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Over 50 Child Advocacy Groups Unite to Demand App Store Accountability

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — More than 50 child advocacy organizations have joined forces to form the Digital Childhood Alliance to urge lawmakers to help parents protect their children online by passing commonsense legislation. The coalition is calling for the passage of the App Store Accountability Act across the country. The coalition represents a broad consensus among experts, parent advocates, and child protection groups who see this bill as critical for online youth safety.

“This is a turning point,” said Dawn Hawkins, senior advisor to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). “For years, app stores have turned a blind eye to child safety, allowing kids to download apps, enter into exploitative contracts they don’t understand, and share personal data—all without parental consent. Lawmakers now have a clear path forward, backed by a coalition of experts who agree: The App Store Accountability Act is vital to creating a safer online environment for American youth.”

A Unified Push for Reform

The launch of this coalition comes at a critical moment, as momentum builds in multiple states for app store youth safety. The App Store Accountability Act is advancing in Utah and Alabama right now, with bills also introduced in Alaska, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Hawaii. Several other states are expected to introduce similar legislation in the coming months.

“The time for action is now,” said Melissa McKay, a device and online safety expert. “Nearly 90% of teens use an iPhone, yet Apple treats child safety as an afterthought. The company that sets the standard for innovation refuses to apply the same functional elegance to its protections for kids, burying ineffective tools under layers of menus while profiting from children’s easy access to predatory apps. Apple has the power to lead on child safety but chooses inaction, leaving children unprotected in a digital world designed to exploit them.”

The coalition is urging lawmakers across the country to move swiftly to pass the bill and end the widespread exploitation of children by app stores.

Provisions of the App Store Accountability Act

The App Store Accountability Act is designed to restore parental oversight, improve transparency, and hold app stores accountable for misleading families. It introduces three key reforms:

Parental Approval for App Downloads and Purchases: App stores are required to obtain verifiable parental consent before minors can download apps or make in-app purchases, protecting children from privacy risks, financial harm, and unenforceable contracts.Accurate and Transparent Age Ratings: App age ratings must reflect actual content and in-app experiences. Parents and state Attorneys General are empowered to take legal action against misrepresented app safety disclosures.Secure Age Verification: App stores must securely share verified age categories with apps, enabling developers to comply with laws like COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) and provide in-app experiences consistent with their stated age ratings, enhancing safety and simplifying compliance.

“App stores are exposing children to risks while hiding the fine print,” said Michael Toscano, Executive Director of the Institute for Family Studies. “Children can download a video chat app that connects them with strangers while sharing their exact location, an online pharmacy that sells medications, or a payment platform – use it for a few hours, delete it, and their parents would never know. This bill closes that loophole. It is time to enact common-sense legislation to protect children.”

A Moment for Lawmakers to Step Up

Despite increasing public concern about children’s exposure to harmful content online, app stores have largely escaped scrutiny despite their centrality to everything that goes on across the digital landscape.

“The App Store Accountability Act brings us closer to a future where digital gatekeepers are held to the same standards as any responsible institution,” said Joel Thayer, President of the Digital Progress Institute. “Imagine if a bank let 14-year-olds take out high-interest loans, sign up for investment schemes, or connect with foreign business partners, while hiding the risks from parents. That would be unthinkable. But in the digital world, this is exactly what’s happening every day. It’s past time to hold app stores accountable.”

With bipartisan support and growing momentum, the coalition is calling on lawmakers to prioritize child safety and pass the App Store Accountability Act without delay.

Digital Childhood Alliance members:

3Strands Global Foundation

A Butterfly Gets Her Wings Back LLC

Addo Recovery-Washington

All Girls Allowed, Inc.

American Principles Project

American Youth Association

ANEW Life International

Better Screen Time

Better Tech Project

Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition

Bowman Therapeutics

Breaking Generational Cycles

Chains Interrupted

CORAFID Centre for Innovation and Research

Defend Young Minds

Digital Progress Institute

Dr. Jill Manning, PLLC

Elijah Rising

Family Policy Alliance

Greenway Recovery

Guided Purposes, LLC

Hannah’s Hope

Heritage Foundation

Hookers For Jesus

Innocence en Danger – Sellier

KIDS TOO

Kingdom Forerunners

 

Lynn’s Warriors

National Center on Sexual Exploitation

NC Stop Human Trafficking

No Trafficking Zone

Nurses United Against Human Trafficking

Parents Who Fight

Paving the Way Foundation

Protect Young Eyes

Refuge for Women Chicago

Restore the Child, PLLC

Runaway Girl

Scrolling 2 Death

Society for the Improvement of Rural People (SIRP)

Street Grace

Survivor Leader Network of San Diego

The Hope Foundation

The Institute for Family Studies

The Stop Trafficking Project®

Tin Man Ministries

Trafficking in America Task Force

Transformation Garden

Unto You & to Your Children/Revelation & Restoration

Vessels of Mercy International, Inc.

