Welcome to today’s curated collection of interesting links and insights for 2025/10/16. Our Hand-picked, AI-optimized system has processed and summarized 25 articles from all over the internet to bring you the latest technology news.
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1. Spotify caught running ICE recruitment ads offering massive bonuses
Spotify has been found running recruitment advertisements for ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which offers large bonuses to attract workers. These ads appeared on Spotify’s platform, raising ethical questions and public backlash due to ICE’s controversial role in immigration enforcement and detention practices. The ads highlight the growing challenge technology and media companies face in regulating content linked to government agencies with divisive reputations. Spotify’s involvement demonstrates the tension between commercial interests in advertising revenue and societal concerns surrounding the entities being promoted. This incident underscores the need for stricter oversight on advertising policies to ensure platforms do not inadvertently support contentious organizations like ICE.
2. ISPs angry about California law that lets renters opt out of forced payments
California Gov. @Gavin Newsom signed a broadband billing law that requires landlords to let tenants opt out of paying for any third-party Internet service tied to a tenancy, including bulk-billing arrangements for wired, cellular, or satellite service, with the aim of boosting #competition in apartment buildings. The law takes effect on January 1, and tenants may deduct the cost of the third-party subscription from their rent if they opt out, while landlords are prohibited from retaliating, reinforcing #opt-out rights. The California Broadband & Video Association criticized the measure as anti-affordability and said it would undermine bulk billing, though supporters say it simply enforces a fair option for tenants, a stance aligned with #consumer-protection. The bill fills a gap in federal rules after an FCC opt-out proposal by @Jessica Rosenworcel was not adopted and later opposed by @Brendan Carr, signaling a state-level effort to spur #competition and make it cheaper for smaller ISPs to reach buildings. Although landlords may still limit which providers can install service, the law preserves tenant choice and frames the policy as a #consumer-protection step to encourage more options in the housing market.
3. YouTube Down for More Than a Hundred Thousand Users, Downdetector Shows
@YouTube faced a widespread outage as hundreds of thousands of users reported issues, per @Downdetector’s outage-tracking data. At the peak, 366,172 U.S. users reported problems, according to @Downdetector. Updates through the afternoon show the surge in reports: more than 200,000 by 4:36 p.m. PT, nearly 300,000 by 4:40 p.m., over 600,000 by 5:00 p.m., and more than 1 million by 5:28 p.m., before YouTube said the issue was fixed. The episode highlights how #videoStreaming services rely on user reports to map outages and gauge platform reliability.
4. Superwood Has Arrived – Wood Up Ten Times Stronger Than Steel
A new material called #Superwood has been developed that is up to ten times stronger than steel while being lightweight and sustainable. Researchers achieved this by reorienting cellulose fibers in wood and bonding them with a lignin-based adhesive, enhancing its structural properties. The resulting material outperforms steel in tensile strength and toughness, offering a promising alternative for construction and manufacturing industries aiming for eco-friendly solutions. This advancement demonstrates a significant step in material science, combining natural resources with innovative processing. Superwood could reduce reliance on metals and plastic, contributing to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency.
5. Big Tech deploys Orwellian doublespeak to shape AI deployment
Big Tech companies are employing Orwellian doublespeak to frame the deployment of #AI technologies in ways that obscure their risks and control narratives around their growth. These corporations label surveillance and data exploitation as beneficial ‘innovation’ while minimizing ethical concerns raised by critics and regulators. This manipulation of language serves to distract public debate, influence policy, and solidify monopolistic power under the guise of progress. @GeorgeOrwell’s warnings about language and truth resonate as the tech industry reshapes social perception to avoid accountability. Understanding this rhetoric is crucial for advocates and policymakers seeking transparent and responsible AI governance in the future.
The Japanese government has urged OpenAI, developer of the Sora 2 AI model, to avoid copyright infringement specifically concerning manga and anime characters. These characters are regarded as irreplaceable cultural treasures that represent Japan’s unique creative heritage. The government emphasizes protecting these assets from unauthorized use to preserve their value and integrity in the digital age. This appeal reflects Japan’s commitment to safeguarding intellectual property rights amid advancing AI technologies. It also highlights the delicate balance between innovation and respecting creative works that define national culture.
7. Believing misinformation is a win for some people, even when proven false
Believing misinformation can serve as a psychological victory for certain individuals, reinforcing their identity and social belonging despite being disproven. Research shows that people often resist corrections because acknowledging the truth threatens their self-concept or group loyalty. This defensive reaction can strengthen attachment to false beliefs rather than diminish them. The persistence of misinformation highlights the complexity of combating false narratives, as cognitive and social motivations influence belief retention. Understanding these dynamics is essential for designing effective communication strategies to counter misinformation in society.
8. Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon allow erotica for adult users | TechCrunch
OpenAI’s @Sam Altman says ChatGPT will soon relax safeguards to be friendlier and more ‘human-like’ and to allow erotica for verified adults #erotica. In December, age-gating will be expanded as part of a ‘#treat adult users like adults’ principle, allowing erotica for verified adults. Altman argues the safeguards were overly restrictive to protect mental health, though the article notes there is little public evidence and cites past incidents that raised concerns about vulnerable users. The piece also covers safety feature rollouts aimed at reducing AI sycophancy, new minors protections, the GPT-5 release, and the formation of an expert council of mental health professionals. Together, the report frames this as a strategic pivot in OpenAI’s approach to user safety and usefulness, reflecting broader tensions in #AI-safety policy between protection and expanding capabilities for adults.
9. Senators Warn Saudi Arabia’s Acquisition of EA Will Be Used for ‘Foreign Influence’
U.S. Senators @RichardBlumenthal and @ElizabethWarren warn that the $55B bid by #PIF to acquire #EA would threaten EA’s editorial and operational independence and introduce significant #foreigninfluence and national security risks. They point to the #PIF’s role as a strategic arm of the Saudi government and its pattern of high-profile investments in sports, gaming, and culture, including a $3.3B investment in @ActivisionBlizzard and stakes in Evo, Nintendo, and Scopely’s Pokémon Go. The deal involves two other firms, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners—Affinity formed by @JaredKushner—raising questions about political influence and federal approval. The Senators warn that access to sensitive user data, ongoing #AI development, and EA’s product direction could be leverage points for influence, intensifying national security concerns. The piece notes broader #Vision2030 diversification and mentions Riyadh’s festival controversies to illustrate potential cultural influence, underscoring the need for scrutiny of such high-profile investments.
10. Tesla offloads Cybertrucks as SpaceX, X.AI sales slump continues
Tesla is reducing its inventory of Cybertruck vehicles amid ongoing sales challenges affecting itself and other high-profile companies like SpaceX and X.AI. The company is aiming to manage production and delivery more efficiently during a period of weakening demand in the electric vehicle and tech sectors. Despite significant hype and anticipation around the Cybertruck’s launch, Tesla faces difficulties in maintaining sales momentum. This downturn is part of a broader trend impacting innovative tech ventures and reflects the current market environment’s volatility. Tesla’s strategic adjustment highlights the need for balancing innovation with practical sales performance during fluctuating economic conditions.
11. New MacBook Pro Sold in Europe Does Not Include Charger
Apple has started selling the new MacBook Pro models in Europe without including a power adapter in the box, following recent regional regulatory trends promoting reduced electronic waste. This change aligns with Apple’s prior steps that removed chargers from iPhone boxes and reflects #EU regulations aimed at standardizing chargers for electronic devices. Customers in Europe must now purchase a charger separately if needed, which may increase upfront costs but supports environmental initiatives targeting sustainability. This approach demonstrates Apple’s balancing of corporate environmental goals with regulatory compliance and consumer expectations in different markets. The decision highlights the ongoing shift in #tech product packaging and sales strategies driven by environmental policies and market-specific demands.
12. Chinese Gangs Use URL Scam Texts to Defraud Businesses
Chinese criminal gangs have increased the use of scam texts containing malicious URLs to target businesses and steal money. These groups exploit SMS messages to deliver fraudulent links that deceive employees into entering sensitive credentials or downloading malware. Cybersecurity experts point out that these scams leverage social engineering combined with sophisticated phishing techniques to bypass traditional security defenses. Businesses impacted report financial losses and heightened concerns about supply chain vulnerabilities linked to these attacks. This trend underscores the necessity for enhanced digital security awareness and advanced protective measures against evolving #cyberthreats.
13. From AI to TikTok to TV, This Pro-Israel Billionaire Is Expanding Power in US
@Larry Ellison is rising as a central figure in the US power elite, expanding influence through #AI leadership at #Oracle and a growing media empire via the acquisition of @Paramount. With a Trump executive order, @Oracle will oversee #TikTok’s algorithms, shaping a platform reaching about 150 million U.S. users. A Trump adviser called Ellison a ‘shadow president of the United States,’ and he hosted a major 2020 Trump fundraiser and joined a November 2020 call with Trump staffers and supporters. Ellison is a vocal supporter of the Israeli military and a close confidant of Prime Minister @BenjaminNetanyahu, with Israel seeking to repair its image and Ellison positioned as a powerful booster. His wealth and reach—worth more than $350 billion, with >40% of Oracle, and a global portfolio of properties worth nearly $2 billion that includes nearly all of Lānaʻi purchased in 2012—underscore the concentration of power across tech, media, and policy.
