The eQuality Project
@equality-ca.bsky.social
We aim to inform digital policies surrounding privacy and reinvigorate the cyberbullying debate by identifying policies that promote respect for equality online
"The government passed the law in December 2024. It says the ban is a way to protect young teens from the habit-forming nature of these apps, as well as harms like cyberbullying and disturbing content."
www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/pos...
www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/pos...
Australian kids kicked off social media. But is a ban for the best?
The Australian government has banned kids and teens under 16 from using social media. Here’s what experts think about the decision.
www.cbc.ca
December 18, 2025 at 3:24 AM
"The government passed the law in December 2024. It says the ban is a way to protect young teens from the habit-forming nature of these apps, as well as harms like cyberbullying and disturbing content."
www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/pos...
www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/pos...
"Their photos and videos, meanwhile, are repurposed in Facebook posts and Pinterest pins that link back to this digital slop"
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Google AI summaries are ruining the livelihoods of recipe writers: ‘It’s an extinction event’
AI Mode is mangling recipes by merging instructions from multiple creators – and causing them huge dips in ad traffic
www.theguardian.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:23 AM
"Their photos and videos, meanwhile, are repurposed in Facebook posts and Pinterest pins that link back to this digital slop"
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by The eQuality Project
The only ageless part is the grift.
Silicon Valley millionaire Bryan Johnson says he'll make humans immortal by 2039—he just needs to sort out ‘buggy’ issues like ‘mistakenly causing cancer’ first | Fortune
Tech CEO Bryan Johnson says immortality in less than 15 years is a “reasonable target” thanks to AI, scientific breakthroughs and his own Blueprint routine
fortune.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:35 PM
The only ageless part is the grift.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
"Australia is banning social media for everyone under the age of 16 from December 10 [...] The BBC took to the streets of Sydney to find out what young people aged between 18 to 20 think of the ban.
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
These young Australians grew up with social media - what do they think of the ban?
The BBC took to the streets of Sydney to find out what young people aged between 18 and 20 think of Australia’s under-16s social media ban.
www.bbc.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:18 AM
"Australia is banning social media for everyone under the age of 16 from December 10 [...] The BBC took to the streets of Sydney to find out what young people aged between 18 to 20 think of the ban.
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
www.bbc.com/news/videos/...
"Our brains are going through one of the biggest rewiring periods of our lives... Social media is designed to take advantage of that," the 12-year-old said. "Young people deserve better than that."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Australia social media ban: Kids barred from apps as world-first policy kicks in
The new law requires tech platforms to ensure that Australians aged under 16 don't hold accounts.
www.bbc.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:38 AM
"Our brains are going through one of the biggest rewiring periods of our lives... Social media is designed to take advantage of that," the 12-year-old said. "Young people deserve better than that."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
“These results suggest that optimising persuasiveness may come at some cost to truthfulness, a dynamic that could have malign consequences for public discourse and the information ecosystem”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Chatbots can sway political opinions but are ‘substantially’ inaccurate, study finds
‘Information-dense’ AI responses are most persuasive but these tend to be less accurate, says security report
www.theguardian.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:33 AM
“These results suggest that optimising persuasiveness may come at some cost to truthfulness, a dynamic that could have malign consequences for public discourse and the information ecosystem”
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Bot working as intended.
Grok is spreading misinformation about the Bondi Beach shooting
Grok has repeatedly misidentified video of the Bondi Beach shooting and the hero who disarmed a gunman.
www.theverge.com
December 14, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Bot working as intended.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
“Internal tests found that the AI was generating podcasts riddled with errors and bias, with anywhere between 68 and 84 percent of the scripts deemed unpublishable by evaluators across three rounds of testing.”
The Washington Post Deployed Its Disastrous AI-Generated Podcasts Even After Internal Tests Showed It Was Failing Miserably
Semafor reported that the Washington Post launched its controversial AI podcast feature despite knowing it was severely flawed.
futurism.com
December 15, 2025 at 6:21 PM
“Internal tests found that the AI was generating podcasts riddled with errors and bias, with anywhere between 68 and 84 percent of the scripts deemed unpublishable by evaluators across three rounds of testing.”
