Tech

Study: Teen girls are using AI to create sexual imagery

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Vicky

A new study suggests that teen girls use so-called nudification apps at the same rate as teen boys. The artificial intelligence-powered undressing tools allow users to create sexualized images of a person, typically by uploading a picture of them.

The results surprised Dr. Chad M.S. Steel, a digital forensics researcher at George Mason University who studies technology-facilitated crimes against children.

"Males tend to be more involved in any type of online sexual endeavors, whether it's sexting or viewing pornographic material or the like, there's usually a much stronger signal for males than females," Steel said of the findings, which were published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

In Jan. 2025, Steel conducted an online survey of 557 English-speaking adolescents ages 13 to 17. Even a year ago, Steel found widespread use of nudification tools. Fifty-five percent of the respondents said they'd created a sexualized image, and 54 percent said they'd received one.

More than a third of teens said they'd been victims of the technology. More than a third reported that someone had made a non-consensual image of them, and a third said an image of theirs had been shared without their permission.

Roughly 1 in 6 teen girls and boys used nudification tools frequently to see how they looked. About the same share of teen girls shared such imagery "once or twice" with someone else. A slightly smaller percentage of boys reported the same behavior.

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Why girls might be using nudification tools

Steel didn't ask the teens why they used nudification tools, though sexting is a common practice among adolescents. He suspects that the popularity of "try it on" clothing and makeup visualization tools among girls builds familiarity with the same type of engagement as nudification apps. Coupled with male coercion for sexually explicit imagery, teen girls may find themselves using a familiar technology to deal with the pressure, Steel explained.

Dr. Linda Charmaraman studies girls' wellbeing with an emphasis on social media and digital health but wasn't involved in the study. She reviewed the findings and told Mashable that teens are in a delicate developmental period as they form their identities and seek social connection and acceptance.

"When you combine that time of development with AI, it can bring further risks," Charmaraman, director of the Youth, Media, & Wellbeing Research Lab at Wellesley College, wrote in an email. "For example, there might be a lot of pressure for girls to create certain kinds of content in order to fit in with their peers and to possibly promote their social status."

Boys did report higher usage of generative AI than girls to create and distribute sexual imagery, both with and without the permission of the subject.

Steel said that he would like to see his results replicated among a much larger sample of teens.

"In this case, I'd love to find out that I had an extremely unusual subset," Steel said.

Charmaraman said that the survey's nationally representative sample and effective quality checks indicate it reached diverse households. Yet she wondered whether the way the survey was advertised could have attracted "technology-savvy" participants, potentially skewing the results.

Top takeaways for parents

Nudification has become normal.
Steel said the survey results suggest that teen use of nudification tools has become widespread, and that "we have no idea what the effects will be."
How to talk to your teen about nudification imagery.
Steel urges parents to consider the likelihood that their child will encounter nudification tools and imagery, and talk to them nonjudgmentally about the risks. Focusing on abstention won't work, he added, given that teens may see AI-created sexual imagery as a natural extension of exploring their sexuality.

Charmaraman recommends regular conversations about what's happening in teens' digital lives. This builds a strong foundation so that if parents learn about distressing incidents like non-consensual sharing of AI-generated sexual imagery, the lines of communication are already open. Instead of immediately restricting an app or device, Charmaraman suggests learning more about a teen's intentions, such as why they wanted to create sexual imagery and whether they were coerced by strangers or peers.
Deterring illegal imagery.
Steel said teens often don't grasp that they're creating what's known as child sexual abuse material when they use nudification tools. It's unlikely that they'll face legal consequences when that imagery is shared consensually with an adolescent peer.

In order to deter teens from creating and sharing images without permission, Steel recommends policymakers explore a bystander approach wherein teens are taught the value of speaking up if they learn their friends or peers are going to use AI to generate sexual imagery of a victim.

Charmaraman has previously advocated for a "duty of care" standard that shifts safety responsibility from the user to the tech companies that design platforms.

"Tech companies must also provide tools that allow minors and their parents to manage their digital experience, including the ability to disable certain product features and protect their personal information," she said.
The risk of sextortion.

Teens might not always understand that predators are highly interested in amassing collections of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated imagery. Adult predators may ask teens for this content online, or they may use a nudification app to create that imagery based on publicly available pictures of the victim. Some predators may even try to sextort the teen using a nudified image they made on their own.

Steel said both parents and teens should be aware of this possibility. Teens might consider using social media account protections, such as keeping their accounts private and allowing only well-known followers to access their photos.

