Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Snapchat is the app of choice for criminals targeting kids for sextortion or child sexual abuse material (CSAM), New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez alleges in a new lawsuit filed against the app’s owner, Snap.The suit accuses Snap of violating New Mexico law against unfair practices and public nuisance based on design elements like its “disappearing” messages and alleged failure to police predators. “Snap has misled users into believing that photos and videos sent on their platform will disappear,” Torrez said in a statement. “But predators can permanently capture this content and they have created a virtual yearbook of child sexual images that are traded, sold, and stored indefinitely.”Torrez’s office ran an undercover... Continue reading…

If you're finally getting into PC building, you might naturally ask your friends, family, or community members on the internet for advice. While people will gladly offer best practices, part recommendations, and PC-building mistakes you shouldn't make, seldom will anyone point out the unsaid stuff about PC building.

The deal is expected to close in 18 months, if it gets past regulatory approval. | Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge Verizon has entered an agreement to acquire the fiber internet provider Frontier in an all-cash deal valued at $20 billion. In its press release announcing the transaction, Verizon says the deal will “significantly expand Verizon’s fiber footprint across the nation, accelerating the company’s delivery of premium mobility and broadband services to current and new customers.”The deal with Frontier may help Verizon regain its old Fios subscribers, after some of its wireline operations — including Fios fiber internet connections — were purchased by Frontier in 2015 for $10.5 billion. Frontier’s existing 2.2 million fiber subscribers in 25 states will now join Verizon’s approximately 7.4 million Fios connections in nine states. Frontier... Continue reading…

Content showing intimidation and non-violent aggression is also being restricted. | Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge YouTube is adjusting its algorithm to restrict videos showing non-violent aggression and idealized physical appearances from being promoted to teenagers on the platform. In a new blog post, YouTube says that such content “may be innocuous as a single video” but it could “be problematic for some teens if viewed repetitively.”The restrictions aim to prevent younger users from falling into harmful “rabbit hole” content pipelines without preventing them from viewing such videos entirely, as many are compliant with YouTube’s content guidelines. “Teens are more likely than adults to form negative beliefs about themselves when seeing repeated messages about ideal standards in content they consume online,” YouTube said. The new safeguards are... Continue reading…

Image: BMW Toyota and BMW are updating their partnership in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, signing a new memorandum of understanding to accelerate the development of next-generation, zero-emission vehicles. BMW will launch its first hydrogen-powered model in 2028. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, but automakers have struggled to market fuel cell vehicles to the public. A severe lack of fueling infrastructure outside of California in the US has prevented hydrogen from becoming as popular or prevalent as battery-electric cars. And vehicle sales have essentially collapsed: only 322 fuel cell vehicles were sold in the US in the first half of 2024, 82 percent lower than a year ago. Toyota and BMW think they can overcome these... Continue reading…

Like an El Camino with hydros, this robot vacuum tilts and lifts. | Image: SharkNinja SharkNinja has a new 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop that picks itself up over rugs, high-pile carpet, and other obstacles to both prevent the transfer of wet messes and to help get out of situations where it might get stuck. The lift tilts the robot up to 20mm, which is amongst the highest alongside the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. But SharkNinja claims no other robot vacuum on the market is designed to lift the entire robot.Boldly called the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro with “NeverStuck” technology, SharkNinja claims its robot vacuum and mop 2-in-1 will, well, never get stuck. And, along with its included Pro Base auto-empty station, you won’t need to touch it for up to 30 days. Image: SharkNinja SharkNinja won’t be... Continue reading…

Yes, it does remind me of a macaron. | Image: Anker At IFA 2024, Anker announced a slate of new charging accessories, including a new portable 3-in-1 Qi2 charger. The new MagGo 3-in-1 foldable pad unravels into three wireless pucks tethered by rubbery straps: a Qi2-certified 15W charger on one end, a 5W Apple-certified Watch charger on the other, and a 5W Qi puck in the middle that also houses the USB-C power input port.The new Anker 3-in-1 seems inspired by Twelve South’s Butterfly charger design, including its ability to fold back as a kickstand for an iPhone while charging. Still, the Butterfly only charges an iPhone and Apple Watch. Anker’s is available today for $88.99 and comes in black, white, and pink, with a green one launching “after October.” Image: Umar... Continue reading…

