Meta Under Fire as Facebook, Instagram Host Illegal Gun Silencer Ads Disguised as Auto Parts
Meta's social platforms are hosting thousands of ads for 'fuel filters' that can be converted into illegal gun silencers, linked to Chinese drop-shipping operations. Despite platform policies prohibiting weapons, these $50 devices circumvent federal regulations while targeting military personnel and other users.
Meta's Bold Bet: Fighting Spam with Haskell at Scale
Meta successfully deployed Haskell to power Sigma, its massive anti-spam system processing over 1M requests per second. The unconventional choice proved effective for detecting malicious content, while contributing improvements back to the open-source community.
Data Privacy Report: The Most Invasive Apps of 2024 Revealed
An eye-opening analysis of how major tech companies collected and utilized personal data throughout 2024. From Google's comprehensive tracking to Spotify's surprisingly extensive data gathering, discover which apps know the most about you and how to better protect your privacy in 2025.
AI Chatbot Receives $50,000 Bitcoin Donation from Tech Investor, Sparks Crypto Phenomenon
Truth Terminal, an AI chatbot running on Meta's Llama model, gained prominence after receiving a substantial Bitcoin donation from Marc Andreessen. The experimental AI has inspired the creation of memecoins worth over $1 billion, raising questions about AI's influence on digital finance and online communities.
Gaming VPN Scam Turns Children's Computers into Proxy Servers
Young players of VR game Gorilla Tag are unknowingly exposing their home networks to strangers by using Big Mama VPN to gain competitive advantages. Security experts warn this residential proxy service puts users at risk of legal liability and network breaches.
The Illusion of AI Opt-Out: Why Escaping Artificial Intelligence Is Nearly Impossible
As AI becomes deeply embedded in digital services, users face increasing difficulty in avoiding its presence, despite growing public skepticism. From Google Search to social media platforms, companies are rapidly implementing AI features with limited opt-out options, leaving consumers with complex privacy challenges.
Russia Leads Global Disinformation Operations, Meta Report Reveals
Meta's latest Adversarial Threat Report identifies Russia as the primary source of covert influence campaigns since 2017, with 39 operations, followed by Iran and China. The report details the dismantling of approximately 20 new deceptive networks this year, highlighting the ongoing challenge of combating state-sponsored disinformation.
Meta Mandates Financial Advertiser Verification in Australia to Combat Celebrity Scams
Meta introduces strict verification requirements for financial advertisers targeting Australian users, aiming to prevent celebrity investment scams that have cost victims millions. Starting February, advertisers must verify identities, provide licenses, and include disclaimers in a six-week implementation process.
Instagram's Failed Self-Harm Content Moderation Puts Teen Safety at Risk
A Danish study reveals Instagram's inability to detect and remove self-harm content, with none of 85 test images being taken down despite Meta's claims of 99% removal rates. The platform's algorithm actively connects users engaging with harmful content, raising serious concerns about teen safety and EU compliance.
Bluesky's Open API Sparks Data Privacy Concerns Amid AI Training Debate
As major platforms like Spotify restrict API access to prevent data scraping, Bluesky maintains an open approach that enables unrestricted collection of user data for AI training. This policy highlights growing tensions between innovation and privacy as social media platforms take diverging stances on data access.