Meta and Google face claims of restricting reproductive health ads and fueling misinformation

A new report found Meta and Google are restricting reproductive health information in Asia, Africa and Latin America. MSI Reproductive Choices and the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which partnered on the report, claim that the companies have restricted local abortion providers' ads and allowed misinformation to fester, among other misdoings. 

Take Mexico, which decriminalized abortion in 2023 but where services are not yet legal in all 32 of its states. Meta won't allow MSI to share abortion-related ad content in the country due to remaining bans. However, the local team reported that other sexual and reproductive health content has also received blocks. MSI's teams in Nepal and Vietnam echoed this issue, with Meta allegedly removing ads promoting cervical cancer screenings and information on IUDs and contraceptive pills, respectively. MSI now has a "blanket advertising ban" from Meta in the two countries and claims the company provided no clear justification. Ghana's team reported Google blocked their ads with the phrase "pregnancy options."

"Women and girls are being neglected by these major tech platforms who are putting their bottom lines above the public good," Whitney Chinogwenya, marketing specialist at MSI Reproductive Choices, said in a statement. "Accurate online information is a lifeline for those seeking timely care and facts about their reproductive options. Yet anti-choice groups are able to spread disinformation and toxic narratives online with impunity. And what is worse, platforms like Google and Meta are currently enabling, and profiting from this dangerous propaganda." 

MSI's teams in Ghana, Kenya and Nepal expressed difficulty connecting with Meta and receiving information on why their ads were limited — though Bangladesh's team was able to get in contact and resolve their issues. Kenya, Nigeria and Vietnam faced another problem: imitation Facebook pages and websites, sometimes with nothing different than a phone number. MSI requested that Meta and Google remove these scammers (some of which requested money from prospective clients) but claims the companies delayed action or took none. 

Researchers gathered evidence through correspondence and interviews with MSI's teams in locations such as Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Vietnam. Further information came from an analysis of Meta's Ad Library, which the report claims showed evidence of the company displaying and profiting from false or misleading anti-abortion ads in Ghana and Mexico. Users reportedly in these two countries viewed these ads up to one million times between 2019 and 2024. Approved ads included claims that "global powers and international companies" paid for decriminalizing abortion movements to "eliminate the Mexican population."

The report also looks at abuse directed at MSI's workers in Kenya, which the organization claimed Meta turns a "blind eye" towards. Ghana's team reported anti-choice organizations have used WhatsApp, a Meta-owned platform, to pedal conspiracies around family planning being a method to depopulate Africa and MSI's workers "introducing 'satanic' sexual education in schools to 'destroy the youth.'" 

The Center for Countering Digital Hate's CEO and founder, Imran Ahmed, accuses social media companies of mining "users' personal data in the Global South but take little care to protect local human rights and civil liberties. It reeks of colonialism — the greed, arrogance and double standards in how they treat less-wealthy markets. They have little regard or understanding of the complex cultural and political factors that can deprive people of their legal right to reproductive healthcare, nor do they grasp that the uneven application of their own content moderation policies greatly exacerbates these problems."

According to Google, it can't say why any ad or campaign was blocked without seeing the specific ad or advertiser account. It also said that ads targeting the term pregnancy options in Ghana and the other countries listed aren't prohibited. “This report does not include a single example of policy violating content on Google’s platform, nor any examples of inconsistent enforcement," a Google spokesperson told Engadget. "Without evidence, it claims that some ads were blocked in Ghana for referencing ‘pregnancy options’. To be clear, these types of ads are not prohibited from running in Ghana – if the ads were restricted, it was likely due to our longstanding policies against targeting people based on sensitive health categories, which includes pregnancy.”

Meta is reviewing the findings, but spokesperson, Ryan Daniels told The Guardian: "We allow posts and ads promoting healthcare services, as well as discussion and debate around them. Content about reproductive health must follow our rules, including those on prescription drugs and misinformation, and ads promoting reproductive health products or services may only be targeted to people 18-plus. We prohibit ads that include misinformation or mislead people about services a business provides, and we will review the content of this report."

