Facebook removes page accused of harassing ICE agents after DOJ request

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Meta Platforms has taken down a Facebook page that the U.S. Department of Justice said was being used to harass Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operating in Chicago, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Attorney General Pam Bondi said the page was part of an effort to “dox and target” roughly 200 ICE officers deployed as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement campaign. Doxxing refers to the practice of publishing private information about individuals online, often to encourage harassment.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the page’s removal, saying it violated Facebook’s policies against coordinated harm. The Justice Department did not provide further details, and Reuters was unable to access or review the page before it was taken down.

The takedown follows broader efforts by the Trump administration to clamp down on digital tools tracking ICE operations. Earlier this month, Apple and Google removed apps that allowed users to monitor ICE agent movements, following government pressure and threats of legal action against developers.

ICE has played a central role in Trump’s hardline immigration policy, carrying out frequent raids and arrests that have drawn criticism from human rights advocates. The administration, however, has accused left-wing activists of harassing and obstructing federal officers.

The decision also comes amid Meta’s attempts to repair its relationship with the Trump administration, following past clashes over content moderation and account suspensions. The company recently contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund and settled a lawsuit over his banned accounts for $25 million.

OpenAI to permit mature content on ChatGPT for verified adults from December

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OpenAI will begin allowing mature content on ChatGPT starting in December for users who verify their age, CEO Sam Altman announced on Tuesday. The decision marks a major policy shift under OpenAI’s new “treat adult users like adults” principle, following earlier restrictions that limited the chatbot’s ability to handle sensitive topics.

Altman said on X (formerly Twitter) that the company made ChatGPT “pretty restrictive” to avoid harm to users experiencing mental distress, which he acknowledged had made the chatbot “less useful or enjoyable” for others. “As we roll out age-gating more fully … we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults,” he said.

The move comes as OpenAI develops new safety tools and moderation systems aimed at identifying mental health risks and ensuring appropriate usage. Altman added that the company now feels confident it can safely relax restrictions for most adult users while maintaining strong protections for minors.

In parallel, OpenAI plans to roll out a customization feature that lets users adjust ChatGPT’s tone and personality, including more expressive or conversational styles. “If you want ChatGPT to act more human-like or friendly, it should — but only if you want it,” Altman said.

The announcement came the same day Meta introduced new PG-13-style content filters on Instagram, underscoring the growing trend among tech firms to tailor content standards by user age and consent verification.

Google offers new search result changes to avoid looming EU antitrust fine

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Google has submitted a fresh set of proposals to the European Commission in an effort to avoid a major antitrust fine, pledging to further modify how its search results display competing services such as Google Shopping, Hotels, and Flights.

According to a document seen by Reuters, Google’s latest offer builds on a July proposal that faced pushback from vertical search services (VSS) — specialized search engines focused on areas like travel, hotels, and restaurants — as well as price comparison sites. These rivals argued Google’s previous plans still favoured its own services.

The new proposal is part of an investigation under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a sweeping EU law aimed at curbing Big Tech dominance, promoting competition, and offering users more choice.

In the updated framework, Google said it will allow third-party search services to display their own dedicated boxes on search results pages, similar in format to those used for Google’s own services. Each “VSS box” will contain inventory and results directly from the third-party platform, selected through objective, non-discriminatory criteria.

Suppliers — such as hotels, airlines, or restaurants — would appear in boxes placed either above or below depending on query relevance, the company explained. Google also said it would not share competitors’ data with other parties, a key concern among rivals.

While expressing a desire to resolve the EU probe, Google warned that excessive changes could benefit intermediaries at the expense of European businesses selling directly to consumers. “We remain concerned that further changes could prioritise the commercial interests of a small set of intermediaries,” a company spokesperson said.