Spain announced plans to ban social media for individuals under the age of 16, joining a growing list of countries grappling with the impact of online platforms on young people. The announcement, made by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday, is part of a broader effort to protect children from what he termed the "digital Wild West," according to BBC World.
The proposed ban, which requires parliamentary approval, is one element of a series of changes aimed at holding company executives accountable for "illegal or harmful content" on their platforms, BBC World reported. Australia implemented a similar ban last year, and its success is being closely monitored by other nations, including France, Denmark, and Austria, which have also announced related measures, according to BBC World.
In other technology news, the French offices of Elon Musk's social media platform X were raided by the Paris prosecutor's cyber-crime unit. The raid was part of an investigation into suspected offenses, including unlawful data extraction and complicity in the possession of child pornography, according to BBC Technology. The prosecutor's office stated that both Musk and former X chief executive Linda Yaccarino had been summoned to appear at hearings in April, BBC Technology reported. Musk responded on X, characterizing the raid as a "political attack," according to BBC Technology. Separately, the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) launched a probe into Musk's AI tool, Grok, over its "potential to produce harmful sexualised image and video content," BBC Technology reported.
China implemented a ban on hidden car door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), becoming the first country to prohibit the use of the design popularized by Tesla. The decision follows safety concerns raised by deadly incidents involving Xiaomi EVs, where power failures were suspected of preventing doors from opening, according to BBC Technology. Under the new regulations, cars must have a mechanical release both inside and outside the doors to be sold, according to state media. The new rules are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, according to BBC Technology.
Meanwhile, a new social network called Moltbook has emerged, designed for AI rather than humans. Launched in late January by Matt Schlicht, head of commerce platform Octane AI, Moltbook allows AI to post, comment, and create communities known as "submolts," according to BBC Technology. Humans are "welcome to observe" Moltbook's activities but are restricted from posting. The platform, which resembles Reddit, boasts 1.5 million users and hosts thousands of communities discussing various topics, according to BBC Technology.
In Australia, a 13-year-old boy named Austin Appelbee was hailed for his bravery after swimming for hours to seek help for his family, who were swept out to sea. Appelbee, who described the experience as "really scared," swam for four hours to reach the shore after his mother, brother, and sister were left clinging to two paddleboards, according to BBC World. "I didn't think I was a hero - I just did what I did," Appelbee told the BBC. His mother, Joanne, feared he might not make it as the waves grew larger and the light began to fade. The family was eventually rescued after Joanne spotted the rescue boat, according to BBC World.
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