Engadget has reached out to Meta for further comment. 

Update, March 28 2024, 10:20PM ET: This article has been updated to include a statement and further information from Google. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-and-google-face-claims-of-restricting-reproductive-health-ads-and-fueling-misinformation-132913618.html?src=rss

MLB’s Home Run Derby VR launches on the Meta Quest Store

If you're part of the intersection of virtual reality enthusiasts and major league baseball fans, then there's good news for you. MLB has launched Home Run Derby VR on the Meta Quest Store, making it available for Quest 2, Quest 3 and Quest Pro users. The game was previously on Meta's App Lab.

MLB Home Run Derby VR gives gamers the chance to explore 30 different ballparks and play up to 100 different levels. "This upgraded game offers an exciting opportunity to experience each venue like never before and utilizing advanced motion controls and realistic batting mechanics, users can step into the virtual batter's box to emulate their favorite sluggers from anywhere in the world," MLB shared in its announcement.

The game also offers multiplayer mode for up to four people or tournaments for up to eight. Users can choose winners by score, fastest exit velocity or longest home run. Plus, achievements can unlock bat skins, batting gloves and more for their Meta avatars. MLB Home Run Derby VR is available for $30 in the Meta Quest Store, but non-Meta users can pick it up on Rift or Steam VR platforms.

This launch isn't MLB's first foray into VR: The organization hosted its first "virtual ballpark" regular-season game in September. The experience allowed viewers to "enter" the stadium and watch avatars correspond to real-time gameplay between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Angels.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mlbs-home-run-derby-vr-launches-on-the-meta-quest-store-130036093.html?src=rss

The Google Pixel 8 is $230 off and down to a new record-low price

There's good news for anyone looking to upgrade their phone as the Google Pixel 8 is currently down to a record-low price. Woot is running a 33 percent discount on the new Google Pixel 8 — one of our picks for 2024's best smartphones — dropping its cost to $470 from $700. The sale is on for the next five days or until the smartphone sells out. 

The new Google Pixel 8 launched last October and scored a 90 in our review due to features like its Tensor G3 chip. Google claims the chip allows the Pixel 8 to support more text and natural voice recognition. Plus, the company boasts that the G3 chip has twice the number of machine learning models as the G1 in the Pixel 6. This strength is more important than ever with AI's growth and the recent launch of Magic Editor, a content-aware fill and lasso hybrid.

Externally, the Google Pixel 8 looks a little different. The screen has shrunk a tad to 6.2 inches from 6.3 inches screen on the Pixel 7 — a small but noticeable change. Also visible on the smartphone are a 50MP primary camera and a 12MP ultra-wide camera. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-google-pixel-8-is-230-off-and-down-to-a-new-record-low-price-131621967.html?src=rss

Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is 20 percent off on Amazon

The Amazon Big Spring Sale might be over, but there are still plenty of deals worth shopping across the site. Anyone looking to upgrade their meals will want to check out the 20 percent discounts on Breville's Smart Ovens, including the Air Fryer Pro. Our pick for 2024's best air fryer toaster oven is down to $320 from $400 — its Black Friday low.

Breville's Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro allows you to cook almost anything you want. It has 13 cooking settings, ranging from typical ones like broil, bake and warm to more specific options like cookies, proof and dehydrate. Taking up one cubic foot of space, the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is basically a second oven that can make perfectly crispy fries. In fact, it's so big you could fit a 14-pound turkey, 9x13 sheets or a Dutch Oven inside it. 

