Engadget

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

  1. Meta warns users to 'avoid sharing personal or sensitive information' in its AI app

    Meta seems to have finally taken a small step to address the epidemic of over-sharing happening in the public feed of its AI app. The company has added a short disclaimer that warns users to "avoid sharing personal or sensitive information" to the "post to feed" button in the Meta AI app.

    The change was first spotted by Business Insider, which labeled the app "one of the most depressing places online" due to the sheer volume of intimate, embarrassing and sometimes personally-identifying information Meta AI users were — apparently unwittingly — publicly sharing to the app's built-in "discover" feed. Though Meta AI doesn't share users' chat histories by default, it seems that many of the app's users were choosing to "share" their interactions without realizing it would make the voice and text chats visible to the public.

    Last week, I found posts where users asked for advice on "improving bowel movements" and inquiring whether a relative could be liable for their employer's unpaid taxes. Another user desperately added "keep this private" to his public posts in an apparent attempt to hide his embarrassing chats after the fact. These types of strange public interactions have been happening since the Meta AI app rolled out in April, but received renewed attention last week after social media users began posting about all of the weird conversations that were visible in the app's "discover" feed.

    Privacy experts criticized Meta, noting that most other mainstream AI chatbots don't include a social, publicly-visible feed. "If a user’s expectations about how a tool functions don’t match reality, you’ve got yourself a huge user experience and security problem," Rachel Tobac, a security expert who has previously partnered with Meta, observed last week. "Humans have built a schema around AI chat bots and do not expect their AI chat bot prompts to show up in a social media style Discover feed — it’s not how other tools function." The Mozilla Foundation also urged Meta to change the app's design. "Meta AI's app doesn’t make it obvious that what you share goes fully public," it wrote in a statement last week There’s no clear iconography, no familiar cues about sharing like in other Meta apps."

    Now, the company has apparently taken note. With the change, choosing to share a Meta AI interaction publicly prompts the warning seen above, though it only seems to appear on the first share. "Prompts you post are public and visible to everyone," it states. "Your prompts may be suggested by Meta on other Meta apps. Avoid sharing personal or sensitive information."

    As Business Insider notes, the app's public feed also seems to no longer feature text exchanges other users have shared with the app, only AI-generated images and video. It's unclear if that's a permanent change, or the result of the recent negative attention the app's received. We've reached out to Meta for more information and will update if we hear back.

    In the meantime, if you've found yourself the victim of unintended public posts in the app, you can remove them by tapping on your profile in the top right corner of the app, heading to Data & Privacy -> Manage your information -> Make all public prompts visible only to you and selecting "apply to all."  

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-warns-users-to-avoid-sharing-personal-or-sensitive-information-in-its-ai-app-233900625.html?src=rss

  2. Instagram is running another test of a repost feature

    Instagram is testing a new repost feature. TechCrunch reported that social media network is currently running a test that gives users the opportunity to repost content. The current feature test is focused on resharing a post, the content that appears in a user's feed, as a new post. The platform does already offer the ability to share a post to someone's Story, but this post-to-post repost would be a new addition to the available interactions. A rep from Meta confirmed that the tests are happening, but declined to add any additional comments.

    Instagram did a very similar test of a very similar feature in 2022 and also trialed a repost button all the way back in 2017. Considering the company has made multiple attempts at an idea that's already well-established on other social networks, it seems surprising that the platform would once again revisit this idea. Between posts, Stories, Reels and DMs, Instagram already has a lot of unique content types. On the one hand, there are plenty of ways to share and resurface content, either your own or another account's to the feed. On the other hand, though, having different rules about what material can be shared to which format can put users in confusing situations.

    Update, June 16, 2025, 6:22PM ET: Added response from Meta representative confirming the feature test.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-is-running-another-test-of-a-repost-feature-210309548.html?src=rss

  3. Borderlands 4 will not cost $80, despite misguided executive comments

    Borderlands 4, the latest entry in Gearbox Software's popular looter shooter franchise, is available to pre-order now for $70, a good $10 less than many assumed it would cost. The game's price first came into question when its September 12 release date was announced without pre-order details, and Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford suggested that whether the game came with a $80 price tag was out of his hands.

    Pitchford put his foot in his mouth in a thread on X sharing a behind-the-scenes video about bringing Borderlands 4to the Switch 2. A fan replied to the video asking Pitchford to not charge $80 for the game, to which Pitchford responded, "A) Not my call. B) If you’re a real fan, you’ll find a way to make it happen."

    Naturally, that came off as a bit glib to anyone surprised by the sudden emergence of $80 games following the release of Mario Kart World.Pitchford didn't exactly double-down next, but at a PAX East panel later in May, he also didn't deny the game would have a higher price, noting that "Borderlands 4 has more than twice the development budget than Borderlands 3."

