Meta’s recent controversy over its updated terms of service took a turn today as the company removed language that appeared to give it broad rights to scrape websites, including news publishers’ sites, for AI training purposes. Legal experts had warned that the initial terms, set to take effect October 30, might supersede robots.txt files, potentially enabling widespread scraping with no opt-out for business accounts. Meanwhile, Replit announced a strategic shift to make OpenAI its default AI coding partner, citing better performance and cost-effectiveness, though Anthropic models remain an option. On the hardware front, Mercedes-AMG unveiled its first fully in-house developed electric SUV boasting over 1,150 horsepower and ultra-fast charging capabilities, set for a summer 2027 US release. Additionally, TikTok took the rare step of permanently banning the promotional account for Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary amid ongoing ad rejections from other platforms.
AI & Machine Learning
- Meta removes language that raised scraping and AI training concerns: After backlash from legal experts and publishers about Meta’s updated business terms allowing broad scraping and AI training, Meta has revised the terms to remove controversial language and clarified that robots.txt preferences are respected, though no opt-out exists before October 30.
- Meta removes language that may have allowed it to scrape news sites: Meta further clarified its position, affirming no changes in crawling practices and removing previous language that suggested it could override content owners’ robots.txt policies.
- Replit makes OpenAI its default over Anthropic, CEO says: Replit CEO Amjad Masad confirmed that the platform’s preferred AI provider is now OpenAI, chosen for performance and economics, though Anthropic models remain accessible to users.
- Show HN: Sphinx – A hook that quizzes you on your AI's code before shipping: Sphinx is an open-source Git hook that prompts developers to answer questions about AI-generated code changes to ensure understanding before pushing, helping reduce accidental errors in agent-assisted coding.
- DeepSeek search and fetch – $0.75 per 1000 successful requests: DeepSeek released APIs providing structured search results and content fetching for agents and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) applications, charging $0.75 per 1000 successful requests.
Hardware & Gadgets
- Mercedes-AMG’s first ground-up SUV is a 1,150hp electric beast: Mercedes-AMG announced the 2028 AMG GT SUV, delivering 1,153 horsepower with three axial flux motors, exceptional fast charging up to 710kW, and leveraging advanced F1-inspired battery tech, aiming for US availability next summer.
- Open MicroManipulator – A sub-micrometer 3D motion control platform: An open source XYZ micro-manipulator with submicron precision, using off-the-shelf stepper motors and a 30kHz closed-loop controller, suitable for microscopy and electronic probing.
- Ember’s new temperature-controlled mug makes my nightly tea ritual even better: Ember released its third-generation smart mug with a new button-based temperature control (125–145°F), enhancing user convenience over previous app-only interfaces, despite some ergonomic quirks.
- Pele – Mermaid diagrams as themeable SVG: Pele is an ultra-lightweight library to render Mermaid diagrams to CSS-variable-themable SVG, boasting up to 500× faster render times than Mermaid.js and zero dependencies.
Streaming & Entertainment
- TikTok permanently bans ‘Musk’ documentary advertising account: TikTok banned the ad account promoting Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk documentary, citing political content; other platforms had rejected ads initially but reinstated them except for TikTok and Elon Musk-owned X.
- TikTok bans Musk documentary account: TikTok escalated restrictions by removing the documentary’s social account altogether, marking a significant move in ongoing platform resistance to the film’s promotion.
- How the Elizabeth Holmes documentary “You Can See Everything” is deceiving: A review of a new Elizabeth Holmes documentary lauds its storytelling mastery in manipulating viewer perception, highlighting how narratives shape opinions even amid legal facts.
- Pikmin 4 is $20 off ahead of its $10 Nintendo Switch 2 update: Walmart discounts the digital version of Pikmin 4 to $39.88 ahead of the planned Switch 2 update next month, where players can upgrade for an additional $10.
Sports Streaming
- Multiple guides from PCMag detail how to watch major sports events for free or through streaming services today, including Leeds United vs. Manchester United (Premier League), Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), and Baltimore Ravens vs. Cleveland Browns (NFL), with tips on VPN usage and streaming platform options.
Business & Policy
- Anthropic says its workforce has become less junior and is spending more time in meetings: Anthropic reports a drop in junior technical hires and an increase in meetings as AI adoption shifts workflows, with human judgment becoming a productivity bottleneck amid heavy use of Claude AI.
- Elon Musk settles lawsuits over $1 million voter giveaway: Musk agreed to settle two lawsuits claiming his voter lottery was fraudulent, as evidence surfaced that prize winners were not chosen randomly despite claims.
- Meta removes language that may have allowed it to scrape news sites: Meta’s latest update removes the language that suggested it could scrape and use news content for AI training, reiterating respect for robots.txt signals.
Developer Tools & Programming
- Parser Combinators: An explainer on parser combinators for transforming text into structured objects, offering a middle ground parsing solution between regex and heavyweight libraries like tree-sitter.
Other
- Trump says Google kisses his ass: At a political rally, Trump claimed Google quickly complied with his renaming of geographic landmarks, a statement contradicted by Google’s policy of reflecting official government sources.
- The best gadget I bought this year is a milk frother: A personal reflection on how a handheld milk frother transformed the author’s coffee routine, enabling cream-topped iced Americanos at home.
- How overhead projectors took over your classroom: The final episode in The Verge’s Version History podcast explores the origin, impact, and decline of overhead projectors in education.
- Data Centers Have a New PR Plan: Your Kid’s Field Trip: The data center industry is trying to improve its image through educational outreach, including children’s books and school programs, to counter negative public perceptions.
- Climate Change Has It In for the World’s Best Surfing: Rising sea levels and coastal development are threatening iconic surf breaks worldwide, with new research highlighting the fragile oceanographic conditions that create perfect waves.
This roundup reflects key tech and cultural developments across AI, hardware, streaming, and policy on Sunday, October 18, 2026.