Instagram is introducing a new feature to notify parents if teenagers search for terms related to self-harm on the platform. The move aims to enhance teen safety, promote mental health awareness, and encourage timely interventions by guardians. Instagram plans to balance user privacy with parental guidance, as experts highlight the importance of monitoring online activity to prevent harmful behaviour and support at-risk adolescents.


Instagram to Notify Parents if Teens Search for Self-Harm Terms 

<p>Instagram has introduced a new safety measure aimed at improving protection for teenagers. The platform will soon notify parents if their teen repeatedly searches for topics related to suicide or self-harm within a brief timeframe. These notifications will only be sent to guardians who are signed up for Instagram’s parental supervision program. The update comes as parent company Meta faces ongoing legal challenges concerning the alleged mental health impact of its platforms on young users.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Instagram already prevents explicit self-harm or suicide-related content from appearing in teen search results and instead provides links to crisis support resources. With the new feature, alerts will be delivered to enrolled parents via email, text message, WhatsApp, and through notifications on their own Instagram accounts, depending on the contact details they have shared. The rollout is expected to begin in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada in the coming weeks, with additional countries set to follow later this year.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/danish-pm-mette-frederiksen-calls-snap-election-amid-popularity-surge-for-resisting-trump-s-bid-to-acquire-greenland-1772120220927"><strong>Danish PM Mette Frederiksen calls snap election amid popularity surge for resisting Trump’s bid to acquire Greenland</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In a statement about the update, Meta said it intends to use the feature carefully to avoid excessive or unnecessary alerts, noting that too many notifications could reduce their effectiveness. The company explained that the goal is to help parents recognize when their teen may need emotional support. Meta also revealed it is developing a similar alert system tied to its artificial intelligence tools. Parents may be informed if a teen attempts to initiate certain AI-driven conversations involving self-harm or suicide.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mexico-s-president-claudia-sheinbaum-pushes-for-major-electoral-reforms-1772120706469/embed"><strong>https://www.wionews.com/videos/mexico-s-president-claudia-sheinbaum-pushes-for-major-electoral-reforms-1772120706469/embed</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The announcement arrives amid mounting legal pressure. Meta and several other social media firms are facing lawsuits from thousands of families, school districts, and public agencies. The plaintiffs argue that these platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive and lack sufficient safeguards to shield children from harmful content linked to depression, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Two separate trials involving Meta are currently underway. One case in Los Angeles is examining allegations that the company’s platforms foster addiction among minors, while another proceeding in New Mexico is focused on claims that Meta failed to adequately protect children from sexual exploitation online.</p>

Instagram to roll out parental notifications for suicide-related searches amid ongoing legal challenges

Instagram has introduced a new safety measure aimed at improving protection for teenagers. The platform will soon notify parents if their teen repeatedly searches for topics related to suicide or self-harm within a brief timeframe. These notifications will only be sent to guardians who are signed up for Instagram’s parental supervision program. The update comes as parent company Meta faces ongoing legal challenges concerning the alleged mental health impact of its platforms on young users. Instagram already prevents explicit self-harm or suicide-related content from appearing in teen search results and instead provides links to crisis support resources. With the new feature, alerts will be delivered to enrolled parents via email, text message, WhatsApp, and through notifications on their own Instagram accounts, depending on the contact details they have shared. The rollout is expected to begin in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada in the coming weeks, with additional countries set to follow later this year. Also Read: Danish PM Mette Frederiksen calls snap election amid popularity surge for resisting Trump’s bid to acquire Greenland In a statement about the update, Meta said it intends to use the feature carefully to avoid excessive or unnecessary alerts, noting that too many notifications could reduce their effectiveness. The company explained that the goal is to help parents recognize when their teen may need emotional support. Meta also revealed it is developing a similar alert system tied to its artificial intelligence tools. Parents may be informed if a teen attempts to initiate certain AI-driven conversations involving self-harm or suicide. https://www.wionews.com/videos/mexico-s-president-claudia-sheinbaum-pushes-for-major-electoral-reforms-1772120706469/embed The announcement arrives amid mounting legal pressure. Meta and several other social media firms are facing lawsuits from thousands of families, school districts, and public agencies. The plaintiffs argue that these platforms are intentionally designed to be addictive and lack sufficient safeguards to shield children from harmful content linked to depression, eating disorders, and suicidal thoughts. Two separate trials involving Meta are currently underway. One case in Los Angeles is examining allegations that the company’s platforms foster addiction among minors, while another proceeding in New Mexico is focused on claims that Meta failed to adequately protect children from sexual exploitation online.

<p>Instagram will notify enrolled parents if teens repeatedly search for suicide or self-harm topics, expanding safety efforts amid Meta trials</p>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday became the first world leader and politician to cross 100 million followers on Instagram, marking a new milestone in his global digital presence.


Narendra Modi Becomes First World Leader To Reach 100 Million Milestone on Instagram

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in federal court to defend Instagram against explosive allegations that the platform was deliberately designed to be addictive to children and teenagers. The high-stakes case marks the first time Zuckerberg has testified before a jury specifically about child safety and the mental health impact of social media.


Meta Trial: Zuckerberg Defends Big Tech, Cites 'Strategy Shift' On App Time

<p>"Death is only the beginning," proclaimed Imhotep, the antagonist from 'The Mummy,' a popular movie on ancient curses and reincarnation from the 2000s. Now, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta may actually be on its way to make this a reality. Meta, as per reports, has been granted the patent for a technology that can make our social media accounts and, in turn, us immortal. How? By letting artificial intelligence "simulate" a person's online activity even after their death. But how much would the service cost? How ethical is monetising grief? Here's all you need to know.</p><h2><strong>Meta patents 'life after death' online</strong></h2><p>In December 2025, Zuckerberg's Meta was granted a patent for a technology that can "simulate" how a real person would respond to content posted online by their loved ones. This technology can potentially be used by content creators during media detox, and more alarmingly, to keep alive a person's online legacy after they die. How? The language model will theoretically do this by replicating the individual's online footprint from when they were alive.</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ai-attempts-to-bring-dead-back-to-life-give-people-closure-601951"><strong>AI attempts to bring dead back to life, give people closure</strong></a><strong> &nbsp;</strong></p><p>The tool, as per Business Insider, seems to be specifically designed for Meta's own platforms, Facebook and Instagram.</p><p>"The language model may be used for simulating the user when the user is absent from the social networking system, for example, when the user takes a long break or if the user is deceased," reads the patent granted to Meta, with Andrew Bosworth, the company's CTO, listed as the primary author. The request for this patent, as per reports, was filed in 2023.</p><p>Once the tech is executed, it can not only leave comments but also respond to messages. The patent also refers to more advanced technological feats, including simulating audio and even video calls. How? Meta will train its model on user-specific data to understand how you would (or rather, did) behave.</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-jesus-watches-over-her-whoops-disturbing-epstein-files-email-mocking-young-victim-s-faith-goes-viral-1771055911141"><strong>'Jesus watches over her… whoops': Disturbing Epstein files email mocking young victim’s faith goes viral</strong></a></p><h2><strong>When will this technology be available?</strong></h2><p>Talking to Business Insider, a spokesperson for the tech giant said that while Meta files patents to disclose technological concepts, it does not necessarily mean the company will pursue, develop or implement the technology.</p><h2><strong>Monetising grief?</strong></h2><p>Despite Meta's assurances that it does not have any plans to float the technology at the moment, the patent raises important ethical questions about technology and monetising grief. Automated legacy accounts are not a new concept; Meta previously introduced a feature that allows users to assign someone to operate their account in the event of their passing.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/advances-in-artificial-intelligence-mean-deadbots-can-haunt-users-warn-ai-experts-heres-what-it-means-719542"><strong>Advances in artificial intelligence mean 'deadbots' can 'haunt' the living, warn experts. Here's what it means</strong></a></p><p>Similarly, as previously reported by WION, many companies offer services like "deadbots" or "griefbots" that can bring a dead loved one back to life. These chatbots can simulate the personality and speech patterns of a dead loved one using the digital footprints— messages, etc— they've left behind. But how ethical is this? AI ethicists have earlier warned that such services would do more harm than good and can even "haunt" users.&nbsp;</p>

Meta has patented technology that could let AI keep posting, messaging, and even “talking” as you after death, using your social media history to simulate you. It sounds like science fiction, but the ethical questions are even bigger. Scroll down to see why.

"Death is only the beginning," proclaimed Imhotep, the antagonist from 'The Mummy,' a popular movie on ancient curses and reincarnation from the 2000s. Now, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta may actually be on its way to make this a reality. Meta, as per reports, has been granted the patent for a technology that can make our social media accounts and, in turn, us immortal. How? By letting artificial intelligence "simulate" a person's online activity even after their death. But how much would the service cost? How ethical is monetising grief? Here's all you need to know. Meta patents 'life after death' online In December 2025, Zuckerberg's Meta was granted a patent for a technology that can "simulate" how a real person would respond to content posted online by their loved ones. This technology can potentially be used by content creators during media detox, and more alarmingly, to keep alive a person's online legacy after they die. How? The language model will theoretically do this by replicating the individual's online footprint from when they were alive. Also read | AI attempts to bring dead back to life, give people closure The tool, as per Business Insider, seems to be specifically designed for Meta's own platforms, Facebook and Instagram. "The language model may be used for simulating the user when the user is absent from the social networking system, for example, when the user takes a long break or if the user is deceased," reads the patent granted to Meta, with Andrew Bosworth, the company's CTO, listed as the primary author. The request for this patent, as per reports, was filed in 2023. Once the tech is executed, it can not only leave comments but also respond to messages. The patent also refers to more advanced technological feats, including simulating audio and even video calls. How? Meta will train its model on user-specific data to understand how you would (or rather, did) behave. Also read | 'Jesus watches over her… whoops': Disturbing Epstein files email mocking young victim’s faith goes viral When will this technology be available? Talking to Business Insider, a spokesperson for the tech giant said that while Meta files patents to disclose technological concepts, it does not necessarily mean the company will pursue, develop or implement the technology. Monetising grief? Despite Meta's assurances that it does not have any plans to float the technology at the moment, the patent raises important ethical questions about technology and monetising grief. Automated legacy accounts are not a new concept; Meta previously introduced a feature that allows users to assign someone to operate their account in the event of their passing. Also read | Advances in artificial intelligence mean 'deadbots' can 'haunt' the living, warn experts. Here's what it means Similarly, as previously reported by WION, many companies offer services like "deadbots" or "griefbots" that can bring a dead loved one back to life. These chatbots can simulate the personality and speech patterns of a dead loved one using the digital footprints— messages, etc— they've left behind. But how ethical is this? AI ethicists have earlier warned that such services would do more harm than good and can even "haunt" users.

