investigation

The European Commission has just opened an investigation into several worrying risks

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For years, in Europe, when opening Shein We have found an almost infinite showcase of products at very low prices, constant discounts and points systems that turn the purchase into an experience that invites repetition. This model, based on the continuous rotation of the catalog and incentives that invite people to return to the application, explains a good part of its popularity. But it also helps to understand why European authorities have begun to look at it more closely. What seemed like a simple way to buy cheap has ended up entering the European regulatory radar. Formal investigation. The European Commission opened today February 17, 2026 formal proceedings against Shein under the Digital Services Lawwhich establishes the obligations of digital platforms that operate in the community bloc. From this moment on, the investigation enters a more structured phase, with the capacity to demand additional information and evaluate possible non-compliance. Brussels emphasizes, however, that this decision does not prejudge the outcome of the case, so we will have to wait to draw conclusions. What is under examination. The investigation focuses on three specific fronts related to the operation of the platform. On the one hand, it analyzes the systems that Shein has in place to limit the sale of illegal products, including content that could constitute child sexual abuse material, and expressly mentions examples such as child-like sex dolls. It also studies the risks associated with a possible addictive design of the service, such as rewards for interaction that could affect the well-being of users. And, in addition, it reviews the transparency of the recommendation systems that determine what products and content we see, an obligation that in the EU includes explaining the main parameters of these recommenders and offering at least one accessible option that is not based on profiles. behind the scenes. For nearly two years, Brussels repeatedly requested data from Shein to evaluate its compliance with European rules on product safety, user protection and transparency, with requirements dated June 28, 2024, February 6, 2025 and November 26, 2025. Added to that supervision the impact of the known case in France. Let us remember that last November the marketing of child-like dolls was detected through external sellers on the platform, which caused protests and measures by the Government. This chain of events helps to understand why the matter has escalated to a formal procedure. The next steps. With the procedure already underway, the Commission enters a phase of collecting evidence aimed at contrasting the real functioning of the service. This may require additional information, carry out specific controls or maintain direct contact with the company and other actors involved. The legal framework also opens the door to imposing temporary measures, declaring a possible non-compliance or accepting solutions proposed by the company itself to correct the issues that are the subject of the file. What changes for users. For now, the opening of the procedure does not immediately change how we use the platform. The outcome will depend on what the investigation reveals and the response that the company offers to the Commission’s demands. It should be noted that all this occurs without a fixed calendar: European regulations do not establish a time limit to conclude this type of investigation, which can be prolonged depending on its complexity and development. From Xataka we have written to Shein to find out their position and we will update this information when we receive a response. Images | appshunter.io In Xataka | LaLiga’s massive IP blocks are going to go further: they will now require VPN providers to also block IPs

Grokipedia claims to aspire to the truth. An investigation has just shown that he cites neo-Nazi forums and conspiracy websites

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The proposal of Grokipedia came accompanied by a direct message: aspire to “the truth and nothing but the truth,” as stated by Elon Musk in X. That statement takes on a new context. after the publication of a Cornell Tech study which examines how various entries are constructed and what fonts they use. The analysis shows that, along with content inherited almost literally from Wikipedia, there are articles that use sources cataloged by academic institutions and verification organizations such as neo-nazi spaces or openly conspiratorial sites. At first glance, Grokipedia takes on a familiar appearance: a home page dominated by a search engine and articles with headings and references. The inner workings, however, are much less transparent. Users do not have a clear system to suggest changes and, at the top of some entries, the label “Reviewed by Grok X weeks ago” appears, indicating an intervention by the AI ​​chatbot without detailing criteria or those responsible. In Wikipediathe edition history is public and allows each modification to be reconstructed. Grokipedia under the magnifying glass The aforementioned analysis compares both platforms on a large scale and points out that, although Grokipedia publishes longer articles and with twice as many citations as Wikipediamuch of its content comes from there. Of course, the coincidence varies: pages with a Creative Commons (CC) license present very high similarities, while those generated without that license are further removed from the original. One of the most delicate issues is the appearance of references to controversial platforms. InfoWars, which according to the authors is not cited even once on Wikipedia, has 34 mentions on Grokipedia. The pattern is repeated with other low credibility domains: Stormfront reaches 42 citations, LifeSiteNews reaches 100 and the Global Research and VoltaireNet sites register 51 and 45 references respectively. All of them are practically non-existent on Wikipedia, reflecting clear differences in source selection filters. Elon Musk’s entry in Grokipedia To mention a few examples, Leiden University characterizes Stormfront as a forum associated with right-wing extremism already current neo-naziswith a founder linked to Ku Klux Klan and a trajectory mentioned in several studies for its relationship with violent incidents. PolitiFact, on the other hand, defines Infowars as a portal dedicated to conspiracy theories and run by Alex Jonesa presenter known for promoting this type of content. This is what the edition history looks like in Grokipedia What appears in the study is not limited to counting how many times these domains are cited. It also highlights that the presence of sources considered unreliable or directly discarded by Wikipedia is much more widespread in Grokipedia. And one of the authors, in a text published in Indicatorcollects this accumulation of low-quality references to describe a broader pattern: Grokipedia seems to be making its own editorial decisions that alter the focus of certain topics. It remains to be seen how Grokipedia will evolve and what publishing model it will adopt as it grows. No encyclopedia works as a perfect reference —neither Wikipedia nor Grokipedia—, but they do operate with different mechanics. As we say, Wikipedia relies on an open community with standards, public debates and an accessible history of changes; Grokipedia, on the other hand, is based on criteria that are more difficult to follow from the outside, with an AI assistant that intervenes in the texts and without a clear human collaboration system. Images | Gage Skidmore (C BY-SA 4.0) | In Xataka | Carnegie built libraries, Gates sold them on CD-ROM, Musk locked them in an AI: the history of knowledge control

