Mobile Tech & Gadgets

The bottlenecks of summer mobility

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As usual, in summer, Spanish roads are suffocated by traffic caused by vacations and tourism. Nobody wants to face long lines, although there will be times when it is inevitable. This summer they are expected More than 100 million displacementsalthough it is logical, some roads will suffer much more than others. Therefore, under these lines we wanted to make a brief review of which roads can become a real torture if you are planning your vacation. Highways and highways that rest rather little As they point out from The debate, The A-66 that connects Asturias with León Crossing the port of Huerna, heads the ranking of the most problematic roads in the country. The works of their tunnels have turned this section into a bottleneck that can generate withholdings of several hours, especially during the weekends. And surely what worries the drivers most is that 15 euros toll that they must pay to access. Pay to stand standing. The great radials that start from Madrid do not get rid of chaos. The A-3 to Levante It is saturated every Friday afternoon with Madrid people looking for the Mediterranean beaches, while the A-4 towards Andalusia, the A-2 in Barcelona direction and the A-5 road of Extremadura record similar collapses throughout the season. The ringms of the big cities are not short either. The M-30 maintains its already classic summer jam (although we have practically every day), while The GR-30 in Granada It should also be avoided at certain times, for putting only a couple of examples. Beautiful routes that begin with many beeps and tension Some of the most beautiful places in Spain also need to be patient to deal with traffic. The road AS-262 that leads to Los Lagos de Covadonga It has become a headache for those who plan to visit the Picos de Europa. Shuttle buses, specifically designed to reduce traffic, generate precisely the opposite effect by concentrating all vehicles in the basilica area. In the islands, the situation does not improve. The MA-2141 that leads to Sa CalobraIn Mallorca, it is a serpenting nightmare of 14 kilometers where a vehicle is barely possible. The closed curves and the absence of signaling end up turning the trip throughout an odyssey that can leave us stop for hours. Tenerife is more of the same in The TF-436the narrow road that gives access to Masca. If you planned to visit the area, keep in mind that this road is usually quite busy during the summer. And the curves and their narrowness do not help. Traffic planning and consultation Experts recommend avoiding Fridays between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Sundays from 7:00 p.m. to Midnight. You can always use alternative routes and applications for consult real -time traffic so that nothing caught you by surprise. With the Santiago bridge already here, the forecasts point to 6.5 million displacements Between Thursday 24 and Sunday, July 27. Also, in Andalusia, there is usually a lot of traffic concentration in cities accesses such as Malaga and Seville. The first weekend of July was especially agitated in these areas, where more than one million displacements were expected. We are all looking forward to disconnecting on vacation and leaving, but then you stand in the middle of the highway and think about how like you would have been staying at home. Cover image | Yanhao Fang In Xataka | How to know if I have fines of the DGT pending paying