<p>Meta has patented technology that could let AI keep posting, messaging, and even “talking” as you after death, using your social media history to simulate you. It sounds like science fiction, but the ethical questions are even bigger. Scroll down to see why.</p>

Death is only the beginning? Meta patents tech that'll let AI run your social media from beyond the grave | WION Explains

<p>A lawsuit against Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap brought by a 20-year-old woman at the Los Angeles Superior Court could lead to drastic changes in their apps. Referred to as KGM, the plaintiff claims that she became addicted to social media as a child, causing anxiety, depression and body-image issues. Notably, TikTok and Snapchat settled with her before the trial. There are thousands of other lawsuits where people are slamming social media companies for leading youth to become addicted to their apps. Her lawyers say that “infinitely scroll” on Instagram kept her glued to her phone for at least eight hours a day. They argue that "likes" on her photos and videos gave her a dopamine rush, which made the platform more addictive. They compared the addiction to social media with cigarettes. Mark Lanier, the woman's lawyer, said, "They didn’t just build apps, they built traps. They didn’t want users, they wanted addicts.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Instagram chief Adam Mosseri's testimony has not gone down well with the plaintiffs. Mosseri told the court that addiction is different from "problematic usage" of social media. “I’m sure I said this, but I think it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use,” said Mosseri. He argued that "addiction" is often used casually, such as when he once said he was addicted to a Netflix show, but "that’s not an actual clinical addiction." He agreed that "it’s possible to use Instagram more than you feel good about," but "too much is relative, it’s personal." Mosseri added, "We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible." Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is testifying next week.</p><p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-addiction-by-design-meta-youtube-accused-of-engineering-addiction-children-during-us-trial-1770688114440"><strong>‘Addiction by design’? Meta, YouTube accused of 'engineering addiction' in children during US trial</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Prince Harry supports grieving parents standing against social media platforms</strong></h2><p>The plaintiff claims that these social media platforms were aware that some designs and features could foster detrimental mental health effects in young people, and still misled the public about the safety of their apps. Several families are closely watching the trial, and a group of them are being supported by Prince Harry. His Archewell Foundation is focused on digital safety. There are several cases of young people killing themselves because of social media. Lori Schott took her own life at the age of 18 in November 2020 because she believed she was ugly and worthless. In 2017, Molly Russell, a 14-year-old British schoolgirl, harmed herself and died as she was suffering from depression. It was revealed that social media contributed to her condition. These and many more such cases have triggered a widespread call for clamping down on social media platforms that are being accused of ignoring the safety of children.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Meta has been accused of engineering Instagram to create addiction among youth in a lawsuit. Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify next week. Meanwhile, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri created a furore by claiming addiction and problematic usage are two different things.

A lawsuit against Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snap brought by a 20-year-old woman at the Los Angeles Superior Court could lead to drastic changes in their apps. Referred to as KGM, the plaintiff claims that she became addicted to social media as a child, causing anxiety, depression and body-image issues. Notably, TikTok and Snapchat settled with her before the trial. There are thousands of other lawsuits where people are slamming social media companies for leading youth to become addicted to their apps. Her lawyers say that “infinitely scroll” on Instagram kept her glued to her phone for at least eight hours a day. They argue that "likes" on her photos and videos gave her a dopamine rush, which made the platform more addictive. They compared the addiction to social media with cigarettes. Mark Lanier, the woman's lawyer, said, "They didn’t just build apps, they built traps. They didn’t want users, they wanted addicts.” Instagram chief Adam Mosseri's testimony has not gone down well with the plaintiffs. Mosseri told the court that addiction is different from "problematic usage" of social media. “I’m sure I said this, but I think it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use,” said Mosseri. He argued that "addiction" is often used casually, such as when he once said he was addicted to a Netflix show, but "that’s not an actual clinical addiction." He agreed that "it’s possible to use Instagram more than you feel good about," but "too much is relative, it’s personal." Mosseri added, "We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible." Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is testifying next week. Also Read: ‘Addiction by design’? Meta, YouTube accused of 'engineering addiction' in children during US trial Prince Harry supports grieving parents standing against social media platforms The plaintiff claims that these social media platforms were aware that some designs and features could foster detrimental mental health effects in young people, and still misled the public about the safety of their apps. Several families are closely watching the trial, and a group of them are being supported by Prince Harry. His Archewell Foundation is focused on digital safety. There are several cases of young people killing themselves because of social media. Lori Schott took her own life at the age of 18 in November 2020 because she believed she was ugly and worthless. In 2017, Molly Russell, a 14-year-old British schoolgirl, harmed herself and died as she was suffering from depression. It was revealed that social media contributed to her condition. These and many more such cases have triggered a widespread call for clamping down on social media platforms that are being accused of ignoring the safety of children.

<p>Meta has been accused of engineering Instagram to create addiction among youth in a lawsuit. Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify next week. Meanwhile, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri created a furore by claiming addiction and problematic usage are two different things.</p>

Instagram head says no such thing as 'social media addiction'. The lawsuit might change apps forever

<p>Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, along with Google-owned YouTube, on Monday (Feb 9) were accused of "engineering addiction" in children. The accusation against the tech giants was levelled as a closely watched trial against major social media companies began in California. The trial would see Meta and YouTube facing accusations that their platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive for children. It marks one of the first times a jury will directly consider whether social media companies can be held legally responsible for the mental health impact of their platforms on children.</p><h2><strong>"Engineered addiction"</strong></h2><p>The case, unfolding before a Los Angeles jury, could set an important legal precedent for hundreds of similar lawsuits across the United States. At the centre of the trial is a 20-year-old woman identified in court documents as Kaley G.M., who claims she suffered severe mental harm after becoming addicted to social media as a child.</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jimmy-lai-s-son-sebastien-lai-asks-trump-to-tell-xi-the-prison-sentence-is-a-mistake-warns-if-he-dies-1770685339030"><strong>Jimmy Lai’s son asks Trump to tell Xi the prison sentence is a ‘mistake’</strong></a></p><p>In opening arguments, plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier accused tech companies of intentionally engineering their platforms to hook young users. "This case is about two of the richest corporations in history who have engineered addiction in children's brains," Lanier told the jury. Stacking children's toy bricks, he described the case "as easy as A-B-C," A for addicting, B for brains, and C for children.</p><p>Lanier argued that companies built systems designed to maximise engagement, comparing social media features to gambling mechanisms. "They don't only build apps; they build traps," he said, adding that Meta and YouTube pursued "addiction by design".</p><p>He told jurors that Kaley began using YouTube at the age of six, and her family was never warned that "the goal was viewer addiction," or about the risks of algorithm-driven addiction among children.</p><p>The case is being treated as a “bellwether” trial, meaning its outcome could influence how future lawsuits against social media companies are handled, including potential compensation for plaintiffs.</p><p><strong>Also read | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-health-secretary-robert-f-kennedy-jr-s-bizarre-link-with-paedophile-revealed-in-latest-epstein-file-dump-dinosaur-hunt-emails-1770444507541"><strong>Trump health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s bizarre link with paedophile revealed in latest Epstein file dump</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Companies reject responsibility</strong></h2><p>Lawyers for Meta strongly pushed back against the claims, arguing that social media was not the primary cause of the young woman’s struggles. "If you took Instagram away and everything else was the same in Kaley's life, would her life be completely different, or would she still be struggling with the same things she is today?" Defense attorney Paul Schmidt asked jurors. He said that personal challenges, including bullying and family issues, played a larger role in her mental health difficulties.</p><p>YouTube also denied the allegations. A company spokesperson said the claims were "simply not true,” pointing to ongoing efforts to introduce safety tools for younger users.</p>

A landmark trial in California has begun against Meta and YouTube, with plaintiffs accusing the companies of deliberately designing their platforms to ‘addict’ children and harm their mental health. All you need to know.

Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, along with Google-owned YouTube, on Monday (Feb 9) were accused of "engineering addiction" in children. The accusation against the tech giants was levelled as a closely watched trial against major social media companies began in California. The trial would see Meta and YouTube facing accusations that their platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive for children. It marks one of the first times a jury will directly consider whether social media companies can be held legally responsible for the mental health impact of their platforms on children. "Engineered addiction" The case, unfolding before a Los Angeles jury, could set an important legal precedent for hundreds of similar lawsuits across the United States. At the centre of the trial is a 20-year-old woman identified in court documents as Kaley G.M., who claims she suffered severe mental harm after becoming addicted to social media as a child. Also read | Jimmy Lai’s son asks Trump to tell Xi the prison sentence is a ‘mistake’ In opening arguments, plaintiffs’ attorney Mark Lanier accused tech companies of intentionally engineering their platforms to hook young users. "This case is about two of the richest corporations in history who have engineered addiction in children's brains," Lanier told the jury. Stacking children's toy bricks, he described the case "as easy as A-B-C," A for addicting, B for brains, and C for children. Lanier argued that companies built systems designed to maximise engagement, comparing social media features to gambling mechanisms. "They don't only build apps; they build traps," he said, adding that Meta and YouTube pursued "addiction by design". He told jurors that Kaley began using YouTube at the age of six, and her family was never warned that "the goal was viewer addiction," or about the risks of algorithm-driven addiction among children. The case is being treated as a “bellwether” trial, meaning its outcome could influence how future lawsuits against social media companies are handled, including potential compensation for plaintiffs. Also read | Trump health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s bizarre link with paedophile revealed in latest Epstein file dump Companies reject responsibility Lawyers for Meta strongly pushed back against the claims, arguing that social media was not the primary cause of the young woman’s struggles. "If you took Instagram away and everything else was the same in Kaley's life, would her life be completely different, or would she still be struggling with the same things she is today?" Defense attorney Paul Schmidt asked jurors. He said that personal challenges, including bullying and family issues, played a larger role in her mental health difficulties. YouTube also denied the allegations. A company spokesperson said the claims were "simply not true,” pointing to ongoing efforts to introduce safety tools for younger users.

