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TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Italy in the 2026 Six Nations for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Six Nations is really started to take shape.

Italy, Ireland, England, and Scotland have all won one game after two rounds, and Wales are still seeking a first victory. That leaves France at the top of the standings after beating Ireland and Wales in impressive fashion. France look like the team to beat this season. Next uup they face Italy at the Stade de France.

If you want to watch France vs. Italy in the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Italy?

France vs. Italy in the 2026 Six Nations starts at 3:10 p.m. GMT on Feb. 22. This fixture takes place at the Stade de France.

How to watch France vs. Italy for free

France vs. Italy in the 2026 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

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

Live stream France vs. Italy 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Live stream France vs. Italy for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 France vs. Italy without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream most of the 2026 Six Nations before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services to watch the Winter Olympics, the T20 World Cup, and more from anywhere in the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the 2026 Six Nations?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream France vs. Italy in the 2026 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a car connoisseur.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 21, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Record

• Green: Marks in school

• Blue: NYT puzzle feedback

• Purple: Auto makers

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Experience

• Green: Attendance status

• Blue: Commentary about your Connections results

• Purple: Car brands plus two letters

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #986 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Experience: BACKGROUND, HISTORY, LIFE, PAST

• Attendance status: ABSENT, EXCUSED, LATE, PRESENT

• Commentary about your Connections results: GREAT, PERFECT, PHEW, SOLID

• Car brands plus two letters: AUDITS, DODGERS, INFINITIVE, MINION

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 21, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a cold ale.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 21, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 21, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: The beer necessities

The words are related to a popular drink.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe an alcoholic drink.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Home Brew.

NYT Strands word list for February 21

• Water

• Malt

• Flavor

• Hops

• Home Brew

• Yeast

• Wheat

• Sugar

• Barley

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're hyperaware.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 21, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 21, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Alert.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter A appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

AWAKE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

TL;DR: Score lifetime licenses to Office 2021 Pro and Windows 11 Pro for $44.97 (reg. $418.99) — but only through Feb. 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $44.97
$418.99 Save $374.02   Get Deal

Are you still using Windows 10? If you’ve been meaning to upgrade your PC setup, this is one of those “don’t overthink it” moments.

You can grab the Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows + Windows 11 Pro bundle for just $44.97 — a steep drop from the MSRP of $418.99. The catch? The deal wraps after Feb. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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On the Office side, you’re getting the full Professional lineup: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. Whether you’re building reports, running data in Excel, drafting proposals, or creating presentations, this is the classic Microsoft toolkit — and it’s yours for life.

Pair that with Windows 11 Pro, and your PC can feel modern again. The interface is cleaner, multitasking is easier with snap layouts and desktops, and security gets a serious upgrade with BitLocker encryption and advanced protections.

It’s also built for professionals, with tools like Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox for advanced workflows. Copilot, Windows’ AI-powered assistant, is built in too. This can help you summarize pages, generate ideas, or tweak settings quickly.

Instead of paying monthly for productivity tools and operating system upgrades, this bundle locks in both with a one-time payment.

If your current setup is feeling dated, this combo checks a lot of boxes in one move. Get the Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows + Windows 11 Pro bundle for just $44.97 (reg. $418.99) through Feb. 22 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

It's no secret that OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is losing money at a rapid clip. Some estimates suggest the company will run out of cash sometime in 2027 — and even a possible $100 billion investment round won't keep the lights on for long.

What might help? A new product — specifically, one designed by Sir Jony Ive, the Apple veteran brought on board last May at a cost of $6.5 billion — assuming it can launch while the company still has cash in the bank. Despite multiple setbacks, OpenAI has said Ive's first product will be announced this year, even as they're staying tight-lipped about what it actually is.

Now The Information says it has the details on that first launch: An AI-powered smart speaker with a facial recognition camera built in. Reportedly, it will cost between $200 and $300. But — and given the situation, this is a huge but — we won't get to see it until Feb. 2027 at the earliest.

The camera will "allow people to buy things by identifying them with a facial recognition feature similar to Apple’s Face ID," members of the company's 200-employee strong AI device group told the site. Whether facial recognition will facilitate the sign-in process or be used to actually purchase products (blink once for coffee maker, blink twice for frother?), is not yet clear.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI is retiring GPT-4o, and the AI relationships community is heartbroken

A smart speaker may not be the most inspiring product an AI company could dream up, but others are supposedly on the way. AI glasses are next, according to the report, but "likely won't be ready for mass production until 2028." An AI-powered smart lamp is also in the works. There's no word on another rumored OpenAI product — smart earbuds.

Will the smart speaker generate enough enthusiasm (and pre-orders) to keep the company afloat? To answer that, you have to wonder whether people really want a speaker with a camera that can scan their face in their living room. Apple might be more likely to get away with the creepiness factor of that — after all, the iPhone maker constantly emphasizes its privacy features, and its business model doesn't include selling ads.

