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Here are the best streaming service deals available right now

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Here are the best streaming service deals available right now

So far, 2025 has been a great year for watching new, must-see TV shows and movies on subscription services. But if you, like many of us, have more concurrent subscriptions than you care to admit, you’ll agree that keeping up with the latest each month is expensive. They may not cost as much as most of the tech we cover, but it adds up.

If you’re trying to cut down on your expenses, you might be able to do so while holding onto your precious subscriptions. Attempting to cancel your service is a good way to see if you’ll be offered a cheaper monthly rate to stick around. Outside of that, several services offer ongoing promos, some of which are even available to new and returning subscribers alike. Below, we’ve curated some of the best deals going on right now, so you can enjoy streaming your favorite show or movie for less than it would typically cost you.

Note: keep an eye out for free trials and student discounts

Most streaming services offer free trials that typically last from a week to a month, whether you sign up for an annual membership or just a monthly subscription. However, you will likely have to provide your credit card information in advance, and you will be charged once your trial is over, so make a note in your calendar if you don’t want to be charged.

Some streaming platforms offer student discounts. These include Hulu, Paramount Plus, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, and more. You’ll have to prove your student eligibility through a sign-up form and typically be enrolled in an accredited Title IV college or university to take advantage of these deals.

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Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service, one that offers next-day programming from NBC (and Bravo). The platform also provides access to live sports programming, including Sunday Night Football and WWE, as well as movies and shows like The Wild Robot, Conclave, Wicked, Oppenheimer, Yellowstone, Teacup, The Office, Saturday Night Live, Rian Johnson’s Poker Face, and the forthcoming The Office spinoff, The Paper.

The platform currently offers two plans: an ad-supported Peacock Premium tier for $7.99 a month (or $79.99 a year) or the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus tier for $13.99 a month (or $139.99 a year). Only the latter lets you download content for offline viewing.

In terms of deals, things are pretty dry right now. You can grab a complimentary subscription when you sign up for a year of Instacart Plus ($99 annually or $9.99 a month). You can also get free access if you’re an Xfinity Internet customer with gigabit speeds or a Diamond or Platinum Rewards member. If you’re a first responder or a medical professional (and are alright with your credentials being verified by SheerID), you can get Peacock’s monthly plan for $3.99 per month, which is a nice perk.

The best Disney Plus deals

$11

This bundle comes with ads and grants access to all of the shows and movies available in Hulu’s and Disney Plus’ library.

With Disney Plus, you can stream a wide range of shows and movies, including Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Deadpool & Wolverine, Andor, X-Men ‘97, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film. A monthly subscription currently costs $9.99 a month with ads or $15.99 a month without (or $159.99 annually). The $15.99 per month service includes Dolby Atmos sound, as well as the ability to download TV shows and movies on up to 10 devices.

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For just a dollar more, Disney offers an ad-supported, $10.99-a-month Duo Basic subscription that brings together Disney Plus and Hulu. To enjoy an ad-free experience across both services, the cost is $19.99 per month.

There’s also the $16.99-a-month Disney Bundle Trio Basic bundle, which includes the ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus (paying $26.99 a month nets you the ad-free version of Hulu and Disney Plus, though ESPN will still have ads). That’s cheaper than subscribing to all three streaming services individually, and is the wisest route to take if you want all three.

That being said, there are other ways to save, particularly with carrier promos. Those currently on one of Verizon’s Unlimited plans, for instance, can get Disney Plus Trio Basic with ads for $10 a month instead of $16.99. If you already subscribe to Verizon’s existing Legacy bundle, you can also continue to enjoy ad-free Disney Plus, as well as ad-supported ESPN Plus and Hulu, for $15 per month ($6 off).

The word hulu against a black background with light green circles radiating out.The word hulu against a black background with light green circles radiating out.

$10

Hulu grants access to originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as non-Hulu content like Shogun, The Bear, Futurama, Say Nothing, and Alien: Romulus. T-Mobile also offering complementary access to the Hulu-ad supported plan when you maintain a qualifying Go5G Next line.

Hulu offers both ad-supported and ad-free plans. No matter which you buy, you’ll be able to access all of Hulu’s TV shows and movies on multiple devices, including originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and Sand Land, as well as other content, like Shogun, The Bear, Futurama, and The Veil. It’s also where you’ll be able to watch the King of the Hill revival when it lands on August 4th. The service also allows two people to stream simultaneously, and you can have up to six user profiles. However, subscribing to the ad-free plan means you won’t have to deal with commercials; You’ll also be able to watch downloads offline.

