**How worried should we be about Big Tech? **Two flare-ups today demonstrate just how nervous Americans ought to be.
The fight to hold social media companies accountable has long been compared to the long, slow battle with Big Tobacco. Critics have said both hooked kids on their products, without regard for the consequences. Today, those critics notched a win: Meta settled
a landmark lawsuitbrought by dozens of states on behalf of teen users of Instagram and Facebook. Now, the company claims that it’s trying to “set a new industry standard” to protect teens.
Meta agreed to pay up to $17 billion in penalties to settle the case, which argued the company’s products had endangered children’s mental health. That number, however, amounts to a slap on the wrist: The company raked in
$228 billionin revenue over the*last 12 months ending in June.*The company also pledged to make its apps safer for underage users.
So, what will actually change? Meta
pledgedto introduce time limits for social media app usage; block children from using the apps in the morning or at night, and from receiving push notifications during school hours; institute better age verification; strengthen parental controls; and even restrict “like” counts and beauty filters for young users (which invite toxic comparison).
The settlement is a win for children’s safety. But it also reveals just how powerful and insanely wealthy social media companies have become — and raises questions about what more needs to be done.
Americans increasingly fear that tech companies
wield too much power. A startling example of how two-faced these giants can be: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has beentrying to convincethe public that they should be optimistic about the rise of artificial intelligence. Earlier this year, however, Zuckerberg was reportedlyplotting to replacethousandsof his workers with AI agents. (The plan fell through in May.)
**As Meta scrambles to save face, **one of Big Tech’s top leaders is warning that we’re not worried enough about the dangers of AI.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates once fostered dreamy predictions about the future of artificial intelligence. The tech might unlock
a three-day workweek, he said, and help researcherscure diseaseandfight climate change. Today, Gates changed his tune, and said it’s time to fret about a possible economic catastrophe. “This is crazy,”he said. “This is insane.”
Amid apocalyptic stories about AI agents
hacking intoother companies anddesigning new viruses, Gates penned a5,784-word blog postwarning that the world isn’t ready for this technology, and that it needs to be regulated ASAP. Many jobs will “disappear forever,” he predicts, and relying too much on AI could diminish humans’ critical thinking skills.
“Even under the best circumstances, the transition to this new AI era will be one of the most turbulent times in human history,” Gates wrote. “Right now, we are not preparing for it. I don’t see evidence that leaders, experts and communities are confronting the challenges adequately.”
Gates’ warning isn’t likely to change the minds of tech moguls, who
don’t seem to understand whyeveryone has been hating on their scarily powerful robots.
**AI can be used for good, Gates told the **
** The U.S. is “not in a hurry” to negotiate an end** to its war with Iran, Donald Trump told Al Jazeera today. Didn’t Trump say he “won” this war back in, like,
** Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against the United States,** which are scheduled to go into effect on September 8, would raise the price of toilet paper, cheese, smartphones, video game consoles, and motorcycles, among other products.
** Former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George was told **to drop an investigation into the military flyby
Donald Trump is now underwater on every major issue, from prices and inflation to border security, according to a new poll. This comes after news that Trump plans to buy ads during the midterms touting his record. Reminding people of what he’s done, when they don’t like it, makes me think of that ▶classic bit about a bad restaurant. “The food here is really terrible… and such small portions.”
** Authorities arrested a man for parking next **to the Supreme Court… with a guillotine in the bed of his pickup truck. The guy allegedly drove from California with the device. I have so many questions, chief among them:
** A pro-Israel website, designed to look like **as a U.S. think tank, tried to trick AI chatbots into regurgitating its articles in search results by publishing more than 560,000 words in nine days, according to the
** The FDA approved a new drug for advanced **pancreatic cancer. The pill, taken twice a day, has helped extend patients’ lives by several months.
NASA has high hopes for its new Nancy Grace Roman telescope, which could launch by the end of the month. “When we open up the hatch and we see the universe for the first time with a brand new telescope, we’re almost certainly going to be surprised,” said Julie McEnery, the mission’s senior project scientist. Personally, I’m hoping we spot some aliens.
** Do you want to keep your friends forever? **The key might be playing Dungeons & Dragons with them, according to six psychologists who have been gathering for the role-playing game together since 1985. People used to judge them for playing, but “now I have mortality to worry about and I don’t care who knows that I play,” one participant said.
** Tennis stars Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina advanced** to the semifinals of the U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament yesterday. The coolest part? They’re married. It’s all about the chemistry: “We understand each other even by [looking] at each other’s reaction,” Svitolina said. (If you’re not familiar with Monfils, you gotta check out
** Tourists are flocking to Maine to catch a glimpse **of puffins, the adorable black, white, and orange birds that spend April through August on the state’s islands. It might be a little late to make the trip now, but puffin enthusiasts can start reserving their cruise tickets for next year starting in the fall and early winter.
