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Google to use artificial intelligence to determine if users are under 18

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  • Google said it will begin testing a machine learning-powered age estimation model to help determine if a user is under the age of 18. The automation feature will be used across Google products, including YouTube.
  • The tech giant’s move using artificial intelligence to determine age comes as lawmakers pressure online platforms to create better safety features for children.
  • Google plans to roll out the AI-based age estimates feature later this year.

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Google plans to start testing artificial intelligence to determine whether users are the appropriate age to use its products. The company announced the new AI system in a blog post focused on “new digital protections for kids, teens and parents,” saying it will provide “more age-appropriate experiences” for young users.

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The automation feature will be used across Google products, including YouTube.

Many online age verification services only have users input their birth date in order to see content that is restricted to those 18 years old and older, which has proven to be ineffective in preventing minors from accessing content that’s not for them.

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How will it work?

CNET reported the estimation model will use machine learning to make sense of various data points already associated with the user’s account, such as what they’re searching for, the categories of videos they’ve watched, and how long they’ve had an account. 

If the model incorrectly flags an account for being under the age of 18, the user can provide age verification by showing a government-issued ID.

What’s happening with the push to make online platforms safer?

Google’s move using AI to determine age comes as lawmakers pressure online platforms to create better safety features for children.

Meta rolled out a similar feature that uses AI to determine that someone may be lying about their age in September.

Google said it will roll out the AI-based age estimates feature later this year and to more countries over time.

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[Karah Rucker]

GOOGLE PLANS TO START TESTING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO DETERMINE WHETHER USERS ARE THE APPROPRIATE AGE TO USE ITS PRODUCTS. 

THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED THE NEW A-I SYSTEM IN A BLOG POST FOCUSED ON “NEW DIGITAL PROTECTIONS FOR KIDS, TEENS AND PARENTS” SAYING IT WILL PROVIDE “MORE AGE-APPROPRIATE EXPERIENCES” FOR YOUNG USERS.

THE AUTOMATION FEATURE WILL BE USED ACROSS GOOGLE PRODUCTS, INCLUDING YOUTUBE.

MANY ONLINE AGE VERIFICATION SERVICES ONLY HAVE USERS INPUT THEIR BIRTH DATE IN ORDER TO SEE AGE-RESTRICTED CONTENT, WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE INEFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING MINORS FROM ACCESSING STUFF THAT’S NOT FOR THEM.

C-NET REPORTS THE ESTIMATION MODEL WILL USE MACHINE LEARNING TO MAKE SENSE OF VARIOUS DATA POINTS ALREADY ASSOCIATED WITH THE USER’S ACCOUNT, SUCH AS WHAT THEY’RE SEARCH FOR, THE CATEGORIES OF VIDEOS THEY’VE WATCHED AND HOW LONG THEY’VE HAD AN ACCOUNT. 

IF THE MODEL INCORRECTLY FLAGS AN ACCOUNT HOLDER FOR BEING UNDER 18, THE USER CAN PROVIDE AGE VERIFICATION BY SHOWING A GOVERNMENT-ISSUED ID.

GOOGLE’S MOVE USING A-I TO DETERMINE AGE COMES AS LAWMAKERS PRESSURE ONLINE PLATFORMS TO CREATE BETTER SAFETY FEATURES FOR CHILDREN.

IN SEPTEMBER, META ROLLED OUT SIMILAR FEATURES THAT USES A-I TO DETERMINE THAT SOMEONE MAY BE LYING ABOUT THEIR AGE. 

GOOGLE SAYS IT WILL ROLL OUT THE AI-BASED AGE ESTIMATES FEATURE LATER THIS YEAR AND TO MORE COUNTRIES OVER TIME. 

FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.

FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.

U.S.

Mexico threatens to sue Google over ‘Gulf of America’ name change

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  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue Google over its decision to update its maps platform. The change came after President Donald Trump’s decision to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.” 
  • Google said that it applies name changes when they’ve been updated in official government sources.
  • Currently, Google Maps has reviews blocked for the location after criticism.

