Tech
This viral video of the iPhone 17 Pro has 130 million views and counting. Its also fake.
The iPhone 17 Pro is here — and so are a bunch of fake iPhone 17 Pro videos.
Apple announced the new iPhone 17 Pro (and Pro Max) at its event on Tuesday. You can preorder the new phones starting Friday, Sept. 12, and shipping begins on Sept. 19. But, of course, some folks have already gotten their hands on the phones for demos — like MrBeast, apparently, who was at the event for some reason.
But other creators are also sharing fake videos of the iPhone 17 Pro, which show them demoing features that don't actually exist. One viral video on Instagram Reels, with 1.5 million likes and 130 million views, depicts the Cosmic Orange phone with a rotating camera array that reveals a hidden selfie screen. Search for the iPhone 17 on Instagram, and fake videos like this fill the top results for Reels posts.
Based on the comments, most users can tell the videos are fake.
"yeah it’s going to take them 10 more years for this feature," one person commented.
"It would have been more realistic if you held the other phone in your left hand. It looks like you have two right hands," another person wrote under the video.
The video with the swiveling camera array comes from VFX artist Roman Bykov (@bykovfx), who has shared other viral videos of the iPhone 17 Pro. One of the creator's videos shows an iPhone that can change colors with a tap on the case. (Sadly, the iPhone 17 Pro doesn't come in green or red.) Another shows the flagship phone with a second display on the back, which can be used for scrolling through messages.

Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Instagram / Roman Bykov
The new iPhone 17 Pro does have an impressive selfie camera. It has up to 18MP, compared to the 12MP on previous models, and can automatically flip orientation depending on what it sees in the photo. That means you don't have to flip your whole phone to get a selfie with a wide group. The back-facing camera also has triple 48MP fusion cameras and an ultrawide lens.
The viral videos of the iPhone 17 Pro are clearly altered, but they could still fool unsuspecting viewers.
There are plenty of ways to tell if a video isn't quite right. If it's a video you suspect is using AI, check out our handy guide for identifying AI-generated videos. If you suspect a video is using a factory fake or dummy iPhone model, look at the camera bumps — that's usually a good giveaway for phony Apple products. Finally, always make sure you're viewing videos from a reputable source, not a visual effects artist.
Tech
Meta rolls out Facebook scam warnings
We've long seen a problem with fraud on Facebook and Instagram. Now the company behind both social networks appears to be going on the offensive against scammers — by announcing a sweeping slate of new AI-powered tools and law enforcement partnerships.
Meta says it removed over 159 million scam ads in 2025, and took down 10.9 million accounts on Facebook and Instagram tied to criminal scams. The company also participated in a disruption operation with the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the Royal Thai Police, resulting in the disabling of more than 150,000 accounts and 21 arrests.
The new tools rolling out across Meta's apps include real-time warnings on Facebook about suspicious friend requests, a WhatsApp alert system that flags potentially fraudulent device-linking attempts, and an expanded Messenger scam-detection feature that uses AI to analyze chat patterns and warn users before they get defrauded.
No new protections were announced for Instagram, which has also seen widespread security problems — most recently a spate of password reset emails.
Meta also says it plans to require advertiser verification across its highest-risk ad categories. Its goal: to have verified advertisers drive 90% of ad revenue by the end of 2026, up from 70% today.
The announcement comes as Meta faces fire on another front. CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a Los Angeles courtroom this week to defend the company against allegations that its platforms are engineered to hook children for profit.
Depending on where you're standing, Tuesday's announcement could read as a genuine safety push — or well-timed reputation management.
Tech
Sony sued over high PlayStation Store monopoly prices and download fees
A $2.7 billion dollar class action lawsuit against Sony is currently underway in the UK.
The issue at hand? Lawyers for the plaintiff are arguing that Sony is taking advantage of its "monopoly position" by forcing gamers to buy digital games solely through its PlayStation Store. The suit also claims Sony forced gamers to pay 'unfair download fees'.
The case went to London's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) this week on behalf of 12 million PlayStation users in the UK.
The class action against Sony addresses similar issues that companies like Apple have experienced in the U.S., UK, and EU. Big tech companies like Google, Sony, and Apple have been accused of forcing developers and users alike to distribute and purchase content through their official digital stores. This allows these companies to set content rules and, crucially, prices. This can also prevent third parties from entering the market to compete.
"Sony can and does set the retail prices … without facing any retail competition for digital content," said lawyer Robert Palmer, who is representing the leading plaintiff Alex Neill in the lawsuit. "It allows [Sony] to obtain monopoly profits from digital distribution."
According to the lawsuit, Sony's monopoly over digital distribution for the PlayStation consoles has resulted in digital downloads costing more than physical hard copies of the games at times.
Sony's defense has been that allowing third parties to sell PlayStation content would bring on security and privacy risks for its users. The company also claims that the commission it makes from PlayStation Store sales covers the costs of its PlayStation consoles. Sony says PlayStation 5 prices, for example, result in low profit margins for the company.
If the lawsuit is successful, any consumer who purchased a PlayStation game or in-game content in the PlayStation Store over the last 10 years, up until last month, could be eligible for compensation. The legal team believes that there could be more than 12 million eligible users, each of whom would receive more than $200 in compensation.
In the EU, regulations have forced Apple to allow iOS app distribution through third-party app stores. In the UK, Apple is currently undergoing a process to "improve fairness" in its stores, but have not yet had to go the route of allowing third-party app stores.
CAT has previously ruled against Apple in a similar suit over the App Store's developer commissions, which Apple is currently looking to appeal.
In addition, last month, CAT paved the way for another such case against PC gaming platform Steam to proceed as well.
Tech
Stay powered up in any emergency with the Bluetti Elite 400 for its lowest price yet
SAVE $600: As of March 11, get the Bluetti Elite 400 portable power station for $1,298.98, down from its usual price of $1,899. That's a discount of 32% and the lowest price we've seen.
Springtime is just around the corner. That means warmer weather and the potential for some seriously damaging storms in certain areas. Where there are storms, there are power outages. Don't be caught unaware this year when your power goes out. Grab a portable power station to keep you afloat when the electricity is out, or at the very least to keep as a backup for other purposes. In fact, you can snag a great option right now for the lowest price we've seen.
As of March 11, get the Bluetti Elite 400 portable power station for $1,298.98, down from its usual price of $1,899. That's $600 off and a discount of 32%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.
The EcoFlow Delta 2 Max power station has dropped to its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $500
This absolute unit of a portable power station can go where you go, though it does weigh 80 pounds. It has an attached telescopic handle to make moving it around easier, so you can wheel it around to your closet or garage for safekeeping.
It boasts 3840Wh of power, with a 2600W output (3900W surge power), so it's got you covered if your power is out for a while. It can handle juicing up your phone and laptop, your fridge, even other small appliances all at once, so you don't have to worry about your food going bad or even missing a work meeting.
With nine ports, including four AC outlets, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a DC port, you can keep everything going at once if needed. And once you've depleted its charge, you can get it back up to full power in a little under 3 hours.
If you're ready to get prepared for any electric emergency, grab this power station while it's still discounted.
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