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Australia's under 16 social media ban confirmed for late 2025 (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

No more social media for Australians under 16 starting in late 2025

Instagram, X, Snapchat, Facebook, and other key players in the social media market will be affected starting at the end of next year, when teenagers younger than 16 will not be allowed to use this kind of online platform. The comp...

Codrut Nistor, 29 Nov 2024 00:01

Google and Meta think the Australian social media bill should be delayed

Google and Meta have urged the Australian government to wait for a trial for the proposed age-verification systems in their social media bill. The controversial bill proposes stringent age-verification systems that may include bio...

Rohith Bhaskar, 26 Nov 2024 10:29

No show, no fine; Elon Musk escapes SEC's Twitter buyout investigation sanctions (Image source: Cocuzo on Wallpapers.com)

Elon Musk escapes sanctions as US judge rejects SEC request

A US judge ruled against the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which sought to sanction Elon Musk. The SEC went to court after Musk missed his testimony for the regulator's investigation into X's (formerly Twitter) buyo...

David Odejide, 23 Nov 2024 17:16

Bluesky says it won't train AI on user content

Bluesky, the Twitter/X alternative that has seen a surge in users following the US election, says it won't train its AI model on user content. The social media platform said it used AI for content moderation.

Rohith Bhaskar, 16 Nov 2024 08:34

TikTok Symphony Creative Studio now available to all advertisers. (Image source: TikTok)

TikTok opens Symphony Creative Studio access to all advertisers

Symphony Creative Studio users can create AI-generated videos and avatars with ease by simply providing raw video clips or speech scripts. The tool can also translate videos into multiple languages with AI-voice cloning to reach t...

David Chien, 16 Nov 2024 08:18

Brad “Cafrozed” Dennis, the PI who was tracking down the person responsible, acted as a vengeful ex-husband online to infilitrate Discord servers and Telegram groups. (Image source: Konstantin Savusia/Shutterstock)

Teen could face decades in prison as FBI cracks massive swatting operation via Discord, Telegram, and YouTube

An 18-year-old from California, US has pleaded guilty to a nationwide swatting operation involving over 375 fake bomb and shooting threats. The FBI used digital evidence from platforms like Telegram and Discord to track him down.

Anubhav Sharma, 14 Nov 2024 19:28

Threads to get ads in early 2025 (Image source: Meta)

The party's over: Ads allegedly coming to Threads in 2025

With 100 million users in less than a week since its introduction, Threads became the fastest-growing consumer app, surpassing ChatGPT, the previous record holder. Now on its way to reach 300 million users, Instagram's sibling is ...

Codrut Nistor, 14 Nov 2024 18:56

X rivals Threads and Bluesky see an influx of US users after election night

Threads and Bluesky have become the new harbor for US citizens fed up with Elon Musk's X. The social media platform's increasingly right-wing stance has driven many users from the platform to alternatives.

Rohith Bhaskar, 12 Nov 2024 09:42

A free version of X's Grok is available in certain regions (Image Source: x.AI)

A free version of X's Grok is now available in certain regions

A free version of X's Grok chatbot is being tested in select few countries. Several users have reported that your X account has to be at least seven days old, and there has to be a phone number linked to access the chatbot.

Rohith Bhaskar, 12 Nov 2024 08:46

The ultimate electric dedan face-off: $250,000 Lucid Air takes on $111,000 Tesla Model S Plaid. (Image source: Edmunds Cars via YouTube)

Tesla Model S Plaid gets crushed by Lucid Air Sapphire in U-styled drag race

Tesla's Model S Plaid is quite the beast when it comes to electric sedans, handily defeating gas-powered supercars in drag races. However, is it good enough to keep up with Lucid's $250,000 Air Sapphire? Edmunds Cars attempts to f...

Sambit Saha, 11 Nov 2024 19:49

The Buckshot Roulette Dealer (Image Source: Buckshot Roulette -edits)

Behind Buckshot Roulette: Mike Klubnika shares the creative force behind his macabre hit title

Since the highly anticipated multiplayer mode was released, Mike Klubnika has taken to Reddit to indulge his many fans of Buckshot Roulette. Here are a few interesting questions and answers from his latest Reddit AMA.

Stephen Pereyra, 08 Nov 2024 06:15

TikTok forced to shut down its offices in Canada (Image source: DALL·E 3-generated image)

TikTok offices in Canada ordered to close due to national security risks

Since the Canadian government considers the establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc. by ByteDance Ltd. an endeavor that poses a national security risk, the business will be disolved. However, while TikTok offices in Canada a...

