Latest news with #teens
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
FDA head warns of illegal vaping products from China
An influx of illegal vapes that are appealing to children and teens has been making its way into the U.S. from China, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary warned in an interview Tuesday with ABC News. "[What] we have been doing is laughable," Makary told ABC News' Linsey Davis. Makary said that cracking down on illegal e-cigarettes would be a "top priority" for the agency moving forward. MORE: Inside the crackdown on a flashy new generation of illicit vapes popular with US teens "We're going to start confiscating and seizing. We're going to take this seriously," Makary said. A new generation of products, designed to help teens vape discreetly while attempting to evade parents and teachers, include vaping mechanisms concealed as backpacks, smartphone cases, highlighters and handheld video game consoles, law enforcement officials have told ABC News. "There is no approved vaping product in the United States that has a video game," Marty said while holding an illicit vape. "There is not an approved vaping product in the United States that has one of these cutie fruity flavors." Last month, U.S Customs and Border Protection seized roughly 2 million of the illegal products, with an estimated worth of nearly $34 million. "This is just a small fraction of the seizures we have here," CBP official Eric Everson told Davis as they recently toured a facility of seized e-cigarettes. In just the first six months of 2025, CBP seizures had a domestic value of $60.3 million. "We're concerned about these vape shops that are popping up on every corner in America," Marty said. "Parents are not aware of what's being sold there." Only 39 e-cigarette products have been authorized by the FDA to be legally marketed in the U.S. -- all with menthol or tobacco flavorings. Marty told ABC News the FDA recently sent a total of 800 letters to retailers and distributors of vapes, warning them about selling unauthorized products. "Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA's list," said Makary. "We don't even know what's in some of these [illegal] vaping products," he said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
FDA head warns of illegal vaping products from China
An influx of illegal vapes that are appealing to children and teens has been making its way into the U.S. from China, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary warned in an interview Tuesday with ABC News. "[What] we have been doing is laughable," Makary told ABC News' Linsey Davis. Makary said that cracking down on illegal e-cigarettes would be a "top priority" for the agency moving forward. MORE: Inside the crackdown on a flashy new generation of illicit vapes popular with US teens "We're going to start confiscating and seizing. We're going to take this seriously," Makary said. A new generation of products, designed to help teens vape discreetly while attempting to evade parents and teachers, include vaping mechanisms concealed as backpacks, smartphone cases, highlighters and handheld video game consoles, law enforcement officials have told ABC News. "There is no approved vaping product in the United States that has a video game," Marty said while holding an illicit vape. "There is not an approved vaping product in the United States that has one of these cutie fruity flavors." Last month, U.S Customs and Border Protection seized roughly 2 million of the illegal products, with an estimated worth of nearly $34 million. "This is just a small fraction of the seizures we have here," CBP official Eric Everson told Davis as they recently toured a facility of seized e-cigarettes. In just the first six months of 2025, CBP seizures had a domestic value of $60.3 million. "We're concerned about these vape shops that are popping up on every corner in America," Marty said. "Parents are not aware of what's being sold there." Only 39 e-cigarette products have been authorized by the FDA to be legally marketed in the U.S. -- all with menthol or tobacco flavorings. Marty told ABC News the FDA recently sent a total of 800 letters to retailers and distributors of vapes, warning them about selling unauthorized products. "Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA's list," said Makary. "We don't even know what's in some of these [illegal] vaping products," he said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
New Study Shows Teens Are Increasingly Relying on AI Chatbots for Social Interaction
