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Twitter owner Elon Musk has reportedly emailed an NPR reporter to ask if the organization is returning to the website and to suggest that the company could reassign its account if it doesn't. According to NPR, Musk sent one of its reporters an unprompted email that reads: "So is NPR going to start posting on Twitter again, or should we reassign @NPR to another company?" If you'll recall, the organization quit Twitter in April after being labeled as a "state-affiliated media," along with state-run outlets, such as China's Xinhua News Agency and Russia's RT.

Before NPR decided to ditch Twitter altogether, the social network changed the label to "government-funded media" after being called out. However, NPR said the updated label is still "inaccurate and misleading," as it's "a private, nonprofit company with editorial independence." The label also prompted PBS to leave the website. Twitter ultimately decided to remove the "government-funded media" label entirely, even from state-run outlets, but neither NPR nor PBS has returned to the website.

Musk's surprise email turned into an exchange with the executive, wherein he reportedly wrote in one of his responses: "NPR isn't tagged as government-funded anymore, so what's the beef?" And when asked who would be taking over the NPR account on Twitter, he replied: "National Pumpkin Radio," along with a couple of emoji. We reached out Twitter for a statement, but the company doesn't have a communications team anymore. 

Under Twitter's policy, the company said that users can simply log in once every 30 days to keep their account active. Further, it said that accounts may be permanently removed due to inactivity, but it "cannot release inactive usernames at this time." It encourages people to find a variation if the username they want is "used by an account that seems inactive." However, NPR said that in their email exchange, Musk told the organization that Twitter's "policy is to recycle handles that are definitively dormant." He apparently added: "Same policy applies to all accounts. No special treatment for NPR." It's unclear if Twitter intends to update its official policy page for inactive accounts with that information, and if it will implement safeguards to protect former users from impersonation. 

US Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced a bill today that would put the onus on social media companies to add online safeguards for children. The Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) was first introduced last February (sponsored by the same pair) but never made it to the Senate floor after backlash from advocacy groups. The revamped legislation “provides specific tools to stop Big Tech companies from driving toxic content at kids and to hold them accountable for putting profits over safety,” said Blumenthal. It follows a separate bill introduced last month with a similar aim.

Like the original KOSA, the updated bill would require annual independent audits by “experts and academic researchers” to force regulation-averse social media companies to address the online dangers posed to children. However, the updated legislation attempts to address the concerns that led to its previous iteration’s downfall, namely that its overly broad nature could do more harm than good by requiring surveillance and censorship of young users. The EFF described the February 2022 bill as “a heavy-handed plan to force platforms to spy on young people” that “fails to properly distinguish between harmful and non-harmful content, leaving politically motivated state attorneys general with the power to define what harms children. One of the primary fears is that states could use the flimsy definitions to ban content for political gain.”

The rewritten bill adds new protections for services like the National Suicide Hotline, LGBTQ+ youth centers and substance-abuse organizations to avoid being unnecessarily harmed. In addition, it would make social platforms give minors options to safeguard their information, turn off addictive features and opt out of algorithmic recommendations. (Social platforms would have to enable the strongest settings by default.) It would also give parents “new controls to help support their children and identify harmful behaviors” while offering children “a dedicated channel to report harms” on the platform. Additionally, it would specifically ban the promotion of suicide, eating disorders, substance abuse, sexual exploitation and the use of “unlawful products for minors” like gambling, drugs and alcohol. Finally, it would require social companies to provide “academic and public interest organizations” with data to help them research social media’s effects on the safety and well-being of minors.

The American Psychological Association, Common Sense Media and other advocacy groups support the updated bill. It has 26 cosponsors from both parties, including lawmakers ranging from Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) to Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Blackburn told CNBC today that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is “a hundred percent behind this bill and efforts to protect kids online.”

Despite the Senators’ renewed optimism about passing the bill, some organizations believe it’s still too broad to avoid a negative net impact. “The changes made to the bill do not at all address our concerns,” Evan Greer, director of digital rights advocacy group Fight For the Future, said in an emailed statement to Engadget. “If Senator Blumenthal’s office had been willing to meet with us, we could have explained why. I can see where changes were made that attempt to address the concerns, but they fail to do so. Even with the new changes, this bill will allow extreme right-wing attorneys general to dictate what content platforms can recommend to younger users.”

The ACLU also opposes the resurrected bill. “KOSA’s core approach still threatens the privacy, security and free expression of both minors and adults by deputizing platforms of all stripes to police their users and censor their content under the guise of a ‘duty of care,’” ACLU Senior Policy Counsel Cody Venzke toldCNBC. “To accomplish this, the bill would legitimize platforms’ already pervasive data collection to identify which users are minors when it should be seeking to curb those data abuses. Moreover, parental guidance in minors’ online lives is critical, but KOSA would mandate surveillance tools without regard to minors’ home situations or safety. KOSA would be a step backward in making the internet a safer place for children and minors.”

