Technology

Snap and other social media platforms have joined a diverse group backing the controversial Take It Down Act, intended to tackle the ongoing spread of non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and deepfakes online.

"This law is a critical step not only in helping to protect people from having their private images shared without permission, but also in limiting the distribution of AI-generated intimate images that can be just as damaging," wrote the social media company. "The TAKE IT DOWN Act aligns with and complements our ongoing efforts to stop bad actors from distributing NCII and child sexual exploitation and abuse imagery (CSEAI) online."

Roblox co-founder David Baszucki, also announced the platform's support of the bill. "The ability to rapidly share images and videos is one of the reasons the internet can be a complex and dangerous place for children," he wrote. "This content is incredibly sensitive, and we need greater government oversight for apps that allow image and video sharing. Currently, Roblox does not support this functionality."

SEE ALSO: Instagram will restrict teens from going Live, as Teen Accounts expand to Facebook and Messenger

The bipartisan act was introduced by Senator Ted Cruz last June and passed a vote in the Senate in February. The legislation makes publishing or threatening to publish nonconsensual explicit imagery a federal crime, including images generated by AI. Social media companies are implicated in the bill, as well, required to remove the original content and any duplicates within 48 hours. And the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would gain new powers to sure non-compliant platforms.

In March, First Lady Melania Trump came out in support of the bill, as well.

Take It Down Act spurs concerns about privacy and censorship

Despite its bipartisan and celebrity support, free speech and privacy advocates have vocally opposed the bill, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, which sent a letter to the Senate in opposition. According to the organizations, the bill's current notice and takedown (NTD) mechanism would have rippling consequences on content that isn't NCII, including creating a potential censorship pathway for legal pornography, journalism, and political speech.

Such actions would be unconstitutional, advocates argue, and could additionally threaten user privacy — including the efficacy of end-to-end encryption — if platforms invest further in automatic detection technology and other tools to monitor users' messages.

The Take It Down Act isn't the only piece of legislation attempting to forge legal and civil pathways for victims of NCII, either, including the 2024 Defiance ("Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits") Act spearheaded by Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, Republican senator Lindsay Graham, and Democratic representative and co-leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In addition, companies like Roblox have signed on to the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) 2.0, an update to an existing bill that, among other expansions, would extend online data privacy protections to children under 17 years old.

Electric vehicles are slowly but surely becoming more mainstream. However, one thing continues to be a concern for the average buyer, range. If you’re looking for an affordable EV, chances are that you want to pick from a list of models with the best overall range.

Apple's AirTags are great, but they're expensive and don't work well with Android. If you're looking for an excellent alternative, the Chipolo One is a solid choice. Right now, you can get a four-pack of these little Bluetooth trackers at an all-time low price.

SAVE $7 MONTHLY: As of April 9, get 3 months of Apple TV+ for $2.99 per month, down from the original monthly price of $9.99. That's $21 in savings total, or a discount of 70%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Get 3 months of Apple TV+ for $2.99/month $2.99 at Apple TV+
$9.99 Save $7 Get Deal

Can't find anything to watch? There are tons of streaming services out there to choose from, but Apple TV+ is one that you may not have tried yet. And even if you have, you may have decided to cancel and come back later to save some of that hard-earned cash of yours. If you're ready to come back while also getting a great discount, now's the time to pounce.

As of April 9, get Apple TV+ for just $2.99 per month for three months. That's $7 off its usual monthly price of $9.99 for $21 in savings total, and a discount of 70%. This deal is open to new and returning subscribers and is available until April 24, though it's only open to anyone who is a direct subscriber, not a member through Apple TV+ provided through a bundle. After the three months are over, the subscription will renew at its $9.99 price until it's canceled.

SEE ALSO: Save $20 on the Apple Pencil (2nd Gen) at Amazon

There's a wide selection of TV shows and movies to choose from on Apple TV+, from the wildly popular Severance to the affable Ted Lasso and tons in between. The new Jon Hamm series Your Friends & Neighbors premieres this week as well. But don't forget to peruse the back catalog, which includes hits like For All Mankind and Mythic Quest.

Snag your subscription while it's discounted, and catch up on all the shows and movies you've been meaning to. This is a great offer that you won't see often, so it's a good idea to get it while you can.

UNLIMITED TRAVEL FOR FIVE MONTHS FOR $399: Snag the Frontier Go Wild! Summer Pass for just $399 and take off on unlimited trips between May 1 and Sept. 30. The deal comes with some blackout dates and booking requirements.

