Technology & AI: news & fact-checks

Trump Says Musk Restored Ukraine’s Starshield

• Meduza: Trump called Elon Musk to ask him to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s military-grade Starlink service, WSJ reports 21 h ago
• The Moscow Times: Trump Says Musk Restored Ukraine's Starlink Access, Declines to Say if They Spoke 21 h ago
• CNBC: Trump asked Musk to lift Starlink slowdown, WSJ reports 19 h ago
• CBS News: Elon Musk's Starlink and Starshield, and what they mean to Ukraine 17 h ago
• RTÉ: Ukraine reports problems with Starshield military service 16 h ago
• Kyiv Post: Trump Says Musk Restored Ukraine’s Starshield 15 h ago
• +5 more outlets →

Greece bans social media for under-15s

• Bangkok Post: Greece bans social media for under-15s 7 h ago
• Dawn: New Greece law bans social media for under-15s 7 h ago
• DW: Greece joins countries putting age-limits on social media, banning access for kids under 15 7 h ago
• The Hindu: Greece passes social media ban for children under 15 4 h ago
• Al Jazeera: Greece joins push to ban social media for minors 3 h ago

Trump says he asked Google Maps to rename Atlantic Ocean

• Euronews: Trump suggests renaming Atlantic Ocean the 'American Ocean' 1 d ago
• The Irish Times: Trump says he asked Google CEO to rename Atlantic Ocean on Maps 22 h ago
• RTÉ: Trump says he asked Google Maps to rename Atlantic Ocean 20 h ago
• TIME: The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Are Not Trump’s to Rename 1 h ago

Ukraine says Starlink still restricted after Trump says limits lifted

• Meduza: Starlink speed restrictions remain in place in Ukraine despite Trump’s claim they were lifted 9 h ago
• Politico Europe: Starlink still restricted for Ukraine despite Trump saying Musk lifted speed limits 8 h ago
• BBC News: Ukraine says Starlink still restricted after Trump says limits lifted 14 min ago

Global alert over two critical PHP flaws forces government websites offline

• MercoPress: Global alert over two critical PHP flaws forces government websites offline 1 d ago
• The New York Times: PHP Security Flaw Sets Off Global Rush to Patch, Leaving Websites Offline 1 d ago
• CNBC: AI's 'Black October': Critical PHP flaws set off global security scramble 1 h ago

Meta hit with $25-billion penalty for misleading Facebook users about data privacy

• Axios: Meta hit with $25 billion penalty for misleading Facebook users 1 d ago
• Los Angeles Times: Meta hit with $25-billion penalty for misleading Facebook users about data privacy 1 d ago
• RTÉ: Meta ordered to pay $25bn in user data privacy case 1 d ago

Ukraine says Starlink speeds still throttled

• Hindustan Times: ‘He put it back’: Trump sidesteps question on calling Musk as Zelenskyy says Ukraine’s Starlink speed not fully restored 12 h ago
• Financial Times: Ukraine says Starlink speeds still throttled 26 min ago

Oil prices hit highest point since May

• Global News (Canada): AI stocks weigh on markets Thursday as oil rises to highest price since May 22 h ago
• The Hill: Oil prices hit highest point since May 1 h ago

Superintelligent AI Could Be A Year Away, Ex-Google DeepMind Researcher Alex Turner Says

• NDTV: Superintelligent AI Could Be A Year Away, Ex-Google DeepMind Researcher Alex Turner Says 4 h ago
• Daily Mail: 'There's a one in three chance AI will kill mankind in ten years', ex-Google DeepMind researcher warns 2 h ago

Mark Zuckerberg makes deal with Meta to help him pay billionaire tax if it passes

• Los Angeles Times: How Meta struck a deal to keep Mark Zuckerberg in California despite looming billionaire tax 19 h ago
• The Hindu: Mark Zuckerberg makes deal with Meta to help him pay billionaire tax if it passes 12 h ago

Scoop: Unvetted AI agents are accessing U.S. bank accounts

• Axios: Scoop: Unvetted AI agents are accessing U.S. bank accounts 1 d ago
• Hindustan Times: Major US banks take steps after report claims unvetted AI agents are trying to access accounts: Reports 17 h ago

