Instagram and its parent company Meta restricted ads and content related to women's health topics, including posts mentioning "pregnancy" and other medical terms. These restrictions affected businesses and health organizations, leading to financial losses and reduced reach for important health information. Meta said it limits certain content to prevent negative user experiences, but many creators report unfair treatment and difficulty appealing decisions.
Key Facts
In January 2025, Instagram removed ads for pregnancy pillows because of the word "pregnancy."
Business owner Irene Breen had to remove the word "pregnancy" from her website and product names for 10 months.
Many women’s health creators and charities report content being removed, blurred with sensitivity filters, or shadowbanned.
The campaign group CensHERship found 96% of nearly 200 women’s health content creators experienced some restrictions.
Sensitivity filters blur images and require extra clicks to view, usually for nudity or violence, but are also used on health posts.
Automated systems and AI often mistakenly flag health content, causing delays and blocking appeals.
Some important health hashtags like #vaginalcancer do not appear properly on Instagram.
Meta is consulting with women’s health groups to improve how it handles health-related content but declined to comment on specific cases.
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A new same-day test called metagenomic testing can detect hidden and drug-resistant infections in very sick children. This test looks at all the genetic material in a sample to find bacteria, viruses, and fungi, helping doctors choose the right treatment faster and more accurately.
Key Facts
Metagenomic testing was used on over 100 critically ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London.
The test finds all types of germs in one sample, unlike older methods that look for specific infections.
It helped doctors identify unseen drug-resistant infections, leading to better treatment decisions.
In one case, the test saved 10-year-old Willow Crowther’s life by detecting a resistant infection early.
Around 90% of bacteria and viruses and 100% of fungi in samples were identified by metagenomics.
The test influenced doctors’ decisions in 25% of cases, including antibiotic choices.
It found 50 germs not found by standard tests, which may help track new or pandemic threats.
Metagenomic testing is being expanded to about 30 intensive care units across the UK.
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Meta launched a new open-weight AI model called Muse Spark Open, which it says matches or beats similar AI models from Chinese developers. This open model can be downloaded and modified by developers, and it is designed for complex tasks like coding and multi-step problem solving.
Key Facts
Muse Spark Open is an open-weight AI model, meaning developers can access and change the model’s core settings.
Meta claims it is the most capable open-weight AI model made in the US so far.
Chinese companies like Alibaba and Moonshot AI have led the open-weight AI model market before this.
The model is good at tasks like software engineering and long, multi-step reasoning.
Meta built in strong safety measures to control how the AI is used.
Muse Spark Open is optimized to run on Apple’s M5 Ultra computer chips.
Users can run the model on two Mac Studio computers with M5 Ultra chips to create a powerful computing setup.
Meta recently also released a new closed AI model that competes with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.
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Starting from November 6, it will be illegal in England and Wales to possess or share online pornography showing strangulation, incest, or adults pretending to be children under 16. The government introduced these rules after finding such content was common and could encourage harmful behavior, especially among young people.
Key Facts
The ban applies to porn showing choking or suffocation, sexual acts between relatives, and adults role-playing as under-16s.
The new rules come after a government review found choking was widespread on popular porn sites.
Possessing illegal pornographic content can lead to prison terms: up to five years for publishing and up to three years for possession in some cases.
The changes reflect concerns that violent or extreme porn can influence what young people see as normal in relationships.
Non-consensual strangulation is already illegal, but its depiction online was not previously banned.
The law aims to stop websites and users from sharing harmful material and protect society from content encouraging real-life violence.
The government encourages people to delete or stop sharing such content before the law starts.
Experts say the law is a step toward reducing acceptance of sexual violence in pornography but highlight the need for tech platforms to enforce it.
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Residents near a large landfill in Milpitas, California, have experienced bad smells for years. Local authorities have ordered the landfill operators to use drones and sensors to monitor the chemicals causing the odours and to automate gas collection to reduce smells.
Key Facts
Milpitas is a city in Silicon Valley that has had a landfill causing bad smells for decades.
Residents report experiencing bad odours for two to three hours daily.
Newby Island landfill operators must use drones and air monitors to track odours.
They are also required to automate the collection of landfill gases that cause the smells.
The landfill’s operators say they aim to protect air quality and operate safely.
