HarmBlock+, marketed as the world's safest smartphone for children, contains critical security flaws that undermine its core safety claims. A researcher examined the device over 12 months and found architectural failures in its AI content filter, including a password reset vulnerability that allowed attackers to hijack parental accounts and a QR code pairing system using predictable IMEI numbers instead of cryptographic secrets.
Meta has launched a legal appeal against UK regulator Ofcom over the Online Safety Act, challenging how WhatsApp and Instagram are categorized and the methodology for calculating regulatory fees. The challenge is part of broader litigation by tech companies including TikTok and X disputing aspects of Ofcom's implementation, though Meta emphasizes these are procedural challenges rather than opposition to the law itself.