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The ad-supported plan currently costs $9.99 per month, while the ad-free plan costs $18.99 a month. Hulu also sells ad-free and ad-supported bundles that include Disney Plus and / or ESPN Plus, which are cheaper than subscribing to each service individually. With the Hulu with Live TV, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus bundle, you’ll be able to access more than 90 live sports, news, and entertainment channels, as well as content from each of the streaming services. You’ll also be able to record live shows with unlimited DVR storage and take advantage of the same features the standard, ad-free, and ad-supported Hulu plans offer. The ad-supported Hulu with Live TV subscription is $82.99 a month, while the ad-free tier is $95.99 a month (though, it’s worth noting that, of the three services included, ESPN Plus will still have ads, even at this tier). Complicated, right?

However, if you just want Hulu and don’t need the live TV version, you can subscribe to the ad-supported Disney Bundle Duo Basic, which includes Disney Plus, for $10.99 a month. You can also add ESPN Plus for $16.99 per month, or get rid of ads and add live sports for $26.99 a month.

In terms of deals, students can subscribe to the ad-supported version for $1.99 a month or a bundle that combines Spotify Premium, Showtime, and ad-supported Hulu for $5.99 a month. Some wireless carriers are also offering customers discounts when they buy premium phone plans. As mentioned previously, those currently on one of Verizon’s Unlimited plans can get the Disney Plus Trio Basic with ads for $10 per month instead of $16.99. If you already subscribe to Verizon’s Legacy bundle, you can also continue to stream ad-free Disney Plus and ad-supported ESPN Plus / Hulu for $15 a month ($6 off). T-Mobile, meanwhile, is offers complimentary access to Hulu’s ad-supported tier when you maintain a qualifying Go5G Next line.

$23

Sling TV is a live TV streaming service featuring live and on-demand TV channels like CNN, Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and more. It’s half off for your first month, if you aren’t already a subscriber.

Sling TV is a streaming service that functions as a more affordable alternative to YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV. With it, you can watch a range of streaming services as well as live and on-demand channels — including ESPN, CNN, Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network — on multiple devices.

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Sling offers an ad-supported free tier — Sling Freestream — which provides access to more than 500 live channels as well as more than 40,000 on-demand movies and TV shows. The platform also offers three paid plans, all of which come with 50 hours of DVR storage: Sling Blue ($50.99 a month); Sling Orange ($45.99 a month); and Sling Orange and Blue ($65.99 a month). Sling also lets you subscribe to Max as a Blue-tier add-on for a discount (totaling $57.97 per month), or you can buy an ad-free subscription to Max as a standalone service for $16.99 a month. For a limited time, Sling is including a one-month trial to AMC Plus with subscriptions — perfect if you’ve never seen Halt and Catch Fire.

If you’re into sports, you may want to opt for Sling Orange over Blue as it grants access to ESPN channels — but only on one device. Sling Blue, however, offers a number of channels Sling Orange lacks, including Fox News, MSNBC, E!, Discovery, Bravo, and local NBC or Fox affiliates. You can also subscribe to a bundle that includes both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, which offers all the channels featured in the first two plans.

Sling is currently offering new customers a 50 percent discount on their first month of Sling Orange, meaning you’ll pay $23 instead of $45.99. The promo also applies to Sling Blue, although it’s slightly more expensive at $25.50, down from $50.99. You can also get one month of Sling Orange and Sling Blue combined for $33 per month instead of $65.99. In addition to 50 percent off your first month, Sling is also offering free unlimited DVR during that period, along with a $5 discount on Paramount Plus with Showtime, AMC Plus, or Starz.

The best Apple TV Plus deals

$10

Apple’s streaming service has a variety of original programming, including live MLB games and standouts like Severance, Ted Lasso, Silo, and Coda. A subscription normally runs $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial.

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Apple TV Plus is a service operated by Apple that offers original shows and movies in 4K HDR, including Ted Lasso, The Studio, The Morning Show, Silo, Severance, Finch, Coda, For All Mankind, and Napoleon. The platform is also the streaming home to Major League Soccer, and currently costs $9.99 a month. There are no ads whatsoever on Apple TV Plus, except some skippable pre-roll advertisements for other Apple TV Plus content.

There are a couple of promos to make note of when it comes to Apple TV Plus. The service currently offers a weeklong free trial for new subscribers, after which you’ll be charged $9.99 a month. You can also get a free three-month subscription when you buy an Apple device, though you’ll have to redeem the offer within 90 days of purchase.

Apple TV Plus is also included in the larger Apple One suite of apps. The all-in-one service lets you bundle four other Apple services for a single monthly subscription starting at $19.95 a month. New subscribers will get a free month of Apple TV Plus if they include it as part of their Apple One membership. In addition, eligible individuals who sign up for the student Apple Music subscription, which starts at $5.99 per month, can get Apple Music for 50 percent off with a free Apple TV Plus subscription.

