Internet News

Google and Apple will soon be required to verify app store users ID/ages in Texas, after Governor Greg Abbott signed the rule into law on Tuesday.

The Texas App Store Accountability Act follows similar legislation that passed in Utah earlier this year, although it requires the app stores to collect even more user data. Enforcement of the Texas law is set to begin at the start of next year -- giving app stores several months to determine how they will collect this information. The bill was passed with super-majority approval by the Texas House and Senate.

An Apple spokesperson responded in a statement:

We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions of people to turn over their personal information.

Apple CEO Tim Cook called Abbott earlier this month to encourage him not to sign the bill as written.

Like Utah's law, the Texas bill requires app stores to verify all users ages and obtain parental consent before minor users download or make a purchase through an app. Theyre also required to share age categories -- child, young teenager, older teenager or adult -- with app developers so that, at least in theory, they can provider safer experiences for young users.

But Texas law adds an additional requirement: The app stores must also confirm that the parent or guardian approving a minors app downloads has the legal authority to make decisions for that child.

App store operators Google and Apple argue that the age verification bills will undermine individual privacy. That's because every user, not just children, will have to provide sensitive data -- likely an ID or a scan of their face -- to confirm their age, even if they only want to download something like a weather app, where age is irrelevant. And the custody rule will require parents to turn over even more personal documentation.

Malaysia's Online Safety Bill 2024 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) and the Dewan Negara (Senate) on 11 and 16 December 2024 respectively. The Bill will now be presented for Royal Assent and become law upon it being gazetted and will come into operation on a date to be appointed by the Minister of Communications.

The Bill aims to: enhance and promote online safety in Malaysia; reduce harmful content available online and mitigate its potential detrimental effects; and impose duties and obligations on online service providers.

Scope of Application

The Bill will apply to licensed Network Service Providers (NSPs), Application Service Providers (ASPs), and Content Application Service Providers (CASPs). However, it will not extend to private messaging features of any application service or content application service, defined as a feature that allows a user to communicate a content to a specific and limited number of recipients determined by the user and may contain any other characteristics as may be prescribed .

Extraterritorial Application:

The Bill will have extraterritorial effect, applying to the above service providers outside Malaysia that offer application services, content application services, or network services within Malaysia. These provisions fall under the authority of the Minister and will be enforced by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Harmful Content and Priority Harmful Content

Harmful content , as defined in the Bill, includes the following specific types of content:

• (i) content on child sexual abuse material as provided for under section 4 of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017 [Act 792];
• (ii) content on financial fraud;
• (iii) obscene content including content that may give rise to a feeling of disgust due to lewd portrayal which may offend a persons manner on decency and modesty;
• (iv) indecent content including content which is profane in nature, improper and against generally accepted behaviour or culture;
• (v) content that may cause harassment, distress, fear or alarm by way of threatening, abusive or insulting words or communication or act;
• (vi) content that may incite violence or terrorism;
• (vii) content that may induce a child to cause harm to himself;
• (viii) content that may promote feelings of ill-will or hostility amongst the public at large or may disturb public tranquillity; and
• (xi) content that promotes the use or sale of dangerous drugs.

Priority harmful content is defined as the first two types of harmful content listed above, namely (i) content involving child sexual abuse material, and (ii) content related to financial fraud.

Duties of ASPs and CASPs

The Bill introduces comprehensive obligations for ASPs and CASPs ( Service Providers ) to enhance online safety and mitigate risks associated with harmful content. These duties aim to create a safer online environment for all users, with particular emphasis on protecting vulnerable groups like children and addressing priority harmful content more stringently. Key requirements include:

• (a) Mitigating Exposure to Harmful Content: Service Providers must implement measures to reduce the risk of users encountering harmful content, either as outlined in the Code of Conduct (Best Practice) for Internet Messaging and Social Media Service Providers issued by the MCMC or through alternative, proven-effective measures.
• (b) User Guidelines: Service Providers are required to provide users with clear guidelines on implemented safety measures and terms of use of their services.
• (c) Online Safety Tools: Service Providers must offer tools and settings that allow users to manage their online safety, such as limiting or preventing interactions with others who may identify, locate, or communicate with them.
• (d) Reporting Mechanisms: Mechanisms must be in place for users to report harmful content and to seek responsive assistance for online safety concerns or inquiries about safety measures.
• (e) Blocking Priority Harmful Content: Service Providers are obligated to establish systems that make priority harmful content inaccessible on their platforms.
• (f) Child Safety Measures: Specific protections for children must be implemented, including preventing access to harmful content, limiting communication with adults, controlling personalised recommendations, reducing features that encourage prolonged use, and safeguarding personal information.
• (g) Online Safety Plan: Service Providers must develop, submit to the MCMC, and publicly share an Online Safety Plan detailing compliance with these obligations.

