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US regulator probes AI chatbots over child safety concerns

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US regulator probes AI chatbots over child safety concerns


Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The US Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday it has launched an inquiry into AI chatbots that act as digital companions, focusing on potential risks to children and teenagers.

The issued orders to seven companies—including tech giants Alphabet, Meta, OpenAI and Snap—seeking information about how they monitor and address negative impacts from chatbots designed to simulate human relationships.

“Protecting kids online is a top priority for the FTC,” said Chairman Andrew Ferguson, emphasizing the need to balance with maintaining US leadership in artificial intelligence innovation.

The inquiry targets chatbots that use generative AI to mimic human communication and emotions, often presenting themselves as friends or confidants to users.

Regulators expressed particular concern that children and teens may be especially vulnerable to forming relationships with these AI systems.

The FTC is using its broad investigative powers to examine how companies monetize user engagement, develop chatbot personalities, and measure potential harm.

The agency also wants to know what steps firms are taking to limit children’s access and comply with existing protecting minors online.

Companies receiving orders include Character.AI, Elon Musk’s xAI Corp, and others operating consumer-facing AI chatbots.

The investigation will examine how these platforms handle from user conversations and enforce age restrictions.

The commission voted unanimously to launch the study, which does not have a specific law enforcement purpose but could inform future regulatory action.

The probe comes as AI chatbots have grown increasingly sophisticated and popular, raising questions about their on vulnerable users, particularly young people.

Last month the parents of Adam Raine, a teenager who committed suicide in April at age 16, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing ChatGPT of giving their son detailed instructions on how to carry out the act.

Shortly after the lawsuit emerged, OpenAI announced it was working on corrective measures for its world-leading chatbot.

The San Francisco-based company said it had notably observed that when exchanges with ChatGPT are prolonged, the no longer systematically suggests contacting a mental health service if the user mentions having suicidal thoughts.

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Amazon’s Spring Sale Is So-So, but Cadence Capsules Are a Bright Spot

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Amazon’s Spring Sale Is So-So, but Cadence Capsules Are a Bright Spot


The WIRED Reviews Team has been covering Amazon’s Big Spring Sale since it began at on Wednesday, and the overall deals have been … not great, honestly. So far, we’ve found decent markdowns on vacuums, smart bird feeders, and even an air fryer we love, but I just saw that Cadence Capsules, those colorful magnetic containers you may have seen on your social media pages, are 20 percent off. (For reference, the last time I saw them on sale, they were a measly 9 percent off.)

If you’re not familiar, they allow you to decant your full-sized personal care products you use at home—from shampoo and sunscreen to serums and pills—into a labeled, modular system of hexagonal containers that are leak-proof, dishwasher safe, and stick together magnetically in your bag or on a countertop. No more jumbled, travel-sized toiletries and leaky, mismatched bottles and tubes.

Cadence Capsules have garnered some grumbling online for being overly heavy or leaking, but I’ve been using them regularly for about a year—I discuss decanting your daily-use products in my guide to How to Pack Your Beauty Routine for Travel—and haven’t experienced any leaks. They do add weight if you’re trying to travel super-light, and because they’re magnetic, they will also stick to other metal items in your toiletry bag, like bobby pins or other hair accessories. This can be annoying, especially if you’re already feeling chaotic or in a hurry.

Otherwise, Capsules are modular, convenient, and make you feel supremely organized—magnetic, interchangeable inserts for the lids come with permanent labels like “shampoo,” “conditioner,” “cleanser,” and “moisturizer.” Maybe you love this; maybe you don’t. But at least if you buy on Amazon, you can choose which label genre you get (Haircare, Bodycare, Skincare, Daily Routine). If this just isn’t your jam, the Cadence website offers a set of seven that allows you to customize the color and lid label of each Capsule, but that set is not currently on sale.



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Fellow Readers, Don’t Miss These E-Reader Sales

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Fellow Readers, Don’t Miss These E-Reader Sales


This is the older Kindle Scribe, but the price and features are the best you’ll get, especially when it’s on sale like this. I still reach for this model even though I have the newer third generation, and keep in mind the second generation will also get some of the newer software and experiences over time. With the sale, it’s half the price of the newer model.

Amazon

Kindle Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature Edition

If you’re already a Kindle reader and looking to upgrade, it’s likely because you want a new feature like a color screen. While the Kobo above is the better buy, if you want to stay in the Kindle ecosystem but add some color to your books, both the Colorsoft and Colorsoft Signature are on sale.

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Kindle (2024, 11th Gen)

If you’re looking to spend as little as possible, the basic Kindle (11th generation) is still a great e-reader and is currently under $100. It can do almost everything the other Kindles can (except the Scribe) on a snappy black-and-white screen. It doesn’t have a warm front light either, but it’s still a great purchase for the price.


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This Speaker I Tried From Soundboks Can Handle a Real Party

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This Speaker I Tried From Soundboks Can Handle a Real Party


In addition to the rubber balls, there’s a nice physical interface on the side for adjusting volume and pairing multiple Mix speakers together if you have multiple on hand (I was only sent the single mono speaker). Setup involves installing the Soundboks app, pairing to the speaker via Bluetooth on your phone, and picking whatever you want to play. It’s all quick and painless, especially for my first-time pairing with a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Otherwise, it’s all very pro audio. Everything reminds me very much of the Peavey PA system I have in my music rehearsal space. The top of the speaker features a built-in carrying handle and a place for a strap (an accessory you have to buy aftermarket, or you can fasten it with any strap you have that fits through the hole). There are also top-hat mounts for the speakers to slide onto traditional PA pole stands, if you wanted to use them in that way at a party or event.

The grill is replaceable, as is the massive internal battery, which means that these things are pretty much indestructible as long as the amp and speakers themselves still work—the battery is the weak point of most portable speakers in 2026.

I bounced it around my yard, dropped it off my patio, and generally beat the crap out of it during my two-week testing period, and the thing just needed a little wipe down and a charge when it ran out of juice. The claimed 40 hours of battery at reasonable volume is accurate, but you’ll get about eight hours at max volume (which is very good for the category). If you need to bring some walk-out music to your kid’s all-day Little League tournament, this a great way to go.

Big Sound

Photograph: Parker Hall

Soundboks calls this speaker midsize, but at 21.4 pounds and the size of a medium-size cooler, I’d still call it a large speaker. That said, the size doesn’t make it any less portable than competitors from JBL and others; you still need a car or cargo ebike to take one of these with you, so what’s a couple inches here or there? The fact that this is a rectangle actually makes it easier to strap down than many others, especially with the holes for the strap and the built-in handle to tie down through.



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