Many countries lack clear rules for controlling environmental odours.
In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not regulate odours as pollution, so local governments handle it.
Technologies to reduce industrial smells include absorbing odours, changing them chemically, or burning them off, but they can be costly.
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Anthropic, a technology company, used its political action committee (PAC) to donate over $250,000 in the third quarter of the year. The PAC gave $161,000 of that money to political campaigns from both major U.S. parties.
Key Facts
Anthropic has a political action committee funded by its employees.
The PAC spent more than $250,000 on political campaigns in the third quarter.
Of that amount, $161,000 went to candidates from both major political parties.
The donations were split roughly evenly between parties.
Spending records about these donations were reported by The Hill.
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KDE, a software developer, celebrates its 30th anniversary with the release of Plasma 6.8. This update ends support for the old X11 system and moves fully to the newer Wayland system while adding new features like better window decorations, improved backups, and enhanced remote desktop access.
Key Facts
KDE released Plasma 6.8 called the “30th Anniversary Edition” on October 14.
Plasma 6.8 stops supporting new X11 sessions but still runs old X11 apps via a compatibility layer called XWayland.
Wayland will be the main display system instead of X11, which has been used for 42 years.
New features include improved window decorations like shadows and rounded corners for third-party apps.
Nvidia triple buffering is now enabled by default, helping graphics performance.
Kup backup software is integrated into Plasma for easier backups.
A command-line tool named kscreenctl lets users change display settings quickly.
The System Monitor now lets users pin computer processes to specific CPU cores using a simple interface.
Remote desktop improvements include shared clipboard, locking the physical display, and better streaming on slow networks.
KDE also released a documentary film about its history and community.
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Plex has partnered with Fandango to allow users to buy movie theater tickets directly from Plex’s app when searching for movies currently playing in theaters. This partnership aims to use Plex’s data on what users watch and search for to help studios and advertisers better understand ticket sales and improve movie recommendations.
Key Facts
Plex lets users discover movies and now shows a Fandango ticket option for movies in theaters.
Users in the US can click through Plex to see showtimes and buy tickets from Fandango.
Fandango sells tickets for 31,000 movie screens across the US.
The integration tracks how movie interest on Plex leads to ticket purchases using a tool called Kochava.
Plex collects large amounts of data from users’ streaming choices and searches to help recommend movies.
This new service adds to Plex’s existing offerings like renting movies and free ad-supported TV streaming.
Users who only want to use Plex as a media server can still do so without using the ticket-buying or streaming features.
Plex hopes these new services will bring in money to support and improve its original media server software.
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Elizabeth Holmes founded the company Theranos, which claimed it could run many blood tests using just a small drop of blood. However, the technology did not work as promised, and Holmes is now serving an 11-year prison sentence for misleading investors.
Key Facts
Elizabeth Holmes started Theranos, a blood-testing company.
Theranos said it could do many tests from a tiny blood sample.
The technology never met its promises.
In 2018, CBS News reported on the failure of Theranos’ machine.
Holmes was convicted of fraud for lying to investors.
She is currently serving an 11-year prison term.
The story was featured in a "60 Minutes" news segment.
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Humanoid robots danced the “Macarena” and skateboarded at the CEATEC technology exhibition in Chiba, Japan. The event featured new technology developments from companies and innovators worldwide.
Key Facts
The event is called CEATEC and is held annually in Chiba, Japan.
Humanoid robots performed popular dance moves like the “Macarena.”
Robots also demonstrated abilities like skateboarding.
CEATEC showcases the latest technology from global innovators.
The exhibition highlights advances in robotics and other tech fields.
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Researchers from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab discovered that hackers used targeted online ads to silently install malware on mobile devices without the users clicking anything. This "zero-click" spyware campaign, called AdFection, infected devices including those at Al Jazeera, affecting both iOS and Android phones through ads served by an Israeli company named Discover-Tech.
Key Facts
Hackers used ads to deliver spyware that works without any user interaction (“zero-click exploits”).
The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab confirmed the attack infected 45 devices at Al Jazeera in 2024 and 2025.
The spyware targeted both iOS and Android devices and is hard to detect without special tools.
Discover-Tech, an Israeli ad company, acted as a broker between advertisers and app or website publishers.
