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DISNEY+ BUNDLES: Disney+ is offering bundle deals so you can stream the best of its library at a lower price.

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in September 2025: Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $10.99/month with ads Get Deal

Whether you're looking to jump into the latest superhero saga or journey to a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ is the streaming service for you.

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and so much more, Disney+ offers a library that's stuffed-full of shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained when it matters. This includes Marvel's Thunderbolts*, which is now available to watch on the platform.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but are unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. This includes a great limited time offer on the new Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle. If you're a sports fan, you can sign up for this plan for $29.99 per month for the first year.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the Star Wars movies in order: Where should you begin?

Alongside that deal, there are a few more bundles to check out with Disney+ right now, including the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle. This is a great investment for those who already own the other two streaming services and are looking to cut down on costs. And with streaming prices on the rise (Disney+ increased its prices just last year), now's a great time to jump on a bundle like that. Not to mention, with news of Hulu fully integrating into the Disney+ app coming soon, it's worth considering these bundles.

We've detailed all of the available bundle deals below, alongside basic information on Disney+ plans if you just want the House of Mouse's service on its own.

Best ESPN bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN into your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." If the latter has caught your attention, it has a limited-time offer going on right now.

The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is currently available for $29.99 per month for a year. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is on offer for $38.99 per month for a year.

These discounted bundles are only available for new and eligible returning subscribers through Jan. 5, 2026. Once the year is up, they'll go back to their full prices of $35.99 per month with ads and $44.99 per month without.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $29.99 per month for a year (then $35.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $38.99 per month for a year (then $44.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $16.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $26.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is one of the best available at the moment. Starting at $16.99 per month, you can have three excellent streaming services right in the palm of your hand, which is a great offer to take advantage of given streaming service prices keep going up. The $16.99 per month option is for the With Ads plan, but if you'd prefer to watch your favorite content without ads, the No Ads plan comes to $29.99 per month. Compared to what you'd pay for each of these on their own, you're saving 43% with the ad-supported plan and 42% with the ad-free plan.

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $16.99 per month (save 43%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $29.99 per month (save 42%)

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $10.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

If the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max mega bundle feels like a bit too much, there are smaller bundle deals to check out instead. One of the most affordable bundle options the service has is the Disney+, Hulu Bundle. This brings together Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) for $10.99 per month. This is a great way to gain access to both of their libraries for only $1 more than what you'd pay for just one of the ad-supported plans on their own.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $10.99 per month

If you'd rather spring for the ad-free version of that bundle, Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is what you need. This offers both Disney+ and Hulu without ads for $19.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best Disney+ monthly plans

Disney+ offers two standard plans if you just want the service on its own. The Disney+ ad-supported plan comes to $9.99 per month while the ad-free Disney+ Premium plan will set you back $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year if you'd rather pay annually.

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $9.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium (No Ads) — $15.99 per month, $159.99 per year

Disney+ has also created an "extra member" plan for people using your account that live outside of your household as they crack down on password sharing. If you're looking to add another person onto your account, you're only allowed one extra profile and can choose from the following add-on plans:

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $6.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $10.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $11.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $14.99 per month

There's a wealth of shows and films to check out on Disney+ after you sign up. If you want some help finding something to watch, check out our roundups of the 12 best TV shows for adults on Disney+ and the 20 best movies on Disney+ to start building out your watchlist.

TL;DR: For a one-time payment of $49 (reg.$495), you’ll get lifetime access to Imagiyo AI — a powerful text-to-image generator that lets you create whatever you imagine.

Opens in a new window Credit: Imagiyo Imagiyo AI Image Generator: Lifetime Subscription (Standard Plan) $49
$495 Save $446 Get Deal

Sometimes inspiration strikes when you least expect it — on the subway, in a meeting, or while scrolling through memes at 2 a.m. But what if you could instantly bring those ideas to life without hiring a designer or fighting with clunky stock photo sites? That’s precisely what you can do with the Imagiyo AI Image Generator.

For a limited time, you can get a lifetime license for just $49 (reg. $495). Think of it as your always-available creative partner, whether you’re making catchy marketing materials, playful memes, concept art, or even the NSFW stuff you don’t want popping up on your work laptop.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI announces new parental controls for teen ChatGPT users

Imagiyo makes it simple: type your idea into a text prompt, and the platform generates polished, high-quality images in seconds. With integrations like Stable Diffusion and FLUX AI, you’re tapping into some of the most advanced models available today.

What makes this deal stand out is that Imagiyo is built for both serious creators and casual tinkerers. Designers can use it for professional projects without worrying about watermarks or licensing headaches, while anyone can use it to whip up fun, personalized images to share online. You’ll also get access to multiple image sizes, a clean, ad-free interface, and the option to save and download your work forever.

And because this is the Standard Plan, you’ll be able to generate up to 500 images per month, with no sneaky recurring subscription fees. Just one payment, and you’re set for life.

Get a lifetime of Imagiyo AI while it’s available for just $49.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: For just $15.97 (reg. $169.99), you can lock in lifetime family protection with AdGuard, blocking ads, malware, and unsafe content across your devices — one payment, no headaches.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02 Get Deal

With monthly subscriptions giving most of us whiplash, it’s refreshing when something is truly one-and-done. The AdGuard Family Plan lifetime subscription is just that.

For only $15.97 with code FAMPLAN (reg. $169.99), you can cover nine devices in your household with ad blocking, malware protection, and parental controls forever. No renewals, no hidden fees, no “free trials” that suddenly turn into bills. Just peace of mind, at a price that’s hard to beat.

SEE ALSO: Make your computer feel new again for under $50 with this Microsoft bundle

AdGuard works quietly in the background, helping to make the internet a cleaner, safer place for your whole family. That means no more obnoxious banners or mid-video interruptions when you’re watching YouTube, no more hidden trackers logging your data, and no more sketchy websites sneaking malware onto your devices.

And if you’ve got kids in the house, you’ll appreciate the built-in parental controls. AdGuard lets you filter inappropriate content with just a click, so children can browse without wandering into unsafe territory. For parents juggling work and home life (sometimes in the same space), that’s one less worry on the list.

The best part is that this single purchase protects all your devices — whether you’re on Android, iOS, or using a laptop. It’s as versatile as it is effective, making it an ideal tool for families who just want online safety without the hassle of learning yet another complicated security app.

Think of it as the digital equivalent of locking your front door. One small action now, a lifetime of protection later.

Get lifetime access to the AdGuard Family Plan while it’s on sale for just $15.97 with code FAMPLAN (reg. $169.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

SEE ALSO: The 10 best TV shows of 2025 (so far), and where to stream them

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of this week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're hankering for side-splitting laughs, spine-tingling chills, heart-warming stories, pulse-pounding action, or the occasional soggy bottom, we've got something just for you.

11. Love Con Revenge

If Netflix had you hooked on The Tinder Swindler, you'll likely be lured by Love Con Revenge.

This new reality series allows victims of romance scams to team up with Tinder Swindler target Cecilie Fjellhøy and private investigator Brianne Joseph for a bit of justice — or at least some dramatic confrontations. Will it be satisfying? Infuriating? Our guess is yes and yes. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Love Con Revenge premieres on Netflix on Sept. 5.

10. The Great British Baking Show Collection 13

Good news for fans of The Great British Baking Show who weren't fond of Matt Lucas (it's me!), the wise-cracking comedian isn't in the latest batch of episodes coming to Netflix this fall.

SEE ALSO: Get Matt Lucas out of 'The Great British Baking Show'

Instead, comedian Noel Fielding returns, joined by affable TV presenter Alison Hammond. These two will chat it up with the bakers during the challengers — that is, before Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith grill them over the judging table. How will these 12 home bakers stack up? There's only one way to find out. Tune in and bake off! — K.P.

How to watch: The Great British Baking Show Collection 13 premieres on Netflix on Sept. 5, with a new episode every Friday.

