All posts tagged: underage

Two thirds of underage Australians still have access to social media despite ban, new research suggests | Science, Climate & Tech News

Two thirds of underage Australians still have access to social media despite ban, new research suggests | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

More than 60% of underage Australians are still using social media despite the country’s world-first ban introduced four months ago, new research suggests.  In the first major study of its kind since the ban came into force, 12 to 15-year-olds in the country were found to still be using restricted platforms. Three in five who had accounts on restricted platforms before December, including TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, still had access to one or more of their accounts. The research suggests 53% of child users on TikTok, 53% on YouTube and 52% of Instagram users were still able to access accounts on the platform. Sky News has contacted the platforms for comment. You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share How Australian teens are coping with social media ban The research was conducted online between 12 March and 31 March and commissioned by the Molly Rose Foundation (MRF), which has spoken out against a proposed similar ban in the UK, and YouthInsight, which has access to Australia’s largest online youth panel. …

Social media use is widespread among underage kids, a study finds

Social media use is widespread among underage kids, a study finds

Published by skeptic

ADHD: Short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This condition is characterized by an ongoing pattern of being impulsive (acting without thinking, for instance), inattentive (have trouble staying on task) or hyperactive (fidgeting excessively or seeming overly restless and talkative). Someone can have any or all of these symptoms — and often at a level that tends to get in the way of their functioning effectively. anxiety: A nervous reaction to events causing excessive uneasiness and apprehension. People with anxiety may even develop panic attacks. average: (in science) A term for the arithmetic mean, which is the sum of a group of numbers that is then divided by the size of the group. bullying: (v. to bully) A group of repeated behaviors that are mean-spirited. They can include teasing, spreading rumors about someone, saying hurtful things to someone and intentionally leaving someone out of groups or activities. Sometimes bullying can include attacks using violence (such as hitting), threats of violence, yelling at someone or abusing someone with violent language. Much bullying takes place in person. But …

Kalshi Sent Bizarre Message to Underage Streamer

Kalshi Sent Bizarre Message to Underage Streamer

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Kalshi hasn’t been particularly subtle about sucking young users into its gambling empire. Now, new reporting from the Wall Street Journal describes how the prediction market has been handing out sponsorships to college-aged social media creators like candy, in the hopes they’ll promote the company to their audiences. Some of its affiliates, strikingly, are even younger than that. In September, Kalshi signed up a 15-year-old video game streamer, who goes by the handle vert1d, to promote the platform on X. It didn’t pan out. Just a week later, Kalshi terminated the partnership for reasons that do not appear to be related to ethical considerations. “Yo brother, legal team confirmed that we can’t work with minors rn,” a Kalshi employee wrote vert1d in a eyebrow-raising message viewed by the WSJ. “Kinda sad tbh.” (The bio on vert1d’s X account now states, “dont take sponsored deals.” In a November post, the user clarified “i still like kalshi and have nothing …

Massachusetts advances BetMGM hearing over alleged underage marketing emails

Massachusetts advances BetMGM hearing over alleged underage marketing emails

Published by skeptic

Massachusetts gambling regulators are sending a marketing case involving BetMGM straight to a formal hearing after learning that tens of thousands of promotional emails went out to people whose ages could not be verified, including minors and individuals on exclusion lists. The issue came up during the commission’s livestreamed meeting on Thursday (February 12). Senior Enforcement Counsel Zach Mercer laid out what investigators believe happened, pointing to several state regulations that bar operators from advertising to certain groups. “This alleged non-compliance incident involves category 3 sports wagering licensee BetMGM,” Mercer said. “These prohibit marketing to certain populations.” According to Mercer, the emails were tied to promotions connected with the MLB Ballpark app and were sent to people attending Boston Red Sox games. The campaign covered eight games played between April 10, 2024, and July 25, 2025. How the BetMGM emails were allegedly sent to minors Over that stretch, the volume was significant. “In that time period, a total of 96,167 emails were sent,” Mercer said. BetMGM later determined that 383 of those recipients were under …

Epstein file mysteriously vanishes after bombshell Trump underage sex abuse claim | World | News

Epstein file mysteriously vanishes after bombshell Trump underage sex abuse claim | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

There is no suggestion that being named in the files implies wrongdoing. Several social media users pointed out that the files “vanished” minutes after they were released on Friday. One of the users wrote on X: “Holy s***, this page seems to have been vanished from the #EpsteinFiles they just released: https://justice.gov/epstein/files/DataSet%2010/EFTA01660679.pdf Can anyone else pull it up?.” Another user wrote: “The DOJ is deleting the epstein files they just released…. Luckily screenshots are made and it gives a clear picture why the @TheJusticeDept is deleting the files….. Just horrifying sickening stuff…. The whole @POTUS administration is a huge pedophile organisation.” A third user wrote: “Epstein files are nowhere to be found on the trend line today after DOJ deleted extremely disturbing details about Trump’s involvement. Elon Musk and his merry band of mods are working overtime today to keep the cult focused only on Bill Gates STD.” One document claims that an unidentified woman was made to perform oral sex on the US president, 35 years ago. It was claimed that a young woman …

New York Gaming Commission applauds Hochul as state targets underage online betting

New York Gaming Commission applauds Hochul as state targets underage online betting

Published by skeptic

The chairman of the New York State Gaming Commission has voiced support and applauded Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment to protecting New Yorkers, as she outlined more than 200 initiatives, including gambling-related measures. Amongst the many topics in the address, Governor Hochul has highlighted how online sports betting has become immensely popular and has stressed young people need to be protected from the harmful effects of gamified sports betting. She has also laid out how she would approach this going forward. Shortly after her address, Brian O’Dwyer, the chairman of the NYS Gaming Commission, said: “The Gaming Commission fully supports and applauds Governor Hochul’s commitment to protect New Yorkers, including safeguards to prevent underage individuals from gambling and employing innovative tech to identify and help those who may be experiencing gambling harms. “The Commission will consider actions to prevent underage access, including the possibility of biometric requirements for account access and real consequences for those who share their legal accounts with underage individuals. “We will also continue to work with OASAS to implement the …

Musk denies awareness of Grok sexual underage images as California AG launches probe

Musk denies awareness of Grok sexual underage images as California AG launches probe

Published by skeptic

Elon Musk said Wednesday he is “not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok,” hours before the California attorney general opened an investigation into xAI’s chatbot over the “proliferation of nonconsensual sexually explicit material.”  Musk’s denial comes as pressure mounts from governments worldwide — from the U.K. and Europe to Malaysia and Indonesia — after users on X began asking Grok to turn photos of real women, and in some cases children, into sexualized images without their consent. Copyleaks, an AI detection and content governance platform, estimated roughly one image was posted each minute on X. A separate sample gathered from January 5 to January 6 found 6,700 per hour over the 24-hour period. (X and xAI are part of the same company.)  “This material…has been used to harass people across the internet,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. “I urge xAI to take immediate action to ensure this goes no further.” The AG’s office will investigate whether and how xAI violated the law.  Several laws exist to protect targets …