Technology

RadioShack. Modell's Sporting Goods. Pier 1 Imports. Dress Barn. Linens 'n Things.

What do they all have in common? These once well-known brick-and-mortar retail brands eventually hit hard times and were then acquired by Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), run by Tai Lopez and Alex Mehr.

Now, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is accusing Lopez and Mehr of running a $112 million Ponzi scheme, using these brands in order to defraud investors.

“REV’s primary business was identifying distressed companies with name brand recognition, raising funds from investors in order to purchase the brand’s assets, and converting them into successful e-commerce-only businesses,” reads the SEC's lawsuit. Lopez and Mehr first began acquiring struggling retail brand names in 2020. Between 2020 and 2022, Lopez and Mehr "made material misrepresentations" in order to raise money from hundreds of investors.

According to the SEC, REV claimed that its approach was "one of the best strategies you can invest in." The company also told investors that unlike other businesses, its portfolio of brands was "on fire" and "cash flow strong." In addition, REV promised investors that their funds would only be invested in the specified firm.

In reality, according to the SEC, while some of REV's portfolio of brands generated some revenue, none generated any profits.

"Consequently, in order to pay interest, dividends and maturing note payments, Defendants resorted to using a combination of loans from outside lenders, merchant cash advances, money raised from new and existing investors, and transfers from other portfolio companies to cover obligations," the SEC's complaint alleges.

"At least $5.9 million of the returns distributed to investors were, in reality, Ponzi-like payments funded by other investors,” says the SEC.

The SEC also says that Lopez and Mehr used at least $16 million in investment funds for their own personal use.

Mashable previously covered Lopez's acquisition of RadioShack after the company started posting viral "edgy" tweets on the social media platform then known as Twitter. Under Lopez's REV, RadioShack attempted to pivot to a cryptocurrency platform in 2022 while also setting up an ecommerce shop using the brand name.

Lopez should be well-known among YouTubers as the internet marketer who once filled the platform with video ads like "Here in My Garage," which features Lopez showing off his Lamborghini, in order to promote his "get rich quick" schemes. 

The SEC also names REV's Chief Operating Officer, Maya Burkenroad, in its lawsuit. Burkenroad was pitched to investors as an "experienced" manager who had run multi-million dollar companies for 10 years. In reality, she is Lopez's cousin who previously worked as his assistant.

Google is far and away the most dominant search engine on the planet, with an enormous share of the search engine market. Just because Google search is dominant, however, doesn't mean it's necessarily good. In fact, the opposite is true; the quality of Google search has been getting worse and worse, and it's possible to identify the moment when it all went wrong.

Almost a year to the day of its last price hike, Disney has decided to raise the prices once again for Disney+ and Hulu standalone plans, as well as bundles.

First of all, read the room, Disney. It's not the best time for Disney to be asking for more from us after the backlash over the Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspension led users to cancel their Disney+ and Hulu accounts in droves. But the multi-billion dollar media empire can do whatever it wants, so here we are.

This is Disney+'s fourth price hike in as many years, so we can't say we're surprised. It's just the latest streaming service to raise prices this year (Peacock jacked up its costs in July as well). Standalone Disney+ and Hulu plans with ads are rising $2 from $9.99 to $11.99 per month, while Disney+ Premium (no ads) is jumping from $15.99 to $18.99 per month. Bundle plans are also rising by $2 to $3.

Credit: Mashable When do the new prices go into effect?

There is some good news, at least: new pricing doesn't go into effect until Oct. 21. That means you still have time to lock in a deal (more on that below). If you're on a monthly plan, you'll be charged the new prices once your subscription renews after that date. If you're on a yearly plan, you won't be charged the new cost until the year is up. If you wish to cancel, just click on your profile icon, then account, then "manage my account." Click on subscription details and you'll see options to change, pause, or cancel your plan.

How to save on a Disney+ subscription

The best way to lock in the best cost on a Disney+ subscription is to sign up for an annual plan before the Oct. 21 deadline. Unfortunately, Disney+ doesn't offer an annual plan on its ad-supported tier, but it does offer an annual plan for its Premium tier. If you sign up now for a year of Disney+ Premium, it'll only cost you $159.99. That effectively saves you $30 right off the bat, as the price will jump to $189.99 in a few weeks. You’ll have to fork over the cash up front, but future you will thank you. That breaks down to just $13.33 per month, which is a pretty solid cost for ad-free streaming.

Opens in a new window Credit: Disney+ Disney+ Premium annual subscription $159.99/year (save $30 pre-price hike) Get Deal

If you're a Verizon Wireless or Total Wireless customer, you also have the opportunity to get a discounted (or free) subscription to Disney+. Verizon Wireless customers can save $6.99 per month (which will jump to $9.99 per month with the price hike) on the Disney Bundle through Verizon myPlan. Just add the Disney Bundle to your account through myPlan, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (all with ads). There's no word yet if Verizon will change the cost of the bundle, but as it stands, you'll only pay $10 for all three services.

Total Wireless customers on the $60 per month prepaid unlimited plan can enjoy Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free — no questions asked. That's a $15.99 per month (soon to be $18.99 per month) value tacked onto your phone plan for free. Just keep your account in good standing, and your Disney+ account will remain active.