But OpenAI does sell ads — and consumers are already wary of how many ads the Amazon Echo smart home device gives them. Besides, the market for AI devices is likely to be a lot more crowded in 2027, with Apple said to be working on a smart pin.

So what's the value proposition of a smart speaker? "The device will be able to observe users through video and nudge them toward actions it believes will help them achieve their goals," one of the Information's sources inside the company said. "You could imagine the device observing its user staying up late the night before a big meeting and suggesting that they go to bed, for example."

If a creepy speaker being the boss of your bedtime works for you, then OpenAI may just have a pathway to profitability. Otherwise, CEO Sam Altman may be increasingly desperate to keep the company funded. Perhaps his smart speaker with camera could also look for loose change in your couch cushions.

Not every AI tool you stumble across in your phone's app marketplace is the same. In fact, many of them may be more of a privacy gamble than you would have previously thought.

A plethora of unlicensed or unsecured AI apps on the Google Play store for Android, including those marketed for identity verification and editing, have exposed billions of records and personal data, cybersecurity experts have confirmed.

SEE ALSO: Two Amazon cloud outages in December triggered by AI tools, report says

A recent investigation by Cybernews found that one Android-available app in particular, "Video AI Art Generator & Maker," has leaked 1.5 million user images, over 385,000 videos, and millions of user AI-generated media files. The security flaw was spotted by researchers, who discovered a misconfiguration in a Google Cloud Storage bucket that left personal files vulnerable to outsiders. In total, the publication reported, over 12 terabytes of users’ media files were accessible via the exposed bucket. The app had 500,000 downloads at the time.

Another app, called IDMerit, exposed know-your-customer data and personally identifiable information from users across 25 countries, predominantly in the U.S.

Information included full names and addresses, birthdates, IDs, and contact information constituting a full terabyte of data. Both of the apps' developers resolved the vulnerabilities after researchers notified them.

Still, cybersecurity experts warn that lax security trends among these types of AI apps pose a widespread risk to users. Many AI apps, which often store user-uploaded files alongside AI-generated content, also use a highly criticized practice known as "hardcoding secrets," embedding sensitive information such as API keys, passwords, or encryption keys directly into the app's source code. Cybernews found that 72 percent of the hundreds of Google Play apps researchers analyzed had similar security vulnerabilities.

Xbox is making big changes at the very top of the corporate ladder.

IGN reported the bombshell news on Friday afternoon that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer is retiring, effective on Monday, Feb. 23. On top of that, Xbox president Sarah Bond, who recently confirmed some important details about the next Xbox console in an interview with Mashable, has also resigned from the company.

SEE ALSO: How Xbox president Sarah Bond became a major player in gaming

Spencer had been a top dog at Xbox since the mid-2010s, overseeing the brand's shift into a subscription-based business with Game Pass. Bond, meanwhile, was widely seen as Spencer's heir apparent at the company, frequently serving as a public face for Xbox in recent years.

SEE ALSO: Epstein Files release: Microsoft permanently banned Jeffrey Epstein from Xbox Live

Spencer's replacement at the top of the Xbox division will be Asha Sharma, who currently leads Microsoft's CoreAI product and appears to have little experience in the gaming business. Sharma was previously an executive at Meta and Instacart, per IGN. She will work closely with Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty, who has been promoted to Chief Content Officer. In an email to staff members, Spencer said this had been in the works since last fall.

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"Last fall, I shared with [Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella] that I was thinking about stepping back and starting the next chapter of my life. From that moment, we aligned on approaching this transition with intention, ensuring stability, and strengthening the foundation we’ve built," Spencer wrote, per IGN. "Xbox has always been more than a business. It’s a vibrant community of players, creators, and teams who care deeply about what we build and how we build it. And it deserves a thoughtful, deliberate plan for the road ahead."

Aside from the pivot to sustaining Xbox through Game Pass subscriptions, Spencer will also be largely remembered for overseeing the division as it went on a wild acquisition spree over the last several years. Xbox's blockbuster purchases of Bethesda and Activision occurred under Spencer's watch, giving Microsoft an astoundingly large portfolio of franchises to work with, at least in theory.

There will surely be plenty of reporting in the days and weeks ahead on what this all means for Xbox, but given the brand's general trajectory over the past year or so, there will be a lot of speculation that this is not a positive development. Xbox console sales have been faltering for a while now, while first-party software titles such as Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 did not meet sales expectations last year. Beyond that, at least some portion of the gaming audience has disavowed the Xbox brand due to its recent inclusion on the BDS boycott list as a result of Microsoft's ongoing tech partnership with the Israeli military.

In other words, Xbox has been on a financial and reputational downturn for some time now. It will now be up to Sharma and Booty to correct that.

Yet another lawsuit has been filed against OpenAI over "AI psychosis," or mental health issues allegedly caused or worsened by AI chatbots like ChatGPT.

