Google and Character.AI have agreed to settle lawsuits brought by families who allege the companies’ AI chatbots caused harm to minors, including suicides. The settlements, involving cases from Colorado, Texas, and New York, come after Google hired Character.AI’s founders in August 2024.
Virginia’s updated consumer data law now imposes strict rules on how social media platforms can engage with minors. The law, which took effect on January 1st, is being challenged by tech group NetChoice on free speech and privacy grounds.
Apple is testing a new “Background Security Improvements” system in iOS 26.3 beta. This marks a major shift, allowing security updates to be installed and even uninstalled in the background. It replaces the older, problematic Rapid Security Response feature.
A new FCC rule has placed Chinese-made drones from DJI and Autel Robotics on a prohibited list, citing national security. This creates an immediate crisis for U.S. public safety agencies, where over 80% rely on this equipment for critical operations.
The New Zealand government is launching a review after a cybersecurity breach at the private medical portal Manage My Health. The incident, occurring on December 30, potentially compromised health documents for 6-7% of its 1.8 million registered users, with reports of a $60,000 ransom demand.
In a candid post, Instagram’s head Adam Mosseri admitted AI-generated “slop” is flooding our feeds. His surprising solution? Give up on tagging the fake stuff and start fingerprinting real human content instead.
New data shows a massive surge in cyber extortion, with phishing gangs tripling since 2020. The real story is how AI and new tactics like deepfakes and QR codes are making these attacks terrifyingly effective. Here’s what’s changing and why old defenses are failing.
A new Forbes piece offers some blunt New Year’s resolution advice for enterprise security teams. It’s less about buying the next shiny tool and more about a fundamental mindset shift to survive the grind.
A major security failure at Korea Telecom (KT) involved thousands of femtocells using a single, plaintext certificate. This allowed a criminal gang to clone the devices, leading to $169,000 in micropayment fraud and, more alarmingly, years of potential surveillance on customer communications.
New York is forcing social media platforms to display warning labels on features like infinite scroll and autoplay. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law on Friday, comparing the move to cigarette warnings. The state can now fine companies that don’t comply.
