Entertainment
Woman suing Meta, YouTube over social media addiction to testify in LA court
In a landmark trial underway in Los Angeles, a California woman, Kaley G.M. in court, is testifying about the detrimental effects of using Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Google’s YouTube on her mental health.
Starting using Instagram at the age of 9 and YouTube at 6, Kaley claims that these platforms contributed to her depression and body dysmorphia.
Her lawyers argue that the companies knowingly profited from hooking young children on the platforms, despite evidence showing serious harm endured by addicted users, Reuters reported.
On the same grounds, countries like Australia have already banned these platforms for young users, while others are considering similar measures.
The initial phases of the trial were based on what Meta and YouTube knew about the impact of their platforms on young users, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledging discussions about products for children that were never launched. Now, the focus has reportedly shifted to Kaley’s personal experiences and how these services affected her life.
To succeed in her case, Kaley’s lawyers are bound to demonstrate that the design and operation of these platforms contributed to her mental health issues.
Evidence presented before the jury includes a Meta internal study indicating that teens facing challenging life circumstances often reported habitual use of Instagram.
Autoplay videos and endless scrolling are the notable features highlighted by Kaley’s lawyer, which are said to encourage excessive use. YouTube’s legal team pointed out that Kaley did not utilise available protective features.
The outcome of the case is likely to have serious repercussions for social media regulation and child safety.
Entertainment
Cole Sprouse reacts to brother Dylan confronting house intruder
Cole Sprouse addressed the recent burglary attempt at his brother Dylan Sprouse’s house in a new, but quite an unexpected statement.
The 33-year-old actor and photographer took to Instagram on Saturday, April 18, and responded to the incident which involved Dylan, 33, tackling the intruder at his home in Hollywood Hills.
Cole had a humorous take on the situation, as he shared one of his own old photos holding up a gun, and wrote, “Dylan Sprouse when he hears any noise at his house.”
In the following Story, the Riverdale alum shared a screenshot of a fan’s comment, writing, “Cole would have told the burglar ‘this isn’t you.”
The former Friends star’s reaction sparked laughter from fans who is loved for his distinct sense of humour.
Apart from the rare glimpses of life on his main account, Cole runs a separate Instagram account, called Camera Duels where he posts pictures of fans trying to take pictures of him, and publicly shares them with lengthy humorous captions.
Despite the funny commentary on the situation, Dylan and his wife Barbara Palvin – who was present in the house at the time of the break-in, were reportedly left quite “shaken” after the incident.
Entertainment
Humans far behind as robot breaks record at Beijing half marathon
A humanoid robot competing against flesh-and-blood runners broke the world record at a Beijing half marathon on Sunday, showcasing the rapid technological advancement achieved by Chinese makers.
Spectators lined the roads in Yizhuang in the capital’s south to watch the machines and their human rivals race, each group in a separate lane to avoid accidents or collisions.
Some of the robots were highly agile, moving like famous runners such as Usain Bolt, while others had more basic capabilities.
The winning humanoid, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and running for Chinese smartphone maker Honor, completed the roughly 21-kilometre (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometres per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
That was far faster than the top human in Sunday’s race, while also surpassing the current men’s world record of 57:20 held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo.
The result represented spectacular progress from last year, when robot-runners fell repeatedly and the best took more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish.
The number of humanoid entries jumped from around 20 last year to more than 100, according to organisers, a sign of the sector´s growing popularity.
‘Pretty cool’
Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student who watched the race from behind a safety barrier, barely had time to take out her phone and snap a picture of the leading robot as it whizzed past.
She told AFP she was enthusiastic about such leaps in technology and thought the event was “pretty cool”.

But, she added, “as someone who works for a living, I’m a little worried about it sometimes. I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people’s jobs”, particularly with artificial intelligence growing increasingly sophisticated.
Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years, in the media as well as in public spaces.
Xie Lei, 41, who watched Sunday’s race with his family, said robots could “become part of our daily lives” within several years, potentially used for “things like housework, elderly companionship or basic caregiving” or “dangerous jobs, even firefighting”.
The humanoid half marathon aims to encourage innovation and popularise the technologies used in creating and operating such machines.
In a sign of the industry’s strength, investment in robotics and so-called embodied AI amounted to 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in China in 2025, according to a study by a government agency.
“For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots. Just in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in this specific sport event, they´re already starting to surpass us,” Xie said.
“On one hand, it does make you feel a little bit sad for humanity. But at the same time, technology, especially in recent years, has given us so much imagination.”
Entertainment
Karachi Kings win toss, opt to bowl first against Multan Sultans
Karachi Kings won the toss and decided to bowl first in the 28th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.
The Sultans, led by Ashton Turner, are placed third on the points table, having secured four wins from their six matches so far in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Kings sit seventh with an even record, winning three and losing three in six games.
Squads
Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Jason Roy, Haroon Arshad, Reeza Hendricks, Ihsanullah and Rizwanullah.
Multan Sultans: Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Shehzad Gul, Faisal Akram, Imran Randhawa, Arafat Minhas, Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Philippe, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Shahzad, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ismail and Atizaz Habib Khan.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
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