Latest news with #Monster
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
UK to see 6,000 porn sites verifying user age, Ofcom says
Around 6,000 sites allowing porn in the UK will start checking the age of users from Friday, according to the media regulator Melanie Dawes, its chief executive, told the BBC "we are starting to see not just words but action from the technology industry" to improve child safety told BBC Radio Four's Today programme that "no other country had pulled off" such measures, nor gained commitments from so many platforms, including Elon Musk's X, around age the BBC understands some major porn sites operating in the UK do not seem to be requiring age checks as of Friday morning. And experts remain sceptical about the effectiveness of Ofcom's age checks and how easy it may be for people, particularly children, to circumvent said on Thursday that more platforms, including Discord, X (formerly Twitter), social media app Bluesky and dating app Grindr, had agreed to bring in age regulator had already received commitments from sites such as Pornhub - the UK's most visited porn website - and social media platform to verify age on Reddit appear to have taken effect across a wide range of its individual, topic-based subreddits, such as those dedicated to discussions about Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told BBC Newsbeat the UK's new rules apply "common sense" to regulating the internet."We're very used to proving our age in lots of different areas of life at the moment, and it makes sense that we do so more assertively when it comes to online activity," he said."I think people actually think it's pretty weird that you are age checked when you want to buy a can of Monster, but you're not age checked when you access certain material online." The UK's new online safety rules, explained:What is the Online Safety Act?How could age checks for porn work in the UK?From Reddit to Pornhub: Which sites will require UK age verification? Chris Sherwood, chief executive of children's charity the NSPCC, said Friday's new rules mean services "can no longer evade their duty for protecting children".He added it was "high time for tech companies to step up" and prevent children encountering harmful content on their platforms."Children, and their parents, must not solely bear the responsibility of keeping themselves safe online," he Prof Elena Martellozzo, professor of child sexual exploitation and abuse research at the University of Edinburgh, the rules send a message to the tech industry that "child safety and child protection are not optional"."Failing to act is no longer excusable under the guise of technical complexity or business models," she added. 'More to be done' Not all believe Ofcom's rules go far enough to protect children as intended, Molly Rose Foundation, a charity founded by the family of Molly Russell - who took her own life at the age of 14 after seeing harmful content online - has said stronger legislation is needed to better protect Burrows, the charity's chief executive, said Ofcom has prioritised "the business needs of big tech over children's safety", with thresholds for requirements and estimated costs for changes falling short of what is needed to force the largest companies to take Ray-Hill, interim head of the Internet Watch Foundation, meanwhile welcomed the new rules for sites allowing porn but said "there is still more to be done".He said platform operators should be considering how to make them safer by design and "doing everything they can to make sure we are building an internet that is safe for everyone".Others have have expressed concern that people may seek ways to circumvent so-called age gates on porn sites - potentially pushing them towards less regulated spaces with more dangerous and explicit sexual material."A lot of the porn out there is incredibly derogative to women and there's a lot of violence and aggression," said Reed Amber Thomas-Litman, a sex worker and educator."Of course people, not just kids or young adults, are going to mimic that."She told Newsbeat BBC providing information about porn as part of the sex education curriculum could "help young adults understand it is a fantasy, it is not reality".Age checks could also negatively impact people who do not feel comfortable sharing their identity, such as LGBTQ+ people, she said."If you have to hand over your ID, that means you have no protection where that information is going," she said."It could go to third party companies and who knows what they'll do with that information."Many of the sites which operate age verification services say they do not retain ID, videos or images required for them to carry out age checks for any longer than debate: Will the new rules for pornography sites do more harm than good? Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Judge Judy reveals the Menendez brothers opinion she'll get 'a lot of flak for'