If you have had intimate images shared without your consent, call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s 24/7 hotline at 844-878-2274 for free, confidential support. The CCRI website also includes helpful information and a list of international resources.

Tech

How to watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray online for free

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Vicky

TL;DR: Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League is showcasing a number of huge second-leg matchups this week, including Liverpool vs. Galatasaray.

The Turkish side hold a 1-0 advantage after the first leg, so everything is still hanging in the balance. Liverpool are probably still favorites to advance into the quarter finals, but they'll need to be at their best to overcome Galatasaray. The likes of Victor Osimhen and Noa Lang will look to cause problems at Anfield. An early goal from the away side would put some serious pressure on the Premier League champions and manager Arne Slot.

If you want to watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

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When is Liverpool vs. Galatasaray?

Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 18. This fixture takes place at Anfield Stadium.

How to watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray for free

Liverpool vs. Galatasaray is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray for free by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
Visit RTÉ Player
Watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray for free from anywhere in the world

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPn for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Tech

How to watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid online for free

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Vicky

Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid looks on

TL;DR: Live stream Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Things have been going really badly for Spurs this season, but the 5-2 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid was a particularly low point. Now they face Atletico Madrid again in the second leg, looking to build on an improved performance against Liverpool at the weekend.

It would take a heroic effort from Spurs to qualify for the quarter finals, but anything is possible. The reality is that fans would take anything even remotely positive right now. They don't need a 4-0 win. They just need to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Could that come at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight?

If you want to watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

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When is Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid?

Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 18. This fixture takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

How to watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid for free

Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid for free by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
Visit Virgin Media Player
Watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee

Watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Tech

16 noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds are already on sale ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Vicky

Best noise-cancelling headphones deals ahead of the Big Spring Sale

Best headphones deal

Beats Studio Pro

$169.95
(save $180.04)

Best earbuds deal

Apple AirPods Pro 3

$199.99
(save $49.01)

If spring is the season of cleaning and rebirth, why can't that include your old, half-functioning noise-cancelling headphones barely hanging on to half their original battery life?

While Black Friday and Prime Day are generally great times of year to pick up a new pair of headphones, that doesn't mean you're left high and dry in the spring, especially thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

The sitewide sale starts for its third year running on March 25 and goes all the way through March 31. Prime and non-Prime members alike can enjoy savings, and while this sale is more focused on season-appropriate savings like outdoor and cleaning supplies, historically we've also seen great deals on tech like noise-cancelling headphones.

Early shoppers also have more of an edge. Because the Spring Sale isn't necessarily Black Friday-level, some early deals are just as good as what you'll see live during the sale. With that in mind, we gathered up 16 of the best noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds deal live ahead of the sale:

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Best noise-cancelling headphones on sale

Beats Studio Pro

$169.95
at Amazon

$349.99
Save $180.04

Why we like it

As nearly three year old headphones not from Bose or Sony, the Beats Studio Pro may seem unassuming. Yet in his testing, Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti called them the better option for folks looking into buying the Apple AirPods Max, saying that Beats had a similar noise cancelling performance, and are better optimized for sound quality. Add in that they're basically just as compatible with Apple devices (with Beats being Apple-owned,) offer 24 hours of battery life to the Max's 20, and at this sale price are still about $280 cheaper than the Max's on sale — well, the choice seems clear to us.

More early noise cancelling headphones deals

Sony WH-CH720N — $98 $179.99 (save $81.99)
Sennheiser Accentum — $99.95 $189.95 (save $90)
Sony ULT Wear — $139.95 $249.99 (save $110.04)
Marshall Monitor III — $248.99 $379.99 (save $131)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 — $249.95 $449.95 (save $200)
Sony WH-1000XM5 — $278 $399.99 (save $121.99)
Sony WH-1000XM6 — $398 $459.99 (save $61.99)
Apple AirPods Max — $449.99 $549 (save $99.01)

Best noise-cancelling earbuds on sale

Apple AirPods Pro 3

$199.99
at Amazon

$249
Save $49.01

Why we like it

The AirPods Pro 3 are not only the best earbuds Apple has ever made, but one of the best value earbuds available on the market. They have excellent noise cancellation, a great neutral sound profile (though we do miss the presence of a custom equalizer), five different eartips for finding the best fit, eight hours of battery life per charge, a built-in heart rate monitor, and live translation features. Whether you use them for work, working out, or simply for leisure, at full price they're more accessible than Bose and Sony's flagship offerings. On sale for $199.99, they're just over $15 away from their record low price, and still a far cry cheaper than their competition.

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.