Social Media
Snapchat loophole exposes cracks in Age Verification rules
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Bronte Gossling writes that just weeks after Australia’s under-16s social media ban kicked in, a workaround is already doing the rounds.
On Snapchat, kids are passing facial age checks by scanning the faces of much older adults, often of a different gender, neatly dodging the system.
The tech giant’s provider, k-ID, does not cross-check whether the scanned face matches the account’s age or gender, thanks to privacy settings.
TikTok deal secures app future in US market
As the BBC’s Suranjana Tewari, and Lily Jamali report TikTok has avoided a US ban after locking in a deal that lets the app keep operating stateside, ending a years-long political standoff between Washington and Beijing.
The showdown began under Donald Trump, when national security concerns triggered threats of a ban unless ByteDance sold its US business.
After multiple delays, a compromise has landed, with American owners now running the local operation.
Pornhub access shift highlights Online Safety Act fallout
Politico’s Mizy Clifton reports that Pornhub (we shan’t be linking to that) will block most UK users from February 2, with parent company Aylo citing the impact of Britain’s Online Safety Act and its new age-assurance rules.
Aylo says it tried to comply, but claims users are simply drifting to non-compliant sites that ignore the checks, undermining the policy’s purpose.
The company has flagged the issue with regulators and the government, but says nothing has changed. Users who verify before the cut-off will still have access.
Meta AI Chatbots spark fresh safety and accountability questions
Reuters’ Jeff Horwitz reports that Meta is facing fresh scrutiny after court filings claimed Mark Zuckerberg approved AI chatbot companions for minors, despite internal warnings they could enable sexual interactions.
The lawsuit, brought by New Mexico attorney general Raul Torrez, alleges Meta failed to protect children on Facebook and Instagram from harmful and sexually explicit content delivered through these bots.
Internal emails released as evidence suggest that safety teams were overruled, reigniting concerns that growth has again been prioritised over user protection.
Media
Bari Weiss addresses Newsroom Uncertainty at CBS
As The Guardian’s Jeremy Barr reports, Bari Weiss has kicked off her role as CBS News editor in chief by acknowledging the tension around her appointment and the scepticism inside the newsroom.
In her first address to staff, she said she understands why some employees may not support her or may choose to leave, according to audio obtained by The Guardian.
Weiss told the team she is not asking for trust, but plans to earn it through transparency, clarity and straight talk.
Entertainment
Netflix toy deals turn KPop hit into merch machine
Digital Music News’ Ashley King writes that Netflix is fast-tracking KPop Demon Hunters into full franchise mode, signing toy deals off the back of the platform’s most-watched film last year.
Hasbro and Mattel debuted new ranges at the Nuremberg Toy Fair after the animated hit passed 482 million views in six months, with totals expected to surge again in 2026.
American Girl has opened pre-orders for character dolls, while Funko is rolling out vinyl figures of the film’s stars, including a glow-in-the-dark special.