Meta is testing 'Threads Friends' for sharing posts with smaller groups



AI models need huge amounts of data to train on, and researchers are warning that AI companies could run out of high-quality public data to use. Your own data isn't safe; even if you're unaware of it, AI companies may be training their models on your social media posts and more.

Metaβs Waddle World AI pet app brings journaling to the Philippines. Learn how it works, who can use it, and what its privacy disclosures reveal.
The post Meta Launches Waddle World: An AI Pet That Journals About Your Day appeared first on TechRepublic.


Subsea cable projects owned by US companies such as Google and Meta face some of the greatest risks from the threat of deep-sea sabotage in the Pacific Ocean, according to a new report. That coincides with Chinese research ships spending an extraordinary amount of time apparently surveying undersea cablesβnot to mention Chinese commercial ships being investigated for cutting cables in both European and Asian waters.
Most damage to the undersea cables that form the Internetβs backbone is the result of accidents involving bottom-trawling fishing nets and ship anchors dragging on the seabed, with storms and undersea landslides also factoring in. But the recent rise in international tensions and open conflicts have placed new scrutiny on more suspicious instances of cable-cutting damage, with analysts warning about Russia and China in particular engaging in cable sabotage or tampering as βgray zoneβ tactics that fall short of direct military confrontation.
One of the newest risk assessments of Chinaβs gray zone tactics targeting the Internetβs undersea infrastructure comes from a research report published by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, an independent government commission that advises Congress. The report was contracted to the London-based think tank China Strategic Risks Institute and published in September 2026.


Β© China Strategic Risks Institute
Instagram is testing 90-minute horizontal videos called Features. Explore how the format works, who can use it, and what it could mean for creators.
The post Instagram Tests 90-Minute Horizontal Videos Called Features appeared first on TechRepublic.


Nearly 200,000 workers have been affected by tech layoffs in 2026. See which companies are cutting jobs and what it means for tech workers.
The post Tech Layoffs 2026: 196,000 Workers Affected as Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft Cut Jobs appeared first on TechRepublic.
See what you missed in Daily Tech Insider from Oct. 19β23.
The post This Week in Tech: AI Agents Clock In as Apple Buyers Wait and IT Scrambles appeared first on TechRepublic.

Meta's Ray-Ban and Oakley AI glasses are now available in Malaysia. Compare four models, their prices, features, and prescription compatibility.
The post Meta AI Glasses Now on Sale in Malaysia: Which Ray-Ban or Oakley Model Should You Buy? appeared first on TechRepublic.