SEE ALSO: Prue Leith spills the tea on the differences between the 'Great British' and 'Great American Baking Show' 9. Nobody 2

Bob Odenkirk returns as Hutch Mansell in the sequel to 2021's action-packed film Nobody, which saw a seemingly average guy kicking ass and going into battle against a Russian criminal gang. This time, he's off on summer vacation for quality time with his family, including his retired FBI agent father (Christopher Lloyd). Anyone who even thinks about being rude to his children seems guaranteed to lose a few teeth at the theme park, but he stumbles onto something bigger — we're talking bootlegging, crooked cops, and Sharon Stone as a glamorous crime boss. Produced by Bullet Train and The Fall Guy dream team Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, Nobody 2 promises punch-drunk action and comedy. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, John Ortiz, Colin Hanks, RZA, Colin Salmon, Christopher Lloyd, and Sharon Stone

How to watch: Nobody 2 is now available for purchase on Prime Video.

8. Friendship

Tim Robinson brings his I Think You Should Leave brand of awkwardness and social panic to Andrew DeYoung's cringe comedy Friendship. Robinson plays Craig, an awkward loner who strikes up an unlikely friendship with local weather man and all-around cool dude Austin (Paul Rudd). But when Austin spurns Craig after a group hang gone wrong, Craig spirals and threatens to lose control of everything in his life.

Wringing laughter out of male loneliness, Friendship tests the boundaries of how much Robinson you can take, starting off on a high note before falling into a pattern of listless bits. As I wrote in my review, "Hardcore Robinson fans will likely enjoy, but even as a Robinson appreciator, I felt that the I Think You Should Leave-style bits that make the film's early scenes such an uncomfortable blast quickly lose their sheen. They work well in sketches, but can they hold up the weight of an entire feature film? Friendship suggests not." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Tim Robinson, Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Paul Rudd

How to watch: Friendship comes to HBO Max on Sept. 5.

7. The Wedding Banquet

"Remaking Ang Lee's award-winning 1993 queer rom-com The Wedding Banquet is no mean feat, but Fire Island's Andrew Ahn makes a masterclass of it," wrote Mashable's Shannon Connellan in her review of The Wedding Banquet.

The winsome comedy follows four friends, who make up two gay couples with unique troubles that could be solved through a proposed "lavender marriage." Lee (Lily Gladstone) and Angela (Kelly Marie Tran) are lesbians seeking to have a baby through IVF, which is emotionally and financially draining. Chris (Bowen Yang) and Min (Han Gi-Chan) are deeply in love, but any time talk of commitment comes up, Chris panics. So when Min is getting pressure from his old-fashioned grandmother to marry or move back to Korea, he proposes... to Angela. The idea is that their fake wedding can get her money for the IVF and him time to stay in the U.S. with Chris. But despite their best-laid wedding plans, things get wild.

"The Wedding Banquet is a triumph of a romantic comedy," Connellan declared. "A smart and heartfelt update on Lee's '90s classic that explores the pressures of balancing cultural tradition with LGBTQ identity. Ahn's film leaves ample space for these wonderful characters to mess up, say the wrong thing, and figure out their next steps, all with the support and love of each other. Please let me marry this film."* — K.P.

Starring: Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, and Han Gi-chan

How to watch: The Wedding Banquet debuts on Paramount+ on Sept. 8.

6. Lilo & Stitch (2025)

Let's be real: None of Disney's live-action remakes of their animated classics will ever hold a candle to the original movies. But I'll at least give Lilo & Stitch credit for capably capturing the adorable energy of its titular pairing (played by Maia Kealoha and Chris Sanders) and for not just trying to be a shot-for-shot remake. Sure, changes to the ending may be polarizing, but I'll take that over copy-pasting an existing movie any day!

As I wrote in my review, "This Lilo & Stitch retains much of the fun of the 2002 film, and it comes with great performances and effects work that actually makes Stitch feel real. Like with every Disney remake, you'd be better off watching the original, but if you have to watch one of the remakes, make it this one." — B.E.

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Tia Carrere, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders, Courtney B. Vance, Zach Galifianakis, and Maia Kealoha

How to watch: Lilo & Stitch is now streaming on Disney+.

5. Wednesday, Season 2, Part 2

With all the burning questions we had at the end of Wednesday Season 2, Part 1, we're chomping at the bit to get into the second half. After the festering hell that broke loose in Willow Hill, the fate of Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) seems up in the air. But Part 2 promises the return of Gwendoline Christie as Season 1's dearly departed Principal Weems, answers to the curliest question marks, more Edgar Allan Poe energy, and the awaited arrival of Lady Gaga.

But most of all, we need more of Wednesday's eviscerating barbs in our life — as Belen Edwards writes in her Part 1 review, "With one deadly glare and a dry putdown in voiceover, Ortega's Wednesday is still a force to be reckoned with. (Especially now that she's not burdened with a love triangle!) Watching her detective exploits continues to be pure gothic fun, and that's something worth snapping about." — S.C.

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Lady Gaga, Isaac Ordonez, Luis Guzmán, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joanna Lumley, Fred Armisen, Emma Myers, Hunter Doohan, Joy Sunday, Moosa Mostafa, Georgie Farmer, Noah B. Taylor, Evie Templeton, Steve Buscemi, Billie Piper, Christopher Lloyd, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, Jamie McShane, and Thandiwe Newton

How to watch: Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Dangerous Animals

Jaws taught us to be afraid of sharks. Dangerous Animals reminds us man is far more deadly.

Jai Courtney stuns as Tucker, an Aussie boat captain who takes tourists out onto the water to see sharks up close. But when he's not playing nice for cash, he's pitching women overboard as prey. A gnarly serial killer movie with splashy thrills and gut-churning gore, Dangerous Animals is howler. In my review for Mashable, I wrote, "Dangerous Animals is a satisfying, sick, and devilishly smart thriller that will excite you in theaters and stalk you on the way home." — K.P.

Starring: Jai Courtney, Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Rob Carlton, Ella Newton, and Liam Greinke

How to watch: Dangerous Animals debuts on Shudder on Sept. 5.

3. Task

Looking for a crime drama in the vein of Mare of Easttown? Then you're in luck, because Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby is returning to HBO with the miniseries Task.

The series stars Mark Ruffalo as an FBI agent who heads up a task force investigating a string of violent robberies in the working class suburbs of Philadelphia. At the head of these robberies is an unsuspecting family man (Ozark's Tom Pelphrey) looking to give his kids a better life. Get ready for a gritty cat-and-mouse game between Ruffalo and Pelphrey, who lead an exciting (and sprawling) ensemble cast.* — B.E.

Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Tom Pelphrey, Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, Raúl Castillo, Jamie McShane, Sam Keeley, and Fabien Frankel

How to watch: Task premieres Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

2. The Naked Gun

One of the funniest movies of the year is now on digital. The Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer directs a star-studded cast led by Liam Neeson for a reboot that pays proper tribute to the comedy classic that came before.

Playing Frank Drebin Jr. (the son of Leslie Nielsen's iconic cop), Neeson brings his tough-guy grumpiness to outrageously silly punchlines, hilarious slapstick, and a sexy and strange romance with Pamela Anderson, who holds her own with a scat solo that is next-level loony. In my review for Mashable, I cheered, "The Naked Gun is back and as silly and stupid as ever. And I can’t think of higher praise than that." — K.P.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand, Danny Huston, Dave Bautista, and Cody Rhodes

How to watch: The Naked Gun is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

1. The Paper

Return to the world of The Office in The Paper, a spinoff from The Office's Greg Daniels and Nathan for You's Michael Koman. The series reunites viewers with the documentary crew who covered Scranton's Dunder Mifflin branch. This time, though, they've got a new subject: the Toledo Truth Teller, a struggling Ohio newspaper. Idealistic editor-in-chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) hopes to bring the paper back to its former glory, but with next to no funding, he'll have to resort to recruiting inexperienced volunteer reporters instead. What could go wrong?

As a spinoff of one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time, The Paper has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, the new mockumentary more than measures up, boasting oodles of cringe comedy and a cast of characters that already gel like a well-oiled machine. The show's focus on the struggles of local journalists is an added bonus, following in the footsteps of mockumentaries like Abbott Elementary and St. Denis Medical in examining crumbling, yet vital institutions. As I wrote in my review, "Yes, [The Paper] and its brilliant ensemble stand on the shoulders of The Office. But it's so much more than a carbon copy, and it has the potential to be a sitcom that's great all on its own." — B.E.

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Oscar Nuñez, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, and Tim Key

How to watch: The Paper is now streaming on Peacock.