Germany: Humanoid robots and AI supercomputers take centre stage in Berlin

• Euronews: Germany: Humanoid robots and AI supercomputers take centre stage in Berlin 1 d ago
• Africanews: Germany: Humanoid robots and AI supercomputers take centre stage in Berlin 1 d ago

Websites go dark as AI exposes critical security flaws worldwide

• RFI: Websites go dark as AI exposes critical security flaws worldwide 1 d ago
• Euronews: Websites go dark after AI exposes major programming language security flaw 1 d ago

Google signs deal with Voltus to pay consumers to cut back energy usage

• Washington Examiner: Google signs deal with Voltus to pay consumers to cut back energy usage 4 min ago

Cognitive surrender: Artificial intelligence’s threat to democracy

• The Hill: Cognitive surrender: Artificial intelligence’s threat to democracy 34 min ago

Ethan Klein’s past remarks on infidelity resurfaces amid wife Hila's affair allegations

• Hindustan Times: Ethan Klein's wife, Hila, accuses podcaster of having affair; social media users think it's Tamara as H3 Podcast cuts ties over allegations 7 h ago

TikTok U.S. hunts for multiple gigawatts of computing capacity, sources tell CNBC

• CNBC: TikTok U.S. hunts for multiple gigawatts of computing capacity, sources tell CNBC 58 min ago

Silicon Valley Democrats demand investigation into Starlink restrictions in Ukraine

• CNBC: Silicon Valley Democrats demand investigation into Starlink restrictions in Ukraine 1 h ago

Hacked e-mails yield revelations on Germany’s far-right AfD party leader

• The Straits Times: Hacked e-mails yield revelations on Germany’s far-right AfD party leader 1 h ago

American Express is cutting 5% of its workforce to 'prepare for AI'

• CNBC: American Express is cutting 5% of its workforce to 'prepare for AI' 1 h ago

For weeks, deepfake celebrities have been telling Americans not to vote for Democrats in the midterm elections. U.S. intelligence says Russia is behind it.

• Meduza: For weeks, deepfake celebrities have been telling Americans not to vote for Democrats in the midterm elections. U.S. intelligence says Russia is behind it. 1 h ago

UK tells public to keep 3 days' emergency supplies at home following PHP software glitch

• Dawn: UK tells public to keep 3 days' emergency supplies at home following PHP software glitch 1 h ago

AI Agents To Outnumber Humans Soon? What Futurist Mike Walsh Told NDTV

• NDTV: AI Agents To Outnumber Humans Soon? What Futurist Mike Walsh Told NDTV 2 h ago

Why Trump’s Rebrand of Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligent Matters

• TIME: Why Trump’s Rebrand of Artificial Intelligence to Super Intelligent Matters 2 h ago

False claim Henry Nowak’s killer has been attacked in prison circulates online again

Claim reviewed: Vickrum Digwa, who killed Henry Nowak, has been attacked in prison.

Viral imagery of Pink Panther protester in France is AI-generated

Claim reviewed: Images and videos show a person dressed in a Pink Panther costume taking part in the current protests in France.

Doctored Video Shows NSA Ajit Doval Threatening To Release CJP Leaders’ Nude Photos If They Protest Again

The viral video, claiming to show NSA Ajit Doval threatening CJP leaders with release of nude photos, was manipulated using AI.

This Photo Showing Sonia Gandhi With Jeffrey Epstein Is AI-Generated

The photograph purportedly showing Sonia Gandhi with Jeffrey Epstein is AI-generated.

Prebunk: Houses on Stilts Lift You Above Reality -- Flood of AI-Generated Hydraulic Escape Systems

Claim reviewed: Videos showing houses being lifted up on hydraulic stilts to avoid flood water are real — attributed by the checker to tiktok.com

What We Know About Claims That Early Voters' Ballots Were Switched in States Including Florida, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas

Claim reviewed: Ballots of early voters in Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, and Ohio switched after voting: What We Know — attributed by the checker to x.com

Russian disinformation group targets James Talarico with baseless claim in AI-generated video

This video shows a former James Talarico student accusing him of misconduct.