Opens in a new window Credit: Frontier Frontier Go Wild! Summer Pass $399 for unlimited travel between May 1 and Sept. 30 Get Deal

You deserve a vacation; imagine sun-drenched beaches, spa days, hikes that take you to the most stunning waterfalls, ordering room service, reuniting with friends, and simply relaxing. We're all less excited about the cost of a vacation, of course, but if you're flexible and desire a travel-filled summer, there's a fantastic deal in store.

The Frontier Go Wild! Summer Pass offers unlimited flights within the Frontier network between May 1 and Sept. 30 for $399. It'll automatically renew at $499 for the same travel period in 2026, but you're free to cancel. Each flight booked will come with a fee of $0.01 and applicable taxes and fees will also be tacked on at the end.

For certain travelers, the Frontier Go Wild! pass offers an incredible deal. Of course, offering unlimited flights for under $400 for five months comes with some fine print. However, those who plan carefully and remain flexible can make this deal well worth the initial price.

Fine print that's worth being in bold

For starters, you'll need to avoid blackout dates that include May 22 and 23, May 26, June 22, June 26 to 29, July 3 to 7, Aug. 28 and 29, and Sept. 1. Aside from those dates, you'll need to book domestic travel *holds breath* no earlier than 24 hours before departure and no earlier than 10 days in advance for international bookings.

That's right: you'll need to book no more than one day in advance for domestic travel — which means the flight pass is great for those who thrive on spontaneity. That regulation also means you won't have a return flight home booked. You'll need to live on the edge and hope Frontier has flight availability to get you back when you desire.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirTags are now cheaper than their Amazon Big Spring Sale price

If you're not cool with that type of roulette, Frontier has newly introduced Go Wild! Early Booking, but mentions a fee may apply. There's also extra fine print here that explains the early booking promotion is only valid on flights through June 11 and only for domestic U.S. and Puerto Rico travel.

It's also worth mentioning the Go Wild! Summer Pass does not include any add-ons like a carry-on bag, checked bags, or seats. You'll be able to pay extra for those when booking. Frontier's baggage policy does not favor anyone who wants to travel with, say, a change of clothes. It comes with one free personal item the airline lists as including purses, totes, computer bags, and kids' backpacks. That means you'll need to pay extra for a backpack or carry-on roller bag unless you're a super light traveler.

Is the Go Wild! Summer Pass worth it?

If you love the thrill of spontaneity and don't mind packing light or paying for bags, the summer Go Wild! Pass is an incredible deal at $399. These days, a single round-trip journey could cost the same. Traveling on just four Frontier flights during those five months would bring the cost down to just $100 per flight. If you can sneak in one round-trip journey during each of the five months of validity, that brings the per-flight cost down to just $40, plus the included $0.01 price and applicable fees.

Since Frontier accepts international bookings with the Go Wild! pass up to 10 days in advance, you could technically plan a week-long round-trip adventure three days in advance. That plan would at least ensure you have a return flight booked before you take off.

How to book on the Go Wild! Summer Pass

While the fine print is complex, booking the actual flights is straightforward. Once you have the pass, you'll need to log into your Frontier Miles account on Frontier's website, not the mobile app. From there, search flights and scan for the GoWild! seat availability. You'll see it show up with the $0.01 fee, government taxes, and other fees. Frontier says these charges start at about $15 per person, but some can go higher than $100 for international travel.

The Go Wild! Summer Pass has some complexities, but at $399, certain travelers should scoop up this pass asap. Or you can go all out and snag the Go Wild! Annual pass for just $599 which is the ultimate deal if you're all about last-minute trips or can travel with flexible dates. In either case, we're big time cheerleaders for taking a little vacation for mental health, and the Frontier Go Wild! Pass is an incredible way to do just that at an affordable price.

In Excel, you can apply direct formatting to cells' values or backgrounds to make the spreadsheet easier to read. However, when an Excel formula returns a set of values—known as a spilled array—applying direct formatting will cause issues if the size or shape of the data changes.

Looking for some deals? Did you finally get that tax return and want something new? This week, you can save big on a new smartwatch, earbuds, a portable SSD, LG's most popular TV, and much more.

SPEND $20, SAVE $5: As of April 9, spend $20 on select Amazon groceries and save $5.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Buy $20, save $5 on select Amazon groceries Get Deal

It's expensive out there. Whether you're trying to fill your cupboards with healthy food, or you just need something to snack on, a trip to the grocery can be a pricey excursion. Saving anything, even a little bit, is more than welcome right now, and thankfully you can head to Amazon to get a bit of a reprieve from paying full price on the essentials you need to round out your stores of food at home.

