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EU launches probe into TikTok over child protection

The EU on Monday announced a formal investigation into TikTok over alleged breaches of its obligations to protect minors online, under a landmark new law on policing digital content.

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Before Russia's satellite threat, there were Starfish Prime, nesting dolls and robotic arms

What would it mean if Russia used nuclear warheads to destroy U.S. satellites? Your home's electrical and water systems could fail. Aviation, rail and car traffic could come to a halt. Your cellphone could stop working.

These are among the reasons why there was alarm this week over reports that Russia may be pursuing nuclear weapons in space.

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Kremlin, Musk deny Russian army using Starlink

The Kremlin on Monday rejected Ukraine's claims that Russian troops fighting on the frontline were using Starlink terminals.

Kyiv's GUR military intelligence agency said it had evidence that Starlink internet terminals were being used on a "systematic" basis by Russian troops, accusing Moscow of "smuggling" them into the country.

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Disney to invest $1.5 billion in 'Fortnite' maker Epic Games to create games, entertainment

The Walt Disney Co. said Wednesday it is paying $1.5 billion for a stake in "Fortnite" maker Epic Games, working with the game developer to create a "games and entertainment universe" that will feature games, shows and characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar and more.

"This marks Disney's biggest entry ever into the world of games and offers significant opportunities for growth and expansion," Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement.

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Meta says to label AI-generated images on Facebook and Instagram

Facebook and Instagram users will start seeing labels on AI-generated images that appear on their social media feeds, part of a broader tech industry initiative to sort between what's real and not.

Meta said Tuesday it's working with industry partners on technical standards that will make it easier to identify images and eventually video and audio generated by artificial intelligence tools.

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Mark Zuckerberg's long apology tour: A brief history

When Mark Zuckerberg turned at a Senate hearing to address the parents of children exploited, bullied or driven to self harm via social media, it felt like a time-worn convention had sprung back to life.

"I'm sorry for everything you've been through," the Meta CEO said Wednesday. "No one should go through what you and your families have suffered." Then he returned to corporate mode, noting Meta's continued investments in "industrywide" efforts to protect children.

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Journalists, lawyers and activists hacked with Pegasus spyware in Jordan, forensic probe finds

Israeli-made Pegasus spyware was used in Jordan to hack the cellphones of at least 30 people, including journalists, lawyers, human rights and political activists, the digital rights group Access Now said Thursday.

The hacking with spyware made by Israel's NSO Group occurred from early 2020 until last November, Access Now said in its report. It did not accuse Jordan's government of the hacking.

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Elon Musk says first human has received implant from Neuralink

According to Elon Musk, the first human received an implant from his computer-brain interface company Neuralink over the weekend.

In a Monday post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Musk said that the patient received the implant the day prior and was "recovering well." He added that "initial results show promising neuron spike detection."

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Samsung to put more AI, technology into Galaxy phones

Smartphones could get much smarter this year as the next wave of artificial intelligence seeps into the devices that accompany people almost everywhere they go.

Samsung, the biggest rival to Apple and its iPhone, provided a glimpse of how smartphones are evolving during a Wednesday unveiling of the next generation of its flagship Galaxy models.

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Conflict, climate change and AI get top billing at elite meeting in Davos

The Earth is heating up, as is conflict in the Middle East. The world economy and Ukraine's defense against Russia are sputtering along. Artificial intelligence could upend all our lives.

The to-do list of global priorities has grown for this year's edition of the World Economic Forum's gabfest of business, political and other elites in the Alpine snows of Davos, Switzerland, which runs Tuesday through Friday.

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