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13 stories in Tech · Updated live
Lula Secures Fourth Presidential Term in Brazil After Youth-Led Comeback Over Flávio Bolsonaro
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won Brazil's presidential runoff on October 25, 2026, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro 51.79% to 48.21% after trailing in the first round. The reversal was triggered by student-led street protests and a WhatsApp mobilization campaign that reached over 10 million participants, which shifted undecided and abstaining voters before election day. The outcome positions Lula for a historic fourth term, while Bolsonaro's refusal to concede and petition for annulment signal a contested transition that will test Brazil's democratic institutions.
Instagram Expands Long-Form Video Tests to 90-Minute Horizontal Uploads and TV Viewing in United States
On October 26 and 27, 2026, Instagram began expanded US tests allowing creators to upload horizontal videos up to 90 minutes, link Reels clips to full-length content, and use episodic Series features with TV-optimized viewing. The shift follows the platform's dominance of short-form clip discovery and the failure of IGTV, which was limited by vertical-only formatting, while competing with YouTube's entrenched position in connected TV viewing. The company is positioning Instagram as a consolidated hub for moving audiences from clip discovery to long-form consumption across mobile and big-screen devices.
Discord Opens Public Server Content to Web Search Indexing From November 2026
On October 27, 2026, Discord announced that messages and automated summaries from its largest public Discoverable Servers, those with at least 1,000 members, will become indexable by search engines including Google, with server pages launching November 16 and selected messages appearing from mid-December 2026. The change responds to valuable community knowledge that had become inaccessible to external search after migrating from forums and message boards to Discord servers, while opt-out controls for users and administrators began rolling out alongside the announcement. Over the longer term this positions Discord as a searchable knowledge layer for public communities, raising ongoing questions about user privacy expectations and the scope of default visibility on the platform.
University of Utah Apologizes to Pat McAfee After Official Account Posts Student Mockery Video Ahead of College GameDay
On October 27, 2026, the University of Utah publicly apologized to ESPN host Pat McAfee after an official Instagram video featuring students calling him corny and creepy was posted during the College GameDay broadcast from Salt Lake City. The incident gained prominence when McAfee voiced discomfort on air, criticizing the institutional amplification of the remarks and referencing heightened campus security concerns following the 2025 Charlie Kirk assassination in Utah. The university removed the video, accepted accountability for social media oversight, and affirmed that McAfee and the GameDay crew remain welcome, with the relationship expected to continue.
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Discord Opens Public Server Content to Web Search Indexing From November 2026
On October 27, 2026, Discord announced that messages and automated summaries from its largest public Discoverable Servers, those with at least 1,000 members, will become indexable by search engines including Google, with server pages launching November 16 and selected messages appearing from mid-December 2026. The change responds to valuable community knowledge that had become inaccessible to external search after migrating from forums and message boards to Discord servers, while opt-out controls for users and administrators began rolling out alongside the announcement. Over the longer term this positions Discord as a searchable knowledge layer for public communities, raising ongoing questions about user privacy expectations and the scope of default visibility on the platform.
Dubai Police Issues Alert on Six Online Scam Tactics With Meta Amid Rising Digital Fraud
On October 27, 2026, Dubai Police and Meta publicly warned UAE residents about six prevalent online scam types, including official impersonation, fake links, investment schemes, job offers, friend impersonation, and account takeovers. The warning was triggered by a documented surge in social media-linked fraud in the UAE, where such cases account for roughly half of reported incidents, prompting a joint awareness forum during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The campaign is likely to expand through continued national education efforts and broader adoption of security safeguards such as passkeys and two-factor authentication between law enforcement and technology platforms.
University of Utah Apologizes to Pat McAfee After Official Account Posts Student Mockery Video Ahead of College GameDay
On October 27, 2026, the University of Utah publicly apologized to ESPN host Pat McAfee after an official Instagram video featuring students calling him corny and creepy was posted during the College GameDay broadcast from Salt Lake City. The incident gained prominence when McAfee voiced discomfort on air, criticizing the institutional amplification of the remarks and referencing heightened campus security concerns following the 2025 Charlie Kirk assassination in Utah. The university removed the video, accepted accountability for social media oversight, and affirmed that McAfee and the GameDay crew remain welcome, with the relationship expected to continue.
Reddit r/opensource Imposes AI Project Ban and Strict Contributor Eligibility Rules
On October 24, 2026, moderators of Reddit's r/opensource subreddit banned AI-related projects and introduced eligibility requirements including one year of maintenance, multiple contributors, an OSI-approved license, and one-year-old poster accounts. The policy was driven by rising volumes of AI-generated or AI-assisted submissions and the difficulty volunteer moderators face in verifying project histories without dedicated resources. The rules are likely to prompt further migration to alternative communities and renewed debate over how open-source forums should balance quality control against inclusion of solo developers and new projects.