The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
摘要: The Download
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
Plus: Insurance is the next big obstacle for AI .
Charlotte Jee
正文
The Download
The Download: failed social media bans, and extending pets’ lives
Plus: Insurance is the next big obstacle for AI .
Charlotte Jee
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October 16, 2026
This is today's edition of
The Download
our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
Kids are outsmarting social media bans. That’s not a problem we need to solve.
—Michal Luria, Aliya Bhatia, and Danah Boyd
Social media bans are stacking up. In July, France joined Australia in restricting minors from accessing social media—barring children under 15 from major platforms, before the ban was blocked by the country’s top court on human rights grounds.
The UK aims to forbid kids under 16 from accessing Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms in early 2027, and the EU has announced its own plan to prohibit social media for kids under 15.
But early lessons from Australia, which enacted a ban in 2024, show that these sorts of age restrictions are easily circumvented.
Here’s what we ought to do instead to keep kids safe
.
Can’t bear to say goodbye to your pet? Biotech’s got you covered.
—Jessica Hamzelou
I don’t remember much about Peppy, my first and only pet cat. What I do vividly remember, though, is the day she went missing. I was 10 years old, and I searched everywhere for her, scouting nearby fields and woods until sunset. I made posters. We never found her. I was devastated.
Almost 30 years later, pet owners have an expanding set of options to potentially prolong their years with their furry companions. The possibilities include drugs, cloning, and even cryonics. But is that a good thing?
Read the full story on the promises and pitfalls of pet life extension
.
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10 Climate Tech Companies to Watch: Form Energy and its iron batteries
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