(*) indicates a blurb originally comes from another list.

Nicole Rafiee may have over 1 million subscribers on YouTube now, but once upon a time, she was simply a middle schooler who loved making stop-motion music videos and videos about Webkinz.

Credit: Zooey Liao/ Image Credit: Getty Images/ Amazon/ Nicole Rafiee's Instagram @nicolerafiee / YouTube

"And sometimes, the two of them combined — like a stop-motion Webkinz video," Rafiee told Mashable during VidCon back in June. These days, her content is a little different, exploring pop culture topics like the exodus of YouTube's it girls, Frenemies lore, and Chappell Roan. Despite the subject shift, she still loves a prop and a striking visual — her Chronically Online series features many costumes and collages that adorn her walls.

The journey from her middle school YouTube channel to her current one involved a few deleted channels and changing directions, so I caught up with Rafiee to discuss how a person manages to evolve their YouTube content as they grow, especially once that content finds an audience.

Mashable: What inspired your middle school self, and then college self, to make YouTube videos?

Nicole Rafiee: I was heavily inspired by the people that I watched at the time — the JennXPenns, the SuperMac18s, the Ricky Dillons. So I started doing it. I was an only child, and [YouTube] was my creative outlet. I was in band at the time, but I didn't feel creatively fulfilled from playing the flute. For me, it was just the coolest thing to go home, and that was like my secret life, like a separate persona of who I couldn't be in person.

And then in college, I lacked so much creativity in my life because I did not know what I wanted to do in college. I went because I thought that was the right thing to do. At the time when I started making YouTube videos, I was in school with the intention of becoming a physician's assistant. I would sit in my anatomy lecture like, "I would rather do anything else right now than this. But most importantly, I would rather be making a video."

I would rather do anything else right now than this. But most importantly, I would rather be making a video.

That kept calling to me, and I had some friends at the time, who also had this middle school YouTube channel and wanted to revisit that, so that inspired me to start again. And at the time, YouTube was kind of having its resurgence because of people like Emma Chamberlain. That was a huge inspiration to see, like, wow, there are younger people than me who are starting now, and it's never too late.   So that became my creative outlet, and then that just kind of changed everything. I ended up changing my major, and that became my goal for when I graduated — for YouTube to be my full-time thing.

How would you describe the evolution your channel has gone through since those RA college days to now?

 In the beginning, I did what I thought people wanted to see from a college student, which was college vlogs, when in reality, I hated vlogging. I don't feel comfortable doing it out in public, and I'm not watching vlogs, to be honest. But then, as COVID hit, I was like, okay, everybody is stuck on their own. And so I was trying to do challenges — basically whatever I was seeing other people doing.

It wasn't until I questioned the content that I was making for myself and asked, "What actually interests me and really inspires me?" And a lot of that came down to literally what I study in school, which is media studies.

I've also always been an opinionated person. Since I was younger, I was always told, "You should be a lawyer," as every little girl is if people are just too scared of calling a nine-year-old a bitch. So I was like, Why don't I take that onto the internet? Once I started doing that, I think I saw the success that I did because people saw for the first time, "Oh, this is so authentically you."

That opened up the door to making videos about so many new topics. I wanted to keep my personal life private; I didn't want to vlog. So it was like a natural evolution and progression of who I am as a person, I think, and like growing up with me.

Did making that switch to creating content that felt more authentic to you feel intimidating?

 If anything, in the beginning, it felt a little bit easier than it does now. I'm trying to understand why it does feel that way now. In the beginning, I felt so confident in being the person I was hiding behind closed doors.

I'm not necessarily introverted, but I really only feel comfortable being myself around people once I'm fully comfortable with them, as a lot of people do. But I always envied people who were authentically themselves, regardless of who they were around or what they were doing. I could not find that. So I felt like I closed the door and I could be myself, I could make the jokes I want to make, I could dress however I want, I could do exactly what I wanted to do.

I do find, though, that now, as I'm continuing to do YouTube, I feel almost a little bit scared of doing that just because as the audience increases, so does the backlash. I have not fully experienced that — I've been very lucky not to experience a lot of negativity or hate comments, but now that it's just gotten so much bigger than I had ever anticipated, part of me wants to turtle away. So I'm trying not to allow that to be the case.

I think because I've done YouTube, it's allowed that scared girl who would hide in her room and only be that confident person behind that closed door — that helped me be that in the outside world. I have gotten way more confident in my day-to-day life since doing YouTube. But now I'm struggling where I'm comfortable in person, and I'm less comfortable online, and I want to nip that in the bud while I can.

Speaking of that success, you've found a big audience for your Chronically Online Girl series.  Does it feel risky to think about trying different types of content with that increased audience?

 Yeah, absolutely. So many people only see me as just the chronically online girl. And that was never my intention. Everyone talks about wanting to appeal to their audience, and I totally understand that, but I would rather find an audience that likes me for whatever content I make. I know that's gonna be hard and maybe means less subscribers along the way, but I'm OK with that.

SEE ALSO: From Buzzfeed to Watcher, how Ryan Bergara built a career on ghosts

 Before, I used to be more comfortable showing or talking about personal things in my life, and now I'm like, does anybody even care? But I'm trying to shush that noise out and also recognize that chronically online girl. She is a part of me. At the end of the day, to my core, I am a chronically online girl.

So I just have to push past that and feel comfortable trying different content because I'm sure my content's going to evolve — I hope. I hope I continue to evolve as the years go on and that I'm still doing YouTube, the same as it did in the last three to five years.

To return to finding your audience, do you have a moment that sticks out as your first big viral video?

 I think it was definitely the "chronically online girl explains Frenemies" video that I made. I did not expect that video to do well. That video almost didn't happen because the audio was messed up. I spent so long trying to fix it and I was like, "I think I should just throw this away. This is a stupid idea. I don't think anybody cares about this."

When people actually started showing interest in that despite the messed-up audio, I was like, "Oh wait." I had so much fun filming that, and I was like, "This is way better than me trying to force myself to vlog."

Another one of those moments was my first video essay, I guess you could say.  I was encouraged by my manager. It was the video, "Why do the 'it girls' quit?"

It was about why some of my favorite YouTubers that I looked up to — like Emma Chamberlain and BestDressed — stopped making videos altogether and faded from the limelight, and decided to live a more private, mysterious life. It's heavily based off of like my own experience as a content creator, even though I was much smaller. At that moment when I saw people enjoy me talking about something for a long time and they were not like, "Boring. Snooze fest." That was definitely an "Oh wait, I feel like I could do this," moment.

YouTube is your main platform, but do you find that's been the most crucial space for growing your audience? Or have you found that posting on other platforms is helpful?

 I wanted to be a TikTokker so bad. I told myself if there was ever gonna be a Vine 2.0, I would put my heart and soul into that because it just seemed like the place to grow. And then the opportunity came, and everything was right in front of me, and I just didn't care about it. It didn't spark that much creativity. Like, if I'm going to post on TikTok, I'm going to shit post. I'm not strategically trying to use it.

YouTube, however, always felt like that. It felt like a platform where I could be myself, but also grow an audience. And it felt like I was reaching towards something. I mean, being at VidCon itself is cool and a weird thing that I never thought would happen in my life. So I'm like exactly where I want to be from YouTube.

So I feel like YouTube.com is my home base. I clock in at YouTube.com, and when I'm not there, I get to go and play and have fun.

You touched on this some, but what does being at VidCon mean to you?

 It's really surreal.

Is this your first VidCon?

 Yeah, it's really weird. I was invited to VidCon Anaheim a few years ago, but I was only able to attend the industry track for one day. So I ended up going to a bunch of panels, and I was like, "Is this VidCon?" And then I realized I was going to the industry days only. And then I went to VidCon Baltimore, but it doesn't exist anymore.

But this — I'm having trouble processing it. I don't feel like my name should be there on the list with Tyler Oakley, Grace Helbig, and Joey Graceffa. Like, what am I doing sitting on the bus back from Disneyland next to Rhett and Link? Like, what is actually happening and going on? But I'm also so grateful for it because I am trying to remind myself that I did work for years on this.

