All posts tagged: require

Massachusetts regulators require sportsbooks to notify bettors of limits within 48 hours

Massachusetts regulators require sportsbooks to notify bettors of limits within 48 hours

Published by skeptic

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission has signed off on a new rule that will require licensed sportsbooks to alert customers within 48 hours whenever their betting accounts are limited. The decision came on a unanimous 5–0 vote after commissioners spent considerable time debating how to make the sports betting market more transparent and easier for consumers to understand. At the center of the discussion was what should count as “timely notice” when an operator restricts a bettor’s activity. “I believe the recommendation that [Sports Wagering Division Chief Carrie Torrisi] and I had discussed was 48 hours,” staff counsel said during the meeting. “We felt like within 48 hours was reasonable, but looking for your guidance there.” MGC commissioners quickly rallied around that timeframe. Several pointed out that sportsbooks already have the technical tools to push out account notifications without delay. Commissioner Paul Brodeur said the requirement “doesn’t seem like an insurmountable ask,” while another added that if an operator is preparing to restrict someone’s account, “you’d think there’d be at least a reason to alert the …

China to require traceability on e-bikes & batteries in safety reform

China to require traceability on e-bikes & batteries in safety reform

Published by skeptic

China is tightening oversight of its massive electric bicycle industry with a new reform that will require mandatory product traceability markings on electric bikes and several of their major related components. According to an announcement from the China Automobile Certification Center (CCAP), electric bicycles, lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes, chargers, and even helmets will now need to display the CCC mark alongside a traceable QR code. The move is part of a pilot reform under China’s CCC (China Compulsory Certification) framework. The CCC is the main regulatory compliance body in China, something akin to CE in Europe or UL in the US. The new guidelines mark a fairly significant shift in how China plans to regulate and enforce compliance in the e-bike sector. Under the new rules, each certified product must carry a unique QR code that corresponds one-to-one with its certification record. That means regulators can scan the code and trace the product back to its specific certification documentation, manufacturer, and potentially even production batch. Newly certified products must comply starting March 1, 2026, while …

3 Discord alternatives that don’t require you to hand your life over

3 Discord alternatives that don’t require you to hand your life over

Published by skeptic

Discord has been making the rounds lately, and it’s not for good reason. Starting in March 2026, Discord is going to require users to upload their photo ID or a face scan if they want to have an unrestricted account on its platform. The platform will still be usable for most folks if they don’t decide to upload a scan of their face or their photo ID, to be fair. But seeing as I would prefer not to have my data taken and stored by yet another company, I’m likely going to be jumping ship to one of the many alternatives. If you’re looking to do the same, but don’t know where to go, I’ve got your back. There are plenty of free alternatives to Discord that eager users can try, especially if they’re worried about uploading their private information. TeamSpeak is an excellent alternative to Discord It looks and functions nearly identically to its biggest rival If you’re hoping to jump into a Discord alternative that has the most minimal learning curve possible, TeamSpeak …

New California bill to require license plates for electric bikes

New California bill to require license plates for electric bikes

Published by skeptic

A newly introduced bill in California could dramatically change how electric bikes are treated under state law – and it may put license plates on most e-bikes. Assembly Bill 1942, introduced by Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, would require all Class 2 and Class 3 electric bicycles to be registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles and to display a special license plate issued by the DMV. Under current California law, e-bikes are divided into three classes: Class 1 (pedal assist up to 20 mph or 32 km/h), Class 2 (throttle-equipped up to 20 mph or 32 km/h), and Class 3 (pedal assist up to 28 mph or 45 km/h). These classifications, established nearly a decade ago, were specifically designed to treat e-bikes more like bicycles than motor vehicles. That means no registration, no insurance, and no license plates – one of the key reasons e-bikes have become such an accessible alternative to driving. They’re as hassle-free as a bicycle while being easier to ride. AB 1942 would change that for Class 2 and Class 3 …

Discord will soon require age verification for adult content

Discord will soon require age verification for adult content

Published by skeptic

The messaging platform Discord announced Monday that all user accounts will default to teen safety settings beginning in March. Discord, which has more than 200 million global monthly active users, will age-gate content and communication tools unless an individual verifies their age or if the platform has independently assessed their account as having a high likelihood of belonging to an adult. Discord will use the third-party verification service k-ID for age and identification checks and rely on an inference model with hundreds of signals to detect the accurate age of an account holder. SEE ALSO: Discord launches new safety features following lawsuits “We would like the experience to feel more like you are on Main Street,” Savannah Badalich, head of product policy at Discord, told Mashable. “If you’re going into an adult space, you do ID verification or something like that, whereas the Main Street itself is built for just generally [everyone].” Badalich suggested to Mashable that users will not be able to circumvent the safety measures by relying on a virtual private network, or …