Opens in a new window Credit: Verizon / Disney Disney Bundle: Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (with ads) $10/month through Verizon myPlan Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Total by Verizon Disney+ Premium Free with the Total by Verizon $60 plan Get Deal How to save on a Hulu subscription

Just like Disney+, the best way to lock in the best price on a Hulu subscription is to sign up for the yearly plan before the Oct. 21 deadline. Unlike Disney+, however, Hulu only offers a yearly plan for its cheaper ad-supported tier. The yearly plan will jump to $119.99 come October, but if you sign up soon, you'll only pay $99.99. That breaks down to only $8.33 per month, which is pretty major savings compared to the soon-to-be $11.99 monthly cost. Sure, you have to watch some ads here and there and pay upfront for a year, but the savings is totally worth it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $99.99/year (save $20 pre-price hike) Get Deal

If you're a T-Mobile customer on a Go5G Next or Experience Beyond plan, you can get Hulu for free — price hike be damned. Already on one of these plans? Just head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. You'll need to enter your T-Mobile number and account details in order to sign up for Hulu.

Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers Get Deal Other ways to save on Hulu and Disney+

There are a few other ways you can save on either a Hulu, Disney+, or bundle subscription. If you're a sports fan, you can sign up for the new ESPN Unlimited bundle for the promotional rate of $29.99 per month. It includes ESPN Unlimited, Disney+ with ads, and Hulu with ads, and locks you into that rate for an entire year. Of course, if you're not a sports fan, this would end up costing you. If you happen to be a Spectrum customer with TV Select, TV Select Signature or TV Select Plus service, you can get the Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited bundle for free.

If you're a student, you can also unlock savings on Hulu and Disney+. You can sign up for Hulu for only $1.99 per month for as long as you remain a student or save 15% on a Disney+ subscription through UNiDays. Either way, you'll have to prove your student status.

The best ways to save on Hulu and Disney+: Best Disney+ deal for most people Disney+ Premium annual subscription $159.99/year (save $30 pre-price hike) Get Deal Best Hulu deal for most people Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $99.99/year (save $20 pre-price hike) Get Deal Best for Verizon customers Disney Bundle: Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select (with ads) $10/month through Verizon myPlan (save $9.99/month with price hike) Get Deal Best for Total by Verizon customers Disney+ Premium free for Total by Verizon customers on the $60/month plan Get Deal Best for T-Mobile customers Hulu (with ads) Free for T-Mobile customers on the Experience Beyond and Go5G Next plans Get Deal Best for students Hulu (with ads) $1.99/month (save $10/month with price hike) Get Deal Best for students Disney+ (with ads) save 15% through UNiDays Get Deal Best for sports fans Disney Bundle: Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited (with ads) $29.99/month for one year Get Deal

Spooky season is right around the corner, meaning it's time to go pick up some pumpkins for carving or set up that gigantic 12-foot-tall skeleton on your front lawn. If you're looking for decorations for inside your house, Lego sets are excellent display pieces. Plus, who doesn't love a little project to work on when the weather starts to get a little colder?

Lego has a wide variety of Halloween-themed sets for those of us who love getting in the spooky spirit the second fall weather hits, whether you're an adult or kid. These include a set for The Nightmare Before Christmas, BrickHeadz figures of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will from Stranger Things, and even a delightful Hocus Pocus build.

SEE ALSO: Lego just revealed a jaw-dropping new Star Wars Death Star — the biggest-ever set launches in October

Below you can see a few of our favorites from Lego's Halloween-themed sets this year, but it's worth checking out the full Lego Halloween range to see everything they have available right now.

Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Credit: Lego

Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween or Christmas movie? I like to believe it's a bit of both, as I'd happily watch it during both points in the year, and Lego seems to agree as this set is included in their collection of Halloween Lego sets. Coming to 2,193 pieces and recommended for adults aged 18 and up, this set allows you to build three locations from the film: Spiral Hill, Jack Skellington’s house, and the Halloween Town Hall.

There's a variety of fun little details within it, and it even comes with eight characters to place in the town, including Jack Skellington, of course, Sally, Santa Clause, minifigures of Lock, Shock, and Barrel, a Zero the dog figure, and a figure of The Mayor with two faces. It looks like the set even comes with some Christmas decorations, so you can keep it up as a display going into the holidays, too.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas $199.99 at Lego
Shop Now Halloween Wreath Credit: Lego

If you're looking for a Halloween decoration that can be hung up in your home, this Halloween Wreath looks like a great build to pick up for spooky season. It's recommended for ages 12 and up, making it a great project for younger Lego fans to piece together, and comes with 617 pieces. The wreath itself features a large bat, pumpkins, a ghost, and spider webs, alongside various plants and flowers around the edges, making it an excellent display piece to have up throughout the month.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Halloween Wreath $39.99 at Lego
Shop Now Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters' Cottage Credit: Lego

For those who make Hocus Pocus an annual watch every Halloween (same, honestly), this Lego set of the Sanderson Sisters' Cottage is a great display piece to have set up through October. While it's recommended for ages 18 and up, younger fans can piece it together with the help of someone older if it's caught their eye. It comes with 2,316 pieces that create the cottage — which is filled with plenty of fun details on the inside — with a little gate and graveyard.