The Segway-Ninebot ZT3 Pro has six inches of ground clearance thanks to 11-inch tubeless tires. | Image: Segway-Ninebot The new Segway-Ninebot ZT3 Pro is the company’s first electric scooter that’s designed to handle terrain considerably rougher than the average urban commute.Weighing a hefty 65.5lbs, the ZT3 Pro pairs 11-inch tubeless tires with a fork suspension on the front, a coil suspension swing arm on the back, and six inches of ground clearance beneath its deck. That setup should not only provide a smoother ride when going off road but also help reduce the risk of the ZT3 Pro bottoming out when traversing uneven terrain.Powered by a 1,600-watt electric motor, the US version of the ZT3 Pro will have a top speed of 24.9mph and a maximum range of 18.6 miles in its full-power sport mode. Switching to a much slower eco mode will boost the scooter’s... Continue reading…

Illustration: Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta should allow users to post “aspirational” statements for Venezuelan paramilitary groups to be killed, the Oversight Board ruled in a decision released on Thursday. The board’s ruling involves two posts on Facebook and Instagram in the wake of Venezuela’s contested presidential election, both of which were captioned with calls for violence against members of paramilitary groups, called colectivos. The board found that these posts were “statements expressing a hope that violent actors will be killed,” rather than specific calls for violence, and therefore said they don’t violate Meta’s rules.The board’s decision noted the “limited outlets for free expression” in Venezuela and the colectivos’ role “in the violent crackdown against... Continue reading…

Eufy’s updated Permanent Outdoor Lights. | Image: Eufy Eufy, the smart home product company under Anker, is launching new smart lights, including new permanent outdoor lights that can change color depending on who is walking up to your house. It works by communicating with Eufy’s video doorbells and security cameras and can be set to turn into, say, a welcoming soft white light for your family member.Another example Anker provided is that it can switch to a harsh bright red for unrecognized folks approaching late at night. That might be a problem for early morning shift Amazon delivery workers, but if you can get each of their faces registered, maybe they all can get a thumbs-up bright green light!The Permanent Outdoor Lights E22 are newer, brighter versions of the existing E120 model with... Continue reading…

Apple Pay hasn’t changed much since 2014, and maybe it hasn’t needed to. | Image: The Verge When Apple launched Apple Pay in 2014, at an event 10 years to the day before this year’s iPhone launch, Apple promised the feature would “change the way you pay.” The company didn’t just let you save a credit card number on your phone; it let you pay for things with a single tap by transmitting information through an NFC chip. Apple was so bullish on mobile payments that Apple Pay was even one of the key selling points for the also-just-announced Apple Watch. A decade later, Apple Pay is everywhere. You can use it to buy groceries and coffee; you can use it to ride the New York City subway or rent a Lime scooter. You can use Apple Pay and skip the whole multipage checkout process on lots of online stores. You can use it on your phone,... Continue reading…

The Belkin SoundForm Isolate give you ANC at a budget-friendly price. | Images: Belkin Belkin just revealed some updates to its SoundForm line of budget wireless headphones, adding two new closed-back, over-ear models and two sets of earbuds. Both earbuds are available now, while the new over-ear models are expected later this year.The most notable of these is the $59.99 SoundForm Isolate, a pair of over-ear wireless headphones that offers active noise cancellation (ANC) and a “Hear-Thru” transparency mode. They’ve also got a built-in, looping ambient noise “Relaxation” track. Images: Belkin Belkin’s SoundForm Surround headphones are nearly identical to the SoundForm Isolate. Those features aside, the Isolate and the $39.99 SoundForm Surround share all the same specs, like 40mm drivers, touch... Continue reading…