M ore than 100,000 teenagers in the United Kingdom could be shut out of social media next year when a new law banning under-16s from using major platforms takes effect. The warning came from Ofcom, the UK's online safety watchdog, which said about 150,000 young people aged 16 to 17 do not have a passport or driving licence. Both documents are expected to be used to confirm age once the ban starts. The policy, which follows Australia's example, is scheduled to begin next spring. It will affect popular platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, X and Twitch. Ofcom explained that there are four reliable ways to verify age. These include checking an official ID against a live selfie, asking a bank to confirm a customer's age, using a recognised digital ID like the Young Scot card, or estimating age through a facial scan. But the regulator stressed that a physical photo ID will still be needed as a backup, because facial scanning can miss a perso...

C ryptocurrency exchange Binance has lost over $6.3 billion to hackers linked to North Korea, in the biggest crypto theft ever recorded. According to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, the entire operation took just 20 minutes. TRM Labs said the attack was carried out by TraderTraitor, an elite hacking unit from North Korea. The same group was blamed by the FBI for the $1.5 billion Bybit hack last year. The incident is being described as the largest bank heist in human history, based on the amount stolen. Binance, which has over 335 million users worldwide, has suspended deposits and withdrawals. The company, however, assured customers that their funds are safe and that it will cover all losses. Reacting to the incident, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said initial investigation shows the attack may have started after a DevOps engineer's laptop was compromised. He explained on X that the attackers did not just use one engineer's permission and it was not a one-click action, but...