Full Story

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country may sue Google after it changed its maps to say the “Gulf of America.” Google made the adjustment during the week of Feb. 10, following an executive order from President Donald Trump.

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Sheinbaum said Thursday, Feb. 13, Mexico has sovereignty over its territorial waters and she expects Google to commit to internationally recognized geographical names, adding Mexico will file a civil lawsuit if necessary.

Google said previously that it applies name changes when they’ve been updated in official government sources.

People who use Google Maps in the U.S. see “Gulf of America” while people in Mexico see “Gulf of Mexico.” The rest of the world sees both names.

Did Google prevent users from leaving reviews?

As of Friday, Feb. 14, Google Maps has reviews blocked for the location after criticism.

When you click on the name, Google Maps brings up a note.

“Posting is currently turned off. Some types of places are more likely to receive posts, like reviews, that violate Google’s policies. To prevent this, Google has turned off posting,” the message said. 

Social media users are also accusing Google of censorship after noticing hundreds of one-star reviews have been removed.

The most recent review for the location on Google Maps now appears to be from a month ago.

What are other companies doing?

Apple Maps also updated their systems to reflect the name change, while the Encyclopedia Britannica said Wednesday, Feb. 12 it will continue to use the Gulf of Mexico.

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[Karah]

MEXICAN PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM SAYS HER COUNTRY MAY SUE GOOGLE AFTER IT CHANGED ITS MAPS TO SAY “THE GULF OF AMERICA.”

GOOGLE MADE THE ADJUSTMENT THIS WEEK FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE ORDER FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP.

SHEINBAUM SAID THURSDAY MEXICO HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER ITS TERRITORIAL WATERS AND SHE EXPECTS GOOGLE TO COMMIT TO INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES … ADDING MEXICO WILL FILE A CIVIL LAWSUIT IF NECESSARY. 

GOOGLE SAID PREVIOUSLY THAT IT APPLIES NAME CHANGES WHEN THEY’VE BEEN UPDATED IN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT SOURCES.

PEOPLE WHO USE GOOGLE MAPS IN THE U-S SEE “GULF OF AMERICA” WHILE PEOPLE IN MEXICO SEE “GULF OF MEXICO.”

THE REST OF THE WORLD SEES BOTH NAMES.

MEANWHILE, AS OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON, GOOGLE MAPS HAS REVIEWS BLOCKED FOR THE LOCATION AFTER CRITICISM OF ITS DECISION TO LABEL IT “GULF OF AMERICA.”

WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT … GOOGLE MAPS NOW BRINGS UP A NOTE SAYING “POSTING IS CURRENTLY TURNED OFF … SOME TYPES OF PLACES ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE POSTS, LIKE REVIEWS, THAT VIOLATE GOOGLE’S POLICIES. TO PREVENT THIS, GOOGLE HAS TURNED OFF POSTING.”

SOCIAL MEDIA USERS ARE ALSO ACCUSING GOOGLE OF CENSORSHIP AFTER NOTICING HUNDREDS OF ONE STAR REVIEWS HAVE BEEN REMOVED.

THE MOST RECENT REVIEW FOR THE LOCATION ON GOOGLE MAPS NOW APPEARS TO BE FROM A MONTH AGO.

APPLE MAPS ALSO UPDATED THEIR SYSTEMS TO REFLECT THE NAME CHANGE, WHILE THE ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA SAID WEDNESDAY IT WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE GULF OF MEXICO.

FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER. 

FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.

U.S.

2023 train derailment in rural Maine caused by beaver dam, state officials say

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  • An investigation into a train derailment in rural Maine is being blamed on a beaver dam. The April 2023 crash occurred in the dense forest of southwest Maine when a half dozen train cars carrying lumber and electrical wiring fell off the tracks.
  • State officials said a massive flow of water created by a beaver dam washed out the rail tracks which caused the train to derail.
  • About 500 gallons of diesel saturated the soil and also flowed into nearby bodies of water.