Discover-Tech helped deliver spyware ads through major ad networks like Google, Yandex, and Beeswax.
Over 4 billion ad bidding records from Discover-Tech were studied, showing ads appeared on 120,000 websites and 70,000 apps by mid-2026.
Major platforms like Google and IAB Europe removed Discover-Tech after the report and blocked its ads.
The spyware reached sensitive networks, including NATO and United Nations systems, showing risks to governments and large organizations.
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Scientists at Penn State have studied what the Liberty Bell might have sounded like before it cracked by analyzing one of its full-size replicas. They used a method called modal analysis to understand the bell’s vibration and sound, helping to recreate the specific notes and ringing characteristics.
Key Facts
The Liberty Bell has not been rung for 180 years because it developed a large crack.
The crack grew in 1846 after an attempted repair and ringing the bell, making it unable to ring again.
The bell first cracked in 1752 during testing and was recast twice to improve its sound.
The metal alloy used for the Liberty Bell is very brittle, making it prone to cracking and chipping.
Bell sound depends on its shape and the materials, which affect vibrations and pitch.
Scientists used modal analysis, a technique to study vibration patterns and notes of bells, to model the sound.
Western church bells are tuned to several specific frequencies, creating a minor triad sound, often perceived as somber.
The Penn State team presented their research at an acoustics meeting and published a detailed article in Physics Today.
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A study by Columbia University shows that microplastics in water can produce harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These molecules can damage important parts of cells like DNA and proteins, which may explain some health risks linked to microplastics.
Key Facts
Plastics are usually thought to be chemically stable, but tiny plastic particles (microplastics) in water can create reactive oxygen species (ROS).
ROS are harmful molecules that can damage DNA, proteins, and fats inside living cells.
The research team tested six common plastics and found all produced ROS, with water-repellent plastics like polyethylene generating the most.
The interaction between plastics and water changes the structure of water molecules near the plastic surface, making it easier to form ROS.
The study used methods such as electron spin resonance and fluorescent sensors to detect these reactive molecules directly.
The research helps explain why microplastics found in human blood and organs might cause harm through oxidative stress.
Previous doubts about contamination or errors in detecting ROS were addressed by careful testing in this study.
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Apple and Meta are working together to bring an advanced open-source AI model called Muse Spark Open to Apple’s high-end Mac computers. This partnership shows how competition in the tech industry is shifting as companies cooperate to develop powerful AI tools for personal computers.
Key Facts
Meta is releasing Muse Spark Open, an AI model with 816 billion parameters, said to be the most powerful U.S.-developed open-weight AI model.
Apple helped Meta run Muse Spark Open locally on Mac Studio computers with M5 Ultra chips, using Apple’s MLX framework.
This AI model is free to download, can be used commercially, and will be available through cloud services and developer tools.
The collaboration marks a significant change as Apple and Meta have been rivals, especially over privacy and business practices.
Meta’s AI chief Alexandr Wang highlighted that a former Apple executive at Meta helped the two companies work together.
Other companies like Nvidia, Reflection AI, and France’s Mistral recently released or updated their own open-source AI models.
Running powerful AI models locally on personal computers could reduce reliance on Nvidia GPUs and large AI cloud services.
This partnership does not mean Apple and Meta have ended their rivalry, but they see benefits in cooperating on AI development.
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Rocket Lab announced that its Neutron rocket will not launch until 2027 due to a manufacturing problem with the rocket's carbon composite parts. The issue involves air pockets found in the dome sections of the rocket's fuel tanks, which caused delays while engineers developed a new production method.
Key Facts
Rocket Lab’s Neutron rocket first flight is now planned for 2027.
The delay is caused by defects in the carbon composite domes of the rocket’s first stage fuel tanks.
Air pockets (voids) were discovered between carbon fiber layers during inspection.
Carbon composite is a lightweight, strong material but hard to manufacture, especially in large sizes.
The Neutron first stage is the largest carbon composite pressure vessel ever made.
The manufacturing problem started after design changes made to strengthen the tank after a previous tank rupture in January.
Rocket Lab uses a new process without an autoclave (a special high-pressure oven) because the parts are too large.
Engineers fixed the issue by modifying the process, and new parts passed inspection, allowing production to continue.
