Author Archives: Sarah Fielding

Disney cuts DirecTV customers’ access to ABC, ESPN and more

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ESPN's broadcast of the US Open was cut short for DirecTV users on Sunday after Disney issued a blackout midway through on all of its networks. It occurred after a 2019 deal expired without a new agreement for a licensing deal between the two companies.

Unsurprisingly, DirecTV and Disney disagree on which company is to blame. "The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system," Rob Thun, chief content officer at DIRECTV, said in a statement. "They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers — making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price."

DirecTV's release also claimed that Disney mandated at the last minute that it "must agree to waive all claims that Disney's behavior is anti-competitive" to proceed with a deal. The provider further called out Disney for being unpopular with many of DirecTV's customers. It also took issue with Disney putting its "best programming," like The Bear and Only Murders In The Building, directly on streaming services while filling ABC with "cheap-to-produce primetime gameshows, unscripted spinoffs, old former ABC hits, or simulcast content."

In contrast, Disney claimed that DirecTV "chose" to deny their subscribers access to content. "While we're open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we've extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs," stated Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. "We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that's what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what's in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming."

A similar disagreement occurred at the same time last year. In that instance, Disney pulled its networks from Spectrum for 12 days until making a new deal with Charter, Spectrum's parent company. The agreement brought back channels like ABC and ESPN, and Spectrum TV Select and Select Plus subscribers also got access to the Disney+ basic tier and ESPN+ (only Select Plus users). In its release, DirecTV called out this pattern, claiming that "Disney is again taking an anti-consumer approach."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-cuts-directv-customers-access-to-abc-espn-and-more-123047594.html?src=rss

Meta’s Oversight Board looks into anti-trans posts that the company won’t remove

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Meta's Oversight Board is looking at two anti-transgender posts shared in 2024 that were reported multiple times for hate speech, bullying and harassment. The first is a video shared on Facebook that shows a trans woman being confronted in the bathroom by another woman. The post misgenders the person as a man and questions why they should be allowed to use a women's bathroom. The other case looks at a video posted on Instagram in which a transgender girl wins a women's sporting competition, with some spectators audibly expressing their disapproval. The post also misgenders the athlete as a boy. 

The company's hate speech policy prohibits any direct attack on an individual due to their gender identity. Yet, in both instances, Meta left the post live after users reported them. Then, following individual appeals to the Board, Meta took another look under its Hate Speech and Bullying and Harassment policies and came to the same conclusion. It also told the Board that it would have left the Facebook post up regardless, as it's newsworthy given that "transgender people's access to bathrooms that correspond to their gender identity is the subject of considerable political debate in the United States." 

The user who appealed the Facebook post argued to the Board that Meta is allowing a transphobic post to remain on one of its platforms. The assertion for the Instagram post was that the attacks lobbied at the athlete violate Meta's Community Standards. 

The Board is now seeking public comments through September 12 on aspects such as Meta's policies, the challenges of enforcing them and how the content of each post and accompanying video could be seen from a sociopolitical context. It's combining these two cases "to assess whether Meta's approach to moderating discussions around gender identity respects users' freedom of expression and the rights of transgender and non-binary people." Meta has 60 days to respond once the Board makes a recommendation.

This latest instance is part of a consistent pattern from Meta of violating trans rights and well-being. Last year, the Board ruled that Meta wrongly took down two Instagram posts of a transgender and non-binary couple with bare chests but covered nipples. Both posts discussed transgender healthcare and how they were raising money so one of them could afford gender-affirming surgery. Meta argued the posts violated its sexual solicitation policies after getting user reports and automatic system alerts. The couple then appealed to Meta and the Board, with Meta reversing their decision. The Board still looked into it and agreed that the posts should never have been removed. 

Outside entities have also criticized Meta's lack of protections. Early this year, LGBTQ+ advocacy group GLAAD published a report outlining how Meta fails to enforce its own policies around anti-trans hate speech. The report showed dozens of clear examples demonstrating hate speech across Facebook, Instagram and Threads between June 2023 and March 2024, including anti-trans slurs, dehumanizing language and promotions of conversion therapy. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-oversight-board-looks-into-anti-trans-posts-that-the-company-wont-remove-135331089.html?src=rss

Meta will open up Horizon Worlds access to preteens

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When I was a preteen, social media was just getting going, so there weren't many restrictions in place regarding access. Now, regulations — and the consequences of not having them — are everywhere, with the latest example coming courtesy of Meta (a case study for all the good and bad social media has to offer). Meta has announced it's opening up Horizon Worlds to preteens with parent-approved access to a Meta account.

Anyone aged 10 to 12 can soon request entry to the VR game and explore different worlds like The Space Station or Citadel. Each world is also getting a rating of ages 10+, 13+ or 18+, with ones in the last category not shown as an option to anyone 17 or younger. Parents can either approve all worlds in a specific age bracket, go through and pick specific ones or wait for their kid to send a request.