Of course, it also comes with minifigures of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, Max and Dani Dennison, and Allison Watts alongside a Thackery Binx cat figure to complete the set.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Disney Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters' Cottage $229.99 at Lego
Shop Now Jack-O'-Lantern Pickup Truck Credit: Lego

For younger Lego fans, this Jack-O'-Lantern Pickup Truck set is a delightful build to work on over the Halloween season. It's recommended for ages eight and up and comes with 177 pieces that create the pickup truck and the giant carved pumpkin that's placed in the back. It even comes with a farmer minifigure to drive it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Jack-O'-Lantern Pickup Truck $14.99 at Lego
Shop Now Haunted Mansion Credit: Lego

The Haunted Mansion set is recommended for slightly older Lego fans than the Jack-O'-Lantern Pickup Truck — ages nine and up rather than eight — and comes with 736 pieces. It's a three-in-one set that allows you to build either a haunted house, a haunted ship, or a haunted train set that comes with a platform, so you have a variety of options to piece together for the season. It also comes with five minifigures that are perfect for Halloween: a werewolf, a vampire, a ghost with a glow-in-the-dark cape, Frankenstein’s monster, and a skeleton.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Haunted Mansion $89.99 at Lego
Shop Now Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will Figures Credit: Lego

With the final season of Stranger Things set to arrive this year, there's no better time to revisit the show and start a rewatch. Lego has a fun set to build while watching, offering BrickHeadz figures of Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will from season one of the show that are currently available to preorder and set to be released on Oct. 1. It's a set that's recommended for ages 10 and up, and comes with 542 pieces.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will Figures $39.99 at Lego
Shop Now Wednesday Addams Figure Credit: Lego

If The Addams Family and/or Wednesday are on your Halloween season watchlist, this Lego set of Wednesday Addams is well worth checking out. Especially now that it's on sale at the Lego store for 30% off. Coming with 702 pieces, and recommended for those aged 10 and up, this set features a posable Wednesday model whose head, arms, and feet move. She even comes with two different faces and outfits, so you can have her in the Rave’N Dance dress or her uniform from the show.

Alongside a variety of accessories and a Thing figure, this set also comes with a stand for Wednesday to be placed on that has two lockable drawers within it for storage.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Wednesday Addams Figure $34.99 at Lego
$49.99 Save $15 Shop Now Hogwarts Castle and Grounds Credit: Lego

If you're searching for a nice challenge to work on through the month of October, this Lego set of Hogwarts Castle and its grounds is sure to keep you busy. It comes with 2,660 pieces (and is recommended for adults ages 18 and up) which build Hogwarts Castle, including the Main Tower, Astronomy Tower, Great Hall, courtyards, bridges, greenhouses, Boathouse, and the Black Lake.

This set also comes with cool little details like the Durmstrang Ship, the Beauxbatons Carriage, the Ford Anglia stuck in the branches of the Whomping Willow, a Hogwarts architect minifigure, and a Hogwarts Castle nameplate to fully complete the display.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Hogwarts Castle and Grounds $169.99 at Lego
Shop Now Gremlins: Gizmo Credit: Lego

Gremlins is another one of those movies that can be watched during both Halloween and Christmas, but since this set is releasing on Oct. 1, there's no better time to work on it than during spooky season. The Gremlins: Gizmo set is recommended for ages 18 and up and comes with 1,125 pieces that creates adorable little Gizmo with a set of brick-built 3D glasses. He can be assembled to either be standing up or sitting down and has a posable head, ears, arms, hands, fingers, and feet. He even comes with a little water splash element that can be attached to his back.

This Lego set is currently available to preorder for $109.99 and is set to be released on Oct. 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Gremlins: Gizmo $109.99 at Lego
Shop Now

TL;DR: Get a refurbished MacBook Air for $189.97 (reg. $999) — ideal as a second laptop for the kids, travel, or everyday basics.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch 2017 (Refurbished) $189.97
$999 Save $809.03 Get Deal

Your “extra laptop” doesn’t have to come from a random brand you’ve never heard of. If you want a reliable second computer for your kids, travel, or just keeping up with bills and online shopping, this refurbished Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch (2017) is a smart choice — especially at just $189.97 with free shipping.

It may not be Apple’s newest release, but the 2017 MacBook Air still delivers where it counts. With a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD storage, and 12-hour battery life, it’s more than capable of handling the daily stuff: browsing, streaming, emails, spreadsheets, homework, and beyond.

SEE ALSO: Amazon has knocked the 15-inch 2025 MacBook Air M4 back down to its lowest-ever price

And since it runs macOS, you’re not sacrificing familiarity or ecosystem perks — you’re staying firmly in Apple territory.

Here’s what you’re really getting:

• 13.3-inch display with crisp 1440×900 resolution

• Intel Core i5 (1.8GHz) for smooth multitasking

• 128GB SSD storage for files, apps, and downloads

• Wi-Fi + Bluetooth for easy connectivity

• Intel HD Graphics 6000 for sharp streaming and visuals

• 12-hour battery life to keep you powered all day

This unit comes with a Grade A/B refurb rating, which means it’s in excellent working condition with only light cosmetic signs of use (if any).

