Daily Tech Headlines

EU Commission Readies Open-Source Age Verification App – DTH

The European Union Commission readies a ‘zero-knowledge proof’ cryptography age verification app for deployment, Spotify will eliminate 1,000 jobs (16% of workforce), and the FCC grants Netgear conditional import approval for future routers and devices. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you! Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes On Wednesday, the European Commission declared its new open-source age verification app is technically ready for deployment. The app uses ‘zero-knowledge proof’ cryptography to demonstrate an age claim is correct, without platforms storing identity documents or facial recognition data. Platforms will be notified whether an age claim is correct following the user uploading ID, without access to the document itself. The app is built on the same architecture as the EU’s COVID digital certificate and compatible with the European Digital Identity Wallets. Full deployments expected before the end of 2026. Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen said that platforms “can easily rely on our age verification app so there are no more excuses. We will have zero tolerance for companies that do not respect our children’s rights.” Source: The Next Web Following last month’s announcement the US government was banning imports of new foreign-made routers over security concerns, the FCC granted manufacturer Netgear conditional import approval through to October 1st, 2027. Netgear has not announced any plans to bring any manufacturing to the States, despite the Conditional Approval process involves submitting a plan to “establish or expand manufacturing in the United States”. Netgear’s manufacturing takes place in Asia. Source: The Verge On Tuesday, at the “Smarter Screen, Smarter Ads:​ The New Era of Advertising” session at StreamTV Europe, head of media & entertainment at research and data firm Omdia Maria Rua Aguete forecasts online advertising will surpass $1.5 trillion by 2030. Online ads grew 13% in 2026 compared to traditional advertising’s 2%. She also shared that Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok “capture over 90 percent of social media advertising revenues”, with Meta alone grabbing 70% of the total social ad money. Omdia also predicts connected TV ad revenue will surpass linear TV ad revenue in the 2030s. Source: The Hollywood Reporter New Pew research released Wednesday reports a survey of nearly 1,500 American teens and parents from September 25th to October 9th, 2025 showed a majority of teens do not think social media harms their mental health. The survey focused on use of Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, with only 9% of Snap and TikTok users and 11% on Instagram reporting negative effects from the platforms. When it comes to TikTok, 37% of teens said that app specifically impacted their sleep and 29% said it affected their productivity. Snapchat had the highest rate of reported bullying compared to the rest. The surveyed parents presented a more negative view of the platforms, specifying impact on teens’ mental health on top of sleep and productivity, as well as too much time spent in the apps. Source: Engadget and Pew Research Back in February 2026 Spotify announced updates to its audiobook business as well as a future expansion into physical book sales. The physical book feature is now live for users in the United States and United Kingdom. Spotify is collaborating with Bookshop.org and clicking on a purchase link within the app directs to Bookshop.org’s website, with the company handling pricing and shipping. The feature is currently enabled only on Android; iOS users will gain access next week. Source: TechCrunch Snapchat’s parent company, Snap Inc., will eliminate approximately 1,000 jobs, 16% of the global workforce, as part of a cost-cutting headcount reduction. In a regulatory filing the company says this will cost $95-130 million in severance and related costs. In the 2025 annual report Snap had 5,621 full time employees and the most recent earnings report noted the net loss in 2025 was $460 million and revenue rose to $5.9 billion. ABC report Snap previously cut 10% of the workforce in 2024, 3% in 2023, and 20% in 2022. Source: ABC News On Wednesday Adobe announced the Firefly AI Assistant, able to execute ‘multi-step workflows’ in Adobe Creative Cloud apps. This includes Firefly, Photoshop, Premiere, Lightroom, Express, and Illustrator. Users can describe in plain language what they are trying to achieve, with the AI able to handle the process, aiming to reduce friction and barrier to entry with Adobe products. The assistant can also make suggestions and learn a user’s personal style to maintain consistency in future work. A public beta will be available “in the coming weeks”. Source: Engadget Samsung is alerting Galaxy phone owners the Samsung Wallet app may stop working unless users update Google Play Services. The Samsung Wallet is a pre-installed app on Galaxy phones and alternative to the Google Wallet for storing ID, credit cards, boarding passes, and other digital keys. Updates to Play Services generally happen in the background automatically, but can be manually updated by clicking through the Samsung notification or through the Google Play Store listing for Play Services. Source: Android Central

