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The Web

  • AI overviews have transformed Google search. Here's how they work—and how to opt out
    People turn to the internet to run billions of search queries each year. These range from keeping tabs on world events and celebrities to learning new words and getting DIY help.... Read more
  • Google turns internet queries into conversations
    Google on Friday began letting people turn online searches into conversations, with generative artificial intelligence providing spoken summaries of query results.... Read more
  • Google rejects app store age verification for online content
    American tech heavyweight Google on Friday reiterated its opposition to verifying the age of a device's user through the app stores built into operating systems, calling a proposal from Facebook and Instagram parent Meta "ineffective".... Read more
  • Massive Google Cloud outage disrupts popular internet services
    Popular online services across the globe were disrupted Thursday due to ongoing issues at Google Cloud.... Read more
  • New Europe push to curb children's social media use
    From dangerous diet tips to disinformation, cyberbullying to hate speech, the glut of online content harmful to children grows every day. But several European countries have had enough and now want to limit minors' access to social media.... Read more
  • AI tackles toxic speech online: Can algorithms judge fairness as well as accuracy?
    Earlier this year, Facebook rolled back rules against some hate speech and abuse. Along with changes at X (formerly Twitter) that followed its purchase by Elon Musk, the shifts make it harder for social media users to avoid encountering toxic speech.... Read more
  • 'Not available in your region': What is a VPN and how can I use one safely?
    "This video is not available in your location." It's a message familiar to many people trying to watch global content online. But beneath this frustration lies a deeper question—how do we navigate digital borders safely and ethically?... Read more
  • Circumventing internet censorship in countries like China or Iran
    Free access to information online is a vital component of democratic societies. However, something that is taken for granted in this country is by no means possible everywhere.... Read more
  • Hey chatbot, is this true? AI 'factchecks' sow misinformation
    As misinformation exploded during India's four-day conflict with Pakistan, social media users turned to an AI chatbot for verification—only to encounter more falsehoods, underscoring its unreliability as a fact-checking tool.... Read more
  • Google says to appeal online search antitrust ruling
    Google said Saturday it will appeal a ruling against it for anti-competitive practices in online search, a day after urging a US judge to reject the suggestion it spin off its Chrome browser.... Read more
  • Facebook's content moderation 'happens too late,' says research
    Whether from the White House or a neighbor in your Facebook community group, a request to remove a Facebook post can prompt accusations of censorship or misinformation, or even become a meme.... Read more
  • Microsoft wants to radically change the way you surf the web
    Microsoft sees artificial intelligence transforming the internet as fundamentally as mobile phones have over the past two decades. But the technology's limitations could curb Microsoft's grand vision.... Read more
  • What is AI slop? Why you are seeing more fake photos and videos in your social media feeds
    In May 2025, a post asking "[Am I the asshole] for telling my husband's affair partner's fiancé about their relationship?" quickly received 6,200 upvotes and more than 900 comments on Reddit. This popularity earned the post a spot on Reddit's front page of trending posts. The problem? It was (very... Read more
  • German court says Meta can use user data to train AI
    A German court on Friday dismissed an injunction request brought by consumer protection groups to prevent US tech giant Meta from using user data from Facebook and Instagram to train artificial intelligence systems.... Read more
  • Large language model accurately predicts online chat derailments
    Online chat rooms and social networking platforms frequently experience harmful behavior as discussions drift from their intended topics toward personal conflict. Traditional predictive models typically depend on platform-specific data, limiting their applicability and increasing implementation costs.... Read more
  • Researchers warn of rise in AI-created, nonconsensual, explicit images
    A team of researchers, including Kevin Butler, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering at the University of Florida, is sounding the alarm on a disturbing trend in artificial intelligence: the rapid rise of AI-generated sexually explicit images created without the subject's consent.... Read more
  • Ads pressured to evolve as AI changes Google search
    As Google races to lead in artificial intelligence, it faces the challenge of making sure the technology doesn't slow its profit-pumping advertising engine.... Read more
  • Fictional fiction: A newspaper's summer book list recommends nonexistent books. Blame AI
    The recommended reading list contained some works of fiction. It also contained some works that were, in fact, actually fictional.... Read more
  • What's the obscure Australian online safety standard Elon Musk's X is trying to dodge in court?
    In its most recent battle with authorities in Australia, X (formerly Twitter) has launched legal action in the Federal Court, seeking an exemption from a new safety standard aimed at preventing the spread of harmful material online.... Read more
  • Chess great Carlsen held to draw by 143,000 players
    Chess legend Magnus Carlsen, considered one of the best players in history, has been held to a draw by a team of 143,000 opponents in an online match.... Read more
  • Google's unleashes 'AI Mode' in the next phase of its journey to change search
    Google on Tuesday unleashed another wave of artificial intelligence technology to accelerate a year-long makeover of its search engine that is changing the way people get information and curtailing the flow of internet traffic to websites.... Read more
  • Meta's Community Notes program is promising, but needs to prioritize transparency
    Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has more than 3.35 billion combined monthly active users. Recently, Meta has changed its approach to fact-checking in response to criticisms of its role in circulating fake news and disinformation. The company frames its Community Notes program as a way to... Read more
  • What does it mean to 'accept' or 'reject' all cookies, and which should I choose?
    It's nearly impossible to use the internet without being asked about cookies. A typical pop-up will offer to either "accept all" or "reject all." Sometimes, there may be a third option, or a link to further tweak your preferences.... Read more
  • Musk's xAI blames 'unauthorized' tweak for 'white genocide' posts
    Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup has blamed an "unauthorized modification" for causing its chatbot Grok to generate misleading and unsolicited posts referencing "white genocide" in South Africa.... Read more
  • Coinbase expects data breach to cost it up to $400 mn