This story was originally published on Social Media Today. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Social Media Today newsletter. Yeah, this seems like it's going to be a problem in future, though maybe that's considered the cost of progress? Last week, Common Sense Media published a new report which found that 72% of U.S. teens have already used an AI companion, with many of them now conducting regular social interactions with their chosen virtual friends. The study is based on a survey of 1,060 teens, so it's intended as an indicative measure, not as a definitive overview of AI usage. But the trends do point to some potentially significant concerns, particularly as platforms now look to introduce AI bots that can also serve as romantic partners in some capacity. First off, as noted, the data shows that 72% of teens have tried AI companions, and 52% of them have become regular users of these bots. What's worth noting here is that AI bots aren't anywhere near where they're likely to be in a few more years' time, with the tech companies investing billions of dollars into advancing their AI bots to make them more relatable, more conversational, and better emulators of real human engagement. But they're not. These are bots, which respond to conversational cues based on the context that they have available, and whatever weighting system each company puts into their back-end process. So they're not an accurate simulation of actual human interaction, and they never will be, due to the real mental and physical connection enabled through such. Yet, we're moving towards a future where this is going to become a more viable replacement for actual civic engagement. But what if a bot gets changed, gets infected with harmful code, gets hacked, shut down, etc.? The broader implications of enabling, and encouraging such connection, are not yet known, in terms of the mental health impacts that could come as a result. But we're moving forward anyway, with the data showing that 33% of teens already use AI companions for social interaction and relationships. Of course, some of this may well end up being highly beneficial, in varying contexts. For example, the ability to ask questions that you may not be comfortable saying to another person could be a big help, with the survey data showing that 18% of AI companion users refer to the tools for advice. Nonjudgmental interaction has clear benefits, while 39% of AI companion users have also transferred social skills that they've practiced with bots over to real-life situations (notably, 45% of females have done this, versus 34% of male users). So there's definitely going to be benefits. But like social media before it, the question is whether those positives will end up outweighing the potential negatives of over-reliance on non-human entities for traditionally human engagement. 31% of survey participants indicated that they find conversations with AI companions as satisfying or more satisfying than those with real-life friends, while 33% have chosen AI over humans for certain conversations. As noted, the fact that these bots can be skewed to answer based on ideological lines is a concern in this respect, as is the tendency for AI tools to 'hallucinate' and make incorrect assumptions in their responses, which they then state as fact. That could lead youngsters down the wrong path, which could then lead to potential harm, while again, the shift to AI companions as romantic partners opens up even more questions about the future of relationships. It seems inevitable that this is going to become a more common usage for AI tools, that our budding relationships with human simulators will lead to more people looking to take those understanding, non-judgmental relationships to another level. Real people will never understand you like your algorithmically-aligned AI bot can, and that could actually end up exacerbating the loneliness epidemic, as opposed to addressing it, as some have suggested. And if young people are learning these new relationship behavors in their formative years, what does that do for their future concept of human connection, if indeed they feel they need that? And they do need it. Centuries of studies have underlined the importance of human connection and community, and the need to have real relationships to help shape your understanding perspective. AI bots may be able to simulate some of that, but actual physical connection is also important, as is human proximity, real world participation, etc. We're steadily moving away from this over time, and you could argue, already, that increasing rates of severe loneliness, which the WHO has declared a 'pressing global health threat,' are already having major health impacts. Indeed, studies have shown that loneliness is associated with a 50% increased risk of developing dementia and a 30% increased risk of incident coronary artery disease or stroke. Will AI bots help that? And if not, why are we pushing them so hard? Why is every app now trying to make you chat with these non-real entities, and share your deepest secrets with their evolving AI tools? Is this more beneficial to society, or to the big tech platforms that are building these AI models? If you lean towards the latter conclusion, then progress is seemingly the bigger focus, just as it was with social media before it. AI providers are already pushing for the European Union to relax its restrictions on AI development, while the looming AI development race between nations is also increasing the pressure on all governments to loosen the reigns, in favor of expediting innovation. But should we feel encouraged by Meta's quest for 'superintelligence,' or concerned at the rate in which these tools are becoming so common in elements of serious potential impact? That's not to say that AI development in itself is bad, and there are many use cases for the latest AI tools that will indeed increase efficiency, innovation, opportunity, etc. But there does seem to be some areas in which we should probably tread more cautiously, due to the risks of over reliance, and the impacts of such on a broad scale. That's seemingly not going to happen, but in ten years time, we're going to be assessing this from a whole different perspective. You can check out Common Sense Media's 'Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs' report here. 擷取數據時發生錯誤 登入存取你的投資組合 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤 擷取數據時發生錯誤