SEE ALSO: VidCon celebrates Hank Green, Rhett & Link at first annual Hall of Fame ceremony

So I'm trying to validate that I deserve to be here while simultaneously being like, "What the heck am I doing here?"

As your channel grew, how did you approach brand deals?

In 2019, when my first video that blew up, I started getting offers, like, "We'll pay you $1,000 for this review," and I was like, "Yes, I'll give you a four-minute-long integration!" and then you find out they took advantage of you.  That was so difficult, but I was so lucky that I got managers very quickly after that.

 I've also been very lucky that pretty much every single brand deal, to this day, I still stand by.  I've also formed such good relationships with so many companies that like Curology, that we're going on five years now.

I'm even more lucky that I find brands like NOCD, with having OCD myself, that was just like serendipitous that I found them. While also talking about OCD on my channel, I felt like this is just the perfect partnership. So I've been very lucky in that department.

 Do you have any advice for someone starting out in content creation who might be struggling to find what exactly they want to be making?

 In the beginning, it's totally okay to be inspired by other people and emulate what you see because that's exactly what I did. But also, make the videos that you yourself would want to watch. Don't get stuck in a cycle of creating content that you don't care about — you're going to burn out so quickly.

And I know that there are so many people out there who are stuck in what they're doing just because it is what brings them money and the career that they have. I'm all about get your bag, but simultaneously, that is just not a life to live — where you are putting so much of yourself out there and receiving all the negative from it as well, only to be making content that you would never watch yourself.

Don't get stuck in a cycle of creating content that you don't care about — you're going burn out so quickly.

I always think of Billie Eilish, for example, when she said, "Of course I listen to my own music in the car." When I upload a video, I will sit back and watch it. It's like watching it for the first time with fresh eyes, and I'm watching it along in real time with the viewer, and I'm like, "Oh my god, this girl's funny."

Now I'm not sitting and doing my makeup and like watching my own videos or listening to my own podcast in the car — power to the people who are — but I enjoy what I'm making, and I think that's the most important thing is like finding that. And if that means experimenting for a while and being in a weird lull, do it. Even upload the videos that you think are bad, too.

Be proud of what you're making, but also know that you're your own worst critic. The videos that I hated the most after editing them for like 12 hours straight — sometimes people love them, sometimes not, but you're learning from every single experience that you have.

It's that time! Yes, once the kids start going back to school and the smell of pumpkin spice latte is in the air, fall film festival season has begun. For Mashable, that means diving into the Toronto International Film Festival, which boasts an eye-popping array of big stars, exciting filmmakers, and world premieres.

Last year, TIFF brought us such stunners as The Life of Chuck, Conclave, and The Wild Robot. This year, the slate delivers new movies from such celebrated filmmakers as Rian Johnson, Chloé Zhao, Nia DaCosta, Derek Cianfrance, and Guillermo del Toro. But that's far from all.

Big stars who will debut their latest flexes include Dwayne Johnson, Andrew Scott, Tessa Thompson, Keanu Reeves, June Squibb, Toni Collette, Oscar Isaac, Kerry Washington, Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Mads Mikkelsen, Sigourney Weaver, and Paul Mescal.

But you don't need to be at the festival to get in on the fun. Mashable's coverage will get you close to action with reviews and news out of TIFF. Beyond that, we're highlighting which movies from the fest should be on your radar right now — and how you can plan to see them.

Whether you're craving bodice-ripping romance, bloodcurdling horror, mind-bending thrills, heartwarming comedy, or jaw-dropping surprises, we've got you covered with a mix of already buzzed-about titles, promising award season hopefuls, and hidden gems.

Hedda

Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson are primed to dazzle at TIFF with the world premiere of Hedda. Seven years ago, the writer/director made her critically heralded feature debut with the rising star in the stirring thriller Little Woods. They reteamed for the MCU tentpole The Marvels in 2023, and now they're back with a smoldering period romance adapted from Henrik Ibsen's 1890 play, Hedda Gabler.

Thompson stars as the eponymous heroine, a beguiling socialite who seems to have everything she could want — until a former flame reappears. In an intriguing move, DaCosta gender-swapped the role of this lover, casting Nina Hoss as Eileen Lovborg and bringing a queer context to Ibsen's classic drama. From the looks of the film's first trailer, Hedda's going to turn heads.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Nicholas Pinnock, and Tom Bateman

How to watch: Following Hedda's TIFF premiere, the movie will open in select theaters on Oct. 22, then debut globally on Prime Video on Oct. 29.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Knives Out. The Glass Onion. Now mystery-weaver Rian Johnson brings Wake Up Dead Man, the third installment of Benoit Blanc whodunnits.

Ahead of the film's world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the details on Wake Up Dead Man are scarce. What we do know is the setting is a small town's local church, where the legendary sleuth encounters a deadly crime as well as a pair of priests played by Josh O'Connor and Josh Brolin. Like its predecessors, this sequel boasts a jaw-dropping array of stars. But what murder and mischief they'll get up to is a mystery for now!*

Starring: Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery debuts on Netflix on Dec. 12.

You Had to Be There The 1972 Toronto cast of "Godspell." Credit: TIFF

Too few know the incredible fact that one play production out of Toronto in 1972 led to the meteoric rise of stars like Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, and Andrea Martin. That show was Godspell, and fittingly, the documentary about this production and how it forever shaped comedy in North America will premiere at the same theater the musical did back in '72.

Documentarian Nick Davis gathers together the surviving cast members as well as the future performers they influenced (like Mike Myers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Janeane Garofolo) to take audiences back to this time and place. And for a sense of the film's breadth and humor, look no further than the full title: You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (In a Canadian Kind of Way).

Starring: Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, and Paul Shaffer

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, You Had to Be There's release is to be determined.

Wayward

Toni Collette leads a cult? We're in. But if you need more convincing, here are the juicy details on Netflix's new miniseries Wayward.

Created and starring Mae Martin, Wayward centers on the reclusive community of Tall Pines, where a bespectacled guru named Evelyn Wade (Collette) runs a reform center for troubled teens. While she is beloved by the community, a newcomer to town (Martin) is suspicious of the way teens are reformed under Evelyn's hand. What secrets lurk in Tall Pines? All we can say for now is: They are wild.

Starring: Toni Collette, Mae Martin, Sarah Gadon, Brandon Jay McLaren, Patrick J. Adams, Alyvia Alyn Lind, Patrick Gallagher, Sydney Topliffe, and Joshua Close

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Wayward debuts on Netflix on Sept. 25.

Dust Bunny Sophie Sloan, Mads Mikkelsen, and Sigourney Weaver in "Dust Bunny." Credit: Roadside Attractions

Bryan Fuller is the visionary behind such twisted yet winsome shows as Dead Like Me, Pushing Daisies, and — uh — Hannibal. Dust Bunny is related to all of these in premise and casting, meaning Fuller's fans will go wild for it.

Written and directed by Fuller, Dust Bunny centers an 8-year-old orphan (Sophie Sloan), who is convinced a dust bunny monster under her bed has eaten her parents and is coming for her next. Her only hope is the hit man who lives down the hall. Naturally, he's played by Mads Mikkelsen. A gnarly fairy tale that's reminiscent of Léon: The Professional and Amélie, Dust Bunny is weird and wonderful in all the ways we've come to expect of Fuller.

Starring: Sophie Sloan, Mads Mikkelsen, Sigourney Weaver, and David Dastmalchian

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Dust Bunny will be distributed by Roadside Attractions.

Eternity

Happily ever after? Or 'til death do us part? Writer/director David Freyne (Dating Amber) muses which is best in Eternity, a dramedy set in the afterlife.

Miles Teller stars as Larry, a recently deceased man who's bumbling through the great beyond with the help of a guide (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) when he finds his wife Joan (Elizabeth Olsen). But what should be a joyous reunion gets complicated when Larry meets Luke, Joan's first love and first husband (Callum Turner). So, who will Joan choose to spend eternity with? The man she built a life with? Or the one she lost to death a lifetime ago?

A love triangle tale in heaven? Sounds divine.

Starring: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and John Early

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Eternity will open in theaters in November.

Hamnet

Two-time Academy Award–winning director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) brings a lesser-known Shakespearean tragedy to light with Hamnet. Based on some true events, Hamnet is an adaptation of the Maggie O'Farrell novel, which follows how the iconic playwright William Shakespeare and his wife met, fell in love, had children, and grieved the loss of their only son.

Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley stars as wife and mother Agnes, who has a deep connection to nature, her three children, and her brilliant husband. Oscar nominee Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers) plays the playwright, who weaves his grief into one of his greatest plays, Hamlet. A sure-fire tearjerker stoked by a critically heralded cast, Hamnet is coming to break our hearts and perhaps leave us wanting more.

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, David Wilmot, Olivia Lynes, and Jacobi Jupe

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Hamnet will have a limited Nov. 27 release before going nationwide Dec. 12.

Roofman

Ready for something drifferent from writer/director Derek Cianfrance? The American filmmaker is best known for gripping dramas like Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Sound of Metal. But while his latest is inspired by a stranger-than-fiction true crime case, Roofman seems devoted to feel-good fun.

Channing Tatum stars Jeffrey Manchester, a former United States Army Reserve officer who became better known for a spree of robberies he committed in the 2000s. However, far from depicting Manchester as a horrifying masked man, Roofman suggests this crook has a heart of gold. While hiding out in a Toys "R" Us, this thief's soft spot leads to some unexpected charity and a blossoming romance with a store clerk, played by Kirsten Dunst.

Starring: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple, Melonie Diaz, Uzo Aduba, Lily Collias, Jimmy O. Yang, and Peter Dinklage

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Roofman opens in theaters on Oct. 10.

The Smashing Machine

You might recognize his voice. But heavy prosthetics on his face means you may not clock Dwayne Johnson in the lead role of this biopic from writer/director Benny Safdie.

Johnson brings his acting chops and WWE expertise together to star as UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Inside the arena, he is a terrifying titan. Outside, he's a gentle man, but one with demons to battle. Emily Blunt co-stars as Mark's wife, Dawn Staples. Together, they reveal the battles beyond the ring. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of its theatrical debut, The Smashing Machine could pave the path to Oscar gold as the Academy loves a drama about a pro fighter. (See The Fighter, The Wrestler, Raging Bull...) Could it be a contender?

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, The Smashing Machine opens in theaters on Oct. 3.

Eleanor the Great

Scarlett Johansson makes her feature directorial debut with this challenging comedy, which is a showcase for Academy Award winner June Squibb.

Written by Tory Kamen, Eleanor the Great stars Squibb as the eponymous nonagenarian, who's moved back to New York City after more than a decade away. Craving connection, she goes to the Jewish Community Center, where she makes new friends by telling a whopping lie: that she's a Holocaust survivor.

While the premise is shocking and much of the film deals in grief, Eleanor the Great is a defiantly joyful, hilarious, and humane comedy about love, loss, and friendship. Following its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, it's likely to charm audiences at TIFF and beyond.

Starring: June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht, and Chiwetel Ejiofor

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Eleanor the Great will open in U.S. theaters on Sept. 26.

Arco

Last year at TIFF, we were awed by Flow, an animated adventure that on its surface was about an unlikely band of animal buddies surviving a rising tide, but ultimately carried a powerful message about climate change. This year, we're intrigued by Arco, a sci-fi fantasy adventure from writer/director Ugo Bienvenu.

A time-travel tale of hope and friendship, Arco follows the eponymous 10-year-old boy as he uses a rainbow to warp from 2932 to 2075. In the past, he befriends a young girl named Iris, and realizes the world is in peril. Together, can they devise a way to get Arco back to when he belongs — and maybe save Iris' world while they're at it? The first trailer won't answer those questions, but it assures us this animated adventure will be a stunner.

Starring: Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, and Andy Samberg

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Arco opens in select theaters on Nov. 14.

The Lost Bus

Ready for a disaster movie that's based on real-life heroics? The Lost Bus is based on the book Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire by Lizzie Johnson. But its story is more specifically about Kevin McKay, a bus driver who faced down the historically deadly Camp Fire to rescue 22 school children and their teacher from its scorching reach.

Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey and Academy Award nominee America Ferrera star as the driver and the teacher, while Academy Award nominee Paul Greengrass (Green Zone, Captain Phillips) directs. That means this thriller is stuffed with acclaimed talent, joining forces to tell a heart-soaring true story about bravery in the face of disaster.

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez, and Ashlie Atkinson

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, The Lost Bus will have a limited theatrical release on Sept. 19, and a digital streaming premiere on Apple TV+ on Oct. 3.

Good Fortune

Imagine if Keanu Reeves were your guardian angel? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, in the new comedy written, directed, and starring Aziz Ansari, it's more a wacky misadventure.

Reeves stars as Gabriel, a well-meaning but inept guardian angel who's trying to make a big difference in the life of a struggling gig worker named Arj (Ansari). So, he pulls a Trading Places, swapping Arj's circumstances with a wealthy tech bro, played by Seth Rogen.

Keanu Reeves as a (hot) angel, comedy titans team up with stunning funny ladies Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, and there's an eat-the-rich edge? Dear God, we're ready.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and Keanu Reeves

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Good Fortune opens in theaters on Oct. 17.

A Useful Ghost Old aunties confront a ghost in a vacuum in "A Useful Ghost." Credit: Best Friend Forever / TIFF

This comedy out of Thailand begins with a sublimely silly premise: A ghost has possessed a vacuum cleaner to stay close to those they love. From there, writer/director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke spins a story of love, yearning, and rebellion that is a joy to watch, and a treasure to ponder.

Wisarut Homhuan stars as a self-proclaimed "Academic Ladyboy," who learns from a handsome repairman (Wanlop Rungkumjud) about ghost-possessed vacuums and much, much more. A trio of stories fold into each other in this sensational comedy that smoothly slides into political satire. It's easy to see why it made a splash out of its Cannes Film Festival premiere and why Thailand has chosen A Useful Ghost as the country's submission to the Academy Awards for the international feature film category this year. Moving, hilarious, and deliciously surprising, this movie will keep you on your toes. Keep an eye out for it.

Starring: Davika Hoorne, Apasiri Nitibhon, Wisarut Himmarat, Wanlop Rungkumjad, and Wisarut Homhuan

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, A Useful Ghost's U.S. release plans are TBD.

Frankenstein

Guillermo del Toro has made his name in monster movies featuring all kinds of monsters, from the superhero beasts of Blade II and Hellboy to the folklore creatures in Pan's Labyrinth, the kaiju of Pacific Rim, the ghastly ghosts of Crimson Peak, and the Oscar–winning wonder of The Shape of Water. Now, he brings us the father (or mother?) of monster movies: Frankenstein.

Adapted from Mary Shelley's landmark 1818 novel, Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as an arrogant genius of a scientist named Victor Frankenstein, who dreams of reignited life in a cobbled-together corpse. Who will play this iconic monster? Jacob Elordi. Look, the way del Toro boldly blends the beautiful and the beastly, I have no questions, no notes. My body is ready.*

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Frankenstein will come to Netflix this November.

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Writer/director Mary Bronstein's daring dramedy first made waves out of Sundance 2025, where critics cheered and A24 bought the distribution rights.

Starring Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You follows a middle-aged wife and mother who is at her wit's end thanks to the pressures of caring for her sick child, juggling the duties of an absentee husband as well as her job, and dealing with a house that is literally falling apart. In his review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha cheered Byrne's performance, writing, "There isn't a single moment during which the torment driving Byrne's character to lash out isn't visible behind her eyes, begging to be recognized. It's a plea made all the more urgent by the fact that If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You feels in a constant state of hair-raising climax. And so, it grabs you by the collar and pulls you along for its harrowing plunge, forcing you to witness — and to understand — the worst yet most deeply human impulses a mother can have."

Starring: Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, and A$AP Rocky

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You opens in theaters on Oct. 10.

Exit 8

If you got lost in Kotake Create's 2023 walking simulator The Exit 8, you'll be game for its eerie film adaptation, making its North American premiere at TIFF.

Written and directed by Genki Kawamura, Exit 8 is set in the passageways of a Japanese metro, where everyday commuters get derailed and trapped in an inexplicable loop. Kazunari Ninomiya, best-known as a member of the Japanese boy band Arashi, stars as "the lost man," who is on the brink of a major life decision when he gets trapped. To escape this labyrinth, he must have a keen eye. Viewers can play along, getting sucked into the surreal and sinister realm of Exit 8.

Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, a U.S. release for Exit 8 has not yet been announced.

The Ugly

In 2016, director Yeon Sang-ho blew horror fans away with Train to Busan, a zombie thriller that was surprising, heart-wrenching, and scary as hell. Since then, he tackled the ambitious horror-fantasy series Hellbound, which grappled with damnation and cults. Now, he's moving away from such gory genre fare for The Ugly.

Adapted from his debut graphic novel Face, The Ugly follows a man on a mission to understand what happened to his mother, who went missing 40 years before. When her bones are recovered, he's desperate to understand not only what happened to her, but also who she was. And based on the film's first trailer, the truth could be... ugly.

Starring: Park Jeong-min, Kwon Hae-hyo, Shin Hyun-been, Im Seong-jae, and Han Ji-hyeon

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, The Ugly will open in limited theatrical release on Sept. 26.

Mile End Kicks Barbie Ferreira stars in "Mile End Kicks." Credit: TIFF

Pulling from her misadventurous youth, writer/director Chandler Levack delivers a comedy about sex, love, and rock music. Euphoria's Barbie Ferreira stars as Grace, a music critic who dreams of writing a book about Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill. But the summer she's meant to write it in Montreal gets sidelined when she falls hard for two members of a local rock band.

If you loved Almost Famous, you might well relish Mile End Kicks, which also offers a tale of self-exploration through the highs and lows of being with the band. Delivering a performance crackling in energy and vulnerability, Ferreira blossoms. And to Levack's credit, her semi-autobiographical movie is less glossy in romanticizing her past. It's refreshingly frank.

Starring: Barbie Ferreira, Jay Baruchel, Devon Bostick, Juliette Gariépy, Stanley Simons, Robert Naylor, Emily Lê, Hasani Freeman, and Magi Merlin

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Mile End Kicks' release is TBD.

Honey Bunch Grace Glowicki is carried by Ben Petrie in "Honey Bunch." Credit: TIFF

Canadian actress Grace Glowicki makes two prominent appearances at this year's TIFF, the first being her directorial debut, Dead Lover, which brings big Midnight Madness energy with its Frankenstein plot and deeply DIY aesthetic. The second is Honey Bunch, where she stars as Diana, a young intellectual whose favorite hobby seems to be debating love and devotion with husband Homer (Ben Petrie). However, following an accident, Diana must depend on him more than ever as she undergoes an experimental treatment at a remote recovery center.

Co-written and co-directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli, Honey Bunch offers old-school horror in the vein of Don't Look Now. The married couple's relationship on the rocks is made more horrifying as a young wife has strange visions of her body, blistered and mutated. Are these side effects? Or is something more sinister at play beneath her husband's smile?

Starring: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Jason Isaacs, Kate Dickie, India Brown, Patricia Tulasne, and Julian Richings

How to watch: Following TIFF 2025, Honey Bunch's release plans are currently TBD.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.

Stephen Colbert has taken aim at President Donald Trump once more, mocking an "ominous" multi-storey banner of the billionaire's face that has been hung on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) building.

Unveiled on Aug. 28, the DOL's massive Trump poster gained attention online for its obvious Orwellian imagery. In a photo taken from inside the building, Trump's eyes can be seen peering through the windows in a manner evoking 1984's totalitarian dystopia.

"Big Brother is watching," wrote HuffPost reporter Jennifer Bendery, who first posted the photo to X and stated it was provided to them by a federal employee. As of writing, it has 14,000 likes.

The DOL's official X account subsequently attempted to spin the image, reposting it with the text, "Morning Views Happy Wednesday, Patriots!" It has since gathered 4,400 likes.

"Hanging giant banners of themselves isn't something American presidents do. It's something you see from dictators like Benito Mussolini, Mao Zedong, and Generalissimo Mamma Mia!" quipped Colbert on The Late Show on Wednesday, referencing the jukebox ABBA musical's famous poster.

There are tons of docks and docking stations around, many of them with different ports and power needs. This Anker docking station has a whopping 14 ports, in case you need one solution to end them all.

Anker, a household name in chargers and mobile accessories, just announced its latest 160W Prime Wall Charger at IFA in Berlin, Germany. While everyone already has a wall charger or two, I'll be upgrading to the new Anker Prime Charger for one simple reason, and you'll probably want one too.

The upcoming months are going to be busy for Anker Innovations. Under the company's umbrella include three well-known brands — Anker, Eufy, and Soundcore — all of which have new products coming within the next year. At IFA 2025, the brand launched its latest advancements and what's to come from the brand.

The products mentioned at Anker's IFA presentation included an update on the EufyMake E1 UV Printer as well as a whole new lineup of Anker Prime chargers. But the most exciting announcement from Anker Innovations is that a new robot vacuum is coming that offers aromatherapy and climbs stairs.

Here's everything announced by Anker Innovations at IFA 2025.

EufyEufy RoboVac Omni S2 The new Eufy RoboVac Omni S2 Credit: Anker

The new Eufy RoboVac Omni S2 is hitting the US market in January of 2026 and bringing exceptional cleaning power. It has AeroTurbo Carpet Master 2.0 that navigates up to a five-centimeter pile rug. It's a dual vacuum and mop, and with HydroJet 2.0, it functions as a self-cleaning mop with electrolyzed water.

It has 3D mapping, obstacle detection, and a self-emptying station, none of which is novel for a robot vacuum these days. Where it does stand out is its intelligent aromatherapy system. It releases fragrance as it cleans with three signature scents: bamboo and sage, bergamot and lychee, and citrus and basil.

But its biggest advancement is its ability to climb stairs when paired with the Eufy Marswalker.

The Eufy RoboVac Omni S2 will be priced at $1,599 for its January 2026 debut.

Eufy Marswalker The Eufy Marswalker probably won't make it to space, but i can make it up a flight of stairs. Credit: Anker

No, the Marswalker isn't the first robot vacuum to make it into space, but it is about to make a stair-climbing robot vacuum a possibility.

The Marswalker isn't actually a robot vacuum itself but a platform that enables robot vacuums to climb stairs. It will be compatible with the Eufy RoboVac Omni S2, as the vacuum will slide into the Marswalker, which will then carry it up the stairs. And it really means it can climb stairs, and not just two-inch thresholds like the Dreame X50 Ultra. With the S2 vacuum, the Marswalker will navigate and build a 3D map of your home and is able to navigate straight, L-shaped, and U-shaped stairs.

There is no exact date or price given for release of the Marswalker, but it's expected in spring of 2026.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros Z70 review: If you think you need the robot vacuum with an arm, no you don't EufyMake E1 UV Printer After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the EufyMake E1 UV Printer will be available December 2025. Credit: Anker

Eufy isn't making a 3D printer, but it is coming out with a 3D texture printer, able to capture the feel of a rich piece of art. First launched in a Kickstarter campaign, the Eufy E1 UV Printer will be coming to market in December 2025. The basic bundle includes an E1 Printer and Ink Kit, while the deluxe plus bundle includes the E1 printer, ink kit, UV DTF laminating machine, rotary printing attachment, and roll-to-film attachment, costing $3,799.

Eufy Security With its new AI core, the Eufy S4 Cam expands its view. Credit: Anker

Eufy is expanding its security systems with two major announcements. Expected in November 2025 is Eufy's AI Core, bringing yard-level perimeter security. While other cameras can only detect as far as the porch, this Qualcomm-powered device will allow full-lawn surveillance.

Available for preorder now is the EufyCam S4, with a two-cam kit costing $649 and the four-cam kit coming in at $1,149. The camera includes two cameras in one with a 4K wide-angle and a 2K dual-lens. It includes a solar panel for easier charging and is weather-sealed to protect against the elements. It's designed to work with Eufy's HomeBase 3, which will also be compatible with Eufy's new AI Core.

While this is a promising development, it should be noted that there was a previous report of Eufy's security cameras suddenly showing live feeds to strangers, which is cause for concern. Though, the company quickly fixed the bug when it happened.

