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Zuckerberg testifies at trial accusing social media of harming teens

Mark Zuckerberg and opposing lawyers dueled in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday, where the Meta CEO answered questions about young people's use of Instagram, his congressional testimony and internal advice he's received about being "authentic" and not "robotic." Zuckerberg's testimony is part of an unprecedented social media trial that questions whether Meta's platforms deliberately addict and harm children. Attorneys representing the plaintiff, a now 20-year-old woman identified by the initials KGM, claim her early use of social media addicted her to the technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled. Beginning his questioning, the plaintiff's attorney Mark Lanier laid out three options of what people can do regarding vulnerable people: help them, ignore them, or "prey upon them and use them for our own ends." Zuckerberg said he agrees the last opti

Instagram chief grilled in court over profit versus mental health concerns

The trial is a test for thousands of similar cases with billions of dollars at stake, as well as the prospect that social media companies could be forced to change how they interact with youths

Social media not clinically addictive, says Instagram chief during US trial

Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta's Instagram, testified during a landmark social media trial in Los Angeles that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms. The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case, where plaintiffs seek to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Meta Platforms and Google's YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled. At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials "KGM", whose lawsuit could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials - essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury. Mosseri said on Wednesday that it's important to differentiate between clinical addiction and what he called problematic use. The plaintiff's ..

Instagram head Mosseri to testify on app design's effect on young users

Instagram head Adam Mosseri will testify in a US court case alleging features such as endless scroll encourage compulsive use among minors, raising mental health concerns

Meta AI's Vibes video feed may soon get separate smartphone app: Details

Meta is reportedly testing a standalone Vibes app after seeing higher engagement within Meta AI, though the company has not shared specific usage numbers

Tech Wrap Feb 2: Instagram new feature, OPPO K14X launch, Copilot reminders

Instagram to let users opt out of Close Friends list. OPPO K14X to launch on Feb 10. Microsoft Copilot reminders. OpenAI to phase out older GPT models. Google extends Fitbit account migration deadline

Instagram could soon let users opt out of someone's Close Friends lists

Reportedly, Instagram is developing a feature that would let users remove themselves from Close Friends lists, as Meta also plans paid subscriptions with exclusive features

Virat Kohli's Instagram account briefly disappears, returns within hours

The Indian cricket star's Instagram account briefly showed error messages on Friday morning, sparking panic and memes online, before being restored within hours

TikTok settles social media addiction lawsuit ahead of court trial

TikTok agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff's attorneys confirmed. The social video platform was one of three companies - along with Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube - facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc, settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. Details of the settlement with TikTok were not disclosed, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the core of the case is a 19-year-old identified only by the initials "KGM," whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials - essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury and what damages, if any, may be awarded, said Clay Calvert, a nonresiden

Meta plans subscription to unlock features across Instagram, FB, WhatsApp

Meta is reportedly planning to test paid subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp to unlock exclusive features, AI tools and added controls, while keeping core services free

French lawmakers pass bill banning under-15s from accessing social media

The ban targets popular social media apps including Meta Platforms Inc.'s Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance Ltd.'s TikTok and Snap Inc.'s Snapchat

Meta temporarily blocks teen access to AI characters ahead of LA trial

Meta is halting teens' access to artificial intelligence characters, at least temporarily, the company said in a blog post Friday. Meta Platforms Inc, which own Instagram and WhatsApp, said that starting in the "coming weeks," teens will no longer be able to access AI characters "until the updated experience is ready" This applies to anyone who gave Meta a birthday that makes them a minor, as well as "people who claim to be adults but who we suspect are teens based on our age prediction technology." The move comes the week before Meta - along with TikTok and Google's YouTube - is scheduled to stand trial in Los Angeles over its apps' harms to children. Teens will still be able to access Meta's AI assistant, just not the characters. Other companies have also banned teens from AI chatbots amid growing concerns about the effects of artificial intelligence conversations on children. Character.AI announced its ban last fall. That company is facing several lawsuits over child safety, .

Meta's Threads set to show ads to users worldwide from next week: Details

Meta is bringing ads to Threads for users worldwide, with ads rolling out slowly across feeds as the platform expands its advertising model

Netflix plans mobile app revamp with vertical video feed, podcasts: Report

Reportedly, Netflix is redesigning its mobile app with short-form video feeds and podcasts, aiming to boost daily engagement and compete with social platforms beyond traditional streaming

Tech Wrap Jan 16: Insta reel translation, MediaTek D chips, Subway Surfers

Instagram reels AI translations. MediaTek Dimensity 9500s, 8500 chips. Subway Surfers city to launch Feb 26. BenQ 2K gaming monitor. Google TranslateGemma. Realme Buds Clip

Instagram expands Meta AI reel translations to more Indian languages

Instagram is rolling out Meta AI-powered reel translations in five Indian languages and adding Indian-script font support to Edits, making content more accessible for creators and viewers

Instagram denies data leak following password reset email complaints

Instagram said accounts are safe after many users received unexpected password reset emails, following reports that raised concerns about a possible data leak

Tech Wrap Dec 17: Instagram for TV, ChatGPT Images, Meta AI glasses update

Instagram for TV. OpenAI upgrades ChatGPT Images. Meta AI software update. Call of Duty Black Ops 7 free trial. Adobe Firefly update. EvoFox One X Tri-Mode Wireless Gamepad launched

Meta moves to single age-check system as global child safety rules tighten

Meta aims to roll out one age-check system for Facebook and Instagram as global child safety laws grow and pressure on tech firms increases

Instagram comes to big-screen, will let you binge Reels on Amazon fire TV

Instagram for TV supports up to five accounts, personalised feeds and channel-based Reels, turning short videos into big-screen viewing experience at home