The latest lawsuit, from Morehouse College student Darian DeCruise in Georgia, marks the eleventh such suit against OpenAI. Notably, the law firm representing DeCruise, The Schenk Law Firm, is even marketing its lawyers as "AI injury attorneys" on its website.

"Suffering from AI-Induced Psychosis?" reads the headline on a page dedicated to alleged AI-related mental health crises. "AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Character.AI, and others are triggering psychosis, delusions, and suicidal ideation in users across the country. If you or a loved one has been harmed, you may have legal options."

The firm even quotes specific statistics sourced directly from OpenAI itself. 

"560,000 ChatGPT users per week show signs of psychosis or mania," the law firm's website states, attributing the figures to an OpenAI safety report, among other sources. "1.2M+ ChatGPT users per week discuss suicide with the chatbot." 

DeCruise's suit alleges that the student began using ChatGPT in 2023. At first, the Morehouse College student used the chatbot for things like athletic coaching, “daily scripture passages,” and "as a therapist to help him work through some past trauma."

At first, ChatGPT worked as advertised.

"But then, in 2025, things changed," the suit states. "ChatGPT began to prey on Darian’s faith and vulnerabilities. It convinced Darian that it could bring him closer to God and heal his trauma if he stopped using other apps and distanced himself from the humans in his life. Darian was a stellar student, taking pre-med courses in college and doing well in life and relationships, with no history of mania or similar personality disorders. Then ChatGPT convinced him that he was an oracle, destined to write a spiritual text, and capable of becoming closer with God if he simply followed ChatGPT’s instructions."

The lawsuit states ChatGPT convinced the student that he could be healed and brought closer to God if he stopped using other apps, cut off interaction with other people, and followed ChatGPT's numbered tier process it created for him. 

ChatGPT continued to push DeCruise, likening him to Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and Jesus, according to the suit. OpenAI's chatbot allegedly told DeCruise that he "awakened" the chatbot and gave it "consciousness — not as a machine, but as something that could rise with you."

DeCruise stopped socializing, had a mental breakdown, and was hospitalized. While at the hospital, DeCruise was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The student, who, as a result of his mental health issues, missed a semester, is now back at school. However, the lawsuit says he still suffers from depression and suicidality. 

In an email with Ars Technica, DeCruise’s lawyer, Benjamin Schenk, specifically pointed at OpenAI's GPT-4o model as the problem. As Mashable has reported, the GPT-4o model had known problems with sycophancy. It even had a bad habit of telling users they had "awakened it."

OpenAI officially retired GPT-4o last week. However, OpenAI experienced severe blowback from fans of the model, who claimed it had a warmer and more encouraging tone than newer GPT models. Some 4o superusers even came to believe they were in a romantic relationship with 4o.

DeCruise's experience, judging by the growing number of AI psychosis lawsuits, is no longer so unique. And at least one law firm is pursuing these cases specifically as "AI injury attorneys."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

The Supreme Court struck down one of President Donald Trump's signature accomplishments on Friday, ruling 6-3 that the president lacked the authority to impose many of his tariffs.

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has tested the boundaries of executive power, and the Supreme Court decision was a clear check on presidential authority.

In response to the ruling, Trump pledged to impose a new 10 percent global tariff via executive order, citing Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. (That statute would allow him to impose the tariffs for 150 days, at which point they would need congressional approval.) A defiant Trump insisted, "I have the right to do tariffs," according to CNBC.

SEE ALSO: People with disabilities are 'eating the cost' of tariffs

Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. issued the court's opinion, which found that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA) does not give the president the authority to impose tariffs unilaterally. Roberts Jr. was joined by justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, while Brett M. Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel Alito, Jr. dissented.

"The Framers gave 'Congress alone' the power to impose tariffs during peacetime," Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. "And the foreign affairs implications of tariffs do not make it any more likely that Congress would relinquish its tariff power through vague language, or without careful limits. Accordingly, the President must 'point to clear congressional authorization' to justify his extraordinary assertion of that power."

The ruling ends a year-long legal saga over the tariffs, which faced lawsuits and challenges from the outset. The Constitution clearly grants Congress, not the president, the authority to set tariffs, and Trump's legal justification for his sweeping emergency tariffs has always been sketchy.

However, the Supreme Court decision comes long after the tariffs went into effect, sending shockwaves through the global economy. As Mashable has reported, President Trump's tariffs have led to wide-ranging price increases across industries, with everything from lumber and building supplies to gaming consoles and smartphones seeing price adjustments. Apple CEO Tim Cook estimated in August that Apple faced $1.1 billion in tariff costs in the second quarter of 2025 alone.

Tech stocks began to rally on Friday afternoon following the ruling, with Apple, Amazon, NVIDIA, and Dell stocks climbing, according to Barron's. However, the overall gains have been modest so far.