    Coinbase on Thursday said criminals bribed and duped their way to stealing cryptocurrency from its users, then tried to blackmail the exchange to keep the crime quiet.... Read more
  • EU accuses TikTok of violating digital rules over ads
    The EU accused TikTok on Thursday of breaking digital rules after concluding that the Chinese-owned social media platform was not transparent enough about advertisements.... Read more
  • Study finds inappropriate ads common on websites aimed at children
    Many websites for children, such as learning platforms, are free of charge; they are financed by advertising. Researchers from Radboud University in the Netherlands, the Belgian University KU Leuven and the German Ruhr University Bochum investigated the content of ads that are displayed on such websites.... Read more
  • EU seeks to better protect children from online dangers
    Pushing to better protect children online, the EU on Tuesday invited the public including parents and minors to help prepare recommendations for digital platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.... Read more
  • AI can scan vast numbers of social media posts during disasters to guide first responders
    When disasters happen—such as hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes—every second counts. Emergency teams need to find people fast, send help and stay organized. In today's world, one of the fastest ways to get information is through social media.... Read more
  • British govt suffers setback in AI copyright battle
    The British government suffered a setback to its plans to make it easier for AI companies to access data as the House of Lords backed more protection for content creators on Monday.... Read more
  • 'Tool for grifters': AI deepfakes push bogus sexual cures
    Holding an oversized carrot, a brawny, shirtless man promotes a supplement he claims can enlarge male genitalia—one of countless AI-generated videos on TikTok peddling unproven sexual treatments.... Read more
  • India tells X to block over 8,000 accounts
    India has ordered X to block more than 8,000 accounts, the platform said Thursday, adding that it was reluctantly complying with what it described as government-imposed "censorship."... Read more
  • Women's sports are fighting an uphill battle against social media algorithms
    Women's sport is more and more getting the attention it deserves.... Read more
  • Web archivists scrambling to save US public data from deletion
    As President Donald Trump's administration purges public records since storming back to power, experts and volunteers are preserving thousands of web pages and government sites devoted to climate change, health or LGBTQ rights and other issues.... Read more
  • Google shares plunge after Apple executive's court testimony
    Shares in Google parent Alphabet plunged more than eight percent on Wednesday after Apple executive Eddy Cue testified in federal court that Google's search traffic on Apple devices declined last month for the first time in over two decades.... Read more
  • Japan dating app uses govt data to verify unmarried status
    A popular Japanese dating app has introduced a feature allowing it to verify users' marital status through government records, in a bid to prevent married cheaters pretending to be single.... Read more
  • Unequal internet: Study highlights differences between websites from developing and developed countries
    The Internet may be a global phenomenon, but its often-claimed global nature is tempered by the "digital divide"—digital participation still heavily depends on economic conditions.... Read more
  • Chinese singles are looking for love in video chats—with thousands following along in real time
    Steve Chen had never been in love. Last spring though, it happened. The 25-year-old met his first girlfriend in a way he couldn't have imagined before: a livestreamed video chat.... Read more
  • Yahoo is ready to buy Chrome browser if Google is forced to sell
    Internet company Yahoo Inc.—backed by owner Apollo Global Management Inc.—would bid for the Chrome web browser if a federal court orders Google to divest it as a remedy for maintaining an illegal monopoly, a senior executive said.... Read more
  • UK regulator unveils major new measures to shield children online
    Britain's broadcasting regulator announced Thursday that tech firms failing to prevent children from accessing harmful content will face fines or even elimination from the UK market under "transformational" measures launching in July.... Read more
  • Google paid Samsung 'enormous sums' for Gemini AI app installs, says lawyer
    Alphabet Inc. pays Samsung Electronics Co. an "enormous sum of money" every month to preinstall Google generative AI app, Gemini, on its phones and devices, according to court testimony, even though the company's practice of paying for installations has twice been found to violate the law.... Read more
  • YouTube says more than 20 billion videos uploaded in 20 years
    YouTube on Wednesday celebrated more than 20 billion videos being uploaded to the platform since the first clip debuted two decades ago.... Read more
  • What a judge's ruling over Google's 'monopoly' on ad-tech means
    In another major legal blow to Google, a federal judge has ruled that the search giant held an illegal monopoly over some advertising technology, a ruling that could reshape the online advertising business.... Read more
  • Google has illegal monopoly in ad tech, US judge rules
    A US judge on Thursday ruled that Google illegally wielded monopoly power in the online ad technology market, in a legal blow that could rattle the tech giant's revenue engine.... Read more
  • Judge strikes down an Ohio law limiting kids' use of social media as unconstitutional
    A federal judge permanently struck down an Ohio law on Thursday that would have required children and teens under 16 to get parental consent to use social media apps.... Read more
  • 'West Philippine Sea' now visible on Google Maps without specific search
    A Google Maps scan on Monday of the body of water directly west of the Philippines now shows a name once invisible to most users—the West Philippine Sea.... Read more
  • Digital tech's rapid pace outstrips safety research, say researchers
    Scientific research on the harms of digital technology is stuck in a "failing cycle" that moves too slowly to allow governments and society to hold tech companies to account, according to two leading researchers in a new report published in the journal Science.... Read more
  • California lawmakers tackle potential dangers of AI chatbots after parents raise safety concerns
    When her 14-year-old son took his own life after interacting with artificial intelligence chatbots, Megan Garcia turned her grief into action.... Read more
  • What would happen if the US's Section 230 went away? Exploring 'the law that built the internet'
    Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, passed in 1996 as part of the Telecommunications Act, has become a political lightning rod in recent years. The law shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content while allowing moderation in good faith.... Read more
  • Is this AI or a journalist? Research reveals stylistic differences in news articles
    News articles produced by artificial intelligence (AI) do not have the same creative flair as stories written by human journalists, according to research into the stylistic differences between the storytellers.... Read more

