Social media faces tough sanctions under new Ofcom measures, US introduces ‘click to cancel’ rights
Social media companies will face punishments for failing to keep children safe on their platforms, communications watchdog Ofcom has warned. Services like Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp could face fines from the regulator if they do not comply with the new Online Safety Act – which comes into force early next year – Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes, told the BBC. Dame Melanie said it was the responsibility of the firms – not parents or children – to make sure people were safe online. Companies will have three months from when the guidance is finalised to carry out risk assessments and make relevant changes to safeguard users. BBC
A new rule that will force businesses to make it easier for customers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and memberships is to be introduced in the US. The “click-to-cancel” rule will ban retailers and businesses from misleading consumers about subscriptions and require them to obtain people’s consent before charging for memberships, auto-renewals, and programmes linked to free trials. In the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) last major rulemaking before the 5 November election, the agency also said that businesses must let customers end subscriptions as easily as they start them. Sky News
Ministers should consider raising taxes on petrol and diesel cars to reduce the “premium” associated with electric vehicle (EV) purchases, an economic think tank said. A report by the Resolution Foundation recommended that this action is taken if “concerns” persist over the number of EVs being bought. The research also called for the Government to scrap “arbitrary” EV tax breaks, as the schemes’ “unfairness” means they generally favour drivers on higher incomes. Benefit-in-kind incentives are limited to people whose employers provide company cars – which are often those earning larger wages. Telegraph
One of the advantages of choosing Amazon Prime Video as your main streaming platform is that it doesn’t just limit you to its own subscription. Unlike Netflix, for instance, it’s easy to add other subscriptions and channels to your account to expand your access. This option just became a bunch more powerful in the US, with the arrival of Apple TV+ as a new subscription option for $9.99 each month.
When Apple revealed the iPad mini 7 this week, the company also announced that the iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 updates would arrive before the end of October. With those updates, we will finally get our hands on the first group of Apple Intelligence features. The iPad Mini 7 was launched in a press release. Within the text, Apple wrote, “The first set of Apple Intelligence features will be available in U.S. English this month through a free software update with iPadOS 18.1, and available for iPad with A17 Pro or M1 and later.” Tom’s Guide
Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has reportedly fired about 24 staff at its Los Angeles offices for using their $25 meal credits to buy items such as toothpaste, laundry detergent and wine glasses. The tech firm, which is worth £1.2tn and also owns the messaging platform WhatsApp, is said to have dismissed workers last week after an investigation discovered staff had been abusing the system, including sending food home when they were not in the office. The Guardian
