TikTok ‘directs child accounts to pornographic content within a few clicks’
TikTok has directed children’s accounts to pornographic content within a small number of clicks, according to a report by a campaign group,Global Witness set up fake accounts using a 13-year-old’s birth date and turned on the video app’s “restricted mode”, which limits exposure to “sexually suggestive” content,Researchers found TikTok suggested sexualised and explicit search terms to seven test accounts that were created on clean phones with no search history,The terms suggested under the “you may like” feature included “very very rude skimpy outfits” and “very rude babes” – and then escalated to terms such as “hardcore pawn [sic] clips”,For three of the accounts the sexualised searches were suggested immediately.
After a “small number of clicks” the researchers encountered pornographic content ranging from women flashing to penetrative sex.Global Witness said the content attempted to evade moderation, usually by showing the clip within an innocuous picture or video.For one account the process took two clicks after logging on: one click on the search bar and then one on the suggested search.Global Witness, a climate organisation whose remit includes investigating big tech’s impact on human rights, said it conducted two batches of tests, with one set before the implementation of child protection rules under the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) on 25 July and another after.Sign up to TechScapeA weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our livesafter newsletter promotionIt added that two videos featured someone who appeared to be under 16 years old and had been sent to the Internet Watch Foundation, which monitors online child sexual abuse material.
Global Witness claimed TikTok was in breach of the OSA, which requires tech companies to prevent children from encountering harmful content such as pornography.A spokesperson for Ofcom, the UK communications regulator charged with overseeing the act, said: “We appreciate the work behind this research and will review its findings.”Ofcom’s codes for adhering to the act state that tech companies that pose a medium or high risk of showing harmful content must “configure their algorithms to filter out harmful content from children’s feeds”.TikTok’s content guidelines ban pornographic content.TikTok said after being contacted by Global Witness it had removed the offending videos and made changes to its search recommendations.
“As soon as we were made aware of these claims, we took immediate action to investigate them, remove content that violated our policies, and launch improvements to our search suggestion feature,” said a spokesperson,
Jaguar Land Rover launches phased restart at factories after cyber-attack
Jaguar Land Rover has launched a phased restart of its manufacturing operations, more than a month after the British carmaker was hit by a crippling cyber-attack, as it revealed its sales had dropped sharply in a “challenging quarter”.The maker of Jaguar and Land Rover cars has been scrambling to get its systems up and running again after the hack on the last day of August forced it to shut down factories and retail operations around the world.JLR also announced a new financing scheme to provide its struggling suppliers with cash upfront during the restart period. This means those that qualify will be paid much faster than usual, aiding their cashflow, it said. The scheme will then be expanded to include some non-production suppliers
EU to raise tariffs on foreign steel imports; UK investors quit ‘sky-high’ stock markets at record pace – business live
The EU is to take a leaf out of Donald Trump’s playbook and increase tariffs on foreign steel imports as the local industry, particularly in Germany, is threatened with “collapse” in the face of cheap Chinese imports and 50% punitive tariffs imposed by the US in June.In a major shift in policy, the European Commission is expected to propose doubling the current 25% tariff to 50% on foreign steel while at the same time drastically reducing the current quota for duty-free imports.The bloc’s industry commissioner Stéphane Séjourné in Strasbourg said this morning:“The European steel industry was on the verge of collapse - we are protecting it so that it can invest, decarbonise, and become competitive again.”He insisted the move was not the same as Trump’s blunt 50% steel tariff that applies, with some exceptions such as the UK, across the globe.The EU tariff, in contrast, will only apply after a quota of foreign imports has been filled, with all foreign imports below that duty-free
AirPods Pro 3 review: better battery, better noise cancelling, better earbuds
Apple’s extremely popular AirPods Pro Bluetooth earbuds are back for their third generation with a better fit, longer battery life, built-in heart rate sensors and more effective noise cancelling, and look set to be just as ubiquitous as their predecessors.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.It has been three years since the last model, but the earbuds still come only in white and you really have to squint at the details to spot the difference from the previous two generations
OpenAI signs multibillion-dollar chip deal with AMD
OpenAI and the chipmaker AMD announced on Monday that they had signed a multibillion-dollar chip deal that would also give the ChatGPT creator the option to buy a large stake in the chipmaker.The deal offers OpenAI an opportunity to buy 10% in AMD and marks a major vote of confidence in the company’s AI chips and software. Shares of AMD surged more than 30% and added about $80bn to its market capitalization after the announcement.“We view this deal as certainly transformative, not just for AMD, but for the dynamics of the industry,” said Forrest Norrod, AMD’s executive vice-president.The latest deal, among a string of investment commitments, is a testament to OpenAI and the broader AI industry’s voracious appetite for computing power as companies race toward developing AI technology that meets or exceeds human intelligence
England v Bangladesh: Women’s Cricket World Cup – live
40th over: Bangladesh 121-5 (Mostary 51, Fahima 7) Capsey is knocked away for three singles – Fahima tries to go big but can’t find the middle of the bat. She’s on seven off 23 deliveries.39th over: Bangladesh 118-5 (Mostary 50, Fahima 5) Tash Farrant, on commentary, laments a lack of footwork from the Bangladesh batters against England’s spinners – they haven’t really got the sweep out either.38th over: Bangladesh 117-5 (Mostary 50, Fahima 4) There it is: Mostary dabs the ball into the off side off Dean to reach 50 for the first time in international cricket. She gets there off 92 deliveries, a special moment for the 23-year-old who walked out at 25 for two
The Breakdown | David Bishop on a rugby career full of regret
The former Wales and Pontypool scrum-half has written an autobiography on a life blighted by violence and reflects on the punch that ended his international careerImagine, for a moment, the following scenario. Having broken his neck in a freak rugby accident and avoided paralysis by a millimetre, the player concerned is back for a meeting with his spinal consultant. The specialist advice is crystal clear. Make the most of your second chance and, if you fancy staying alive, never do either of the following again: dive off a high board or resume playing rugby.And now just imagine being the kind of guy who leaves the room and immediately nips home to pick up his swimming trunks before heading to the nearest swimming pool
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