safety Archives

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

Google Play Rolls Out Age Signals Worldwide: Get Tailored Per-App Safety Shields

Google has announced the global rollout of its Age Signals API for the Google Play platform, aimed at helping parents manage age-appropriate content for their children across Android applications from a single interface. Initially launched in Brazil, the tool will be extended to users in Australia and Canada by mid-August, with a full worldwide release expected later this year. The Age Signals API allows developers to customize in-app experiences based on the user's actual age, moving away from generic safety measures. Developers receive age range signals to adjust content and features accordingly, while adult users can voluntarily share their age range. Parents can centralize control through the Google Family Link app, sharing their child's age range once for automatic communication to participating apps. Age data is not shared by default, and parents can modify permissions at any time. The API enhances existing safety tools on Google Play, including mandatory standards for family-friendly apps and features in Google Family Link.

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

Australia’s online watchdog is taking messaging app Telegram to court over ‘pro-terrorist’ posts

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has filed a lawsuit against the encrypted messaging app Telegram for allegedly failing to detect and remove pro-terrorist and extremist content. This legal action follows a year-long investigation and is the first enforcement of online codes regarding unlawful material established a year ago. The lawsuit details multiple violations of the Online Safety Act 2021, including the failure to remove posts related to the Christchurch mosque attack and the Buffalo mass shooting, despite user reports. Telegram has claimed to have blocked over 150,000 terrorist-related communities and removed over 200 million pieces of terrorist content. If the lawsuit is successful, it could lead to penalties up to A.6 million and potentially a ban on the app in Australia.

AppWizard

July 30, 2026

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

Australia's eSafety watchdog has initiated legal proceedings against the messaging platform Telegram for allegedly failing to adequately remove extremist content, including footage related to mass shootings in Buffalo and Christchurch, as well as material linked to the Islamic State. The platform, with a user base of approximately 1 billion, could face fines of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars (around 38 million USD) if found guilty. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant emphasized that the content in question is tied to severe acts of extremist violence and remained accessible despite Telegram being notified of its existence. Following recent tragedies, Telegram channels have surfaced that celebrate attackers and circulate videos of their acts. Telegram has denied the allegations, claiming to block terrorist-related content and reporting the removal of over 150,000 terrorist-related communities this year. However, Inman Grant raised concerns about the platform's compliance and responsiveness to regulatory actions.

Tech Optimizer

July 29, 2026

They might have grown up online — but Gen Z are apparently far less likely to use antivirus, study finds

A recent survey by Kaspersky involving 7,200 respondents from 18 countries found that only 27% of Generation Z use antivirus software on their mobile devices. Additionally, 57% of Gen Z spend more time online than offline, yet many lack awareness of online safety principles. Alarmingly, 52% reported experiencing attacks on their devices or accounts, but few take necessary precautions. Only 28% regularly back up important personal data on their phones, and many neglect changing passwords. To address these issues, Kaspersky launched "Case 404," a cyber-detective adventure game aimed at improving cybersecurity awareness among Gen Z.

AppWizard

July 29, 2026

Google brings its age-assurance technology to Android developers worldwide

Google will globally roll out its Play Signal API by the end of 2026 to enhance age assurance for younger users. The API will first be introduced in Australia and Canada by mid-August, followed by a rollout to all markets by the end of the year. This technology allows Android developers to identify younger users without accessing sensitive personal information, enabling parents to share their child's age range directly with apps. Age details will be managed through Google's Family Link parental controls dashboard, and parents must opt in to share this information. The feature is part of broader safety tools on Google Play, which include options for developers to limit children's app discovery and parental controls for managing screen time and content filters.