Europe’s AI ambitions require more investment in advanced and trusted connectivity

Europe’s AI ambitions require more investment in advanced and trusted connectivity

Published by Sam Flores

It seems impossible to have a conversation today without artificial intelligence (AI) playing a role, demonstrating the massive power of the technology. AI has the potential to impact every part of business and society, and European policymakers are on board. In February 2025, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said: “We want Europe to be one of the leading AI continents … AI can help us boost our competitiveness, protect our security, shore up public health, and make access to knowledge and information more democratic.” Research from Nokia suggests that businesses share this enthusiasm and ambition. Eighty-four percent of more than 1,000 respondents said AI features in the growth strategy of their organization, while 62 percent are directing at least 20 percent of ICT capex budgets toward the technology. However, the equation is not yet balanced. Three-quarters state that current telecom infrastructure limits the ability to deliver on those ambitions, while 45 percent suggest these limitations would delay, constrain or entirely limit investments. There is clearly a disconnect between the ambition …

US Judge Rules ICE Raids Require Judicial Warrants, Contradicting Secret ICE Memo

US Judge Rules ICE Raids Require Judicial Warrants, Contradicting Secret ICE Memo

Published by skeptic

A federal judge in Minnesota ruled last Saturday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents violated the Fourth Amendment after they forcibly entered a Minnesota man’s home without a judicial warrant. The conduct of the agents closely mirrors a previously undisclosed ICE directive that claims agents are permitted to enter people’s homes without a warrant signed by a judge. The ruling, issued by US District Court judge Jeffrey Bryan in response to a petition for a writ of habeas corpus on January 17, did not assess the legality of ICE’s internal guidance itself. But it squarely holds that federal agents violated the United States Constitution when they entered a residence without consent and without a judge-signed warrant—the same conditions ICE leadership has privately told officers is sufficient for home arrests, according to a complaint filed by Whistleblower Aid, a nonprofit legal group representing whistleblowers from the public and private sector. In a sworn declaration, Garrison Gibson, a Liberian national who has lived in Minnesota for years under an ICE order of supervision, says agents arrived …

4 new roles will lead the agentic AI revolution – here’s what they require

4 new roles will lead the agentic AI revolution – here’s what they require

Published by skeptic

master1305/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Professionals are urged to move into AI roles, but which ones? Four emerging roles will lead the agentic AI revolution. Managing agents requires both business and technical acumen. Study after study urges everyone to get on board the artificial intelligence and agentic AI train, with promises of substantially higher income and greater job security. This push to move into AI-enabled roles leaves technology and business professionals with a burning question: What, exactly, are the roles for which they need to prepare? Who will lead the agentic revolution? For professionals with technology acumen, at least four emerging job roles are emerging, especially with the rise of agentic AI. I recently explored these opportunities with Andie Dovgan, chief growth officer at Creatio, who identified the emerging roles he sees: AI leaders, agent operators, AI no-code creators, and workflow architects.  Also: Got AI skills? You can earn 43% more in your next job – and not just for tech work “AI is …

Lego Smart Bricks introduce a new way to build — and they don’t require screens

Lego Smart Bricks introduce a new way to build — and they don’t require screens

Published by skeptic

Lego announced its new Smart Play system at CES on Monday, adding interactive, responsive Legos to the famously analog franchise. The Smart Play system includes a 2×4 brick, Smart Tag tiles, and Smart Minifigures. The Smart Bricks and Minifigures can sense nearby Smart Tags, which are 2×2 studless tiles with unique digital IDs that tell the Bricks and Minifigures how to act. If the Smart Tag comes in a set for building a helicopter, for example, then the Smart Brick will light up and make propeller sounds that would help bring a helicopter to life. Its built-in accelerometer would make these lights and sounds more consistent with how you’re actually playing with the helicopter, since the Brick will be able to sense when the helicopter is zooming through the sky or turned upside down. Image Credits:LEGO The Smart Bricks are powered by a patented ASIC chip, which is smaller than the size of a single Lego stud. The chip uses near-field magnetic positioning to recognize the Tags around it, as well as a miniature speaker, …