Blumenthal argues that the bill was “very purposely narrowed” to prevent harm. “I think we’ve met that kind of suggestion very directly and effectively,” he said at a press conference. “Obviously, our door remains open. We’re willing to hear and talk to other kinds of suggestions that are made. And we have talked to many of the groups that had great criticism and a number have actually dropped their opposition, as I think you’ll hear in response to today’s session. So I think our bill is clarified and improved in a way that meets some of the criticism. We’re not going to solve all of the problems of the world with a single bill. But we are making a measurable, very significant start.”

Twitter's decision to shut off its free API caused more than a few problems for public institutions that depend on the functionality, and the company is clearly ready to backtrack. The social network has restored free access to the app programming framework for verified government and publicly-owned services that use the tool for "critical purposes" such as emergency notifications, transportation updates and weather alerts.

The social media giant outlined a three-tier pricing strategy for its API in March. Normally, free access is limited to bots and testers that only need to write posts. It allows just 1,500 tweets per month and one app ID, which can be limiting for creators that need frequent updates. Basic access costs $100 per month with fixed caps on tweets, while businesses have to use multiple enterprise-level tiers to meet their needs. These can cost tens of thousands of dollars per month.

The shutoff broke numerous apps and services that relied on the free API for sharing and content streams, such as Flipboard's reader. It also created issues for developers willing to pay for access, including Echobox. While Twitter had warned that a cutoff was coming at some point, it didn't notify customers of the exact timing and did little to explain the impact.

Government services faced extra pain. New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it would stop posting service alerts on Twitter after it faced a $50,000 per month fee for access. Microsoft also pulled Twitter from its social media tool for advertisers, and disabled Twitter screenshot sharing for Windows and Xbox gamers.

Twitter under Elon Musk's leadership has clamped down on previously free functionality in a bid to both control more of the experience and shift more of its revenue to subscriptions. It banned third-party clients, for example, and required a Blue membership for some verified checkmarks. This latest move is an acknowledgment that the strategy creates problems, particularly for governments eager to provide vital information through as many channels as possible.

Amazon's Matter support is reaching some of its older speakers. A new Alexa update turns the second-generation Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Plus into Matter controllers — you don't have to replace the old speaker in the basement just to use newer smart home devices. The fourth-generation Echo, meanwhile, can serve as a Thread border router to help you add Matter-capable Thread devices. You won't have to use Android to set up Matter gear, either, as iOS is now an option.

There's also good news if you've been curious about Eve Systems' devices but didn't want to invest in Apple products to enable HomeKit support. The Matter over Thread update brings Alexa control to a range of Eve hardware. Later in May, you'll also get simplified Alexa setup for Eve Door & Window, Eve Energy and Eve Motion.

Amazon originally said 17 Echo products would support Matter over WiFi by the end of 2022. It promised compatibility with a total of 30 Echo and Eero models by early this year.

The Matter standard arrived last October and theoretically created a common connectivity format for smart home equipment. You no longer need to be as picky about the products you use. However, the real-world rollout has been slow — only some smart speakers, apps and household devices work with Matter as of this writing. Amazon's latest move closes some gaps, but it may take some time before you can simply assume that everything you own will interoperate.

Ever since taking the pandemic-soaked world by storm in 2020, the unique battle royale platformer Fall Guyshas added new gameplay elements and released on new platforms. Now, the developers are throwing a full-blown level editor into the mix.

Fall Guys Creativelaunches on May 10th and is part of Season 4 of the viral multiplayer title. The level editor lets you create legitimate multiplayer courses (called Rounds) using a wide variety of iconic items, enemies and obstacles. Developer Mediatonic encourages players to use the tools to “finally design the Round of your dreams”.

Once you make a level and test it out, you can share it with friends via a private lobby or share it on a larger scale with the entire community. The developer says they will also curate lists of its favorite player-designed levels to boost their popularity, housing them in a Playlists tab within the Show Selector.

To show off what’s possible with these creation tools, Mediatonic is dropping over 50 new Rounds designed by professional creators but using the toolkit available to regular players. This seems similar to how Super Mario Maker 2 handled things with all of its many tutorial levels. You’ll get 20 levels on May 10th, with the remainder releasing at various points throughout the season.

Season 4 is not just about the level editor, though that’s the primary new feature. Players will also find plenty of new costumes, like a neat-looking low polygon outfit, and new items at the store. Mediatonic is also teasing future collaborations, but has not offered any details. This likely refers to new branded costumes. The title has already featured costumes inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog, Doom, Ghost of Tsushima and other iconic titles.

At least one politician wants more transparency in the wake of an AI-generated attack ad. New York Democrat House Representative Yvette Clarke has introduced a bill, the REAL Political Ads Act, that would require political ads to disclose the use of generative AI through conspicuous audio or text. The amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act would also have the Federal Election Commission (FEC) create regulations to enforce this, although the measure would take effect January 1st, 2024 regardless of whether or not rules are in place.

The proposed law would help fight misinformation. Clarke characterizes this as an urgent matter ahead of the 2024 election — generative AI can "manipulate and deceive people on a large scale," the representative says. She believes unchecked use could have a "devastating" effect on elections and national security, and that laws haven't kept up with the technology.