14. Indonesia to buy 42 fighter jets from China marking its first non-Western aircraft purchase deal
Indonesia will acquire at least 42 Chengdu J-10C fighter jets from @China, marking its first non-Western aircraft purchase deal. This decision, announced by Indonesia’s top defense official, signals a major diversification of Jakarta’s defense suppliers. The deal centers on the modern Chinese-made #J-10C, underscoring a shift in regional procurement dynamics and potentially affecting existing security alignments. The move expands Indonesia’s strategic options and highlights growing #military-aviation ties with @China, reflecting broader trends in Asia’s defense landscape. Such non-Western procurement could influence interoperability and regional security calculations.
15. Pinterest Finally Allows You to Filter Out AI-Generated Images
Pinterest has introduced a filter that lets users reduce AI-generated visuals by going to Settings > Refine your recommendations > GenAI interests and turning off the toggles. This change has been hailed by many in the art community as a step in the right direction against the flood of AI imagery. Yet the system is imperfect: some AI images still appear, and the #GenAI interests toggle covers only certain categories, excluding popular ones like Food, Travel, and DIY; the pop-up notes you’ll see fewer AI images rather than none. The update arrives alongside Pinterest’s ongoing data-use policy, which allows the platform to train its models with user information, meaning this is a partial improvement within a broader framework. Overall, creators on @Pinterest view it as a positive development, with hopes for more comprehensive controls in the future.
16. Global electric car sales hit record highs in September, but US market lags behind
Global electric car sales surged to a record 2.1 million in September 2025, driven by incentives in #China and #Europe that boosted demand across regions. China alone accounted for 1.3 million of those EVs, with BEV demand rising 28% year over year to 800,000, and year-to-date China has reached 9 million EVs sold. Europe also set a record, with 427,000 EVs in September, led by the UK’s #ElectricCarGrant program and a 30% rise in BEV sales while #PHEV rose nearly 60%. In the US, demand spiked 66% year over year in September due to the impending expiration of federal #taxcredits, but once credits ended analysts expect a sharp slowdown and manufacturers are cutting production, e.g., Hyundai price cuts, GM Tennessee shift cut, VW ID.4 production pause, Mercedes EV model halts, and Nissan abandoning US EV plans. With 14.7 million EVs sold worldwide this year, +26% vs 2024, the trajectory depends on policy support, as the US example shows how incentives can accelerate adoption but sudden policy gaps risk stalling it.
17. Apple announces new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro with updated chip
Apple’s new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro lineup runs on the M5 chip, delivering faster performance than their predecessors #M5. Prices start at $1,599 for the MacBook Pro, $999 for the 11-inch iPad Pro, and $3,499 for Vision Pro, with preorders available in most markets and sales beginning Oct. 22. The M5 is four times the peak compute of the M4 and is said to boost AI workloads, per @JohnySrouji. This AI power enables the new visionOS features and spatial apps, signaling a deeper push into immersive computing #visionOS26 #spatialApps #AI. The fall refresh follows the September releases of the iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11, with the December quarter traditionally the largest by sales thanks to holiday shopping.
18. Google fixes account recovery with new verification options that ditch trusted contacts
Google has updated its account recovery process by removing the ‘trusted contacts’ feature and introducing new verification options like mobile phone numbers, email addresses, and backup codes. This change is aimed at streamlining the account recovery experience and improving security by relying on more direct and accessible verification methods. Previously, the trusted contacts method allowed users to select friends or family to help recover accounts, but it had limitations and security concerns. The new system emphasizes control and convenience for users, making account recovery faster and more reliable. This shift aligns with Google’s broader efforts to enhance user security and reduce reliance on potentially vulnerable recovery options.
19. Google’s AI videos get a big upgrade with Veo 3.1
Veo 3.1 upgrades @Google’s AI video generation across the @Gemini ecosystem, delivering stronger prompt adherence, improved audio, and support for both landscape and portrait 16:9 outputs #Veo3.1 #text-to-video. The update also introduces a faster, lower-cost ‘Fast’ variant and makes Veo 3.1 available in the @Gemini app, @VertexAI, and the Gemini API. In Flow and its API, features like Ingredients to Video, Frames to Video, and Extend now work with generated audio, and users can upload reference images to guide outputs #AIvideo. New editing capabilities let users add objects to a clip while preserving the rest of the scene, with object removal coming soon; these changes aim to improve precision while reducing wasted compute. Google hints the upgrades could support @YouTube Shorts and potentially @TikTok, signaling broader adoption of Veo-generated videos across short-form platforms #shortform.
