Technology
The US finalizes rules for “forever chemicals” in drinking water
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized rules for the amount of certain “forever chemicals” allowed in drinking water. This is the first time the US has placed legally enforceable federal limits on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals so ubiquitous that they’ve likely already made their way into most Americans’ bloodstreams.
Environmental and health advocates have pushed the EPA to place limits on PFAS in drinking water for years
The drinking water standards finalized today set limits for just five widely used types of forever chemicals: PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (also known as “GenX Chemicals”), plus mixtures of several chemicals, including perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) found in floor wax, carpeting, and carpet cleaners.
Scientists are still trying to understand how exposure to PFAS affects people. But initial studies have linked high exposure to heightened risk of certain kinds of cancer, liver damage, high cholesterol, and reproductive health issues including lower infant birth weight.
For years, environmental and health advocates have pushed the EPA to place limits on PFAS in drinking water. Manufacturers, including 3M, have faced thousands of lawsuits from consumers and states over the use of PFAS in their products. They’ve since phased out the use of certain kinds of forever chemicals, but replacements, including GenX chemicals and PFBS, have raised similar concerns as their predecessors.
Under the EPA’s new rules, public water systems will be required to test drinking water and make sure levels of of the five kinds of regulated PFAS stay below mandated thresholds. The agency estimates that up to 10 percent of the nation’s 66,000 public drinking water systems may have to treat water or find new water supplies in order to fall in line with the new standards. Public water systems will have three years to sample their water and notify the public about PFAS levels and five years to implement plans to lower the amount of forever chemicals if they run afoul of the new regulations.
In a call with reporters ahead of today’s announcement, EPA Administrator Michael Regan said, “I have to say it’s a good day for the people in this country who have long borne the impact of pollution from these forever chemicals.”
Technology
Meta’s glasses will turn off the camera if you tamper with the privacy light
Amid public backlash over its smart glasses, Meta announced that it will be updating its glasses with a new feature that will disable the camera when it detects that someone has tampered with or destroyed the glasses’ privacy LED light. The update is meant to address modders who have taken actions such as physically drilling into the LED light.
Meta has previously tried to discourage tampering with the LED light. For example, starting with its second generation glasses, blocking the light with tape or other objects will trigger a prompt asking users to uncover the recording light. However, many modders have found various workarounds for that particular measure.
Meta’s VP of wearables Alex Himel told The Verge that the privacy-focused update was on the way a few weeks ago after launching cheaper Meta Glasses without Ray-Ban branding. At the time, Himel acknowledged that the company was aware of increasing misuse alongside wider adoption of the devices.
Technology
Discord accidentally banned over 8,000 people for posting grids and other ‘benign’ images
Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord co-founder and chief technology officer, writes that the bug impacted around 200 users who posted “grid-like” pictures, in addition to about 8,000 people who posted “other benign images” since May 2026. “Everyone affected has now been unbanned,” Vishnevskiy says.
In a thread on X, Discord writes that its safety system is designed to flag content by “matching it against known harmful material.” This system can produce “false positives,” Discord explains, which is when an employee would step in to review the flagged content. But instead of just temporarily preventing the account from uploading content during the review, a glitch led its system to ban users entirely.
“When our staff reviewed and cleared those accounts, the same bug prevented the ban from being lifted automatically, so it just stayed in place,” Discord says.
Technology
Hoto’s PixelDrive screwdriver is down to $60, matching its best price
If your Prime Day purchases included a new desk, TV stand, bookshelf, or other furniture you still haven’t assembled, Hoto’s PixelDrive cordless screwdriver can help speed up the process. It’s currently on sale for $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon, matching its best price to date.
From tightening loose screws on furniture to repairing electronics, the PixelDrive is designed to handle a wide range of household projects. Hoto includes 30 screwdriver bits that cover many of the most common screw types, all neatly organized in a small cylindrical case. It also offers six adjustable torque settings, allowing you to use less power when working with fragile electronics or increase it when putting together a desk, bookshelf, TV stand, or other furniture. You can also switch between a slower 80RPM mode for more precise work and a faster 200RPM mode with the press of a button.
Hoto also added several features that make assembling projects a little easier. A built-in display lets you quickly check your current torque setting and remaining battery life, while an integrated LED light helps illuminate dim spaces, whether you’re working under a desk or inside a cabinet. The rechargeable 2,000mAh battery also charges over USB-C, so you won’t need to keep buying disposable batteries.
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