Stanford University study finds AI-based therapy has ‘significant risks’
Access to psychotherapy remains something that many people cannot afford, so it is hardly surprising that increasing numbers of people are turning to AI therapists for help.
It is not just cost that attracts people to seek therapy from artificial intelligence. Demand for therapy is high and waiting lists can be long. There are also considerations such as the difficulties some clients face accessing the help they seek because of living in a remote location, or having an unreliable internet connection. The persistent stigma associated with seeking therapy can also serve as an obstacle that stands in the way of people reaching out to a qualified, human therapist.
Instagram opens up Trial Reels feature to more creators
We first heard about Trial Reels last year, and Instagram launched the feature to a limited number of creators back in December. Now the social media giant is giving more people access to the feature which is designed to help grow a following.
There is not yet free access to Trial Reels for everyone and anyone; there are entry requirements. The promotion tool is aimed at creators, and a following of at least 1,000 is needed to get started. You will also need to have an account that is set to public. So, if you meet these criteria, what does Trial Reels mean for you?
In five seconds, this SSD will self-destruct: 5… 4… 3… 2…
When we think about storage, the primary concern is usually reliability – you need to know that the data you save remain safe and accessible. But there are plenty of other things to consider, and new offerings from TEAMGROUP takes a unique approach to security.
With the internal P250Q‑M80 NVMe SSD and the portable T‑Create Expert P35S external, there is not only military-grade AES-256 encryption to ensure data is not going to fall into the wrong hands, but also an uninterruptible self-destruct option. Push a red button on either of the devices and they can be wiped, or completely nuked – and nothing can stop the process.
Belkin is ending cloud support for many Wemo smart devices
Belkin has announced that it is ending support for a large number of its Wemo products. The company has given users just six month’s notices that their smart devices will not only no longer be supported, but that key features such as remote control and integration with voice assistants will also cease.
The announcement means that more than 20 Belkin products will be rendered near-useless when the cut-off date of January 31, 2026 rolls around. The list of devices that will reach end of support includes smart plugs, smart lighting systems and may more. While some of the affected products are a decade old, others are less than two years old.
YouTube is dropping the Trending page as it shakes up content discovery
Google has announced an upcoming change to YouTube that will see it dropping the Trending page that was introduced 10 years ago. The company says that it is shifting to charts for different video genres in response to changes in the way users discover and consume content.
A decade after it first appeared, the Trending page is now far less popular than it used to be. This is partly because of fragmentation, but also because of the sheer volume of content that is uploaded every day.
Google launches Android Canary channel for beta testing early builds
Just as it did some years ago for its Chrome browser, Google has announced a new Canary channel for Android. Aimed at developers, the idea behind Android Canary is to provide early access to not only new features but also APIs.
Beta testing software is an exciting way to get to try out the latest features of a products faster, and it gives companies a way to try out new ideas and get feedback. While the availability of a new testing channel for Android is good news for many, there is something of a caveat.
Microsoft enables JScript9Legacy scripting engine to improve Windows 11 security
Microsoft has announced that it is moving away from Jscript in Windows 11 24H2 to make scripting more secure, and boost Windows 11 security overall.
The change sees the company enabling JScript9Legacy by default in the latest version of Windows 11. Despite stressing the important security implications of the change, Microsoft is not changing from Jscript to JScript9Legacy in operating system edition prior to Windows 11 24H2.
Apple may use iPhone Presto method to wirelessly update Macs before sale
It is a frustrating position to find yourself in – bringing home or taking delivery of a newly purchased computer only to find that you can’t use it before installing a massive update. This is something Apple is looking to alleviate with macOS Tahoe.
For a little while, Apple has used a wireless system called Presto which allows the company to update iPhones to the very latest version of iOS without the need to open the box. Now it seems that the same system could be used to ensure that newly purchased Macs have all of the latest updates installed from day one.
New Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Business Developers is available for free
Linux stalwart Red Hat has announced the general availability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Business Developers. Designed for enterprise development use, the new platform is free of charge as Red Hat seeks to make things easier and more accessible for business development teams.
The new self-service offering is made available through the Red Hat Developer Program with the aim of simplifying an increasingly complex IT landscape. Red Hat is looking to assist development teams in building, testing and iterating on applications more quickly and on the same platform that underpins production systems across the hybrid cloud at no cost.
Elon Musk shunned by Linda Yaccarin as she steps down as CEO of X
Linda Yaccarin has made the surprise announcement that she is stepping down from her position as CEO of X.
Having been the head of Elon Musk’s social media platform for two years, Yaccarin has not given any reason for her decision to leave. However, her announcement comes after xAI’s Grok chatbot spewed out a series of antisemitic content.
YouTube is fighting AI slop with new monetization guidelines
YouTube has become overrun with mass-produced content generated by artificial intelligence. Known as AI slop, such content has spread cancerously across the video platform as pseudo creators seek to make a quick buck.
Now Google has had enough. Seeking to de-incentivize the creation of such content, it is updating YouTube policies so that it will be much more difficult to make money from AI slop.
Microsoft admits Windows Server Update Services sync is failing
Following complaints from users about problems with Windows Server Update Services, Microsoft has spoken out. The company has confirmed that WSUS has suffered issues preventing synchronization and deployment of updates.
This is a serious headache for businesses and organizations that rely on WSUS to manage Windows updates across networks. Reports of errors have been popping up for a couple of days, with scheduled synchronization actions showing to have failed in event logs.
Microsoft adds features and boosts Windows 11 security with KB5062553
Microsoft has released the KB5062553 update for Windows 11 24H2. Billed primarily as a security update for the operating system, it is actually more than that – much more.
As is the case with Microsoft’s monthly security updates, it also includes the non-security improvements, fixes and additions that were previewed last month. One of the key new arrivals here is the new PC-to-PC migration experience which uses the Windows Backup app to ease the process of moving to a new computer.
Google launches Manage Subscriptions for Gmail to kill unwanted email
Keeping on top of emails can feel like a full-time job, but Google is making things easier for Gmail users. We learned about the Manage Subscriptions feature earlier in the year, but it is now starting to hit inboxes.
Everyone receives huge volumes of emails these days, and a lot of time can be spent sorting the wheat from the chaff, determining which email need attention and which are junk to be deleted. Google’s new Manage Subscription option provides a way to quicky see a list of the mailing lists you have subscribed to.
Google Maps finally lands on Garmin devices for on-wrist navigation
Google Maps is so ubiquitous that it is hard to imagine that there are any unsupported platforms remaining, but there are still a few. This is highlighted by arrival of Google Maps for Garmin smartwatches via the Connect IQ Store.
This free app means that owners of key Garmin devices can now benefit from turn-by-turn navigation on their wrist. The newly released app is targeted primarily at walkers, cyclists and runners, but it can also be used when driving or performing other activities if this feels helpful to users.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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