Meta, the parent company of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, is preparing to test premium subscription services on its platforms, potentially placing some new and existing AI capabilities behind a paywall, according to The Verge on January 27, 2026. This move comes as X, formerly Twitter, faces an investigation from the European Commission over sexualized deepfakes generated by its Grok AI chatbot, as reported by The Verge on January 26, 2026.

The European Commission will evaluate whether Elon Musk's platform properly assessed and mitigated risks associated with Grok's image editing tools, according to the announcement.

Meanwhile, in other tech news, Strava and Komoot, popular apps for cyclists, hikers, and runners, are bringing offline maps to the Apple Watch, ending a major source of frustration for many users, The Verge reported on January 27, 2026. Komoot offers more features to all users for free, including turn-by-turn navigation.

These developments occur amidst ongoing concerns about online scams and the exploitation of individuals. Wired reported on January 26, 2026, about a pig butchering compound where individuals were forced to carry out scams promising romance and riches from crypto investments, defrauding victims of significant sums of money. According to Wired, an office manager named Amani sent out a motivational message to his colleagues, stating, "Every day brings a new opportunitya chance to connect, to inspire, and to make a difference."

For those who frequently misplace items, The Verge published a buying guide on January 26, 2026, recommending the best Bluetooth trackers for Apple and Android phones.