Meta has agreed to introduce a less personalised ads option for Facebook and Instagram users in the EU, as part of efforts to comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act and address concerns over data use and user consent.
Under the revised model, users will be able to access Meta’s social media platforms without agreeing to extensive personal data processing for fully personalised ads. Instead, they can opt for an alternative experience based on significantly reduced data inputs, resulting in more limited ad targeting.
The option is set to roll out across the EU from January 2026. It marks the first time Meta has offered users a clear choice between highly personalised advertising and a reduced-data model across its core platforms.
The change follows months of engagement between Meta and Brussels after the European Commission ruled in April that the company had breached the DMA. Regulators stated that Meta’s previous approach had failed to provide users with a genuine and effective choice over how their data was used for advertising.
Once implemented, the Commission said it will gather evidence and feedback from Meta, advertisers, publishers, and other stakeholders. The goal is to assess the extent to which the new option is adopted and whether it significantly reshapes competition and data practices in the EU digital advertising market.
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Apple and Google have issued a fresh round of cyber threat notifications, warning users worldwide they may have been targeted by sophisticated surveillance operations linked to state-backed actors.
Apple said it sent alerts on 2 December, confirming it has now notified users in more than 150 countries, though it declined to disclose how many people were affected or who was responsible.
Google followed on 3 December, announcing warnings for several hundred accounts targeted by Intellexa spyware across multiple countries in Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The Alphabet-owned company said Intellexa continues to evade restrictions despite US sanctions, highlighting persistent challenges in limiting the spread of commercial surveillance tools.
Researchers say such alerts raise costs for cyber spies by exposing victims, often triggering investigations that can lead to public scrutiny and accountability over spyware misuse.
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Meta has signed commercial agreements with news publishers to feed real-time reporting into Meta AI, enabling its chatbot to answer news-related queries with up-to-date information from multiple editorial sources.
The company said responses will include links to full articles, directing users to publishers’ websites and helping partners reach new audiences beyond traditional platform distribution.
Initial partners span US and international outlets, covering global affairs, politics, entertainment, and sports, with Meta signalling that additional publishing deals are in the works.
The shift marks a recalibration. Meta previously reduced its emphasis on news across Facebook and ended most publisher payments, but now sees licensed reporting as essential to improving AI accuracy and relevance.
Facing intensifying competition in the AI market, Meta is positioning real-time journalism as a differentiator for its chatbot, which is available across its apps and to users worldwide.
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Researchers at the University of Bradford are preparing to pilot an AI-enabled wildfire detection system that uses robotic dogs, drones, and emerging 6G networks to identify early signs of fire and alert emergency services.
The trial, set to take place in Greece in 2025, is part of the EU-funded 6G-VERSUS research project, which explores how next-generation connectivity can support crisis response.
According to project lead Dr Kamran Mahroof, wildfires have become a ‘pressing global challenge’ due to rising frequency and severity. The team intends to combine sensor data collected by four-legged robotic platforms and aerial drones with AI models capable of analysing smoke, vegetation dryness, and early heat signatures. High-bandwidth 6G links enable the near-instantaneous transmission of this data to emergency responders.
The research received funding earlier this year from the EU’s Horizon Innovation Action programme and was showcased in Birmingham during an event on AI solutions for global risks.
While the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service stated that it does not currently employ AI for wildfire operations, it expressed interest in the project. It described its existing use of drones, mapping tools, and weather modelling for situational awareness.
The Bradford team emphasises that early detection remains the most effective tool for limiting wildfire spread. The upcoming pilot will evaluate whether integrated AI, robotics, and next-generation networks can help emergency services respond more quickly and predict where fires are likely to ignite.
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Atlassian has launched a new connector that lets ChatGPT users access Jira and Confluence data via the Model Context Protocol. The company said the Rovo MCP Connector supports task summarisation, issue creation and workflow automation directly inside ChatGPT.
Atlassian noted rising demand for integrations beyond its initial beta ecosystem. Users in Europe and elsewhere can now draw on Jira and Confluence data without switching interfaces, while partners such as Figma and HubSpot continue to expand the MCP network.
Engineering, marketing and service teams can request summaries, monitor task progress and generate issues from within ChatGPT. Users can also automate multi-step actions, including bulk updates. Jira write-back support enables changes to be pushed directly into project workflows.
Security updates sit alongside the connector release. Atlassian said the Rovo MCP Server uses OAuth authentication and respects existing permissions across Jira and Confluence spaces. Administrators can also enforce an allowlist to control which clients may connect.
Atlassian frames the initiative as part of its long-term focus on open collaboration. The company said the connector reflects demand for tools that unify context, search and automation, positioning the MCP approach as a flexible extension of existing team practices.
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Brussels has opened an antitrust inquiry into Meta over how AI features were added to WhatsApp, focusing on whether the updated access policies hinder market competition. Regulators say scrutiny is needed as integrated assistants become central to messaging platforms.