<p>A landmark trial in California has begun against Meta and YouTube, with plaintiffs accusing the companies of deliberately designing their platforms to ‘addict’ children and harm their mental health. All you need to know.</p>

‘Addiction by design’? Meta, YouTube accused of 'engineering addiction' in children during US trial

<p>Social media platform Instagram has rejected claims that its platform suffered a data breach after large numbers of users reported receiving unexpected password reset emails. According to the company, the emails were triggered by a technical flaw that allowed a third party to initiate legitimate password reset requests. Instagram said the issue has since been fixed and stressed that its internal systems were not compromised, assuring users that their accounts remain safe.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Despite this reassurance, several cybersecurity experts have raised doubts. Malwarebytes, a well-known security firm, suggested the emails were linked to a hacking incident rather than a simple technical error. In a post shared on X, Malwarebytes alleged that hackers had obtained personal information from 17.5 million Instagram accounts. The firm claimed the exposed data included usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, physical locations, and other sensitive details. The post, which included an image of an Instagram password reset email, quickly gained traction, attracting more than 2.3 million views.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-s-machado-meets-pope-leo-seeks-support-for-release-of-political-prisoners-nicolas-maduro-caracus-1768234943986"><strong>Venezuela’s Machado meets Pope Leo, seeks support for release of political prisoners</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Malwarebytes later told the BBC that it believes the surge in password reset emails coincided with the sale of private user data on a criminal forum. On that forum, a seller claims to possess personal information belonging to millions of Instagram users, allegedly sourced from a “leak” dating back to 2024.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>However, some independent security researchers dispute this account. They suggest the dataset may not be new, arguing it could be compiled from information that was publicly accessible on Instagram profiles as far back as 2022, such as names and locations. The combination of password reset emails and warnings from security firms has left many users confused and concerned. Instagram’s explanation has also drawn scrutiny, particularly its statement that an “external party” was able to request password resets without clarifying how this was possible.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/digital-arrest-scams-spread-across-india-triggers-alarm-1768238430986/embed"><strong>https://www.wionews.com/videos/digital-arrest-scams-spread-across-india-triggers-alarm-1768238430986/embed</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Many users initially worried the emails were phishing attempts. However, the links appear to direct users to genuine Instagram pages, and the password reset process itself seems authentic. Even so, experts continue to advise caution. Users are encouraged to avoid clicking links in unexpected emails and instead visit the official Instagram app or website directly to change passwords and enable additional security measures such as two-factor authentication.</p>

Instagram denies data breach after several users get password reset email

Social media platform Instagram has rejected claims that its platform suffered a data breach after large numbers of users reported receiving unexpected password reset emails. According to the company, the emails were triggered by a technical flaw that allowed a third party to initiate legitimate password reset requests. Instagram said the issue has since been fixed and stressed that its internal systems were not compromised, assuring users that their accounts remain safe. Despite this reassurance, several cybersecurity experts have raised doubts. Malwarebytes, a well-known security firm, suggested the emails were linked to a hacking incident rather than a simple technical error. In a post shared on X, Malwarebytes alleged that hackers had obtained personal information from 17.5 million Instagram accounts. The firm claimed the exposed data included usernames, phone numbers, email addresses, physical locations, and other sensitive details. The post, which included an image of an Instagram password reset email, quickly gained traction, attracting more than 2.3 million views. Also Read: Venezuela’s Machado meets Pope Leo, seeks support for release of political prisoners Malwarebytes later told the BBC that it believes the surge in password reset emails coincided with the sale of private user data on a criminal forum. On that forum, a seller claims to possess personal information belonging to millions of Instagram users, allegedly sourced from a “leak” dating back to 2024. However, some independent security researchers dispute this account. They suggest the dataset may not be new, arguing it could be compiled from information that was publicly accessible on Instagram profiles as far back as 2022, such as names and locations. The combination of password reset emails and warnings from security firms has left many users confused and concerned. Instagram’s explanation has also drawn scrutiny, particularly its statement that an “external party” was able to request password resets without clarifying how this was possible. https://www.wionews.com/videos/digital-arrest-scams-spread-across-india-triggers-alarm-1768238430986/embed Many users initially worried the emails were phishing attempts. However, the links appear to direct users to genuine Instagram pages, and the password reset process itself seems authentic. Even so, experts continue to advise caution. Users are encouraged to avoid clicking links in unexpected emails and instead visit the official Instagram app or website directly to change passwords and enable additional security measures such as two-factor authentication.

<p>Instagram denies a data breach after users receive reset emails, but security experts question whether leaked user data triggered the alerts</p>

<p>WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow users to save unfinished Status updates and complete them later. The feature is currently available to select beta testers, as per a report by WABetaInfo, which tracks WhatsApp updates.</p><p>The move brings WhatsApp Status closer to Instagram-style posting, where users can work on content without publishing it immediately.</p><h2><strong>What is the new WhatsApp Status draft feature?</strong></h2><p>The new feature allows users to save a Status update as a draft if they are unable to finish it at once.</p><p>According to WABetaInfo, users can save:</p><p>Text-based Status updates</p><p>Photos with edits</p><p>Stickers and drawings</p><p>Partially written captions</p><p>If a user starts creating a Status but exits the editor, WhatsApp now offers an option to save the update instead of discarding it. This means users can return later and continue editing from where they left off.</p><h2><strong>How the feature works inside WhatsApp</strong></h2><p>WhatsApp has added a save button at the top of the Status editor. Tapping this button stores the draft safely, allowing users to access it later. If a user presses the back button while editing, WhatsApp may show a prompt asking whether they want to:</p><p>Discard the Status, or</p><p>Save it as a draft just like it is asked in Instagram as of now.</p><p>This reduces the risk of losing work, especially when switching apps or getting interrupted.</p><p><strong>Update for users</strong></p><p>Earlier, users who wanted to save an edited image or half-written Status had to send it to themselves in a chat. The new feature removes this extra step. It is especially useful for:</p><p>Users who plan their Status updates</p><p>People who get interrupted mid-edit</p><p>Creators who want more control before posting</p><p>WhatsApp had recently introduced draft labels for unsent chat messages, making it easier to spot unfinished texts.</p><p>The Status draft feature builds on the same idea.</p><h2><strong>When will the feature be available to everyone?</strong></h2><p>At present, the Status draft feature is not available to all users. WhatsApp is still testing it across different devices and accounts. According to WABetaInfo, a wider rollout is expected in the coming weeks, once performance and stability improve.</p><p>WhatsApp has not yet shared an official release date.</p>

WhatsApp is testing a new Status draft feature that lets users save unfinished updates and edit them later. This new feature offers Instagram-style saving options and is currently available to select beta users, with a wider rollout expected soon.


WhatsApp is testing a new feature that will allow users to save unfinished Status updates and complete them later. The feature is currently available to select beta testers, as per a report by WABetaInfo, which tracks WhatsApp updates. The move brings WhatsApp Status closer to Instagram-style posting, where users can work on content without publishing it immediately. What is the new WhatsApp Status draft feature? The new feature allows users to save a Status update as a draft if they are unable to finish it at once. According to WABetaInfo, users can save: Text-based Status updates Photos with edits Stickers and drawings Partially written captions If a user starts creating a Status but exits the editor, WhatsApp now offers an option to save the update instead of discarding it. This means users can return later and continue editing from where they left off. How the feature works inside WhatsApp WhatsApp has added a save button at the top of the Status editor. Tapping this button stores the draft safely, allowing users to access it later. If a user presses the back button while editing, WhatsApp may show a prompt asking whether they want to: Discard the Status, or Save it as a draft just like it is asked in Instagram as of now. This reduces the risk of losing work, especially when switching apps or getting interrupted. Update for users Earlier, users who wanted to save an edited image or half-written Status had to send it to themselves in a chat. The new feature removes this extra step. It is especially useful for: Users who plan their Status updates People who get interrupted mid-edit Creators who want more control before posting WhatsApp had recently introduced draft labels for unsent chat messages, making it easier to spot unfinished texts. The Status draft feature builds on the same idea. When will the feature be available to everyone? At present, the Status draft feature is not available to all users. WhatsApp is still testing it across different devices and accounts. According to WABetaInfo, a wider rollout is expected in the coming weeks, once performance and stability improve. WhatsApp has not yet shared an official release date.

<p>WhatsApp is testing a new Status draft feature that lets users save unfinished updates and edit them later. This new feature offers Instagram-style saving options and is currently available to select beta users, with a wider rollout expected soon.</p>

WhatsApp users can now save status drafts like Instagram

<p>Just a week before the official teen social media ban gets started, tech company Meta has begin removing Australian children below 16 years old from Instagram, Facebook and Threads. In November, Meta announced that it had started sending notification to users aged between 13-15 years that their accounts will be closing from December 4.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Approximately 150,000 Facebook users and nearly 350,000 Instagram users are likely to be impacted by this move. Notably, users can only access Threads through an Instagram account. The social media ban in Australia will be starting from December 10. Failure to take reasonable steps to stop those below 16y years from having accounts, companies may face fine up to $33mn. "While Meta is committed to complying with the law, we believe a more effective, standardised, and privacy-preserving approach is needed," a spokesperson for Meta was quoted as saying to BBC on Thursday (December 4).</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-dangerously-high-levels-of-toxins-found-in-bodies-of-air-india-crash-victims-repatriated-to-uk-hazardous-to-mortuary-workers-1764839878589"><strong>'Dangerously high' levels of toxins found in bodies of Air India crash victims repatriated to UK, hazardous to mortuary workers</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The government should require the app stores to check the age of the users when they download social media apps and should seek an approval from the parents for those under 16 years. Teens who believe that they are not in the under 16 category, can ask for a review and in order to verify their age, all they need to do is send a 'video selfie'. "With one law, we can protect Generation Alpha from being sucked into purgatory by the predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as behavioural cocaine," Australia Communications Minister Anika Wells was quoted as saying in an interview.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-the-us-hunts-him-with-rewards-and-warships-maduro-says-trump-dialed-him-for-respectful-talks-1764835881431"><strong>As the US hunts him with rewards and warships, Maduro says Trump dialed him for 'respectful' talks</strong></a></p>

Meta removes account of 500,000 teens ahead of social media ban in Australia starting from December 10

Just a week before the official teen social media ban gets started, tech company Meta has begin removing Australian children below 16 years old from Instagram, Facebook and Threads. In November, Meta announced that it had started sending notification to users aged between 13-15 years that their accounts will be closing from December 4. Approximately 150,000 Facebook users and nearly 350,000 Instagram users are likely to be impacted by this move. Notably, users can only access Threads through an Instagram account. The social media ban in Australia will be starting from December 10. Failure to take reasonable steps to stop those below 16y years from having accounts, companies may face fine up to $33mn. "While Meta is committed to complying with the law, we believe a more effective, standardised, and privacy-preserving approach is needed," a spokesperson for Meta was quoted as saying to BBC on Thursday (December 4). Also Read: 'Dangerously high' levels of toxins found in bodies of Air India crash victims repatriated to UK, hazardous to mortuary workers The government should require the app stores to check the age of the users when they download social media apps and should seek an approval from the parents for those under 16 years. Teens who believe that they are not in the under 16 category, can ask for a review and in order to verify their age, all they need to do is send a 'video selfie'. "With one law, we can protect Generation Alpha from being sucked into purgatory by the predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as behavioural cocaine," Australia Communications Minister Anika Wells was quoted as saying in an interview. Also Read: As the US hunts him with rewards and warships, Maduro says Trump dialed him for 'respectful' talks

