Instagram is rolling out a new program to fast-track moderation reports made by school districts. After a district joins the new Schools Partnership program, any post or account they flag for potentially violating Instagrams rules will be automatically prioritized for review.The schools account will then receive notifications about the status of their report, and whether Instagram takes action on it. The partnership program is available to middle schools and high schools in the US, and it will allow them to take action against harmful content students may post.Schools are often made aware of threats or inappropriate content posted on social media platforms, and some use monitoring programs to keep tabs on what students post online. Educational institutions will get a banner on their profile indicating that theyre part of the program, and theyll gain access to resources to help support educators, parents, guardians and students navigate Instagram safely.Instagram has been trying to get ahead of the online child safety legislation popping up across the US. Last year, Instagram moved teens into more private accounts and began using AI to scan for signals that someone might be lying about their age. It also partnered with the nonprofit organization Childhelp to develop a curriculum that teaches middle schoolers how to recognize online exploitation, including sextortion scams and grooming.

Sony has announced a successor to its budget-minded WF-C700N wireless earbuds from 2023. The new WF-C710N still lack a memorable name but introduce improvements like upgraded active noise cancellation and features borrowed from Sonys more premium earbud offerings. And despite the rising cost of many electronics, the WF-C710N are available for preorder today for $119.99 the same price as their predecessors.One of our biggest complaints when we reviewed the WF-C700N was their lackluster ANC, which was really only capable of removing very low frequency hums and rumbling. Although we havent tested the capabilities of the new WF-C710N, Sony says it has improved the performance of both the ANC and ambient sound mode through the use of dual microphones. However, it doesnt look like Sony is using the dedicated ANC processors found in its premium earbud offerings.Better battery life is another reason to consider an upgrade. With ANC turned on, the WF-C700N offered up to 7.5 hours on buds alone, or up to 15 hours when paired with a charging case that offered just a single full charge. For the WF-C710N, battery life is expanded to 8.5 hours for the buds, or up to 30 hours when paired with their charging case. With ANC turned off, Sony says battery life maxes out at up to 40 hours.Quick charging has also been improved. Once the WF-C710N buds have died, just five minutes in their charging case down from 10 is enough to revive them for an hour of playback.Sony has replaced the physical buttons on the older WF-C700N earbuds with touch sensors on its new WF-C710N. Image: SonyPremium features that have finally trickled down from Sonys more premium earbuds include a sensor that will automatically pause playback when the WF-C710N are removed from your ears. Sony has also switched from physical buttons on each earbud to touch sensors whose function can be configured in a mobile app. They can be used to control music playback, answer calls, adjust the volume, or launch your preferred music app. The earbuds are also IPX4 water-resistant (splashes are okay, but a complete dunking is not) and can connect to two Bluetooth devices for easy switching.In addition to pink, black, and white, Sony is introducing a new transparent blue option to its WF-C710N wireless earbuds. Image: SonyBut if all you care about is how your earbuds look, the Sony WF-C710N are available in black, white, pink, and a new transparent blue color that makes the upgrade even more tempting.See More:

Capcom has announced Monster Hunter Wilds title Update 1 comes out on Thursday, April 3 Pacific Time, and April 4 UK time.In a showcase video, below, Capcom confirmed the release date as well as what players can expect from Monster Hunter Wilds first major post-launch update.The headline here is the Grand Hub, a new gathering place in which players can interact in new ways. Here you can play a new mini-game called Barrel Bowling and listen to the Diva perform at night.Mizutsune a leviathan monster with dangerous bubbles hits Monster Hunter Wilds with Title Update 1, alongside a Zoh Shia quest. Arch-tempered Rey Dau launches later via an event quest.PlayArena Quests, where players can compete for fastest completion times, launch with Title Update 1. Free content is coming to all players, including classic gestures from the series. Cosmetic DLC Pack 1 launches alongside this update, too.At the end of May, a collaboration with an unannounced Capcom game arrives in Monster Hunter Wilds. A second title update for Wilds is set to release in the summer, and Capcom teased what to expect with an early glimpse at the arrival of a new monster.PC gamers had hoped for word on performance improvements for Monster Hunter Wilds, as the PC version saw quite a few complaints and concerns in Wilds' launch window. However, nothing on this was mentioned in the showcase.Here's what to expect from Monster Hunter Wilds in the run up to summer.The latest in Capcom's long-running monster-fighting series brought in some big numbers with its launch, and with Title Update 1, the company will be setting the cadence for how it moves forward. Check out IGN's roundup of everything announced during the Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 showcase for even more detail and information.To help get your Monster Hunter Wilds adventure started, take a look at what Monster Hunter Wilds doesnt tell you, and a guide to all 14 weapon types in the game. Weve also got a detailed MH Wilds walkthrough in progress, a MH Wilds multiplayer guide to explain how to play with friends, and if youve played one of the open betas, heres how to transfer your MH Wilds Beta character over.