ByTechVista

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  • Former Google executive Matt Brittin selected to be next BBC director general

    Former Olympic rower to lead corporation as it hammers out future funding model with government The BBC has turned to a former tech executive to steer it through a critical period in its history, as it attempts to navigate government talks over its future and huge changes in media consumption. Matt Brittin, who stepped down…

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  • UK iPhone users face over-18 age check to use services after update

    Ofcom says decision is ‘real win for children and families’ but some users raise concerns over privacy Millions of Apple iPhone customers in the UK will now have to confirm they are 18 or older to use all available services, including by showing a credit card or by scanning an ID. The move, believed to…

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  • Meta ordered to pay $375m after being found liable in child exploitation case

    New Mexico hails ‘historic’ win after jury finds firm misled consumers over safety and enabled harm against users A New Mexico jury on Tuesday ordered Meta to pay $375m in civil penalties after it found the company misled consumers about the safety of its platforms and enabled harm, including child sexual exploitation, against its users.…

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  • Protect men and boys from manosphere influencers, Labour MPs tell Ofcom

    Exclusive: Group says measures to curb harmful content will also help to tackle violence against women and girls Men and boys need as much protection as women and girls from harmful influencers and “the worst parts of the internet”, a group of MPs have told Ofcom as they called for the regulator to give specific…

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  • ‘IG is a drug’: jury to deliberate as US trial over social media addiction wraps up

    Meta and YouTube accused of creating harmful products in trial seen as a bellwether for attitudes towards social media The first-ever jury trial over the potential harms of social media wrapped up on Thursday. Lawyers for Meta and YouTube have argued their platforms are safe for the vast majority of young people, while lawyers for…

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  • X suspends 800m accounts in one year amid ‘massive’ scale of manipulation attempts

    Social media company tells MPs of continual fight against state-backed efforts, with Russia being most prolific Elon Musk’s X said it had suspended 800m accounts over a 12-month period as it fights the “massive” scale of attempts to manipulate the platform. The social media company told MPs it was continually fighting state-backed attempts to hijack…

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  • Hundreds of UK teenagers to pilot social media bans and restrictions

    Trials to form part of three-month consultation on Keir Starmer’s plans to tackle negative effects of smartphone use Hundreds of teenagers will be enlisted to trial social media bans in the coming months with overnight digital curfews and daily screen time limits also tested as part of Keir Starmer’s plan to crack down on the…

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  • Instagram to alert parents if teens repeatedly search self-harm terms

    Feature for supervised accounts rolls out as Meta platform faces US trials over alleged harms to children Instagram will start alerting parents if their kids repeatedly search for terms clearly associated with suicide or self-harm. The announcement on Thursday comes as Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is in the midst of two trials over harms to…

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  • Mumsnet calls for under-16s social media ban with cigarette-style health warnings

    Resembling cigarette packet warnings, the ads highlight dangers and urge people to email MPs Mumsnet has launched a campaign to introduce a ban on social media for under-16s featuring health warnings in the style of those on cigarette packets. The deliberately provocative national advertising campaign calls for all social media to be banned for children…

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  • Roblox sued by Los Angeles over claims platform ‘makes children easy prey for pedophiles’

    LA County says the gaming company does not carry out adequate moderation and its age-verification systems are not fit for purpose, which Roblox denies Officials in Los Angeles have said they are suing Roblox, alleging the popular online platform exposes children to sexual content, exploitation and online predators. In a lawsuit, Los Angeles County said…

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