Codrut Nistor, 07 Nov 2024 20:10

Australia proposes a social media ban for children under the age of 16 (Image Source: Mariia Shalabaieva on Unsplash)

Australia considering a social media ban for children under the age of 16

Australia has proposed a ban on social media for children under 16. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that firms must follow regulations or face fines.

Rohith Bhaskar, 07 Nov 2024 09:11

Meta will use AI-powered age prediction to identify teens on Instagram (Image Source: Meta/Instagram)

Meta details plans on AI-powered age identification for Instagram

Meta plans to use an AI-based age prediction tool to identify teens on Instagram. The tool, internally called "adult classifier", will categorize Instagram users into two groups - under or above 18 years old.

Rohith Bhaskar, 05 Nov 2024 12:40

Reddit is finally out of the red, with almost $30 million profit in third quarter

After nearly two decades online, Reddit is finally profitable. In the third quarter, the company recorded a massive 68% increase in revenue alongside 47% more daily users. The figures are $29.9 million and 97.2 million users. Obvi...

Codrut Nistor, 31 Oct 2024 01:11

TikTok partners with Giphy to upgrade DMs with AI-powered gif-picker

TikTok has announced that it will soon enhance the way users express themselves with .gifs that come up as a result of AI-generated suggestions. The animated images in question will all come courtesy of Giphy thanks to a new agree...

Deirdre O'Donnell, 29 Oct 2024 19:30

Meta is reportedly building an AI search engine

Meta is reportedly building an in-house AI-powered search engine for its Meta AI chatbot. The bot currently uses Google and Bing to answer questions about current events.

Rohith Bhaskar, 29 Oct 2024 08:22

Instagram videos with low views get low-quality encoding as well (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

Instagram ties video quality to view count

A user report that was later confirmed by Instagram's head, Adam Mosseri, shows that some videos on this service look blurry due to the fact that video quality is directly tied to the amount of views it receives. According to him,...

Codrut Nistor, 28 Oct 2024 12:16

Tim Cook's message to an Apple employee regarding her grandmother. (Image source: Twitter)

In a heart-warming act of humanity, Apple helped save an employee’s grandmother from the chaos in Ukraine

In a recent tweet, a former Apple employee claimed that the tech behemoth conducted a full-scale operation to extract people, including her grandmother, from the turmoil in Kharkiv in 2023. Turns out, Tim Cook really is the master...

Sambit Saha, 26 Oct 2024 21:41

The highest-end Xiaomi SU7 Max sports a whopping 101 kWh battery. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Ford CEO showers Xiaomi SU7 with praises in recent podcast appearance

Ford's CEO had nothing but praises for the Xiaomi SU7. In a bid to gauge Ford's EV competiton, CEO Jim Farley imported the SU7 from China, and has been loving it so far.

Sambit Saha, 26 Oct 2024 20:54

In the latest episode of LTT's podcast, Linus admits that he is partly responsible for the exploitation in the Republic of the Congo (Image source: Linus Tech Tips)

Linus Tech Tips admits personal responsibility for exploitation of Congo

Linus of Linus Tech Tips admitted today that he bears some personal responsibility for the exploitation of Congolese children in cobalt and lithium mines. He made the statement in his latest video podcast by partially agreeing wit...

Marvin Gollor, 26 Oct 2024 12:32

Meta is laying off employees this year as well (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

New Meta layoffs affect several departments, including those in charge of WhatsApp and Instagram

After parting ways with over 20,000 employees in 2022 and 2023, Meta continues to cut jobs. This time, the number of people laid off is smaller, but this new downsizing does not miss Reality Labs and departments in charge of popul...

Codrut Nistor, 17 Oct 2024 11:09

TikTok is shifting towards AI for its content moderation strategy. (Image source: Visuals on Unsplash)

TikTok turns to AI, replacing nearly 500 human moderators

TikTok is laying off hundreds of employees globally, which includes 500 in Malaysia alone. The company is shifting its focus to AI-driven content moderation amid regulatory pressure and efforts to improve platform safety.

Anubhav Sharma, 12 Oct 2024 10:37

Discord banned in Turkey (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

Discord now banned in Turkey following court order

Turkey has now banned Discord after they denied the authorities' request to share private user information. The court decision was caused by "child sexual abuse and obscenity" suspicions pointing at some users of the platform. The...

Codrut Nistor, 09 Oct 2024 18:54

TikTok sued by multiple states in the US over harmful impact on minors

Over a dozen US states have sued TikTok, alleging it harms youth mental health through addictive features like endless scrolling, pushing minors into excessive use, and easing exploitation via live-streaming.