What cars can circulate and which ones rest on July 26

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Saturday. Day off. Rest for us, of work, and rest for cars that yes or yes they have to stay at home with today does not circulate sabbatino. As? Yes, because if you still don’t know, there are some cars that have to stay at home, yes or yes, if you don’t want to receive a fine. What we are talking about is of the program today does not circulate, devised by the Ministry of Environment of the CDMX (Sedema) with the aim of improving the air we breathe. To achieve this, the plan is very simple: we have to leave cars at home. At least those that are more polluting. Therefore, there are restrictions that do not allow us to enjoy our car on Saturday. Restrictions, yes, that only apply in the 16 mayors in Mexico City and in the following conurbation municipalities of the State of Mexico: Atizapán de Zaragoza Coacalco de Berriozábal Cuautitlán Cuautitlán Izcalli Chalco Chicoloapan Chimalhuacán Ecatepec de Morelos Huixquilucan Ixtapaluca La Paz Naucalpan de Juárez Nezahualcóyotl Nicolás Romero Tecámac Tlalnepantla de Baz Tultitlán Chalco Valley What cars and plaques affect the Sabatino today But, once we are clear about the most basic, who have to stay at home? Very simple, restrictions as you can see in the image superior are applied every day. But not every day the same cars are affected. That is complicated on Saturdays since it is not always the same cars that are forced to rest. Some of them, in fact, may not move any Saturday but others can only do so one yes and another not in alternate weeks. Because, indeed, one day as the following conditions can be applied today. Cars that can circulate every Saturday Cars that have to rest every Saturday Cars that rest on a Saturday yes and another no+ These restrictions, however, do not apply all day. At night they do not take into account and, therefore, are active between 05:00 and 10:00 p.m.. That is, at night we can move freely and without being afraid of fines. Once we have all this clear … What should we take into account? First of all, the Sabatino does not circulate today does not always apply to the same cars, as we said. To be clear about everything, you have to look at the calendar first, then the hologram and, finally, the plate number. We say about the calendar because on Saturdays, which occupy us, they are special. Cars with hologram 2 cannot move any Saturday of the current month. On the contrary, Hologram 0 and 00 can move without problems. In that case there is total freedom. So what happens to the hologram 1? These cars rotate depending on the latest issue of their registration plate. In this case, such as Saturday July 26, 2025 We are facing the fourth Saturday of the month of July will be the cars with hologram 1 and plaque finished in odd number those that cannot move. Taking all this into account, what to take into account when it comes to circulating? The first thing is that today does not circulate Sabatino does not always apply to all cars. It is mandatory to look at the calendar, the hologram and, finally, the plate number. In that order. However, there are some exceptions that must be taken into account because those cars can move with total freedom: Those that work for electricity, natural gas or are hybrid Those who have disabled plate All those dedicated to urban transport services (includes funerals) Those who offer school or passenger transport Those destined for public safety and/or civil protection In case of breaching these restrictions, the fine will be 20 to 30 times the unit of measurement and update (Uma), which is equivalent to 1,924.40 pesos and even 2,886.60 pesos. Photo | Wander Fleur In Xataka | Contamination is not only making you live less and worse. You are also making you darker

Why some sun spots resist more than others

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It was not until about 400 years, with the invention of telescopes, which We realized of the existence of sun spots. Since then, these regions of high magnetism and low luminosity have intrigued astronomers, who have spent the last four centuries trying to unravel their secrets. Solving the mystery. A group of scientists has resolved One of the enigmas that intrigued those who study sunscreen and their evolution. This is the question of why some sun spots remain in a stable equilibrium that allows them to mangue active, even for months, while other spots fader. The spots in the solar cycle. Sun spots are not static regions but these are dynamic regions, arise, grow and end up fading over time. Decades ago we know that these are regions where the magnetic field of the sun is especially strong. The dynamism in these spots marks the passage of the so -called “Solar Cycle”, an 11 -year cycle in which the number of sun spots ranges from a peak of activity and times of relative calm. The abundance of sun spots also implies an increase in solar activity since, According to the responsible team Of the new study, the “unstable” magnetic configurations in the surroundings of these spots are responsible for the bursts known as coronal mass ejections (CME). Correcting the observations. The team responsible for the new study developed a method to analyze with greater reliability and precision solar spots through observations made from terrestrial telescopes. Then they used this method to the observation of the Hispanoalemán Gregor Solar Telescope. The objective of the technique is to eliminate the distortions caused by the Earth’s atmosphere in the images obtained by the telescopes. This allowed to achieve a new quality in the measurements of the solar magnetic field carried out by the European telescope. Balance. The technique allowed the team to inquire into the balance that maintains some active sun spots for months, while others vanished in a matter of days. As explained, since the 1970s there was the hypothesis that this was possible due to the balance between the magnetic field pressure of the sunny sun and the external gas to this, a balance so far extremely difficult to explain. The new analysis shows us how the magnetic field of sun spots is compressed by external pressure until the balance is reached. The team stands out How this finding explains the survival of these areas but could also help us in the future to detect the instabilities responsible for the CME bursts, which in turn would serve to protect us in front of their impacts. The details of the study were published In an article In the magazine Astronomy & Astrophysics. The feet on the ground. One of the advantages of the new tool is to facilitate with Estudio del Sol and its spots From the earth’s surfacewithout having to resort to space telescopes. This implies that we can now observe the sun not only easily, also reducing costs. Maintaining sun surveillance is key to detecting bursts that cross the space between our star and our planet to a significant portion of the speed of light. These outbreaks can have consequences for the satellites that orbit us and communication networks, so anticipating them is of extreme importance. An importance that does not stop growing since our dependence on these networks is increasing. In Xataka | What are solar storms and why society has become so vulnerable to something that has happened millions of years Image | POT / Freiburg Institute of Solar Physics

