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Discord to Verify Users, Epstein Files Redacted

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 report revealed children are being bombarded with weight loss drug advertisements online. These developments come as the FBI released images of a suspect in the abduction of Nancy Guthrie and the US Department of Justice released redacted documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's criminal investigations.

The online chat service Discord, which boasts over 200 million monthly users, will roll out age verification measures globally starting in early March, according to BBC Technology. This move aims to place all users into a teen-appropriate experience "by default," as stated by the company. The platform already implements age checks in the UK and Australia to comply with online safety laws.

Meanwhile, a report by the children's commissioner for England found that children are routinely exposed to advertisements for weight loss injections and pills online. The report indicated that young people were "bombarded" with ads for products claiming to alter their bodies, despite such advertising being banned. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children's commissioner, called the posts "immensely damaging" to young people's self-esteem and urged for a ban on social media advertising targeting children, as reported by BBC Business. A spokesperson for the media regulator Ofcom stated that they do not tolerate "tech firms prioritizing engagement over children's online safety."

In other news, the FBI released images of a suspect in the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, according to Al Jazeera. The 84-year-old mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie disappeared from her home on January 31. Police in the US confirmed that a man had been questioned in connection with the case.

Additionally, the US Department of Justice released roughly 3.5 million redacted documents related to criminal investigations of Jeffrey Epstein. A United States congressman revealed the names of six men whose identities were blacked out in the released records, including American billionaire Leslie Wexner, who appears to have been labeled a coconspirator by the FBI in 2019, as reported by Al Jazeera. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna stated he was naming the men after spending two hours reviewing the documents.

In related news, a study from the University of Oxford found that AI chatbots give inaccurate and inconsistent medical advice, potentially posing risks to users. Researchers gave 1,300 people a scenario, such as having a medical condition, and found that the advice given was a mix of good and bad responses, making it difficult for users to determine what advice to trust, according to BBC Technology. Dr. Rebecca Payne, lead medical practitioner on the study, said it could be "dangerous" for people to ask chatbots about their symptoms.

AI-Assisted Journalism

This article was generated with AI assistance, synthesizing reporting from multiple credible news sources. Our editorial team reviews AI-generated content for accuracy.

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