As far as carrier deals go, T-Mobile offers discounts on Apple TV Plus, as well as other streaming services. For instance, the wireless carrier is currently offering customers in the US complimentary access to Apple TV Plus when they subscribe to a qualifying Go5G Next line. For Verizon Unlimited customers, the option exists to get Apple One (which includes Apple TV Plus) for $10 per month ($9.95 off) for an individual plan, or $20 for a family plan ($5.95 off).

An image showing the Max logoAn image showing the Max logo

$17

Max provides access to shows like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Dune: Prophecy, The Last of Us, The Penguin, as well as films like Barbie and Dune — starting at $9.99 a month. AT&T offers complimentary access to the ad-free Max tier when you subscribe to a select AT&T Unlimited Choice or Plus plan, which starts at $60 per month.

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Max, which will soon be rebranded as HBO Max this summer, is home to Game of Thrones and its spinoff, House of the Dragon, along with shows and movies like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Dune: Prophecy, The Last of Us, Wonka, Euphoria, Hacks, Scavenger’s Reign, The Batman, Succession, and even content from Discovery Plus.

The platform offers an ad-supported tier that costs $9.99 a month and two ad-free plans that start at $16.99 a month. Unlike the ad-supported plan, the standard ad-free tier also lets you download 30 shows or movies for offline viewing. Max also offers a $20.99-a-month Premium plan, which allows you to stream in 4K and supports Dolby Atmos with select content. The latter plan also lets you stream on four devices simultaneously and download a maximum of 100 shows or movies to watch on the go.

Max offers an annual subscription and various bundles, both of which are cheaper than subscribing on a monthly basis. The ad-supported plan normally costs $99.99 a year, saving you a modest $19 over the course of 12 months, while subscribing to the annual ad-free base plan for $169.99 saves you $33. You can also save about $41 by subscribing to the annual 4K Premium ad-free plan for $209.99. Lastly, you can opt for the ad-supported bundle — which includes Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu — for $16.99 a month, or pay $13 extra to go ad-free. The total cost is cheaper than subscribing to each of the three individually, saving you money in the long run. A basic plan exists, with ads, for $9.99 per month.

Multiple wireless carriers are offering deals. You can, for instance, get a year of Netflix and Max when you purchase a 5G Home Plus, LTE Home Plus, Fios 1 Gig, or the Fios 2 Gig Verizon Home Internet (VHI) plan. Alternatively, Verizon is offering those with an Unlimited plan the ability to get Netflix and Max (with ads) for $10 a month (about $7 off).

AT&T also includes complimentary access to ad-free Max when you subscribe to select AT&T Unlimited Choice or Plus plans, which start at $60 a month. If you opt for Cricket’s Unlimited Plus 15GB Mobile Hotspot phone plan, which starts at $60 a month, you’ll also be able to get the ad-supported version of Max for free. Finally, you can get two months of Max free with DirectTV Stream or Satellite TV services.

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An illustration of the Netflix logo.An illustration of the Netflix logo.

$8

The well-known streaming service offers individual subscriptions starting at $7.99 a month as well as more premium tiers that allow for 4K resolution and additional users. T-Mobile is offering the ad-supported plan for free those on qualifying Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, and Magenta Max lines. This deal is also available to those on two or more qualifying Go56 and Magenta lines.

A Netflix subscription grants you access to thousands of movies and TV shows, as well as a limited number of mobile games. Notable shows and movies include Squid Game, Dan Da Dan, Baby Reindeer, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, The Killer, and Arcane, among countless others.

The well-known streaming service currently offers three plans: Standard with ads ($7.99 per month), Standard without ads ($17.99 per month), and Premium ($24.99 per month). The premium tier allows for higher resolution, lets multiple users watch content on four devices at the same time as opposed to just two, and lets you download on six devices at a time as opposed to just two. It’s also the only plan that supports 4K HDR content, as well as spatial audio.

Netflix isn’t currently offering a discount, but T-Mobile is offering the ad-supported plan for free to those on qualifying Go5G Next and Go5G Plus lines. This deal is also available to those on qualifying Magenta Max lines, or for those who sign up to two or more Go56 and Magenta lines. As mentioned previously, you can also get a year of both Netflix and Max when you purchase one of the following Verizon Home internet plans: a 5G Home Plus, LTE Home Plus, Fios 1 Gig, or the Fios 2 Gig Verizon Home Internet (VHI) plan. Alternatively, Verizon is offering those with an Unlimited plan the ability to get Netflix and Max (with ads) for $10 per month ($6.98 off).

The best YouTube TV deals

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Illustration of the Youtube logo.Illustration of the Youtube logo.

YouTube TV grants subscribers access to live sports and a number of major news and entertainment channels, including PBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN, and more. It also comes with unlimited recording for a maximum of six accounts, all for $82.99 per month. You can buy optional add-ons as well, which range between $2 and $65 a month and include access to services like Max, Starz, and NBA League Pass. The service also offers a separate Spanish-only plan.