China already has its “invisible hunt” ready for action, and twice

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There is no official announcement. But China leaves clues again. This time they arrive from a Photography published in Weibo and replicated in x: two J-35 They fly in closed formation. What differentiates them from the prototypes seen so far are their construction numbers, “0011” and “0012”, clearly visible in the fuselage. It is a solid indication that the program has entered a limited series production phase, the typical LRIP prior to the operational deployment. LRIP registrations, emblems and a shark in the tail. The image seems to come from an official channel of the Chinese Navy. To the numbers are added other details that reinforce the hypothesis: national emblems in the vertical fins, a tactical gray free and a reason for a shark in drift. The specialist Andreas Ruprecht, Consulted by specialized means like War Zonehas repeatedly indicated these visual winks in Chinese naval aircraft. Click to see the publication in x The pilots also give clues: they carry bright blue helmets, exactly the type of helmet used by J-15 aviators in first-line units. All this suggests that these J-35 are already assigned to the Navy and in the validation phase prior to their entry into service. From FC-31 to J-35: the navalized variant that China needed. The J-35 derives from the FC-31, Shenyang’s furtive project for a more compact hunt than the J-20. The first navalized prototype flew in 2021; The second was seen in 2022 with a gray gray scheme of low visibility and, in 2023, blurred images of what could have been a third device emerged. Now, with the 0011 and 0012 specimens, we talk about units that already fit an initial serial configuration. The design is designed to operate from carckeners with catapults, such as Type 003 Fujianeven in tests. It is the logical step in an army that has been training in land facilities that simulates Catobar covers for years. Motors: WS-19 against WS-21, a puzzle still unsolved. The motor plant is still unknown. Some suggest that the land version, J-35a, already mounts the final WS-19, identifiable by darker nozzles. On the other hand, the naval specimens, with clear nozzles, could be driven by the WS-21, an evolution of the WS-13 used in the initial prototypes. There is no official confirmation and it is likely that Shenyang continues to adjust the engines in parallel to the progress of the program. Both airplanes carry a screwed Luneburg lens under their belly, a radar reflector that is installed when no total observability is required or when you want to mask the real firm of the device before third parties. Tests on aircraft carrier? For now there are no photos that demonstrate it. With airplanes apparently already in the hands of the Navy, the embarked essays are the next logical step if they have not already begun. There is also talk of a possible public presentation in September, during the acts by the 80th anniversary of the Japanese defeat in World War II. We will have to see if Beijing takes that occasion to exhibit it. One more piece in the puzzle of Chinese embarked air power. The J-35 adds to the KJ-600 early alert embarked the poaches that China has in development. Everything indicates that the country wants a more complex shipped air wing and comparable to that of the United States. It must know how long it will take to achieve real operational capabilities with this new generation of platforms. Images | Thomas Aseyroux | 沙丘里的回声 (Weibo) In Xataka | There is a city that maintains much of Russia’s economy in times of war. And it is on the Chinese border

China goes for those who mock their export controls. The focus is in strategic minerals that sustain their power