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EDITOR’S PICKS:

  • A foundation for physical AI: Battery-free RFID sensing system offers real-time, reliable data

    June 12, 2025
    What if the same RFID “smart barcode” tags used to track packages and retail inventory could also detect changes in the real world—like temperature, pressure or weight—without batteries or added hardware?This post was originally published [...]

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  • What To Do If You Have a Warrant for Your Arrest

    March 4, 2025
    Finding out that there’s an active warrant out for your arrest can be quite overwhelming. Whether it’s a misunderstanding, an oversight, or something more serious, knowing what to do next is paramount. The first step [...]
  • Winter weather leads to multi-vehicle collisions in Barrie

    February 18, 2025
    Barrie police closed two areas Monday afternoon following separate multi-vehicle collisions, likely caused by weather conditions. The crashes occurred around 2:30 p.m. on Veteran’s Drive between Walker Road and McKay Road, and on Yonge Street [...]

More Hot Topics:

  • Rise in ‘harmful content’ since Meta policy rollbacks: survey

    June 17, 2025
    Harmful content including hate speech has surged across Meta’s platforms since the company ended third-party fact-checking in the United States and eased moderation policies, a [...]
  • OpenAI wins $200 mn contract with US military

    June 17, 2025
    The US Department of Defense on Monday awarded OpenAI a $200 million contract to put generative artificial intelligence (AI) to work for the military.This post [...]
  • Despite law, US TikTok ban likely to remain on hold

    June 17, 2025
    US President Donald Trump is widely expected to extend the Thursday deadline for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer or face a ban in the [...]
  • Hydrogen sourcing could make or break Romania’s green steel ambitions

    June 17, 2025
    A study from the Stockholm School of Economics finds that the competitiveness of green steel production in Romania partly hinges on hydrogen sourcing—requiring a 15% [...]
  • Improved slime mold algorithm boosts efficiency in e-commerce cloud data migration

    June 16, 2025
    As e-commerce platforms grow ever more reliant on cloud computing, efficiency and sustainability have come to the fore as urgent pressures on development. A study [...]

Tech Headlines:

AI tackles toxic speech online: Can algorithms judge fairness as well as accuracy?

‘Not available in your region’: What is a VPN and how can I use one safely?

Internet Headlines:

Circumventing internet censorship in countries like China or Iran

Hey chatbot, is this true? AI ‘factchecks’ sow misinformation

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