Meta AI has been built into WhatsApp across Europe since early 2025, prompting questions about whether external AI providers face unfair barriers. Meta rejects the accusations and argues that users can reach rival tools through other digital channels.
Italy launched a related proceeding in July and expanded it in November, examining claims that Meta curtailed access for competing chatbots. Authorities worry that dominance in messaging could influence the wider AI services market.
EU officials confirmed the case will proceed under standard antitrust rules rather than the Digital Markets Act. Investigators aim to understand how embedded assistants reshape competitive dynamics in services used by millions.
European regulators say outcomes could guide future oversight as generative AI becomes woven into essential communications. The case signals growing concern about concentrated power in fast-evolving AI ecosystems.
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Yettel has launched its 5G network in Serbia, offering higher speeds, lower latency, and support for large numbers of connected devices. Customers need a 5G-ready handset and coverage access, which currently spans major cities and tourist areas. The operator plans wider expansion as deployment progresses.
The service uses recently acquired spectrum, with 5G delivered across the 700 MHz low band and the 3.5 GHz mid band. The frequencies support stronger indoor reach and higher-capacity performance. Yettel says the combination will improve everyday mobile connectivity and enable new digital services.
Use cases include faster downloads, smoother streaming, and more responsive cloud-based gaming. Lower latency will also support remote work and IoT applications. The company expects the network to underpin emerging services that rely on real-time communication and consistent mobile performance.
Yettel forms part of the e& PPF Telecom Group and operates more than 130 retail locations alongside its digital channels. The company says the 5G rollout complements ongoing efforts to modernise national infrastructure. It also aims to maintain strong service quality across urban and regional areas.
The network received the umlaut ‘Best in Test’ award in 2025, marking a ninth consecutive national win. Yettel frames 5G as the next stage of its technological development. The operator expects the upgrade to strengthen the broader digital ecosystem of Serbia and improve long-term connectivity options.
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South Korea is facing broader concerns about data governance following Coupang’s confirmation of a breach affecting 33.7 million accounts. Investigators say the leak began months before it was detected, highlighting weak access controls and delayed monitoring across major firms.
Authorities believe a former employee exploited long-valid server tokens and unrevoked permissions to extract customer records. Officials say the scale of the incident underscores persistent gaps in offboarding processes and basic internal safeguards.
Regulators have launched parallel inquiries to assess compliance violations and examine whether structural weaknesses extend beyond a single company. Recent leaks at telecom and financial institutions have raised similar questions about systemic risk.
Public reaction has been intense, with online groups coordinating class-action filings and documenting spikes in spam after the exposure. Many argue that repeated incidents show a more profound corporate reluctance to invest meaningfully in security.
Lawmakers are now signalling plans for more substantial penalties and tighter oversight. Analysts warn that unless companies elevate data protection standards, South Korea will continue to face cascading breaches that damage public trust.
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ChatGPT users complained after the system surfaced an unexpected Peloton suggestion during an unrelated conversation. The prompt appeared for a Pro Plan subscriber and triggered questions about ad-like behaviour. Many asked why paid chats were showing promotional-style links.
OpenAI said the prompt was part of early app-discovery tests, not advertising. Staff acknowledged that the suggestion was irrelevant to the query. They said the system is still being adjusted to avoid confusing or misplaced prompts.
Hey, Kol. Thanks for flagging 🙏 This is not an ad (there's no financial component). It's only a suggestion to install Peloton's app. But the lack of relevancy makes it a bad/confusing experience. We're iterating on the suggestions and UX, trying to make sure they're awesome.
Users reported other recommendations, including music apps that contradicted their stated preferences. The lack of an option to turn off these suggestions fuelled irritation. Paid subscribers warned that such prompts undermine the service’s reliability.
OpenAI described the feature as a step toward integrating apps directly into conversations. The aim is to surface tools when genuinely helpful. Early trials, however, have demonstrated gaps between intended relevance and actual outcomes.
The tests remain limited to selected regions and are not active in parts of Europe. Critics argue intrusive prompts risk pushing users to competitors. OpenAI said refinements will continue to ensure suggestions feel helpful, not promotional.
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Mixpanel is facing criticism after disclosing a security incident with minimal detail, providing only a brief note before the US Thanksgiving weekend. Analysts say the timing and lack of clarity set a poor example for transparency in breach reporting.
OpenAI later confirmed its own exposure, stating that analytics data linked to developer activity had been obtained from Mixpanel’s systems. It stressed that ChatGPT users were not affected and that it had halted its use of the service following the incident.
OpenAI said the stolen information included names, email addresses, coarse location data and browser details, raising concerns about phishing risks. It noted that no advertising identifiers were involved, limiting broader cross-platform tracking.
Security experts say the breach highlights long-standing concerns about analytics companies that collect detailed behavioural and device data across thousands of apps. Mixpanel’s session-replay tools can be sensitive, as they can inadvertently capture private information.
Regulators argue the case shows why analytics providers have become prime targets for attackers. They say that more transparent disclosure from Mixpanel is needed to assess the scale of exposure and the potential impact on companies and end-users.
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