Walk Her Home

Yellowstone Human Trafficking Task Force

Zoe Ministries of Delaware

To learn more about the Digital Childhood Alliance, please visit www.digitalchildhoodalliance.org

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SOURCE Digital Childhood Alliance

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Charmacy Milano Celebrates 6th Birthday With Carnival Sale and Rs 1.8 Lakh Creator Hunt

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Charmacy Milano Carnival Sale Begins October 12: Unlock Flat 20% OFF, 10% Cashback, and 9 Days of Daily Arcade Rewards

Mumbai-based vegan, cruelty-free beauty brand hosts a 9-day festive event on charmacyworld.com from October 12-20.

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mumbai-based vegan and cruelty-free colour cosmetics brand Charmacy Milano will mark its sixth birthday on October 18 by launching the Charmacy Carnival, a nine-day festive event running from October 12 to 20 on charmacyworld.com. The celebration will feature Flat 20% OFF, 10% Cashback, daily arcade rewards and a Rs 1.8 lakh creator hunt, along with a live makeup masterclass series.

“Charmacy started with a simple idea and a team of three working from home. Six years on, we are on India’s leading beauty platforms and in 69+ stores, and we wanted our community to celebrate with us. The Carnival is our thank-you, with strong savings, daily rewards and a chance for creators to win big,” said Sanket Kothari, Co-Founder & CEO and Amit Maker, Co-Founder & CMO, Charmacy Milano.

Charmacy Creator Hunt Offers Rs 1.8 Lakh in Products

As part of the birthday celebration, Charmacy Milano is inviting shoppers to participate in the Charmacy Creator Hunt. Participants who purchase products worth Rs 1,499 or more can create one reel featuring a Charmacy product in any format.

Three winners will receive Charmacy products worth Rs 1 lakh, Rs 50,000 and Rs 30,000, respectively. The initiative gives customers an opportunity to create beauty content while participating in the brand’s sixth-birthday celebration.

Live Makeup Masterclasses to Focus on Wedding and Festive Looks

The Carnival will also feature live makeup masterclasses hosted by four Well Known Makeup Artists, with sessions covering wedding, Navratri-inspired & Karva Chauth looks. The sessions will offer viewers practical makeup inspiration for the festive and wedding season.

Daily Arcade Rewards Add an Interactive Element

The Daily Arcade Rewards will give shoppers an additional way to participate throughout the nine-day Carnival. Customers can take part in the daily arcade activity during the campaign period for a chance to unlock rewards, adding an interactive element to the birthday celebration beyond the sale offers.

Our Hero Products Featured During the Carnival

The Carnival will spotlight selected Charmacy Milano products across complexion, eyes and lips, including the CMC Hydrating Primer, CMC Skin Tint, CMC Quad Pallete, CMC Foundation, and CMC Kiss Drip.

The selection reflects the brand’s focus on trend-led colour cosmetics designed for everyday wear as well as festive and occasion-led makeup.

Event Details

Event: Charmacy Carnival
Occasion: Charmacy Milano’s 6th Birthday
Dates: October 12-20, 2026
Duration: 9 days
Website:charmacyworld.com
Offer: Flat 20% OFF + 10% Cashback
Special Features: Charmacy Creator Hunt, Live Makeup Masterclasses and Daily Arcade Rewards

About Charmacy Milano

Charmacy Milano is a Mumbai-based vegan and cruelty-free colour cosmetics brand that makes trend-led, high-performance makeup accessible to Indian consumers. Charmacy Milano is available on charmacyworld.com, Nykaa, Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Tira, Purplle and Zepto, and in 69+ offline stores across India.

 

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Anjuna Security Named “Data Privacy Solution of the Year” in 10th Annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards Program

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AI Data Fusion Clean Rooms Facilitate Collaboration by Merging Sensitive or Live Data, Develop and Run Models Without Privacy Risk

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Anjuna Security, a leader in confidential computing and autonomous software runtime governance, today announced that Anjuna Northstar has been recognized as the winner of the “Data Privacy Solution of the Year” award in the 10th annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program. Conducted by CyberSecurity Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization, the annual program recognizes the most innovative companies, products, and technologies driving progress in the global information security industry.

Anjuna Northstar is the industry’s first AI model and data fusion clean room. Built on top of Anjuna Seaglass, the company’s Universal Confidential Computing Platform, Anjuna Northstar ensures that code and data remain protected, from ingestion to processing to analysis. Designed for AI ops teams and data scientists, Anjuna Northstar lets collaboration partners share sensitive data, develop and run models, and get actionable results, all with verifiable trust and no data privacy risk. New confidential clean rooms can be created on demand, and stakeholders can collaborate using common tools such as Jupyter notebooks.

