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EU accuses Meta of failing to tackle mental health risks of ‘addictive design’
Regulators say Facebook and Instagram features such as autoplay and infinite scroll contribute to ‘compulsive use’ EU regulators have accused Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, of failing to tackle the risks of its “addictive design” on the physical and mental health of users. In an official charge sheet against Meta released on Friday,…
Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media
Investigation finds AI content that purports to show genuine customers, prompting calls for greater transparency Brands promoting their products online are quietly deploying AI-generated influencers on social media, an investigation has found, prompting calls for greater transparency. The findings suggest companies are increasingly turning to AI-generated content that purports to show genuine customer experiences while…
Crackdown on tech platforms will go ahead despite US intervention, says No 10
US embassy came out against UK’s proposed under-16 social media ban, which would affect American firms White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not…
Hackers trick Meta AI support bot to infiltrate Obama White House Instagram account
Breach of high-profile accounts raises concerns about reliance on AI for security measures such as passwords Hackers used Meta’s AI-powered support chatbot to infiltrate high-profile Instagram accounts, the company has confirmed, saying it resolved the problem after researchers exposed it. The targets ranged from Barack Obama’s White House account to the beauty retailer Sephora and…
Meta legal action forces Facebook whistleblower to sit in silence at Hay festival
Sarah Wynn-Williams did not speak during event after lawyers warned of possible sanctions from tech firm Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams was forced to sit in silence on stage at an event at Hay festival, after lawyers advised her not to speak because of ongoing legal action brought by Meta. Wynn-Williams, whose bestselling memoir, Careless People,…
‘We can stitch together our past’: the AI-generated time-travellers vlogging from history
The content creators behind channels like Chloe VS History are using AI tools to ‘bring history to life in a really visceral way’ “I have just arrived in Tudor London, 1536,” a young woman in a green puffer jacket tells the camera. “I’m going to check in at my room in the inn, get into…
Limit social media ban for under-16s to unsafe apps, Starmer urged
Campaigners warn against blanket restrictions and say focus should be on blocking teenagers from platforms with ‘risky’ features Online safety campaigners have urged Keir Starmer to block under-16s from accessing social media apps that do not meet strict safety standards, instead of implementing a broader Australia-style ban. The NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation and Smartphone Free…
‘There are no rules’: spotlight on Gossip Goblin as AI film-making enters new era
Defying criticisms of ‘slop’ and ‘theft’, the growing culture of AI-powered creativity is attracting interest from Hollywood In a former hemstitching workshop where artisans sewed pleats for Stockholm’s 19th-century bourgeoisie, a distinctly 21st-century craft is taking root: AI film-making. One day last week, an actor, director and composer squeezed into a tiny studio booth to…
Meta profited from illegal scam ads, California county lawsuit alleges
Santa Clara county claims Meta Platforms violated the state’s false advertising and unfair business practices laws California’s Santa Clara county has sued Meta Platforms, alleging it has profited from Facebook and Instagram ads promoting scams in violation of California’s false advertising and unfair business practices laws. The lawsuit – filed on Monday in Santa Clara…
Reform UK voters least likely to see social media posts from family and friends, study finds
Thinktank says algorithms are fuelling isolation and division after analysing posts shown to social media users Reform UK voters are the least likely to see posts from friends and family on social media and most likely to see content from brands and news organisations, a study has found. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)…