EU takes on TikTok: The EU is looking into TikTok’s potential violation of the Digital Services Act, a year-old series of digital-safety regulations that aim to flag harmful content, prohibit ads targeted at kids, and help users bypass algorithmic recommendations. The EU’s investigation will decide if TikTok’s current design, which includes settings to prevent access to those under 13, is sufficient to keep young people safe on the app. TikTok is one of almost two dozen platforms garnering special attention from the EU on DSA compliance. Also in the spotlight: X, which the EU is investigating for failing to prevent illegal content on its site. Full story.
Houston, we have a volunteering opportunity: If you’ve ever fantasized about being an astronaut, maybe this is your chance to go to Mars (sort of). NASA announced it is looking for paid volunteers, who have a Master’s in STEM and are between 30 and 55 years old, to spend a year living and working in a 3D-printed facility that simulates a mission to Mars. The ground mission, set to start next spring, is the second of three as NASA prepares for a Mars mission in the 2030s, after it succeeds in sending astronauts to the moon via the Artemis 3 in either 2025 or 2026. Full story.
A product launch delay knocks down Nintendo stock: After news broke that Nintendo’s new gaming console will now launch in early 2025, rather than this year, the gaming giant’s shares fell 6% on Monday. The stock’s slide comes a few weeks after the company raised full-year sales predictions for its Switch console, which has been on the market for nearly eight years. Full story.
Meta’s changing approach to politics: Meta announced plans to only suggest political content for users who request it in their settings on both Instagram and Threads, part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s efforts to “turn down the temperature” on political discourse on Meta’s platforms. The changes comes as the 2024 election gets into full swing, and mark a stark contrast to the company’s stance in 2016, when Facebook sponsored debates and chased political advertisers ahead of the presidential election. Meanwhile, in 2020, Facebook used its platform to register voters and worked to study its own impact on that year’s election. This time around, it seems, the company would rather wade into the political fray. But can it really avoid it? Full story.