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Beijing has just tightened your control over one of its most valuable assets: strategic minerals that feed chips, electrical networks and satellites. A spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce He assured that smuggling will be pursued without concessions. The Asian giant redoubles the pressure. China does not stay in the ads of a firm policy: it has launched an operation that, as they say, already yields concrete results. During the last two months, multiple cases of illegal exports have been investigated, with arrests of involved and a “strong deterrence”, CGTN points out. A key meeting of July 19 at Nanning – with the presence of the Ministry of Commerce, Public Security, Customs, Attorney General’s Office and other agencies – served as an intermediate point after the operation initiated in May. In that meeting it was agreed: Establish a Joint Coordination Center for Export Application and Control of Double Use Articles. Publish exemplary judicial cases and expand the list of foreign entities subject to controls. Issue compliance guides for exporters, with emphasis on avoiding deviations to military purposes. Why these minerals matter so much. Strategic minerals –including rare earths such as neodymium, prseodimio and disposium– They are essential for high -tech industries: computer chips, electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, satellites and military equipment. China controls about 60% of refined world productionwhich gives you a critical position in the global supply chains. Having this domain allows Beijing to influence key markets and exert economic pressure on international tension contexts. In addition, the refining of these matters requires advanced technology and complex chemical processes, which raises entry barriers to other countries. The threat: smuggling and technological leaks. Beijing’s message is not limited to economic damage. The Ministry of Commerce warned about an added risk: mineral smuggling can facilitate technological filtration towards foreign actors, including those linked to the military. It is feared that certain materials end up in defense applications without going through adequate controls, thus avoiding the official export mechanisms. The authorities claim to have detected sophisticated attempts to overcome the rules: false documentation, transfers through third countries, and fragmentation of cargoes to reduce customs scrutiny. The technical complexity of these schemes forces constant surveillance, according to He Yadong himself. It is not the first time that this is tried to stop. Frenting the smuggling of strategic products is not new, and it is rarely simple. The restrictions imposed by the United States on advanced chips and NVIDIA GPUS offer a clear example: despite the formal prohibition of exporting models such as A100 or H100 to China, China, Recent analysis indicate that these components continue to reach the country through opaque networks and triangulations with third countries. A movement with geopolitical echoes. The decision to harden control over strategic minerals cannot be understood outside the pulse between powers. While the United States multiplies controls on chips, AI and sensitive exports, China counterattacks in one of the few lands where it has a margin of real maneuver: that of critical raw materials. The country is responsible for more than 85% of the global refining of rare earthsand has begun to use that position as a pressure tool. He already demonstrated it in 2023 with the imposition of licenses To export Galio and Germaniotwo essential minerals for advanced electronics and defense. This new turn hardens its position and is interpreted as a response to the western fence. It is not a total closure, but a reminder that who controls the materials, controls a part of the game. Will these measures work? What is not clear is whether these measures will be effective in the long term. Smuggling networks usually adapt rapidly, especially when there are global interests at stake and high economic benefits. Nor do we know if these decisions will affect prices, the international supply or the negotiating position of China in future technological disputes. Images | Alejandro Luengo | Craig Thomas In Xataka | In full battle of all countries to get rare earths, an unexpected actor has raised his voice: Apple

An American military seemed like a cybercrime genius. He was given his own searches on how to desert Russia