Grab this refurbished MacBook Air while it’s on sale for $189.97 (reg. $999) with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Pay once, own Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business forever. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote — all for $169.97 (reg. $249.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC: Lifetime License $169.97
$249.99 Save $80.02 Get Deal

When it comes to your productivity, time, and business, outdated tools shouldn’t be slowing you down. Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business is here to make sure you stay sharp — with the latest apps, smart AI features, and seamless collaboration — all for a one-time price of $169.97 (reg. $249.99).

That means no monthly subscription fees, no renewals, no “trial expired” messages. Just a lifetime license to the latest version of Microsoft Office, ready to install on your Mac or PC.

• Word 2024: Create polished reports and documents with new Focus Mode and Smart Compose.

• Excel 2024: Analyze data faster with dynamic arrays, AI-powered insights, and improved speed.

• PowerPoint 2024: Record presentations with voice, video, and captions for remote work.

• Outlook 2024: Smarter search and improved accessibility for easier inbox control.

• OneNote 2024: Organize notes and ideas with a refreshed, unified interface.

Office 2024 isn’t just a facelift. You’ll see faster performance across apps, improved accessibility, and smarter collaboration. AI now helps you write cleaner, analyze data more effectively, and even suggest design ideas for presentations. Plus, with built-in Teams integration, real-time co-authoring, and version history, working together is simpler than ever.

For professionals, small business owners, or anyone who needs reliable tools to stay ahead, this suite delivers both power and peace of mind. It’s also fully optimized for Mac and PC, so whichever device you prefer, your workflow just got an upgrade.

Get a lifetime of Office 2024 Home & Business while it’s still $169.97 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that facilitates the sale of TikTok to a group of American investors. So, is TikTok officially off the chopping block in the United States? Not quite. Technically, the deal still hasn't been finalized, according to CNN.

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the TikTok deal so far

The executive order declares that the TikTok deal meets the requirements of a 2024 law that banned TikTok from operating in the United States. Moving forward, data for U.S. users would be managed by Oracle, and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has said that the U.S. algorithm would also be controlled domestically. In addition, Vice President JD Vance said the deal values the U.S. TikTok assets at $14 billion, per Deadline.

In addition to Oracle, the new consortium of owners could include Oracle head Larry Ellison, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, and Fox Corp.

This comes after years of Trump posturing and signing executive orders to hold off the Biden-era ban, which also took years of posturing and debating.

ByteDance, TikTok's Chinese parent company, has been on a timeline to either find a new owner or get banned in the U.S. due to security reasons. Trump has signed executive orders to extend the deadline time and time again. Finally, after talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the leaders struck a deal.

Just installed Linux on an old PC and want to know how to you can make the most of it? Or maybe you want to do more in the terminal? I've gathered some free and open source software for Linux that's worth an install this weekend.

AI is slowly becoming integral to many operating systems, including Windows. Copilot and Windows Recall are two of the main AI features available on Windows PCs. But what if you want your Windows computer to be free of these AI features? In that case, you can use Flyoobe to install Windows 11 without any AI components.

ChatGPT Pro users have a new way to feed their data to the machine.

OpenAI's flagship product got a new feature this week called ChatGPT Pulse, as outlined in a company blog post. Pulse is available as a preview now for ChatGPT Pro users on mobile only.

ChatGPT Pulse takes your chat history and, if you feel up to it, your Gmail and Google Calendar data and synthesizes it all into a daily set of personalized updates for your perusal. If you have a trip to London, it'll offer tips for fun things to do there, according to an example screenshot in the blog post.

SEE ALSO: Colleges are giving students ChatGPT. Is it safe? An example of what Pulse can do. Credit: OpenAI

According to OpenAI, this is meant to be a quick hub you glance at in the morning, not necessarily something you check throughout the day. That said, it seems like you can turn any of its recommendations into chat topics, if you want. It should also be noted that connecting Gmail and Calendar to Pulse seems to be optional, in case you're not a fan of OpenAI having that much of your personal data on hand.

AI-powered personal daily digests aren't necessarily new, as the latest flagship phones from Google and Samsung offer their own built-in versions of this sort of thing. A platform-agnostic version that can theoretically work on any smartphone while referencing ChatGPT conversation data could be a winner for some people, though, especially those on iOS.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

You'd be forgiven for not knowing it, but Nothing had a budget sub-brand, CMF, that sold a few budget-friendly products. It will now continue its life as an independent brand, so now we have a new smartphone company.

Grand Tourers on a budget. The more I engage with that question, the more examples I find that could meet that need. (Most of these) cars were built strong in a time to meet strict quality requirements and were built to last. Sure, the clientele demanded high quality cars, but those same buyers have long since moved on. This abandonment means that there are quality-built GTs that still exist out there, some occupying second-hand dealer lots or having been traded in search of a new appreciative owner. One who will breathe new life into them. And in return, be rewarded with a few more years of enjoyment.

