CHILD SAFETY ONLINE
EU threatens significant fines for unfair online trade practices
The European Commission is proposing a new Digital Fairness Act aimed at enhancing consumer rights. This legislation will impose fines on companies engaging in unfair practices such as deceptive advertising targeted at children. It seeks to ban dark patterns and other misleading digital strategies that cost consumers significantly. Companies will need to comply with these new rules to avoid substantial penalties.
Trump immigration crackdown continues after Republican midterm defeat as arrests reported across US
US President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown has continued despite Republicans losing control of Congress in the midterm elections, with arrests reported across several states. Immigration officers have detained migrants at hospitals, airports and during routine journeys, including two Venezuelan college students, an Argentine couple seeking asylum and an eight-year-old Haitian boy.
Snapchat starts disabling friend-finder feature for UK children, regulator says
Ofcom said the change would make it harder for strangers to contact children on the image-sharing social media platform, one it considers among the largest and most popular online services used by children in Britain.
Vaishnaw puts onus on social media platforms to curb online harm, stops short of safe-harbour clarity
Vaishnaw said social media companies could no longer remain passive intermediaries as the digital ecosystem evolved and must take responsibility for the harmful consequences of content circulated through their platforms, including cyber fraud and so-called digital arrest scams.
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IT Minister Ashwini Vaishanaw emphasises social media's role in child safety, algorithmic transparency
Indian IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has stated that social media platforms must prioritise children's safety and accountability. He highlighted the courts and police as the current recourse for citizens facing online harms. The Supreme Court declared internet access a fundamental right for children, establishing the need for a national database against abusive content. Vaishnaw reinforced the importance of giving citizens a voice on these platforms for addressing grievances.
Delhi Police files FIR against Meta India over child sexual abuse material on its platforms
In response to directives from the National Human Rights Commission, Delhi Police has launched an FIR against Meta India, concerning the alarming presence of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material on its platforms. This follows previous summons from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. As a proactive measure, Meta India is now coordinating with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre to report child safety violations.
Thomas Markle’s Mexico storage unit raided by authorities amid child abuse material investigation; finds VHS tapes
Mexican authorities recently raided the storage unit of Thomas Markle in response to serious allegations involving child sexual abuse material. Investigators found items like a computer and old VHS tapes in the unit, prompting further investigation. Authorities are also exploring related claims in the Philippines. Markle has adamantly denied any wrongdoing, claiming he never held such materials or interacted with children.
Viral video allegedly shows child consuming drugs in Punjab's Kapurthala, political leaders raise alarm
A viral video allegedly showing a child consuming drugs in Kapurthala, Punjab, has prompted criticism from Shiromani Akali Dal MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Congress leaders over the state's drug problem. Badal accused the AAP government of failing to protect vulnerable children, while Congress leader Bawa Henry also raised concerns. Authorities reportedly arranged hospital treatment for the child, whose age and the circumstances surrounding the footage remain unverified.
Meta hit with a staggering $25 billion penalty in New Mexico privacy case linked to Cambridge Analytica scandal-here's what happened
Meta has been sentenced to pay a staggering $25 billion for consumer protection infractions in New Mexico. These violations arose from misleading data collection practices tied to the notorious Cambridge Analytica scandal. Upon the court's ruling, Meta's chief legal officer expressed plans to appeal. Attorney General Raúl Torrez highlighted the serious repercussions faced by powerful tech firms, following a series of lawsuits over data breaches and child safety issues.
Giant 'heat storms' are scorching the Earth. This is the story of the biggest one on record
Heat storms have increased dramatically, causing severe global consequences including excess deaths and environmental catastrophes. Recent heat storms have been identified as a new classification, representing larger and more persistent heat events. The intensity of these heat storms has worsened due to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Associated weather patterns have significantly disrupted ecosystems and agriculture worldwide.
Children have fundamental right to access internet, can't impose blanket ban on its use: SC
The Supreme Court affirmed the right to access the internet as fundamental for children. It ordered the creation of a national database to detect and remove harmful content targeting minors. The court emphasized the importance of content moderation while ensuring child safety online. It implemented measures to combat the increase in child sexual exploitation material on digital platforms.