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Cameron John Wagenius had no criminal record or a dark past. He had a military uniform, 21 years and a career ahead in the United States Army. But in his spare time, from his bedroom in Texas, It connected as “Kiberphant0m” to telegram groups and forums where stolen credentials are purchased and databases for thousands of dollars are sold. I knew how to move, how to enter without being seen and how to extort technological companies from the shadow. According to the Department of Justicefor more than a year he directed a campaign that affected at least ten organizations. It was made with private credentials, accessed protected networks and much more. He did it as he continued charging the army and fulfilled functions as an active soldier. Until everything fell apart, not by a filtration, or by a technical error. For himself. The soldier who moved as a professional cybercrime Wagenius and his accomplices were coordinated through encrypted chats. They shared passwords, discussed vulnerabilities and talked openly about their next objectives. They used Tools like SSH Brutea brute force solution to enter protected systems, and acted quickly to move stolen data in some of the best known cybercrime forums of the moment. Once they got access, they launched threats. Sometimes privately, sometimes publicly. They threatened to publish the stolen information if they did not receive money in return. In some cases, they came to sell the data directly. In others, they used that information to launch attacks from Sim Swapping and supplant identities. The goal was always the same: money. The Department of Justice estimates that they tried to extort at least 1 million dollars to the victims. But while all that happened, Wagenius did something that FBI agents did not expect to find so easily: I left trace. According to judicial documentsin October 2024, in full swing of its operation, it began to search Google how to escape from the country. Literally. These are some of the searches he made from his personal account: • “Where you can desert an US military without being extradited” • “US military personnel deserting Russia” • “Russia Embassy – Washington DC” • How to get a fast passport “ In parallel, I wrote to his contacts with phrases such as: “The fun is that if they ever discover me, They can’t immediately arrest me by military law. That gives me time to disappear. ” The reality was another. Not only did he not escape. All this activity was recovered, documented and used as proof to demonstrate not only its crimes, but its intention to escape. Wagenius was arrested and declared himself guilty of several serious positions: conspiracy to commit electronic fraud, extortion in relation to computer crimes and aggravated identity. He had already admitted before, in another case linked, his involvement in the illicit transfer of confidential telephone records. His conviction, which will be read on October 6, could add up to 27 years in prison. The charges have different weight: electronic fraud can cost up to 20 years; Computer extortion, up to five; and the theft of aggravated identity entails a mandatory penalty of two additional years that cannot be combined with the previous ones. Wagenius had knowledge. I knew how to move around the network and how to hide behind proxies, vpns and Tools that in theory had to protect it. But something in his strategy went wrong. Now he is paying the consequences. Images | Xataka with Gemini Flash 2.5 | Kevin Ku In Xataka | Sam Altman believes that a serious crisis is coming with the AI fraud. The problem is that it has strong interests in the solution

The plan to manufacture the purest semiconductors in the world is to go to space

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While the United States and China tense their relationships with Taiwan chips factories in the center of the dispute, a Welsh Startup has been getting allies To manufacture semiconductors in orbit. The objective: to achieve an impossible quality to replicate on Earth. Context. The geopolitics of semiconductors is possibly one of the largest headaches for world powers. Europe imports 80% of the chips you need, and 90% of the most advanced It comes from Taiwan. An climb of tension in the region could have catastrophic consequences. Therefore, the search for a resilient supply chain is a strategic priority. The solution, paradoxically, may not be on earth. This is where it enters Space Forgean Aerospace Company based in Cardiff that is developing reusable satellites to manufacture semiconductors and other advanced materials in orbit. Manufacture chips in space. Why go so far for something so small? The answer is in physics. Vacuum and microgravity They are ideal conditions for the development of ultrapurus crystalsthe base of any semiconductor. On earth, gravity introduces tiny imperfections and defects in the crystalline structure of the materials during their formation. NASA He has been studying for decades The advantages of manufacturing in space. Gravity causes phenomena such as convection and sedimentation of molten materials, which prevents a homogeneous distribution of components and generates defects. In space, these problems disappear. Materials are formed more perfectly, which translates into higher quality chips, more efficient and lower energy consumption. The first satellite. Space Force believes that glass “seeds” can occur in space 10 times pure That anyone found on Earth, which would result in semiconductors with a hundredth of the defects. Less defects implies less waste, greater performance and, ultimately, more powerful and efficient devices. But how much of promise and what about reality? The company has already put its first manufacturing satellite, the Forgestar-1. Successfully released in June 2025 On board a spacex rocket, this satellite, developed entirely in Wales, is the first British spacecraft sent to space with the purpose of producing new materials. It is a first demonstration mission: it will prove that the appropriate environment for space can be created and some production techniques will validate. NATO is knocking on the door. Space Forge got 30 million dollars In its first financing round, the largest series for a space technology in the United Kingdom. The most significant is Who leads The investment: NIF, the NATO Innovation Fund. The NIF highlighted “the independence of the long -term supply and resilience” chain as one of the reasons to invest in the startup. This capital injection will accelerate the development of the Forgestar-2, the next generation of its returnable manufacturing satellite. Microgravity as a service. The potential of microgravity manufacturing goes beyond semiconductors. Metal alloys can be impossible to mix on the earth or new compound materials. The pharmaceutical industry could also benefit greatly, with improvements in the useful life of medicines and administration methods. Space Forge aspires to a business model of “microgravadad-asservice“, an idea that somehow remembers the Arm licenses model. Instead of selling chips, it will rent spaces in its” orbital factories “so that others produce their own materials. In Xataka | Manufacturing materials for space is fine. Manufacturing materials in space is much better because everything changes