“Traditional clean rooms lack the flexibility and scalability required to meet the demands of today’s data-driven, security-first enterprises,” said Ayal Yogev, CEO of Anjuna Security. “We designed Anjuna Northstar to enable interactive data ops and AI-driven dataset fusion for secure, verifiable collaboration. This win with CyberSecurity Breakthrough validates our approach to liberate organizations from the constraints of data sharing. Anjuna Northstar empowers them to securely embrace the limitless potential of cloud and AI.”

Using Anjuna Northstar, partners can prepare datasets interactively within a secure environment. Remote attestation and data-in-use isolation enable companies to reduce risks and guarantee the highest level of privacy and security for every collaboration. By leveraging confidential computing technology, attack vectors that are hardware-based and memory-based are closed off. The product works with any cloud provider and on-premises environments.

Marking its 10-year milestone this year, the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards has spent a decade on a mission that hasn’t wavered: to celebrate excellence and spotlight breakthrough innovation driving the global cybersecurity industry forward. Over that decade, the program has grown to span a wide range of categories, including Cloud Security, Threat Intelligence, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Application Security, Identity Management, and more, consistently shining a light on the solutions and organizations redefining how we safeguard the digital world.

In this landmark 10th year, the 2026 awards program received thousands of nominations from organizations in more than 20 countries around the world, representing breakthrough technologies from disruptive startups to established global enterprises. This year’s winners embody the cutting edge of cybersecurity technology, delivering next-generation protection and resilience in today’s increasingly complex threat landscape.

“Anjuna Northstar unlocks collaboration across industries. Enterprises want to realize the full value of their data through partnerships and collaboration while ensuring security is never compromised. AI models offer new ways to analyze, predict, and innovate, but also introduce a range of risk vectors that traditional tools, like legacy data clean rooms, were not designed to protect against,” said Steve Johansson, managing director, CyberSecurity Breakthrough. “Anjuna Northstar protects diverse data sources using confidential computing so that enterprises can freely share and collaborate, uncover new insights, explore growth opportunities, and achieve innovations that were previously out of reach.”

About Anjuna Security
Anjuna Security envisions a world where every enterprise can trust the autonomous software that runs the business. Anjuna’s platform comprises Anjuna Seaglass for data-in-use protection and Anjuna Overwatch for agentic AI governance, providing hardware-rooted trust with cryptographic guarantees when running sensitive workloads and AI agents without application changes. Anjuna is trusted by leading financial services, defense, and healthcare organizations to meet the security and compliance demands of today’s AI-driven enterprise. Learn more at anjuna.io.

About CyberSecurity Breakthrough
Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in information security and cybersecurity technology companies, products and people. The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough information security companies and products in categories including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Web and Email Security, UTM, Firewall and more. For more information visit CyberSecurityBreakthrough.com.

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Media Contact:
Yu-Ting Huang
Email: press@anjuna.io

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SOURCE Anjuna Security, Inc

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Best Adjustable Mattress (2026): Sleep Number Named a Top Choice for Personalized Adjustable Comfort by Better Business Advice

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NEW YORK, Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Better Business Advice has recognized Sleep Number as a top choice for personalized adjustable comfort in its 2026 guide to the best adjustable mattresses. Every Sleep Number mattress allows sleepers to make the bed firmer or softer as their comfort needs change.

Best Adjustable Mattress

Sleep Number – known for adjustable mattresses that let sleepers choose how firm or soft the bed feels, with options for added cushioning, cooling, temperature control, and smart features.

A mattress may feel comfortable during a short showroom visit but different after several nights at home. Sleeping position, physical activity, soreness, room temperature, and personal preferences can all affect how a bed feels over time.

Sleep Number mattresses address this challenge with adjustable air chambers. Sleepers can add air for a firmer feel or release air for a softer feel instead of remaining limited to the firmness selected at the time of purchase.

The current Sleep Number range includes seven mattresses in the ComfortMode, ComfortNext, and Climate collections. Adjustable firmness is included across the entire range. Differences in cushioning, pressure relief, cooling, temperature control, mattress height, and connected features help consumers choose the model that fits their needs.

Personalized Firmness Levels

Every Sleep Number mattress allows sleepers to adjust how firm or soft the bed feels. The firmness can be changed without adding a mattress topper, rearranging foam layers, or replacing the mattress.

This flexibility may be helpful because comfort preferences do not always stay the same. A setting that feels comfortable for back sleeping may not provide the same comfort after switching to side sleeping. Exercise, temporary soreness, pregnancy, injury, and weight changes may also affect how much cushioning or support feels right.

Sleep Number recommends making small adjustments and sleeping at a new setting for several nights before changing it again. This gives the body time to settle into the new firmness level.

