Having a conversation and creating best practices for your child's social media use
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Earlier this week a jury in California this found both Meta and YouTube liable for mental health harms to kids using their services. Child behavioral experts say this news provides a renewed opportunity for parents to have conversations with their kids about social media and figure out the best practices to protect them. Here is guidance from experts on how to approach the topic.
Verdicts against Meta, YouTube validate concerns long raised by parents, child safety advocates
It’s too soon to tell if this week’s jury decisions will lead to fundamental changes in how social media treats its young users. But the dual verdicts signal a changing tide of public perception against tech companies that is likely to lead to more lawsuits and regulation. For years, they have argued that the harms their platforms cause to children are the unintentional and inevitable consequences of broader societal issues or bad actors taking advantage of safeguards. These verdicts show public’s growing willingness to hold the companies responsible for harms and demand meaningful changes in how they operate.
Verdicts against social media companies carry consequences. But questions linger
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Two landmark jury verdicts against social media companies have arrived in a long line of lawsuits alleging harm to children who use platforms including Instagram and YouTube. Penalties in excess of $380 million were assigned by the juries in California and New Mexico in cases that hold uncertain implications for Meta and YouTube. The California jury’s decision Wednesday in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit could influence the outcome of thousands of similar lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately causing harm. New Mexico's trial is heading toward a second phase to determine whether Meta created a public nuisance with its social media platforms and should pay for public programs to fix matters.
Federal judge temporarily blocks the Pentagon from branding AI firm Anthropic a supply chain risk
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has ruled in favor of artificial intelligence company Anthropic in temporarily blocking the Pentagon from labeling the company as a supply chain risk. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin on Thursday said she was also blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump’s social media directive ordering all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic and its chatbot Claude. Lin said the “broad punitive measures” taken against the AI company by the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared arbitrary, capricious and could “cripple Anthropic,” particularly Hegseth’s use of a rare military authority that’s previously been directed at foreign adversaries.
Woman whose son died from drugs bought on social media celebrates verdicts against Meta, YouTube
THORNTON, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado woman whose son died from a fentanyl-laced pill he bought through social media is celebrating a pair of verdicts this week against Meta and YouTube. Kimberly Osterman says the verdicts in California and New Mexico open the door for social media companies to be held responsible for harms to children using their platforms. Osterman's son, Max, died in 2021 at age 18 after he purchased the drugs from a dealer on Snapchat. She says “the infinite scrolling lured him in” and the companies “put profits over safety.” She hopes to see strict guardrails such as age verification enacted to prevent minors from accessing the platforms.
AI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbots
Artificial intelligence chatbots are so prone to flattering and validating their human users that they are giving bad advice that can damage relationships and reinforce harmful behaviors, according to a new study that explores the dangers of AI telling people what they want to hear. The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, tested 11 leading AI systems and found they all showed varying degrees of sycophancy — behavior that was overly agreeable and affirming. The problem is not just that they dispense inappropriate advice but that people trust and prefer AI more when the chatbots are justifying their convictions.
One Tech Tip: Here's how AI can (and can't) help you in your job hunt
Finding a job feels harder than ever. Technology is disrupting the recruitment process, as automation makes it easier to apply to more jobs, but harder for employers to sift through applications. Experts outlined how job seekers should, and shouldn't, use AI to help their job search. Don't use AI in a generic way to update your resume, but do use it to personalize your approach to a company. Don't try hiding keywords in your CV. Go beyond your resume and show off practical AI skills. Use AI to research the company you're applying to and practice interview questions. Avoid using AI “cheat” tools in interviews and watch out for AI-powered job scams.
Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI
A growing number of U.S. college instructors are turning to oral exams to help combat an AI crisis in higher education. Some are replacing written assignments with oral exams. Others are pairing Socratic-style questioning with written assignments or requiring students to attend office hours. Instructors say they know student use of AI is ubiquitous but hard to police, and it's impacting student learning. Oral exams allow instructors to determine what students know and where they need help. Students say they don't always love the testing format, but many agree that it's effective. As one student says, knowing that you will be face-to-face with a professor “makes you realize, ‘I should study this.’”
Melania Trump shares the spotlight with a robot at an education and technology event
WASHINGTON (AP) — Melania Trump often commands the attention of any room she enters, but on Wednesday, she shared the spotlight with a robot. The humanoid robot Figure 03 accompanied the first lady on Wednesday as she arrived at the White House East Room for the second day of a summit she had convened with counterparts from around the world through her Fostering the Future Together global initiative. They have been discussing ways to empower children through education, innovation and the use of technology, including artificial intelligence. The robot thanked Melania Trump for the invitation to the White House.
Supreme Court sides with Cox Communications in a copyright fight with record labels over downloads
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has sided with internet service provider Cox Communications in its copyright fight with record labels over illegal music downloads by Cox customers. The justices ruled unanimously Wednesday that Cox bears no liability for the copyright violations of its customers. Cox was accused of not doing enough to deter or cut off customers who downloaded music they didn’t pay for. The music companies are disappointed by the ruling and say there was" overwhelming evidence" that Cox "knowingly facilitated theft.” Cox is praising the court for affirming that internet service providers "are not copyright police.”