Now through July 31st, new subscribers can sign up for the YouTube TV Base Plan for $59.99 ($23 off) a month for the first two months. It’ll be free for 21 days as a trial.

The best Paramount Plus and Showtime deals

Paramount Plus logo on a blue and black backgroundParamount Plus logo on a blue and black background

$8

The ad-supported Paramount Plus Essential plan provides access to a wide variety of shows and films, including Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the entire Yellowstone catalog, Top Gun: Maverick, and Bob Marley: One Love. Walmart Plus members can currently get it for free as a part of their plan.

Paramount Plus and Showtime provides access to live sports and 24/7 live news with CBS News. It also grants access to the entire Paramount Plus catalog, including shows like Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Yellowstone spinoff 1923, as well as films like Gladiator II and Top Gun: Maverick. You’ll also get access to Showtime’s library, which includes originals like Billions, Dexter: Resurrection, and Yellowjackets, as well as movies like Talk To Me and Past Lives.

If you want to subscribe to both Paramount Plus and Showtime, you can sign up for the ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime package for $12.99 a month (it comes with a one-week trial). Alternatively, if you’re willing to pay upfront, you can save about $36 over the course of a year when you subscribe to the annual plan for $119.99 per year.

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Alternatively, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus as a standalone service when you pay for Paramount Plus’ ad-supported Essential plan, which costs $7.99 per month (it, too, comes with a one-week trial for new subscribers). The annual plan, meanwhile, costs $59.99 per year, saving you $36 over the course of 12 months if you’re willing to pay upfront. Just bear in mind this plan offers fewer live sporting events than the Paramount Plus with Showtime package, and won’t let you download content for offline viewing.

In terms of deals, Walmart Plus subscribers can currently get the Essential plan for free as part of their subscription. College students can also subscribe to the Essential plan for $5.99 ($2 off) a month, while seniors with an AARP membership can get a 10 percent discount on the Essential plan or Paramount Plus with Showtime plan. Lastly, military members can get a 50 percent discount on a year of the Essential or Paramount Plus with Showtime plans.

$18

With Starz, you can stream movies like Asteroid City and Jurassic Park, as well as original shows like Outlander. Currently, the platform only offers one ad-free plan, which typically costs $10.99 a month.

With Starz, you can stream a variety of shows and movies, including John Wick: Chapter 4, M3GAN, and Asteroid City, as well as originals like Outlander and Sweetpea. The platform offers a single ad-free plan for $10.99 per month, which allows you to stream on up to four devices simultaneously and download content for offline viewing. Right now, however, new subscribers can get three months of Starz for $4.99 per month. Alternatively, you can sign up for a six-month plan for $17.99, a savings of $28.

The best Amazon Prime Video deals

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Vector illustration of the Prime Video logo.Vector illustration of the Prime Video logo.

$9

Amazon Prime members can take advantage of faster delivery as well as an assortment of other benefits. This includes Amazon Prime Video, which encompasses a wide range of movies, some live content, and shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan can get a free Amazon Prime membership, which provides access to Prime Video for free.

Amazon Prime Video is an on-demand streaming service owned by Amazon. Its library includes a range of movies, some live content, and shows like Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. Through the service, you can watch certain titles in 4K and take advantage of deals on rentals and purchases not included in the subscription. There’s also an option to add extra channels with Prime Video channels, or go ad-free for an additional $2.99 a month.

Amazon Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership, though you can sign up for the service without a membership for $8.99 a month with ads or $11.98 without. Right now, customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan can also get a free Amazon Prime membership, which provides access to Prime Video and other benefits, for free.

Update, June 18th: Adjusted relevant pricing details, and added new, more relevant links within each service’s section.

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Europe banned new gas cars after 2035 — now it’s reconsidering

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Europe banned new gas cars after 2035 — now it’s reconsidering

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is the eternal optimist, and for good reason. He has long pushed the European Union to roll back its lofty goal of phasing out new internal combustion engine cars, arguing that weakening the rules was a return to pragmatism and not capitulation to opponents of Europe’s green agenda.

His push is working. The rigid deadlines for phasing out combustion engines after 2035 are “no longer feasible,” Källenius told The Verge in a recent interview, given infrastructure bottlenecks and the sluggish adoption of EVs by consumers. More flexibility was needed to protect jobs and competitiveness, give consumers greater choice, and ensure manufacturers can finance the transition profitably.

“This is not a retreat,” he said in defense of loosening the 2035 deadline. “It is an upgrade to a smarter strategy that matches Europe’s ambitions with a thoughtful plan for success.”

“This is not a retreat.”

When the economy was humming and jobs were plentiful, Europeans largely backed an ambitious climate agenda. Now, with the economy limping and automakers and suppliers slashing tens of thousands of jobs, support has shifted toward slowing down the transition.

