI TOP Utility, enables processing vast datasets that would overwhelm traditional multi-GPU configurations, proving that enterprise-grade AI can thrive on a compact local system. Using AI TOP Utility, organizations can turn thousands of pages of unreleased R&D documents into a secure, instant-response internal knowledge base. This "private brain" scenario enables teams to access accurate operational support without a single byte leaving the local server. By keeping data on-premises, this approach eliminates cloud latency and subscription costs, turning technical specs into the tangible benefit of total data sovereignty and real-time intelligence. Designed for real-world usability, AI TOP systems support consistent workflows across development and deployment environments. The flagship AI TOP 500 TRX50, featuring up to AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX, GeForce RTX 5090, and 768GB DDR5 memory, delivers the power to run models up to 405 billion parameters with confidence and control. Managed by AI TOP Utility, these systems integrate smoothly within NVIDIA's ecosystem on Linux, enabling AI models to operate across compatible environments with minimal friction. By prioritizing local AI execution, data control, and ease of adoption, GIGABYTE demonstrates how AI TOP Utility transforms AI from a conceptual capability into a practical tool that fits naturally into everyday workflows. To experience the AI TOP platform in action, visit the GIGABYTE Product Showcase at CES 2026, located at Venetian Expo Level 3, Lido 3005.
Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk's children, sues xAI over Grok sexual images
Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, sued Musk’s xAI artificial intelligence company Thursday.
President Trump Orders Data Centers to Pay for Power as AI Strains the Grid
President Donald Trump is set to unveil an emergency plan Friday (Jan. 16) that would make data center owners, not households, cover the cost of new power plants as electricity demand surges. The proposal lands as AI-driven data center construction accelerates in the PJM (Pennsylvania-New...