How much meat is too much meat? This is how the debate about meat is changing

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For years they have told us that meat is a source of protein, iron and tradition. In many cultures, he is the queen of the dish. But today, between the growing public health problems and environmental urgencies, the question is no longer whether we must eat meat but how much meat is too much meat. The answer is not as simple as it seems. The consumption map. The meat is still the protagonist on our tables, but its impact is triggered. In recent decades, its production and consumption have grown accelerated: Statista and Our World in Data They estimate that we could reach 570 million tons per year in 2030, an increase linked to global population and economic growth. Countries such as Spain, France, the United States or Japan, consumption levels They exceed 100 kg per person a year. However, according to A study published in Nature Foodmore than 255 grams of white meat per week already calls into question the planet’s capacity to regenerate the resources that this industry requires. Red meat directly is outside any diet compatible with sustainability, according to Caroline Gebara, main author of the study. Less is more. From medicine and nutritional science, the message is increasingly clear: reduce the consumption of meat – especially red and processed – is beneficial. According to Healthline and studies collected at MIT Press Readerits intake is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer and general mortality. In the Course of Integrative Oncology of the University of Santiago de Compostela, the Nutrition Professor Lourdes Vázquez explained for the voice of Galicia that the approach must be integral: “The more foods of plant origin, the better. We do not want to demonize, but the diet set.” From Brussels, the European Union has put figures to the Council: Limit red meat to 300-500 g per week, and the prosecuted to no more than 30-150 g, depending on the country. In the Spanish case, food guides recommend from 0 to 3 weekly portions, with preference for white meats such as chicken or rabbit. What evolution says. We know that humans have eat meat for thousands of years. What is not so clear is when he started playing a key role in our diet. ORn study commented in The Conversationwhich analyzed nitrogen isotopes in fossil teeth of Australopithecus in South Africa, suggests that these predecessors ate mostly plants. However, a opposite hypothesis, cited here in Xatakastates that during much of the Paleolithic we were hypercarnivores, hunting large mammals and developing physiological adaptations for frequent consumption of meat. Faced with both positions, the biologist Gidon ESHEL questions the usefulness of appealing to evolution to justify modern habits. In your essay for Mit Press Reader He has affirmed: “Evolution does not prescribe our current diets. If more than two out of ten plant foods can nutritionally replace meat, then meat is not indispensable.” Leave it at all? It is not necessarily about becoming vegetarians or vegans overnight. There are gradual alternatives, such as Pescetarianismbased on vegetables and fish, or the flexitarianisma more flexible option that does not eliminate meat, but yes It reduces its frequency and quantity, promoting the consumption of legumes, vegetables and integral cereals. They are only different approaches that show as a bridge to adapt to different personal, cultural or economic contexts. A more conscious diet. So how much meat is too much meat? The answer is not an exact number, but an invitation to moderation. Eating less meat, better quality, accompanied by more vegetables, fruits and legumes not only improves individual health: it is a specific measure to preserve the planet. Reducing meat consumption does not imply giving up the pleasure of eating. It means adopting a way of feeding more conscious, informed and sustainable. As concluded The study published in Nature Foodthere are many dietary combinations that allow to maintain health and take care of the environment. It is not about prohibiting, but about transforming. Image | Unspash Xataka | A study has reached a happy conclusion about a popular food supplement: it serves to get less angry

The age verification to see porn starts in the United Kingdom. The question is how

