Digital harms have become the defining fear of American parents, leading many to turn to content-monitoring apps that scan children's texts, photos, emails, and chats for potential dangers. While these tools have successfully prevented suicide attempts, intercepted predators, and averted school shootings, researchers say they can also cause harm through false alarms, unnecessary interventions, and damaged trust.
Agriculture's reliance on fossil fuels is also driving up costs, particularly fertilizer prices. Natural gas serves as both an energy source and a chemical input in ammonia production, a key fertilizer ingredient. The war in Iran has pushed natural-gas prices higher and disrupted fertilizer trade through the Strait of Hormuz, with potential closure posing additional risks for food-insecure nations.
In related tech news: New York City has banned AI in elementary and middle schools for one year, affecting 600,000 students; Taiwan uncovered a hidden Chinese network targeting its chip sector with 166 linked cases; Uber launched the UK's first commercial robotaxi service; and a US judge rejected the government's demand to break up Google's ad tech business.