    The official pre-order information settles things: the game is not going the way of Mario Kart. The Standard Edition of Borderlands 4 costs $70 and comes with free Vault Hunter, weapon and drone skins if you pre-order. If you step up to the $100 Deluxe Edition, you get even more skins and a "Bounty Pack Bundle" that includes exclusive areas and weapons. For the $130 Super Deluxe Edition, you get all of that plus the "Vault Hunter Pack," which includes the game's two story DLC packs and new playable characters. A $70 game is not a $60 game, but if price is your biggest concern, it's better than $80.

    Gearbox plans to show off more of Borderlands 4's story and gameplay at Borderlands Fan Fest on June 21. The game is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X / S and PC on September 12. The Switch 2 release is scheduled for 2025, too, and Gearbox plans to share more information about it at a later date.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/borderlands-4-will-not-cost-80-despite-misguided-executive-comments-205622443.html?src=rss

  4. Android 16 is out on all eligible Pixel phones, with new live update notifications feature

    Google has released Android 16 to the masses, as it's now available for compatible handsets. The company says new devices will come preloaded with the OS in "the coming months." As usual, it's first coming to Google's own Pixel phones.

    The update includes several notable features. The biggest one might be live updates in notifications. This means that stuff like ride-shares and food deliveries will get a progress bar directly in the notification, so folks won't have to constantly open and close the app to wonder why a burrito seems to be stuck four blocks away.

    The tool in action.
    Google

    Also, notifications from the same app will now be automatically grouped together to reduce clutter and pings. There's now support for LE audio hearing aids, with a native control option. Users can also switch to the phone's microphone when using one of these hearing devices for clearer audio in noisy places.

    Google has tied all of its security features together, so users can now be protected from "online attacks, harmful apps, unsafe websites, scam calls and more in just a tap." This includes new scam detection features that were previewed back in May.

    The security feature opt-in.
    Google

    Shutterbugs are getting a fairly robust suite of new features, including automatic night mode scene detection, hybrid auto exposure and more precise color temperature adjustments. UltraHDR images have been improved, with support for HEIC encoding, and Android 16 offers integration with the high-end Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec.

    The feature in action.
    Google

    The company is finally bringing desktop windowing to Android, but it's not ready just yet. That feature will be available to general users later in the year, but Android 16 QPR 3 Beta 2 is currently previewing the feature.

    There's also a neat Android ecosystem update with some nifty features. This includes upgraded RCS group chats, with custom icons and the ability to mute threads. Google Photos now offers an AI-enhanced image editor that will recommend suggested edits. Emoji Kitchen is receiving new sticker combinations and Wear OS devices can now pay for transit fares without having to open a dedicated app.

    The VIPs.
    Google

    Finally, Google has offered details on the Pixel Drop for June. New features include a Pixel VIPs widget that displays information on preferred contacts and more expressive captions on videos.

    Obviously, Android 16 is going to come to more phones than just the Pixel series. As noted by Android Authority, Motorola released its list of all its device that'll officially run the new OS. It's also worth being aware that there are some bugs being reported on Pixel phones, so just keep that in mind if you're installing the latest version of Android.

    Update, June 10, 2PM ET:Well, we jumped the gun on that a little bit. Android 16 should now be available, as previously (and incorrectly) stated. We regret the error.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-16-is-out-complete-with-new-features-for-pixel-phones-including-live-notification-updates-170006935.html?src=rss

  5. Apple's iOS 26 public beta release date is planned for July

    Apple's WWDC is here and with it comes some of the company's biggest operational developments — along with confirmation of when you can check them out in beta. This year's WWDC brings the awaited news of a visual overhaul that is platform-wide, with changes like round icons on the home screen and Control Center.

    The company has launched its first major redesign since iOS 7, calling it "our broadest design update ever." The new uniform design across all devices includes a new material called liquid glass. This translucent design theme shows up across OSes on widgets, icons and even through a new all-clear mode, available alongside the light and dark modes. 

    Apple has further confirmed the rumors that it's changing the names of its operating systems. So, instead of getting the iOS 19 this fall, it will be the iOS 26, representing Apple's system for the year ahead. The same is true for all other devices' operating systems, like the iPadOS 26, MacOS 26 and so on. However, Apple is sticking with its California-themed names for MacOS, naming the next version Tahoe.

    WWDC has revealed a range of iOS 26 updates, including typing indicators for group chats and live translations on iMessage, FaceTime and calls, even if the other person doesn't have an iPhone. 

    So, when can you see some of these changes for yourself? Betas for all of Apple’s platforms (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS and tvOS) went out on June 9 through the Apple Developer Program, while a public beta should roll out in July through the Apple Beta Software Program. 

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apples-ios-26-public-beta-release-date-is-planned-for-july-180213011.html?src=rss