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There was a time when the user only had to click on the “I am older than 18 years” button to access any porn page without problems. It is a measure whose effectiveness could easily put into question and that, from today, is the thing of the past, At least in the United Kingdom. Because from today, July 25, all websites that house pornographic content will have to implement “strict age controls.” And no, the United Kingdom does not seem willing to walk with little girls. Eh, kid, how old are you? According to exposes OFCOM (the Regulatory Agency for the United Kingdom Communications Services), “Until now it has been too easy for children to see harmful content”, including pornography. According to the agency, 8% of children between eight and 14 access this type of websites at least once a month, although more striking it turns out that 3% of children between eight and nine years old do. To stop this situation, the United Kingdom approved in 2023 the Online Safety Acta set of laws that “imposes a series of new obligations on social media companies and search services, making them more responsible for the safety of their users on their platforms.” Among them, indeed, age verification. Pornhub age verification systems, XVIDEOS, XNXX and Stripchat | Image: Xataka As? Ofcom ensures that their function is not to prevent adults from accessing legal pornography, but preventing minors from doing so. To do this, platforms and apps will have to have an age verification process that is “technically precise, solid, reliable and fair.” What methods exactly? Ofcom proposes seven: Estimation of the facial age: The user shows his face in a photo or video and is analyzed to estimate age. Banking verification: The verification service accesses the bank information and confirms whether the owner of the account is of legal age Digital Identity Services: In the European Union it would be, for example, Eid. Credit card verification: since only of legal age can have a credit card. Estimation based on the age of an email: The user provides an email and the technology analyzes the online services in which it has been used, as banks or public service providers, to estimate age. Age verification through the network operator: The verification system proves that there are no age filters applied to the mobile phone. Comparison of identity documents with photography: A photo of an official document and a normal photo are uploaded and compared to verify the age. Needless to say, companies will not only have to implement these systems, but to take action on the matter in the event that users try to skip them. One of the reasonable doubts can be the use of a VPN To access from another country. Using VPNS is not illegal and, therefore, remains in the hands of parents or guardians control the use that minors can make of them. It is undoubtedly the weak point of the system. The sanctions. In the event that a platform does not implement the required measures, ofcom can impose sanctions of up to 18 million pounds or 10% of total revenues worldwide, which is greater. Moreover, in certain cases, ofcom can ask a court to impose sanctions through third parties AKA request that a telecommunications operator block or restrict access to the web. The challenge is on social platforms, which will also have to implement the necessary measures to avoid access to harmful content Harmful content. Avoid access to porn, yes, but also to the harmful content such as related to eating disorders, suicide or self -inflicted damage. That content is not on the porn websites, but It can be found on much more mundane platforms such as WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, Instagram, Tiktok, X, Facebook or YouTube. These platforms will also have to implement the corresponding measures, which is a capital challenge whose tour is still to be seen. Among the platforms that have already taken measures are Pornhubother minor pornographic sites, Bluesky, Discord, Grindr, Reddit and X. Ofcom is aware that social networks are an important gateway to porn and He thinks that “algorithms must be controlled and configured for children, so that the most harmful material is blocked.” This is what, from now on, you will see all British users by accessing Pornhub | Image: Xataka Therefore, from the agency they have launched a review program on Facebook, Instagram, Roblox, Snapchat, Tiktok and YouTube. Through this program, ofcom analyzes “if they have effective means to know who their children’s users are; how to identify their content moderation tools the types of harmful content for children; the effectiveness with which they have configured their algorithms to block the most harmful content in the feeds of children; and how they have prevented children from being contacted by unknown adults.” A global trend. Attempts to limit access to porn by minors are not new. They have centuries among usin fact, but in recent years they have intensified. The clearest example has it on our own borders with the Beta Digital Portfolio (better known as “pajorto”) and with the European proposal Framed in eidas2. Cover image | Xataka In Xataka | France is the most radical country against technology among children. And now it plans something extreme: prohibit social networks