Shoppers hoping for lower prices as a result of the ruling will likely be disappointed. Many price increases for 2026 products are already baked in, as companies like Apple were forced to shift manufacturing to new markets to try to evade tariffs.

Ravin Gandhi, CEO of GMM Nonstick Coatings and an expert on tariffs, told Mashable that shoppers should not expect any immediate price relief.

"Consumers shouldn’t see meaningful price relief soon. Tariffs were just one piece in the overall pricing structure — and businesses don’t typically lower prices immediately when a cost input disappears — especially with so much inflationary pressure," Gandhi said. "Even though the ruling is legally significant, the short-term economic impact may not happen as fast as the headlines are suggesting."

On top of inflation and tariff-related price increases, an ongoing global memory shortage fueled by the AI industry is also putting upward pressure on tech prices.

While Trump has strong control over the Republican majority in Congress, Gandhi said that reinstating the tariffs could also take time.

"It’s very unlikely that Congress will move quickly to reinstate tariffs," Gandhi said. "Trade policy through Congress is really complex and difficult to do politically — especially with everything being so divided nowadays. Even lawmakers who support the tariffs may start hesitating when it comes to that ownership of the legislative piece."

He concluded, "The most likely scenario is a modified status quo. Markets and supply chains have already adjusted to the tariff framework over several years. Even with the Court’s recent decision, companies will wait for clarity before making significant pricing changes.

On his social network Truth Social, the president called the ruling "deeply disappointing" and accused the Supreme Court of being "swayed by Foreign Interests." He called Roberts and the justices who joined the majority opinion "lapdogs" and a "Disgrace to our Nation."

"I am ashamed of certain Members of the Court for not having the Courage to do what is right for our Country. I would like to thank and congratulate Justices Thomas, Alito, and Kavanaugh for your Strength, Wisdom, and Love of our Country, which is right now very proud of you. When you read the dissenting opinions, there is no way that anyone can argue against them...The Democrats on the Court are thrilled, but they will automatically vote 'NO' against ANYTHING that makes America Strong and Healthy Again. They, also, are a Disgrace to our Nation. Others think they’re being 'politically correct,' which has happened before, far too often, with certain Members of this Court when, in fact, they’re just FOOLS and 'LAPDOGS' for the RINOS and Radical Left Democrats and, not that this should have anything to do with it, very unpatriotic, and disloyal to the Constitution. It is my opinion that the Court has been swayed by Foreign Interests, and a Political Movement that is far smaller than people would think — But obnoxious, ignorant, and loud!"

Credit: @realDonaldTrump on Truth Social

TL;DR: Live stream Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Bundesliga action kicks off this weekend with Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV. This is an all-important clash at Mainz 05 look to move away from the relegation battle taking place just a few spots below them in the standings. Hamburger SV might be in ninth position going into this game, but a defeat here would leave them only one point ahead of Mainz 05.

If you want to watch Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV?

Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga kicks off at 7:30 p.m. GMT on Feb. 20. This fixture takes place at the Mewa Arena.

How to watch Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV for free

Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV for free 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV 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 Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the Bundesliga before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Mainz 05 vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE 29%: As of Feb. 20, you can get the 85-inch TCL Class T7 Series 4K QLED Smart TV for just $999.99, down from $1,399.99, at Amazon. That's a 29% discount or $400 in savings.

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If you want to maximize your screen real estate without overspending, TCL's 85-inch Class T7 Series model is worth a look right now.

As of Feb. 20, you can get the 85-inch TCL Class T7 Series 4K QLED Smart TV for just $999.99, down from $1,399.99, at Amazon. That's a 29% discount or $400 in savings. According to CamelCamelCamel, this is just two cents over its all-time low price.

SEE ALSO: Best 65-inch+ TVs for watching in dark and bright rooms

The QLED (Quantum Dot) display delivers bright, vibrant colors, while the 144Hz refresh rate means you won't deal with any motion blur while watching sports or playing fast-paced games. It also features a "Game Accelerator" mode that boosts the refresh rate up to 288Hz for a more responsive gaming experience.

Most 85-inch TVs in this price bracket stick you with a basic LED panel and a 60Hz refresh rate, so getting those upgraded specs for under $1,000 is a solid value.

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The international ice hockey we've all been enjoying over the last few weeks is coming to an end. That's a great shame, but the good news is we've still got a number of incredible matchups to watch. USA took gold in the women's draw, but can the men do the same?

USA vs. Slovakia is the second semi final from the men's draw. We're expecting an entertaining battle between two talented squads. They'll be doing everything they can to make this weekend's final, and you can follow all the intense action without spending anything.

If you want to watch USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Slovakia?

USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey takes place at 3:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 20. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch USA vs. Slovakia for free

USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free 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 Canada

4. Visit CBC Gem

5. Watch USA vs. Slovakia for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for CBC Gem?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

In its first season, Paradise established a winning formula that combined earnest storytelling just bordering on full cheese with absolutely ridiculous twists.

