Author: Frank Salvato

A closely watched federal lawsuit is bringing renewed attention to whether “social media addiction” should be recognized as a formal psychiatric diagnosis, with plaintiffs arguing that the absence of such a designation in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has become a central defense for major technology companies facing thousands of lawsuits over alleged harms to children and teenagers. Plaintiffs contend that social media platforms were intentionally engineered with features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay, and algorithm-driven engagement to maximize user dependency, while the companies maintain that no recognized medical diagnosis exists for social media addiction and…

Amazon has confirmed it is investing in a massive AI data center campus in Pecos County, Texas, that would initially be powered by a dedicated natural gas-fired generating facility rather than the state’s electric grid. According to permitting documents cited in multiple reports, the GW Ranch power plant has been authorized to emit up to 33 million tons of carbon dioxide annually if operated at its maximum permitted capacity, a level that exceeds the permitted emissions of any existing U.S. power plant. Critics argue the project highlights the growing environmental costs of the artificial intelligence race, while Amazon maintains the…

The Federal Communications Commission voted 2-1 on August 6 to eliminate the longstanding 39% national television ownership cap, replacing it with a case-by-case review process for future broadcast acquisitions. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr argued the decades-old restriction had become obsolete in an era where technology giants and streaming platforms face no comparable ownership limits, putting traditional broadcasters at a competitive disadvantage. Supporters contend the change gives local television companies greater flexibility to achieve economies of scale, invest in local journalism, and better compete with digital media giants. Opponents, however, argue that Congress—not the FCC—has authority over the cap and warn…

President Donald Trump announced a package of investments exceeding $2 billion aimed at expanding America’s critical minerals and mining sector, with the stated objective of reducing U.S. reliance on China for strategically important materials used in defense systems, advanced manufacturing, batteries, and electronics. The initiative includes financing for domestic mining, mineral processing, advanced battery technology, magnet production, and workforce development while streamlining permitting for new mining projects. Administration officials characterized the effort as part of a broader strategy to rebuild domestic industrial capacity, strengthen national security, and establish resilient supply chains for materials that have become increasingly dominated by Chinese…

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million into a state fund dedicated to addressing the mental health harms allegedly caused to children through Facebook and Instagram, bringing the company’s total liability in the case to $942 million after an earlier $375 million jury verdict. The ruling concludes the second phase of a landmark lawsuit that found Meta’s platforms contributed to youth mental health problems and failed to adequately protect children from exploitation and harmful content. Beyond the financial penalty, the court imposed a series of operational changes, including stronger age-verification measures, expanded parental protections,…

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas signed a memorandum of understanding with OpenAI during a U.S. trade mission, establishing a framework to explore a strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence investment, workforce development, government services, cybersecurity, research, and startup growth. The non-binding agreement is intended to position South Australia as an early adopter of AI technologies while emphasizing responsible deployment, privacy protections, and human oversight. The initiative also seeks to attract international investment and strengthen the state’s technology ecosystem by examining opportunities in sectors including manufacturing, health care, defense, agriculture, energy, and space. Sources Key Takeaways In-Depth South Australia’s agreement with…

A critical firmware flaw in certain versions of the Coldcard hardware Bitcoin wallet, manufactured by Canadian company Coinkite, has been linked to the theft of more than $88 million in Bitcoin from over 1,000 wallets. Security researchers determined that a software error weakened the randomness used to generate wallet recovery seeds, allowing sophisticated attackers to reconstruct private keys without physically accessing the devices. Coinkite has released updated firmware, but users whose wallets were initialized with affected software must generate entirely new recovery phrases and migrate their assets because updating firmware alone does not eliminate the vulnerability. The incident has prompted…

There are scientific achievements that expand human freedom, alleviate suffering, and improve civilization. Then there are achievements that force us to ask whether possessing the ability to do something is sufficient justification for doing it. The emerging convergence of artificial intelligence and virology belongs squarely in the latter category. Artificial intelligence can already help researchers analyze enormous biological datasets, identify proteins, predict molecular structures, and accelerate drug development. Those capabilities could prove enormously beneficial. But the same computational power that helps scientists understand pathogens can potentially make it easier to design, modify, or optimize them. That should concern everyone. For…

Apple is reportedly testing memory chips from Chinese manufacturer ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) for possible use in future iPhones and MacBooks as the global memory shortage driven by artificial intelligence continues to strain supply chains and drive up component prices. According to multiple reports, Apple is evaluating CXMT memory primarily for devices destined for the Chinese market, while other PC manufacturers have already begun integrating limited quantities of CXMT memory into certain non-U.S. products. The development reflects the growing pressure on technology companies to diversify suppliers as traditional memory producers struggle to satisfy surging demand. At the same time, the…

Scientists at Stanford University and the Arc Institute have successfully used artificial intelligence to design 16 previously nonexistent functional bacteriophages—viruses that infect bacteria—marking the first time AI-generated viral genomes have been synthesized into working viruses. Researchers say the breakthrough could revolutionize treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections by rapidly producing customized bacteriophages capable of overcoming bacterial defenses. At the same time, the achievement has intensified concerns that increasingly capable AI systems could eventually be adapted to design more dangerous pathogens if adequate safeguards fail to keep pace with technological advances. While the viruses created in this research are not capable of infecting…