If you have ever accidentally signed up for Amazon Prime when checking out, or had a ridiculously hard time trying to cancel, you could be getting some money back soon. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is forcing Amazon to pay members back for the unnecessary difficulties with its memberships.

The latest Blink Mini 2 security camera is now available for an impressive 50% discount. This excellent deal slashes the price to just $20 on Amazon, which is a massive drop from its usual $40 price tag. This low price gives you a new security camera with a built-in spotlight and color night vision.

Amazon has agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which took Amazon to court over allegedly "deceptive" Prime membership signups, the regulatory agency announced Thursday. Amazon was accused of violating both the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA).

Per the terms of the settlement, Amazon will pay a $1 billion civil penalty and provide $1.5 billion in refunds to an estimated 35 million customers. If every one of those customers received an equal amount, they would be entitled to a refund of $42.86.

In its suit, the FTC alleged that Amazon used deceptive practices to sign up customers for its signature Prime membership program. Not only that, but the FTC argued that Amazon trapped customers by making it excessively difficult to cancel those memberships, even likening the cancellation process to a Homeric odyssey.

When the settlement was announced, Amazon was on the third day of a jury trial in a federal court in Seattle. Ultimately, a jury could have awarded even more damages or harsher fines. In 2024, Amazon facilitated $638 billion in sales, resulting in net income of $59.2 billion, facts that were unlikely to win a jury's sympathy.

The FTC lawsuit was originally brought under the Biden administration in 2023, but FTC leaders were quick to credit the Trump administration for the large settlement.

"Today, the Trump-Vance FTC made history and secured a record-breaking, monumental win for the millions of Americans who are tired of deceptive subscriptions that feel impossible to cancel," said FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson in a press release. "The evidence showed that Amazon used sophisticated subscription traps designed to manipulate consumers into enrolling in Prime, and then made it exceedingly hard for consumers to end their subscription. Today, we are putting billions of dollars back into Americans’ pockets, and making sure Amazon never does this again."

In addition to the $2.5 billion settlement, Amazon also agreed to make specific changes to its Prime membership sign-up and cancellation process.

According to the FTC, Amazon agreed to include "a clear and conspicuous button for customers to decline Prime." In addition, "Amazon can no longer have a button that says, 'No, I don’t want Free Shipping.'"

The company must also create a simple way to cancel Prime memberships, which "cannot be difficult, costly, or time-consuming and must be available using the same method that consumers used to sign up." Finally, Amazon agreed to pay for a third-party monitor to ensure compliance with these agreements and the refund distribution.

Meta announced today (Sept. 25) that it would be expanding its youth safety feature, Teen Accounts, to Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram users around the world — a move that will place hundreds of millions of teens under the company's default safety restrictions. 

The tech giant has spent the last year overhauling Teen Accounts, including placing limitations on communication and account discovery, filtering explicit content, and shutting down the option to go Live for users under the age of 16. 

Meta has labelled Teen Accounts a "significant step to help keep teens safe" and a tool that brings parents "more peace of mind." But some child safety experts feel the feature is an even emptier promise than previously thought. 

SEE ALSO: Colleges are giving students ChatGPT. Is it safe?

A new report also released today accuses Meta's Teen Accounts and related safety features of "abjectly failing" to keep users safe. The report, titled "Teen Accounts, Broken Promises" found that many of the features core to the Teen Account ecosystem — including Sensitive Content Controls, tools that prevent inappropriate contact, and screentime features — did not work as advertised. The analysis was conducted by Cybersecurity for Democracy and Meta whistleblower Arturo Béjar and based out of New York University and Northeastern University. The report was published in partnership with child advocacy groups based in the U.S. and UK, including Fairplay, Molly Rose Foundation, and ParentsSOS.

"We hope this report serves as a wake-up call to parents who may think recent high-profile safety announcements from Meta mean that children are safe on Instagram," the report reads. "Our testing reveals that the claims are untrue and the purported safety features are substantially illusory."

Meta safety tools don't stand up to real-world pressure, expert says 

Researchers based their tests on 47 out of 53 safety features listed by Meta and that are visible by users. Thirty of the tested tools — that's 64 percent — were given a red rating, which indicates that the feature was discontinued or entirely ineffective. Nine of the tools were found to reduce harm but came with limitations (yellow). Only eight of the 47 tested safety features were found to be working effectively to prevent harm (green), according to researchers.

For example, early tests showed adult accounts were still able to message teen users, despite Meta's measures to prevent unwanted contact, and teens could message adults that didn't follow them. Similarly, DMs with explicit bullying were able to slip past messaging restrictions. Teen Accounts were still recommended sexual and violent content, and content featuring self-harm. Researchers found there weren't effective ways to report sexual messages or content.

The research relied on realistic user scenario testing to simulate how predators, parents, and teens themselves actually use platforms, explained Cybersecurity for Democracy co-director Laura Edelson. "For many of the risk scenarios that we are talking about, the teen is seeking out the risky content. That is a normal thing that any parent of a teen knows is, frankly, developmentally appropriate. This is why we parents parent, why we set up guardrails," said Edelson. But Meta's approach to addressing this behavioral tendency is ineffective and misinformed, she told Mashable in a press briefing. 