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The Rule of Jenny Pen begins streaming on Shudder Friday, March 28.The grueling but entertaining psychological thriller The Rule of Jenny Pen introduces one of the strangest movie villains youll ever meet: Jenny Pen, a baby doll puppet with tiny plastic hands and a bulbous head. The puppets eyes are long gone, so any light in the room tends to shine through the open sockets, giving them a disconcertingly eerie glow; her M.O. is one of mental and physical torture, a battery of distressing taunts aimed at the vulnerable residents of a New Zealand nursing home. But this is no Childs Play or M3GAN situation. Jenny carries out the petulant whims of her owner, played by John Lithgow in a formidable portrayal whose bullying energy could only be matched and countered by similarly seasoned pros Geoffrey Rush and George Henare.The Rule of Jenny Pen is adapted from a short story by Owen Marshall, a New Zealander who specializes in antagonists like Dave Crealy (Lithgow): people who are so intensely aggressive that they can easily manipulate the meek. In this particular story, Dave meets a worthy adversary: Stefan Mortensen (Rush), an imperious judge who arrives at the home after suffering a stroke, and makes it his mission to expose this monster who stalks the halls at night, ending each intrusion into his neighbors rooms with the unsettling inquiry Who rules? The problem is that in the daylight hours, Dave comes across as a sweetly addled eccentric, beloved by the staff. And Stefan? He is one prickly pear. Throughout the movie, Stefan struggles to get anyone to believe that Dave and Jenny are trouble, mainly because, as written and performed, Stefan is so rude to everyone, all of the time.Stefan isnt easy to root for. When we first meet him, hes sitting at the front of his courtroom, blaming the parents of a sexual-assault victim for not taking better care of their child. Later, at the nursing home, he complains about having to share a room with Tony Garfield (Henare): a former rugby star, a hero to his fellow Maori and a New Zealand national treasure. Its a credit to Rush that even though Stefan can be demanding and petty, he also comes across as heroic in his own way, standing up for simple human dignity. Henare is also outstanding, projecting a genuine sweetness and inner strength in the face of Daves relentless cruelty.Stefan and Tony eventually bond over the mutual hatred of Dave, who resents Tony for being popular and singles him out for discipline at Jenny Pens wee hands. When Dave comes into Stefan and Tonys room after dark, he tells racist jokes in the puppets voice, and then yanks on Tonys catheter. Because both Stefan and Tony have physical ailments that make it hard for them to get away, theyre trapped with this madman and his devil-doll and were trapped along with them. These scenes are intense and disturbing, but effective. They make the movie scarier and the situation feel more hopeless.The Rule of Jenny Pen GalleryDave and Jennys reign of terror takes on more or less the same form, day after day, and because of this, The Rule of Jenny Pen can get a little repetitive. Director James Ashcroft (who co-wrote the screenplay with Eli Kent) emphasizes the banal irritations of an institution, in ways that spread some of that discomfort to us. A scene like the one where an entertainer in a hideously grinning mask sings the insipid ditty Ive Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts is meant to be grating and it certainly is.But Lithgow, Rush, and Henare are consistently exciting to watch, as their three old men scheme against and sabotage each other. Theres a darkly comic undercurrent to this movie, evident in the gusto of these performances and also running beneath all the creepy shots of Jenny Pen, who looms large in the frame, with a blank expression that is equal parts ominous and hilarious.Lithgow, Rush, and Henare are consistently exciting to watch.More importantly, Ashcroft does a terrific job of capturing the frustrations of a man like Stefan, who was used to bossing people around, right up until the moment when his brain went haywire. The director follows in the footsteps of Australian and New Zealand filmmakers like George Miller and Peter Jackson, who take the exciting parts of the action, fantasy and horror genres all the fights, chases, murders, intimidation, and wonder and put them into movies about underdogs fighting for some kind of personal freedom. Stefan has no family to come visit, and his condition keeps deteriorating; but hell be damned if some dumb puppet is going to get the better of him. Stefan may not be the hero we want in the darkest of times, but he could well be the one who is obnoxious enough to see justice done.

