Australia’s online safety regulator has moved to classify Twitch as an age-restricted social media platform after ruling that the service is centred on user interaction through livestreamed content.
The decision means Twitch must take reasonable steps to stop children under sixteen from creating accounts from 10 December instead of relying on its own internal checks.
Pinterest has been treated differently after eSafety found that its main purpose is image collection and idea curation instead of social interaction.
As a result, the platform will not be required to follow age-restriction rules. The regulator stressed that the courts hold the final say on whether a service is age-restricted. Yet, the assessments were carried out to support families and industry ahead of the December deadline.
The ruling places Twitch alongside earlier named platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube.
eSafety expects all companies operating in Australia to examine their legal responsibilities and has provided a self assessment tool to guide platforms that may fall under the social media minimum age requirements.
eSafety confirmed that assessments have been completed in stages to offer timely advice while reviews were still underway. The regulator added that no further assessments will be released before 10 December as preparations for compliance continue across the sector.
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Americans may soon be able to pay federal taxes in Bitcoin under a new bill introduced in the House of Representatives. The proposal would send BTC tax payments straight into the US strategic reserve and spare taxpayers from capital gains reporting.
Representative Warren Davidson says that BTC tax payments allow the government to build an appreciating reserve without purchasing coins on the open market. He says that Bitcoin-based revenue strengthens the national position as the dollar continues to lose value due to inflation.
Critics warn that using seized or forfeited BTC to grow the reserve creates harmful incentives for enforcement agencies. Some commentators say civil asset forfeiture already needs reform, while others argue the reserve is still positive for Bitcoin’s long-term global position.
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Binance Japan and PayPay have launched a new service that enables users to purchase crypto assets using PayPay Money and PayPay Points. The integration allows funds deposited from PayPay Money to be used directly for spot trading on Binance Japan.
Users can also withdraw proceeds from crypto sales back into their PayPay Balance. Previously, trading and withdrawals were restricted to Japanese yen transfers via domestic banks or external wallets.
The new system allows one-click deposits and withdrawals, starting from JPY 1,000.
The service works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, offering a smoother trading experience for both mobile and web users. To activate the integration, users enable the linkage via the PayPay icon within Binance Japan’s trading platform.
The initiative reflects growing collaboration between PayPay and Binance Japan, aiming to enhance convenience and accessibility for both first-time traders and experienced users while expanding crypto adoption in Japan.
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A recent survey reveals that 38.7% of Portuguese individuals aged 16 to 74 used AI tools in the three months preceding the interview, primarily for personal purposes. Usage is particularly high among 16 to 24-year-olds (76.5%) and students (81.5%).
Internet access remains widespread, with 89.5% of residents going online recently. Nearly half (49.6%) placed orders online, primarily for clothing, footwear, and fashion accessories, while 74.2% accessed public service websites, often using a Citizen Card or Digital Mobile Key for authentication.
Digital skills are growing, with 59.2% of the population reaching basic or above basic levels. Young adults and tertiary-educated individuals show the highest digital proficiency, at 83.4% and 88.4% respectively.
Household internet penetration stands at 90.9%, predominantly via fixed connections.
Concerns about online safety are on the rise, as 45.2% of internet users reported encountering aggressive or discriminatory content, up from 35.5% in 2023. Reported issues include discrimination based on nationality, politics, and sexual identity.
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Cyber Express reports that compromised VPN credentials are now the most common method for ransomware attackers to gain entry. In Q3 2025, nearly half of all ransomware incidents began with valid, stolen VPN logins.
The analysis, based on data from Beazley Security (the insurance arm of Beazley), reveals that threat actors are increasingly exploiting remote access tools, rather than relying solely on software exploits or phishing.
Notably, VPN misuse accounted for more initial access than social engineering, supply chain attacks or remote desktop credential compromises.
One contributing factor is that many organisations do not enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) or maintain strict access controls for VPN accounts. Cyber Express highlights that this situation underscores the ‘critical need’ for MFA and for firms to monitor for credential leaks on the dark web.
The report also mentions specific ransomware groups such as Akira, Qilin and INC, which are known to exploit compromised VPN credentials, often via brute-force attacks or credential stuffing.
From a digital-security policy standpoint, the trend has worrying implications. It shows how traditional perimeter security (like VPNs) is under pressure, and reinforces calls for zero-trust architectures, tighter access governance and proactive credentials-monitoring.
