Reddit fined $19.6 million over age verification checks in the UK

Engadget

A common theme in online age verification laws is the tension between user privacy and preventing children from accessing harmful or inappropriate content. Now the UK is sending a not-so-subtle message to Reddit on the subject, to the tune of £14.5m ($19.6 million). The nation's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) accused the company of using children’s data and potentially exposing them to

Technology

'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms': All the details you might have missed in season one

Tech Insider
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Dunk in
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Dunk in "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms."

Steffan Hill/HBO

  • The season one finale of HBO's "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" aired on Sunday.
  • The "Game of Thrones" prequel series features references to the original show and to Westerosi lore.
  • We compiled all the major book references, thematic parallels, and other Easter eggs in season one.

Spoilers ahead for

Business, Style, Travel

Uber employees have an AI clone of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi — and use 'Dara AI' before talking to the big boss himself

Tech Insider
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi speaks while wearing a grey suit, watch, and light-blue dress shirt while gesticulating with his hands.
Some Uber employees use an AI clone of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, he said on a recent podcast.

Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Annual Summit

  • Dara Khosrowshahi said some Uber employees use an AI clone of the CEO.
  • "Dara AI" helps employees fine-tune presentations before they make them to Khosrowshahi himself.
  • Khosrowshahi added that AI has to make more progress before it can fully replace what
Business, Technology

I was laid off last year and have only managed to get 1 job interview. I have 20 years of experience and am worried about my future.

Tech Insider
Shaun Chavis headshot
Shaun Chavis has applied for tons of jobs since getting laid off.

Courtesy of Shaun Chavis

  • Shaun Chavis has 20 years of experience in journalism and communications.
  • She has been ghosted by dozens of employers after applying for jobs.
  • Rather than continue to be demoralized, she's set up her own Substack consultancy.

This as-told-to-essay is based on a conversation with Shaun Chavis, 58, who is based in

Travel, Business

Home Depot says homeowners are holding back over concerns about 'housing affordability and job losses'

Tech Insider
A customer leaves a Home Depot store on November 18, 2025 in San Rafael, California.
Continued uncertainty is the number one reason Home Depot customers say they aren't investing in large projects, CEO Ted Decker said.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

  • Home Depot continues to weather sluggish sales as part of a larger home improvement slump.
  • Customers tell the company they're delaying moves and renovations over financial worries.
  • "Hopefully we're bouncing along the bottom of turnover," CEO
Economy, Business

Google claims it's building data centers that barely use any water

Engadget

Google is building another data center in Texas and says this one will use "advanced air-cooling technology" to limit water consumption. Google is claiming that water use will be limited to "critical campus operations" like kitchens.

These specifics follow the previously announced two-year $40 billion investment the company has pledged in the Lone Star State. The company is also touting some 7,800

Technology

YouTube's Premium Lite tier gets background play and downloads

Engadget

YouTube is adding new features to its Premium Lite plan. The tier will offer background play and downloads for the mostly ad-free plan. The update comes a year after YouTube first launched the lower-cost plan.

The Premium Lite tier is notable because for $8 per month you get most videos ad-free, emphasis on most. Currently, it still uses ads for YouTube music (along with random other videos), but