All rise, again. Judge Judy is back on the TV bench with "Justice on Trial," and that death stare still slices through the legal bull as if it never stopped. Judith Sheindlin, 82, who became TV's daytime super judge with her no-nonsense demeanor on the long-running syndicated courtroom series "Judge Judy," has expanded her justice universe on Amazon Prime Video. After "Judge Judy" signed off in 2021 after 25 years and more than 7,000 episodes, Sheindlin launched "Judy Justice," presiding over an arbitration-format show with a panel that includes her granddaughter, Sarah Rose, a law clerk. In 2023, she created "Tribunal Justice," featuring three judges, including her son, Adam Levy, a former district attorney. Your Honor's new legal docuseries, "Justice on Trial" (now streaming), recreates landmark U.S. court cases – including the 100-year-old Scopes Trial. Sheindlin serves as a judge and appears (robeless) as a commentator on the legal ramifications and history. "Everybody, whether legally trained or not, has opinions about legal cases from the O.J. Simpson trial to whether the Menendez brothers should be paroled," Sheindlin tells USA TODAY. "By recreating cases, it gives an entertaining way to see if justice was served." Question: You mentioned the Menendez brothers' possible parole, which is a real possibility following Netflix's "Monster" series. Do you think Lyle and Erik Menendez should be paroled after killing their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in 1989? Answer: What we know about the Menendez brothers is that they killed both of their parents. As we know, after they killed their parents, they went on a buying spree. They got a jury trial, and they were sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. They've done incredibly well in prison, but that doesn't mean they get another chance. That is their sentence. Until Kitty Menendez can stand up before a judge and say, "Give them another chance," the jury and the courts have spoken. Now you have my answer. I'm going to get a lot of flak for that. You wear many robes as different judges in "Justice." But do we see the "Judge Judy" original robe? We're recreating trials that are sometimes 20 years apart, so I wear different robes and in one episode a different hairdo. I do wear the "Judge Judy" robe with a different collar, not the lace one. I think it's the original robe because I took it when I left. It's worn in spots. I hope CBS (which distributed "Judge Judy") doesn't want it back. But it was mine. And CBS has enough problems without worrying about my robe. Why do viewers also see you as a legal narrator in street clothes, without the robe? We added that narrator as a legal roadmap, which the show needed. Actually, the pants are all the same. I just changed the jacket for each episode. That's my little secret. There is less "Judge Judy" commentary in the show. But during one case involving a speeding arrest, you mentioned your husband, Judge Gerald Sheindlin, has more experience in speeding stops. Please explain. I was in the car when he was stopped for speeding, maybe 25 years ago. The female officer came to the car as I was yelling at him, "You were going too fast!" It was like 50 in a 40 zone, so not 100 mph. But still speeding. He was giving some excuse, and I told the officer, "Give him a ticket." Then she recognized me and wouldn't give him the ticket. I wanted to write it myself. And your own driving record is clean of speeding offenses? I've never gotten a speeding ticket. I'm sure I've driven over the limit, but never in a reckless manner. I'm nearly 83, I'm praying I don't get a speeding ticket now. I'm a law-and-order girl. Society makes certain reasonable rules. Like, don't drive over the speed limit. You've been together for 47 years, with a short break. What's your secret? There's an intangible thing you can't quite put your finger on that allows you to hate somebody in one moment and then really like them the next. There are irritations, ups and downs. But I can't picture my life without him. You are known for the phrase, "Beauty fades, dumb is forever." It's even the title of your 1999 book. Yet there's nothing about you that has faded in eight decades. What's your secret? I know I have changed. Sometimes I look in the mirror and say, "When did I become my mother?" In your brain, you're always 40. I have no formula. You just have to be an interesting person your whole life. To me, there's nothing worse than boredom. So if I'm not working, I would clean a bathroom or a kitchen, or redo a closet. I'm getting too old for those, so this is the perfect job for me.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sydney Sweeney transforms into boxer Christy Martin for biopic ahead of TIFF 2025 premiere
Sydney Sweeney has undergone a striking transformation for her latest role, portraying legendary boxer Christy Martin in the upcoming biopic Christy. Known for her performances in Euphoria and Anyone But You, Sweeney appears almost unrecognisable in the newly released still from the film. The photo shows Sweeney in a boxing ring, donning gloves and a mouthguard, with a fierce expression as she embodies the former professional fighter. Her appearance is drastically altered, dressed in a white tank top and shorts, her hair dark brown and curly, portraying Martin during the height of her career in the 1990s. Fans have been vocal in their reactions to the image, with many praising the bold shift in direction. 'This transformation is akin to Charlize Theron in Monster,' one viewer commented. Another added, 'From lace to leather gloves. Sydney's switching lanes and I'm here for it.' Others described the change as 'a total transformation' and said they 'barely recognise her.' Christy Martin is regarded as a pivotal figure in the history of women's boxing, credited with bringing widespread attention to the sport during her time in the ring. The film, directed by David Michôd, is set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September. Joining Sweeney in the cast are Merritt Wever, Katy O'Brian, Ben Foster and Ethan Embry. The biopic is expected to focus on Martin's professional achievements and personal challenges throughout her boxing career.
