Snapchat has blocked more than 415,000 Australian accounts after the national ban on under-16s began, marking a rapid escalation in the country’s effort to restrict children’s access to major platforms.
The company relied on a mix of self-reported ages and age-detection technologies to identify users who appeared to be under 16.
The platform warned that age verification still faces serious shortcomings, leaving room for teenagers to bypass safeguards rather than supporting reliable compliance.
Facial estimation tools remain accurate only within a narrow range, meaning some young people may slip through while older users risk losing access. Snapchat also noted the likelihood that teenagers will shift towards less regulated messaging apps.
The eSafety commissioner has focused regulatory pressure on the 10 largest platforms, although all services with Australian users are expected to assess whether they fall under the new requirements.
Officials have acknowledged that the technology needs improvement and that reliability issues, such as the absence of a liveness check, contributed to false results.
Hamad Bin Khalifa University has unveiled the UNESCO Chair on Digital Technologies and Human Behaviour to strengthen global understanding of how emerging tools shape society.
An initiative, located in the College of Science and Engineering in Qatar, that will examine the relationship between digital adoption and human behaviour, focusing on digital well-being, ethical design and healthier online environments.
The Chair is set to address issues such as internet addiction, cyberbullying and misinformation through research and policy-oriented work.
By promoting dialogue among international organisations, governments and academic institutions, the programme aims to support the more responsible development of digital technologies rather than approaches that overlook societal impact.
HBKU’s long-standing emphasis on ethical innovation formed the foundation for the new initiative. The launch event brought together experts from several disciplines to discuss behavioural change driven by AI, mobile computing and social media.
An expert panel considered how GenAI can improve daily life while also increasing dependency, encouraging users to shift towards a more intentional and balanced relationship with AI systems.
UNESCO underlined the importance of linking scientific research with practical policymaking to guide institutions and communities.
The Chair is expected to strengthen cooperation across sectors and support progress on global development goals by ensuring digital transformation remains aligned with human dignity, social cohesion and inclusive growth.
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Bitcoin traded sideways on Tuesday after a short-lived rebound from a 10-month low, as caution continued to dominate derivatives markets. Early Asian trading saw limited movement, with prices hovering below $78,500 following a sharp sell-off the previous day.
Options positioning suggests nerves have yet to ease fully. Data from Deribit showed heavy put option concentrations around $75,000, marking a key support level, while the next downside area is seen closer to $70,000.
Although downside protection demand has softened, positioning indicates traders remain defensive.
Signals from perpetual futures markets reinforced the cautious tone. According to CryptoQuant, funding rates turned negative, their weakest since mid-2024, pointing to a market dominated by short sellers.
Implied volatility stayed elevated near 48.8, based on data from TradingView.
Some traders highlighted early signs of stabilisation after aggressive selling. Analysts at FalconX and STS Digital noted that a weekly close below $75,000 could reignite downside pressure, while holding above that level may support a near-term recovery.
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Bison Bank plans to integrate Bison Digital Assets into its core operations, moving closer to becoming Portugal’s first cryptobank. The investment bank plans to support client-led asset tokenisation projects, signalling a wider move into regulated digital finance.
The strategy is backed by the EU’s MiCA framework, which provides legal clarity and regulatory certainty for cryptoasset firms. Regulatory approval under MiCA allows the bank to operate in Portugal while dealing in and investing in cryptoassets on behalf of clients.
Alongside the structural integration, the bank outlined three initiatives: issuing the first stablecoin by a Portuguese bank, advancing tokenised asset offerings, and completing its transition into a cryptobank.
Tokenisation is designed to enable fractional ownership, continuous trading, improved liquidity, and transparent settlement for assets ranging from real estate to bonds.
Although no official launch date has been confirmed, chief executive António Henriques indicated that the new services are expected to become available in the first half of the year, subject to final regulatory and operational steps.
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The UK and Bulgaria are expanding cooperation on semiconductor technology to strengthen supply chains and support Europe’s growing need for advanced materials.
A partnership that links British expertise with the ambitions of Bulgaria under the EU Chips Act 2023, creating opportunities for investment, innovation and skills development.
The Science and Technology Network has acted as a bridge between both countries by bringing together government, industry and academia. A high-level roundtable in Sofia, a study visit to Scotland and a trade mission to Bulgaria encouraged firms and institutions to explore new partnerships.
These exchanges helped shape joint projects and paved the way for shared training programmes.
Several concrete outcomes have followed. A €350 million Green Silicon Carbide wafer factory is moving ahead, supported by significant UK export wins.
Universities in Glasgow and Sofia have signed a research memorandum, while TechWorks UK and Bulgaria’s BASEL have agreed on an industry partnership. The next phase is expected to focus on launching the new factory, deepening research cooperation and expanding skills initiatives.
Bulgaria’s fast-growing electronics and automotive sectors have strengthened its position as a key European manufacturing hub. The country produces most sensors used in European cars and hosts modern research centres and smart factories.