"If a teen needs to experience extortion in order to report, the damage is already done," added Béjar. He compared Meta's role as that of a car manufacturer, tasked with making a vehicle that's equipped with robust safety measures like airbags and brakes that do what they're supposed to do. Parents and their teens are the drivers, but "the car is not safe enough to get in."

"What Meta tells the public is often very different from what their own internal research shows," alleged Josh Golin, executive director of nonprofit kids advocacy organization Fairplay. "[Meta] has a history of misrepresenting the truth."

In statement to the press, Meta wrote: 

“This report repeatedly misrepresents our efforts to empower parents and protect teens, misstating how our safety tools work and how millions of parents and teens are using them today. Teen accounts lead the industry because they provide automatic safety protections and straightforward parental controls.

The reality is teens who were placed into these protections saw less sensitive content, experienced less unwanted contact, and spent less time on Instagram at night. Parents also have robust tools at their fingertips, from limiting usage to monitoring interactions. We’ll continue improving our tools, and we welcome constructive feedback – but this report is not that.”

Maurine Molak of David’s Legacy Foundation and ParentsSOS and Ian Russell of the Molly Rose Foundation signed on to the report as well — both of their children died by suicide following extensive cyberbullying. Parents around the world have expressed alarm at the growing role of technology, including AI chatbots, in teen mental health. 

Advocates debate the role of federal regulators

In April, Meta announced it was shifting its youth safety focus to bolstering Teen Accounts, following a year of federal scrutiny over its role in the youth mental health crisis. "We're going to be increasingly using Teen Accounts as an umbrella, moving all of our [youth safety] settings into it" said Tara Hopkins, global director of public policy at Instagram, told Mashable at the time. 

Many tech companies have leaned on the importance of parent and teen education as they simultaneously launch platform features, offering training and information hubs for parents to sift through. Experts have criticized these as placing an undue burden on parents, rather than tech companies themselves. Hopkins previously explained to Mashable that Meta's automatic tools, including AI age verification, are designed to take that pressure off of parents and caregivers. But "parents aren’t asking for a pass, they are just asking for the product to be made safer," Molak said. 

Child safety nonprofits like Common Sense Media had long criticized the company's slow-to-launch safety measures, calling Teen Accounts a "splashy announcement" made to cast themselves in a better light before Congress. After the roll out of Teen Accounts, other studies by safety watchdogs found that teens were still exposed to sexual content. Meta later removed over 600,000 accounts linked to predatory behavior. Most recently, Meta made interim changes to Teen Accounts that limit their access to the company's AI avatars, following reports they could engage in "romantic or sensual" conversations with teen users. 

While child safety advocates agree on the pressing need for better safety measures online, many disagree on the extent of federal oversight. Some of the report's authors, for example, are calling for the passing of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), legislation that has become a divisive symbol of free speech and content moderation. The report also recommends the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general evoke the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and Section V of the FTC Act to pressure the company into action. UK-based participants urge leaders to strengthen the 2023 Online Safety Act. 

Just two weeks ago, Meta whistleblower Cayce Savage called for outside regulators to step in and evaluate Meta during a testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. 

"More research into social media user safety tools is urgently needed. Our findings show that many protections are ineffective, easy to circumvent, or have been quietly abandoned," the report authors write. "User safety tools can be so much better than they are, and Meta’s users deserve a better, safer product than Meta is currently delivering to them."

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

UPDATE: Sep. 25, 2025, 3:34 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Josh Golin's name.

The Raspberry Pi 500 was the first Pi computer with an integrated keyboard, and now there’s an upgraded model to get excited about. The new Raspberry Pi 500+ has arrived with a higher-quality mechanical keyboard, better internal hardware, and all-important RGB lights.

Huge news for anyone who likes fast, long-lasting computers (which should be most people): Qualcomm announced new Snapdragon X2 Elite chips on Wednesday at its 2025 Snapdragon Summit in Maui, Hawaii. The upgraded Snapdragon X2 Elite and the all-new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme are set to supercharge next-generation Windows laptops starting next year.

What's the big deal? You may recall that Qualcomm made a splash in mid-2024 when it released its first-gen Snapdragon X series chips, the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus. They were all-new ARM-based alternatives to Intel and AMD's well-established x86 options that wound up delivering impressive processing power and power efficiency. (The Snapdragon X chip, a third variant for budget-friendly laptops, arrived in early 2025.)

SEE ALSO: Google and Qualcomm execs confirm Android for PC is coming: 'I've seen it, it is incredible'

The original X Elite chip, in particular, fuels some of the best Windows laptops we've tested over the past year, offering all-day battery life without sacrificing zippy performance in thin-and-light machines. It's even managed to compete with the M-series silicon in Apple's MacBooks, which had been leaving Windows laptops in the dust for some years.

For reference, Mashable's current favorite Windows laptop, the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 with an X Elite chip under its hood, is just as fast as the overachieving M4 MacBook Air. What's more, the Surface Laptop 7 lasted almost 23 hours on a single charge in our battery life benchmark — that's two hours longer than the 16-inch, M4 Pro-powered MacBook Pro, our reigning battery life champ among Apple laptops.

