Attorneys general from 14 states and Washington, D.C., filed lawsuits Tuesday, Oct. 8, against TikTok, accusing the social media platform of harming young users’ mental health and violating consumer protection laws. The lawsuits allege that TikTok’s design encourages compulsive use through addictive features, such as autoplay and push notifications, which authorities argue have negatively impacted…

Update:According to an assessment by Sibleco, key sites for quartz “only sustained minor damage.” The Quartz Corp also remarks they will be able to “avoid” any supply disruptions. Hurricane Helene has severely disrupted quartz mining operations in North Carolina, raising concerns about a potential ripple effect across the global tech industry. Meanwhile, misinformation is spreading…

After years of drama and a whole lot of backstage bickering, British rock band Pink Floyd is cashing in on their unique sound and likeness. The band has officially struck a deal to sell their recorded music, name and license rights to Sony in a deal reportedly worth $400 million. Sony now controls the band’s…

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI’s valuation soared to $157 billion on Wednesday, Oct. 2, after a fresh round of funding. This makes it the second most valuable private company in the world behind TikTok-parent company Bytedance and just ahead of SpaceX.  OpenAI just secured $6.6 billion in funding from investors. Some of the names involved include venture capital…

Taylor Lorenz, a tech columnist for The Washington Post, announced her resignation Tuesday, Oct. 1, to launch her own newsletter on Substack. Her departure follows an internal review related to a controversial social media post in which she labeled President Joe Biden a “war criminal.” After a New York Post reporter first highlighted her photo,…

With October here, the spooky season is right around the corner. A new list has recently been released detailing and ranking some of the world’s most haunted roads. A spot in New Jersey is near the top of that list. Clinton Road in West Milford ranks as the most haunted road in the U.S. and…

A study published on Tuesday, Oct. 1, found that black-colored plastics may contain concerning levels of a toxic flame retardant that could be leaching in through the recycling process. The study, done by environmental advocacy group Toxic-Free Future, found the highest levels of the toxic chemical in costume jewelry kids often wear when dressing up…

President Biden has authorized an unprecedented $567 million defense aid package for Taiwan, marking a significant escalation in U.S. support for the self-ruled island. China has intensified its military activities around Taiwan, featuring long-range missile tests, frequent incursions into Taiwan’s air defense zone, and a recent provocative intercontinental ballistic missile launch. These actions have prompted…

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, just signed two bills into law meant to protect the earnings of children and teenagers involved in creating online content. The New York Times reported that some young influencers can make between $10,000 and $20,000 per post. One of the legislation’s biggest supporters is singer Demi Lovato. She recently went…

A lot is going on behind closed doors at OpenAI. Longtime Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati announced she is leaving the company, with two other veteran executives following her out the door. Within hours, it came out that CEO Sam Altman is working to restructure the company into a for-profit endeavor, eliminating the nonprofit arm’s…