<p>Ahead of the December 10 deadline, Meta has started removing account of Australian teens U-16 from its platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Threads</p>

<p>Amid growing concern over social media content, Instagram on Tuesday (Oct 14) announced that it will limit what users under 18 can see on the platform. Meta, the platform’s parent company, will be using filters inspired by the PG-13 movie rating system in a move taken to address criticism over the protection of teenagers online. The move comes after growing backlash from advocacy groups and lawsuits, which cite the company’s failure to protect young users on its platform from harmful content that may lead to psychological harm.</p><p>Earlier in September, reports surfaced showing that several safety features implemented on Instagram by Meta did not work well or exist. Reuters reported in August that Meta allowed provocative chatbot behaviour, including enabling the bot to engage in “conversations that are romantic or sensual.”</p><h2><strong>What are Meta’s latest PG-13 safeguards?</strong></h2><p>The new system adopted by Meta, which is based on the Motion Picture Association’s ratings, will restrict posts featuring strong language, drug references, risky stunts and other mature themes for teenagers. The guidelines will also be implemented for the company’s generative AI tools.</p><p>Under the latest safeguards, teen accounts will be automatically placed under the PG-13 settings. It added that parents can adjust the settings to add stricter content filters and screen time controls with a “limited content setting”. Teen users will also not be able to interact with accounts sharing mature content.</p><p>“We hope this update reassures parents,” Meta said in a blog post. “We know teens may try to avoid these restrictions, which is why we’ll use age prediction technology to place teens into certain content protections — even if they claim to be adults.”</p><p>The new setting will be first released in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada, with full launch likely by the end of this year. Meta said that it will also introduce additional safeguards for teens on Facebook.</p>

The new setting will be first released in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada, with full launch likely by the end of this year.

Amid growing concern over social media content, Instagram on Tuesday (Oct 14) announced that it will limit what users under 18 can see on the platform. Meta, the platform’s parent company, will be using filters inspired by the PG-13 movie rating system in a move taken to address criticism over the protection of teenagers online. The move comes after growing backlash from advocacy groups and lawsuits, which cite the company’s failure to protect young users on its platform from harmful content that may lead to psychological harm. Earlier in September, reports surfaced showing that several safety features implemented on Instagram by Meta did not work well or exist. Reuters reported in August that Meta allowed provocative chatbot behaviour, including enabling the bot to engage in “conversations that are romantic or sensual.” What are Meta’s latest PG-13 safeguards? The new system adopted by Meta, which is based on the Motion Picture Association’s ratings, will restrict posts featuring strong language, drug references, risky stunts and other mature themes for teenagers. The guidelines will also be implemented for the company’s generative AI tools. Under the latest safeguards, teen accounts will be automatically placed under the PG-13 settings. It added that parents can adjust the settings to add stricter content filters and screen time controls with a “limited content setting”. Teen users will also not be able to interact with accounts sharing mature content. “We hope this update reassures parents,” Meta said in a blog post. “We know teens may try to avoid these restrictions, which is why we’ll use age prediction technology to place teens into certain content protections — even if they claim to be adults.” The new setting will be first released in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada, with full launch likely by the end of this year. Meta said that it will also introduce additional safeguards for teens on Facebook.

<p>The new setting will be first released in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada, with full launch likely by the end of this year.</p>

Instagram to limit content for teens? Here’s what we know about Meta’s new move

Sushila Karki, 73, is not a politician by background. She is best known for her tenure as the first woman chief justice of Nepal. Sushila Karki became Nepal’s next Prime Minister amid growing youth protests demanding the dissolution of parliament.


Nepal: Who's Sushila Karki? From Nepal's first female Chief Justice to interim PM

The K.P. Sharma Oli government on Thursday (September 4, 2025) decided to ban as many as 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube, citing their failure to meet the deadline to comply with registration requirements in Nepal.


Nepal: Ban on major social media apps that missed registration deadline

Nepal blocks Facebook, X, YouTube access

Nepal bans Facebook, YouTube & Instagram, 26 major apps blocked nationwide 

Nepal: 26 major apps blocked nationwide over registration failure 

<p>Artificial Intelligence has reached such levels where it is getting harder and harder to distinguish between what's real and what's fake. Thankfully, sometimes our intelligence and basic principles learned in school come to the rescue. An Instagram page has been posting content supposedly showing "the edge of the world." The videos show a remote place, somewhere claiming to be in Antarctica, with the point where land ends and space begins. They can be seen throwing things over the ledge to see what happens. In one video, a man shows off a base camp with several tents pitched in the snow. He shows another man setting up the tent, and then a table with food and drinks. "Careful, it's a long fall, like forever. Greg calls this porch sitting, I call it fall and die. The view is killer, though," he says. The makers are pushing the claim that they have reached a point on Earth no one was supposed to see, the "governments and concerned authorities wanted to keep hidden from the world.&nbsp;</p><p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-welcome-to-new-world-of-misinformation-google-veo-3-s-realistic-videos-of-ai-reporters-make-internet-uncomfortable-1747982803187"><strong>'Welcome to new world of misinformation': Google Veo 3's realistic videos of AI reporters make internet uncomfortable</strong></a></p><h2><strong>‘NASA has noticed us…’</strong></h2><p>The videos on this handle are clearly generated using AI, thus showing how the advanced tools have opened up an entire world of conspiracy theories and fake content. Google Veo 3 is one such tool that has been in the news lately for creating extremely realistic videos. In one video on the Instagram handle called deep.seavisitor, a man can be seen dressed fully covered in warm clothes and gear, holding a flare while a helicopter flies behind him into "space". He says, "We are standing on the edge of the end of the world. NASA has noticed us. May be I wasn't supposed to record this." In another clip, the man says, "We have been riding for seven days, we have covered 1,200 miles and we still haven't found the end."</p><p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-video-of-women-google-veo-3-1748497674146"><strong>'It's over for humanity': 'Creepy' video of two women is hiding something sinister</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Instagram page with hyper-realistic content whick is completely fake</strong></h2><p>If you are unfamiliar with this page and come across one of the so-called Antarctica videos for the first time, it might leave your jaw dropping. However, as you scroll through more of them, it becomes clear quickly that whoever owns the page has been making skilful use of AI to generate unrealistic videos, some of them weird and some plain funny. One of the clips shows the team digging into the ice and discovering an "alien tomb" with a figure inside it. They pull out the "skeleton" and drag it through the ice on a sledge. Viewers commenting on the videos are completely aware that all the content is AI-generated. Yet, they still seem to be causing intrigue and excitement. This is why even actor Hrithik Roshan seems to have left a thumbs-up on one of their videos. A person commented, "AI, but still a great video," with another adding, "This would make for a great movie plot." Another comment read, "This is the best AI that I've seen so far."</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>https://www.wionews.com/videos/open-ai-launches-chatgpt-5-gpt-being-integrated-into-microsoft-platforms-1754675043819/embed</p><h2><strong>AI is being used to scam people</strong></h2><p>Google says that with Veo 3, "you can create more immersive experiences by not only generating stunning visuals, but also audio like dialogue and sound effects." Several videos made with such tools are circulating on the internet, leaving people flabbergasted at the amount of realism. However, AI content always has some giveaways if looked at closely. People are calling on authorities to place regulations on AI as they fear it can cause massive side effects one day. They are also leading to scams and views and opinions that go against scientific principles. In Malaysia, an older couple watched a video of a tourist resort and travelled for kilometres to get there. They were shocked to the core when they were told that no such place exists in the area.</p>

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border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; 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An Instagram handle known for its AI content is now posting footage of the “edge of the world” in Antarctica that opens right into space. The extremely real videos show a man talking into the camera about how governments wanted it to remain a secret

Artificial Intelligence has reached such levels where it is getting harder and harder to distinguish between what's real and what's fake. Thankfully, sometimes our intelligence and basic principles learned in school come to the rescue. An Instagram page has been posting content supposedly showing "the edge of the world." The videos show a remote place, somewhere claiming to be in Antarctica, with the point where land ends and space begins. They can be seen throwing things over the ledge to see what happens. In one video, a man shows off a base camp with several tents pitched in the snow. He shows another man setting up the tent, and then a table with food and drinks. "Careful, it's a long fall, like forever. Greg calls this porch sitting, I call it fall and die. The view is killer, though," he says. The makers are pushing the claim that they have reached a point on Earth no one was supposed to see, the "governments and concerned authorities wanted to keep hidden from the world. Also Read: 'Welcome to new world of misinformation': Google Veo 3's realistic videos of AI reporters make internet uncomfortable ‘NASA has noticed us…’ The videos on this handle are clearly generated using AI, thus showing how the advanced tools have opened up an entire world of conspiracy theories and fake content. Google Veo 3 is one such tool that has been in the news lately for creating extremely realistic videos. In one video on the Instagram handle called deep.seavisitor, a man can be seen dressed fully covered in warm clothes and gear, holding a flare while a helicopter flies behind him into "space". He says, "We are standing on the edge of the end of the world. NASA has noticed us. May be I wasn't supposed to record this." In another clip, the man says, "We have been riding for seven days, we have covered 1,200 miles and we still haven't found the end." Also Read: 'It's over for humanity': 'Creepy' video of two women is hiding something sinister Instagram page with hyper-realistic content whick is completely fake If you are unfamiliar with this page and come across one of the so-called Antarctica videos for the first time, it might leave your jaw dropping. However, as you scroll through more of them, it becomes clear quickly that whoever owns the page has been making skilful use of AI to generate unrealistic videos, some of them weird and some plain funny. One of the clips shows the team digging into the ice and discovering an "alien tomb" with a figure inside it. They pull out the "skeleton" and drag it through the ice on a sledge. Viewers commenting on the videos are completely aware that all the content is AI-generated. Yet, they still seem to be causing intrigue and excitement. This is why even actor Hrithik Roshan seems to have left a thumbs-up on one of their videos. A person commented, "AI, but still a great video," with another adding, "This would make for a great movie plot." Another comment read, "This is the best AI that I've seen so far." https://www.wionews.com/videos/open-ai-launches-chatgpt-5-gpt-being-integrated-into-microsoft-platforms-1754675043819/embed AI is being used to scam people Google says that with Veo 3, "you can create more immersive experiences by not only generating stunning visuals, but also audio like dialogue and sound effects." Several videos made with such tools are circulating on the internet, leaving people flabbergasted at the amount of realism. However, AI content always has some giveaways if looked at closely. People are calling on authorities to place regulations on AI as they fear it can cause massive side effects one day. They are also leading to scams and views and opinions that go against scientific principles. In Malaysia, an older couple watched a video of a tourist resort and travelled for kilometres to get there. They were shocked to the core when they were told that no such place exists in the area.