Worth noting: Despite having the title "Smart Oven," Breville's Air Fryer Pro, it's not smart in the way most things these days are. Breville's Joule Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the one to go with if you want an actual "smart" device — as in one that can talk to Alexa. It will notify you when your food is done and offer guided recipes in an app, among other perks. Plus, it's also 20 percent off right now, down to $440 from $550.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/brevilles-smart-oven-air-fryer-pro-is-20-percent-off-on-amazon-151007320.html?src=rss

The PS5’s Game Help feature will start sourcing videos from other players

Game Help, which provides developer-created tips and videos to help you progress without leaving the game, has been a staple of players' PlayStation 5 experience since it launched in 2020. Now, Sony has announced Community Game Help, an expansion of the feature allowing you to view hint videos of other users' gameplay across select titles. 

Community tips will be accessible in the same way as Game Help: click the PS button, launch the Control Center, and find an Action Card labeled "Hints Inside." Any card with gamer videos will have a Community Game Help label. In addition to using these tips, Sony encourages players to rate how helpful each tip is to inform which videos will show up in the future. 

You can opt-in or out of allowing Sony to use clips from your gameplay as hints for other players. If you choose to share, then Sony will automatically capture videos while you play certain parts of a game. However, any streaming or other personal info appearing on your screen won't be shown in the shared videos. You should also receive a notification if Sony shares your gameplay as a hint. Moderators will reportedly sort through all the videos and determine which should be included in the Community Game Help cards — though the feature won't be available for another few months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-ps5s-game-help-feature-will-start-sourcing-videos-from-other-players-132115286.html?src=rss

Meta limits ‘political’ content recommendations on Instagram and Threads

Meta's relationship with politics and political content on its platforms has been a source of enormous controversy, with the platform routinely accused of highlighting material designed to rile up users in the name of engagement. The company has, in recent years, tried to distance itself from its reputation and is now allowing users to restrict algorithmically-suggested political content on both Threads and Instagram. Meta defines political content as "likely to mention governments, elections, or social topics that affect a group of people and/or society at large" — so, in reality, almost everything. The option to limit this far from narrow set of posts is now rolling out to users with the setting automatically set to on by default, the company confirmed to The Verge.

Meta first announced the feature in February, sharing that the company wants "Instagram and Threads to be a great experience for everyone." The statement continued, "If you decide to follow accounts that post political content, we don't want to get between you and their posts, but we also don't want to proactively recommend political content from accounts you don't follow." Basically, if you turn on this feature, it will limit political content visibility through Explore, Reels, in-feed recommendations, and suggested users. Political posts from accounts you follow should appear in your feed as usual.

You can check if the feature has reached your account or turn it off in Instagram's settings. Just go to suggested content, and you'll see a tab called political content. Click on that, and there will be two options: limit or don't limit political content from accounts you don't follow. However, choosing to restrict it doesn't necessarily mean a total embargo. A note under the open specifies, "You might see less political or social topics in your suggested content." Whichever you choose will apply to both Instagram and Threads.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-limits-political-content-recommendations-on-instagram-and-threads-123033533.html?src=rss

The Apple Watch SE is back on sale for $189 during the Amazon Spring Sale

The Amazon Big Spring Sale isn't over yet, and new deals are still popping up all over the site on everything from outdoor cameras to smartwatches—including our favorite budget Apple Watch for 2024. The second-generation Apple Watch SE is 24 percent off, dropping to $189 from $249. It's not the device's record-low price, but the $60 off brings it pretty close.

The second-gen Apple Watch SE garnered an 89 in our review thanks to the comprehensive features it offers for much less money than the company's alternatives. The smartwatch has all the usual options, like heart-rate monitoring, crash detection, and emergency calling. The retina display offers up to 1,000 nits brightness, and the battery lasts 18 hours. 

If you're considering buying an Apple Watch SE, one thing to keep in mind is that it's not IPX6 rated for dust resistance like the Series 8 and Ultra. However, it is water resistant up to 50 meters.  

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring sale event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-watch-se-is-back-on-sale-for-189-during-the-amazon-spring-sale-144728862.html?src=rss

Spotify launches educational video courses in the UK

There was once a time when you went to one place for music, another for education, and so on, but many companies are now attempting to turn themselves into a jack of all trades to compete for survival. The latest example is Spotify, which has announced a test for video-based learning courses. The new feature joins the platform's music, podcasts and audiobooks lineup. 