Meta Working on a Virtual Mark Zuckerberg – DTH

Meta’s Superintelligence Labs Division is reportedly building a virtual version of CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple is working on display-less smart glasses, and Rockstar, makers of Grand Theft Auto, gets hacked again. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you! Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports Apple is planning display-less smart glasses, to be unveiled by the end of 2026 or early 2027, and released in 2027. In a similar fashion to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, Apple’s will be able to capture photos and videos, sync with a phone, work with phone calls, play music, and have a voice assistant. Gurman states the assistant will be the upgraded Siri to be released with iOS 27. Apple is reportedly testing four types of looks and will use acetate, which is more durable and “luxurious” than standard plastic. The potential designs include: a style similar to Ray-Ban Wayfarers, a look similar the CEO Tim Cook’s, larger oval or circular frames, and a smaller oval or circular option. Source: Bloomberg and Tom’s Guide The Financial Times sources report Meta’s Superintelligence Labs Division is building a virtual version of CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The virtual Zuckerberg is a demo of a product that can deliver photorealistic 3D characters that can be interacted with in real time. Zuckerberg is personally training and testing the virtual version of himself, and the avatar is also trained with the CEO’s public statements, voice, and images. One source said the avatar could be used to talk to and give feedback to employees. Source: Financial Times / Ars Technica The Estonian government spoke out on their opposition on measures to ban children from social media. Estonia and Belgium were the only two EU member states to decline signing a non-binding resolution last year which included designating a “digital legal age” for accessing certain types of online services. The Estonian Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs told a Politico forum the country “believes in an information society and including young people in the information society”, also noting enforcement mechanisms are easily sidestepped. Representatives of the Estonian government say proper enforcement of the GDPR regarding the processing of children’s data against corporations should be the first tool employed over bans. Source: The Next Web Research conducted between March 12th and 31st by the UK’s Molly Rose Foundation, with cooperation from Australia’s YouthInsight, claims over 60% of youth under Australia’s social media ban are still able to access the banned platforms. The research states 53% on TikTok, 53% on YouTube, and 52% of Instagram underage users continue to have access to their original accounts. The Molly Rose Foundation was set up following the death of Molly Rose attributed to content experienced on social media and is against a proposed social media ban in the UK, wanting the government to instead strengthen regulation of tech companies. Source: Sky News X, formerly Twitter, is currently testing a chat app called XChat, expected to be widely available beginning April 17th on iOS for iPhone and iPad. X’s XChat, not to be confused with the IRC client, claims end-to-end encryption, calling, group chats, the ability to edit or delete sent messages, send disappearing messages, and screenshot blocking. No word yet on whether all features are available for free or require a subscription. Source: Digital Trends New documentation on the Linux GitHub project for coding assistants states contributers can use AI-generated code, provided it complies with Linux kernel submission guidelines and license, and is attributed to the bot. The human submitter will be responsible for reviewing all AI-generated code to ensure license compliance, include a Signed-off-by tag to certify the Developer Certificate of Origin, and take full responsibility for the contribution. Source: XDA Developers The New York Times obtained an internal Southwest Airlines message revealing the airline will begin capping how many portable chargers and powerbanks can be brought on a flight. The report states the cap comes into effect on April 20th and only permits one lithium battery-powered portable charger per person, passengers will not be allowed to charge them with in-seat power, and will have to keep the chargers in their hands or in bags stowed under the seat. Chargers will not be permitted in the overhead bins and remain banned from checked luggage. Source: The New York Times and Gizmodo Rockstar Games, developer of Grand Theft Auto, has been hacked again. Hacking group ShinyHunters, which previously targeted companies including Microsoft, Ticketmaster, and AT&T, demands Rockstar pay up by April 14th or the data from their Snowflake instance will be leaked. Back in 2022 a Rockstar hack by a UK teen leaked a lot of pre-release GTA 6 footage. Kotaku obtained a comment from Rockstar stating “We can confirm that a limited amount of non-material company information was accessed in connection with a third-party data breach. This incident has no impact on our organization or our players.” Source: Kotaku