Full Story

An investigation into a train derailment in rural Maine, which injured three workers and caused hundreds of gallons of fuel to spill, is being blamed on a beaver dam.

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The 2023 crash occurred in the dense forest of southwest Maine when three locomotive engines and a half a dozen train cars carrying lumber and electrical wiring fell off the tracks.

The three workers hurt were treated and released after the crash, but environmental recovery efforts wrapped up in late 2024.

How did the dam cause the derailment?

State officials revealed on Wednesday, Feb. 12, a massive flow of water created by a beaver dam washed out the rail tracks which caused the train to derail.

What did the cleanup and repair efforts entail?

Some 500 gallons of diesel saturated the soil and also flowed into nearby bodies of water.

Officials said they have since installed new culverts under the tracks and the stream bed was restored.

As of November 2024, state officials said all water crossings and effected infrastructure were back up to standards. The complete restoration of the area wrapped up on Dec. 23, 2024.

Railway owner Canadian Pacific Kansas City led the cleanup and repair efforts.

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[JACK AYLMER]

WE RECENTLY TOLD YOU HOW BEAVERS HELPED SAVE CZECH TAXPAYERS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS BY DOING WHAT THEY DO BEST – BUILDING DAMS.

BUT IT TURNS OUT NOT ALL DAMS BUILT BY BEAVERS RESULT IN GOOD FORTUNE. 

AN INVESTIGATION INTO A TRAIN DERAILMENT IN MAINE, WHICH INJURED THREE WORKERS AND CAUSED HUNDREDS OF GALLONS FUEL TO SPILL, IS BEING BLAMED ON A BEAVER DAM.

THE 2023 CRASH OCCURRED IN THE DENSE FOREST OF SOUTHWEST MAINE WHEN THREE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND A HALF A DOZEN TRAIN CARS CARRYING LUMBER AND ELECTRICAL WIRING FELL OFF THE TRACKS.

STATE OFFICIALS REVEALED THIS WEEK; A MASSIVE FLOW OF WATER CREATED BY A BEAVER DAM WASHED OUT THE RAIL TRACKS WHICH CAUSED THE TRAIN TO DERAIL.

THE THREE WORKERS HURT WERE TREATED AND RELEASED AFTER THE CRASH BUT ENVIRONMENTAL RECOVERY EFFORTS JUST WRAPPED UP LATE LAST YEAR.

SOME 500 GALLONS OF DIESEL SATURATED THE SOIL AND ALSO FLOWED INTO NEARBY BODIES OF WATER.

HYDRAULIC AND ENGINE FLUID ALSO SPILLED DURING THE CRASH.

OFFICIALS HAVE SINCE INSTALLED NEW CULVERTS UNDER THE TRACKS AND THE STREAM BED WAS RESTORED.

AS OF NOVEMBER, STATE OFFICIALS SAID ALL WATER CROSSINGS AND EFFECTED INFRASTRUCTURE WERE BACK UP TO STANDARDS.

THE COMPLETE RESTORATION OF THE AREA WAS COMPLETED ON DECEMBER 23RD.

RAILWAY OWNER, CANADIAN PACIFIC KANSAS CITY, LED THE CLEANUP AND REPAIR EFFORTS.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.

U.S.

Hochul rejects Louisiana extradition request for doctor in abortion pill case

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  • New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has rejected Louisiana’s request to extradite a doctor from her state accused of prescribing and mailing abortion drugs to a woman. A Louisiana grand jury indicted Dr. Margaret Carpenter last month.
  • Louisiana prosecutors said a teen’s mother got the medication from Dr. Carpenter and the mom forced her to take the pill.
  • A judge in Texas Thursday fined the same doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas.

Full Story

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul rejected a request Thursday, Feb. 13 to extradite a doctor who was charged with illegally giving abortion pills to a patient in Louisiana. It’s a crime in the Bayou State to knowingly cause an abortion through medication. 

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