Compatible mattresses also offer Responsive Air technology. The feature notices changes caused by movement, sleeping position, and temperature, then makes small adjustments to help maintain the selected firmness during the night. Sleepers can still make their own changes whenever they want the bed to feel noticeably firmer or softer.

The method used to control the mattress depends on the collection. ComfortMode mattresses use a compatible remote and do not require Wi-Fi or an app. Compatible ComfortNext and Climate mattresses can be controlled through the Sleep Number app. Remote availability depends on the selected mattress and setup.

Each Person Can Adjust Their Side of the Bed

Couples often prefer different levels of firmness. One person may want a softer surface, while the other may feel more comfortable with firmer support.

Queen-size and larger Sleep Number mattresses can give each person a separate firmness setting. Each sleeper can adjust their side of the bed without changing how the other side feels.

This can be useful when sleeping positions or comfort preferences differ. A side sleeper may prefer more cushioning around the shoulders and hips. A back or stomach sleeper may want a firmer surface. With separate settings, neither person has to settle for one firmness level across the entire mattress.

The separate air chambers may also reduce how much movement is felt across the bed when one person turns over or gets up. The amount of movement felt will still depend on the sleeper, mattress, and base, so the feature does not guarantee complete motion isolation.

Separate settings can remain useful even when both sleepers initially choose similar firmness levels. Temporary soreness, a change in physical activity, or a new sleeping position may cause one person to want a different feel later. Each side can be adjusted whenever those needs change.

Seven Mattresses Across Three Collections

The current Sleep Number portfolio includes seven models divided among the ComfortMode, ComfortNext, and Climate collections. Every model offers adjustable firmness, but the amount of cushioning, cooling, pressure relief, and temperature control varies.

ComfortMode includes 10-inch and 11-inch mattresses. Both combine adjustable firmness with supportive foam and built-in cooling materials. They use remote controls, making them suitable for consumers who want a more straightforward way to adjust the mattress without depending on an app.

ComfortNext includes 12-inch, 13-inch, and 14-inch mattresses. As the mattresses become taller, they provide more cushioning, pressure relief, cooling material, and airflow. Select ComfortNext models combine adjustable air support with foam and small coils to create a more cushioned, traditional mattress feel.

The Climate collection focuses on temperature control. ClimateCool can actively cool each side of the bed while also providing adjustable firmness and Responsive Air technology.

Climate360 can both cool and warm each side separately. This may be especially helpful for couples when one person tends to sleep hot and the other prefers a warmer bed.

Choosing an Adjustable Mattress for Long-Term Use

Choosing a Sleep Number mattress involves more than selecting a firmness level. Since every model offers adjustable firmness, consumers can compare the mattresses based on cushioning, pressure relief, cooling, temperature control, mattress height, and preferred controls.

ComfortMode mattresses may suit sleepers who want adjustable firmness with a simpler setup and a more direct, supportive feel. ComfortNext models provide deeper cushioning and more pressure relief, which may appeal to side sleepers or anyone who prefers a taller mattress.

Mattress height ranges from 10 to 14 inches across the collection. This can affect the overall height of the bed and the type of fitted sheets needed.

Temperature preferences are another consideration. Built-in cooling materials may be enough for sleepers who only become warm occasionally. ClimateCool provides active cooling for those who regularly sleep hot. Climate360 offers the widest range of temperature choices by allowing each side to be cooled or warmed separately.

The mattress also needs a firm, flat surface that can evenly support the adjustable air chambers. A traditional box spring does not provide the required support. Suitable options include a compatible Sleep Number base, an appropriate platform bed, or bed slats placed no more than two inches apart.

An adjustable mattress and an adjustable base perform different functions. The mattress changes how firm or soft the sleeping surface feels. An adjustable base changes the position of the bed by raising areas such as the head or feet. The two can be used together, but an adjustable base is not required to change the mattress firmness.

Sleep Number received recognition from Better Business Advice because adjustable firmness is available throughout the mattress range rather than being limited to one model. The right choice will depend on the amount of cushioning, pressure relief, temperature control, mattress height, and connected features each sleeper wants.

Read the full review at Better Business Advice.

About Sleep Number

Sleep Number® is the leader in personalized sleep wellness. With adjustable firmness, pressure-relieving support and temperature balancing comfort built into every mattress, Sleep Number beds adapt to customers’ changing needs, night after night, year after year. Backed by almost 40 years of innovation, 1,000+ patents and patents pending, and billions of hours of sleep data, Sleep Number has helped more than 16 million people achieve their best sleep.

Sleep Number mattresses, bases, bedding, and furniture are available at its stores nationwide and at SleepNumber.com.

About Better Business Advice: Better Business Advice covers the news and strategies driving modern business success. The information provided by Better Business Advice does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general informational purposes only. As an affiliate, Better Business Advice may earn commissions from services mentioned in the links provided.

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SOURCE BetterBusinessAdvice.com

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