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Monster + Careerbuilder job sites sell for $28m in bankruptcy
NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - CareerBuilder + Monster plans to sell its once-dominant online job boards to Bold Holdings for $28 million, after a bankruptcy auction nearly quadrupled an initial offer for those assets. CareerBuilder + Monster, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in June, announced the winning bid in court documents filed Saturday. The company will ask a U.S. bankruptcy judge to approve the sale at a court hearing in Wilmington, Delaware on Thursday. CareerBuilder + Monster entered bankruptcy with an initial offer of $7 million from JobGet, which has an app that connects gig workers with jobs. JobGet was the runner-up in the auction after increasing its offer to $27 million, according to court documents. Bold, which was founded by two former employees of owns resume and cover letter builders, job search sites and networking platforms. It acquired and an AI-powered job search platform, in 2024. Bold's purchase agreement commits it to hiring 350 full-time employees from CareerBuilder + Monster, according to court documents. CareerBuilder + Monster had 935 full-time employees at the time of its bankruptcy filing. CareerBuilder + Monster also named winning bidders for its other assets. The company plans to sell its media properties, and to Valnet US for $27.25 million, and its government services business, which provides HR software services to state and federal governments, to Sherrill-Lubinski LLC & Eti-Net Inc. for $13 million. The final bids for the job boards, the media properties and government services business totaled $57 million, compared to roughly $35 million in initial bids for those assets at the start of CareerBuilder + Monster's bankruptcy. Created through the September merger of CareerBuilder and Monster, CareerBuilder + Monster is owned by private equity firm Apollo Global Management and Dutch staffing company Randstad. The company has $392.5 million in debt, and it said the merger failed to address long-term challenges like CareerBuilder's high debt load and increased competition from companies like ZipRecruiter and Indeed. The case is ZenJV LLC, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, No. 25-11195 For CareerBuilder+Monster: Ray Schrock, Candace Arthur and Jonathan Gordon of Latham & Watkins, among others Read more: CareerBuilder + Monster, which once dominated online job boards, file for bankruptcy
Indianapolis Star
17-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Dead mouse found in woman's Monster Energy drink, lawsuit says
A Michigan woman is suing Monster Energy after finding a mouse in her drink, a lawsuit states. McKenzie Cain alleges she found a mouse inside a Monster Energy drink she purchased from a bagel restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in April 2024. She is seeking $25,000 for "emotional distress, trauma and physical illness," the lawsuit states. "Upon consuming the drink, Cain picked up the can and realized the can was still oddly heavy," the lawsuit states. "Out of curiosity, Cain opened the can further, and to her horror, found a dead mouse laying in the bottom of the can." In the lawsuit filed in September 2024, Cain accuses Monster Energy of negligence and strict liability for causing her physical harm, as well as breach of implied warranty of merchantability. "It's hard to imagine many things more disgusting than finding a dead mouse at the bottom of your energy drink. It is also dangerous. Mice, like all rodents, often carry diseases that can be extremely harmful. It goes without saying that no beverages should ever make it to the shelf with a dead animal inside it," Cain's lawyer, Zach Runyan, said in a statement shared with USA TODAY. Which has the most caffeine? Energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar are popular. On Monday, July 14, the lawsuit was transferred from state to federal court, Western District of Michigan records show. "Plaintiff alleges to have found a dead mouse laying on the bottom of Defendant's can after consuming the beverage," the notice of removal from state court reads. Monster Energy did not immediately respond for comment when contacted by USA TODAY on Wednesday, July 16. This is not the first lawsuit of its kind. In 2011, Monster Energy was sued by a man named Vitaliy Sulzhik, who claimed he found a mouse in his energy drink after opening and consuming part of it. At the time, Monster Energy described the lawsuit as "frivolous, unfounded" and "nothing more than a shakedown." "Common sense would dictate that if a mouse had been introduced into the can at production (a virtually impossible scenario given modern production technologies) which occurred months prior to Mr. Sulzhik's consumption of the product, the mouse would have deteriorated and the product would not have been drinkable from the very first sip," the company said in a news release. As of July 16, it is unclear where Sulzhik's lawsuit stands.