Fact Check: FAKE Images Showing 'Satanic Rituals On Epstein Island' With Epstein, The Clintons, Bill Gates, And Stephen Hawking -- Made Or Edited With Google AI

Claim reviewed: Real leaked images show satanic rituals on Epstein Island with Bill and Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, and Stephen Hawking together with Jeffrey Epstein, goats and dead bodies. — attributed by the checker to x.com

France protests: fact checked

We’ve spotted several AI images and videos being shared online with claims they show protests and violent incidents in France, as well as old footage dating back to 2023.

Fact Check: FAKE AI-Generated Charlie Hebdo Cover On French Protests Does NOT Show Oct. 21, 2026, Issue -- Or Any Other Issue

Claim reviewed: Image shows real cover of Charlie Hebdo with cartoon about French riots involving Free Palestine vs. free stuff. — attributed by the checker to x.com

Videos Show The Execution Of The Bangladeshi Couple In Saudi Arabia? Here’s The Fact Check.

Claim reviewed: The videos show the recent execution of the Bangladeshi couple in Saudi Arabia.

What update to Meta's terms for business accounts says about AI scraping

Claim reviewed: Meta is updating the terms and conditions of its privacy policy to allow it to scrape data to train artificial intelligence models.

Does Zoom Dietary Supplement Contain Harmful Ingredients? No. The claim is based on incomplete facts.

Claim reviewed: Home Chef Quiche Lorraine contains potassium sorbate, sodium nitrite, ascorbic acid, carrageenan, etc, which are known for causing serious health issues.

Does Fair Price 3-in-1 Coffee Contain Harmful Ingredients? Claims About Its Safety Are Misleading.

Claim reviewed: Fair Price Coffee contains harmful ingredients like sodium caseinate, dipotassium phosphate, mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, starch sodium octenyl succinate, DATEM etc and should be avoided.

Students throng in Kota to welcome Rahul Gandhi—Old video goes viral as recent

Claim reviewed: Recent gathering for Rahul Gandhi in Kota, Rajasthan

Fact Check: FAKE Images, Videos Show Pink Panther at Paris Protests

Claim reviewed: Real images and videos show a Paris protester dressed as the Pink Panther in October 2026 — attributed by the checker to x.com

Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows Tesla Roadster Flying Off Building Roof In The Middle Of A City -- It Is AI-Generated

Claim reviewed: Is a video of a Tesla Roadster flying off a city building rooftop real? — attributed by the checker to x.com

Video of Senator Moye addressing his graduation from Cuttington University, not AI-generated

Claim: Social media users have alleged that the viral video, which shows Senator Prince K. Moye Sr. of Bong County saying he enrolled at Cuttington University in 2021 and graduated in 2005, is AI-generated. Verdict: False. Senator Moye’s…

False! AI-generated image falsely show Eiffel Tower engulfed in flames

Claim: A Threads user @blackriverfilmfestival shared an image claiming it shows the Eiffel Tower engulfed in flames. Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s research shows that the image is AI-generated. A review of the Eiffel Tower’s live webcam feed…

Google updates AI detector after Full Fact investigation finds it flagging apparently real images

Our investigation found the tool claimed five images shared by politicians were “made or edited” with AI, when those who’d posted them said they weren’t.

Fact Check: Image Of Woman With 'Refugees Welcome Here' Sign Does NOT Show October 2026 French Protests -- It Is AI-Altered Photo From London 2016

Claim reviewed: Real photo shows woman from Paris riots holding "Refugees welcome here" sign. — attributed by the checker to x.com

Photo of elderly French couple ‘stripped and robbed’ during riots is AI

Claim reviewed: An image shows an elderly couple in their underwear after they had been stripped and robbed during the recent riots in France.

France Protests: AI-Generated Video Viral As Showing Palestinian Flag Being Unfurled Atop Eiffel Tower

The viral video claiming that a Palestinian flag was raised at the top of the Eiffel Tower amid the protests in France is AI-generated.

Fact Check: FAKE Video Shows People Fishing iPhones Out of Water After Missile Attack on Ship in Strait of Hormuz -- It Is AI

Claim reviewed: Real video shows people grabbing floating iPhones from the sea after a missile attack sank a ship in the Strait of Hormuz. — attributed by the checker to x.com