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AI deepfakes detection expands on YouTube for politicians and journalists

YouTube is expanding its likeness-detection technology designed to identify AI-generated deepfakes, extending access to a pilot group of government officials, political candidates, and journalists.

The tool allows participants to detect unauthorised AI-generated videos that simulate their faces and request removal if the content violates YouTube policies. The system builds on technology launched last year for around four million creators in the YouTube Partner Program.

Similar to YouTube’s Content ID system, which detects copyrighted material in uploaded videos, the likeness detection feature scans for AI-generated faces created with deepfake tools. Such technologies are increasingly used to spread misinformation or manipulate public perception by making prominent figures appear to say or do things they never did.

According to YouTube, the pilot programme aims to balance free expression with safeguards against AI impersonation, particularly in sensitive civic contexts.

‘This expansion is really about the integrity of the public conversation,’ said Leslie Miller, YouTube’s vice president of Government Affairs and Public Policy. ‘We know that the risks of AI impersonation are particularly high for those in the civic space. But while we are providing this new shield, we’re also being careful about how we use it.’

Removal requests will be assessed individually under YouTube’s privacy policy rules to determine whether the content constitutes parody or political critique, which remain protected forms of expression. Participants must verify their identity by uploading a selfie and a government-issued ID before accessing the tool. Once verified, they can review detected matches and submit removal requests for content they believe violates policy.

YouTube also said it supports the proposed NO FAKES Act in the United States, which aims to regulate the unauthorised use of an individual’s voice or visual likeness in AI-generated media. AI-generated videos on the platform are already labelled, though label placement varies depending on the topic’s sensitivity.

‘There’s a lot of content that’s produced with AI, but that distinction’s actually not material to the content itself,’ said Amjad Hanif, YouTube’s vice president of Creator Products. The company said it plans to expand the technology over time to detect AI-generated voices and other intellectual property.

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EU explores AI image generation safeguards

The Council of the European Union is examining a compromise proposal that could introduce restrictions on certain AI systems capable of generating sensitive synthetic images.

The discussions form part of ongoing adjustments to the EU AI Act.

A proposed measure that would primarily address AI tools that generate illegal material, particularly content involving the exploitation of minors.

Policymakers are considering ways to prevent the development or deployment of systems that could produce such material while maintaining proportionate rules for legitimate AI applications.

Early indications suggest the proposal may not apply to images depicting people in standard clothing contexts, such as swimwear. The distinction reflects policymakers’ effort to define the scope of restrictions without imposing unnecessary limits on common image-generation uses.

The debate highlights broader regulatory challenges linked to generative AI technologies. European institutions are seeking to strengthen protections against harmful uses of AI while preserving space for innovation and lawful digital services.

Further negotiations among the EU institutions are expected as lawmakers continue refining how these provisions could fit within the broader European framework governing AI.

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Moltbook founders join Meta’s AI research lab

Meta Platforms has acquired Moltbook, a social networking platform designed for AI agents. The deal brings co-founders Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr into Meta’s AI research division, the Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and the founders are expected to start on 16 March.

Moltbook, launched in January, allows AI-powered bots to exchange code and interact socially in a Reddit-like environment. The platform has sparked debate on AI autonomy and real-world capabilities, highlighting growing competition among tech giants for AI talent and technology.

Industry figures have offered differing views on the platform’s significance. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called Moltbook a potential fad but acknowledged its underlying technology hints at the future of AI agents.

Meanwhile, Anthropic’s chief product officer, Mike Krieger, noted that most users are not ready to grant AI full autonomy over their systems.

The platform’s growth also highlighted security risks. Cybersecurity firm Wiz reported a vulnerability that exposed private messages, email addresses, and credentials, which was resolved after the owners were notified.

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Google adds option to disable AI search in Google Photos

Users of Google Photos will now have greater control over how they search their images, after Google introduced a visible toggle that returns to the traditional search experience.

The update follows complaints about the AI-powered Ask Photos feature.

Ask Photos was designed to allow users to search for images using natural language queries rather than simple keywords. The tool aimed to make photo searches more flexible, enabling complex queries such as descriptions of people, events or locations captured in images.

However, some users reported that the AI system produced slower results and occasionally failed to locate images that the classic search had previously found more reliably.

Although an option to turn off the AI feature already existed, it was hidden within settings and often overlooked.

The new update introduces a visible switch directly on the search interface. Users can now easily alternate between the AI-powered search and the traditional search system depending on their preferences.

Google said improvements have also been made to the quality of common searches following user feedback. The company emphasised that search remains one of the most frequently used functions within Google Photos and that ongoing updates will continue to refine the experience.

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Malicious npm package targets developers with Openclaw impersonation

Security researchers uncovered a malicious npm package impersonating an Openclaw AI installer, designed to infect developer machines with credential-stealing malware.

JFrog Security Research identified the attack in early March 2026 after the package appeared on the npm registry and was downloaded roughly 178 times.

The deceptive package mimics legitimate Openclaw tools and contains ordinary-looking JavaScript files and documentation. Hidden scripts run during installation, displaying a fake command-line interface and a fabricated system prompt that requests the user’s password.

Entering the password grants the malware elevated access and allows it to download an encrypted payload from a remote command server. Once installed, the payload deploys Ghostloader, a remote access trojan that persists on the system and communicates with attacker servers.

Researchers say the malware targets sensitive information, including saved passwords, browser cookies, SSH keys, and cryptocurrency wallet files. Developers are advised to remove the package immediately, rotate credentials, and install software only from verified sources.

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Dutch court increases pressure on Meta over non-profiling social media feeds

A court in the Netherlands has increased potential penalties against Meta after ruling that changes to social media timelines must be implemented urgently.