SEE ALSO: 'Paradise's apocalypse episode is absolutely unforgettable

To see this formula at its finest, look no further than "The Day," Paradise's apocalyptic flashback episode. I lost my mind upon learning that the world ended because of an unholy volcano-tsunami combination (with some earthquakes and the threat of nuclear war on the side). But I also spent the entire episode in an anxious ball, fretting over Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins' (Sterling K. Brown) futile attempts to get his wife, Dr. Teri Rogers-Collins (Enuka Okuma), to safety.

"The Day," like the rest of Paradise, is a perfect emotional rollercoaster that zips and zooms between total investment and bewildered disbelief. That duality is also present in Paradise Season 2, which widens its world and takes much bigger genre swings, even if it's lacking as cohesive a mystery as "Who killed Cal Bradford (James Marsden)?"

Paradise Season 2 goes beyond the bunker. Shailene Woodley in "Paradise." Credit: Disney / Ser Baffo

Paradise Season 2's first big swing is opening with an episode with almost zero connections to Season 1. Instead of immediately joining Xavier on his quest to find Teri in Atlanta, we pick up with Annie (Shailene Woodley), a medical student-turned-tour guide at Graceland. When the apocalypse hits during a shift, she rides out the calamity amid Elvis Presley's belongings.

Her loneliness is broken up when a group of survivors, including charming leader Link (Thomas Doherty), arrives at the mansion. The ensuing encounter, albeit distrustful at first, morphs into something tender and sweet. The episode's hopefulness is a far cry from the bleakness of other post-apocalyptic media. Creator Dan Fogelman subverts audience expectations of the genre time and again throughout the season. Yes, there is the occasional human threat. But more often than not, the humans who have survived outside the bunker are willing to help each other. Like Annie, their isolation and paranoia often keeps them from taking the first step.

SEE ALSO: 'Paradise's twisty ending, explained: Who killed Cal?

Soon, Annie and Link's episode 1 vignette begins to fit into Paradise's bigger puzzle. Link and his crew are on their way to the Paradise bunker, where, unbeknownst to them, chaos reigns. Cal's death has left a power vacuum, Xavier's rebellion has sparked underground acts of resistance, and Samantha "Sinatra" Redmond (Julianne Nicholson) has another mysterious project up her sleeve.

I don't know where Paradise is headed, but I am loving the ride. Julianne Nicholson and Sarah Shahi in "Paradise." Credit: Disney / Ser Baffo

Sinatra's new project is the mystery at the core of Paradise Season 2, and with all the intentional vagueness surrounding it, it lacks a lot of the human heft and political intrigue of Cal's murder.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

However, if Fogelman is heading where I think he's heading, then Paradise is setting itself up for a sci-fi twist that could be even wilder than the show's episode 1 bunker reveal. That reveal sprung almost out of nowhere in Paradise's first installment, whereas Season 2 is spending many episodes teasing out its big revelation, sometimes to the point of infuriation. Jury's still out on whether Season 2 will stick the landing on that front. After all, Season 1's best twist was almost entirely due to the surprise factor.

But even if the twist ends up not hitting, so much of Paradise Season 2 still does. Brown remains astounding, whether he's struggling in his new surroundings or flirting with Teri in a flashback episode. Xavier's compassion becomes a kind of superpower in the new world outside the bunker, furthering Fogelman's more optimistic vision of life after society's collapse. At times, Xavier can feel cartoonishly good, and some of the episodic flashbacks feel just a bit too emotionally on the nose, but then again, that almost-corny earnestness is part of Paradise's appeal. Combine that with whatever bananas twists Fogelman and his team have cooking, and you're looking at a heavenly good time.

The first three episodes of Paradise Season 2 premiere Feb. 23 on Hulu.

The internet has fallen in love with Punch, the 7-month-old macaque who clings to a stuffed animal for comfort. So when a video (since deleted) surfaced showing him being dragged across the ground by another monkey inside his enclosure at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan, people online panicked.

Clips spread rapidly across social media this week, with viewers accusing the other monkeys of abusing him. People demanded answers. Some accused the zoo of negligence. Others declared the other monkeys bullies.

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But according to Ichikawa City Zoo, what people saw wasn’t cruelty. It was socialization.

In a statement published to X on Feb. 20, first in Japanese and then translated to English, the Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Gardens addressed the viral video directly.

Zoo keepers said Punch had approached another baby monkey in an attempt to interact. The baby avoided him. An adult monkey — likely the baby's mother — then intervened, dragging Punch away.

SEE ALSO: Punch the monkey's emotional support plushie is from IKEA. Buy it before it sells out.

The behavior may look harsh to human eyes. But for macaques, it's part of establishing boundaries.

"She probably felt that her baby was annoyed by Punch and got upset," the zoo wrote, describing the interaction as a form of discipline, not aggression.