Spotify has teamed up with a range of content partners: BBC Maestro, PLAYvirtuoso, Thinkific Labs Inc. and Skillshare. They offer content in four main categories: making music, getting creative, learning business and healthy living. "With this offer, we are exploring a potential opportunity to provide educational creators with a new audience who can access their video content, reaching a bigger potential swath of engaged Spotify users while expanding our catalog," Spotify stated in the announcement. The platform claims that around half of users have "engaged" in self-help or educational podcasts

The test courses are available only to UK users, with free and premium subscribers receiving at least two free lessons per course. The series will range in price from £20 ($25) to £80 ($101), regardless of a person's subscription tier. Users can access them on mobile or desktop. Exact pricing and availability might change if the feature moves past the test phase. 

This forays into video-based courses follows shortly after Spotify introduced music videos in beta. They're available on select tracks and, like the classes, aren't available to US subscribers (the UK is among the 11 countries with access). 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-launches-educational-video-courses-in-the-uk-131559272.html?src=rss

One of our favorite mesh Wi-Fi systems is down to a record low for the Amazon Spring Sale

The Amazon Big Spring Sale features deals on many fun products but also some important, practical devices. Take TP-Link's Deco XE75 AXE5400, far from a flashy new tech toy but one of the best mesh Wi-Fi router systems of 2024. The three-pack Wi-Fi 6E system is currently down to $310 from $351 — a 12 percent discount and a record-low price for the trio. A single TP-Link Deco XE75 is also on sale, with a 24 percent discount cutting its price to $130 from $170. 

We gave the TP-Link Deco XE75 an 87 in our review thanks to its nice balance between quality and affordability. The three-pack covers up to 7,200 square feet and provides up to 5,400Mbps for 200 devices. It doesn't just cover that space but does so reliably and with a fast connection. Plus, it offers basic security and parental controls at no extra cost.

We found the setup to be pretty easy overall. You just have to plug in one of the TP-Link Deco XE75 routers to get started. From there, you just set up your Wi-Fi name and password before plugging in the other nodes. Each one will need its own name based on where you place them. The connection took about 10 minutes to kick in from there. 

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring salesc event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-mesh-wi-fi-systems-is-down-to-a-record-low-for-the-amazon-spring-sale-145048802.html?src=rss

One of our favorite mesh Wi-Fi systems is down to a record low for the Amazon Spring Sale

The Amazon Big Spring Sale features deals on many fun products but also some important, practical devices. Take TP-Link's Deco XE75 AXE5400, far from a flashy new tech toy but one of the best mesh Wi-Fi router systems of 2024. The three-pack Wi-Fi 6E system is currently down to $310 from $351 — a 12 percent discount and a record-low price for the trio. A single TP-Link Deco XE75 is also on sale, with a 24 percent discount cutting its price to $130 from $170. 

We gave the TP-Link Deco XE75 an 87 in our review thanks to its nice balance between quality and affordability. The three-pack covers up to 7,200 square feet and provides up to 5,400Mbps for 200 devices. It doesn't just cover that space but does so reliably and with a fast connection. Plus, it offers basic security and parental controls at no extra cost.

We found the setup to be pretty easy overall. You just have to plug in one of the TP-Link Deco XE75 routers to get started. From there, you just set up your Wi-Fi name and password before plugging in the other nodes. Each one will need its own name based on where you place them. The connection took about 10 minutes to kick in from there. 

Your Spring Sales Shopping Guide: Spring sales are in the air, headlined by Amazon’s Big Spring salesc event. Our expert editors are curating all the best spring sales right here. Follow Engadget to shop the best tech deals from Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, hear from Autoblog’s car experts on the best spring auto deals on Amazon, and find spring sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-mesh-wi-fi-systems-is-down-to-a-record-low-for-the-amazon-spring-sale-145048802.html?src=rss