We have a problem with heat in buildings. A Navarra investigation knows how to cool them without air conditioning

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Every year we repeat the phrase that this has been the year less hot in the coming yearssince it is one of the consequences of climate change. One of the “traditional” ways that we have to refresh in our homes is with an air conditioning system, but poses an economic problem, because the invoices are not paid alone. However, a new Navarro study has managed to find a solution to refrigerate buildings with hardly any energy expenditure. Short. A research team, Formed by Amaia Zuazua Ros from the University of Navarra and Cristina Salazar Castro of the Luredera Technology Center, has developed a project to cool buildings without the need for air conditioning. Under the financing of the Government of Navarra and within the framework of the Navarro R&D System (SINAI)and with the coordination of Aditechthe proposal has sought to boost new passive cooling technologies through modules coated with nanomaterials, designed to eliminate heat from buildings without resorting to electrical systems. The challenge is not less. In the last 30 years, the energy consumption for the cooling of a home is It has tripled. These data, detailed in the International Energy Agency, have highlighted the impact on global electrical demand. For this reason, reducing this consumption without compromising thermal comfort is one of the great challenges of energy efficiency today. The operation. The system is much simpler than it seems. To explain it more easily, the researchers have identified a material that allows to cool the surface of the building, even when exposed to the sun. On the other hand, they have designed a structure to eliminate accumulated heat and thus improve air circulation on the facade by vertical dissipating modules. In addition, they have developed a system to easily adapt to different types of construction. The possibilities. Since the investigation they have detailed that the implementation of these modules in residential and commercial buildings would mean a reduction in energy consumption aimed at refreshing the environment. In addition, in cities with the large amount of solar panels that are being installed and The urban heat island effectthis new system will help mitigate high temperatures from these factors. However, the researchers, who are optimistic, have explained the challenges they have to overcome and how they should observe the long -term application. However, they have added that this technology represents a step forward in the fight against climate change and the design of more sustainable cities. Any other alternative? In the search for sustainable solutions for refrigeration without energy consumption, researchers from different parts of the world are betting on different approaches. An interesting example comes from Indiawhere a system based on recycled clay has been developed. Inspired by botijo ​​technology, this system uses clay cylinders to reduce the ambient temperature by up to 15ºC by evaporation of water, without the need for air conditioning. Image | Aditech and Unspash Xataka | It consumes five times less and does not need gas: it is the French invention that wants to replace the air conditioning

Mike Johnson announced that the previous January 6 investigation will be investigated

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The president of the House of Representatives, Michael Johnson (R-Louisiana), announced the creation of a new committee to investigate “false narratives” on the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by supporters of the president donald trump. Hours earlier, Johnson had downplayed a question about Trump’s pardon of the assailants saying that Republicans “were not looking back, but forward.” But the new committee will look back and work to rewrite the history of the assault on the Capitol. Republicans want deflect blame from Trump for telling his supporters to “fight like hell” and march on Congress before they broke into the building to interfere with the certification of Trump’s 2020 election loss. Johnson said in a news release that Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), who led Republicans’ counterinvestigation into the original bipartisan Jan. 6 committee, would lead the new effort. “House Republicans are proud of our work so far to expose the false narratives spread by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is still much work to do,” Johnson said. In his own statement, Loudermilk listed the causes of the January 6 attack, notably omitting the man whose name was on the flags that the mob carried. “What happened at the Capitol that day was the result of a series of intelligence, security and leadership failures at multiple levels within numerous entities,” Loudermilk said. Loudermilk’s panel will be a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who noted there are unanswered questions about live pipe bombs that were discovered in buildings near the Capitol on Jan. 6. Keep reading:· Enrique Tarrio, the former leader of the Proud Boys of Cuban origin pardoned by Trump after being sentenced to 22 years for the assault on the Capitol· Trump pardons more than 1,500 Capitol attackers; Enrique Tarrio will be free· JD Vance contradicts Trump and refuses to pardon those who carried out violence in the assault on the Capitol

