The European Union has ordered TikTok to modify its "addictive design" or face substantial fines, following an investigation that revealed breaches of online safety rules. The probe, which commenced in February 2024, found that the video-sharing platform failed to adequately assess how features like autoplay could harm users, including children, and did not implement measures to mitigate the risks, according to BBC Technology.
The EU's findings indicated that TikTok had not properly assessed the potential harm caused by its features. A TikTok spokesperson, however, refuted the findings, calling them a "categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform" and stating the company planned to challenge them.
In other technology news, Google employees are demanding the company sever ties with the U.S. government's immigration enforcement efforts. Nearly 900 full-time Google employees signed an open letter published on Friday, requesting greater transparency regarding how the company's technology is being used within the U.S. government, as reported by BBC Technology. Google has contracts to provide federal agencies with cloud services and is linked to work related to federal immigration enforcement. A Google employee of seven years expressed his dismay, finding it "mind-boggling" that the company was maintaining these ties.
Meanwhile, the award-winning fantasy game series Baldur's Gate is being adapted into a TV series, helmed by Craig Mazin, the creator of HBO's "The Last of Us," according to BBC Technology. The series will pick up where the game series left off. However, the game's developers, Larian Studios, will not be directly involved in the production.
In a separate development, parents are expressing concerns about the emotional bonds teenagers are forming with AI companions. According to Fox News, parents are asking questions about the nature of these relationships, specifically whether the interactions are normal or cause for concern.
Finally, a report from National Highways revealed that many smart motorways are failing to deliver the expected value for money. Two schemes, involving sections of the M25 and the M6, were found to offer "very poor" value, according to BBC Business. Only three out of sixteen projects across England were on track to deliver the expected financial benefits, although most were delivering safety benefits as originally forecast. The AA, representing motorists, described the schemes as a "catastrophic waste of time, money and effort."
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