recruit 40,000 adolescents a year in the army

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The mili, or military service, won a year ago, won Force in Europe With the advance of the War in Ukraine And a Putin strengthened. Lithuania, Latvia, France either Denmark They were some of the nations that put on the table the need to reinforce their recruitment. Many of them already looked at the call “Nordic model”and now it is Germany that seems determined to implement it. Or almost. The awakening of an army. I told this week The Financial Times. Germany prepares to take a radical turn to its defense policy with the launch of A new program of voluntary military service that aspires to recruit until 40,000 young people a yearin a commitment to revitalize armed forces that have been overcome by the new European strategic reality after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Suspended in 2011, the former mandatory military service has been subject to intense debates In recent years, but the government has now opted for A voluntary model (inspired by the Swedish system) that combines economic incentives, professional training and a possible route to the professional army. This strategy seeks to solve both the shortage of troops and the need to create a massive and operational military reserve in the face of possible future crises. The road map. The proposal, which will be presented as bill Before the German Cabinet at the end of August, it contemplates a staggered process. In a first phase, it seeks to expand the number of places covered by the current voluntary program, going from 15,000 this year to annual increases in Between 3,000 and 5,000 young people until reaching 40,000 in 2031. The main objective is to strengthen the number of army reservists, automatically integrating those who have completed the voluntary service. But a percentage of these young people is also expected to opt for a professional military career. At the moment, The Bundeswehr It has about 182,000 professional troops, and the government intends to expand that figure Up to 260,000 for 2035. In parallel, the reservists body should multiply more than three times, from 60,000 to 200,000, which will require a deep transformation in the recruitment and training rhythms. Economic incentive. To achieve this, the plan contemplates a series of attractions designed to capture 18 -year -oldthe main group to which the initiative is directed. From 2026, all men who fulfill that age (about 300,000 a year) must fill out A mandatory questionnaire To evaluate its aptitude and availability for the service, while, in the case of women, participation will be voluntary. Those who register can receive a Net salary of about 2,000 euros Monthly, language courses, technical training, subsidies to obtain the driving card and the possibility of acquiring new useful labor skills beyond the military. The basic service will be six months, although it can be extended if the volunteer wishes. Then, from 2028, all 18 -year -old men must also recognize recognition Mandatory doctor, even if they do not want to enlist, in order to build an updated database on the potential reserve available for total war scenarios. 7th Army The new Merz doctrine. The program is framed in the vision of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who He has promised make the German army conventional more powerful in Europe. His government, which has already allocated hundreds of billions of euros When rearmaconsiders that the new voluntary military service will not only serve to solve the chronic problem of lack of personnel in the armed forces, but also to reinforce Germany’s position within NATO and as a reference actor in continental security. In the background: The Russian threat, the setback of the pacifist strategic culture inherited from the postwar period and the growing global tensions have driven Berlin to redefine their military role with a decision that, although presented as voluntary, It contains clauses that would allow to reinstate the mandatory service if the current scheme fails to achieve its objectives. Volunteer with shadows. Yes, because the full return of the mandatory military service is discarded for now, the project includes mechanisms that, de facto, could lay the foundations for A future conscription If their figures fall short. Unlike the Swedish model, where the authorities select the recruits among the suitable citizens, in Germany only those who will be chosen Express your will to participate. However, the fact of demanding all 18 -year -old men and a medical checking points to the creation of a structured national evaluation system, one that It could be activated more easily if the situation requires it. In parallel, the legal text provides for A clause which would allow to restore the conscription formally, although without establishing a specific activation threshold. The model, therefore, is presented as a balance point between the German pacifist tradition and the need to respond to a new era of insecurity. European echo. Plus: Germany It is not the only in reconfigure Your approach to military service. In France, Macron He has defended The reactivation of the Voluntary National Service as a way to strengthen the reserve body, which aspires to duplicate in the next decade, although it has refused to return to forced recruitment. In Eastern Europe, countries like Poland, Lithuania or Finland are expanding their abilities military and reservists accelerated. The German model, for its scale and ambition, could become a reference For other Western democracies that seek to strengthen their defense without reintroducing the mandatory service directly. In a Europe that Rearmastructured volunteering (encouraged, but not forced) is emerging as A formula politically viable to strengthen military preparation without breaking social consensus. Margin of uncertainty. No doubt, the success of German plan It will depend not only on their ability to attract young people, but also on their logistics implementation, their social acceptance and their ability to adapt in a changing geopolitical context. Although they have been designed Attractive incentivesit is still uncertain if they will be enough to recruit tens of thousands every year, especially in a little familiar generation with the military. … Read more

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