Come to the New York exhibit Syd Mead: Future Pastime, featuring the familiar yet fantastical work of the artist behind Blade Runner, Aliens, and TRON.Robert Wise enlisted Meads talents for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). Steven Lisberger brought him on board for TRON (1982). Ridley Scott commissioned Mead to conceptualize the world of Blade Runner (1982). Hollywood embraced him, and he continued designing for film into his final years. Syd did not just imagine the futurehe built it. His visions shaped the way we dream, design, and depict tomorrow. From the vehicles we drive to the cities we build, the films we watch to the technologies we pursue, our collective vision of the future has been profoundly shaped by his hand.Read more at FuturePastime.netLEGO has released another Fast and Furious set, this one inspired by a classic car from the movie that launched the franchise, The Fast and the Furious.Given the number of models of fast cars that LEGO releases, Fast and Furious is an obvious source of inspiration. The Toyota Supra MK4 is the fourth model based on a vehicle that appears in the films, and the second Technic set to tap into the franchise, following the diabolical Doms Dodge Charger. Thankfully, this one looks to be far better than that black brick on wheels.Read more at BricksetLinda Cardellini has signed on to star as Pamela Voorhees in Peacocks Friday the 13th expanded prequel series Crystal Lake from A24.In the Friday the 13th movies, Pamela is the mother of Jason Voorhees and a main antagonist. She was portrayed by Betsy Palmer in the original film. The role has subsequently been played by Marilyn Poucher, Paula Shaw and Nana Visitor in various sequels, crossover and reboot movies.Read more at DeadlineHazelight Studios Split Fiction may be the next video game in line to be adapted for the big screen, not quite a month after its initial launch.Sources at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco have confirmed that media company Story Kitchen (led by the team that shepherded It Takes Two into a film project now set up at Amazon) is putting together the films cast, writers and director into a package as offers for the rights keep coming in from multiple top Hollywood studios.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Read more at VarietyAbsolute Batman continues to introduce larger-than-life versions of familiar faces in Caped Crusader lore, and Bane is next in line in Absolute Batman #9.This version of the character, per the logline, is actually an old adversary of Alfreds recently summoned to Gotham by Joker. His mission? Stop Bruce from uncovering the secrets of Ark M, an institution contributing in the creation of evil within Gotham. His methods? Be literally big as hell.Read more at Gizmodo

At Minecraft Live, we got a glimpse of the future of Minecraft in the form of Vibrant Visuals an upgrade that will transform the way players experience the game. Coming later this year to Minecraft: Bedrock Edition on selected platforms, Vibrant Visuals will give the game a huge visual boost, adding improved graphical elements such as directional lighting, volumetric fog, and much more and will be available as a simple menu toggle, letting you switch between old and new looks at will.The team at Mojang has a perfect way of summing up their intentions Vibrant Visuals is designed to evoke how Minecraft looks in your head. This isnt a total conversion, or a handbrake turn into a new visual style, but a deepening of Minecrafts iconic look.Art Director Jasper Boerstra spearheaded the project, and explained that it all began by seeing how the community approached Minecraft: Vibrant Visuals was inspired by the streamers. When I was thinking about this project, I watched streamers build to see how people play with shaders and how they react to them. One thing I noticed is that players often turn off shaders when doing specific tasks, like building, because they want to see things more clearly. That inspired me to think about how we could create graphics that you dont have to turn offgraphics that are comfortable to build with. Thats exactly what we aimed for: simple and impactful for players.I was lucky enough to visit Mojang Studios in Stockholm to see Vibrant Visuals in action, and that overriding philosophy is clear from the moment I drop into one of two maps created specially to show off the huge amount of work thats gone into creating Vibrant Visuals. Its one thing to see it in screenshots or trailers, but you truly cant understand the effect of Vibrant Visuals without playing the game yourself.On the first of these maps, I load into a cave, looking up a flight of stairs to a sunset sky. Light pours in from the outside, pooling down the edges of the stone walls, vines cutting twisting shadows through it, as hovering fireflies cast lazily dancing pools of light over water blocks around me. As I