Further safety features in Horizon Worlds for preteens include the fact that voice chat is disabled for everyone except parent-approved contacts, there are no follow suggestions and there are automatic offline status and visibility settings — something only a parent can change. All parent-managed accounts will also permanently have the personal boundary feature turned on, stopping other avatars from getting too close. Plus, anyone using a Meta Quest 2 or 3 headset will have to re-enter their birthday before playing.

As thought out as these measures seem, parents and guardians might not want to trust that Meta will take care of everything without question. The company has hardly kept young people's well-being at the forefront of their decisions, with lawmakers slamming (and suing) Meta for its disregard. Nearly every state across the US has taken part in lawsuits alleging Meta hooks teenagers onto its platforms and repeatedly promotes safety features while ignoring staff pleas to devote more time and resources to protecting children. Our deep dive into all of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's dangerous decisions (including the company taking minimal action to stop adults from sexually harassing children on Facebook and Instagram) is available here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-open-up-horizon-worlds-access-to-preteens-130059930.html?src=rss

Anker Labor Day deals including this 10K magnetic power bank for only $30

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Just because summer is ending (yes, I will admit it) doesn't mean that the day trips or weekend getaways must stop. If you spent the whole season desperately looking for an outlet, then maybe reward yourself this fall with a power bank? Right now, a few of Anker's best portable chargers are on sale, including the 334 Magnetic Power Bank. The wireless portable charger is down to an all-time low price of $30 from $40 — a 25 percent discount. 

Anker's 334 Magnetic Power Bank provides a 7.5W charge without any need for a wire. I don't have this one, but I do have another Anker power bank, and being able to connect without worrying about a cord is a game changer. Worth noting: this accessory is solely for iPhone users and is compatible with the iPhone 12 and above. Plus, you can charge the accessory and your iPhone at the same time if you're only traveling with one plug. 

If you're looking for a power bank with more, well, power then check out some of the other deals on Anker accessories. Anker's Qi2 Certified 15W MagGo Power Bank is down to $70 from $90 — a 22 percent discount. The accessory is one of our top picks for 2024's best power banks and portable chargers thanks to features like its fast charging speeds, sturdy kickstand and clear battery percentage indicator. It's compatible with the iPhone 12 and higher, giving you a full charge and about two-thirds of the way to another. 

The other option to consider is Anker's 200W Prime Power Bank with three ports and a 100W charging case. It's available for $150, down from $185, and has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. A clear front display also states how much charge is left (or how long until the power bank is back to 100 percent). It works with laptops and smartphones and can charge two computers at once with 100W each. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/anker-labor-day-deals-including-this-10k-magnetic-power-bank-for-only-30-135615179.html?src=rss

X’s Grok chatbot now directs election queries to Vote.gov

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Misinformation is all over the internet, including the — at times — chaos that is X (formerly Twitter). AI bots have a habit of adding to it. Now, with barely two months left until the presidential election, an update to Grok, X's premium chatbot, could curb some of it (after being called out for said election misinformation). Grok will now direct anyone with an election-related query to Vote.org, a non-partisan website operated through a partnership between the US government, the US Election Assistance Commission and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The catalyst for change came on July 21, only hours after President Biden announced his decision not to seek reelection, when Grok falsely posted that the ballot deadline had passed in nine states, implying officials couldn't change the democratic candidate. Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon had staff attempt to contact X about the error, to which they received the response, "Busy now, please check back later." Grok continued to share the response for ten days. 

Secretary Simon joined the Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington Secretaries of State — all states wrongly named by Grok — in writing an open letter to X and xAI CEO Elon Musk calling for Grok to direct any election queries to CanIVote.org, another non-partisan resource. They claimed Grok's response, though only available to X Premium and Premium+ subscribers, reached "millions of people" due to screenshots and shares. 

The letter also shamed Grok and xAI a bit further, explaining how its competitor, OpenAI, had teamed up with the National Association of Secretaries of State to provide accurate, up-to-date election information. It also mentioned that OpenAI's bot, ChatGPT, was already programmed to direct users to CanIVote.org if it received questions about the US election.

The update is a start. The bot has also created misleading images of the top party candidates. "We appreciate X's action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year," the Secretaries of State said in response to the update. "Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xs-grok-chatbot-now-directs-election-queries-to-votegov-114516549.html?src=rss

Get 50 percent off your first year of Masterclass for Labor Day

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If you're especially nerdy like me, then you miss every September marking the start of a big learning period. Well, instead of searching random facts on the internet (you do that, definitely not me..) why not check out the half-off sale running on MasterClass subscriptions ahead of Labor Day? Right now all of the annual plans are discounted to between $60 and $120. 

MasterClass offers video lessons from over 200 experts on topics including cooking, sports and music — to name a few. The Standard subscription is down to $60 from $120 and offers viewing on one device at a time with no offline option. Then there's the Plus tier, which has dropped to $90 annually from $180, giving you access on two devices and the ability to watch videos offline. The most expensive option is the Premium Tier, which you can grab for $120, rather than its usual $240, and allows for six devices and offline mode.