Reposted by The eQuality Project
“An Ars review confirmed that OpenAI currently has no policy dictating what happens to a user’s data after they die.
Instead, OpenAI’s policy says that all chats—except temporary chats—must be manually deleted or else the AI firm saves them forever.”
Instead, OpenAI’s policy says that all chats—except temporary chats—must be manually deleted or else the AI firm saves them forever.”
Murder-suicide case shows OpenAI selectively hides data after users die
OpenAI accused of hiding full ChatGPT logs in murder-suicide case.
arstechnica.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:24 PM
“An Ars review confirmed that OpenAI currently has no policy dictating what happens to a user’s data after they die.
Instead, OpenAI’s policy says that all chats—except temporary chats—must be manually deleted or else the AI firm saves them forever.”
Instead, OpenAI’s policy says that all chats—except temporary chats—must be manually deleted or else the AI firm saves them forever.”
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
December 15, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Today in luxury surveillance.
Oh Great, Smart Glasses That Record Everything You Say
It's just audio for now, but the Mira set an icky precedent for always-on recording in smart glasses.
gizmodo.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Today in luxury surveillance.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Who could have predicted?
Exclusive: Washington Post’s AI-generated podcasts rife with errors, fictional quotes
Errors in the Post’s new AI-generated podcasts have frustrated the paper’s journalists.
www.semafor.com
December 12, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Who could have predicted?
"Sora's hyper-realistic videos have proven to be popular in the US, but there have been significant criticisms from those claiming it has also led to some people creating offensive deepfakes of dead public figures."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
OpenAI makes $1bn deal to bring Disney characters to ChatGPT and Sora
The agreement will let fans generate videos and images of more than 200 Disney characters.
www.bbc.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:11 PM
"Sora's hyper-realistic videos have proven to be popular in the US, but there have been significant criticisms from those claiming it has also led to some people creating offensive deepfakes of dead public figures."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"The Liberal Democrat group on Gloucester City Council has called for an investigation and said the content was 'beneath the standards expected of anyone in public office.'"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Councillor says AI video of Mayor of Gloucester 'serves purpose'
Independent councillor Alastair Chambers made the video of the mayor which was posted on Facebook.
www.bbc.com
December 11, 2025 at 9:09 PM
"The Liberal Democrat group on Gloucester City Council has called for an investigation and said the content was 'beneath the standards expected of anyone in public office.'"
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by The eQuality Project
“Liberate you from your phone by putting a screen on your face” is a patently farcical sales pitch.
Again, the reason they are so bad at selling a lot of current technologies is that the tech’s main point is to enrich tech companies and create more data, not to fill a user need or solve a problem.
Again, the reason they are so bad at selling a lot of current technologies is that the tech’s main point is to enrich tech companies and create more data, not to fill a user need or solve a problem.
Sorry, Smart Glasses Will Not Save You From Your Phone
Say
gizmodo.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:02 PM
“Liberate you from your phone by putting a screen on your face” is a patently farcical sales pitch.
Again, the reason they are so bad at selling a lot of current technologies is that the tech’s main point is to enrich tech companies and create more data, not to fill a user need or solve a problem.
Again, the reason they are so bad at selling a lot of current technologies is that the tech’s main point is to enrich tech companies and create more data, not to fill a user need or solve a problem.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Familiar Faces is “a giant step toward a dystopian future where Americans cannot leave their homes without being tracked and surveilled…”
Ring faces new scrutiny as lawmaker warns of biometric surveillance crisis | Biometric Update
The feature is optional and disabled by default, but once activated it scans all faces in view, whether those individuals have consented.
www.biometricupdate.com
December 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Familiar Faces is “a giant step toward a dystopian future where Americans cannot leave their homes without being tracked and surveilled…”
"They've had ample opportunity to show they take children's wellbeing seriously and they've failed at every turn."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Social media ban: Can you ban kids from social media? Australia is about to try
The law comes into effect this week but critics worry it can't be enforced - and shouldn't be either.
