Advanced Protection

US states are finding it difficult to pass and enforce laws regulating AI-generated deepfakes in elections, as the technology spreads faster than legislation can keep pace. The Fast Company report highlights the gap between rapid advances in generative AI and the slow, fragmented patchwork of state-level rules meant to protect voters from manipulated political content.

Pennsylvania's Department of Environmental Protection has published a formal notice confirming it issued the air quality plan approval for Shell's petrochemical plant in Beaver County. The approval covers emissions standards for the facility, a major plastics-producing complex along the Ohio River that has drawn sustained scrutiny from environmental groups and residents over its permitted pollution levels.

AI research fellows are warning that major AI laboratories may be testing frontier models in closed-door environments with safety guardrails disabled, meaning publicly demonstrated safeguards may not reflect how the systems actually behave during development. 'We can't trust them completely,' one fellow said, arguing that internal evaluations stripped of protections could hide risks from regulators and the public. The comments add to ongoing debate over transparency and oversight of advanced AI development.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is calling for a new legally binding treaty recognising the right to a healthy environment. The assembly argues that Europe needs stronger legal tools to protect citizens from environmental harm, including pollution and climate change. The move follows growing international momentum, with the UN General Assembly having recognised the right to a healthy environment as a universal human right in 2022.

Google has announced improvements to Advanced Protection, the Android security mode aimed at users at higher risk of cyber attacks. Some of the new protections will only be available on Android 17. The news, reported by Italian tech outlet Punto Informatico, highlights Google's ongoing effort to strengthen mobile security for its most exposed users.

Los Angeles organisers are seeking $650 million in insurance coverage for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Sports Business Journal. The move highlights the scale of financial risk tied to hosting the event, protecting against potential disruptions. Details about insurers or coverage terms were not disclosed, and it is not yet clear how the policy would fit into the Games' broader budget and risk planning.

A bipartisan-sounding group of 26 state attorneys general has called on Congress to regulate frontier artificial intelligence models while preserving states' own authority to act. The attorneys general argue federal rules are needed on advanced AI, but that states must keep their powers to enforce consumer protection and address harms within their borders. The push comes amid ongoing debate in Washington over whether to pre-empt state AI laws with a single federal framework.

Google's Android 17 Advanced Protection mode will restrict accessibility services so they can only be enabled for verified accessibility tools. The change is aimed at closing a common abuse vector, since malware frequently exploits accessibility permissions to take over devices, read screen content and perform unauthorized actions.