Not for you? Consider giving it as a gift to someone who loves learning — we featured MasterClass in our roundup of the best presents for teachers. Just remember that the sale only applies to the first 12 months of your subscription, so make sure to set a far-off reminder if you don't want to get charged double in a year.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-50-percent-off-your-first-year-of-masterclass-for-labor-day-142131332.html?src=rss

Telegram CEO charges include distributing CSAM and money laundering

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French authorities have now shared the why behind the August 24 arrest of Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov. His arrest came in response to a series of charges, including complicity in "distributing, offering or making available pornographic images of minors, in an organized group." The charges stem from a judicial investigation opened on July 8 against an unnamed individual.

The release, penned by Prosecutor of the Republic Laure Beccuau, details 12 charges in total, including money laundering, drug trafficking, fraud, running an online platform that allows illegal transactions and possessing child pornography. Durov can be held in custody until Wednesday, August 28.

The arrest has raised questions about how much leaders are responsible for what happens on their platforms. Telegram shared a post stating the company "abides by EU laws" and "It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner are responsible for abuse of that platform." There have also been outcries from individuals like Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), who posted "#FreePavel" on X, and NSA whistleblower and now Russian citizen Edward Snowden, who called it politically motivated. Telegram is especially popular in Russia and Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron responded on X (formerly Twitter) to "false information" that the arrest was politically motivated. "France is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so," Macron shared on August 26. "In a state governed by the rule of law, freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights. It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/telegram-ceo-charges-include-distributing-csam-and-money-laundering-125336547.html?src=rss

Apple’s Mac Mini with the M2 Pro chipset is $150 off right now

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Are you looking to boost your iMac's capabilities without having to do a complete overhaul? The Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip is quite a force to be reckoned with and it's available for a record-low price of $1,150, down from $1,299, thanks to an eight percent discount and a $49 coupon you can click right on the product's page. This model has 512GB and 8TB of storage but no AppleCare+. 

Apple released the Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip in early 2023. We gave it an 86 in our review thanks to its excellent performance (it has up to 12-core CPU and up to 19-core GPU). It also offers two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack and gigabit Ethernet.

The look and experience of the Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip are solid. By the latter, we mean that it doesn't really make any sound. Meanwhile, its sleek, compact design ensures you have room on your desk.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-mac-mini-with-the-m2-pro-chipset-is-150-off-right-now-144724475.html?src=rss

Apple’s AirPods Max are on sale for $399 for Labor Day

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Apple might be best known for its in-ear AirPods when it comes to sound, but headphone lovers also have the AirPods Max to consider. As part of Labor Day sales, these headphones are 27 percent off, dropping to $399 from $549. The $150 discount is only $4 more than their Prime Day all-time low and is available in every color. The AirPods Max provide a solid option for anyone who wants to stay in the Apple family without worrying about losing a tiny earbud. The biggest issue is that they are costly, but this Labor Day sale makes them a better buy.

The Apple AirPods Max came on the scene in 2020 as the company's first foray into headphones and have remained the sole option since. We gave the headphones an 84 in our review thanks to a lot of features we did like and some things we were unimpressed by. We liked the AirPods Max's active noise cancellation abilities and easy-to-use buttons — such as when switching from ANC to transparency mode. The headphones also provide a balanced sound and have 20 hours of charge when ANC and spatial audio are enabled.

As we said, the biggest issue with these headphones is arguably the price, but this sale helps quite a bit. Other aspects we were less than impressed with include their 385-gram weight — though the wider headband balances it out. Plus, the earphones just aren't that comfortable, as the rings are noticeable after only a few minutes of wear. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-max-are-on-sale-for-399-for-labor-day-131059800.html?src=rss

Uber gets slapped with €290 million fine

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Uber has received its largest fine to date, with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (DPA) issuing a €290 million ($324 million) penalty to the rideshare company. The regulatory body announced it had issued the fine in response to Uber transferring the personal data of European taxi drivers into the United States without properly safeguarding the information. The complaint came from France, but the case was moved to Holland, where Uber's EU headquarters are located. 

The Dutch DPA found that Uber took account details, taxi licenses, location data, photos, payment details, identity documents and more from European drivers and transferred them to servers at their US headquarters for over two years. During this period, Uber didn't use any transfer tools, a decision the Dutch DPA has deemed caused insufficient protection. "In Europe, the GDPR protects the fundamental rights of people, by requiring businesses and governments to handle personal data with due care," Dutch DPA chairman Aleid Wolfsen said in a statement. "Uber did not meet the requirements of the GDPR to ensure the level of protection to the data with regard to transfers to the US. That is very serious."

The Dutch DPA has fined Uber twice before, first imposing a €600,000 ($670,000) fine in 2018 after the company failed to report a data breach that occurred two years earlier within a 72-hour timeframe. In 2023, the Dutch DPA fined Uber €10 million ($11.2 million) for not fully detailing its data retention periods (regarding information about European drivers) or the non-European countries where it shares data. Uber objected to the latter fine and has made its intentions clear to fight the €290 million.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-gets-slapped-with-%E2%82%AC290-million-fine-123039726.html?src=rss