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Security researchers have confirmed that the Ultralytics YOLO library was hijacked in a supply-chain attack, where attackers injected malicious code into the PyPI-published versions 8.3.41 and 8.3.42. When installed, these versions deployed the XMRig cryptominer.
The compromise stemmed from Ultralytics’ continuous-integration workflow: by exploiting GitHub Actions, the attackers manipulated the automated build process, bypassing review and injecting cryptocurrency mining malware.
The maintainers quickly removed the malicious versions and released a clean build (8.3.43); however, newer reports suggest that further suspicious versions may have appeared.
This incident illustrates the growing risk in AI library supply chains. As open-source AI frameworks become more widely used, attackers increasingly target their build systems to deliver malware, particularly cryptominers.
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Italy has closed its investigation into Google after the company agreed to adjust how it requests user consent for personal data use. Regulators had accused Google of presenting unclear and potentially misleading choices when connecting users to its services.
The authority said Google will now offer clearer explanations about how consent affects data processing. Updates will outline where personal information may be combined or used across the company’s wider service ecosystem.
Officials launched the probe in July 2024, arguing Google’s approach could amount to aggressive commercial practice. Revised consent flows were accepted as sufficient remedies, leading to the closure of the case without financial penalties.
The Italian competition regulator indicated that transparency improvements were central to compliance. Similar scrutiny continues across Europe as regulators assess how large technology firms obtain permission for extensive data handling.
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Bangladesh has launched its first national AI Readiness Assessment Report to guide ethical, inclusive and rights-centred development of AI across public services.
The report was unveiled in Dhaka with representatives from government, international organisations, academia, civil society and the private sector. Officials described the assessment as a pivotal step as the country prepares for an increasingly AI-driven era.
The report outlines Bangladesh’s current strengths, including solid progress in e-government and high public trust in digital services, while also identifying areas requiring urgent attention.
Connectivity gaps, digital divides, limited computing capacity and the need for stronger data protection and cybersecurity remain key challenges. Policymakers noted that evidence-based decisions are essential as Bangladesh completes its National AI Policy.
International partners highlighted that the direction of AI development will depend heavily on choices made today. Strengthening digital infrastructure, improving skills, and building rights-driven governance structures were cited as central to ensuring AI benefits all communities.
Stakeholders also stressed the importance of using AI to improve services across health, education, justice and social protection without deepening existing inequalities.
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A Lund University study shows an AI assistant can assess psychiatric conditions more accurately than standard mental health rating scales. In a study of 303 participants, the AI assistant Alba gave DSM-based diagnoses, outperforming standard tools in eight of nine disorders.
The study included conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, autism, eating disorders, substance use disorder and bipolar disorder.
Alba proved particularly effective at distinguishing overlapping conditions where traditional rating scales often yield similar results. Participants also reported positive experiences with the AI interview, describing it as empathic, supportive and engaging.
Researchers highlighted that AI-assisted interviews could serve as a scalable, person-centred tool to complement clinical assessments while preserving the clinician’s essential role.
The study advances digital mental health tools, with Alba analysing the full DSM-5 manual instead of individual disorders. Talk To Alba offers AI-powered clinical interviews, CBT support, DSM-5-based diagnosis, and consultation transcription.
Experts emphasise that such AI solutions can ease healthcare workloads, provide preliminary assessments, and maintain high diagnostic reliability without replacing mental health professionals.
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Drexel University researchers studied how AI can aid emergency decisions in pediatric trauma at Children’s National Medical Center. Clinicians used the AI display DecAide to view key patient data, AI-synthesised information, or AI data with treatment recommendations.
The study tested 35 emergency care providers across 12 scripted scenarios, comparing their decisions to established ground truth outcomes.
The results showed participants achieved the highest accuracy, 64.4%, when both AI information and recommendations were provided, compared to 56.3% with information alone and 55.8% with no AI support.
Decision times were consistent across all conditions, suggesting AI did not slow clinicians, though providers varied in how they used the recommendations. Some consulted the guidance after deciding, while others ignored it due to trust or transparency concerns.
Researchers highlight the potential for AI to augment emergency care without replacing human judgement, particularly in time-critical settings. Researchers stress the need for larger studies and clear policies to ensure clinicians can trust and use AI tools effectively.
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