https://techxplore.com/rss-feed/internet-news/ en-us The latest news on the internet, world wide web, web 2.0 and science technology. The EU's tech chief called on Meta and TikTok to "act decisively" to stem disinformation at times of crisis, saying the European Commission held talks with both platforms Friday following last week's Ceuta migrant surge. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-eu-meta-tiktok-boost-fact.html Internet Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:10:56 EDT news705381037 New data released this week show 54% of Australian children and teens use artificial intelligence tools for personal and social reasons. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-australian-children-teens-ai-personal.html Internet Thu, 06 Aug 2026 15:40:05 EDT news705249362 As of March 2026, every U.S. state had introduced at least one bill seeking to regulate social media or other digital platforms for people younger than 18. The wave of legislation would be difficult for anyone to keep track of, whether they're a researcher, parent or policymaker. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have built a public database to help. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-states-bills-digital-media-kids.html Internet Tue, 04 Aug 2026 11:40:01 EDT news705061981 Research published in the International Journal of Web-Based Communities has looked at how digital identity might be governed online, specifically in the so-called metaverse. The study found that current frameworks for digital identity are ill-equipped for emerging immersive online environments, which sit under the umbrella term "metaverse." The work argues that regulators must move from a privacy-focused approach to one that is broader and rights-based. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-08-current-privacy-frameworks-fall-short.html Internet Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:00:01 EDT news704966098 As countries around the world look to follow Australia's lead in restricting young people's access to social media, a new report by the eSafety Commissioner might give them reason to pause, at least temporarily. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-kids-social-media-esafety.html Internet Fri, 31 Jul 2026 07:00:02 EDT news704697842 Australia's online safety watchdog took court action Thursday against Telegram, alleging the global messaging platform had failed to remove terrorism material. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-australian-telegram-breached-online-safety.html Internet Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:40:01 EDT news704603802 Elon Musk's social media app X on Monday began offering its X Money banking service to all U.S. subscribers of its paid Premium and Premium+ tiers, part of the multibillionaire's ambition to turn the site into an "everything app." https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-banking-app.html Internet Tue, 28 Jul 2026 05:40:01 EDT news704432940 Consider these scenarios. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-older-people-media-literacy-boosted.html Internet Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:00:50 EDT news704364482 Time to check if you've got mail. Again. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-desktop-browsing-trends-gmail.html Internet Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:40:01 EDT news704096642 France's parliament on Tuesday approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making France the first European country to bar children from apps such as TikTok. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-french-parliament-social-media-15s.html Internet Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:20:08 EDT news703868911 France's parliament is weighing a social media ban for users under 15, following in the footsteps of Australia and Indonesia, although enforcement authorities face a puzzle over how to manage age checks. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-french-youth-social-media-age.html Internet Tue, 21 Jul 2026 03:49:24 EDT news703824543 When right-wing commentator and social media influencer Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on a university campus in September 2025, graphic videos of the assassination quickly spread online. Many of those images also appeared before teenagers worldwide. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-canadian-teens-graphic-violence-online.html Internet Mon, 20 Jul 2026 13:40:02 EDT news703773002 A comprehensive analysis of age assurance technologies co-authored by CISPA faculty member Dr. Wouter Lueks concludes that many currently proposed systems for protecting minors online come with significant trade-offs for privacy, security, accessibility and civil liberties. The study "Assessing Age Assurance Technologies: Effectiveness, Side-Effects, and Acceptance," conducted with colleagues from the University of Hamburg and the Leibniz Institute for Media Research, evaluates a broad range of approaches currently being debated by policymakers and platforms worldwide. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-size-age-verification-online.html Internet Mon, 20 Jul 2026 07:00:02 EDT news703748544 The British government announced plans Wednesday to introduce a six-hour social media curfew from midnight for 16- and 17-year-olds—though they will be able to override the proposed default setting. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-uk-unveils-social-media-curfew.html Internet Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:20:05 EDT news703331357 Chinese users of AI-powered companion bots have bade heart-rending farewells to their virtual buddies as national regulations took effect Wednesday, aimed at curbing the risk of emotional dependency. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-lover-chinese-users-farewell-ai.html Internet Wed, 15 Jul 2026 04:22:40 EDT news703308102 There should be a "youth mode" for children on social media platforms in which addictive features and targeted advertising are turned off, EU lawmakers demanded Tuesday. