Skyrocketing hard drive and storage costs caused by the AI data centre boom are making it more expensive and harder for digital archivists, the Internet Archive, Wikipedia and hobby data hoarders to save data and archive the internet. Preferred 28-30TB drives are unavailable or at very high price, with some SSD prices doubling since October. https://www.404media.co/the-ai-hard-drive-shortage-is-making-it-more-expensive-and-harder-to-archive-the-internet/ #Media #SocialMedia

Meta has introduced new AI-powered tools that can estimate a user's age by analysing their height and bone structure, in a bid to detect underage users on its platforms. The tools use visual analysis systems to spot under-13s trying to access Instagram and Facebook. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-implements-more-protocols-to-detect-underage-users/819386/ #Media #AI

Women are being covertly filmed with smart glasses and told to pay to have footage removed from social media, with some requesting money to take down humiliating content. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy87wqz0q9o #Media #SocialMedia #Privacy

Meta is challenging Ofcom in the High Court over fees introduced under the UK Online Safety Act. The regulator costs are funded by tech firms earning over £250m worldwide. Meta says the method is disproportionate. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj0pqpgvvn2o #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

ICE is developing its own smart glasses to supplement its facial recognition app, according to a Department of Homeland Security official. The agency already uses Mobile Fortify to scan faces on American streets. https://www.404media.co/ice-plans-to-develop-own-smart-glasses-to-supplement-its-facial-recognition-app/ #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

Instagram is removing end-to-end encryption from direct messages, a major reversal by parent company Meta. The platform previously promised the privacy feature but now says it will remove the option, affecting millions of users private conversations. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clypzxl3lvqo #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

TikTok scales back AI-generated video overviews after users spotted bizarre errors, including describing dancer Charli D'Amelio as 'a collection of various blueberries with different toppings.' The feature will now only surface product suggestions. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yerd05n01o #Media #AI

The Canvas hack has exposed the data of 275 million students and teachers, with messages containing sensitive information including medical circumstances, sexual assault allegations and accessibility accommodations. Experts call it the biggest student data privacy disaster in history. https://www.404media.co/the-biggest-student-data-privacy-disaster-in-history-canvas-hack-shows-the-danger-of-centralized-edtech/ #Media #DataPrivacy

#JanitorAI, a #socialchatbot site founded by Jan Zoltkowski, offers users a platform for immersive, often explicit, #fantasy #roleplay. With a user base predominantly identifying as #women, the site provides a space for creative expression and community building, drawing parallels to the “romantasy” genre in literature. https://www.forbes.com/sites/annatong/2026/05/07/three-dudes-run-the-biggest-ai-romantic-fantasy-site-for-women/?eicker.media #media #socialmedia

Young people are exposed to social media adverts for dangerous performance-enhancing substances like steroids and peptides on a weekly basis, according to a UK Anti-Doping survey. 5% see ads for peptides daily. https://www.bbc.com/sport/articles/cwy2qg5qjlyo #Media #SocialMedia #SocialCommerce

AI-generated writing is becoming impossible to avoid online, making everything sound the same and driving users crazy. The constant need to detect whether content is AI-generated or human-created is creating cognitive overload. https://www.404media.co/your-ai-use-is-breaking-my-brain/ #Media #SocialMedia #AI

TikTok has launched a 3.99 GBP monthly ad-free subscription in the UK, giving users the option to avoid ads and prevent their data from being used for advertising. The launch comes as the UK GDPR prohibits collecting personal data for ads without consent. https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/11/tiktok-launches-an-ad-free-subscription-plan-in-the-uk/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo

YouTube is testing a new 'Clear Screen' option for Shorts that would let users hide on-screen function buttons for an uninterrupted viewing experience. The feature, still in development, mirrors options already available on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Shorts are now watched over 200 billion times daily. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-is-testing-clear-screen-viewing-for-shorts/819921/ #Media #SocialMedia #ShortFormVideo

Your AI use is breaking my brain: AI writing is everywhere, making everything sound the same, and making it impossible to tell what's real. https://www.404media.co/your-ai-use-is-breaking-my-brain/ #Media #AI

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said an expert panel will come up with steps to protect minors online by July, urging a delay to children's social media access. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9q3x19ddl7o #Media #SocialMedia #DataPrivacy

AI threatens polling future as companies replace real respondents with artificial intelligence, according to Pew Research. The practice called silicon sampling risks misunderstanding public opinion. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/05/12/qa-do-ai-and-bogus-respondents-threaten-pollings-future/ #Media #AI

ICE agents can now access data on 20 million people directly on their iPhones thanks to Palantir software, allowing rapid identification for raids and arrests. Most detained have no criminal conviction. https://www.404media.co/ice-agents-have-list-of-20-million-people-on-their-iphones-thanks-to-palantir/ #Media #DataPrivacy

LinkedIn is rolling out a new feature allowing Premium subscribers to book consulting sessions directly from their profile, with in-app payments. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/linkedin-will-enable-consultants-to-book-business-direct-from-their-profile/820063/ #Media #SocialMedia

Teenagers in Bradford are taking part in a landmark six-week research project to limit their social media use. The IRL (In Real Life) trial, involving over 200 pupils, will study the impact on anxiety, depression and sleep. It's believed to be the first major scientific study into regular use of apps like Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube and X. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxpkxl5wqgo #Media #SocialMedia #TOPIC

Software developers report that using AI for coding is making them lose skills and simplifying their work. One developer said it feels like building a rat's nest of tech debt. https://www.404media.co/software-developers-say-ai-is-rotting-their-brains/ #Media #AI