Two newer Intel-based Windows laptops have scored higher than the Surface Laptop 7 in our performance benchmark, but neither lasted more than 12 hours at a time.

The Snapdragon X Elite-powered Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, our top Windows laptop, has speed and stamina for days. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Succinctly put, the first-gen Snapdragon X chips have set a massive precedent for their successors — and Qualcomm claims they'll live up to the hype.

"With superior performance, multi-day battery life and groundbreaking AI, these new processors are the fastest, most powerful and efficient processors for Windows PCs," a company press release reads.

To quickly cover some more granular spec details, Qualcomm says its X2 Elite series chips will pack up to 18 CPU cores, or six more than the standard X Elite and up to 10 more than the X Plus. The beefy X2 Elite Extreme, which is geared toward intensive workloads involving agentic AI experiences, huge datasets, and multimedia editing, supposedly offers "up to 75% faster CPU performance than competition at ISO power" (i.e., when compared to another chip with the same amount of juice).

When stacked up against the previous-gen X series chips, the X2 Elite Extreme is said to boast up to 50 percent faster CPU performance at ISO power, while the X2 Elite will be up to 31 percent faster. Both new chips will consume 43 percent less power than their predecessors, Qualcomm says.

SEE ALSO: What is a Copilot+ PC? Everything to know about these AI laptops.

The X2 Elite series chips will also have new Adreno GPU architecture with 2.3 times better power efficiency compared to the OG chips, plus a neural processing unit (NPU) with 80 TOPS (trillions of operations per second, an AI performance metric). That should make for some of the most capable Copilot+ PCs ever.

Qualcomm said laptops featuring the X2 Elite chips are slated to arrive in the first half of 2026, so keep an eye out if you're due for an upgrade soon.

Get paid to record your phone calls and hand them over to third parties? It may seem a bit dystopian, but this app has quickly risen to the top of the App Store charts.

Neon Mobile is a new app for iOS and Android devices that's quickly growing in popularity, at least according to the mobile app charts. On Apple's App Store, Neon is currently sitting at number 2 for free Social Networking apps and is in the number 4 position in the top rankings of all free apps in the App Store.

But, what is Neon and why are so many people downloading it? Here's what you need to know.

What is Neon?

It's simple: Neon records users' phone calls and then pays them for it.

Why does Neon want to record your phone calls? That's simple too: To collect your data to sell to third-parties. 

Neon is quite open about what they're using it for too. On Neon's website, the app makers say that they sell your anonymized data to "companies training AI." Neon says it removes all personal information so there's nothing identifiable being handed over to these AI companies.

Neon's pitch to users is also pretty straightforward. 

"Telecom companies are profiting off your data, and we think you deserve a cut," Neon's website says.

According to Neon, the app only records the Neon users' side of the call. The person that the Neon user calls is not recorded, unless they are also a Neon user too.

Neon pays users 15 cents per minute when they talk to a non-Neon user and pays 30 cents per minute when talking to another Neon user. Neon users can make a maximum of $30 per day from calls and an unlimited amount of money from referring people to Neon. Each referral pays $30.

To hit that $30 per day maximum for making calls, a user would need to talk to Neon users for 100 minutes per day or talk with non-Neon users for 200 minutes per day.

Is Neon legit?

Neon appears to have raised money from Upfront Ventures, according to Neon founder Alex Kiam. As TechCrunch points out, the company seems to be run out of a New York City apartment. This alone isn't a reason to be skeptical. Many startups have been run out of small living spaces before.

However, there are some red flags. Neon Mobile doesn't provide much information about the company on its website. In fact, Alex Kiam simply refers to himself as "Alex" on the site.

The company also simply promises to keep your private and identifiable information safe on a "trust us" basis. However, there's not many details surrounding Neon or their processes to keep that information anonymous that enables that trust.

The reviews for Neon on the App Store and Google Play store are also mixed, with users reporting problems using the app or receiving their payout. It's unclear, however, if those are issues being experienced by just a few individual users or if it's more widespread.

TechCrunch also noticed that Neon's privacy policy and terms has users giving away much more than they might have thought they were when signing up for the app. For example, Neon grants itself the following rights to your content:

…worldwide, exclusive, irrevocable, transferable, royalty-free, fully paid right and license (with the right to sublicense through multiple tiers) to sell, use, host, store, transfer, publicly display, publicly perform (including by means of a digital audio transmission), communicate to the public, reproduce, modify for the purpose of formatting for display, create derivative works as authorized in these Terms, and distribute your Recordings, in whole or in part, in any media formats and through any media channels, in each instance whether now known or hereafter developed.

Neon also carves out exceptions for its guarantees to users regarding any beta features due to the fact that they might contain bugs.

In addition, Neon is offering conflicting payout information. On the App Store, Neon's description claims that the company pays 45 cents per recording phone call minute and $25 per referral. This runs counter to the 30 cents per minute payment the $30 per referral as detailed on its website.

Users should proceed with caution regarding Neon until more is known about the company. And, even then, the company's purpose is to sell your recorded phone calls to companies for AI training. Users should consider if that's worth the price they're being paid.

Editor's note: Currently, many DJI products are unavailable in the United States through official retailers, but they can still be purchased via third-party sellers on platforms like Amazon.