The decision raises the potential fine for non-compliance from €5 million to €10 million if required adjustments are not applied to Facebook and Instagram feeds.

Judges at the Amsterdam Court of Appeals said users must be able to select a timeline that does not rely on profiling-based recommendations.

The ruling follows a legal challenge from the digital rights organisation Bits of Freedom, which argued that users who switched away from algorithmic feeds were automatically returned to them after navigating the platform or reopening the application.

The court concluded that the automatic resetting mechanism represents a deceptive design practice known as a ‘dark pattern’.

Such practices are prohibited under the EU’s Digital Services Act, which requires large online platforms to provide greater transparency and user control over recommendation systems.

Judges acknowledged that Meta had already introduced several technical changes, although not all required measures were fully implemented. The company must ensure that the non-profiling timeline option remains active once selected, rather than reverting to algorithmic recommendations.

The dispute also highlights regulatory tensions within the European framework. Before turning to the courts, Bits of Freedom submitted a complaint to Coimisiún na Meán, the national authority responsible for overseeing Meta’s compliance with the EU rules.

According to the organisation, the lack of progress from regulators encouraged legal action in Dutch courts.

Meta indicated that the company intends to challenge the decision and pursue further legal proceedings. The case could become an important test of how the Digital Services Act is enforced against major online platforms across Europe.

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New York moves to ban chatbots from giving legal and medical advice

New York lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban AI chatbots from providing legal or medical advice. The bill aims to stop automated systems from impersonating licensed professionals such as doctors and lawyers.

The proposal would also require chatbot operators to clearly inform users that they are interacting with an AI system. Notices must be prominent, written in the same language as the chatbot, and use a readable font.

A key feature of the bill is a private right of action. However, this would allow users to file civil lawsuits against chatbot owners who violate the law, recovering damages and legal fees. Experts say this enforcement tool strengthens the rules and deters abuse.

Supporters of the legislation argue it protects New Yorkers’ safety, particularly minors. Other bills in the same package would regulate online platforms like Roblox and set standards for generative AI, synthetic content, and the handling of biometric data.

The bill’s author, state Senator Kristen Gonzalez, said AI innovation should not come at the expense of public safety. She pointed to recent cases where AI chatbots were linked to harmful outcomes for minors, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability.

If passed, the law would take effect 90 days after the governor signs it. Lawmakers hope it will balance innovation with user protection, ensuring AI tools are used responsibly and safely across the state.

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Tycoon 2FA phishing service disrupted in global cybercrime crackdown

Authorities have disrupted the Tycoon 2FA phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform, which sent millions of phishing emails to organisations worldwide.

The operation, led by Microsoft, Europol, and several industry partners, targeted the infrastructure behind Tycoon 2FA, which enabled large-scale phishing campaigns against more than 500,000 organisations each month.

By mid-2025, Tycoon 2FA accounted for 62% of the phishing attempts blocked by Microsoft, with over 30 million malicious emails blocked in a single month. Experts link the platform to around 96,000 global victims since 2023, including 55,000 Microsoft customers.

Researchers from Resecurity found cybercriminals widely used the platform to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorised access to accounts such as Microsoft 365, Outlook and Gmail. The service relied on techniques such as URL rotation using open redirect vulnerabilities and the misuse of Cloudflare Workers to hide malicious infrastructure.

‘The author of Tycoon 2FA is actively updating the tool with regular kit updates,’ reads the report published by Resecurity. ‘What makes Tycoon 2FA so special is that the kit effectively combines multiple methods to deliver phishing at scale—from PDF attachments to QR codes.’

Authorities say taking the infrastructure offline disrupts a key pathway for account takeover attacks and prevents additional threats, such as data theft, ransomware, business email compromise, and financial fraud.

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EU launches AI platform to detect food fraud and contamination

Food safety monitoring across the EU is receiving a technological upgrade with the launch of TraceMap, a new AI platform designed to detect food fraud, contamination and disease outbreaks more quickly.

The European Commission introduced the tool as part of efforts to strengthen consumer protection and improve oversight of the agri-food supply chain.

TraceMap helps authorities analyse large volumes of data related to food production, distribution and trade. By identifying connections between operators, shipments and supply chains, the system allows investigators to spot suspicious activity and potential safety risks earlier.

National authorities in the EU member states can already access the platform, enabling them to conduct more targeted inspections and investigations without requiring additional resources.

The platform draws on data from existing EU systems such as the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES). Using AI to structure and interpret information, TraceMap can reveal patterns in production and trade flows that may indicate contamination, fraud, or other irregularities in the food supply chain.

Early testing of the platform has already demonstrated its practical value. A pilot version of TraceMap helped authorities identify and recall infant milk formula produced with contaminated ARA oil originating from China.

European officials say the system will strengthen the EU’s ability to respond rapidly to food safety risks while improving monitoring of both domestic production and imported products.

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Canada warns about AI-generated scams targeting citizens online

Authorities in Canada have issued a warning about the growing use of AI in impersonation scams targeting citizens. Fraudsters increasingly deploy advanced tools capable of mimicking politicians, government officials and other public figures with convincing realism.

Deepfake videos, synthetic audio and AI-generated messages allow scammers to create convincing communications that appear to come from trusted authorities.

Such tactics are often used to persuade victims to send money, reveal personal information, install malicious software or engage with fraudulent investment offers.

Officials also warn about fake government websites created with AI-assisted tools that imitate official pages by copying national symbols and similar domain names. Suspicious websites often use unusual web addresses, extra characters, or unfamiliar domain endings to mislead visitors.

Authorities advise Canadians to verify unexpected messages through official channels rather than clicking links or responding immediately.

Suspected impersonation attempts should be reported to the Competition Bureau or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

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