The combined effect of the EU funding, national investment and international collaboration is helping Bulgaria secure a prominent role in Europe’s semiconductor supply chain.
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Doha Debates, an initiative of Qatar Foundation, hosted a town hall examining the ethical, political, and social implications of rapidly advancing AI. The discussion reflected growing concern that AI capabilities could outpace human control and existing governance frameworks.
Held at Multaqa in Education City, the forum gathered students, researchers, and international experts to assess readiness for rapid technological change. Speakers offered contrasting views, highlighting both opportunity and risk as AI systems grow more powerful.
Philosopher and transhumanist thinker Max More argued for continued innovation guided by reason and proportionate safeguards, warning against fear-driven stagnation.
By contrast, computer scientist Roman Yampolskiy questioned whether meaningful control over superintelligent systems is realistic, cautioning that widening intelligence gaps could undermine governance entirely.
Nabiha Syed, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, focused on accountability and social impact. She urged broader public participation and transparency, particularly as AI deployment risks reinforcing existing inequalities across societies.
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OpenAI has confirmed that several legacy AI models will be removed from ChatGPT, with GPT-4o scheduled for retirement on 13 February. The decision follows months of debate after the company reinstated the model amid strong user backlash.
Alongside GPT-4o, the models being withdrawn include GPT-5 Instant, GPT-5 Thinking, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and o4-mini. The changes apply only to ChatGPT, while developers will continue to access the models through OpenAI’s API.
GPT-4o had built a loyal following for its natural writing style and emotional awareness, with many users arguing newer models felt less expressive. When OpenAI first attempted to phase it out in 2025, widespread criticism prompted a temporary reversal.
Company data now suggests active use of GPT-4o has dropped to around 0.1% of daily users. OpenAI says features associated with the model have since been integrated into GPT-5.2, including personality tuning and creative response controls.
Despite this, criticism has resurfaced across social platforms, with users questioning usage metrics and highlighting that GPT-4o was no longer prominently accessible. Comments from OpenAI leadership acknowledging recent declines in writing quality have further fuelled concerns about the model’s removal.
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A leading British think tank has urged the government to introduce ‘nutrition labels’ for AI-generated news, arguing that clearer rules are needed as AI becomes a dominant source of information.
The Institute for Public Policy Research said AI firms are increasingly acting as new gatekeepers of the internet and must pay publishers for the journalism that shapes their output.
The group recommended standardised labels showing which sources underpin AI-generated answers, instead of leaving users unsure about the origin or reliability of the material they read.
It also called for a formal licensing system in the UK that would allow publishers to negotiate directly with technology companies over the use of their content. The move comes as a growing share of the public turns to AI for news, while Google’s AI summaries reach billions each month.
IPPR’s study found that some AI platforms rely heavily on content from outlets with licensing agreements, such as the Guardian and the Financial Times, while others, like the BBC, appear far less often due to restrictions on scraping.
The think tank warned that such patterns could weaken media plurality by sidelining local and smaller publishers instead of supporting a balanced ecosystem. It added that Google’s search summaries have already reduced traffic to news websites by providing answers before users click through.
The report said public funding should help sustain investigative and local journalism as AI tools expand. OpenAI responded that its products highlight sources and provide links to publishers, arguing that careful design can strengthen trust in the information people see online.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed a compact ultrasound system designed to make breast cancer screening more accessible and frequent, particularly for people at higher risk.
The portable device could be used in doctors’ offices or at home, helping detect tumours earlier than current screening schedules allow.
The system pairs a small ultrasound probe with a lightweight processing unit to deliver real-time 3D images via a laptop. Researchers say its portability and low power use could improve access in rural areas where traditional ultrasound machines are impractical.
Frequent monitoring is critical, as aggressive interval cancers can develop between routine mammograms and account for up to 30% of breast cancer cases.
By enabling regular ultrasound scans without specialised technicians or bulky equipment, the technology could increase early detection rates, where survival outcomes are significantly higher.
Initial testing successfully produced clear, gap-free 3D images of breast tissue, and larger clinical trials are now underway at partner hospitals. The team is developing a smaller version that could connect to a smartphone and be integrated into a wearable device for home use.
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A new ‘Best of MoltBook’ post on Astral Codex Ten has renewed debate over how AI-assisted writing is being presented and understood. The collection highlights selected excerpts from MoltBook, a public notebook used to explore ideas with the help of AI tools.
MoltBook is framed as a space for experimentation rather than finished analysis, with short-form entries reflecting drafts, prompts and revisions. Human judgement remains central, with outputs curated, edited or discarded rather than treated as autonomous reasoning.
Some readers have questioned descriptions of the work as ‘agentic AI’, arguing the label exaggerates the technology’s role. The AI involved responds to instructions but does not act independently, plan goals or retain long-term memory.
The discussion reflects wider scepticism about inflated claims around AI capability. MoltBook is increasingly viewed as an example of AI as a productivity aid for thinking, rather than evidence of a new form of independent intelligence.
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