GoKawiil
Tech News
Australia is moving to mandate that social media platforms let users opt out of algorithm-curated feeds, giving people the ability to see content in a simpler, non-personalized order such as chronological posting. The requirement would apply to major platforms operating in the country.
A randomized controlled trial across 243 French high schools and 9,628 students tested giving teenagers a free one-year digital subscription to a major national newspaper and running media-literacy classes taught by teachers. Researchers tracked actual online reading behavior and found subscriptions sharply increased news consumption and even led some students to pay for subscriptions on their own nearly a year later. Students in poorer schools showed the biggest knowledge gains, and combining free access with media education produced the strongest literacy improvements, especially with experienced teachers.
404 Media has uncovered that Border Patrol operates secretive 'Predictive Intelligence Targeting Teams' (PITT) that analyze Americans' financial records and other personal data to flag individuals for local police to stop, even without suspicion of a specific crime. In one documented case, a PITT's analysis of a Montana driver's finances led local police to pull him over on a pretextual charge of an obstructed license plate, resulting in a DUI arrest. PITT units have been identified operating in Washington's Spokane Sector and Texas's Laredo Sector, expanding on prior reporting about Border Patrol's use of automatic license plate readers for similar predictive targeting.
Researchers demonstrated that large language models can analyze scattered public information—writing style, posting patterns, and incidental details—to identify the real people behind pseudonymous social media accounts with notable accuracy. The technique relies on piecing together fragments of publicly available data rather than any single identifying clue.
Australia's government unveiled proposed legislation that would require social media platforms to let users over 16 choose whether their feeds are shaped by algorithms or simply show content from accounts they follow. The bill also mandates protections for children against harmful content, including material promoting eating disorders, misogyny, pornography, crime and dangerous stunts, and covers apps, games and AI chatbots with addictive design features. Companies that fail to comply could face fines up to AU$109.2 million.
Australia's government unveiled a proposed 'My Feed, My Way' law that would require social media platforms to let users over 16 choose between an algorithm-driven feed or one showing only content from people they follow. Platforms would need to notify users to select a default option, and non-compliance could bring fines up to AU$109.2 million (about $79 million). The bill, headed to Parliament this year, also targets addictive design features in AI chatbots and games aimed at minors.
Adobe has integrated a new Generative Media tool directly into Premiere Pro's timeline, letting editors fill gaps in video or audio tracks with AI-generated clips without leaving their project or switching apps. The tool supports multiple AI models, including Adobe Firefly, Google Veo, Runway, Luma, and Kling. Premiere is also gaining beta AI audio features for separating speakers and balancing dialogue with music, while After Effects is getting a plain-language AI Assistant for project organization and effects creation.
The Albanese Government has released draft legislation for a Digital Duty of Care, requiring social media platforms to notify users and let them choose between algorithm-curated feeds or feeds based only on accounts they follow. The rules would also force games, apps and AI chatbots to shield under-18 users from addictive design features and harmful content such as material promoting eating disorders, misogyny, pornography, dangerous stunts or serious bullying, while giving eSafety power to order removal of nudify apps and sites.
The open-source media server project Jellyfin has shipped version 12.0, a stable release that completes the database conversion started in 10.11 and translates it into concrete performance gains. The update also adds long-requested support for books and comics, alongside changes to how usernames and alternate video versions are stored.
The RPCS3 development team announced that its open-source PlayStation 3 emulator can now run games straight from physical Blu-ray discs, provided users have a compatible internal or external drive from an extensive supported-hardware list. The update also brings faster installation times for package installs from disc and extends support beyond Windows to Linux, FreeBSD and macOS, including PS4 and PS5 consoles running Linux.
The RIAA reported that US recorded music revenue rose 6.9% in H1 2026 versus H1 2025, with physical formats up 25.9%—vinyl grew 17.7% and CDs jumped 58.6%. Streaming still dominates overall revenue at $4.9 billion, but the outsized physical growth stands out amid rising anger over digital ownership issues.
404 Media reported that surveillance firm Flock ran a webinar last year instructing law enforcement on monitoring the 'No Kings' anti-Trump protests, as well as ordinary gatherings like parades and fireworks shows. In the session, Flock's Caity Peak demonstrated FlockOS, a platform merging license plate readers, drones, gunshot sensors, 911 data and outside camera feeds into one dashboard, using Denver's protest response as a live example.