You know the saying that people eat with their eyes first? I'm convinced most people watch videos with their ears first. Without good quality audio, even the most visually stunning video can fall flat.

Admittedly, finding the right mic can be a lot harder than picking out a content-worthy camera (which, for most people, can be found right on their phone). Then there's the fact that a portable mic can run you anywhere from $10 to well over $400, making it challenging to know where to invest. However, after testing out the DJI Mic Mini for weeks and watching it in action with Mashable's social media team, I'm convinced it's one of the best upgrades for content creators.

DJI Mic Mini $109 at Amazon
$169 Save $60 Shop Now What makes the DJI Mic Mini different

DJI has made a name for itself in the creator space thanks to gadgets like the Osmo Pocket 3, but if you pay a little extra attention, you'll notice how many creators on TikTok use the brand's pocket mics. DJI's mic selection includes the newly-released DJI Mic 3, the Mic Mini, and the Mic 2, though the latter will be phased out following the release of the Mic 3.

The DJI Mic Mini setup, in its charging case. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

While all three mics have their pros, at the time of writing, the Mic Mini is one of the best sellers in the musical instruments category on Amazon. (The other two mics don't even show up in the top 50 listings.)

What makes it so popular? For starters, it retails for $169, compared to the $349 Mic 2 and $329 Mic 3. In the past few weeks, it's even been hovering around a $109 price point. With that price discrepancy, there is somewhat of a tradeoff in performance: the Mic Mini doesn't have the 32-bit depth of the more expensive models (meaning it captures less of an audio range), nor can it capture recordings internally.

However, for under $170 ($110 if you can grab it on sale), here's what you get:

• Two transmitters (mics) and one receiver

• Up to 48 hours of battery life with the charging case

• A USB-C phone adapter for the receiver

• Level metrics visible on the receiver to ensure audio isn't peaking

• Two clip magnets, four windscreens for the mics

• Companion app with features like noise cancellation, mono/stereo recording, and clipping control

• Carrying case

Who should get the DJI Mic Mini

If you need any degree of portability with your mic setup, the DJI Mic Mini offers a lot of versatility, and for a great value. That makes it a solid option for making vlogs and TikToks, and for anyone who feels less than confident with their tech skills — once I plugged the receiver into my phone, the mics connected easily and started working with the camera app automatically. It's also possible to use the DJI Mimo app to track the audio levels on your phone and adjust some mic settings, but not necessary if you prefer the mic to plug and play.

The DJI Mismo app allows for audio level monitoring and settings adjustment. Credit: DJI / Screenshot Credit: DJI / Screenshot How the DJI Mic Mini sounds

During my testing period, I tried my best to put the Mic Mini through the wringer, bringing it to a park near a busy street on a windy day, as well as recording myself while my boyfriend played piano in the next room over (with just one closed door separating us).

SEE ALSO: DJI has a new mini drone coming soon — and you can't have it

The Mic Mini impressed me in both situations, showing its prowess over the $20 miniature mics you can grab on Amazon. With and without the noise-cancelling feature, the mic picked up my voice while barely picking up the sound of wind — birds and car engines were lost in many cases. To my surprise, the mic also somehow avoided picking up the piano playing, despite the fact that I was recording about 20 feet away from my partner.

The receiver (usually plugged into a device) allows you to see which mics are active and adjust the audio gain in increments of six from -12dB to 12db. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

It also shone in even noisier settings. During Mashable's trip to VidCon, we used the DJI Mic Mini when interviewing the inaugural Hall of Fame inductees — despite being surrounded by other outlets conducting interviews and in an echoey convention center hall, the audio came through crisp and clear.

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DJI Mic Mini vs. Mic 2

So who might not be jazzed with this mic? Anyone who's looking for something especially professional-grade might prefer either of DJI's more expensive offerings. Don't get me wrong, the Mic Mini sounds great enough to use as a full-time content creator, but its limited size means you can't save audio internally like the Mic 2 and 3.

Beyond that, the audio won't sound quite as good as the more expensive mics due to its more limited 24-bit depth, and there's no option to connect it to a lavalier mic as there is with the Mic 2, which can be useful for applications where you want to hide the mic as much as possible. It's still great for a lot of situations, it's just not a perfect catch-all.

Outside of pocket mics, if you generally record audio in a stationary position, like at a desk for a livestream or recording setup for a podcast, you might prefer to invest in a USB or XLR microphone.

Lightning port owners, beware

As happy as I am to sing the DJI Mic Mini's praises, I do have a warning for anyone out there who still has a Lightning port on their phone. The Mic Mini only comes with a USB-C phone adapter for the receiver. This means you have to purchase the DJI Lightning port adapter, which is an additional $19 and is often sold out. As an iPhone 14 owner, I couldn't use the mics until DJI sent me an adapter to test out.

Again, there's no internal storage on this mic — without a plugged-in receiver, the audio you're recording on the mics won't transmit to your device, even if they're connected via Bluetooth, making them technically useless. While I did read some Reddit posts about workarounds with third-party apps, this mic is $169, so it would be annoying not to use it as the plug-and-play mic it's intended to be.