MCMC is empowered to impose a financial penalty of up to RM10 million (£1,750,000) on Service Providers that fail to comply with any of the aforementioned duties.

Starting July 1st, the classic and iconoclastic comedy series South Park may finally have one streaming home following years of a divided catalog and many millions of dollars in legal fees. Paramount appears ready to consolidate the catalog of their most prized comedy property on Paramount+, starting 1st July

However entertainment critic ArtieReviews reported that American subscribers will find that a dozen additional episodes have been added to the infamous South Park ban list.

Even with all the corporate acrimony between South Park's two streaming homes over the last five years, fans with deep pockets have still been able to stream almost every episode of South Park so long as they had subscriptions to both Max and Paramount+. The only banned South Park episodes that are currently unavailable to stream through any legal means are Super Best Friends, Cartoon Wars Parts I and II, 200 and 201 , all of which featured depictions of the religious character Mohammed.

While ArtieReviews' ban list is yet-unconfirmed by Paramount itself, all of the episodes he listed are entries in the South Park catalog that are unavailable to stream on Paramount+ in non-U.S. markets where the company has retained full streaming control. Once Paramount Global regains a complete South Park streaming catalog, ArtieReviews believes that they will institute their international ban list.

The likely list of banned titles is:

• Season 1 Episode 4: Big Gay Al's Big Boat Ride
• Season 2 Episode 1: Terrance And Phillip In Not Without My Anus
• Season 4 Episode 14: Pip/Great Expectations
• Season 5 Episode 3: Super Best Friends
• Season 6 Episode 2: Jared Has Aides
• Season 6 Episode 7: Simpsons Did It
• Season 7 Episode 1: Cancelled
• Season 8 Episode 3: Passion Of The Jew
• Season 8 Episode 4: You Got F'd In The A
• Season 9 Episode 8: Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow
• Season 9 Episode 12: Trapped In The Closet
• Season 10 Episode 3/4 Cartoon Wars 1/2
• Season 14 Episode 5/6 200/201
• Season 16 Episode 4 Jewpacabra
• Season 17 Episode 6 Ginger Cow

Motherless.com is a well known porn tube site that seems to feature a more diverse selection of videos than most with a little more user/amateur content, than is the norm. The website is still operating and continues to allow open access.

Ofcom writes of its actions:

Ofcom has launched two investigations into whether Kick Online Entertainment S.A has failed to comply with its duties under the UK's Online Safety Act. Duties under the Act

Providers of services in scope of the Act are required to assess the risk of people in the UK encountering illegal content on their service, and take appropriate steps to protect them from it.

Providers are also required to respond to all statutory information requests from Ofcom in an accurate, complete and timely way.

On 3 March 2025, we opened an enforcement programme to monitor whether providers are complying with their duties under the Act to carry out an illegal content risk assessment and keep appropriate records of their assessments. As part of this programme, we issued an information request to Kick Online Entertainment S.A, which is responsible for providing the pornography website Motherless.com. We required it to submit the record of its illegal content risk assessment to us so we could consider whether it is compliant with its duties.

Having received no response to our request, we have today launched investigations into whether this provider has failed in its duties to complete and keep a record of  a suitable and sufficient illegal content risk assessment and respond to a statutory information request.

We have received complaints about the potential for illegal content and activity on this site, including child sexual abuse material and extreme pornography. In light of this, we will also be considering whether the provider has put appropriate safety measures in place to protect its UK users from illegal content and activity and may launch an additional investigation into its compliance with this duty if appropriate

We will now gather and analyse evidence to determine whether a contravention has occurred. If our assessment indicates a compliance failure, we will issue a provisional notice of contravention to the provider, who can then make representations on our findings, before we make our final decision.

We will provide regular updates as these investigations progress.