Anubhav Sharma, 08 Oct 2024 18:43

YouTube (and Google) have agressive data tracking practices, but there are ways to keep one's YouTube data in house. (Image Source: OpenArt.ai)

No YouTube tracking: Is it worth it (or practical) to host your own YouTube front end?

CheckMag Google is notorious for tracking people across websites, and this extends to almost every service it offers, including Android and YouTube. If you are on a quest to escape Google's aggressive data practices, you might want to cons...

David Devey, 05 Oct 2024 12:03

It looks like the days of avoiding MediaTek SoCs for their lacklustre performance may be behind us. (Image source: SamMobile on YouTube)

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra vs. Tab S9 Ultra: MediaTek tramples Qualcomm — efficiency questions loom

The new MediaTek-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has officially trumped its Snapdragon forbear in performance benchmarks with a significant margin, but incomplete data raises questions about efficiency and battery life.

Julian van der Merwe, 04 Oct 2024 22:34

YouTuber and engineer James Bruton has built a rideable AT-AT from Star Wars using mainly 3D-printed components. (Image source: YouTube / James Bruton)

YouTuber 3D-prints a Star Wars AT-AT sturdy enough to ride

YouTuber and engineer James Bruton has managed to build an AT-AT that is large and stable enough for a human to ride on. He mainly used 3D-printed components for this. Bruton documented the construction process and published it on...

Marius Müller, 02 Oct 2024 17:41

In his post, Elon Musk stated that it is "High time this happened". (Image source: Reuters)

Blocked users can now view your public posts on X, Elon Musk announces

Elon Musk announced an update to the block feature on X (formerly Twitter), allowing blocked users to still view public posts from those accounts. Accounts with private posts should remain unaffected.

Anubhav Sharma, 24 Sep 2024 14:06

The iPhone 16 Pro Max lost to the Samsung S24 Ultra in battery-life test. (Image source: Apple, Samsung)

Samsung S24 Ultra smokes iPhone 16 Pro Max in battery life test

In a recent battery life test that mimicked real-life usage conducted by a prominent YouTube channel, the iPhone 16 Pro Max was outperformed by Samsung's S24 Ultra by quite a prominent margin. However, the new iPhone 16 variants d...

Sambit Saha, 20 Sep 2024 21:52

Dead internet theory becomes reality in SocialAI (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

SocialAI brings the dead internet theory to life

Although described as a social network, SocialAI is in fact more like "a space for reflection, support, and feedback," as mentioned by Michael Sayman, its creator. What makes it special is that all interactions it facilitates put ...

Codrut Nistor, 20 Sep 2024 00:00

Instagram "Teen Accounts" coming soon (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

Instagram to actively look for teens pretending to be adults by early 2025, downgrade their accounts

As the concerns regarding the toxicity of social media for teens increase and more studies prove them legit, Instagram decides to turn normal accounts into "Teen Accounts" for users aged under 18. They will be automatically set as...

Codrut Nistor, 17 Sep 2024 21:17

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro features a more powerful GPU, along with an even more powerful price tag. (Image source: Sony)

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro PC equivalent would cost a 'fair bit more', says Digital Foundry lead editor in interview

Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter, in a recent interview, stated that the PC-equivalent for the PlayStation 5 Pro console would cost a 'fair bit more'. This is hardly a surprise, since the whole point of a gaming console is to ...

Sambit Saha, 14 Sep 2024 21:56

The Tesla Model 3 Long range managed to exceed its EPA estimate by a pretty wide margin. (Image source: OOSR via YouTube)

Tesla Model 3 'Highland' exceeds EPA estimate in real-life range test, clocks 370 miles at 70 mph on the highway

The prominent YouTube channel Out of Spec Reviews recently range-tested the Tesla Model 3 Long Range (2024) on the highway at 70 mph, and the results were beyond impressive. Not only did the Model 3 exceed its EPA estimate, but it...

Sambit Saha, 14 Sep 2024 18:27

Welcome to the Matrix: Meta confirms AI training on social media posts since 2007 (Image source: Generated using DALL·E 3)

Welcome to the Matrix: Meta confirmed that AI was trained on all social media public posts since 2007

While European and US users of Facebook and Instagram were allowed to choose for their data not to be used to train AI, Australians didn't have any opt-out options available. As a consequence, all of their public posts since 2007 ...

Codrut Nistor, 12 Sep 2024 23:58

Tesla's Cybertruck managed to defeat a relatively troublesome mud puddle in its third attempt. (Image source: Andrew Hodgdon via Facebook)

Tesla Cybertruck rescues stuck Toyota Tacoma off-roader from challenging mud puddle after overcoming it with ease

Tesla's Cybertruck, while hugely controversial, is by no means starved of raw power. In a recently posted video, the Cybertruck can be seen attempting and defeating a rather large mud puddle after a few failed attempts. Later on, ...