leave the cave, Im presented with a mountainous desert, the low sun casting long shadows across the landscape. Its an atmosphere that vanilla Minecraft has never had before.Switching to the second map, Im suddenly in a verdant valley at the height of the afternoon. Sunshine plays through the gaps in cherry blossom trees, and falling petals (added as part of the Spring to Life game drop) cast their own fluttering shadows around me. I dive into a nearby pool, and realize that light even plays a part down here, gold rays of sunshine spearing their way through the water. Every single block is touched by the change you can see how light interacts on everything, even across the backs of scuttling wildlife living here.Boerstra explained more about how Vibrant Visuals isnt just a graphical overhaul, but a distinctly Minecraft-themed take on a modern look: When you play, youll notice that the shadows in the game are pixelated. All the reflections are pixelated, too. When you drop an item and the sun casts a shadow on it, its also pixelated. We wanted to keep it Minecraft-y, and Vibrant Visuals is a great way to bridge familiar elements with new features. Its about adding something to the world that feels immersive while staying true to the essence of the game.But perhaps the biggest testament to how successfully these enhanced visuals have been implemented is that, very quickly, I forget all about them. Its not such an overwhelming shift that Im constantly reminded that this is an all-new look it feels perfectly pitched, retaining everything you know of Minecraft. In fact, the most incredible part of the demonstration was when I started using a single hotkey to shift back and forth between the old look and the new Id continuously find amazing looking vistas, then toggle back to the original visuals, and realise, all over again, quite how much has changed.In the original look, mountain ranges surrounded me like the enormous chunks of blocks they are but with Vibrant Visuals, volumetric fog effects mean that they disappear into a haze, offering a sense of depth to the map. Its not just that it looks better, it feels bigger, adding a newfound sense of scale and mystery to the world around you.And this is only the beginning for Vibrant Visuals. This isnt a one-and-done moment for Mojang, but the beginning of an ongoing effort to improve what Minecraft can look like, without abandoning its signature vibe.Vibrant Visuals is not the end; its the beginning of our journey, explains Executive Producer Ingela Garneij. We want to keep working to add more visual updates, as our goal is to reach players across platforms with approachable graphics. Well continue to build on these features while staying true to what makes Minecrafts art style so special and beloved by our community. Its also presented as an option for players and not just in the fact that you can switch back to the original look at any time. Vibrant Visuals is planned for Minecraft: Java Edition in the future, but this doesnt spell an end to community-created visual mods, or RTX-enabled maps. Vibrant Visuals is presented as a new way for a whole new swathe of players to upgrade the look of the game, without the more in-depth work that can take.The benefit to us, the players, is clear for longtime fans, this represents Minecraft evolving to match their imaginations. For new players, it helps modernize the game without ever losing what made it special in the first place. And for all of those players, accessing Vibrant Visuals is as simple as downloading the update.Were so used to Minecraft increasing its scope through content new blocks, new mobs, new mechanics that its fascinating to see the team take a totally different approach here. Vibrant Visuals doesnt just feel like a new look for the game it feels like a new dawn.Vibrant Visuals will arrive for free in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition later this year.MinecraftMicrosoft Studios2008$19.99$15.99Get it nowXbox One X EnhancedXbox Game PassCREATE Build whatever you can imagine in your own infinite world thats unique in every playthrough. EXPLORE Discover biomes, resources and mobs, and craft your way through a world filled with surprises in the ultimate sandbox game. SURVIVE Experience unforgettable adventures as you face mysterious foes, traverse exciting landscapes, and travel to perilous dimensions. PLAY TOGETHER Have a blast with friends, whether youre sitting on the same couch in split screen or miles apart in cross-platform play for console, mobile and PC. Connect with millions of players on community servers or subscribe to Realms Plus to play with up to 10 friends on your own private server. EXPERIENCE MORE Get creator-made add-ons, thrilling worlds, and stylish cosmetics on Minecraft Marketplace. Subscribe to Marketplace Pass (or Realms Plus) to access 150+ worlds, skin & textures packs, and more refreshed monthly.