As of April 9, spend $20 in select groceries at Amazon and get $5 off your order. This offer applies only to a limited selection of grocery options, including brands like Bubly, Bare, Cheetos, Lipton, and more. Simply add the items you want from the promotion page to your cart, and the discount will automatically be applied when you reach $20 in eligible items.

SEE ALSO: Amazon’s 43-inch Fire TV is 43 percent off right now

There's a wide variety of goodies to choose from. Bubly sparkling water, Frito-Lay Classic Mix chips, Quaker instant oatmeal, Pearl Milling Company syrup, and many other items are up for grabs, meaning you can stock your shelves with items you can eat all day long.

You can create multiple orders to benefit from this sale, but the discount can be used only once per order. It may not amount to much overall, but these smaller deals do add up. Stop ordering out and make sure you have plenty to eat at home with these snacks and other food items.

It doesn't matter what age your kid is: Whether it's their very first phone or their fifth, parents are going to worry about what's behind that scrolling and tapping. Parental control apps have come to be a convenient compromise between kids who really don't want to hand over their phone and parents who really don't want to have to confiscate it.

How do parental control apps work?

At their core, parental control software lets you monitor your child's phone, tablet, or computer remotely. Corresponding apps are downloaded both on the parent's device and on the child's device. From there, parents can do anything from monitor internet searches and browsing history, block inappropriate or distracting apps, or limit screen time all together. It's a less invasive and more respectful method than physically snooping through their phone or computer — and when kids know that their activity is being watched or managed, good habits might stick better.

SEE ALSO: What to know about new research on screen time and kids' mental health

Worries of kids turning into technology zombies certainly aren't new, but feel especially relevant in an online landscape ruled by social media. According to the American Academy and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children ages 8-12 spend on average four to six hours a day using screens, with that number sitting higher at nine hours for teens. The time in front of those screens can pose risks: in the past few years alone, both Tiktok and Meta have faced lawsuits alleging that social companies make their platforms intentionally addictive, and can negatively impact users' mental health.

In other words, it's not easy being a kid online — parental control apps can help you and your child foster a safer relationship to online spaces.

Apple's Screen Time vs. third-party parental control apps

If you and your child both have iPhones, generally the easiest option is to use the native iOS solution: Screen Time. Additionally, TikTok, Roblox, and Meta all offer built-in parental control specific to their apps.

Back in 2019, a sweep of third-party parental control apps on the App Store severely curbed functionality on some of the most popular downloads. It was around that same time, in response to accusations that its devices were too addictive, Apple unveiled Screen Time: An iOS-specific screen time tracker that parents could utilize to mitigate their child's usage. Not only is this app relatively comprehensive in what it offers, but it's also completely free. And unlike the parental control landscape of about five years ago, you can get a comprehensive suite of features without paying a cent — that's why two out of three of our picks are free to use.

More recently, Apple also introduced plans to make sure app developers are including child safety settings within apps themselves, including an age range verification that can limit what features of an app are available based on a user's age range.

SEE ALSO: Too much TV screen time for kids: 5 things to know about the risks

The controls baked into iOS will suffice for a lot of people. They can set screen time limits, block certain apps and websites, or restrict new downloads or things with an explicit content rating altogether. But Screen Time becomes useless pretty quickly if the parent or child has an Android or if the parent and child share a device, which is why we included other options on this list.

Use parental controls as a safety tool, not a spying tool

Some parents suggest downloading one of these apps on your kid's phone without telling them. Here's our take: Don't do that. We'd be remiss to omit the possibility of loopholes for kids to look for if they know the app is there, but monitoring their activity behind their back feels like rebellion or resentment waiting to happen. Depending on how much of the content on your child's device that an app can see, it could quickly become a breach of privacy.

Instead, try to agree on a screen time routine and a list of apps and websites that are appropriate. Letting them in on the process can build trust rather than diminish it, and having reinforced but reasonable guidelines for screen time can help curb any device dependencies. Plus, their understanding of why TikTok and Instagram are blocked during homework hours or at bedtime can help them learn a solid set of cyber safety habits.

Here are the best parental control apps for Apple devices in 2025:

Many smartphone owners don't use Wi-Fi calling, with some totally oblivious to the fact that it even exists. And that's quite a shame because Wi-Fi calling provides many clear benefits over cellular calling, including better voice quality in areas with weak cellular coverage.