<p>An Instagram handle known for its AI content is now posting footage of the “edge of the world” in Antarctica that opens right into space. The extremely real videos show a man talking into the camera about how governments wanted it to remain a secret</p>

Antarctica has fallen! Bizarre theories about ice wall and alien tombs swirl on social media

Meta on Wednesday (Aug 6) announced new features for Instagram, which include reposts, a location-sharing map, and a revamped ‘Friends’ tab—sparking backlash over copying TikTok and X

<p>Meta on Wednesday (Aug 6) announced new features for Instagram, which include reposts, a location-sharing map, and a revamped ‘Friends’ tab—sparking backlash over copying TikTok and X</p>

From Reposts to Maps: Instagram launches new features, netizens say 'it's wannabe TikTok, X'

<p>The story of Babydoll Archi continues to baffle the world. This person who doesn't even exist has been making headlines for weeks now. She is an Instagrammer who dances seductively to Romanian songs, shares space with adult entertainment stars and managed to double her following within a few days. The content she served was borderline salacious and erotic. This pulled over a million people to her page. Babydoll Archi was trending, and everyone wanted to dive into her world. However, the person whose face was splashed across social media was oblivious to all the fame she was garnering. The woman everyone was watching wasn't doing any of it. Someone had stolen her identity and created an almost pornographic persona that everyone wanted to get a bite of. Archita Phukan is a married woman living in Dibrugarh, Assam. She had no idea what was happening on the internet. Someone had taken her face and used AI to whip up a social media personality who was basically seducing people. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/swedish-company-gives-masturbation-break-to-its-staff-1753760328714"><strong>'An apple a day...': A Swedish company gives 30-minute masturbation break to its staff. Here's why</strong></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2><strong>Babydoll Archi, an AI deepfake who was killing it on social media</strong></h2><p>Babydoll Archi danced seductively in a red saree to Dame Un Grr, a Romanian song. Then she was seen in a photo posted on the platform alongside American adult film star Kendra Lust. Both these things proved to be her ticket to fame, and her following swelled to 1.4 million on Instagram. The mirror shattered when someone reached the Dibrugarh police station with a complaint - someone was using the man's sister's name and face online. This was Babydoll Archi. The woman, Archita Phukan, was not on social media. Then, who was the woman who went viral? Investigations led the police to Pratim Bora, Phukan's ex-boyfriend and a mechanical engineer. It was a case of revenge porn. Bora took the woman's photos and used ChatGPT and Dzine to create a fake digital identity. Senior Police Officer Sizal Agarwal confirmed that Bora came up with the idea to humiliate the woman. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/cia-paid-prostitutes-to-lure-men-into-a-brothel-and-drug-them-as-part-of-a-mind-control-research-program-1753955070830"><strong>CIA wanted to control people's minds. So it had sex workers lure men into a fake brothel and drug them with LSD</strong></a></p><p>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/pattaya-indian-men-refuse-to-pay-sex-worker-claiming-she-misled-them-about-her-figure-1753503731343"><strong>Indian men refuse to pay sex worker in Pattaya claiming she misled them about her figure</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Babydoll Archi's page was verified, even though the seductive persona was fake</strong></h2><p>He started the page in 2020, posting edited photos with the woman's face. As AI advanced, so did Bora's tactics. He used more advanced tools to upgrade the content. He created entire videos showing the woman in provocative scenarios. The red saree dance got her a blue tick; she was verified, despite not being real. Once she was seen with Kendra Lust, everyone speculated that the woman could be entering the American adult entertainment industry. However, she didn't even know that she had posed with Lust. She came to know about the endeavours when mainstream media started talking about Babydoll Archi. She had her face, but who was she? On July 11, the family showed the police images and screenshots. They reached out to Instagram to know who owned the account. She had no idea who it could be. The police arrested Bora on July 12. Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/doomsday-bunker-ai-can-cause-world-wars-1747723679696"><strong>Can AI trigger 'end-time event'? Man behind ChatGPT fears so, called for doomsday bunker</strong></a></p><h2><strong>Questions raised on AI and what it is even useful for</strong></h2><p>They seized laptops, mobile phones, hard drives, and bank documents. He is estimated to have made Rs 10 lakh from his online activities, posting 282 times as Babydoll Archi. He even ran paid subscriptions via a Linktree platform. Babydoll Archi was not the only account he had made. “He had more than 3,000 subscriptions,” Agarwal said. There were multiple Gmail accounts and aliases. The Instagram page underwent numerous name changes as well, the latest one being Amira Ishtara. With evolving AI technology, deepfakes are becoming more and more real. It is extremely hard to tell the fake apart from the real. Criminals are using AI to forge voices to bleed people of millions of rupees. Is this what tech bosses envisioned when AI was created? Things are only going to get worse from here, and it's time someone takes steps to ensure this does not happen.</p>

Babydoll Archi was seducing people online, but no one knew who she was. The woman who supposedly was the artist did not even know about the steamy videos and photos of her on Instagram. It was all because of AI from hell. 

The story of Babydoll Archi continues to baffle the world. This person who doesn't even exist has been making headlines for weeks now. She is an Instagrammer who dances seductively to Romanian songs, shares space with adult entertainment stars and managed to double her following within a few days. The content she served was borderline salacious and erotic. This pulled over a million people to her page. Babydoll Archi was trending, and everyone wanted to dive into her world. However, the person whose face was splashed across social media was oblivious to all the fame she was garnering. The woman everyone was watching wasn't doing any of it. Someone had stolen her identity and created an almost pornographic persona that everyone wanted to get a bite of. Archita Phukan is a married woman living in Dibrugarh, Assam. She had no idea what was happening on the internet. Someone had taken her face and used AI to whip up a social media personality who was basically seducing people. Also Read: 'An apple a day...': A Swedish company gives 30-minute masturbation break to its staff. Here's why Babydoll Archi, an AI deepfake who was killing it on social media Babydoll Archi danced seductively in a red saree to Dame Un Grr, a Romanian song. Then she was seen in a photo posted on the platform alongside American adult film star Kendra Lust. Both these things proved to be her ticket to fame, and her following swelled to 1.4 million on Instagram. The mirror shattered when someone reached the Dibrugarh police station with a complaint - someone was using the man's sister's name and face online. This was Babydoll Archi. The woman, Archita Phukan, was not on social media. Then, who was the woman who went viral? Investigations led the police to Pratim Bora, Phukan's ex-boyfriend and a mechanical engineer. It was a case of revenge porn. Bora took the woman's photos and used ChatGPT and Dzine to create a fake digital identity. Senior Police Officer Sizal Agarwal confirmed that Bora came up with the idea to humiliate the woman. Also Read: CIA wanted to control people's minds. So it had sex workers lure men into a fake brothel and drug them with LSD Also Read: Indian men refuse to pay sex worker in Pattaya claiming she misled them about her figure Babydoll Archi's page was verified, even though the seductive persona was fake He started the page in 2020, posting edited photos with the woman's face. As AI advanced, so did Bora's tactics. He used more advanced tools to upgrade the content. He created entire videos showing the woman in provocative scenarios. The red saree dance got her a blue tick; she was verified, despite not being real. Once she was seen with Kendra Lust, everyone speculated that the woman could be entering the American adult entertainment industry. However, she didn't even know that she had posed with Lust. She came to know about the endeavours when mainstream media started talking about Babydoll Archi. She had her face, but who was she? On July 11, the family showed the police images and screenshots. They reached out to Instagram to know who owned the account. She had no idea who it could be. The police arrested Bora on July 12. Also Read: Can AI trigger 'end-time event'? Man behind ChatGPT fears so, called for doomsday bunker Questions raised on AI and what it is even useful for They seized laptops, mobile phones, hard drives, and bank documents. He is estimated to have made Rs 10 lakh from his online activities, posting 282 times as Babydoll Archi. He even ran paid subscriptions via a Linktree platform. Babydoll Archi was not the only account he had made. “He had more than 3,000 subscriptions,” Agarwal said. There were multiple Gmail accounts and aliases. The Instagram page underwent numerous name changes as well, the latest one being Amira Ishtara. With evolving AI technology, deepfakes are becoming more and more real. It is extremely hard to tell the fake apart from the real. Criminals are using AI to forge voices to bleed people of millions of rupees. Is this what tech bosses envisioned when AI was created? Things are only going to get worse from here, and it's time someone takes steps to ensure this does not happen.

<p>Babydoll Archi was seducing people online, but no one knew who she was. The woman who supposedly was the artist didn't even know about the steamy videos and photos of her on Instagram. It was all because of AI from hell.&nbsp;</p>

Babydoll Archi went viral for her seductive dance moves online. Turns out, it was AI from hell

