Attorneys General Take Meta to Court Over Youth Mental Health and Safety - DTH

These are the Daily Tech headlines [music] for Tuesday, August 18th, 2026. I'm Rob Dunwood. Opening statements began in a multi-state consumer protection lawsuit where 29 attorneys general accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to foster compulsive use in children while misleading the public. While Meta notes a potential $1.4 trillion liability, plaintiffs estimate damages at $193 to $200 billion. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, rather than an advisory jury, will decide the case which could face nationwide product changes to features like infinite scroll and algorithms, or reaffirm Section 230 protections. We've got a few AI headlines for you. Perplexity's year-long experiment of offering free Pro subscriptions to Airtel customers in India successfully drove millions of downloads and increased revenue, but the true test of this growth strategy is now beginning. As the initial free trials expire, it remains to be seen whether these users will transition into long-term paying subscribers, or if the surge was merely a temporary spike in engagement. OpenAI disbanded its preparedness team, marking the third such restructuring of safety functions in favor of integrating risk oversight directly into engineering and product teams. While the company characterizes this as a streamlining effort ahead of an expected IPO, the move has drawn scrutiny due to its proximity to a model breakout event involving hugging face and a series of high-level executive departures. Critics argue this fragmentation reduces accountability for critical safety decisions, though proponents suggest that embedding specialized risk owners within product teams could enhance responsiveness. OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for teams to address safety and academic integrity concerns, featuring a study mode for guided support rather than direct answers, alongside built-in homework monitoring to curb cheating. The platform includes default safety protections, parental control tools, and learning aids, though the efficacy of these measures against determined circumvention by teens remains to be seen. In consumer gadget-related news, a demo video of the macOS Tahoe 26.7 release candidate reveals Apple's rumored camera-equipped AirPods would use virtual intelligence to analyze surroundings and act as eyes for Siri. Designed with a thicker build and longer stems, they assist with navigation and compete with Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. Despite non-photographic claims, their subtle design raises privacy concerns. The AirPods could launch in September alongside new iPhones and an updated Siri. The Fairphone 6 Plus is now available in the US for $649, marking the company's first direct non-modified entry into the market with support for T-Mobile and AT&T. This mid-range Android device features a Snapdragon 7S Gen 4 processor, 12 GB of RAM, and a 6.31-in OLED display paired with a versatile camera system. Its primary appeal remains its focus on sustainability and longevity, offering 12 easily replaceable components, a 5-year warranty, and software support through 2033, positioning it as a durable, repair-friendly alternative to an increasingly expensive smartphone market. Google plans to complete its transition of device manufacturing out of China to Vietnam and India by 2027. Additionally, the company aims to grow its Pixel phone sales to approximately 13 million units in 2026, pursuing an aggressive attack growth strategy despite rising component costs and ongoing price pressures. Comcast has launched Xfinity Shield, a new platform that centralizes home, family, and cybersecurity protection into one app. The service includes a complimentary tier, Wi-Fi Shield, featuring Wi-Fi motion technology to detect household movement using existing Wi-Fi signals alongside cybersecurity and parental controls. Customers can also opt for the $15 per month Shield Select subscription, which adds hardware such as indoor camera and sensors along with a 24/7 emergency response services and advanced AI power object identification. Apple's latest form 10-Q filing warns that global regulatory actions and lawsuits, including EU mandates and the Epic Games case, threaten its services revenue model by challenging the 30% App Store fee. Despite US headwinds, the segment grew 12% to $30.74 billion in Q3, supported by advertising and iCloud. And finally, Reddit is experimenting with new audio and video features that transform traditional text posts and comments into interactive narrated content. This initiative aims to engage new users and improve platform accessibility by allowing people to listen to or watch posts as short-form videos, all while leaving the original text content unchanged. For more analysis of the tech news of the day, subscribe the dailytechnewsshow.com. And if you enjoy the show, remember to tell a friend to check us out. [music] Thanks for listening. We'll talk to you next time.