Major Banks Start Testing Claude Mythos Internally -DTH

Suspect arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home, France government plans shift from Windows to Linux, Dutch regulators approve Tesla’s FSD on public roads. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you! Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes Bloomberg reports that Wall Street banks including Goldman Sachs, Citi, and JPMorgan Chase are testing Anthropic’s Claude Mythos internally as U.S. officials encourage financial institutions to evaluate AI models for identifying software vulnerabilities. Additional banks are expected to gain access, reflecting growing government interest in deploying AI tools for cybersecurity across critical sectors. Source: Bloomberg OpenAI said a GitHub workflow used to sign macOS apps pulled a compromised update from the Axios library after attackers hijacked a developer account and injected malicious versions. The incident could have exposed a signing certificate capable of producing fake OpenAI apps, though the company says there is no evidence of abuse or data compromise. Google linked the broader campaign to a North Korea–linked group. Source: Axios A suspect was arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home and later making threats outside OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters. The device caused minimal damage and no injuries. OpenAI says it is cooperating with law enforcement and has increased security. Source: WIRED France plans to shift parts of its government IT systems from Microsoft Windows to Linux to reduce reliance on U.S. technology and strengthen control over national data infrastructure. The rollout begins with the digital agency DINUM as part of a broader push for digital sovereignty. Source: TechCrunch Dutch regulators approved Tesla’s Full Self-Driving Supervised system for use on public roads, marking its first approval in Europe after more than 18 months of testing. The system still requires human oversight, but EU-wide approval is now being pursued. Source: Reuters Amazon is overhauling its Luna gaming platform by removing game purchases, third-party stores, and subscriptions. Users will lose access to purchased titles by June 10 and will need external platforms to continue playing them. Source: PCMag Federal prosecutors have ordered Reddit to appear before a grand jury as part of an effort to identify an anonymous user who criticized ICE, following a failed subpoena attempt in court. Civil liberties groups say the move raises concerns about efforts to unmask protected political speech. Source: The Intercept Anthropic has signed a multiyear deal with CoreWeave to secure additional data center capacity to support growing demand for Claude models. The deal expands access to Nvidia-powered infrastructure in the U.S. Source: Bloomberg Counterpoint Research says global smartphone shipments fell 6% year over year in Q1 2026 due to memory shortages, higher costs, and weak demand. Apple led with 21% share, while Samsung and Xiaomi declined amid supply and pricing pressure. Source: Counterpoint Research Garmin is reportedly developing a new fitness band called “CIRQA” that may compete with Whoop-style screenless wearables focused on recovery, stress, and performance tracking. Source: Engadget