AS LOW AS $34: On April 9, Spirit Airlines Spring Into Flight Deals event is live offering ticket deals for Saver$ Club and Non-Members alike, starting at $34 one-way for members, and $57 one-way for non-members.

Opens in a new window Credit: Spirit Spirit Airlines Spring Into Flight Deals Ticket deals start at $34 for members and $57 for non-members Shop Now

If you're ready to jet, now's the time. Summer is around the corner, and whether you need a break from the chaos in the news, or you're looking to take a summer vacation early this year, this could be your sign.

On April 9 before 11:59 p.m. ET only, Spirit Airlines' Spring Into Flight Deals event is offering deals on domestic travel. Tickets start at $34 for Saver$ Club members. Non-members can still participate with tickets starting at $57. These flight deals are for travel between April 22 and June 2.

SEE ALSO: The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 with RTX 4060 is $400 off — nab it before tariffs take hold

Spirit's current deals are arranged by departure. They're offering flights to and from major cities all around the country. If you live in Boston, you'll be able to get as far as Nashville for $34 with a Saver$ Club membership ($69.95/year).

Some cities have more opportunities than others: Saver$ in New York only have one flight deal option, while those in Las Vegas currently have 16 flight deal options.

If you're ready for a late spring trip, now is the time.

A while back, I tried learning Python through online courses. Although it was fun, it ultimately didn't end well. But along the way, my experience taught me a few things that might help you to succeed where I failed.

Whether you’re happy or disappointed by your Google Pixel 9’s battery life, you can use a few tips to extend the battery life. These built-in features help conserve battery so you can use your phone for longer without plugging it into the outlet.

Bambu Labs' latest H2D 3D printer launched to a lot of fanfare. However, there's one glaring issue with it that I just can't wrap my mind around. Bambu wants you to give them $1,300 so you can convert your 3D printer into a laser engraver. Here's why you shouldn't do that.

We live in a time when you can find whatever you want online, and you can binge until your heart's content for a low monthly fee. There are streaming platforms for all types of media, yet I still prefer to download digital files directly like it's 2006.

When Kia first confirmed a new pickup for America, many speculated it wouldn't be the Tasman. Some thought it might be a Kia-branded version of Hyundai's collaboration with GM, or perhaps a Sportage-based truck like the Hyundai Santa Cruz.

Over the past year, most of the music I've listened to has come from two labels: Lo-Fi Girl and Chillhop. I find this music so calming, but my wife isn't a fan. This got me wondering why, and I think our childhoods may have something to do with it.

SAVE $100: As of April 9, the Garmin Instinct 2 45mm smartwatch is on sale at Best Buy for $199.99, 33% off its list price of $299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin - Instinct 2 45 mm Smartwatch Fiber-reinforced Polymer - Graphite $199.99 at Best Buy
$299.99 Save $100 Get Deal

If you're looking for a way to stay on top of your health and fitness goals this year, it's worth looking into a fitness tracker or smartwatch. If you've been on the hunt for a good option to buy, there are a few great deals floating around right now that are worth checking out. This includes a nice discount on the 45mm Garmin Instinct 2 at Best Buy.

The 45mm Garmin Instinct 2 has been marked down $100 at the retailer, dropping its price from $299.99 to $199.99. If this discount has caught your eye, it's worth keeping in mind that Best Buy notes on the sale page that the deal ends on April 11, so you'll want to act fast to pick it up at this price while it's still live.

SEE ALSO: The Garmin vívoactive 5 just got its biggest discount this year at Amazon

The Garmin Instinct 2 is a great fit for those with an active lifestyle, featuring a variety of built-in sports apps for running, swimming, and biking, to name a few. Not to mention it has several different health-related features including heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, and more. All of this on top of a great battery life that can last up to 21 days in smartwatch mode.

Looking for more fitness tracker and smartwatch deals? Also at Best Buy, you can score some sweet discounts on the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and the Fitbit Charge 6 today as part of Best Buy's Deal of the Day.

Streaming platforms keep raising their prices, and cable TV is infested with ads (and sanity-draining 24-hour news channels). A DIY HTPC (Home Theater PC) using a mini PC and Linux is the perfect escape, putting you back in control of the content you watch.

Diagnosing and fixing automotive electrical problems can be incredibly difficult. Today’s vehicles are sophisticated machines with more software than many apps, more processors than a tech company, and more wiring than entire cities.