Plans to ban Texas kids from social media

Published

3 years ago

December 14, 2022

A state representative in Texas has developed a bill, proposing banning all minors from using social media platforms.

The bill wants anyone under the age of 18 in the state prohibited from using all social media. This includes platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

HB896 introduced by Texas Rep. Jared Patterson, will require all social media users to prove their age.

Patterson wants put measures in place to protect children from harmful mental health effects of social media.

The legislation will ban accounts being created by minors. It will also require photo identification to verify that users are over the age of 18 before an account is approved.

The bill will also allow parents to request account removal of their child, and grants enforcement of deceptive trade practices to the Office of the Attorney General if violated.

“The harms social media poses to minors are demonstrable not just in the internal research from the very social media companies that create these addictive products, but in the skyrocketing depression, anxiety, and even suicide rates we are seeing afflict children…

We are tremendously grateful for Rep. Jared Patterson’s leadership on keeping this precious population safe, and TPPF is fully supportive of prohibiting social media access to minors to prevent the perpetual harms of social media from devastating the next generation of Texans.”
Greg Sindelar, CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Patterson described social media sites as “the pre-1964 cigarette,” with the public believing they were safe before in-depth research provided evidence of their harmful effects.

If the bill is passed, it will be the first of its kind to prohibit minors using social media platforms. It will lookregulate the likes of Meta, and ByteDance regarding minors using its platforms.

Both TikTok and Instagram have minimum age policies requiring users to be at least 13 years of age.

While both platforms enforce age verification measures, users under 13 are still on the platforms. This means parents are largely left to police their children’s use.

Some platforms try to address this issue by providing a range of safety tools for parents.

The level of government intervention proposed in Texas will be interesting to observe if it is passed and how it will be enforced.

It will also be fascinating to watch the societal and cultural impacts of such legislation and if other governments will also jump on board if it is effective.

By Dr Karen Sutherland, University of the Sunshine Coast and Dharana Digital

Airbus A320 fleet faces software upgrade due to risk

Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns

Published

2 weeks ago

November 29, 2025

Ahron Young

Airbus alerts A320 operators to urgent software fix after JetBlue incident raises safety concerns

In Short:
– Airbus warns over half of A320 fleet needs software fixes due to potential data corruption risks.
– Affected airlines must complete upgrades before next flights, with operational disruptions anticipated during a busy travel season.

Airbus has issued a warning regarding its A320 fleet, indicating that over half of the active jets will require a software fix.

It follows a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways aircraft, where “intense solar radiation” was found to potentially corrupt data crucial for flight control system operation.

The European plane manufacturer stated that around 6,500 jets may be affected. A regulation mandates that the software upgrade must occur before the next scheduled flight.

Operational disruptions for both passengers and airlines are anticipated. The issue arose from an incident on October 30, where a JetBlue flight experienced a computer malfunction that resulted in an uncommanded descent. Fortunately, no injuries occurred, but the malfunction of an automated computer system was identified as a contributing factor.

Airlines, including American Airlines Group, have begun to implement the required upgrades.

The majority of affected jets can receive an uncomplicated software update, although around 1,000 older models will necessitate an actual hardware upgrade, requiring grounding during maintenance.

Hungarian airline Wizz Air has also initiated necessary maintenance for compliance, potentially affecting flights. This announcement has surfaced during a busy travel season in the US, with many facing delays due to other factors as well.

Regulatory Response

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has mandated that A320 operators replace or modify specific elevator-aileron computers. The directive follows the JetBlue incident, where a malfunction led to a temporary loss of altitude.

Airbus’s fix applies to both the A320 and A320neo models, representing a vital response in ensuring aircraft safety.

Tech

China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips in new data centres

China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 27, 2025

Harvey Vargas

China blocks ByteDance from using Nvidia chips, tightening tech control and pushing for domestic AI innovation amid U.S. restrictions.

Chinese regulators have moved to block ByteDance from deploying Nvidia chips in newly built data centres, tightening control over foreign technology used by major Chinese tech giants. The decision comes after ByteDance made substantial purchases of Nvidia hardware amid fears of shrinking supply from the United States.

Washington has already restricted the sale of advanced chips to China, allowing only weakened versions into the market. Beijing’s latest move reflects its push to reduce dependence on U.S. technology and accelerate home-grown AI innovation.

The ban places operational and financial pressure on ByteDance, which must now work around a growing pile of Nvidia chips it is no longer allowed to use. Domestic suppliers like Huawei are expected to step in as China intensifies its pursuit of tech self-reliance.
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Tech

OpenAI launches shopping research tool for ChatGPT users

OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost

Published

3 weeks ago

November 25, 2025

Ahron Young

OpenAI launches shopping research tool to enhance e-commerce experience ahead of holiday season spending boost

In Short:
– OpenAI’s “shopping research” tool helps users find detailed shopping guides tailored to their preferences.
– Users can access Instant Checkout for purchases while ensuring user chats are not shared with retailers.

OpenAI has launched a new tool called “shopping research,” coinciding with an increase in consumer spending ahead of the holiday season.This tool is aimed at ChatGPT users seeking comprehensive shopping guides that detail top products, key differences, and the latest retailer information.

Users can customise their guides based on budget, features, and recipients. OpenAI notes that while the tool takes a few minutes to generate responses, users can still use ChatGPT for quicker queries like price checks.

When users ask specific prompts, such as finding a quiet cordless stick vacuum or a gift for a niece who loves art, the shopping research tool will appear automatically. It can also be accessed via the menu.

Shopping Research

OpenAI has been expanding its e-commerce capabilities, with the introduction of the Instant Checkout feature in September, enabling purchases directly through ChatGPT.

Soon, users of the shopping research tool will also be able to use Instant Checkout for making purchases.

OpenAI assures that shopping research results are derived from publicly available retail websites and will not disclose user chats to retailers, although it does warn that inaccuracies may occur in product availability and pricing.

Shopping research is now available to OpenAI’s Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users logged into ChatGPT.