Sophia and Zac basically discuss some stuff about AI that goes off the rails, some stuff about autonomous vehicles that goes off the deep end, some stuff about Nintendo and the Switch 2 that manages to stay on track, and a special message at the end about love and kindness.Note: recorded 3/14/2025 and released 3/25/2025 because reasons. Thanks for viewing! 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7, confidential support.The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ Youth) Call 1-866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or visit thetrevorproject.org for crisis support.Trans Lifeline Call 877-565-8860 for peer support by and for trans individuals.Crisis Text Line Text HELLO to 741741 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Helpline) Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or visit nami.org for mental health support and resources.HostsSophia TungYouTube: youtube.com/@sophiatThreads: threads.net/@sophnewsnetMastodon: myf.one/@viaBluesky: bsky.app/profile/sof.isZac HallX: @apollozacThreads: threads.net/@apollozacInstagram: instagram.com/apollozacSubscribe, Rate, and ReviewFeedbackEmail us feedback and questions to zac@9to5mac.comAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is availableon iTunes and Apples Podcasts app,Stitcher,TuneIn,Google Play, or through ourdedicated RSS feedfor Overcast and other podcast players.Sponsored by DREAME: Get up to $600 off intelligent robotic cleaners and effortless wet/dry vacs in DREAMEs Spring Cleaning sale now.New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as theyre available.Stories discussed in this episode:Listen & Subscribe:Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock:Ad-free versions of every episodeBonus contentCatch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes!Dont miss out on our other daily podcasts:Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Despite a disastrous test launch that stranded two astronauts on board the International Space Stationand caused it immense public embarrassment, Boeing hasn't given up on its Starliner spacecraft just yet.As SpaceNews reports, NASA commercial crew program manager Steve Stich revealed last week that the agency is expecting another test flight with the craft. Whether a crew will be on board this time around remains unclear."What wed like to do is that one flight and then get into a crew rotation flight," he said. "So, the next flight up would really test all the changes were making to the vehicle, and then the next fight beyond that, we really need to get Boeing into a crew rotation. So, thats the strategy."Starliner was developed under the same commercial crew program as SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, which has completed a dozen successful crewed trips to the ISS over the last six years.Boeing and NASA are hoping to address some of the technical issues that led to NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore having to watch the capsule return uncrewed last summer. Instead, the pair returned onboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft earlier this month a nine-month delay."The thing that we need to solidify and go test is the prop system in the service module," Stich said. "We need to make sure we can eliminate the helium leaks, eliminate the service module thruster issues that we had on docking."Even if the Starliner were to be launched without a crew, Stich said that the agency still wanted to have "all the systems in place that we could fly a crew with."It's a surprising development, given how much of a disaster Starliner has been for Boeing and NASA alike. The aerospace giant has lost over $2 billion on the project since it began. Roughly a month after the capsule returned empty-handed last year, rumors started swirling that Boeing was looking to sell off its space business entire.Boeing and NASA have remained strikingly tight-lipped since Starliner's return. But according to Stich, Boeing isn't ready to throw in the towel."Boeing, all the way up to their new CEO, Kelly [Ortberg], has been committed to Starliner," he said last week, as quoted by SpaceNews. "I see a commitment from Boeing to continue the program."For now, NASA is buying itself some time until it has to decide what to do with Boeing's Starliner. The next scheduled crew rotation mission to the space station will be handled by SpaceX in July. It's still possible the agency may opt for Boeing's spacecraft for the mission after that.But considering last year's performance, NASA and Boeing will have to tread carefully.Share This Article

NASA has deleted two comic books about women astronauts from all its websites, , in what appears to be the latest victim of the Trump's administration's purge of "DEI" content from federal agencies.The online comics, titled "First Woman: NASA's Promise for Humanity," and "First Woman: Expanding Our Universe," tell the stories of young women training to become astronauts, in anticipation of NASA's upcoming Artemis missions, which had been set to see the first female astronaut to set foot on the lunar surface. Oh, except that promise has been dropped, too.The two volumes have been featured on NASA's website since being issued in 2021 and 2023, respectively. But as of March 2025, both have now been conspicuously wiped from the space agency's online presence.Shortly after Trump took office in January, NASA leadership issued a directive ordering employees to scrub a whole host of terms that the administration would deem "woke," including any content "specifically targeting" women.The space agency's acting administrator Janet Petro, who was hand-picked by Trump, also threatened employees with "adverse consequences" if they didn't speak up about any DEI efforts happening without official approval.It should come as no surprise, then, that the sweepingly discriminatory policy is censoring content with messages as wholesome and harmless as "women can be astronauts, too." Even more grimly, NASA pages about the Artemis mission no longer boast the promise that it "will land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the Moon."This dragnet censorship approach is being used in other wings of government, producing blunders that expose the racist and misogynistic underpinnings of its raison d'etre. Last week, for example, the Pentagon sparked an uproar when it deleted a webpage about the baseball player and civil rights hero Jackie Robinson a supposed error officials blamed on an AI tool.A little known comic like "First Woman" won't have quite as many rallying to its aid. But it has found itself at least one notable champion: the Iceland Space Agency. Daniel Leeb, the Executive Mission Director at the Iceland Space Agency, responded to the NASA Watch on LinkedIn, lambasting the censorship and vowing to platform the comics."The Iceland Space Agency will host and post First Woman issue one and two on our website come Monday morning," Leeb wrote, per NASA Watch. "We will also start an initiative to have this translated into Icelandic... and to continue the story.""I hope for my daughters and all the daughters on Earth, that we can all begin to use our voices to push back and say clearly Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is not the boogyman some would have you believe," Leeb added. "In fact it is a foundational strength in geopolitics, economics, and in society as a whole."Share This Article