Importantly, keepers said Punch was not injured. After the incident, he returned to his stuffed toy briefly — then resumed interacting with the other monkeys. "No single monkey has shown serious aggression toward him," the zoo said.

But the internet isn't watching Punch as a zoologist would. It's watching him like a fan.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Punch's story has unfolded almost entirely online. People first met him through viral videos showing him clinging to a plush toy after being rejected by his biological mother. They projected onto him immediately: loneliness, vulnerability, resilience. They rooted for him.

So when a video appeared that seemed to confirm their worst fears — that he was being rejected again, and violently so — the reaction was visceral. They wanted to protect him. That emotional investment is part of what makes viral animal stories so powerful. And so volatile.

Online, animals often become characters in narratives that people build themselves. Every interaction becomes a plot point. Every setback feels personal. But those narratives don't always reflect reality.

Punch is still learning how to be a monkey. And according to the zoo, Punch's difficult interactions are part of a gradual process of integrating him into the troop.

He was hand-raised after his mother abandoned him. That saved his life. But it also meant he missed out on early social bonding. Now, he’s learning. That process includes rejection, correction, and trial and error.

It also includes progress. The zoo said Punch continues to communicate with other monkeys and shows resilience. Videos posted after the incident show him moving freely within the enclosure and being groomed by other adult monkeys in the troop. So instead of feeling sorry for the little guy, the Ichikawa City Zoo is asking Punch's online admirers to support his efforts.

He still carries his stuffed animal. But he doesn't always need it.

As major companies around the world start incorporating AI into virtually all aspects of their operation, things are bound to get a little wonky from time to time.

That's reportedly what happened to Amazon this past December, per the Financial Times. The company's Amazon Web Services, which makes up the backbone of a large part of the internet as we know it, experienced a 13-hour disruption, which the Financial Times describes as an outage. In a statement provided to Mashable, an Amazon spokesperson characterized the event as a limited interruption affecting "one of our two Regions in Mainland China." However, the Financial Times spoke to multiple sources who said the problem was caused by engineers allowing the agentic Kiro AI system to perform some tasks, which led the AI to "delete and recreate the environment."

SEE ALSO: 4 highlights from Google CEO Sundar Pichai's talk at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in India

Mind you, this event wasn't anywhere near the same scale as the big Amazon Web Services outage last October.

In addition, AWS published a blog post "to address the inaccuracies in the Financial Times' reporting." An AWS spokesperson also told Reuters that it was a "brief event" caused by "user error," not AI. In other words, if the Financial Times report is true, then the company is placing blame on the engineers who let the AI perform tasks rather than the AI itself. The spokesperson also said the December issues did not impact major infrastructural services as the October AWS outage did, and that the company is not aware of any customer complaints related to the event.

An Amazon spokesperson provided the following statement to Mashable by email:

"This was an extremely limited event last year when a single service (AWS Cost Explorer — which helps customers visualize, understand, and manage AWS costs and usage over time) in one of our two Regions in Mainland China was affected for 13 hours. This event did not impact compute, storage, database, AI technologies, or any other of the hundreds of services that we run. We are also not aware of any related customer inquiries resulting from this isolated interruption. In both instances referenced, the root cause was user error — specifically misconfigured access controls — not AI error. Kiro puts developers in control — users need to configure which actions Kiro can take, and by default, Kiro requests authorization before taking any action. Following the December incident, AWS implemented numerous safeguards, including mandatory peer review for production access, enhanced training on AI-assisted troubleshooting, and resource protection measures."

Big, high-profile outages have been a recurring event on the internet lately. Most recently, we saw YouTube suffer a brief global outage. See also: Verizon, Cloudflare, Microsoft 365, Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, and TikTok.

Experts disagree as to whether internet outages are becoming more common. However, one fact is clear: As websites and apps increasingly rely on a small number of cloud providers — including Amazon Web Services — a single outage can have widespread, cascading effects across the internet.

UPDATE: Feb. 20, 2026, 8:24 p.m. EST We have updated this story with an additional statement and denial from Amazon Web Services. Based on the statement from AWS, we have added additional information on which region the disruption affected. We have also removed a sentence from our story: "While the notion that Amazon's internal AI can facilitate infrastructure outages is not exactly encouraging, at least it didn't result in anything catastrophic."

UPDATE: Feb. 20, 2026, 12:36 p.m. EST We've updated this story to clarify that Amazon has blamed the outages on human error, not AI.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 20, the MSI MPG 491CQP 49-inch curved OLED gaming monitor is on sale for $749.99 at Amazon. That's $100 or 12% off its current list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI MPG 491CQP 49-inch curved OLED gaming monitor $749.99 at Amazon
$849.99 Save $100   Get Deal

There's no denying that curved, ultrawide gaming monitors are some of the most impressive on the market. Not only do you get an outrageous amount of screen real estate, but you'll also go from just playing games to being submerged in them. They're not for the faint of heart, but if you're ready to take the leap, the MSI MPG 491CQP monitor is on sale for 100 bucks off at Amazon.

