Meta launches new parental supervision hub on Messenger

Image: Meta

Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and Messenger, has announced new parental control tools for its platforms. These tools are designed to create a safer and healthier online environment for young users and their guardians. One of the new features is a parental supervision hub in Messenger, which lets guardians monitor their teens’ privacy and safety settings, contact list changes, app usage time, and report history. This hub is rolling out in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. 

The hub is part of the Meta Family Center, a central place where parents and guardians can find resources and tools to help manage their teens’ experiences across Meta technologies. The hub will also allow guardians to see who can message their teens—only their friends, friends of friends or no one—and who can view their stories. The guardians will also get notifications if the child changes any of these settings or reports someone.

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Google rumoured to resurrect Stadia through a new YouTube product

Google shut down its game streaming service Stadia, but it hasn't completely given up on the idea. The Wall Street Journal claims YouTube is testing out a new gaming product called Playables that could leverage the tech behind Stadia so it could bring more revenue to the platform. YouTube may already be a popular destination for video game streaming and user-generated content. But its CEO Neal Mohan wants to expand into the gaming space further as advertising revenue has slowed down. 

Playables will supposedly have simple arcade-style games you can play on the site or app. One of the games is called Stack Bounce, where you use a ball to break a brick wall. YouTube is testing the game out with its employees now. But there is no word on how it will be monetized or when it will be available. A YouTube spokesperson told WSJ that gaming is an area of interest for the company, but it has nothing to announce for now.

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Google Docs gets a polling feature

Photo: Google

Google has recently introduced Smart Canvas features to simplify template creation, document reuse, and YouTube video embedding. Now, it adds a polling feature that can be useful for shared Google Docs. With polls, it might help with making collective decisions more easily. Google allows users to add polls to documents using Smart Chips, a similar feature already available in Google Slides. You can vote by clicking the emoji next to the option you prefer and see the number of votes per option.

The company expects its users to utilize this polling feature to compare ideas, get feedback, and rank ideas based on popularity. And now, you don't have to use alternative apps to poll collaborators. You can already do it within the document you're working on. Google is rolling out the feature gradually, and it's only available for some customers, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Nonprofit-tier Workspace.

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Dreaming of living in a Barbie world? Get ready to book through Airbnb!

It’s a Barbie world, but this summer, it’s Ken’s turn to take hosting for a spin. That’s right in anticipation for what’s set to be the blockbuster film of the summer– Barbie’s Malibu DreamHouse is back by popular demand on Airbnb – with a twist!

While everyone’s favorite doll makes her live-action film debut in BARBIE, Ken is handing over the keys and hosting two, one night stays in the newly renovated and iconic Malibu DreamHouse. Located in sunny Malibu, the perfectly pink oceanfront mansion features panoramic views and serves as the perfect one-of-a-Ken backdrop for Ken’s picture-plastic paradise.  

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