Sambit Saha, 11 Sep 2024 20:39

X/Twitter alternative Bluesky breaks the 9 million users barrier

As X/Twitter remains banned in Brazil, new users from this country helped Bluesky exceed 9 million subscribers while also recording almost 5 million monthly active accounts. Founded in early October 2021, this US-based decentraliz...

Codrut Nistor, 09 Sep 2024 12:35

It looks like Sony is sneakily trying to drum up some hype about the upcoming PS5 Pro by hiding a previously leaked design in a social media post. (Image source: PlayStation on Instagram)

Sony hides PS5 Pro in plain sight in PlayStation 30th anniversary celebration post

The latest Sony PS5 Pro news sees Sony seemingly tease the design of the rumoured premium gaming console, confirming previous leaks that suggest a minimal visual update, rather than a complete aesthetic overhaul.

Julian van der Merwe, 06 Sep 2024 01:27

Brazilian Supreme Court orders service providers and app stores to block X (Twitter) within five days after company fails to name legal representative

Brazilian Supreme Court has ordered service providers and app stores to block X (Twitter) within five days after the company failed to name legal representative, a requirement for foreign companies operating within Brazil. The mov...

David Chien, 31 Aug 2024 02:54

Telegram CEO faces up to 20 years in prison. Image source: Pavel Durov

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested in France

Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, has been arrested by French authorities. The detention is allegedly linked to an ongoing investigation into Telegram's operations, which focuses on insufficient content moderation and lack...

Andrew Sozinov, 25 Aug 2024 17:13

xAI releases Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini beta AI LLMs on X with enterprise API arriving later this month. (Image source: xAI)

xAI releases Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini beta AI LLMs on 𝕏 with enterprise API arriving later this month

xAI has released Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini beta AI LLMs on X with the enterprise API arriving later this month. Grok-2 ranked among the four most powerful large-language models on the LMSYS leaderboard and among the top six across a ...

David Chien, 16 Aug 2024 05:30

The Cybertruck navigates the challenging off-road trail brilliantly. (Image source: Wild Horses Off-Road via YouTube)

Tesla Cybertruck extreme off-road test shows the electric pickup is more than just a futuristic meme

The Tesla Cybertruck has had a particularly difficult time keeping its name out of controversy. However, there is no doubting the fact that it is an incredibly powerful vehicle with great potential for heavy duty tasks, provided t...

Sambit Saha, 09 Aug 2024 19:31

US Senate passes “Kids Online Safety Act” (KOSA) to protect children online

The US Senate has passed the “Kids Online Safety Act” (KOSA) to protect children online. The bill requires large social media, online gaming, and virtual reality sites that act as forums for user-generated content to actively prev...

David Chien, 03 Aug 2024 04:41

Featurephones are increasing in popularity as a way of reducing smartphone use, but you do lose a significant number of features (Source: HMD Global)

As schools look to ban smartphones and society realises the impact of doom scrolling, here are 3 phones that can help curb your smartphone addiction

CheckMag Society is waking up to the notion that smartphones may not be the best thing for our mental health, or our time management. Governments are looking to ban phones in schools and a part of the population is beginning to ditch smart...

David Devey, 26 Jun 2024 12:01

This purple goop contains dissolved gold destined to cover a Tesla Cybertruck. (Image source: JerryRigEverything on YouTube)

Gold plated Cybertruck becomes latest $60,000 exercise in excess for Tesla's electric pickup truck

YouTube's resident mobile device destruction expert has plated a Tesla Cybertruck in $60,000 worth of 24 karate gold in his latest video on Tesla's controversial electric pickup truck. The gold electroplating process required mode...

Julian van der Merwe, 05 Jun 2024 02:43

TikTok files federal appeal to fight TikTok ban despite Chinese access of American user data

TikTok and ByteDance have filed a federal appeal to fight the recently passed TikTok ban. The companies counter that the ban in unconstitutional and unfairly targets TikTok despite prior reports of Chinese employee and government ...

David Chien, 08 May 2024 08:26

Deliberate misdirection, omitting context, playing on fear are not new phenomena. (Image: pixabay/memyselfaneye)

Gaming against disinformation: game exposes methods in social media

It doesn't always have to be a deliberate lie. In the "Bad News" game, you can use your own techniques to manipulate followers and generate clicks. The learning effect is surprisingly high.

Mario Petzold, 05 May 2024 16:25

Which side of the scales are you on? (Source: Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash)

Social media: Does it cause more harm than good?

