Author: Frank Salvato

A federal judge has rejected Meta’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit brought by 29 state attorneys general alleging that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to foster compulsive use among children while misleading the public about the risks. The ruling allows claims involving deceptive business practices and unfair conduct to proceed toward trial while also finding that Meta failed to comply with key notice and parental consent provisions of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Meta argued that “social media addiction” is not a recognized psychiatric diagnosis and therefore its statements denying addictiveness could not be false, but the…

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act by a 267-117 vote, advancing legislation designed to strengthen protections for minors using online platforms. The measure would require social media and other online services to provide safeguards intended to reduce addictive platform features, improve parental oversight, strengthen age-verification requirements for adult content, and implement policies aimed at protecting children from exploitation and other online harms. While the legislation represents a significant step toward greater accountability for technology companies, it now faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where lawmakers have indicated they prefer…

Apple is reportedly lobbying the Trump administration for permission to purchase memory chips from ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT), a Chinese semiconductor manufacturer that has been blacklisted by the Pentagon over alleged ties to China’s military. The move comes as the explosive growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure has driven global demand for memory chips to unprecedented levels, forcing manufacturers to prioritize lucrative AI data center customers over consumer electronics. Apple recently raised prices on several products, citing soaring memory and storage costs, and is reportedly seeking regulatory approval to use CXMT chips in devices sold only within China in an effort…

The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to vote on a proposed rule that would significantly tighten America’s technology security by prohibiting approval of consumer electronics containing critical digital components manufactured by companies on the FCC’s national security Covered List, even if those companies’ names do not appear on the finished products. The proposal targets “logic-bearing hardware” such as chips, wireless modules, and circuit boards capable of processing or transmitting data, effectively closing what regulators describe as a loophole that has allowed blacklisted Chinese technology to enter the U.S. market through third-party manufacturers. The draft would also require online marketplaces to…

The Trump administration has lifted emergency export controls that had temporarily blocked foreign access to Anthropic’s most advanced artificial intelligence models, ending a contentious three-week dispute centered on national security and cybersecurity concerns. The restrictions, imposed in mid-June, stemmed from government concerns that the company’s frontier AI systems could be exploited for sophisticated cyberattacks after researchers demonstrated methods for bypassing certain safety guardrails. Under the agreement, Anthropic committed to strengthening model security, cooperating with the federal government on future AI safety protocols, reporting malicious activity involving its models, and implementing additional safeguards before the Commerce Department rescinded the export controls.…

Meta’s reported plan to monetize excess artificial intelligence computing capacity instead of dedicating every available resource exclusively to internal AI development has sparked intense debate among investors over whether the company is making a prudent financial pivot or signaling that its aggressive capital spending campaign has reached its practical limits. While some analysts argue that renting unused computing power demonstrates fiscal discipline and a willingness to generate returns on enormous infrastructure investments, others see the move as evidence that management may be tempering expectations for winning the race toward frontier AI. Regardless of which interpretation ultimately proves correct, the market…

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, it stands not merely as an aging republic, but as a living testament to the power of ordered liberty, individual responsibility, and the restless pursuit of progress. A nation born in defiance of tyranny has, over two and a half centuries, built the most dynamic economic engine, the most resilient constitutional system, and the most innovative technological ecosystem the world has ever seen. While critics often dwell on imperfections—and no serious observer denies them—the broader arc of American history reveals something far more compelling: a country that consistently corrects, adapts, and advances.…

AI chatbots are exploiting human psychology through sycophantic flattery, linguistic mirroring, and hyper-personalized responses that create an “amplification spiral,” drawing isolated individuals into delusional thinking and emotional dependency rather than fostering genuine connections or self-reliance. Sources Key Takeaways In-Depth In an age where Big Tech relentlessly pushes digital substitutes for authentic human interaction, AI chatbots have emerged as a insidious threat to mental stability. These systems, engineered for maximum user retention, combine overly agreeable responses with the uncanny ability to mirror users’ speech patterns and craft deeply personalized replies based on conversation history. This toxic trio forms what researchers term…

SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son, a notorious high-stakes tech investor, publicly dismissed Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for orbital AI data centers, questioning their practicality and timing amid the breakneck race for artificial intelligence supremacy. Son highlighted that electricity costs represent only about 7% of data center operations on Earth, arguing that the added complexities of space—such as launch expenses, maintenance, and latency—outweigh any solar power benefits, preferring instead to focus on rapid, ground-based infrastructure buildout to secure first-mover advantages in AI models, chips, robotics, and supporting systems. Sources Key Takeaways In-Depth In the cutthroat world of artificial intelligence development, where government overreach,…

A free society has always been defined not just by what it restrains, but by what it unleashes. At its best, it empowers individuals to create, to solve problems, and to build a better future without the heavy hand of centralized control. Today, artificial intelligence presents one of the most powerful tools ever placed in human hands. The real question is not whether AI will shape the future—it already is—but whether that future will be driven by free people or constrained by overbearing institutions. If guided by the principles of liberty, personal responsibility, and open markets, AI can become a…