Bandcamp has addressed the AI slop problem vexing musicians and their fans of late. The company is banning any music or audio on its platform that is "wholly or in substantial part" made by generative AI, according to its blog. It also clarified that the use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is “strictly prohibited” by policies already in place.

Any music suspected to be AI generated may be removed by the Bandcamp team and the company is giving users reporting tools to flag such content. "We believe that the human connection found through music is a vital part of our society and culture, and that music is much more than a product to be consumed," the company wrote.

The announcement makes Bandcamp one of the first music platforms to offer a clear policy on the use of AI tech. AI-generated music (aka “slop”) has increasingly been invading music-streaming platforms, with Deezer for one recently saying that 50,000 AI-generated songs are uploaded to the app daily, or around 34 percent of its music. 

Platforms have been relatively slow to act against this trend. Spotify has taken some baby steps on the matter, having recently promised to develop an industry standard for AI disclosure in music credits and debut an impersonation policy. For its part, Deezer said it remains the only streaming platform to sign a global statement on AI artist training signed by numerous actors and songwriters. 

Bandcamp has a solid track record for artist support, having recently unveiled Bandcamp Fridays, a day that it gives 100 percent of streaming revenue to artists. That led to over $120 million going directly to musicians, and the company plans to continue that policy in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/bandcamp-prohibits-music-made-wholly-or-in-substantial-part-by-ai-130050593.html?src=rss

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Tesla will stop selling its $8,000 Full Self-Driving (FSD) option and make it strictly a monthly subscription service after February 14, CEO Elon Musk announced on his X platform. Musk didn't reveal the price or why he's making the switch, though FSD is already available by subscription for $99 per month or $999 per year. 

The shift could be advantageous for buyers, particularly if they decide to dump their new Tesla or trade it in. It will also allow prospective owners to hedge their bets, as Tesla has overpromised on the feature since it was first announced. 

Full Self-Driving has never done what the name suggests as humans must constantly supervise the system and frequently take control. Because of that, it's more of a "driver assist" system and doesn't even qualify as Level 3 self-driving (conditional automation), let alone as a truly autonomous Level 4 or Level 5 category. Musk has been touting self-driving capabilities on Tesla vehicles since 2015, promising at the time "complete autonomy" by 2018. 

Branding for the system as "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving" has been called out as false advertising by consumer watchdogs and government for years, but so far, regulators have yet to take action. A California judge recently ruled that Tesla used "deceptive language to market Autopilot and recommended suspending Tesla's sales in the state for 30 days. However, the company has 90 days to comply and could still avoid punishment.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/teslas-full-self-driving-is-switching-to-a-subscription-only-service-120053137.html?src=rss

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Anker is going up against Tesla in the home battery backup segment with Solix E10 that promises "whole-home backup" at an affordable price. The system delivers enough power to handle heavy-duty air conditioners and other high-power appliances in the event of a blackout. It also claims that the E10 supports DIY-friendly installation thanks to the stackable, plug-and-play design. 

Each Anker Solix E10 unit can deliver up to 37.2kW of surge power and stacking two boosts that to 66kW. It also comes with a "turbo output" mode that can output 10kW per unit for 90 minutes maximum. That level of power, along with the minimal 20ms auto-switch time (from grid to battery), means you may not even notice if the power grid goes down. 

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For large installations, you can stack up to three E10 units to boost power to 90kWh, enough to provide whole home backup for up to 15 days (average US consumption is 30kWh per day so that might be stretching it). If that's not enough, you can add Anker's tri-fuel Solix Smart Generator 5500 that runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas and charges the E10 batteries via DC for maximum efficiency. The E10 can also handle up to 9kW of input from solar panels, or 27kW with three units. 

Anker's Solix E10 can be purchased with several optional components. The Power Dock allows auto switching from grid power in the even of an outage in 20 milliseconds, while the Smart Inlet Box provides a manual switchover option. The latter lets you charge the E10 batteries from the grid with existing solar systems to save money. 

In the event of a wild storm, units are weatherproof thanks to the all-metal enclosures and can be operated in temperatures ranging from -4 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit.

As for pricing, the Solix E10 costs $4,299 by itself, $4,599 with the Smart Inlet Box, $5,799 with the Solix Power Dock and $7,399 with the Solix Power Dock and Smart Generator. Adding an extra E10 unit would boost the latter price to around $10,000. However, Anker claims lower installation costs for the Solix E10 than Tesla and other manufacturers due to its modular nature and says it's so intuitive that some buyers could do a DIY installation. The Solix E10 is now available for pre-order.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/ankers-solix-e10-battery-backup-can-power-your-entire-house-in-a-blackout-143040115.html?src=rss

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Tesla's 2026 Model Y is now available on the company's site and it comes with a new (and old) option: a seven-seat version via a third row. The extra seating costs $2,500 and is only available if you order the Premium All-Wheel-Drive Long Range model. Tesla first teased the option last year via an email to prospective buyers with the promise of "seating for up to seven and enough room for everyone's gear," Electrek reported at the time. 

The new seats appear to be designed mainly for children as they don't offer much legroom, according to images on Tesla's configurator. Tesla notes that the seven-seat interior "features fold-flat second-row and third-row seats," though it's not clear if those seats fold down electrically like the second row. 

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Tesla is facing increased competition, especially in the crossover/SUV category, and saw another sales decline last quarter. The company previously sold a seven-seat version of the Model Y in the US for a short time before it was refreshed early last year. Since then, though, it has only been available with five seats. Tesla launched a six-seat "Model YL" version in China in August 2025 with a six-inch wheelbase extension that the US model lacks. Elon Musk said that model would come to the US market in late 2026 or maybe "never." 

Otherwise, changes to the Model Y lineup are minor and confined to the Premium version. Those include a 20-inch dark-grey "Helix" "wheel option, a new black headliner, a bigger, higher-resolution 16-inch display and darker rear badging. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-launches-a-seven-seat-version-of-the-2026-model-y-130039385.html?src=rss

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To comply with Australia's under-16 social media ban, Meta said on Medium that it has shut down nearly 550,00 accounts. That number includes 330,000 Instagram, 173,000 Facebook and 40,000 Threads accounts deemed to belong to children. "Ongoing compliance with the law will be a multi-layered process that we will continue to refine, though our concerns about determining age online without an industry standard remain," the company wrote. 

Australia's minimum age social media ban, the first of its kind in the world for a democracy, went into effect on December 10. The ten platforms affected, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit and Twitch, must bar underage users or face a fine of up to $AUD 49.5 million ($33 million). Platforms are using a variety of means to determine age, including age inference based on activity and selfies.

Some of those platforms aren't taking the ban lying down. Reddit, which launched a lawsuit against the Australian government, argued that it shouldn't have been included in the ban since it isn't a social media site, while adding that it comes with some "serious privacy and political expression issues" for users.

Meta also expressed its opposition to the ban, citing a number of factors. It says taking social media out of the hands of teens can isolate them from getting support from online communities, and that the ban is only driving them to "less regulated parts of the internet." It also sites inconsistent age verification methods and a lack of interest in compliance from teens and parents. 

However, the fact that Meta has removed almost 550,000 accounts just a month after the ban took affect shows that it is also affecting the company's bottom line. And Meta doesn't have a sterling record when it comes to teen safety, having previously downplayed the frequency of harm to children. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-closes-550000-accounts-to-comply-with-australias-kids-social-media-ban-130041356.html?src=rss

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