Tech
4 min

Pixel_Panda
2h ago
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Hacked Platform, Layoffs, & Rainy Holiday Boost Bookings

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities, financial penalties, and shifting consumer trends dominated recent headlines, according to reports from the BBC. An AI coding platform was found to be easily hackable, a porn site was fined for age verification failings, a game developer laid off staff shortly after a game's release, holiday bookings surged due to poor weather, and Tesco announced plans to extend its Clubcard program to under-18s.

A BBC reporter was able to hack into the "vibe-coding" platform Orchids, demonstrating a significant cybersecurity risk. Orchids, designed for users without technical skills to build apps and games, allowed the reporter to hijack a laptop. Experts have expressed concern about the risks of allowing AI bots deep access to computers.

In other news, the media regulator Ofcom fined Kick Online Entertainment SA £800,000 for failing to implement proper age verification measures on its porn site. The company did not comply with the law between July and December 2025, according to Ofcom. Message board 4chan faces a £520,000 fine for non-compliance with the UK's Online Safety Law, though its lawyer stated the company would not pay. Suzanne Cater, director of enforcement at Ofcom, emphasized the "non-negotiable" requirement for adult sites to have effective age verification.

Meanwhile, the developer of the multiplayer shooter Highguard, Wildlight Entertainment, laid off staff just two weeks after the game's release. Highguard, which was featured at The Game Awards, struggled to retain players after its January launch. The game was created by a team with experience on titles such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Titanfall.

The travel industry saw a boost in bookings for the February half-term holiday, with a 9% increase compared to last year. The Advantage Travel Partnerships attributed the rise to weeks of rain and the political environment, creating a "powerful psychological need for escape." Manchester Airport is expecting its busiest February half term on record, with almost 50,000 passengers flying out on Friday. Jet2 also reported a rise in bookings. Travelers heading to Europe are warned of potential security delays due to the ongoing rollout of the European Entry Exit System.

Finally, Tesco announced plans to make its Clubcard available to under-18s this year. The supermarket's loyalty scheme offers discounts and points that can be converted into vouchers. Tesco did not specify the reasons for the change or provide details on how it would work. This follows campaigning from Which? urging supermarkets to lift restrictions on loyalty scheme access. The UK's competition regulator has stated that while supermarkets' eligibility requirements are unlikely to breach consumer law, some could do more to broaden access.

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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