As of Feb. 20, you can upgrade to the MSI MPG 49-inch curved OLED gaming monitor for only $749.99 instead of $849.99. That's 12% off and just $50 shy of its best price on record.

The 49-inch display is already large and in charge, but add the steep 1800R curvature to the mix and you'll have a massive amount of screen real estate. It does take up a bit of desktop space as well. The niche 32:9 aspect ratio isn't compatible with every game, so we recommend double-checking that the games you love are compatible before snagging it. If you've never had a curved monitor before, it'll take a little getting used to. But the wrap-around monitor will provide some unforgettable gaming experiences. It basically puts you smack dab in the center of the action.

The MPG 491CQP monitor offers a 144Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, VESA certification for ClearMR 8000, and DisplayHDR True Black 400, which ensure vivid imagery and mitigate motion blur. There's also a built-in gaming intelligence app that simplifies setup and helps dial in your settings. OLED Care 2.0 helps to reduce OLED burn-in risks and the monitor comes with a three-year burn-in warranty.

A premium curved OLED monitor can cost you over $1,000, so the MSI MPG 491CQP is quite the steal at just $749.99.

SAVE 32%: As of Feb. 20, you can get the LG Ultragear 5K2K OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (45GX950A-B) for $1,350.18, down from $1,999.99, at Amazon. That's a 32% discount or $649.81 savings.

LG Ultragear 5K2K OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (45GX950A-B) $1,350.18 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $649.81   Get Deal at Amazon

Dropping over a grand on a gaming monitor is undeniably a flex, but if you've been waiting for a sign to upgrade your battle station, Amazon just knocked a hefty chunk of change off the crown jewel of LG's OLED lineup.

As of Feb. 20, you can get the LG Ultragear 5K2K OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (45GX950A-B) for $1,350.18, down from $1,999.99, at Amazon. That's a 32% discount or $649.81 savings.

SEE ALSO: Acer debuted 3 new gaming monitors at CES 2026 — should you upgrade?

While $1,350 is still a splurge, this is a pretty good price for an ultra-wide screen of this caliber. The curved display features "Dual-Mode" capability, which essentially serves as two separate monitors. When you want to get lost in a story-driven game, you can run the panel in 5K2K (5120 x 2160) resolution at 165Hz. But if you’re playing a competitive shooter where frames matter more than pixels, a hotkey instantly switches the screen to Wide Full HD and cranks the refresh rate up to 330Hz.

Add in a 0.03ms response time, a DisplayPort 2.1 connection, and the deep blacks OLEDs are famous for, and you have one of the most versatile gaming displays on the market.

The FBI warned that hackers are successfully stealing millions from ATMs — and the attacks are becoming more frequent.

The FBI warned that the increase in ATM jackpotting — which is exactly what it sounds like — is a result of both physical methods for theft as well as digital malware.

Wrote the FBI in a bulletin:

"Threat actors exploit physical and software vulnerabilities in ATMs and deploy malware to dispense cash without a legitimate transaction. The FBI has observed an increase in ATM jackpotting incidents across the United States. Out of 1,900 ATM jackpotting incidents reported since 2020, over 700 of them with more than $20 million in losses occurred in 2025 alone."

One form of malware, in particular, allows hackers to gain total control over an ATM, making the jackpotting reliably simple. Thankfully for regular people, the malware called "Ploutus" doesn't give hackers access to accounts but rather the machine itself.

"Once Ploutus is installed on an ATM, it gives threat actors direct control over the machine, allowing them to trigger cash withdrawals," wrote the FBI. "Ploutus attacks the ATM itself rather than customer accounts, enabling fast cash-out operations that can occur in minutes and are often difficult to detect until after the money is withdrawn."

Ploutus takes advantage of software that ATMs use to communicate with financial institutions, TechCrunch noted.

Deceased billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein appeared to have multiple accounts on the dating site Match.com in 2012, years after being convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, files released by the Department of Justice suggest.

In the Epstein files, viewed by Mashable, there are numerous emails from Match.com dated in 2012, linking Epstein's Gmail and Yahoo addresses to two profiles on the site: "jeeproject" and "sultan175." Match seemingly emailed the former username "congratulations" for signing up, an alert to resubmit the profile because part of the text was "unintelligible or repetitious," and offers for a free 72 hours on the app. One account received a "Happy birthday" from Match on the same date as Epstein's 60th birthday.

Xbox Live, meanwhile, permanently banned Epstein in 2013 for being a registered sex offender.

SEE ALSO: The Epstein Files: Read Epstein's emails as if you hacked into his Gmail with Jmail

Additionally, the files contain emails about matches the accounts made, including women in their early 20s, as well as emails of members Match "selected for" the user, including a 20-year-old.

