Instagram boosts privacy with ‘teen accounts’, Meta bans Russian state media

Instagram is overhauling the way it works for teenagers, promising more "built-in protections" for young people and added controls and reassurance for parents. The new “teen accounts”, for children aged 13 to 15, will force many privacy settings to be on by default, rather than a child opting in. Teenagers' posts will also be set…

Tougher laws for smart devices, Tesla shares surge following China deal

Manufacturers will have to follow stricter rules if they want to sell internet-enabled ‘smart’ gadgets such as smart speakers and security cameras as a new law comes into force.  From today, manufacturers will be legally required to protect consumers from hackers and cyber criminals from accessing devices with internet or network connectivity – from smartphones to…

WhatsApp reduces minimum age to 13 in UK/EU, Apple eases self-repair policy

Children as young as nine have been added to malicious WhatsApp groups promoting self-harm, sexual violence and racism, a BBC investigation has found. Thousands of parents with children at schools across Tyneside have been sent a warning issued by Northumbria Police. One parent said her 12-year-old daughter had viewed sexual images, racism and swearing that…

OpenAI hits back against Musk, Apple iPhone sales plummet in China

OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, have responded to a lawsuit by Elon Musk by making counter-accusations against him. Mr Musk is suing the company he helped found, alleging it has abandoned its original mission of helping humanity. He says it is focusing on generating profits for partner and major investor Microsoft instead. But OpenAI says…

Apple shares slump, Meta shares soar on Wall Street

Apple shares slumped in after-hours trading - driven by disappointing iPhone sales in China and a warning that future revenues will fall well short of expectations on Wall Street. The gloomy market reaction overshadowed an otherwise strong financial performance in Apple's first fiscal quarter. In the three months to 30 December, the tech giant reported…

AI could increase cyber attack risk, new features added for Apple Watch

Artificial intelligence could increase the risk of cyber-attacks and erode trust in online content by 2025, a UK government report warns. The tech could even help plan biological or chemical attacks by terrorists, it says. But some experts have questioned whether the tech will evolve as predicted. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to highlight…

WhatsApp says goodbye to passwords on Android, Kia is big winner in Used Car Awards

  WhatsApp users on Android can say goodbye to insecure and annoying SMS two-factor authentication. The Meta-owned company announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it’s rolling out support for a passwordless passkey feature to all Android users. The new security option allows WhatsApp users to use their device’s face, fingerprint, or pin security to unlock and access…