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EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’
The European Commission has issued an official charge sheet accusing Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of failing to address the physical and mental health risks posed by the “addictive design” of its platforms. Regulators say features such as video autoplay and infinite scroll “shift the brain into autopilot mode”, contributing to unhealthy habits…
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Big tech must deal with scam ads under Ofcom proposals
Ofcom has published draft measures requiring major online platforms to take stronger action against fraudulent adverts, as part of its enforcement of the Online Safety Act. The regulator says more than half of UK adults have encountered potentially fraudulent ads online, and it wants firms to ban scammers, stop them creating new accounts and tackle…
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“We are really disappointed.” Satanic doo-wop duo Twin Temple removed from country tour dates after headliner realises they’re Satanic
Satanic doo-wop duo Twin Temple say they were removed at the last minute from two of country musician Charley Crockett’s forthcoming shows because of their Satanic imagery. The Los Angeles husband-and-wife pair, Zachary and Alexandra James, announced the news via social media on Wednesday 8 July, expressing disappointment and apologising to fans who had planned…
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“We are the best allies to game devs”: Skyrim modder shows solidarity with laid off Bethesda workers by draping union logos across Tamriel
Following Microsoft’s mass layoffs across its Xbox studios, which have affected staff at Bethesda despite the studio’s role developing the lucrative Elder Scrolls series, unionised workers and the wider modding community have begun organising a pushback. The response matters because it illustrates how the games industry’s creative workforce and fanbase are mobilising against corporate cost-cutting,…
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America is fighting yesterday’s AI war. Tomorrow’s war is on the way
This Fox News opinion piece, written by a former Army Staff strategist, argues that the United States is misreading its technological competition with China by treating the development of artificial intelligence as a narrow contest over which model performs best on benchmarks. Drawing on the author’s experience advising on foreign arms sales, the article contends…
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‘AI accountability agenda’: US senator unveils package of bills to curb tech’s harms
Democratic US senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts has unveiled a package of bills he calls an “AI accountability agenda”, aimed at curbing what he sees as the wide-ranging harms of unregulated artificial intelligence. The agenda targets energy- and water-intensive datacenters, intrusive workplace surveillance, biased algorithms, AI overriding human judgment and deepening economic inequality, framed as…
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Siblings who went into neighbour’s garden and hacked down their 33-foot Leylandiis set to lose childhood home after being handed £209,000 court bill
Three siblings face losing their childhood home after being ordered to pay a £209,000 court bill over a long-running boundary dispute with their neighbours in Nazeing, Essex. Robert McCarthy, 59, and his wife Amanda, 61, had lived in “relative harmony” with Foulla Bowler, 61, and her siblings until a “fence war” erupted in 2018, culminating…
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France Reaches World Cup Semi-Finals as Violent Unrest Erupts in London
France secured a spot in the World Cup semi-finals with a decisive 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco in Boston. The result triggered violent unrest in London, where police forces clashed with football supporters dur
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China lands reusable rocket for first time, state media says
China has successfully landed a reusable rocket for the first time, according to state media, marking a significant milestone for the country’s space programme. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said its Long March 10B rocket lifted off from Hainan in southern China, and roughly six minutes after separating from the upper stage, its…