Tech Optimizer

July 29, 2026

After rewriting SQLite in Rust, Turso turns its sights on Postgres

Cloud database provider Turso is developing a Postgres-compatible implementation based on its SQLite-compatible database, which was created from scratch in Rust. CEO Glauber Costa believes Postgres can benefit from modernization for cloud-native applications. Turso's SQLite reimplementation, now called Turso, uses a virtual machine architecture that may eventually support other database frontends, including MySQL and Redis. The company initially forked SQLite into libSQL but later pivoted to a cloud service named Turso. They focused on a virtual machine architecture for their rewrite, which translates SQL queries into a custom bytecode language. Turso has developed a Postgres-compatible prototype named pgmicro, which aims to run existing applications with minimal modifications. The company is also working on a database-as-a-cloud service that will allow customers to use various database types on the Turso platform.

Tech Optimizer

July 29, 2026

Gen Z shows low cybersecurity awareness, Kaspersky study finds

A study by Kaspersky surveyed 7,200 Gen Z individuals across 18 countries and found that only 27% use mobile antivirus software, while 28% regularly back up their phone data. Many have experienced cyberattacks, with 17% reporting hacked social media accounts and 12% losing access to gaming accounts. The study highlights that compromised smartphones can expose sensitive personal information, increasing the risk of identity theft and financial fraud. Kaspersky has introduced an interactive online game, Case 404, to educate Gen Z on recognizing scams and phishing attempts.

Tech Optimizer

July 29, 2026

They might have grown up online — but Gen Z are apparently far less likely to use antivirus, study finds

A recent Kaspersky survey found that only 27% of Generation Z respondents use antivirus software on their mobile devices, despite 57% spending more time online than offline. The survey, which included 7,200 individuals from 18 countries, revealed that 52% have experienced attacks on their devices or accounts, and only 28% regularly back up important personal data. In response, Kaspersky launched "Case 404," a cyber-detective adventure game aimed at educating players about online security and helping them recognize scams and phishing attempts.

Winsage

July 28, 2026

Your Windows Recycle Bin is a privacy risk—here’s how to actually delete your files

The Recycle Bin in Windows, introduced in 1995, serves as a temporary storage for deleted files rather than permanently removing them. When a file is deleted, it is moved to the Recycle Bin, which requires manual emptying or activation of a Storage Sense policy to clear its contents. This can lead to reduced hard drive space for users unaware of its behavior. The Recycle Bin can contain sensitive information, and if someone gains access to a Microsoft account, they can view its contents. Even after emptying the Recycle Bin, data can be recovered unless overwritten, with different recovery processes for solid-state drives (SSDs) due to maintenance routines like the TRIM command. Risks extend beyond physical access, as compromised accounts or malware can access deleted files. To securely delete sensitive files, users can use the Shift + Del shortcut, file shredding applications, and consider encrypting their drives with BitLocker. Specialized shredders for SSDs exist, and users can optimize drives through Windows settings to manage data recovery risks.

AppWizard

July 27, 2026

My parents’ Android phones were ruined by invasive ads. Here’s how I fixed them for good

Mobile advertising on Android devices has seen a rise in deceptive pop-ups that mimic legitimate notifications or system updates, leaving many users, particularly less tech-savvy individuals, vulnerable. A personal experience highlighted this issue when a family member fell for a misleading PDF ad, leading to the installation of multiple fraudulent applications. Recently, similar deceptive ads were encountered on YouTube, raising concerns about the safety of family members who rely on their devices for important tasks. Discussions on platforms like Reddit have pointed out the prevalence of misleading ads on family-friendly platforms. The author expressed a desire to block all ads if companies cannot ensure their safety. To address the issue, the author sought an ad-blocking solution that allows for remote management and network-wide filtering, ultimately choosing NextDNS. This content filtering solution offers a free account with sufficient monthly DNS queries and supports individual profiles for tailored settings. The setup process for NextDNS involves creating profiles for each family member, allowing for distinct settings and blocklists, and configuring devices with the provided DNS-over-TLS endpoint details. While NextDNS is effective, it does not eliminate all ads, particularly those from platforms like YouTube, indicating that additional measures may be necessary for comprehensive security. Regularly reviewing app permissions and uninstalling unnecessary applications are also recommended for enhancing security.