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Researchers at the University of Geneva studied how an all-plant-based diet affected mice. They found that within days, the mice had changes in liver function and less motivation for physical activity, but these effects reversed after returning to an animal-based diet.
Key Facts
The study compared mice on a lactovegetarian diet (plant and animal proteins) to those on a vegan diet.
Mice on the vegan diet had lower glucose production in the liver after two days.
These mice also showed less spontaneous physical activity, such as less running.
The vegan diet reduced production of the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), leading to ammonia buildup.
Effects on mice reversed quickly after switching back to an animal-based protein diet (casein/whey).
Long-term vegan diets in mice led to reduced vitamin B12, iron, and protein supply causing fatigue.
Experts warn mouse results do not predict human health because humans and mice process nutrients differently.
Human studies generally show plant-based diets improve blood sugar control and liver health.
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The Guardian is asking people to share their experiences using artificial intelligence (AI) to help with online dating. They want to know what worked well and what did not when using AI tools like chat helpers or social advice.
Key Facts
The Guardian invites people aged 18 or over to share how they have used AI for online dating.
They are interested in learning about different uses, such as AI-generated chat lines or social coaching.
Responses can be anonymous and are collected through an encrypted, secure form.
Personal data will only be used for this feature and deleted afterward.
Participants can include details about themselves, upload a photo, and decide if their story can be published.
Contact details are optional but helpful for follow-up questions.
The Guardian offers alternatives for secure, anonymous communication.
This is a request for user experiences, not a news story or report on AI technology itself.
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Telehealth services are growing, especially for mental health patients, but doctors may struggle to fully understand patients through video alone. Researchers are exploring if artificial intelligence (AI) can help by reading facial expressions to better interpret emotions, though privacy and accuracy concerns remain.
Key Facts
Over half (52.1%) of telehealth visits in early 2026 involved mental health conditions.
About 36% of patients worried about data security and privacy during online therapy.
Nonverbal cues like facial expressions and eye contact help doctors understand patients but are harder to read through video calls.
Some studies link behaviors like nodding and leaning forward with good communication in telehealth.
Emotional AI uses technology to analyze facial movements and voice to identify possible feelings.
AI should assist doctors, not replace their judgment, since facial cues don’t always show true emotions.
There are concerns about privacy and the misuse of emotional AI for surveillance or control.
The European Union restricts some AI tools that guess emotions in workplaces but allows exceptions for healthcare.
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An Israeli ad-tech company, Discover-Tech, helped place spyware on many devices used by Al Jazeera journalists and other organizations. The spyware, created by a banned firm called Candiru, was spread through specially designed ads that infected devices without users needing to click anything.
Key Facts
Discover-Tech bought ads embedded with spyware to infect devices.
The spyware came from Candiru, a company banned by the U.S. for malicious hacking.
This attack used a "zero-click" method, meaning devices got infected just by displaying the ad.
Al Jazeera found unusual activity on journalists’ devices from 2024 to 2025.
Citizen Lab, a research group at the University of Toronto, helped confirm the spyware attack.
Some affected ads appeared on networks used by the Pentagon, IAEA, and ICC.
Candiru spyware has been used to spy on over 100 journalists, activists, and others worldwide.
Al Jazeera condemned the attacks and emphasized protecting press freedom and employees.
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International experts voted to replace leap seconds with a leap hour starting next year to simplify timekeeping and reduce problems in computer systems. Leap seconds were added to align clocks with Earth’s rotation, but Earth’s changing spin has made this difficult, causing potential technical issues.
Key Facts
Delegates from 69 countries voted to adopt a leap hour instead of leap seconds.
Leap seconds add or remove one second to keep clocks aligned with Earth’s rotation.
Earth’s rotation is not constant and has recently sped up, creating challenges for leap seconds.
Leap seconds can cause problems for computer systems, telecommunications, and electricity grids.
The leap hour will allow coordinated universal time (UTC) to drift by up to one hour before correction.
The change aims to reduce risks to national infrastructure that relies on precise timing.
Atomic clocks, which are very accurate, define the length of a second based on vibrations in a cesium atom.
Earth’s rotation has slowed over millions of years but currently varies due to natural forces like the molten core and ocean shifts.
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