Bart Butler on encryption, child safety, and why there’s no such thing as a backdoor for only the good guys.
Here’s the Financial Times citing an official report published by the UK’s media watchdog:
The research shows a sustained higher level of VPN use, with an estimated number of daily UK VPN users of 2.2mn, compared with 1.2mn before the July 2025 rules.
About a quarter of children have used VPNs to circumvent restrictions designed to protect them.
UK communications regulator Ofcom has opened an investigation to assess whether TikTok is complying with Online Safety Act duties to prevent children from seeing harmful content. The probe will also examine the effectiveness of TikTok’s age assurance systems. An update is expected in October 2026.
The EU is excluding wearable devices, including smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart glasses, from an incoming rule that will require a wide range of electronics to have user-replaceable batteries. The Nintendo Switch 2 isn’t exempt, though, and will come with a replaceable battery in the EU by the time the law goes into effect in February 2027.
Budget cuts are blowing up US health infrastructure — and your toilet.
Apple’s on-device generative AI service has officially been registered with China’s cyberspace regulator, clearing a major hurdle for device rollout. To navigate local regulations, Apple is tapping domestic tech giants, integrating Alibaba’s Qwen and Baidu’s AI models to power the experience for Chinese users, as reported last year.
Meanwhile, Apple and the EU are waiting to see who blinks first.
The largest US electrical grid operator, PJM, will add $6.3 billion in electricity costs for consumers across 13 states due to the booming energy demands of data centers. The rate hikes will hit millions of households and businesses over the next two years, adding to the $29 billion in costs that data centers have added to PJM regions since 2024.