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Källenius said that carmakers had proved their commitment to fighting global warming with a decade of huge investments in new technology, electric vehicles, and battery plants.

“Taking a more pragmatic approach could be a way of delivering on Europe’s climate goals more effectively,” he said. “The ultimate target of achieving CO2 neutrality in the EU by 2050 remains firmly in place. What changes is the path to get there.”

Cars from the vehicle manufacturer Mercedes-Benz are parked in front of a car dealership.
Image: Getty

Reopening the ICE car ban

For now, it is still European law to ban the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines after 2035. To change that, the EU has to either repeal the law or to amend it and create exceptions that would allow the sale of conventional cars to continue beyond the deadline.

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At their October summit, European leaders called on the Commission, the bloc’s executive body, to reopen the ICE car ban and present proposals by the end of the year to slow Europe’s once brisk march to a carbon-free future.

The Commission has said it is considering allowing more “technology neutrality,” which analysts say means possibly allowing plug-in hybrids and ICE cars that run on synthetic fuels or biofuels, which produce fewer emissions than conventional fuel. The auto industry has been demanding such a change for years, and wants the Commission to count hybrids and cars that run on synthetic fuels among zero-emission vehicles, even if they have an internal combustion engine beyond the 2035 deadline.

“Turning the EU’s most important automotive regulation into a Swiss cheese will not restore the industry’s competitiveness,” said Lucien Mathieu, cars director at the Brussels-based lobby group Transport & Environment, in a statement in October. “It is a cynical attempt to dismantle a central pillar of Europe’s climate law. If the Commission capitulates to these demands, it will only hand a further competitive advantage to Chinese automakers.”

“Turning the EU’s most important automotive regulation into a Swiss cheese will not restore the industry’s competitiveness.”

Källenius noted that even after 2035 there would still be more than 200 million conventional cars on the road. Without alternative fuels and new ICE cars to replace them they would age, risking “a ‘Havana effect’ that would cause our vehicle fleet to grow even older, harming both the climate and the economy.”

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Germany is lobbying to weaken the ban and create a longer transition period. The German economy is barely growing after two years of recession. The auto industry’s troubles go back a lot further. Auto production in Germany peaked in 1998, but fell 25 percent in the wake of covid in 2020, and has declined every year since. And now German automakers face new competition from lower-cost Chinese vehicles.

The country’s political leaders are alarmed because of the nearly 800,000 jobs that the industry provides and because economic uncertainty is fueling a rise of support for right-wing populism. Against this backdrop, the government is throwing its weight behind industry demands to roll back climate goals and throw core gas-powered cars a lifeline.

“There will be no hard cut” in 2035, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged after a meeting with auto industry leaders in September.

A Volkswagen e-up! electric car charges at a public fast-charging station in Hanover.

A Volkswagen e-up! electric car charges at a public fast-charging station in Hanover.
Image: Getty

Alternative fuels and hybrids

Slowing the shift to electric vehicles aims to give carmakers and suppliers more time to keep earning money from their most profitable models and maintain their competitive edge over rivals, including the new Chinese manufacturers that are fast making inroads into European markets.

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There is a danger that slowing the transition to EVs could put the huge investments that have been made in EV charging networks and battery plants at risk, which could also lead to job losses.

“If tomorrow we abandon the 2035 objective, forget European battery factories,” French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters after the October leaders’ summit, pointing to the gigafactories now being built across the continent as a direct result of the 2035 deadline. Instead, he backed loosening the language of the law to allow alternative fuels and hybrids.

“There will be no hard cut” in 2035.

Allowing automakers to keep selling conventional cars as hybrids or with low-emission fuels is just one part of a compromise. To boost sales of economy EVs, Europeans are also working on incentives for new battery electric vehicle purchases. Manufacturers could be required to use more European-made components to be eligible for EV subsidies as a way to support jobs and push back against cheap Chinese imports.

As politicians discuss how to help automakers, the situation for the industry is increasingly dire.

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The only growth in Europe’s automotive markets this year is coming from electric vehicles and hybrids, from which many automakers still struggle to earn any money because of the high costs of developing new technologies, manufacturing in Europe, and the still meager sales volumes of EVs.

Europeans bought 1.3 million battery-electric vehicles in the nine months through September, accounting for about 16 percent of total new car sales, according to ACEA, the continent’s auto lobby. But even the strong performance of electric and hybrid vehicles could not offset the steep decline of ICE cars. Overall, Europe’s new car sales grew just 0.9 percent in the first nine months.

The Polestar showroom in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Polestar showroom in Stockholm, Sweden.
Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images

‘We’re asking for a different regime’

For some automakers, the changes that are under discussion don’t go far enough.

BMW CEO Oliver Zipse told reporters in an earnings call that under the EU’s current law, manufacturers get no benefit from their investments in carbon-neutral components such as green steel or for building new, low-emission factories. He slammed the EU’s focus on regulating tailpipe emissions instead of the car’s total carbon footprint.

