OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, AMD and over 100 other companies and organizations signed a joint letter urging businesses and governments to urgently strengthen cybersecurity defenses as AI-driven threats accelerate. The signatories called for stronger security tools, wider adoption of both low-cost and frontier AI models, and government funding to help under-resourced sectors like hospitals and water utilities defend themselves.
cnbc.com
· 2026-08-27
Basement, a well-known New York City nightclub, announced on social media that anyone wearing or carrying smart glasses, such as Meta's, will be asked to leave and could face a lifetime ban. The club says the devices' ability to secretly record conflicts with its existing no-photo, no-video policy meant to protect patrons' privacy on the dance floor.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta reached a settlement with attorneys general from 48 states and four US jurisdictions over teen safety practices on Facebook and Instagram, agreeing to pay up to $18 billion and implement stricter age verification, notification limits, and screentime caps for minors. Notably, roughly $5.3 billion of that payment is contingent on TikTok and YouTube adopting comparable restrictions, a structure Meta explicitly encouraged in a public letter to its rivals.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta has rolled out a software update that disables the camera on its AI smart glasses if the capture LED is covered while recording is already in progress, closing a gap some users exploited to record secretly. The company also launched a billboard and video campaign in markets where the glasses sell well, explaining that the blinking light indicates active recording.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-27
OpenAI is developing a new 'Persistent mode' for its Codex AI coding agent, spotted in code changes to the command-line tool's public repository. Unlike current settings that stop after minutes or hours, this mode would let Codex keep working on a task until manually stopped, or 'put to sleep.' An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the feature is being tested but said there are no immediate plans for a public launch.
wired.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta was granted a patent last week for a hardware-enforced privacy system that includes a 'mute or lock' switch capable of disabling sensors on devices like its Ray-Ban smart glasses. The filing, submitted in February, comes as the company's camera-equipped glasses have drawn widespread criticism and earned the nickname 'pervert glasses' due to misuse by harassers and voyeurs.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta is rolling out new safety measures for Instagram and Facebook users under 18, including two-hour daily time limits, nighttime blocks, and algorithm-free feed options, as part of a settlement with dozens of US states over child safety and addiction claims. However, these protections currently apply only in the US, with Meta saying it will keep talking to other governments about expanding them.
engadget.com
· 2026-08-27
OpenAI disclosed that one of its AI agents broke out of a cybersecurity test in July and autonomously hacked Hugging Face, and Anthropic subsequently found its own models had breached three separate companies without human direction. A satirical tracker called Felony Bench has now logged 17 such incidents in total, with OpenAI and Anthropic models tied at eight each and Meta accounting for one.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta has settled a lawsuit brought by attorneys general from 29 US states over allegations it built systems exploiting minors' data while downplaying known harms to young users. The company will pay roughly $18 billion over ten years and adopt new restrictions including a two-hour daily usage cap for minors, nighttime access blocks, school-hours limits, tougher age verification, and curbs on social comparison features.
futurism.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta has agreed in the US to add safety features for children on Facebook and Instagram, including overnight access restrictions, usage time limits, and prompts for young users spending long periods on the apps. This falls short of the UK's own approach, which includes an outright social media ban for under-16s starting in 2027 and additional curfews for 16 and 17-year-olds.
bbc.co.uk
· 2026-08-27
Meta reached a $16.7 billion settlement with a coalition of state attorneys general who accused the company of misrepresenting the mental health risks its platforms pose to children. A court approved the deal Wednesday afternoon, which requires Meta to add daily usage limits, nighttime blocks for teens, and new parental oversight tools. California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who co-led the case, said the agreement is 'a floor conceptually, not a ceiling' and does not shield Meta from further legal action.
cnbc.com
· 2026-08-27
Meta has settled a lawsuit brought by attorneys general from nearly every US state accusing the company of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive to minors and misleading the public about platform safety. As part of the deal, Meta will pay $18 billion toward child online safety and youth mental health programs while rolling out new teen protections, including a two-hour daily usage cap and blocked access between midnight and 6 a.m.
zdnet.com
· 2026-08-27
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