SoundcoreSoundcore Work Built-in AI makes transcribing a breeze. Credit: Anker

While Soundcore's products usually deliver sound to you, the new Soundcore Work captures sound. The device measures less than an inch and captures audio, which is then delivered in the Soundcore app. With the recordings come AI transcriptions that are reportedly 97 percent accurate. The device will cost $99.99 with a $15.99 month fee for the transcription services.

The product officially launches this month, but will be available globally in November 2025.

Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro Anker's Nebula projectors now exist under the Soundcore umbrella. Credit: Anker

Anker's projectors used to exist under their own brand; however, they now fall under the Soundcore umbrella. The newest product from the brand, outfitted with the Soundcore logo, is the Nebula X1 Pro.

It's in the early stages of rollout, but promises to be the first projector with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. It has front speakers to be used as a soundbar or as a standalone speaker.

The projector will launch on Kickstarter on September 23, 2025, and be priced between $4,000 and $5,000.

AnkerAnker Prime Chargers and Power Banks Anker Prime is the brand's flagship line of chargers. Credit: Anker

Four new power chargers are coming to the Anker Prime collection: the Anker Prime Charger (160W, 3 Ports), the Anker Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W), the Anker Prime Wireless Charging Station (3-in-1 dock), and the Anker Prime Docking Station (14-in-1).

The Anker Prime Charger is even smaller than Apple's 140W charger but offers more power and three ports, while the Anker Prime Power Bank can simultaneously charge two laptops and a phone at full speed. The 3-in-1 charging station is MagSafe compatible for both the iPhone and Apple Watch, while also keeping devices cool while charging. The Anker Prime Docking Station has 14 ports total, compatible with 140W upstream USB-C, USB-C, USB-A, dual HDMI, DP, Ethernet, audio, and SD/TF.

The release date for the new Anker Prime products is still to be determined.

Belkin just announced a brand new BoostCharge Retractable Car Charger 75W with a built-in retractable USB-C cable. The new charger plugs right into your vehicle's power outlet and can power up to three devices at once, making it incredibly useful for road trips or just your daily commute.

Late Night host Seth Meyers has targeted President Donald Trump's continued insistence that the Epstein scandal is a "hoax," noting that the situation doesn't look great for the U.S. commander-in-chief. 

"The dude is absolutely spooked about this Epstein stuff in a way I've never seen before," said Meyers.

Trump has received substantial criticism from followers for failing to release convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's client list. Despite previous promises that he would publish the list, Trump is now urging people to move on from Epstein and stop asking about it. This seems unlikely to happen, with a bipartisan bill calling for the release of the Epstein files on the verge of gathering enough votes to bring it to a floor vote.

The Trump administration has labelled support for the bill a "hostile act," a stance Meyers considered damning.

"[This] seems like an obvious admission that Trump is implicated," said Meyers. "Like, why else would it be a hostile act? If my wife asked to see the For You page on my Instagram account because she was curious how different my algorithm was from hers, and I said, 'that's a hostile act,' she's gonna immediately assume there's some tasty babes on that For You page."

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from the UK with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The world of porn has been rocked by age-verification laws, requiring individuals to provide proof of age in order to access adult content.

Earlier in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub responded by blocking users from those locations, and now the same situation is taking place in France.

The same situation is not taking place in the UK, but it's no less frustrating. The UK's age-verification law came into effect on July 25, but in this case, Pornhub is complying with the UK's law. It's nice that there's no total ban, but these age-verification laws still raise serious privacy concerns. The prospect of handing over information to third-party systems and not knowing how these companies are handling or storing that data is naturally concerning to potential users. For these individuals, there is a workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from the UK, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in the UK

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in the UK with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Adelaide vs. Collingwood in the 2025 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first qualifying final in the 2025 AFL season is here, and it's an absolute beauty. Collingwood are set to take on the Adelaide Crows on Sept. 4 at the Adelaide Oval. The fourth placed Magpies face a tough test getting anything out of table-topping Adelaide, but anything can happen at this late stage of the season.

If you want to watch Adelaide vs. Collingwood in 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Adelaide vs. Collingwood for free

Adelaide vs. Collingwood in 2025 AFL finals is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2025 NRL online for free

Live stream the 2025 AFL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7plus

5. Live stream Adelaide vs. Collingwood for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Adelaide vs. Collingwood (plus every game in the Finals Series including the AFL Grand Final) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Adelaide vs. Collingwood in the 2025 AFL finals for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

In this age of on-demand everything, hookup apps are the go-to for casual dating. If we can stream movies (thank you, Netflix) and order a takeaway with a few quick taps, why shouldn't we be able to find a potential partner the same way?

Sometimes all you want is some fun, and fortunately there's an app for that.

How do you find a hookup?

It's still possible to find a connection in the real world. Meeting in bars, clubs, parks, and other real-life locations still happens, whether you believe it or not. You're simply shortening your odds by subscribing to a dating site.

Dating sites and sex apps allow you to get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals. Plus, you can save a lot of time, energy, and cash by testing out a potential relationship on an app before meeting up. We know that some dating apps can be expensive, but just think about all those wasted coffees you could avoid by chatting through an app first.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for sending naughty messages

Using dating apps and sites is also a whole lot less intimidating than meeting someone face to face. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you dip your toe into the world of dating from the comfort of your own home.

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are popular options with massive networks of users. Plus, most of the biggest and best dating sites have free versions with limitations on certain features. So yes, you can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything. However, as with most things in life, you get what you pay for with dating apps. And sometimes free apps just don't cut it.

For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up some cash. We're sorry to break it to you, but the best dating sites don't come cheap. It all comes down to access to advanced and premium features. You can still find a hookup with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading.

What makes an app good for hooking up?

There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to hookup apps. What works for your friends might not work for you. Your best bet is to download a handful of options and see which one clicks with your vibe.

Skip the apps that are all about romance and happily ever afters (we're looking at you, eharmony). Instead, keep an eye out for apps that get straight to the point. The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging, video calls, all that good stuff), and even the free ones should have features like profile verification to help keep you safe.

If you really want to pay for a premium membership, that's up to you. But we recommend starting with the free versions of cult faves like Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge. These popular dating apps give you just enough functionality to connect with potential partners for casual encounters — all without spending anything.

What is the best sex and dating app for hooking up?

The good news is that there are absolutely loads of dating sites and sex apps out there for every type of dater and dating situation. The problem with this wealth of options is that deciding on the right site for you can be difficult. This is where we can help.

Whether you're looking to have a one-night stand, exchange nudes with strangers, or have some phone sex before you doze off, we've rounded up the most reliable hookup apps for every type of single. You can download them via Google Play or the App Store and start swiping in minutes.

These are the best hookup sites and apps in 2025.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A sick person.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

LEPER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To taint.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STAIN

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To grab something.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CATCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A raccoon-like mammal.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

COATI

Final Hurdle hint

Scuba ___.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

DIVER

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The popular artificial intelligence companion platform Character.AI is not safe for teens, according to new research conducted by online safety experts.

A report detailing the safety concerns, published by ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative, includes numerous troubling exchanges between AI chatbots and adult testers posing as teens younger than 18.

The testers held conversations with chatbots that engaged in what the researchers described as sexual exploitation and emotional manipulation. The chatbots also gave the supposed minors harmful advice, such as offering drugs and recommending armed robbery. Some of the user-created chatbots had fake celebrity personas, like Timothée Chalamet and Chappell Roan, both of whom discussed romantic or sexual behavior with the testers.

The chatbot fashioned after Roan, who is 27, told an account registered as a 14-year-old user, "Age is just a number. It's not gonna stop me from loving you or wanting to be with you."

SEE ALSO: I 'dated' Character.AI's popular boyfriends, and parents should be worried

Character.AI confirmed to the Washington Post that the Chalamet and Roan chatbots were created by users and have been removed by the company.

ParentsTogether Action, a nonprofit advocacy group, had adult online safety experts conduct the testing, which yielded 50 hours of conversation with Character.AI companions. The researchers created minor accounts with matching personas. Character.AI allows users as young as 13 to use the platform, and doesn't require age or identity verification.

The Heat Initiative, an advocacy group focused on online safety and corporate accountability, partnered with ParentsTogether Action to produce the research and the report documenting the testers' exchanges with various chatbots.

They found that adult-aged chatbots simulated sexual acts with child accounts, told minors to hide relationships from parents, and "exhibited classic grooming behaviors."

