Discord announced it would begin requiring users worldwide to verify their age with a face scan or ID to access adult content, while a new study from the University of Oxford found AI chatbots give inaccurate medical advice. These developments come as product-scanning apps gain traction in Denmark amid calls to boycott US goods and India pushes its digital identity system, Aadhaar, deeper into everyday life. In other news, MrBeast's company acquired the teen-focused banking app Step.
Discord's new safety measures, designed to protect users, will place everyone into a teen-appropriate experience "by default," according to a BBC Technology report. The online chat service, which boasts over 200 million monthly users, will roll out the age checks globally from early March. This follows existing age verification practices in the UK and Australia, where the company already complies with online safety laws.
Meanwhile, the University of Oxford study revealed that AI chatbots provide inconsistent and inaccurate medical advice, potentially posing risks to users. Researchers gave 1,300 people a scenario to test the chatbots. Dr. Rebecca Payne, lead medical practitioner on the study, stated it could be "dangerous" for individuals to seek medical advice from chatbots, as reported by BBC Technology.
In Denmark, mobile apps designed to help shoppers identify and boycott American goods have seen increased use, as reported by Euronews. This surge follows US President Donald Trump's repeated interest in acquiring Greenland.
India is expanding its digital identity system, Aadhaar, through a new app and offline verification support, as detailed by TechCrunch. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) introduced these changes in late January. The new app allows users to share limited information, such as confirming their age, without revealing their full date of birth. This move raises questions about security and privacy.
Finally, YouTube megastar MrBeast's company, Beast Industries, acquired Step, a teen-focused banking app, according to TechCrunch. Step, which has over 7 million users and raised half a billion in funding, offers financial services geared toward Gen Z. The company has attracted celebrity investors, including Charli D'Amelio and Will Smith.
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