Gmail Enterprise Users Get E2EE on Android and iOS Apps – DTH

YouTube Premium Hikes Prices for Second Time Since 2023, EFF Departs X (Twitter) After Two Decades, Citing Loss of Reach and Rights Conflict, and Anthropic Considers Designing Custom AI Chips to Combat Shortages. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you! Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes Google Expands Gmail End-to-End Encryption to Mobile (Enterprise) Google has extended end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to the Gmail apps on Android and iOS for enterprise users with Enterprise Plus licenses and specific add-ons, provided their administrators enable the feature. This functionality, utilizing client-side encryption (CSE) with keys stored outside Google, allows users to compose and read encrypted emails natively within Gmail, enhancing privacy and aiding compliance with regulations like HIPAA by encrypting messages and attachments before they leave the device. Recipients using other services can access these encrypted messages via a web browser. Read more YouTube Premium Raises Subscription Prices Again YouTube Premium is increasing its subscription prices for the second time since 2023, with the changes effective for existing subscribers in June 2026. The individual plan is rising $2 to $16/month, and the family plan is increasing $4 to $27/month. The Lite and Music Premium plans are also going up by $1 to $9 and $12 per month, respectively. Current subscribers are being notified via email about these adjustments, which follow similar price hikes from other streaming services. Read more EFF Leaves X After Nearly Two Decades The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is leaving X (formerly Twitter) after nearly twenty years because the platform no longer aligns with its goals to effect change for digital rights. The EFF noted a significant reduction in the platform’s reach, with impressions dropping to less than 3% of previous levels, and criticized Elon Musk’s dismantling of the human rights team. The organization is shifting its focus to more impactful channels like Bluesky, Mastodon, and other mainstream social media sites where the audience needing their help is still present. Read more Anthropic Considers Building Custom AI Chips AI lab Anthropic is exploring the possibility of designing its own custom chips to address the shortage of AI chips, a strategy also pursued by companies like Meta and OpenAI. This consideration comes amid surging demand for its Claude AI model, which has accelerated Anthropic’s run-rate revenue past $30 billion. Currently, Anthropic uses a mix of chips, including TPUs from Google and chips from Amazon, and has recent supply deals with Google and Broadcom. Read more UK Threatens Jail for Tech Executives Over Harmful Content The UK has intensified its online safety measures by warning senior tech executives that they could face personal liability and imprisonment for failing to promptly remove non-consensual intimate images from their platforms. This new amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill escalates previous penalties of fines up to 10% of global revenue and aims to curb abuse, particularly against women and girls, and address the threat of AI-generated explicit images. Read more Snap Revives AR Glasses Effort with Qualcomm Partnership Snap’s AR-glasses subsidiary, Specs, is showing signs of revitalization through a new multi-year partnership with Qualcomm. Specs, which recently spun off and saw the departure of its SVP, will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR platforms to develop its long-in-development wearable, focusing on “on-device AI, cutting-edge graphics, and advanced multiuser digital experiences,” ahead of a planned release later this year. Read more Meta Must Face Youth Addiction Lawsuit The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that Meta Platforms must face a lawsuit alleging it deliberately designed its platforms to be addictive to young users. The decision is significant because it will test whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which typically shields internet companies, applies to claims focused on a platform’s design features (like infinite scroll and push notifications) and alleged false safety statements, rather than third-party content. Meta’s attempt to dismiss the case failed, following other recent unfavorable rulings against the company. Read more Microsoft Scales Back Copilot Branding in Windows Apps Microsoft is reducing prominent Copilot branding in Windows apps, starting with Notepad, where the Copilot menu and icon are being replaced by a “writing tools” option with a pen icon. This change, which also removes AI mentions from settings, is a response to criticism about the AI assistant’s forced integration. Windows and Devices EVP Pavan Davuluri said the company aims to be more “intentional” and remove “unnecessary Copilot entry points” from apps like Notepad, Snipping Tool, Photos, and Widgets, with Snipping Tool already seeing changes. Read more Instagram Adds Comment Editing Feature Instagram now allows users to edit their own comments on posts within a 15-minute window, similar to the existing feature for editing direct messages. Users can access the “Edit” option below their comment to make multiple changes within the time limit. This update is one of several recent changes by Meta, including the removal of end-to-end encryption from Instagram DMs and testing a subscription service called Instagram Plus for Stories features. Read more