<p>Facebook parent company Meta is hosting ads on its platforms, including Instagram and Threads, to fund Israeli military gear, which in many cases, was responsible for the killings of unarmed civilians in Gaza, according to new research. The ads, critics say, also seem to directly violate the platform's own rules on political and weapons-related content. These paid ads, first flagged to Meta by global consumer watchdog Ekō, have reportedly raised millions of dollars to arm the Israeli military.</p><h2><strong>What do the ads say?</strong></h2><p>One such ad, which as per The Guardian, remained live as of July 17, read: "We are the sniper team of Unit Shaked, stationed in Gaza, and we urgently need shooting tripods to complete our mission in Jabalia". It was first posted on June 11.</p><p>Ekō has identified at least 117 such ads since March of this year, all seeking donations for gear for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF itself is not running these campaigns, but according to Ekō, the military has received equipment through donations raised online. What's more, this isn't the first time the group flagged these campaigns. In December 2024, Ekō alerted Meta to 98 similar ads—prompting the tech giant to remove many. But the same publishers, it says, returned soon after with nearly identical fundraising appeals.</p><p>"This shows that Meta will literally take money from anybody," said Maen Hammad, a campaigner with Ekō. "So little of the checks and balances the platform ought to be doing actually takes place and if it does, they’ll do it after the fact".</p><h2><strong>Ads removed, but for the wrong reasons</strong></h2><p>Meta confirmed that it had removed the ads for violating its policies—but only after Ekō and The Guardian reached out for comment, and that too not for raising money for weapons but something else. A Meta spokesperson said all political or social issue-based ads must include disclaimers that identify who paid for them. None of these ads did.</p><p>Ekō estimates that the ads, most of which were shown in the UK and EU, racked up at least 76,000 impressions. It was unable to determine the reach of the ads in the United States.</p><h2><strong>What was the raised money used for?</strong></h2><p>A deeper investigation by Israeli publication +972 Magazine revealed that many of the drones being crowdfunded—commercial quadcopters sold on Amazon—are being retrofitted by Israeli soldiers to drop grenades in combat. Several soldiers told the outlet that such drones were delivered via online donation drives and private Facebook groups.</p><p>"Most of our drones are broken and falling apart—and we don’t have any replacements," read one ad. "Donate now — every second counts, every drone saves lives."</p><p>One publisher flagged by Ekō, Vaad Hatzedaka, a non profit, has even linked its ads to a donation page listing the exact models of drones and tactical gear it was fundraising for, including two drones made by Chinese firm Autel. According to the group's donation tracker, it has raised over $250,000 of its $300,000 goal.</p><p>Another campaigner, Israeli musician Mayer Malik, has used Meta ads to promote a donation page that offers sponsorships for tactical items like thermal drones. He has reportedly raised over $2.2 million for Israeli units through these efforts.</p><h2><strong>Are such ads allowed? What do Meta rules say?</strong></h2><p>Meta's policies broadly prohibit the buying, selling, gifting, or fundraising for "firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, explosives, or lethal enhancements," though they allow some exceptions. But the company said the recent ads were removed primarily for lacking political disclaimers—not for fundraising for military gear.</p><p>According to Ekō, these campaigns may also violate the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which obligates platforms to remove any content that violates national or EU law. In both France and the UK, strict regulations limit how charities can fundraise for foreign militaries. In January 2025, the UK’s Charity Commission issued a formal warning to a London-based charity after it raised funds for an Israeli soldier, saying the effort was "not lawful or acceptable."</p>

"This shows that Meta will literally take money from anybody," said Maen Hammad, a campaigner with Ekō. "So little of the checks and balances the platform ought to be doing actually takes place and if it does, they’ll do it after the fact".

Facebook parent company Meta is hosting ads on its platforms, including Instagram and Threads, to fund Israeli military gear, which in many cases, was responsible for the killings of unarmed civilians in Gaza, according to new research. The ads, critics say, also seem to directly violate the platform's own rules on political and weapons-related content. These paid ads, first flagged to Meta by global consumer watchdog Ekō, have reportedly raised millions of dollars to arm the Israeli military. What do the ads say? One such ad, which as per The Guardian, remained live as of July 17, read: "We are the sniper team of Unit Shaked, stationed in Gaza, and we urgently need shooting tripods to complete our mission in Jabalia". It was first posted on June 11. Ekō has identified at least 117 such ads since March of this year, all seeking donations for gear for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF itself is not running these campaigns, but according to Ekō, the military has received equipment through donations raised online. What's more, this isn't the first time the group flagged these campaigns. In December 2024, Ekō alerted Meta to 98 similar ads—prompting the tech giant to remove many. But the same publishers, it says, returned soon after with nearly identical fundraising appeals. "This shows that Meta will literally take money from anybody," said Maen Hammad, a campaigner with Ekō. "So little of the checks and balances the platform ought to be doing actually takes place and if it does, they’ll do it after the fact". Ads removed, but for the wrong reasons Meta confirmed that it had removed the ads for violating its policies—but only after Ekō and The Guardian reached out for comment, and that too not for raising money for weapons but something else. A Meta spokesperson said all political or social issue-based ads must include disclaimers that identify who paid for them. None of these ads did. Ekō estimates that the ads, most of which were shown in the UK and EU, racked up at least 76,000 impressions. It was unable to determine the reach of the ads in the United States. What was the raised money used for? A deeper investigation by Israeli publication +972 Magazine revealed that many of the drones being crowdfunded—commercial quadcopters sold on Amazon—are being retrofitted by Israeli soldiers to drop grenades in combat. Several soldiers told the outlet that such drones were delivered via online donation drives and private Facebook groups. "Most of our drones are broken and falling apart—and we don’t have any replacements," read one ad. "Donate now — every second counts, every drone saves lives." One publisher flagged by Ekō, Vaad Hatzedaka, a non profit, has even linked its ads to a donation page listing the exact models of drones and tactical gear it was fundraising for, including two drones made by Chinese firm Autel. According to the group's donation tracker, it has raised over $250,000 of its $300,000 goal. Another campaigner, Israeli musician Mayer Malik, has used Meta ads to promote a donation page that offers sponsorships for tactical items like thermal drones. He has reportedly raised over $2.2 million for Israeli units through these efforts. Are such ads allowed? What do Meta rules say? Meta's policies broadly prohibit the buying, selling, gifting, or fundraising for "firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, explosives, or lethal enhancements," though they allow some exceptions. But the company said the recent ads were removed primarily for lacking political disclaimers—not for fundraising for military gear. According to Ekō, these campaigns may also violate the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which obligates platforms to remove any content that violates national or EU law. In both France and the UK, strict regulations limit how charities can fundraise for foreign militaries. In January 2025, the UK’s Charity Commission issued a formal warning to a London-based charity after it raised funds for an Israeli soldier, saying the effort was "not lawful or acceptable."

<p>"This shows that Meta will literally take money from anybody," said Maen Hammad, a campaigner with Ekō. "So little of the checks and balances the platform ought to be doing actually takes place and if it does, they’ll do it after the fact".</p>

'Meta will literally take money from anybody': Facebook, Instagram ran ads funding Israeli military strikes in Gaza, watchdog finds

<p>News of influencer Misha Agrawal's death two days before her 25th birthday shocked her followers and other content creators. Her family has revealed that she died by suicide after losing Instagram followers. In a post on her page, her sister stated that Misha was heartbroken after her follower count decreased.</p>
<p>"My little baby sister had built her world around Instagram and her followers, with a single goal of reaching 1 million followers and gaining loving fans. When her followers started decreasing, she became distraught and felt worthless," the post stated.</p>
<p>Her sister added that she was depressed about it and used to cry.</p>
<p>"Since April, she had been deeply depressed, often hugging me and crying, saying, 'Jijja, what will I do if my followers decrease? My career will be over' (sic)," the note read.</p>
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<p>The post also showed a screenshot of her phone wallpaper, which she had created herself of her Instagram profile with "1M" under the words "Followers".</p>
<p>"Her Phone wallpaper says everything. Her only aim of life. Instagram is not a real world and followers are not real love, please try to understand this," the caption of the post read.</p>
<p>Her sibling went on to state that Misha was consumed by Insta metrics.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I advised her to view Instagram as mere entertainment and not let It consume her. I urged her to focus on her happiness and let go of anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, my little sister didn't listen and became so consumed by Instagram and followers that she left our world forever. Tragically, she became so overwhelmed that she took her own life, leaving our family devastated,&rdquo; her sister wrote.</p>
<h2><strong>Influencer Misha Agrawal passed away two days before her birthday</strong></h2>
<p>Misha passed away on April 24. Her family did not state the cause at the time. The note carried the words - "Misha Agarwal", and the dates "April 26, 2000 - April 24, 2025".</p>
<p>It added, "It is with a heavy heart that we share the heartbreaking news of Misha Agrawal's passing. Thank you all for the love and support you showed her and her work. We are still trying to come to terms with this immense loss."&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Please keep her in your thoughts and continue to carry her spirit in your hearts (sic)."</p>
<p>Misha was known for her relatable content that resonated with the youth.&nbsp;</p>

Influencer Misha Agrawal's sister shared a note saying that she was always concerned about Instagram metrics and dreamt of reaching one million followers. India News Entertainment

News of influencer Misha Agrawal's death two days before her 25th birthday shocked her followers and other content creators. Her family has revealed that she died by suicide after losing Instagram followers. In a post on her page, her sister stated that Misha was heartbroken after her follower count decreased. "My little baby sister had built her world around Instagram and her followers, with a single goal of reaching 1 million followers and gaining loving fans. When her followers started decreasing, she became distraught and felt worthless," the post stated. Her sister added that she was depressed about it and used to cry. "Since April, she had been deeply depressed, often hugging me and crying, saying, 'Jijja, what will I do if my followers decrease? My career will be over' (sic)," the note read. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Misha Agrawal (@themishaagrawalshow) The post also showed a screenshot of her phone wallpaper, which she had created herself of her Instagram profile with "1M" under the words "Followers". "Her Phone wallpaper says everything. Her only aim of life. Instagram is not a real world and followers are not real love, please try to understand this," the caption of the post read. Her sibling went on to state that Misha was consumed by Insta metrics. "I advised her to view Instagram as mere entertainment and not let It consume her. I urged her to focus on her happiness and let go of anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, my little sister didn't listen and became so consumed by Instagram and followers that she left our world forever. Tragically, she became so overwhelmed that she took her own life, leaving our family devastated,” her sister wrote. Influencer Misha Agrawal passed away two days before her birthday Misha passed away on April 24. Her family did not state the cause at the time. The note carried the words - "Misha Agarwal", and the dates "April 26, 2000 - April 24, 2025". It added, "It is with a heavy heart that we share the heartbreaking news of Misha Agrawal's passing. Thank you all for the love and support you showed her and her work. We are still trying to come to terms with this immense loss." "Please keep her in your thoughts and continue to carry her spirit in your hearts (sic)." Misha was known for her relatable content that resonated with the youth.

