😳 Social Media Banned For Under 16’s In Australia

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Hey Waivly Crew! 🌊 In today’s edition, we’ve got a variety of topics to explore.

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Here’s what’s on the horizon today:

• Australia passes social media ban for under 16s

• Spotify restricts API access to protect user data

• Elon Musk's xAI could release a standalone Grok app

• ByteDance sues intern for $1.1 million over AI breach

Let’s dive in!

STORIES MAKING A SPLASH

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Australia passes social media ban for under 16s

Australia has become the first country to ban social media accounts for children under 16, with a groundbreaking law set to take effect in November 2025. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit must implement strict age verification measures or face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars. They have one year to devise compliance systems before penalties are enforced.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to trial age-verification technology ahead of the law's rollout. Platforms like Meta, which already sets a minimum age of 13, have expressed concerns, emphasizing the need to empower young users and support parents instead of restricting access entirely.

Though the House of Representatives must formally approve Senate amendments, this step is largely procedural, as the government has confirmed its support for the legislation.

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Spotify restricts API access to protect user data

Spotify is restricting third-party developers' access to key features within its Web API, including song and artist recommendations, following concerns over misuse of data. The company aims to prevent the creation of AI apps that could mimic or compete with Spotify’s own recommendation models, which rely on user listening habits.

The affected features include Spotify’s Audio Analysis and Audio Features, which provide insights into a track’s structure, rhythm, and characteristics like energy and danceability. Developers will also lose access to algorithmically-generated playlists.

Many developers are upset, especially those who don’t focus on AI recommendations. One community member expressed disappointment, fearing that these changes are an attempt to prevent others from emulating Spotify’s model.

AI SPECIAL

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Elon Musk's xAI could release a standalone Grok app

Around 1.3 million X Premium subscribers currently have access to Grok, X’s AI chatbot, through the X app. But this could soon expand. According to The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk’s xAI plans to release a standalone app for Grok, similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT app, allowing users to interact with the chatbot directly on their phones.

However, the app likely won’t launch until after xAI completes its next funding round, as reported by Tech Crunch. While Grok is currently exclusive to X Premium subscribers, it’s unclear whether the standalone app will require a subscription or just an X account.

There are also rumors that X might experiment with making Grok free to access, adding more uncertainty about the rollout. As with most changes under Musk’s leadership, we’ll just have to wait and see.

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ByteDance sues intern for $1.1 million over AI breach

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is suing former intern Tian Keyu for $1.1 million after he was fired in October for sabotaging the company's AI models. The intern, a postgrad student at Peking University, allegedly interfered with AI training by manipulating code and making unauthorized changes, according to ByteDance's internal memo.

Keyu, who worked in the company's advertising division, was accused of "maliciously interfering" with AI development despite having no experience in an AI lab. ByteDance has now filed a lawsuit for 8 million yuan ($1.1 million) in Beijing’s Haidian District People’s Court.

ByteDance’s popular AI chatbot, Duobao, boasts 51 million active users in China, surpassing competitors like Baidu's Wenxiaoyan and Alibaba’s Kimi AI. The chatbot now features music generation and advanced data analysis capabilities.

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THE WAVES

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More Stories Surfing The Web

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