Meta Launches Proprietary AI Muse Spark to Boost Ad Revenue – DTH

Intel and Google Deepen Partnership on AI CPUs and Custom Infrastructure Processing Units, OpenAI Delays Major U.K. “Stargate” GPU Project, and Alphabet’s Waymo and Waze Partner to Tackle Potholes. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE for free or get DTNS Live ad-free. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. If you enjoy what you see you can support the show on Patreon, Thank you! Send us email to feedback@dailytechnewsshow.com Show Notes Meta bets on closed AI to power ads Meta has introduced its long-awaited proprietary AI model, Muse Spark, shifting from the open-source Llama family. Despite the risk of low user adoption for a paid model, analysts believe Muse Spark’s main goal is to boost Meta’s core advertising revenue (98% of income) by using its strong image/video processing to improve ad engagement and targeting. This closed-model approach aims to establish Meta as a top-tier AI company, though it faces developer skepticism compared to open-weight alternatives. Read more Intel and Google double down on AI chips Intel and Google have expanded their partnership to focus on advancing AI-focused CPUs and co-developing custom Infrastructure Processing Units (IPUs). This collaboration, driven by the shift from AI model training to deployment, renews demand for powerful chips. Google will continue to deploy Intel’s Xeon processors, including the latest Xeon 6. This strategic move, which Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan calls central to modern AI demands, could help Intel improve its financials and regain market share lost earlier in the AI boom, especially as complex agentic AI systems require powerful CPUs. Read more OpenAI delays U.K. “Stargate” project OpenAI has delayed its major U.K. infrastructure project, “Stargate,” which aimed to deploy up to 8,000 GPUs, due to concerns over high energy costs and the country’s regulatory environment, particularly around AI and copyright. Despite the delay to this key component of the U.K.’s AI strategy, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the company remains committed to the U.K. market and its London research hub, stating the project will proceed when conditions are favorable for long-term investment. Read more Waymo and Waze team up to fix potholes Waymo and Waze, both Alphabet companies, have started a data-sharing pilot program to help cities locate and repair potholes. Waymo’s robotaxis are funneling data collected by their sensors to a free Waze platform, which is accessible to cities and Waze users in the five initial markets (Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and the San Francisco Bay Area). This program aims to supplement Waze user reports, fill data gaps, and support safer street maintenance as Waymo continues its expansion. Read more Spotify adds universal video off switch Spotify is introducing universal video toggles to address user preference for controlling the increasing amount of video content, allowing users to turn off music videos and other video types like video podcasts, vertical videos, and artist clips, in addition to the existing Canvas toggle. These new controls, found under Settings > Content and display, apply universally across all platforms and can be managed for family plan members, offering a reprieve for users who desire a simpler, music-focused app experience despite the company’s recent push into video features such as Canvas loops (2018), video podcasts (2020), and music videos (2024). Read more Court allows Pentagon blacklist of Anthropic to stand (for now) A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has temporarily upheld the Pentagon’s national security blacklisting of the AI company Anthropic, which had challenged the designation that blocks it from government contracts. Anthropic, developer of the Claude AI assistant, claims Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth overstepped his authority and retaliated against the company for refusing to remove usage guardrails that prevent the military from using Claude for surveillance or autonomous weapons, citing ethical concerns. The Justice Department, however, contends the blacklisting stems from Anthropic’s refusal to accept contractual terms. Read more Tesla working on smaller, cheaper EV Tesla is reportedly developing a new, smaller, and cheaper compact electric SUV, measuring 4.28 meters long, which is significantly shorter than the Model Y. Production is slated to begin in China, with possible expansion to the U.S. and Europe. This new model, which could be designed for both human-driven and driverless operation, signals a potential return to focus on mass-market EVs, following CEO Elon Musk’s previous emphasis on robotaxis. The vehicle is expected to be priced substantially lower than the Model 3, partly due to a smaller battery and reduced range. The project is currently in early development. Read more Instagram expands teen content restrictions globally Instagram is expanding content restrictions for teen accounts globally, aiming to limit exposure to themes like extreme violence, sexual nudity, and drug use, as well as hiding or not recommending posts with strong language and risky stunts. These new guidelines, which Meta was forced to rebrand after a cease-and-desist from the Motion Picture Association, follow legal actions against the company regarding harm to teenagers and appear to be a preventative measure amid ongoing scrutiny over its impact on teen mental health. Read more YouTube introduces AI avatars for Shorts YouTube is launching a new feature globally (outside of Europe) for users 18+ with a channel, allowing them to create a photorealistic, talking AI avatar of themselves for use in Shorts. The creation process involves a “live selfie” recording of the user’s face and voice in the YouTube app or YouTube Create. This enables prompt-based video generation up to eight seconds long. All avatar-generated videos will include watermarks and digital labels like SynthID and C2PA, and the initial face and voice recordings are used solely for avatar creation by the channel owner. Read more