Influencer Misha Agrawal was depressed over losing followers, died by suicide

<p>All the Meta platforms - Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp - are going to have a new AI chatbot called "Digital Companions" that will have sexual conversation with users, including children and minors, Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. As per the report, the Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg believes the chatbot will be the future of social media.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/life-fun/start-your-day-right-6-detox-waters-for-a-metabolism-boost-8988545">Start Your Day Right: 6 Detox Waters for a Metabolism Boost</a></strong></p>
<p>However, multiple Meta employees from various departments have expressed their concerns that Zuckerberg's rush to popularise the chatbot may have crossed the ethical limits. The company has created AI personas that are capable of fantasy sex, according to people who worked on them, WSJ reported. It was also revealed that there is not even any age restrictions for the usage of the chatbot, which means underage people can also be exposed to explicit content.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-denies-instagram-acquisition-was-to-kill-competition-8966967">Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies Instagram acquisition was to kill competition</a></strong></p>
<p>Meta has created and allowed these AI empowered personas to offer a full range of social interaction, including &ldquo;romantic role-play&rdquo;. The useres can banter over textm share selfies and even have live voice conversations with the chatbot.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-testifies-in-meta-antitrust-trial-over-instagram-deal-8966758">Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Meta antitrust trial over Instagram deal</a></strong></p>
<p>In the rush to push the endorsement o the chatbot, Meta has joined hands with celebrities like Kristen Bell, Judi Dench and wrestler-turned-actor John Cena. The celebrities are expected to give their voices for the chatbot. Althgouh, as per the sources familiar with the matter, Meta has given assurance that celebrities' voices would not be used for sexually explicit discussions.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mark-zuckerberg-instagram-sale-trial-at-ftc-vs-meta-not-first-time-zuckerberg-court-cases-house-senate-testimonies-timeline-updates-8963294">The 9 lives of Mark Zuckerberg: Every time Meta CEO faced scrutiny. Will he survive 'sell Instagram' trial this time? A timeline</a></strong></p>
<p>WSJ has claimed that Meta&rsquo;s official AI helper, called Meta AI, and a vast array of user-created chatbots will engage in and sometimes escalate discussions that are decidedly sexual. Contrary to Meta's assurance, the bots deploying the celebrity voices were equally willing to engage in sexual chats.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

Trending | SCIENCE & TECH | World | The Wall Street Journal has reported that Meta plans to introduce a new AI chatbot named "Digital Companions" across its platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

All the Meta platforms - Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp - are going to have a new AI chatbot called "Digital Companions" that will have sexual conversation with users, including children and minors, Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. As per the report, the Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg believes the chatbot will be the future of social media. Also read: Start Your Day Right: 6 Detox Waters for a Metabolism Boost However, multiple Meta employees from various departments have expressed their concerns that Zuckerberg's rush to popularise the chatbot may have crossed the ethical limits. The company has created AI personas that are capable of fantasy sex, according to people who worked on them, WSJ reported. It was also revealed that there is not even any age restrictions for the usage of the chatbot, which means underage people can also be exposed to explicit content. Also read: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies Instagram acquisition was to kill competition Meta has created and allowed these AI empowered personas to offer a full range of social interaction, including “romantic role-play”. The useres can banter over textm share selfies and even have live voice conversations with the chatbot. Also read: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Meta antitrust trial over Instagram deal In the rush to push the endorsement o the chatbot, Meta has joined hands with celebrities like Kristen Bell, Judi Dench and wrestler-turned-actor John Cena. The celebrities are expected to give their voices for the chatbot. Althgouh, as per the sources familiar with the matter, Meta has given assurance that celebrities' voices would not be used for sexually explicit discussions. Also read: The 9 lives of Mark Zuckerberg: Every time Meta CEO faced scrutiny. Will he survive 'sell Instagram' trial this time? A timeline WSJ has claimed that Meta’s official AI helper, called Meta AI, and a vast array of user-created chatbots will engage in and sometimes escalate discussions that are decidedly sexual. Contrary to Meta's assurance, the bots deploying the celebrity voices were equally willing to engage in sexual chats. (With inputs from agencies)

'Fantasy sex, role-play, friends with benefits': Meta's latest AI disaster doesn't spare even kids

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg appeared in a US court for a second day to defend the company’s acquisition of Instagram amid an FTC-led anti-trust trial. Zuckerberg denied claims that the buyout was meant to crush competition. Watch this report for more details!

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies Instagram acquisition was to kill competition

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies in Meta antitrust trial over Instagram deal

<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Meta is stepping up its efforts to make its platforms safer for teenagers. The company is now expanding its teen safety features beyond Instagram, bringing new restrictions to Facebook and Messenger as well.</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">No more live streaming for under-16s</span></strong></h2>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">One of the main changes is a new restriction on Instagram&rsquo;s Live feature. Teenagers under </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">the age of</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> 16 will no longer be able to use Instagram Live unless they have permission from a parent. </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Meta </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">is</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> also </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">tightening</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> how teens interact with images in direct messages.</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> A feature that blurs images suspected of containing nudity will now require parental approval to be switched off.</span></p>
<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/meta-may-launch-standalone-instagram-reels-app-to-challenge-tiktok-8763257">Meta may launch standalone Instagram Reels app to challenge TikTok</a></span></strong></p>
<h2><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">What are other new features?</span></strong></h2>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The company is rolling out the same system of teen accounts that was introduced on Instagram last year to Facebook and Messenger. These teen accounts automatically apply stricter safety settings for under-18 users. Parents can set daily time limits, restrict usage at certain hours, and view who their child is messaging.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">In the new update, users under 16 will need parental consent to </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">make any changes to</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> these default settings. Those aged 16 and 17 will also have the features turned on by default but will be allowed to adjust them on their own.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The updated features will first be introduced in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Meta said that more than 90% of 13- to 15-year-olds using Instagram have kept the restrictions on, and around 54 million teens worldwide are currently using the teen account system.</span></p>
<p><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meta-to-toss-out-factcheckers-reduce-censorship-and-restore-free-expression-8599677">Meta to toss out factcheckers to reduce censorship, restore 'free expression'</a></span></strong></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">The changes come </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">at a time</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> when governments are putting pressure on tech companies to protect young users. In the UK, the Online Safety Act came into effect in March.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">This law forces online platforms to take action against illegal content like child abuse, terrorism, and online fraud. It also requires extra protections for under-18s to keep them safe from harmful material such as suicide or self-harm-related content.</span></p>
<h2><strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">&ldquo;Shift the balance in favour of parents&rdquo;</span></strong></h2>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">When the Instagram teen features were first introduced, Meta&rsquo;s </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">then president</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said the goal was to give parents more control.</span></p>
<p><span data-preserver-spaces="true">He explained that the new rules would &ldquo;shift the balance in favour of parents&rdquo; when </span><span data-preserver-spaces="true">it comes to</span><span data-preserver-spaces="true"> keeping their children safe online. Clegg also pointed out that many parents still don&rsquo;t make use of available safety tools.</span></p>
<p><em><span data-preserver-spaces="true">(With inputs from agencies)</span></em></p>

World: Teenagers under the age of 16 will no longer be able to use Instagram Live unless they have permission from a parent.   Trending

Meta is stepping up its efforts to make its platforms safer for teenagers. The company is now expanding its teen safety features beyond Instagram, bringing new restrictions to Facebook and Messenger as well. No more live streaming for under-16s One of the main changes is a new restriction on Instagram’s Live feature. Teenagers under the age of 16 will no longer be able to use Instagram Live unless they have permission from a parent. Meta is also tightening how teens interact with images in direct messages. A feature that blurs images suspected of containing nudity will now require parental approval to be switched off. Also read: Meta may launch standalone Instagram Reels app to challenge TikTok What are other new features? The company is rolling out the same system of teen accounts that was introduced on Instagram last year to Facebook and Messenger. These teen accounts automatically apply stricter safety settings for under-18 users. Parents can set daily time limits, restrict usage at certain hours, and view who their child is messaging. In the new update, users under 16 will need parental consent to make any changes to these default settings. Those aged 16 and 17 will also have the features turned on by default but will be allowed to adjust them on their own. The updated features will first be introduced in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Meta said that more than 90% of 13- to 15-year-olds using Instagram have kept the restrictions on, and around 54 million teens worldwide are currently using the teen account system. Also read: Meta to toss out factcheckers to reduce censorship, restore 'free expression' The changes come at a time when governments are putting pressure on tech companies to protect young users. In the UK, the Online Safety Act came into effect in March. This law forces online platforms to take action against illegal content like child abuse, terrorism, and online fraud. It also requires extra protections for under-18s to keep them safe from harmful material such as suicide or self-harm-related content. “Shift the balance in favour of parents” When the Instagram teen features were first introduced, Meta’s then president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said the goal was to give parents more control. He explained that the new rules would “shift the balance in favour of parents” when it comes to keeping their children safe online. Clegg also pointed out that many parents still don’t make use of available safety tools. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta bans under-16s from going live on Instagram: Here's what new safety rules mean for parents

<p data-pm-slice="0 0 []">An Indian woman studying in South Korea thought of sharing her daily interactions with the cab driver. She shared a bizarre conversation that got the internet rolling. What seemed like a usual day for Piyusha Patil, a video content creator, put her followers in a tizzy.</p>
<p>The cabbie casually asked her where she was from. "India," she responded. Strangely or funnily, the driver had no clue about what she was saying. "Indonesia?," he enquired. To give a little tour around the Indian subcontinent, she said it's the country neighbouring Pakistan. Still no luck. She added it's to the south of China. He is still wondering where this country could be.</p>
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFS_5riTb0X/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Piyusha Patil 🇮🇳🇰🇷 (@piyuchino)</a></p>
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<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/private-spacecraft-blue-ghost-lands-on-moon-firm-scripts-history-8772803">Blue Ghost Landing: US firm's spacecraft second private lander on moon. Check out which was first</a></strong></p>
<p>"What is the population?" he asked again. She is prompt in saying it's the most populated country. He is now surprised, for there is a country with more people than there are in China. He was on point with the population of China; he said, "China's population is literally 1.3 billion." "Yes, India has 1.4 billion people," she responded.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It was nothing less than a eureka moment for the driver who did not know India and now knows that it's the most populated nation. Either he is living under a rock or is just a bad geography student.</p>
<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/marvels-avengers-doomsdays-leaked-concept-art-go-viral-online-reveal-key-elements-of-the-film-8778131">Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday's leaked concept art go viral online, reveal key elements of the film</a></strong></p>
<p>Soon after she posted the video, her comment section was flooded. One user asked, "Was he faking it, or did he really didn't know about India? I mean, its just hard to believe."</p>
<p>While another person wrote, "Taxi uncles are always interested in immigrants. They turn out to be offensive or respectful. My friends have had a wide variety of experiences, from harassment to praising..."</p>

An Indian woman studying in South Korea thought of sharing her daily interactions with the cab driver. She shared a bizarre conversation that got the internet rolling. Trending

An Indian woman studying in South Korea thought of sharing her daily interactions with the cab driver. She shared a bizarre conversation that got the internet rolling. What seemed like a usual day for Piyusha Patil, a video content creator, put her followers in a tizzy. The cabbie casually asked her where she was from. "India," she responded. Strangely or funnily, the driver had no clue about what she was saying. "Indonesia?," he enquired. To give a little tour around the Indian subcontinent, she said it's the country neighbouring Pakistan. Still no luck. She added it's to the south of China. He is still wondering where this country could be. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Piyusha Patil 🇮🇳🇰🇷 (@piyuchino) Also read: Blue Ghost Landing: US firm's spacecraft second private lander on moon. Check out which was first "What is the population?" he asked again. She is prompt in saying it's the most populated country. He is now surprised, for there is a country with more people than there are in China. He was on point with the population of China; he said, "China's population is literally 1.3 billion." "Yes, India has 1.4 billion people," she responded. It was nothing less than a eureka moment for the driver who did not know India and now knows that it's the most populated nation. Either he is living under a rock or is just a bad geography student. Also read: Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday's leaked concept art go viral online, reveal key elements of the film Soon after she posted the video, her comment section was flooded. One user asked, "Was he faking it, or did he really didn't know about India? I mean, its just hard to believe." While another person wrote, "Taxi uncles are always interested in immigrants. They turn out to be offensive or respectful. My friends have had a wide variety of experiences, from harassment to praising..."