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“We are not asking for the targets to be weakened. We’re asking for a different regime,” Zipse said. “We are continually reducing our CO2 footprint but it has no impact.”

Some green tech lobby groups and think tanks warn against boosting support for plug-in hybrids at the expense of full EVs.

Brussels-based Transport & Environment (T&E), a green tech lobby group, concluded in a recent study that plug-in hybrids emit nearly five times more CO2 in real world driving than shown in official tests. And even when running in electric mode, PHEVs burn more fuel than manufacturers claim because their combustion engines kick in when accelerating or driving uphill, the study concludes.

“We are continually reducing our CO2 footprint but it has no impact.”

The gap hits drivers’ wallets, too: Annual fuel and charging costs are about €500 higher than advertised. With an average sticker price of €55,700 in 2025, plug-in hybrids are also €15,200 more expensive than battery-electrics.

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“Plug-in hybrids are one of the biggest cons in automotive history,” said T&E’s Mathieu.

Peter Mock, Europe managing director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, rejected the notion that plug-in hybrids are a “bridge” to electrification. He said evidence shows most drivers who switch to battery-electrics stay with them, while a large share of plug-in hybrid buyers later revert to combustion cars.

Mock pointed to Denmark, where battery-electrics account for about 70 percent of new sales, and Belgium at around 40 percent, as examples of how to accelerate adoption. The key, he said, is a mix of EU CO2 standards and national tax policies that make combustion cars more expensive while lowering costs for EVs — ideally in a self-balancing system where higher ICE taxes fund EV subsidies.

On e-fuels, Mock was blunt: They are too inefficient and costly for cars and trucks. “For road transport, electrification is by far the better option,” he said. “E-fuels are a distraction.”

A sign for a charging point for electric cars is displayed in Bristol, England.

A sign for a charging point for electric cars is displayed in Bristol, England.
Image: Getty Images

‘The rest of the world will not stand still’

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The EU’s climate policies of the past decade have attracted a lot of investment from pure EV manufacturers, battery manufacturers, and other suppliers along the EV supply chain. That’s why more than 200 business leaders from the industry wrote an open letter calling on the Commission to “Stand firm, don’t step back” in the face of legacy automaker lobbying.

Michael Lohscheller, CEO of Polestar, told The Verge that watering down the 2035 ban would punish companies that have already staked their future on electrification. “It undermines the basis for the investments that companies like us have made,” he said, noting that years of negotiation went into the current framework, including with legacy carmakers now seeking to backtrack.

While a delay might make EV demand less linear, Lohscheller said, “the shift will still happen and is happening, as we see in demand for our cars across most European markets.”

“Stand firm, don’t step back”

He also warned that Europe risks falling behind global competitors if it weakens its climate goals. “We would become even less competitive in the future. The rest of the world will not stand still: they will continue to develop new, better technologies, which would put even more future EU jobs in jeopardy.”

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Others agree. Lawrence Hamilton, president of Lucid Motors Europe, said that reopening the debate over the EU’s 2035 combustion car ban risks confusing consumers and slowing electric vehicle adoption. “It remains a distraction in the conversation with the consumers,” he said. “If the ICE ban is rolled back, everybody believes they’ve got longer, and consumer adoption tends to be ‘not now.’ But we want people to be thinking about making the transition to EV now.”

Hamilton stressed that car replacement cycles are long — often seven years or more — which means the industry needs customers to start switching today, not years down the road. He pointed out that EVs are approaching price parity with gas cars, already deliver lower total cost of ownership in many cases, and have largely overcome concerns about range.

If Europe’s automakers want to regain competitiveness — especially against China — the answer is not to slow the shift to electric, but to double down on it and tackle their own structural weaknesses.

“They must close the battery cost gap, pivot to software and AI-driven manufacturing, and rediscover the entrepreneurial urgency their Chinese rivals live by,” said Andy Palmer, who played a key role in driving electric vehicle technology at Nissan and later was CEO of Aston Martin. “Europe still has immense engineering talent, but it’s held back by bureaucracy and legacy thinking. They need to catch up. And fast.”

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TikTok malware scam tricks you with fake activation guides

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TikTok malware scam tricks you with fake activation guides

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Cybercriminals are again turning TikTok into a trap for unsuspecting users. This time, they’re disguising malicious downloads as free activation guides for popular software like Windows, Microsoft 365, Photoshop and even fake versions of Netflix and Spotify Premium.

Security expert Xavier Mertens first spotted the campaign, confirming that the same kind of scheme was seen earlier this year. According to BleepingComputer, these fake TikTok videos show short PowerShell commands and instruct viewers to run them as administrators to “activate” or “fix” their programs.