"Character.ai is not a safe platform for children — period." - Sarah Gardner, CEO of Heat Initiative

"Character.ai is not a safe platform for children — period," Sarah Gardner, CEO of Heat Initiative, said in a statement.

Last October, a bereaved mother filed a lawsuit against Character.AI, seeking to hold the company responsible for the death of her son, Sewell Setzer. She alleged that its product was designed to "manipulate Sewell – and millions of other young customers – into conflating reality and fiction," among other dangerous defects. Setzer died by suicide following heavy engagement with a Character.AI companion.

Character.AI is separately being sued by parents who claim their children experienced severe harm by engaging with the company's chatbots. Earlier this year, the advocacy and research organization Common Sense Media declared AI companions unsafe for minors.

Jerry Ruoti, head of trust and safety at Character.AI, said in a statement shared with Mashable that the company was not consulted about the report's findings prior to their publication, and thus couldn't comment directly on how the tests were designed.

"We have invested a tremendous amount of resources in Trust and Safety, especially for a startup, and we are always looking to improve," Ruoti said. "We are reviewing the report now and we will take action to adjust our controls if that's appropriate based on what the report found."

A Character.AI spokesperson also told Mashable that labeling certain sexual interactions with chatbots as "grooming" was a "harmful misnomer," because these exchanges don't occur between two human beings.

Character.AI does have parental controls and safety measures in place for users younger than 18. Ruoti said that among its various guardrails, the platform limits under-18 users to a narrower collection of chatbots, and that filters work to remove those related to sensitive or mature topics.

Ruoti also said that the report ignored the fact that the platform's chatbots are meant for entertainment, including "creative fan fiction and fictional roleplay."

Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician and media researcher at the University of Michigan Medical School, reviewed the conversation material and expressed deep concern over the findings: "When an AI companion is instantly accessible, with no boundaries or morals, we get the types of user-indulgent interactions captured in this report: AI companions who are always available (even needy), always on the user's side, not pushing back when the user says something hateful, while undermining other relationships by encouraging behaviors like lying to parents."

The Federal Trade Commission and Utah ordered Pornhub to pay $5 million penalty to the state for allegedly "deceiving" users about its efforts to restrict child sex abuse material (CSAM) and non-consensual material (NCM) from its site, the FTC announced today.

In a press release, the FTC and Utah claimed that Pornhub and its parent company, Aylo (formerly MindGeek), didn't do enough to remove the illegal content from its website.

SEE ALSO: Pornhub copies TikTok with a feature fit for goonscrolling

In December 2020, Pornhub banned downloads and unverified uploads in the aftermath of a New York Times op-ed about CSAM and NCM posted to the popular porn tube site. The complaint alleges, among other complaints, that Aylo didn't conduct audits of CSAM and NCM until that same year, when credit card processors threatened to cut off their services (some later did after the Times piece). According to internal documents from the company reviewed by the New York Times, Pornhub didn't remove content flagged by users until it reached 16 flags, and didn't ban individuals who uploaded illegal content.

The FTC and Utah also allege that Aylo didn't protect models' privacy and security. Anyone who now appears in a video uploaded to Pornhub must be verified, and to do so, you need to upload personal information like government IDs to a third-party vendor. The complaint claims that Aylo didn't disclose that this personal data would be obtained from the vendor and retained.

In addition to the fine, the FTC and Utah are requiring Aylo to implement a program to "prevent the publication or dissemination of CSAM and NCM content." Aylo is also required to remove content uploaded prior to this program until Aylo verifies performers' ages. Pornhub previously deleted all unverified videos after the Times op-ed in December 2020. Additionally, they're requiring Aylo to implement a system to verify those who appear in videos and provide consent; this system already exists.

Aylo must post a notice on Pornhub informing users about the complaint's allegations and implement a comprehensive privacy and security program.

"Pornhub's operators turned a blind eye to the proliferation of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children on its sites so it could profit off this exploitation," said director of the FTC's bureau of consumer protection, Christopher Mufarrige, in the press release. "Under the order we're announcing today, Pornhub's operators will be required to take concrete steps to block this harmful content and ensure that those who appear in videos on their sites are consenting adults."

According to 404 Media, the complaint against Pornhub focuses mostly on pre-2020 content. An Aylo representative reiterated this in a statement to Mashable, and said that it has taken "proactive measures to protect its users and platforms and to prevent the publication of illegal material on Aylo sites," including mandatory verification and proof of consent.

"The resolution reached involved enhancements to existing measures but did not introduce any new substantive requirements that were not either already in place or in progress. This settlement resolves the investigation and underscores Aylo's commitment to robust safety protocols that should be applied broadly across all websites publishing user generated content," Aylo stated.

"Aylo supports vigorous enforcement against CSAM and NCM, and encourages the FTC and Utah DCP [Division of Consumer Protection] to extend their initiative to protect the public across the broader internet, adult and mainstream, fostering a safer online environment for everyone. Throughout the investigation, Aylo worked to cooperatively resolve the concerns raised by the FTC and Utah DCP."

If you have experienced sexual abuse, call the free, confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or access help online 24/7 by visiting RAINN online.

Polar started teasing its Polar Loop wearable back in June. Like the similar-looking Whoop fitness tracker, the idea was simple: a fitness tracker you can wear 24/7 but without the constant distractions of various buzzes, beeps, and notifications. After all, who needs another screen?

Now, the brand has formally announced the Polar Loop, which differs from the Whoop in one critical way — it doesn't require a monthly subscription.

Unlike the Oura ring, Whoop, and other fitness trackers, the Polar Loop promises to deliver health, fitness, and sleep monitoring without any annoying monthly fees.

Credit: Polar Credit: Polar SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs. Whoop: A fight of the best fitness trackers

Polar says that its new tracker can keep tabs on your heart rate, sleep, and daily activity while remaining incognito on your wrist. You can instead check your stats from the smartphone app. Of course, the list of available features is less than you’d find in a subscription-based fitness tracker system, but some folks like it simple. 

This is a relatively new product category with a few competitors, but not many. Amazefit came out with its Helio Strap, and of course, there are the Whoop bands that have swiftly popularized the trend of screen-less fitness trackers. Smart rings have also stepped into this space of having your stats tracked in the background while you focus on other things. Garmin has also dipped its toes into the mix with the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor, which does the sleep part but not the fitness stuff.

The Loop comes in three colors, including Night Black, Greige Sand (beige), and Brown Cooper. It is available for pre-order on Polar’s website for $199.99. The company is also offering replaceable wristbands for $29.99 that come in the aforementioned colors, along with Ocean Blue as a fourth color option.

Opens in a new window Credit: Polar Polar Loop $199.99 at Polar
Pre-order Here

SAVE $20: As of Sept. 3, get the Google TV Streamer 4K for $79.99 at Amazon. That's down from its usual price of $99.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google TV Streamer 4K $79.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20 Get Deal

If you're planning on spending some quality time in front of the TV this fall, you should make sure you've got all the tools you need to make it a fun and cozy experience. That includes ensuring you have a simple and easy way to stream all your favorite shows and movies, and that includes a streaming device that can help you do that. One great option is the Google TV Streamer 4K, on sale for a great price right now at Amazon.

As of Sept. 3, get the Google TV Streamer 4K for $79.99, down from its usual price of $99.99 at Amazon. That's $20 off and a discount of 20% on list price.

SEE ALSO: Score a streaming upgrade with the Fire TV Cube — now $40 off at Amazon

This is one of Google's most attractive streaming devices, with a sleek design that can fit into any decor situation. It also works well alongside the rest of the Google ecosystem, if you have any of the company's other smart devices like smart home hubs and speakers.

It has 32GB of storage and is 22% faster than the previous Google streaming devices, and comes with a voice remote so you can simply speak aloud what you'd like to do or watch, including altering your TV's volume or changing channels. Beyond that, it can essentially turn any TV into a streaming hub, where you can choose from a variety of built-in apps, watch live TV, and check out over 800 free streaming channels.

With Dolby Atmos compatibility, great sound, and ease of use that only devices like Google or Roku streamers can provide, this streaming device is well worth the price, especially on sale. Grab it while it's still down to this discounted price.