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Three teens charged following machete attack
Winnipeg Watch Three teens have been charged following a robbery and attack with a machete inside a Winnipeg mall.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Humor: The 5 levels of kid summer awesomeness
If life were like a video game. School's out!! Nearly three months of no classes, no homework, and no reason that failure to repeatedly get up in the morning will result in truancy charges and a possible civil court appearance for parents. Woo-hoo! The world is every kid's oyster. Or at least like a real-life video game until Labor Day. Level 1: Freedom! The summer game's default mode and the first level played by any kid or teen when school gets out. Master this level by: Opening the refrigerator at least 17 times a day for any reason at all Having a sleepover, but not sleeping Offering, or attempting, to wrestle someone or braid their hair Maximizing screen time use on all available devices Obstacles to avoid: Invitations to go to the library or a bookstore, which may result in accidental possession of books or, worse, math workbooks Mentioning the word 'bored,' which may result in the assignment of chores Level 2: Camp Adventures Getting up and leaving the house before 9 a.m. looks a lot like going to school, but don't be fooled! Instead of teachers, on this level, teenage counselors impart questionable wisdom and introduce new vocabulary instead. Master this level by: Coming home covered in mud, tempura paint, glitter, and/or soaking wet Surviving an itchy bug bite, a splinter, and/or an encounter with a tick Burning a marshmallow to a blackened crisp, but still eating it Alternatively, simply by attending a week or more of sleepaway camp Obstacles to avoid: Spraying bug spray or sunscreen in their mouth (Yuck!!) Learning the hard way what poison ivy looks like (Ouch!!) BONUS: Pick up an Honorary Theological Degree Badge by attending a free local Vacation Bible School. Comes with a t-shirt and rubber wristband saying God loves annoying people too. Level 3: Possibly Feral This level is often reached after aging out of summer camp but before legal employability. Master this level by: Successfully chasing an ice cream truck in time to buy a treat with sweat-drenched dollars Spying on unsuspecting neighbors or trying to build a treehouse out of particle board found in their garbage Drinking from the hose and/or eating only popsicles for lunch Rinsing off with water from a creek, pond, ocean, lake, fireplug, sprinkler, or swimming pool for an entire week instead of showering Obstacles to avoid: Petty theft, even if it's an item badly needed Trying to start a fire, even if it's really, really tempting BONUS: Pick up an Arts & Crafts Badge by making string bracelets with embroidery thread, tie-dying a shirt, constructing something out of popsicle sticks, or painting rocks. Level 4*: Retro Vision This secret summer level can only be accessed by getting a perfect score on Level 3, staying home all week while parents go on vacation, or teleporting to the 20th Century. Master this level by: Carrying a watermelon to gain access to a party Getting life advice from a Chevy Chase look-alike while working as a caddy Falling in love with the girl or boy who just moved in next door Helping solve a crime or uncovering a conspiracy while becoming friends with a septuagenarian Obstacles to avoid: Swimming somewhere posted 'no swimming' if the sign is there for a good reason Getting caught trespassing at a shuttered and/or condemned former factory/electrical plant now housing a booming underground illegal business Level 5: Vampire It takes many years of summer practice to make it here! The obstacles to achievement require stamina, an allergy to adult opinion, and a seriously disrupted circadian rhythm. Master this level by: Sleeping more than 15 hours straight and/or going an entire day without seeing the sun or sky Doordashing a Frappuccino (just a Frappuccino) for $15.27 Complaining about having a full-time job while working fewer than 15 hours a week Somehow getting incredibly sunburned Obstacles to avoid: Being in the room any time a parent or other adult mentions the words 'college applications' Getting caught doing the 'reverse Jesus' in the liquor cabinet with a bottle of vodkaBut it will always be remembered fondly! Solve the daily Crossword