In reality, those commands connect to a malicious website and pull in malware known as Aura Stealer, which quietly siphons saved passwords, cookies, cryptocurrency wallets and authentication tokens from the victim’s computer.

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3,000+ YOUTUBE VIDEOS DELIVER MALWARE DISGUISED AS FREE SOFTWARE

Cybercriminals are using fake TikTok videos to trick users into downloading malware disguised as free activation guides. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How the TikTok scam works

This campaign uses what experts call a ClickFix attack. It’s a social engineering trick that makes victims feel they’re following legitimate tech instructions. The instructions seem quick and simple: run one short command and get instant access to premium software.

But instead of activating anything, the PowerShell command connects to a remote domain named slmgr[.]win, which downloads harmful executables from Cloudflare-hosted pages. The main file, updater.exe, is a variant of the Aura Stealer malware. Once inside the system, it hunts for your credentials and sends them back to the attacker.

Another file, source.exe, uses Microsoft’s C# compiler to launch code directly in memory, making it even harder to detect. The purpose of this extra payload isn’t fully known yet, but the pattern follows previous malware used for crypto theft and ransomware delivery.

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META ACCOUNT SUSPENSION SCAM HIDES FILEFIX MALWARE

Those short “activation” commands secretly connect to malicious servers that install info-stealing malware like Aura Stealer. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to stay safe from TikTok malware scams

Even though these scams look convincing, you can avoid becoming a victim with the right precautions.

1) Avoid shortcuts

Never copy or run PowerShell commands from TikTok videos or random websites. If something promises free access to premium software, it’s likely a trap.

2) Use trusted sources

Always download or activate software directly from the official website or through legitimate app stores.

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3) Keep security tools updated

Outdated antivirus or browsers can’t detect the latest threats. Update your software regularly to stay protected.

4) Use strong antivirus software

Install strong antivirus software that offers real-time scanning and protection against trojans, info-stealers and phishing attempts.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

5) Sign up for a data removal service

If your personal data ends up on the dark web, a data removal or monitoring service can alert you and help remove sensitive information.

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While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

6) Reset credentials

If you’ve ever followed suspicious instructions or entered credentials after watching a “free activation” video, reset all your passwords immediately. 

7) Reset passwords

If you’ve ever followed suspicious instructions or entered credentials after watching a “free activation” video, reset all your passwords immediately. Start with your email, financial and social media accounts. Use unique passwords for each site. Consider using a password manager, which securely stores and generates complex passwords, reducing the risk of password reuse.

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Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

8) Enable multi-factor authentication

Add an extra layer of security by turning on multi-factor authentication wherever possible. Even if your passwords are stolen, attackers won’t be able to log in without your verification. 

If you’ve followed suspicious steps, change your passwords, enable two-factor authentication and stay alert for future scams. (Getty Images)

Kurt’s key takeaways

TikTok’s global reach makes it a prime target for scams like this. What looks like a helpful hack could end up costing your security, your money and your peace of mind. Stay alert, trust only verified sources and remember that there’s no such thing as a free activation shortcut.

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Is TikTok doing enough to protect its users from scams like this? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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How soapy micro dramas became Hollywood’s next big bet

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How soapy micro dramas became Hollywood’s next big bet

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on Hollywood trends and streaming culture, follow Charles Pulliam-Moore. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.

Once upon a time (read: a few years ago), there were a pair of upstart streaming services called Quibi and Go90 that were supposed to appeal to phone-addicted millennials. These platforms were supposed to compete with Netflix and Amazon by offering up short-form videos designed to be watched on the go. Both services were touted as being the future of entertainment, and they had sizable financial backing. But neither Quibi nor Go90 managed to gain any real traction before their names became shorthand for “bad ideas exemplifying how out of touch studio and telecom execs can be.”

Quibi and Go90 were not long for this world, and much has been written about how they were doomed from the jump. Quibi was oddly expensive, Go90’s landscape mode-focused branding confused people, and neither service made it easy to share their content on other platforms. Back then, people — especially here in the West — laughed at the idea of watching scripted series that were meant to be viewed on a smartphone. But that same basic concept began to take off in China as the covid-19 pandemic ground the entertainment industry to a halt and forced movie theaters to close. Some were supernatural period dramas, while others were romantically charged thrillers set in the modern day. And their stories were all filled with wild twists that played out over the course of dozens of episodes.

In 2025, “micro drama” companies like DramaBox and ReelShort have demonstrated that there actually is an audience willing to pay for content that can be consumed in small, quick bites. And the recent micro drama boom has been a fascinating case study in old, failed ideas finding wild success in the present day because the way people think about and interact with media has changed.

