AP-AM Prep-Cyber Corner

Facebook owner Meta bans Russia state media outlets over ‘foreign interference’

LONDON (AP) — Meta is banning Russia state media organizations from its social media company platforms, alleging that the outlets used deceptive tactics to amplify Moscow’s propaganda. Meta owns Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram. It said in a statement late Monday that it will roll out the ban over the next few days, in a fresh escalation of its efforts to counter Russia’s covert influence operations. Meta said it’s expanding its “ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets: Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities, which are now banned from its apps globally for foreign interference activity.” The announcement drew a rebuke from the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts on the app to protect children

Instagram is introducing separate teen accounts for those under 18 as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid growing backlash against how social media affects young people’s lives. The teen accounts will be private by default. Messages are restricted so teens can only get them from people they follow or are already connected to. Meta says “sensitive content,” such as videos of people fighting or those promoting cosmetic procedures, will be limited. They will get notifications if they are on Instagram for more than 60 minutes and a “sleep mode” will be enabled that turns off notifications and send auto-replies to direct messages from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m.

Google says it will rethink its plans for a big data center in Chile over water worries

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – Google says it will halt plans to develop a major $200 million data center in Chile to address environmental concerns. The decision announced on Tuesday reflects growing worries about the impact of power-thirsty projects around the world. The U.S. technology company first obtained permits in 2020 to construct the vast project in Chilean capital Santiago. Demand for the server farms skyrocketed across the globe. It was fueled by a surge in cloud-based technologies and a craze for generative artificial intelligence. Google said it would make changes to the project to comply with more stringent environmental requirements. The company said it would find ways to change the data center’s water-intensive cooling system.

FAA wants to fine SpaceX $633,000 for alleged safety violations during 2 Florida launches

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX faces $633,000 in fines for alleged safety violations during two Florida launches last year. The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it’s proposing civil penalties because of the company’s alleged failure to follow licensing requirements. During a communication satellite launch in June 2023, the FAA said SpaceX used a new launch control room without prior approval and also did not conduct the required readiness poll in advance. The federal regulator also said SpaceX used a new rocket fuel facility to launch another communication satellite a month later. SpaceX has 30 days to respond to the FAA.