20. Two New Windows Zero-Days Exploited in the Wild, Microsoft Issues Emergency Patch
Microsoft released an emergency patch to fix two new zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in the wild affecting Windows systems. These vulnerabilities enable attackers to execute arbitrary code and escalate privileges, posing significant security risks to users. Security researchers observed targeted attacks leveraging these flaws, emphasizing the urgency for users and organizations to apply updates immediately. The vulnerabilities highlight ongoing challenges in protecting widely-used operating systems from sophisticated threats. Prompt patching mitigates potential exploitation and strengthens system defenses for Windows users globally.
21. Apple’s newly tapped head of AI leads the company’s ChatGPT threat
Apple has appointed John Giannandrea as its head of artificial intelligence strategy, signaling a robust response to the rise of AI technologies like #ChatGPT. Giannandrea, who previously led AI efforts at Google, brings extensive expertise in machine learning and natural language processing, areas critical to advancing Apple’s AI capabilities. His appointment is part of Apple’s broader strategy to integrate sophisticated AI across its products and services, aiming to maintain competitive advantage in technology innovation. This move reflects Apple’s recognition of the growing importance of AI in enhancing user experience and safeguarding its market position. Overall, Giannandrea’s leadership is expected to accelerate Apple’s development of AI-driven features and tools, reinforcing its standing in the evolving tech landscape.
22. Apple Intelligence has 20+ brand new features in iOS 26, here’s the full list – 9to5Mac
Apple Intelligence in @iOS 26 adds 20+ new features across four categories, building on the more than 20 features already in @iOS 18. In @Messages, @FaceTime, and @Phone, features include Live Translation for Messages, poll suggestions, Conversation backgrounds with Image Playground, and AI-powered search for messages and more, plus Live Translation for calls, voicemail summaries, and AirPods Live Translation supported on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4, and AirPods Pro 2. Apple Maps upgraded search, Shortcuts AI actions, auto-categorizing reminders, reminders suggestions, Wallet order tracking from email, and AI models for third-party apps expand reach to more apps and languages, with new support for Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (traditional), and Vietnamese. In image creation, Genmoji improvements and ChatGPT in Image Playground enable mixing emoji, custom facial expressions, and personal attributes for people. Rounding out the update are Adaptive Power mode, visual intelligence for screenshots with features like Ask @ChatGPT and Image Search, plus global notification summaries for all apps and watchOS 26 features that rely on @iOS 26.
23. Once unthinkable, NASA and Lockheed now consider launching Orion on other rockets
Lockheed Martin is moving toward a service‑based approach for #Orion, exploring the possibility of launching the spacecraft on rockets other than #SLS and integrating Orion into #commercialspace applications. Anthony Byers, @LockheedMartin’s director of Strategy and Business Development for Orion, said the company supports a service model and is starting discussions with @NASA to provide end‑to‑end Orion missions as a service. Budget dynamics show a push toward commercial transportation for #Orion, with the White House proposing to terminate Orion and SLS after Artemis III while Congress urges continued flights through #Artemis V. Attempts to commercialize #SLS through Deep Space Transport LLC have stalled, with no launch-services contract awarded and no plans to reuse the launcher. Orion’s launch mass of about 35 metric tons and a goal of launch costs under roughly $2 billion per launch have driven consideration of alternative rockets or a two‑vehicle arrangement with a tug, signaling a broader shift toward cost‑effective, flexible lunar missions.
24. Study Reveals The Surprising Age at Which Your Brain Reaches Its Peak
For many people, overall mental functioning peaks well after youth, with a high point between ages 55 and 60, even as raw cognitive speed and memory begin to slow from the mid twenties. In the study, 16 psychological dimensions were analyzed, spanning reasoning, memory span, processing speed, knowledge, emotional intelligence and the #big_five traits, then standardized across large data sets to chart their aging trajectories. Conscientiousness peaks around 65, emotional stability around 75, and even moral reasoning tends to mature in older adulthood, while resistance to cognitive biases can improve into the 70s and 80s. When these trajectories are combined into a weighted index, the overall pattern shows a peak at 55 to 60 followed by a gradual decline starting around 65, with sharper drops after 75, suggesting aging brings compensating strengths that support sound judgment in #leadership.
25. Google Gemini 3.0 launch date is October 22
Google’s @Google #Gemini3 is rumored to launch on October 22, 2025, according to the article. The claim comes from information in a social media post cited by the piece. Because the source is unverified, the date remains uncertain and could change with any formal announcement. If confirmed, Gemini 3.0 would advance Google’s #AI roadmap and continue the Gemini series.
That’s all for today’s digest for 2025/10/16! We picked, and processed 25 Articles. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s collection of insights and discoveries.
Thanks, Patricia Zougheib and Dr Badawi, for curating the links
See you in the next one! 🚀