Timeline of Prince Harry’s lawsuit against tabloids for phone hacking and intrusion

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LONDON — Prince Harry’s lawsuit against The Sun concluded dramatically on Wednesday with an apology from the newspaper’s publisher for “serious intrusion” and illegal activities over a 15-year period. The settlement, which includes a “substantial” damages award for Harry, is the latest dramatic twist in two decades of legal drama over the ruthless practices of the British press in the days when newspapers sold millions of copies and shaped the popular conversation. The scandal destroyed a newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch and cost the tycoon hundreds of millions of dollars to settle lawsuits from former tabloids. It also fueled Harry’s quest to tame the British press, which he blames for dividing his family, tarnishing his life and harassing both his late mother, Princess Diana, and his wife, Meghan Markle. Below is a chronology of the legal dispute: November 2005: Murdoch’s Sunday tabloid News of the World reports that Prince William has a knee injury. A complaint from Buckingham Palace sparks a police investigation which reveals that information for the story came from a voicemail that was tapped. January 2007: Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator who worked for the News of the World, is sentenced to six months in prison and the newspaper’s editor, Clive Goodman, to four months for tapping royal advisers’ phones to listen to messages left by William and others. Goodman later admits to hacking William’s phone 35 times and that of his then-girlfriend Kate Middleton—now Princess of Wales—more than 150 times. Murdoch’s company initially maintains that the illicit behavior was the work of two rogue employees who acted without the editors’ knowledge. January 2011: British police are reopening an investigation into phone hacking by tabloids after the News of the World says it has found “significant new information”. April 2011: News of the World admits responsibility for phone hacking. The following month, he agrees to pay actress Sienna Miller £100,000 to settle an espionage claim. Murdoch’s News Corp. has since paid to settle claims by dozens of celebrities, politicians, athletes and others against News of the World and its sister tabloid, The Sun, although it has never accepted responsibility for the hack by The Sun. July 2011: The Guardian newspaper reports that News of the World journalists tapped the phone of Milly Dowler, a murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl, while police were searching for her in 2002. The revelation causes public outrage and prompts Murdoch to close the News of the World. , 168 years old. November 2012: A media ethics inquiry led by a judge and ordered by then-Prime Minister David Cameron concludes that the “scandalous” behavior of some in the press had “wreaked havoc on the lives of innocent people whose rights and freedoms have been disregarded.” . Judge Brian Leveson recommends the creation of a strong press watchdog, backed by government regulation. Their findings have been partially implemented. October 2013: Former News of the World editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks are on trial alongside several other defendants at London’s Central Criminal Court on charges of phone hacking and illegal payments to officials. After an eight-month trial, Coulson is convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Brooks is acquitted. She is now chief executive of Murdoch’s British newspaper business. December 2015: England’s attorney general says there will be no further criminal cases against Murdoch’s UK company or its employees, or against 10 people under investigation by rival Mirror Group Newspapers, including former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan. Both companies continue to pay to settle espionage lawsuits. 2019 onwards: Prince Harry launches lawsuits against three newspaper groups: Murdoch’s News Group, Mirror Group and Associated Newspapers. He alleges that stories about his student years, teenage antics, and relationships with girlfriends were obtained through wiretapping, wiretapping, deception, and other forms of illegal intrusion. February 2021: Harry’s wife, Meghan, wins an invasion of privacy lawsuit against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over the publication of a 2018 letter she wrote to her father. June 2023: Harry testifies in his case against the Mirror Group, becoming the first British royal in over a century to appear in the witness box. December 2023: Enrique wins his case against the Mirror Group when a judge rules that the Mirror newspapers had hired private investigators to snoop on personal information and engaged in illegal phone hacking for more than a decade. He is awarded legal costs and £140,000 in damages. February 2024: Mirror Group agrees to pay Enrique’s legal costs and undisclosed damages to resolve outstanding claims. Enrique says he feels vindicated and promises: “Our mission continues.” January 21, 2025: The trial is about to begin in the lawsuits by Enrique and former Labor Party lawmaker Tom Watson against The Sun. They are the only two remaining among dozens of plaintiffs after others accepted legal settlements rather than face potentially ruinous legal bills. The trial is delayed as attorneys for both sides say they have been conducting intense negotiations over a settlement. January 22, 2025: Both parties announce agreement, News Group Newspapers offers “a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for The Sun’s serious intrusion between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of illegal activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun.” Enrique’s lawyer, David Sherborne, calls it a “monumental victory” and declares: “The time for reckoning has come.” Enrique’s case against Associated Newspapers, which publishes the Daily Mail, is ongoing.

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