Couple with identical names marry after dating for three years; both once stood up when called by the same name at a job interview where they first met each other
A Chinese couple with the exact same name, Zhu Xiaocong, have gone viral after marrying in Zhejiang. The pair first discovered their unusual coincidence at a job fair in 2016, when both stood up after an interviewer called their name. They began dating in 2019 and later encountered unexpected complications with official paperwork, travel and even everyday conversations
Apple names Meta veteran Scott Tucker as litigation chief in legal team shake-up
Apple has hired former Meta litigation chief Scott Tucker as vice president of global litigation and financial services, strengthening its legal leadership amid mounting antitrust, patent and other lawsuits. The appointment is part of a broader reorganisation under General Counsel Jennifer Newstead, as the iPhone maker faces legal setbacks threatening its services business.
Supreme Court seeks Centre's reply on social media curbs for kids
The petition, filed by Emerald Heights International School, Indore, and its director Siddharth Singh, seeks comprehensive safeguards for children using social media platforms.
Inside Google's Gemini safety strategy: Protecting children, verifying age and tackling AI misinformation
To tackle rising child safety concerns linked with AI, Google is taking proactive steps as children engage with chatbots. The focus is on ensuring age-appropriate interactions, encouraging parental oversight, and promoting responsible AI use. The upcoming Gemini platform will feature age assurance technology to evaluate users' ages based on their behavior.
Govt seeks expedited development of AI tool to detect child sexual abuse material online
The issue came up for discussion during Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi's visit to the office of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) here.
Philippine lower house approves bill restricting minors' social media access
The Philippines is the latest country, from Greece and Portugal to Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia, to try to curb social media use by minors, as concern grows over its effects on child health and safety.
Iran-US war: Is key Donald Trump ally Saudi Arabia losing battle against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen?
Iran-US war: The latest attack on the Saudi airport drew condemnations from Arab countries, including Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, as well as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Meta deploys new AI tools to combat child exploitation on Facebook, Instagram
Meta said the new measures are designed to identify advertisements that either feature child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or covertly direct users to violating activity hosted outside its platforms.
Apple's Tim Cook praises EU over efforts to protect children online
Apple executive chairman Tim Cook on Tuesday pledged the US giant would protect children online and praised the EU's efforts to ensure minors' safety after a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The Apple chairman met European Parliament President Roberta Metsola earlier on Tuesday as well as EU lawmakers focused on children's safety.
A reckoning on social media addiction came late for many kids. Will AI safety be different?
When Meta agreed to changes to its social media platforms and enhanced safeguards in an $18 billion settlement, it made progress by "getting at what we've known for years" about the dangers, said Kristin Bride, a parent advocate who has fought for social media reform since the death of her teenage son. "How are we going to get at what we don't know is coming?"
Captain Smit Machchhar's childhood friend recalls "hero" pilot's calm and composed nature
Machchhar, who was hailed for preventing a co-pilot from attempting to crash a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, continued to draw praise from neighbours, friends, educators and political leaders as updates on his condition emerged.
WhatsApp rolls out new parental controls for teenagers: Here's everything you need to know
WhatsApp has introduced enhanced parental controls to assist parents in monitoring their teenage children's app activity. These new features empower parents to adjust privacy settings and approve new group chats, which strengthens online safety. Despite these changes, messaging and calling remain encrypted, prioritizing teens' privacy. This initiative aims to alleviate concerns surrounding minors' safety online, though the implementation may vary regionally as it rolls out.
Centre backs Supreme Court, plans legal bar on social media accounts for under-18s
The Centre plans to amend the Information Technology Rules to restrict children under 18 from opening social media accounts. During a Supreme Court hearing, officials acknowledged the risks children face in the digital environment. The government has agreed to make it mandatory for intermediaries to prevent minors from registering on these platforms. Existing guidelines will be reinforced through new statutory measures.
ETtech Explainer: Decoding EU’s move to dismantle addictive technology for children
The proposed KIDS Act would set different access rules by age, bring AI companions and conversational chatbots under the bloc’s child-safety framework and require platforms to build safeguards into their services. The proposal comes as governments in several countries consider tighter restrictions on children’s access to social media and other online services.
Ex-Google safety chief warns AI could harm children more than social media did
The founder of the trust and safety team at Alphabet's Google this week called for a slowdown in AI development, warning that the tech industry was repeating the same mistakes from the social media era, potentially causing even greater harm to
Google to report child abuse content directly to Indian authorities
Google said on Monday it has agreed to report content flagged as child sexual abuse material to Indian authorities, breaking from a global practice under which such reports are first routed through a U.S. non-profit.
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