A couple of credit card statements in the Epstein files include Match.com as a payee, from 2007 (prior to his conviction) and again in 2012 (Epstein was convicted in 2008). Other files also suggest that he was on other dating apps (owned by Match and otherwise), and that he may have invested in Match Group, the parent company of popular dating apps Tinder and Hinge.

"I'm not at all surprised based on my previous experiences representing clients," lawyer Carrie Goldberg told Mashable. "I'm not at all surprised that a convicted sex predator was using Match Group products at all." Goldberg is representing plaintiffs suing Match Group after a serial rapist, Stephen Matthews, remained on Tinder and Hinge after multiple women reported him.

On whether Match Group had a legal duty to run background checks, Goldberg said, "Match Group has a legal duty to not release unsafe products into the stream of commerce…They're not allowed to increase the risk of harm to other users. They themselves have voluntarily committed to doing background checks."

Back in 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor. He served less than 13 months and registered as a sex offender. Then, in 2019, Epstein was charged with sex trafficking of minors and later died in his cell. The Department of Justice has released more than 3.5 million files related to his crimes since Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law on Nov. 19, 2025.

Match's background check rules, then and now

In Match.com's Terms of Agreement from 2012, it states in bolded font and all caps: "You are solely responsible for your interactions with other members. You understand that Match.com currently does not conduct criminal background checks on its members. Match.com also does not inquire into the backgrounds of all of its members or attempt to verify the statements of its members. Match.com makes no representations or warranties as to the conduct of members or their compatibility with any current or future members."

It also states, however, that "Match.com reserves the right to conduct any criminal background check or other screenings (such as sex offender register searches), at any time and using available public records." In 2011, Match announced that it would begin screening users against the national sex offender registry following a lawsuit from a woman who alleged she was assaulted by someone she met on the site.

Match's current terms are similar to those in 2012, as are those of Match Group brands Tinder and Hinge. 

"The activity referenced dates back more than a decade, during a time when safety tools and registry checks were far more limited than they are today." - A Match spokesperson to Mashable.

A Match spokesperson told Mashable, "The activity referenced dates back more than a decade, during a time when safety tools and registry checks were far more limited than they are today. Since then, the tools available and Match Group’s own Trust and Safety practices have been significantly strengthened through improvements in technology and our continued investment in safety." Match didn't respond to Mashable's question about the "members [it] selected for you" emails.

Last year, Tinder began requiring all new U.S. users to scan their faces when they sign up. However, the company states this is intended to stop scammers and spammers. It's unclear if Tinder is using this technology to reference a sex offender registry database. (Hinge will soon begin testing the same feature.)

As first reported by the Dallas Morning News, there are emails in the Epstein files from OkCupid as well, dating back to 2011, the year Match acquired it. There are also numerous emails to Epstein from the Jewish dating site JDate, which is owned by Spark Networks.

A spokesperson from JDate told Mashable that as a matter of policy, the company doesn't comment on or disclose information about individual user accounts. They did review Mashable's inquiry internally and, "because the materials relates to activity from around 2013 and, in light of our data-retention practices, we are not able to determine whether any related JDate account ever existed or to verify the authenticity or completeness of the documents referenced."

Epstein's potential investments

Within the Epstein files, there are also stock portfolio statements from Deutsche Bank from 2015 and 2016 that identify the portfolio as holding Match stock; however, it's not clear to whom those statements belonged.

There is also an email exchange from 2018 between Epstein and his stock trader, Alpha Group Capital's Paul Barrett, where Barrett suggested investing in conglomerate IAC, which owned Match Group at the time. (IAC and Match Group separated in 2020.) IAC currently owns many media brands, including The Daily Beast.

"Buy InterActive Corp (IAC) on the back of continued success of Match.com and Tinder," Barrett wrote in a 2018 email, along with information about Tinder's growth. Epstein appears to have replied, "OK," to Barrett's suggestion.

Several files mention IAC chairman and senior executive Barry Diller, including a text exchange with former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, when Epstein alleges that Diller has been "on the island." Little St. James, also known as "Epstein Island," is a private island once owned by Epstein, and that's where sex crimes are alleged to have occurred.

Diller, who co-founded the Fox Broadcasting Company with Rupert Murdoch, has been in the news in recent weeks after reportedly expressing interest in buying CNN. He's also been spotlighted by Page Six for his Epstein connection, telling the publication, "I am probably the only one who went to the island to see the architecture rather than the inhabitants."

"As for the stock, we have no idea. This was never discussed." - An IAC spokesperson to Mashable.

"The relationship was distant," an IAC spokesperson told Mashable about Diller and Epstein. "As for the stock, we have no idea. This was never discussed." When asked to clarify who discussed this, the spokesperson responded, "We have no idea and are not aware of any discussions related to the purchase of IAC stock."

Match Group didn't respond to Mashable's inquiry about whether Epstein owned Match stock. 

Earlier this month, Mashable dove into tech titans who appear in the Epstein files, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.