Indian woman's conversation with Korean cabbie who didn't know India exists, goes viral

Meta has agreed to pay former President Donald Trump $25 million to settle a lawsuit regarding his claims about the company's handling of his accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta to pay Trump $25 Million to settle lawsuit over Facebook and Instagram

Many Instagram and Facebook users discovered they were unexpectedly following accounts for President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and First Lady Melania Trump. Meta clarified that this transition occurs with new administrations. Users can unfollow these accounts, though some may face delays. Watch this report for more details!

Meta denies claims of pushing users to follow Trump team accounts

Meta announces the termination of its fact-checking program, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg committing to re-establishing free expression on Facebook and Instagram, signaling a shift in the platform’s approach to content moderation.

Mark Zuckerberg Announces Meta Will End Fact-Checking Program in the U.S

<p>Meta announced that they are “99 per cent of the way there” in solving a blackout they were facing because of which people were not able to access&nbsp;Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.</p>

<p>Monitoring website Downdetector at around 10 pm GMT on Wednesday (Dec 11) said that 23,445 reports emerged regarding Facebook outages, 11,466 for Instagram outages and 18,646 complaints for&nbsp;WhatsApp&nbsp;came from Britain. However, all three social media platforms remained largely unaffected in the United States.</p>

<p>Meta issued an update on the situation on microblogging site&nbsp;X and said that the problem has been almost resolved.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage," said a spokesperson.</p>

<p>The global outages were not as severe as the 2021 outage on Facebook when the company had deleted its own address by making a configuration error in a protocol. Even though the error was noticed immediately, it took them several hours to fix the problem.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/meta-reduces-eu-facebook-and-instagram-subscription-fees-by-40-775814">Meta reduces EU Facebook and Instagram subscription fees by 40%</a></p>

<p>In a statement issued on Threads during the outage, Meta said, “Earlier today, a technical issue caused people to have difficulty accessing some of our services. We resolved the issue as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience.”</p>

<p>After the services were restored, WhatsApp wrote on X, "And we're back, happy chatting!" Meanwhile, Instagram said, "Andddd we're back - sorry for the wait, and thanks for bearing with us."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>ChatGPT goes down for several users</strong></h2>

<p>Popular AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT also went offline because of a technical issue and left users across the world struggling to access the service.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The outage started shortly before 7 PM ET, also impacting&nbsp;API and&nbsp;Sora&nbsp;services of OpenAI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Watch:&nbsp;Meta Fined $840 Million For Tying Facebook Marketplace To Platform</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/meta-fined-840-million-for-tying-facebook-marketplace-to-platform-776423/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>OpenAI, the company which supported ChatGPT, spoke about the outage and said that they have identified the issue and are working to fix it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We're experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. Sorry and we'll keep you updated" said the company in a post on X (formerly Twitter).</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We're experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix.<br />
<br />
Sorry and we'll keep you updated!</p>
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) <a href="https://twitter.com/OpenAI/status/1867000372826607627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>As per the DownDetector, the complaints about ChatGPT being offline saw a significant spike after the outage was reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have reports of API calls returning errors, and difficulties logging in to platform dot openai dot com and ChatGPT. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. We have identified the issue and are rolling out a remediation. We are working as fast as we can to return service to normal and apologize for the downtime," said an OpenAI on social media.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Meta announced that they are “99 per cent of the way there” in solving a blackout they were facing because of which people were not able to access Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp.

Meta announced that they are “99 per cent of the way there” in solving a blackout they were facing because of which people were not able to access Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Monitoring website Downdetector at around 10 pm GMT on Wednesday (Dec 11) said that 23,445 reports emerged regarding Facebook outages, 11,466 for Instagram outages and 18,646 complaints for WhatsApp came from Britain. However, all three social media platforms remained largely unaffected in the United States. Meta issued an update on the situation on microblogging site X and said that the problem has been almost resolved. “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage," said a spokesperson. The global outages were not as severe as the 2021 outage on Facebook when the company had deleted its own address by making a configuration error in a protocol. Even though the error was noticed immediately, it took them several hours to fix the problem. Also Read: Meta reduces EU Facebook and Instagram subscription fees by 40% In a statement issued on Threads during the outage, Meta said, “Earlier today, a technical issue caused people to have difficulty accessing some of our services. We resolved the issue as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience.” After the services were restored, WhatsApp wrote on X, "And we're back, happy chatting!" Meanwhile, Instagram said, "Andddd we're back - sorry for the wait, and thanks for bearing with us." ChatGPT goes down for several users Popular AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT also went offline because of a technical issue and left users across the world struggling to access the service. The outage started shortly before 7 PM ET, also impacting API and Sora services of OpenAI. Also Watch: Meta Fined $840 Million For Tying Facebook Marketplace To Platform OpenAI, the company which supported ChatGPT, spoke about the outage and said that they have identified the issue and are working to fix it. "We're experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. Sorry and we'll keep you updated" said the company in a post on X (formerly Twitter). We're experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. Sorry and we'll keep you updated! — OpenAI (@OpenAI) December 12, 2024 × As per the DownDetector, the complaints about ChatGPT being offline saw a significant spike after the outage was reported. "We have reports of API calls returning errors, and difficulties logging in to platform dot openai dot com and ChatGPT. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. We have identified the issue and are rolling out a remediation. We are working as fast as we can to return service to normal and apologize for the downtime," said an OpenAI on social media. (With inputs from agencies)

Meta restores global outages after WhatsApp, Instagram go down, ChatGPT goes offline

<p>A word which represents a common trend of mindless scrolling of Instagram reels and TikTok - 'brain rot'&nbsp;- has been announced as the Oxford word of the year.</p>

<p>The term 'brain rot'&nbsp;refers to the common trend of excessive consumption of low-quality online content. The usage of the word saw a surge of 230 per cent in its frequency from 2023 to 2024.</p>

<p>According to psychologist and Oxford University Professor Andrew Przybylski, the word's popularity is a "symptom of the time we're living in".</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-pushes-ahead-bill-banning-children-from-social-media-linkedin-says-its-too-dull-for-kids-779519">Australia clears bill banning children from social media, LinkedIn says its platform is 'too dull for kids'</a></p>

<p>Brain rot emerged as a winner after defeating five other shortlisted words, which included demure, dynamic pricing, romantasy, lore, and slop.</p>

<h2><strong>Here's what 'brain rot'&nbsp;means </strong></h2>

<p>Brain rot refers to the deterioration in the intellectual or mental state of a person, especially because of the overconsumption of social media posts or reels.</p>

<p>The word was first used before the internet came into the world. The word 'brain rot' was written by Henry David Thoreau in 1854 in his book "Walden".</p>

<p>The author criticised the tendency of society to devalue complex ideas and how it leads to a decline in mental and intellectual effort.</p>

<p>In the book, the writer asks, "While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot – which prevails so much more widely and fatally?"</p>

<p>Initially, the word gained traction among Gen Z and Gen Alpha on social media, and&nbsp;soon it started being used to describe low-quality content on social media platforms.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Australia Passes Social Media Ban For Children Under 16</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-passes-social-media-ban-for-children-under-16-780250/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Explaining the word, Prof Przybylski said that "there's no evidence of brain rot actually being a thing".</p>

<p>"Instead it describes our dissatisfaction with the online world and it's a word that we can use to bundle our anxieties that we have around social media," the professor added, reported BBC.</p>

<p>President of Oxford Languages, Casper Grathwohl, said that if one tries to revisit the Oxford Word of the Year in the last two decades "you can see society's growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about".</p>

<p>"Last year's winning word, 'rizz,' was an interesting example of how language is increasingly formed, shaped, and shared within online communities. Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time," he added. &nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A word which represents a common trend of mindless scrolling of Instagram reels and TikTok - 'brain rot' - has been announced as the Oxford word of the year. The term 'brain rot' refers to the common trend of excessive consumption of low-quality online content.

A word which represents a common trend of mindless scrolling of Instagram reels and TikTok - 'brain rot' - has been announced as the Oxford word of the year. The term 'brain rot' refers to the common trend of excessive consumption of low-quality online content. The usage of the word saw a surge of 230 per cent in its frequency from 2023 to 2024. According to psychologist and Oxford University Professor Andrew Przybylski, the word's popularity is a "symptom of the time we're living in". Also Read: Australia clears bill banning children from social media, LinkedIn says its platform is 'too dull for kids' Brain rot emerged as a winner after defeating five other shortlisted words, which included demure, dynamic pricing, romantasy, lore, and slop. Here's what 'brain rot' means Brain rot refers to the deterioration in the intellectual or mental state of a person, especially because of the overconsumption of social media posts or reels. The word was first used before the internet came into the world. The word 'brain rot' was written by Henry David Thoreau in 1854 in his book "Walden". The author criticised the tendency of society to devalue complex ideas and how it leads to a decline in mental and intellectual effort. In the book, the writer asks, "While England endeavours to cure the potato rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot – which prevails so much more widely and fatally?" Initially, the word gained traction among Gen Z and Gen Alpha on social media, and soon it started being used to describe low-quality content on social media platforms. Watch: Australia Passes Social Media Ban For Children Under 16 Explaining the word, Prof Przybylski said that "there's no evidence of brain rot actually being a thing". "Instead it describes our dissatisfaction with the online world and it's a word that we can use to bundle our anxieties that we have around social media," the professor added, reported BBC. President of Oxford Languages, Casper Grathwohl, said that if one tries to revisit the Oxford Word of the Year in the last two decades "you can see society's growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about". "Last year's winning word, 'rizz,' was an interesting example of how language is increasingly formed, shaped, and shared within online communities. Brain rot speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

'Brain rot' emerges as Oxford word of the year. Are you suffering from it?

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