The bill comes just days after Republicans used AI-generated visuals in a political ad speculating what might happen during a second term for President Biden. The ad does include a faint disclaimer that it's "built entirely with AI imagery," but there's a concern that future advertisers might skip disclaimers entirely or lie about past events.

Politicians already hope to regulate AI. California's Rep. Ted Lieu put forward a measure that would regulate AI use on a broader scale, while the National Telecoms and Information Administration (NTIA) is asking for public input on potential AI accountability rules. Clarke's bill is more targeted and clearly meant to pass quickly.

Whether or not it does isn't certain. The act has to pass a vote in a Republican-led House, and the Senate jsd to develop and pass an equivalent bill before the two bodies of Congress reconcile their work and send a law to the President's desk. Success also won't prevent unofficial attempts to fool voters. Still, this might discourage politicians and action committees from using AI to fool voters.

Ford just dropped a trail-finding app specifically for Bronco SUV owners. The appropriately-named Bronco Trail App is available for both iOS and Android mobile devices and includes a boatload of goodies for true off-roading enthusiasts. In other words, this app is not for people who use their rugged SUVs primarily to pick up coffee down the street.

The app leads drivers to more than 1,200 professionally curated trails throughout the US, Canada and Mexico (with more countries coming), totaling 18,000 miles. These maps let you filter by location, length, difficulty and more, with the ability to save your favorite trails. Once you save a trail, you can add waypoints, notes and even photos to show off preferred landmarks.

Of course, the deeper you trek into the wilds, the more cellular service diminishes. The app lets you download maps ahead of time in satellite or 2D topographic formats so you can view them even when in the middle of nowhere.

Beyond curated maps, there are some high-tech features here. The app integrates with the SUV’s tire pressure gauge sensor and automatically adjusts the pressure to suit trail recommendations. This feature works without a cellular or cloud connection. There is also a small social media component here, as you can trade marked-up maps with other Bronco owners to share unique destinations and the like.

Ford

On the topic of social media, the app includes the ability to capture video, which is then shared via your preferred social network. This isn’t any ordinary video, however, as this content is automatically overlaid with all kinds of useful and nifty information, like speed, RPM, distance traveled, elevation and a lot more.

The app is free, but a new Ford Bronco starts at around $42,000. It’s available for download right now and Ford says it’ll stay on top of updates, adding more trails and features in the coming months. You'll also need an up-to-date FordPass subscription, but if you own a new Bronco, you probably have that too. 

Five months after Marvel's Midnight Sunsarrived on PC, Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5, the game will at last land on last-gen consoles. Firaxis' turn-based RPG will hit Xbox One and PS4 on May 11th.

There's a disappointing update for those who've been waiting for Marvel's Midnight Suns to come to Nintendo Switch, however. That version is "no longer planned," according to a post on the game's website. In other words, Firaxis and publisher 2K have canceled the Switch port.

That may not be a huge surprise, given the extra time that Firaxis already needed to get the PS4 and Xbox One versions ready. Both of those consoles are considerably more powerful than the Switch and it may be the case that the extra work required to get the game running on Nintendo's console ultimately wasn't worthwhile. After all, despite strong reviews, the game was a "commercial flop," according to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick.

On a positive note, the Xbox One and PS4 versions will drop on the same day as the game's fourth expansion. Marvel's Midnight Suns: Blood Storm will add Storm as a playable character and introduce new missions to the ongoing vampyre storyline. All of the DLC installments will be available to PS4 and Xbox One players out of the gate, enabling them to add the likes of Deadpool, Venom and Morbius to their hero rosters.

Snap is bringing ads to two if its most buzzy features: its TikTok clone, Spotlight, and its OpenAI-powered chatbot “My AI.” The company announced the new ad formats during its presentation at the NewFronts advertising event.

Snap began testing ads in Spotlight last year, but will now begin to roll them out globally. The addition could be a significant boost to Snap’s advertising business, which has taken a hit in recent months. Spotlight, which rewards creators for popular short-form videos, has more than 350 million monthly users according to the company.

The addition of ads could also open up some interesting possibilities for creators on Spotlight – mainly, the potential for revenue sharing arrangements. Though Snap hasn’t disclosed any such plans for now, the company did recently expand other ad revenue sharing programs, so it’s not hard to imagine the company might one day consider such a move in Spotlight as well.

Separately, Snap is also bringing ads to My AI, the chatbot it recently rolled out to all users. There, My AI will be able to surface sponsored links directly in chats with users. The company says the sponsored links are meant to be relevant to the conversation. For example, the chatbot, which can already provide recommendations for local restaurants based on the app’s Snap Map, may surface a sponsored post from a local restaurant or food delivery service in response to a question about where to eat dinner. Likewise, a conversation about travel or video games could bring up sponsored links from an airline or game retailer.

The company describes the My AI ads as an early experiment, but the fact Snap is choosing to bring ads to the chatbot so soon after its launch is notable. The company says it’s seen high engagement with the feature, which unlike friend-to-friend chats doesn’t keep conversations private. But the company’s recent decision to put the bot at the top of everyone’s chats has also been controversial, so introducing ads at this stage could also potentially turn off some users. Regardless, the experiment will be an interesting test for how social media companies can potentially monetize generative AI features.