Debate It has been just over 20 years since Facebook first launched as a Harvard university project. In that time, a significant number of other platforms have launched including TikTok, Twitter (X), Snapchat, Instagram and more. But do ...

David Devey and Sergey Tarasov, 24 Apr 2024 23:20

TikTok ban in $95 billion package passes Senate, awaiting President Biden's signature to become law. (Source: TikTok)

TikTok dead-man walking after US Senate passes TikTok ban bill included in $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan

(Update: 2024-04-24 11:00 PST President Biden has signed the package into law.) TikTok is now a dead-man walking after the US Senate passed a ban included in a $95 billion aid package to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. After Presiden...

David Chien, 24 Apr 2024 06:55

US Senate to pass TikTok ban stuffed into Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel support package as early as Tuesday

The U.S. Senate is set to pass a TikTok ban stuffed into an Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine support package that includes the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which itself passed the House Wedne...

David Chien, 21 Apr 2024 05:34

Social Media

No more social media for Australians under 16 starting in late 2025

Google and Meta think the Australian social media bill should be delayed

Elon Musk escapes sanctions as US judge rejects SEC request

Bluesky says it won't train AI on user content

TikTok opens Symphony Creative Studio access to all advertisers

Teen could face decades in prison as FBI cracks massive swatting operation via Discord, Telegram, and YouTube

The party's over: Ads allegedly coming to Threads in 2025

X rivals Threads and Bluesky see an influx of US users after election night

A free version of X's Grok is now available in certain regions

Tesla Model S Plaid gets crushed by Lucid Air Sapphire in U-styled drag race

Behind Buckshot Roulette: Mike Klubnika shares the creative force behind his macabre hit title

TikTok offices in Canada ordered to close due to national security risks

Australia considering a social media ban for children under the age of 16

Meta details plans on AI-powered age identification for Instagram

Reddit is finally out of the red, with almost $30 million profit in third quarter

TikTok partners with Giphy to upgrade DMs with AI-powered gif-picker

Meta is reportedly building an AI search engine

Instagram ties video quality to view count

In a heart-warming act of humanity, Apple helped save an employee’s grandmother from the chaos in Ukraine

Ford CEO showers Xiaomi SU7 with praises in recent podcast appearance

Linus Tech Tips admits personal responsibility for exploitation of Congo

New Meta layoffs affect several departments, including those in charge of WhatsApp and Instagram

TikTok turns to AI, replacing nearly 500 human moderators

Discord now banned in Turkey following court order

TikTok sued by multiple states in the US over harmful impact on minors

No YouTube tracking: Is it worth it (or practical) to host your own YouTube front end?

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra vs. Tab S9 Ultra: MediaTek tramples Qualcomm — efficiency questions loom

YouTuber 3D-prints a Star Wars AT-AT sturdy enough to ride

Blocked users can now view your public posts on X, Elon Musk announces

Samsung S24 Ultra smokes iPhone 16 Pro Max in battery life test

SocialAI brings the dead internet theory to life

Instagram to actively look for teens pretending to be adults by early 2025, downgrade their accounts

Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro PC equivalent would cost a 'fair bit more', says Digital Foundry lead editor in interview

Tesla Model 3 'Highland' exceeds EPA estimate in real-life range test, clocks 370 miles at 70 mph on the highway

Welcome to the Matrix: Meta confirmed that AI was trained on all social media public posts since 2007

Tesla Cybertruck rescues stuck Toyota Tacoma off-roader from challenging mud puddle after overcoming it with ease

X/Twitter alternative Bluesky breaks the 9 million users barrier

Sony hides PS5 Pro in plain sight in PlayStation 30th anniversary celebration post

Brazilian Supreme Court orders service providers and app stores to block X (Twitter) within five days after company fails to name legal representative

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov arrested in France

xAI releases Grok-2 and Grok-2 mini beta AI LLMs on 𝕏 with enterprise API arriving later this month

Tesla Cybertruck extreme off-road test shows the electric pickup is more than just a futuristic meme

US Senate passes “Kids Online Safety Act” (KOSA) to protect children online

As schools look to ban smartphones and society realises the impact of doom scrolling, here are 3 phones that can help curb your smartphone addiction

Gold plated Cybertruck becomes latest $60,000 exercise in excess for Tesla's electric pickup truck

TikTok files federal appeal to fight TikTok ban despite Chinese access of American user data

Gaming against disinformation: game exposes methods in social media

Social media: Does it cause more harm than good?

TikTok dead-man walking after US Senate passes TikTok ban bill included in $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan

US Senate to pass TikTok ban stuffed into Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel support package as early as Tuesday

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