Senators Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn announced on Saturday that theyve made changes to the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) with help from X to strengthen the bill while safeguarding free speech online and ensuring it is not used to stifle expression. The Senate passed the bill in July with a vote of 91-3, but its since stalled in the House, and its proponents are pushing for it to be passed before the end of the year. Xs CEO Linda Yaccarino also posted about the collaboration, and called for Congress and the House to pass the bill.After working with the bill authors, Im proud to share that weve made progress to further protect freedom of speech while maintaining safety for minors online, Yaccarino wrote in a post on X that was shared by the two senators. KOSA is meant to protect minors from addictive social media features and potentially dangerous content by placing a duty of care on the companies that own the platforms. But critics have argued that it could lead to censorship and other harms. The new changes, according to The Verge, clarify the conditions under which duty of care can be enforced and narrow its application around anxiety and depressive disorders, stating they must be objectively verifiable and tied to compulsive usage.In their joint statement, Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Blackburn (R-Tennessee) said:These changes should eliminate once and for all the false narrative that this bill would be weaponized by unelected bureaucrats to censor Americans. We thank Elon and Linda for their bold leadership and commitment to protecting children online and for helping us get this bill across the finish line this Congress. We appreciate that this endorsement and revised text reflects their publicly stated goal of furthering free speech without fear of censorship. We reiterate Xs call to pass KOSA by the end of the year it is clear that this legislation has overwhelming support from Congress.KOSA was first introduced in February 2022 and has faced opposition from groups including the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Its been revised multiple times.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-helped-senators-update-the-kids-online-safety-act-so-it-cant-be-used-to-stifle-expression-221853260.html?src=rss

Redshift 2025.2 is out. Check out the new features in Maxon's GPU renderer, including new options for material variation and non-photorealistic rendering, universal GPU denoising, and a new USD Command Line Rendering tool for render farms.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/12/maxon-releases-redshift-2025-2/

Cinema 4D 2025.1 is out. Check out the new features in Maxon's 3D animation and motion graphics software, including the revamped real-time Boolean modeling system, and updates to animation, simulation and USD workflows.https://www.cgchannel.com/2024/12/maxon-releases-cinema-4d-2025-1/

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Step into the scariest world in From Season 3 as revealed by WeFX in its shocking VFX breakdown. Known for their eerie atmosphere and spine-chilling visuals, this series takes horror to its best with the outstanding transformation of creatures, all wonderfully created by the talented artists of WeFX.Combining practical effects with seamless CGI, WeFX captures the nightmarish essence of the shows beings. Their intricate morphing designs and unnerving movements not only define the shows haunting aesthetic but also amplify the terror in every scene.This breakdown provides a glimpse into the artistry and technical expertise that go into the transformations, further proving WeFXs unparalleled ability to craft visuals that stay with viewers long after credits roll.The post From Season 3: A Haunting VFX Breakdown by WeFX appeared first on Vfxexpress.

The beauty of Wolfs lies in its visual effects that are so seamless one rarely feels that magic is happening before the eyes. beloFXs team of artists brought the movies chill atmosphere to life, crafting 298 shots into the artistry of subtle impacts on a single-night setting storyline.They had worked under the VFX supervisor, Huw Evans. Some of their invisible work was in digital snow and ice, environment extensions, and the progressive snowfall which so elegantly frames the narrative. The expertise really gave a visually immersive backdrop, amplifying the tension and emotion of the story without drawing away from the core.In an understated way, beloFX has shown that invisible effects can be powerful. Sometimes, the best VFX is when it becomes one with the world of the story.The post Wolfs: A VFX Breakdown by beloFX appeared first on Vfxexpress.