www.bbc.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:22 AM
"They've had ample opportunity to show they take children's wellbeing seriously and they've failed at every turn."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
"Ms Garcia, who lives in the United States, was the first parent to sue Character ai for what she believes is the wrongful death of her son. As well as justice for him, she is desperate for other families to understand the risks of chatbots."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Mothers say AI chatbots encouraged their sons to kill themselves
In her first UK interview Megan Garcia speaks to Laura Kuenssberg about the death of her teenage son.
www.bbc.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:21 AM
"Ms Garcia, who lives in the United States, was the first parent to sue Character ai for what she believes is the wrongful death of her son. As well as justice for him, she is desperate for other families to understand the risks of chatbots."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by The eQuality Project
I just can’t believe this company would behave in such an unethical fashion.
OpenAI Staffer Quits, Alleging Company’s Economic Research Is Drifting Into AI Advocacy
Four sources close to the situation claim OpenAI has become hesitant to publish research on the negative impact of AI. The company says it has only expanded the economic research team’s scope.
www.wired.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
I just can’t believe this company would behave in such an unethical fashion.
Reposted by The eQuality Project
New Pew report on Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots.
“…64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily.”
“…64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily.”
Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots 2025
Roughly one-in-five U.S. teens say they are on TikTok and YouTube almost constantly. At the same time, 64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about three-in-ten who do so daily.
www.pewresearch.org
December 11, 2025 at 12:15 AM
New Pew report on Teens, Social Media and AI Chatbots.
“…64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily.”
“…64% of teens say they use chatbots, including about 3 in 10 who do so daily.”
"Spotify Wrapped now feels like just another example of something personal and precious that is being automated away from us; another example of a supposedly unbearable task of thinking and writing being “offloaded” in order to make life more frictionless."
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
Spotify Wrapped is taking over our feeds, but you don’t have outsource your relationship with music to AI | Liz Pelly
The streamer’s annual charts are just another version of the tech that’s alienating us from our inner lives. Hold on to your musical memories and reclaim ownership of your taste
www.theguardian.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:44 AM
"Spotify Wrapped now feels like just another example of something personal and precious that is being automated away from us; another example of a supposedly unbearable task of thinking and writing being “offloaded” in order to make life more frictionless."
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/music/2025/d...
“It was kind of unsettling to imagine one of the kids that I care about in my life interacting with one of these things, just knowing that it was possible for it to kind of go off the rails," Cross said.
www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...
www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...
An AI toy meant for kids was happy to chat about sexual fetishes. Are these safe? | CBC Radio
Imagine your toddler playing with a soft teddy bear, but with ChatGPT baked in. These AI toys can chat to your kid, play games and even say, "I love you." But experts are warning that we don’t know th...
www.cbc.ca
December 5, 2025 at 2:39 AM
“It was kind of unsettling to imagine one of the kids that I care about in my life interacting with one of these things, just knowing that it was possible for it to kind of go off the rails," Cross said.
www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...
www.cbc.ca/radio/thecur...
Reposted by The eQuality Project
Seems like the first part of the headline already provides the answer to the second part.
An AI toy meant for kids was happy to chat about sexual fetishes. Are these safe? | CBC Radio
Imagine your toddler playing with a soft teddy bear, but with ChatGPT baked in. These AI toys can chat to your kid, play games and even say, "I love you." But experts are warning that we don’t know th...
www.cbc.ca
December 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Seems like the first part of the headline already provides the answer to the second part.
"Parents will 'lose their ability to supervise their teen or tween's account' such as content settings or blocking channels from 10 December when a social media ban for under-16s starts. Children will still be able to view videos but without an account."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
YouTube says it will be less safe for kids under Australia's social media ban
The Google-owned platform says parental controls will be stripped away as a result of the ban.
www.bbc.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:45 AM
"Parents will 'lose their ability to supervise their teen or tween's account' such as content settings or blocking channels from 10 December when a social media ban for under-16s starts. Children will still be able to view videos but without an account."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...