Microsoft commits to sweeping AI privacy rules for students. Will other tech giants follow?
Millions of students every day turn to AI chatbots for help with schoolwork, emotional support and personal advice—often unaware of where their conversations and other personal information end up.
Sep 15, 2026
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Social media activity can expose politics, religion and shopping habits
There is a modern adage: If you don't want it on the internet, don't put it on the internet. However, a review of research into social media privacy in the International Journal of Management Concepts and Philosophy has found ...
Sep 11, 2026
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Kill the cookie banner, digital rights groups urge EU
It's time for the European Union to kill those pesky cookie banners seeking users' consent on websites, nearly 20 groups and academics demanded Thursday.
Sep 10, 2026
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Internet
Meta launches personal AI agent, Muse, emphasizes safety and privacy
Meta launched on Tuesday a personal artificial intelligence agent, Muse, for people 18 and over who are looking for help with day-to-day tasks like schedules, shopping and, in the company's words, turning "long-term goals ...
Sep 9, 2026
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Internet
Rein in social media, not children, say more than 130 groups, experts
The European Union should force tech giants to make social media safe before children use it instead of banning minors from their platforms, more than 130 groups and experts urged in a letter shared with AFP Tuesday.
Sep 9, 2026
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Internet
Amusing or addictive? The algorithms powering our social feeds
Social media algorithms are a powerful feature of online life, serving up content to users based on their browsing habits or personal data.
Sep 9, 2026
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Internet
Meta tests fact-check replacement in Latin America
Meta said Wednesday it had begun testing Community Notes in 16 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, a step toward replacing the professional fact-checking program it runs with partner organizations across the region.
Sep 9, 2026
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Internet
Australia threatens hefty fines if big tech fails 'duty of care'
Social media giants face US$78 million fines if they fail to protect young users from harmful content, Australia's prime minister said Tuesday as he unveiled draft laws reining in big tech.
Sep 8, 2026
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Internet
China's top court posts guidelines on deepfakes, AI disputes
China's top court issued guidelines Monday covering a range of emerging pitfalls associated with artificial intelligence, including unauthorized deepfakes and voice cloning, state media reported.
Sep 7, 2026
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Internet
Australians could opt out of social media algorithms under new law
Australians could be given the option of opting out of powerful social media algorithms under new legislation cracking down on Big Tech, a minister said Monday.
Sep 7, 2026
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Internet
Internet's address book is becoming more private, but DNS still exposes browsing patterns
When you enter a web address into your browser and arrive at the correct website a second later, a process takes place that most people never notice. Behind the scenes, one of the internet's most important systems is at work: ...
Sep 3, 2026
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Internet
Social media companies are trying harder to know which users are kids
Of the child safety measures agreed to in Meta's landmark legal settlement, no category contains more detailed requirements than its commitments on age assurance—and for good reason. No matter how well the protections work, ...
Sep 1, 2026
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Internet
AI is eating website traffic, websites are blocking AI: Reliable information is getting harder to find
For 30 years, the World Wide Web has run on a surprisingly profound social contract: Most sites are free for search engines to access, but if you use their content, you give credit by linking to the source.
Aug 31, 2026
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Internet
New research: 41% of surveyed Australian teens now get their news from AI
The way Australians consume news has been changing for the past 30 years, ever since internet use became widespread.
Aug 31, 2026
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Internet
Meta's teen safety deal runs into an unsolved problem: Proving age
Meta's landmark settlement with nearly every U.S. state promises curfews and time limits for teens on Instagram and Facebook—but rests on age and parent checks nobody has figured out how to make work.
Aug 28, 2026
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Internet
Time limits and a midnight cutoff: Meta's new rules for kids go further, but critics say not enough
Kids under 18 will soon see a host of changes to their Instagram and Facebook experiences thanks to a historic $18 billion settlement Meta Platforms reached Wednesday with 48 U.S. states.
Aug 27, 2026
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Internet
Meta settlement puts social media industry on notice: 'There will be more'
Wednesday's historic settlement between Meta and dozens of U.S. states could be just the start of a wave that will ripple across the social media industry, putting TikTok, YouTube and Snap under pressure to make similar changes ...
Aug 27, 2026
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Internet
After US settlement, EU says Meta must 'protect our kids too'
The EU said Thursday it expects Meta to address "addictive" features of its platforms in Europe after the tech giant agreed to sweeping limits on teen use of Facebook and Instagram in some US states.
Aug 27, 2026
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Internet
Meta, U.S. states agree $18 bn settlement in landmark teen safety case
Meta agreed to pay a coalition of U.S. states as much as $16.7 billion and to impose sweeping new limits on how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram, according to a court filing Wednesday that ends a landmark trial in California.
Aug 26, 2026
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Internet
Social media use on the rise among Australian under-16s after ban: Data
Australian under-16s are increasing their use of social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok despite a world-leading ban, data provided by a parental control software company showed Wednesday.
Aug 26, 2026
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Internet
What could change for U.S. teens on Instagram and Facebook
In a landmark development, Meta reached a proposed settlement Wednesday with U.S. states over claims that it designed Facebook and Instagram to hook children.
Aug 26, 2026
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Internet
Some of Meta's safety tools were 'designed to fail': Witness
A former employee testified Wednesday that some of Meta's safety tools for Facebook and Instagram were "designed to fail," contradicting the company's defense strategy in a landmark trial in California.
Aug 20, 2026
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Internet
The emerging threat of violent, exploitative digital 'com networks': what do we need to know?
For many parents, keeping their children safe online is a top priority. But now there's an emerging threat: "com networks." Com networks (short for community networks) are online groups that mostly target vulnerable young ...
Aug 19, 2026
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