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-addictive-features-social-media-children.html Internet Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:00:01 EDT news703255709 Children should have "phased and gradual access" to social media, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday, as experts recommended that children under 13 use online platforms only under supervision. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-eu-limit-children-access-social.html Internet Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:00:08 EDT news703161999 To ban or not to ban children from all social media? That is the big question facing the European Union in its bid to protect minors from harmful content. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-mulling-eu-expert-verdict-social.html Internet Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:20:05 EDT news703134507 The European Union's plan to regulate children's access to social media follows the implementation or proposal of similar measures around the world. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-countries-social-media-children.html Internet Sun, 12 Jul 2026 04:10:05 EDT news703046781 Meta has pulled the plug on a feature of a recently launched AI tool following criticism that it made Instagram accounts fodder for use in creating AI-generated images. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-criticism-meta-reins-ai-tool.html Internet Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:43:31 EDT news703046598 Several major music industry organizations on Friday unveiled a labeling system for content created with generative artificial intelligence that they would like to see widely adopted. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-music-industry-ai-generated-content.html Internet Sat, 11 Jul 2026 03:50:01 EDT news702958913 The New York Times, the Daily News and other media outlets are asking a federal judge to impose sanctions on OpenAI, escalating a fight over artificial intelligence and copyright that could shape the future of a struggling news industry. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-news-outlets-urge-sanction-openai.html Internet Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:44:58 EDT news702823440 Restrictions on children's use of social media in the European Union could come as early as this summer, as a long-awaited expert report next week is expected to recommend limiting minors' access to online platforms. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-eu-closer-kids-social-media.html Internet Thu, 09 Jul 2026 05:20:04 EDT news702790963 The amount of time young people spend playing video games is not enough to judge whether gaming is linked to cognitive difficulties. A new study of several thousand adolescents shows that gaming time and symptoms of Internet Gaming Disorder are associated with cognitive performance in opposite ways. While dysregulated gaming—marked by loss of control, craving or continued play despite problems—was consistently linked to lower performance across cognitive tests, gaming time itself showed small positive associations with selected skills. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-links-cognitive-difficulties-compulsive-gaming.html Internet Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:00:03 EDT news702647074 Many digital users rely on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to combat security threats, allowing the application to view, intercept and handle all user traffic in return for hiding identifying information from third parties. Yet a new mobile VPN security testing framework—MVPNalyzer—found many popular VPNs breach user trust, according to a University of Michigan Engineering study. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-mobile-vpn-strong-advertised.html Internet Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:07:10 EDT news702648411 In the last year or so, artificial intelligence companies have rolled out a spate of web browsers equipped with AI agents. A user might ask one of these agents to plan a vacation, and it will open browser tabs to research routes and restaurants, then make reservations and add events to the user's calendar. How well it does any of this varies. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-agentic-ai-browsers-major-cybersecurity.html Internet Fri, 03 Jul 2026 10:00:01 EDT news702053575 Music from Kylie Minogue, John Farnham, INXS, Midnight Oil, AC/DC, Tones and I, Gotye, Ben Frost, Nick Cave, Tame Impala, Parkway Drive, The Living End and Vance Joy has been found in a database of 12 million songs used to teach artificial intelligence. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-07-australian-musicians-ai-songs-legal.html Internet Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:40:05 EDT news702124021 Social media companies claim their platforms are safe for kids, promoting safety features that include restricting searches for harmful content, limiting messaging and warning of out-of-network contacts. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-social-media-child-safety-features.html Internet Tue, 30 Jun 2026 07:20:06 EDT news702021781 WhatsApp users will soon get the option of going by usernames instead of phone numbers, the company said Monday, announcing plans to address a privacy blind spot. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-whatsapp-users-usernames-privacy.html Internet Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news701963233 The Australian government has announced it is "doubling down" on social media platforms that aren't complying with age restrictions for under-16s. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-06-social-media-bigger-penalties-platforms.html Internet Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:00:09 EDT news701952121