The House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a bill that would mandate photo identification for voters across the United States in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, while tech giants face scrutiny from regulators on multiple fronts, including app store practices and AI chatbot access. The House Rules Committee advanced the SAVE America Act on Tuesday, according to Fox News, a bill aimed at preventing non-citizens from participating in elections. Simultaneously, the EU has told Meta to allow rival AI firms' chatbots on WhatsApp, and Discord will soon require age verification for access to adult content.
The SAVE America Act, as reported by Fox News, is a sweeping piece of legislation that conservatives are pressuring the Senate to consider after its likely passage in the House. The bill's advancement comes as the House prepares for a vote, setting the stage for a potential political battle in the coming months. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, discussed the importance of the bill on 'The Big Weekend Show,' highlighting its significance.
In the technology sector, Apple and Google have agreed to make changes to their app stores in the UK following an intervention from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as reported by BBC Technology. The CMA stated that the tech giants will commit to not giving preferential treatment to their own apps and will be transparent about how others are approved for sale. This agreement comes seven months after the regulator said Apple and Google had an "effective duopoly" in the UK. The CMA's head, Sarah Cardell, said the proposed commitments "will boost the UK's app economy."
Also, Discord announced it will soon require users globally to verify their age with a face scan or ID to access adult content, according to BBC Technology. The online chat service, which has over 200 million monthly users, is rolling out these age checks worldwide from early March. This move is designed to protect users by placing everyone into a teen-appropriate experience "by default."
Furthermore, the EU has told Meta it has breached its rules by blocking rival AI firms' chatbots from WhatsApp, according to BBC Technology. The European Commission claims Meta is abusing its dominant position by blocking these chatbots, which it sees as an "important entry point" for AI to reach people. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC the EU had "no reason" to intervene, claiming the EU had "incorrectly" assumed WhatsApp Business was a key way that people use chatbots.
In other news, Nahid Islam, at age 26, stepped up to a microphone at Dhakas Shaheed Minar, a national monument, on August 3, 2024, and uttered a single rallying cry: Hasina must go, according to Al Jazeera. Student-led demonstrations had begun weeks earlier over a government job quota system.
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