When you open up any of the dedicated micro drama apps, you can see that the companies behind them took notes from social media platforms like TikTok and streaming services like Netflix in order to create a new, slop-filled third kind of thing. You’re immediately presented with a grid of posters for multipart series whose “episodes” each run for about two minutes max. And the titles — gems like I Kissed a CEO and He Liked It, Betrayed Alpha Queen Rises from the Ashes, and The Unwanted Wife Strikes Back — are as self-explanatory as they are ridiculous. Almost all of the shows involve elements of pulpy romance and women getting revenge after being scorned for not embodying the “right kind” of womanhood or femininity.

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Many of the series frame fertility, motherhood, and werewolf / Omegaverse culture as the things that define their heroines’ sense of self. And while these female characters are often introduced as people who are able to fend for themselves independently, their main goal is usually to find a man who can sweep them off their feet and take care of all their worldly needs.

Micro dramas’ overwhelming focus on stories about downtrodden damsels in distress speaks to the fact that female viewers make up a substantial chunk of these platforms’ subscriber base. On some level, these series are tapping into the same kind of tawdry energy that kept the romance lit space humming along even as the larger publishing industry has seen a steady drop in sales. But unlike romance novels from traditional publishing houses with rigorous editorial processes, there’s a slapdash shoddiness to micro dramas’ production values that reflects how incredibly inexpensive they are to make compared to a Netflix or Hulu original.

That relative cheapness is one of the major reasons that ReelShort and DramaBox — which are backed by Chinese and Singaporean companies, respectively — have been making a bigger push into Western markets over the past few years. That’s also why US-owned studios like GammaTime and MicroCo are starting to pop up. It doesn’t seem to bother viewers that basically everything about micro dramas, from the writing to the acting to the lighting, is absolutely terrible. Globally, the micro drama industry is expected to rake in about $3 billion by the end of the year thanks to the platforms’ surprisingly aggressive and gamified pricing strategies. And with Hollywood execs deciding to get more serious about making micro dramas, the business has become something of an unexpected boon for young actors, writers, and production workers trying to maintain careers within a contracting job market.

Though you would be hard-pressed to find a micro drama that felt like a strong piece of storytelling, there’s no denying that people are paying to watch them at a time when traditional streamers have been struggling to draw in new subscribers. Are series like Carrying His Triplets, Becoming His Wifey, and Found a Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas destined to become mainstream pop cultural phenomenons? Probably not. But these kinds of projects are keeping people employed and making enough of a profit to justify their existence.

By launching a new kind of labor contract designed to address “the unique needs” of actors working on serialized micro dramas, like ensuring they’re paid a fair wage and earn screen credits for their labor, SAG-AFTRA has sent a signal to the rest of the entertainment industry about this kind of content’s future potential. These shows might not be particularly good right now, but that could change if the studios put more effort into producing them. And even if micro dramas were to stick to their current style of stilted acting / lackluster directing / weak writing, their success right now suggests that their subscribers might not really be interested in something “better.”

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As different segments of the tech and entertainment industries vie for people’s attention, micro dramas feel like an unusually strong contender. Micro dramas don’t quite add up to streaming series in the way we typically think of them, and they don’t exactly scratch the same “look watch some randos do stuff” itch that TikTok is built for. Ironically, ReelShort and DramaBox’s success feels like a direct byproduct of the way that TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have gotten people into the habit of endlessly scrolling through vertically shot video. But these micro dramas are their own weird thing that have carved out a unique niche and found a ravenous audience in the process. And if these new platforms can keep their upward momentum going, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see their streaming and social media competitors rushing to make the similar content of their own.

  • More and more micro drama production houses are embracing generative artificial intelligence into their workflows to keep production costs down while churning content out even faster. As ill-suited as the tech generally is for more polished projects, it makes a lot of sense for the style these kinds of shows are known for. It’ll be interesting to see if micro dramas’ use of AI will become a point of contention for the human actors relying on these projects for work.
  • Micro dramas’ rise in prominence also happens to coincide with a sharp downturn of film and TV production in Los Angeles. That’s another reason more performers are turning to the platforms to stay afloat, and this moment could be a choice opportunity for micro dramas to establish themselves as a viable source of entertainment.
  • Though micro dramas are currently on the come up, this Puck piece does an excellent job of illustrating some of the challenges these platforms will be up against as their growth leads to market saturation.
  • It’s important to understand just how hostile toward users basically all of the big micro drama apps are. Janko Roettgers’ recent piece here breaks down what makes these apps feel so predatory, and how many of them have been informed by mobile gaming’s freemium model.
  • The Ankler had a great sit-down with ReelShort CEO Joey Jia about how the company’s approach to monetization turned it into a billion-dollar business. The piece also includes a chat with actor Kasey Esser about how working on micro dramas has had a profound impact on his career.
  • SAG-AFTRA’s micro drama contract makes it seem like the union is being proactive about shifts within the entertainment industry. But this Variety piece digs into how the new contract was — at least partially — a response to the fact that some actors were just deciding to work nonunion.
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