Technology

The Social Network That Doesn’t Want to Know Your Name

Published

4 hours ago

October 26, 2026

PRUF.NET opens 10,000 iPhone beta seats. Proof of humanity. Without proof of identity.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Every app wants to know who you are, and fewer of them can tell you whether anyone on the other end is real. PRUF Systems Inc., a Los Angeles privacy technology company, today opened 10,000 iPhone beta seats for PRUF.NET, a social network that confirms you’re human and never learns who you are. It is the first application on PRUF’s verified human network.

Founder Khoi Diep started with a list of what he wanted to leave behind: ads that followed him from app to app, feeds full of influencers he never followed, computer-generated attention bait and an advertising profile growing behind every click.

“I felt like signing up for a free app meant giving it permission to sell my internet soul to every marketer on the planet,” said Diep. “I wanted somewhere to connect with real people, keep my conversations private and share photos and videos people actually took.”

Nothing on the market met that list, so he built it.

Joining PRUF.NET takes no name, email address, phone number, password or government ID. A live human check with Face ID creates the account, and the account is bound to the hardware inside a physical iPhone. PRUF receives no facial data and stores no biometric records. The app opens only with Face ID and never falls back to the passcode, so a stolen PIN unlocks the phone but not the network.

Hardware binding makes it difficult for faceless bots and automated agents to join. A hundred email logins take an afternoon to create, while a hundred PRUF accounts would need a hundred iPhones with a face in front of each one every time the app opens. Users can report and block the same way they would on any social app, and because a username stays bound to its phone and its history, a banned account can’t come back with a fresh email.

Every photo in the feed is taken in the PRUF camera, with no uploads from a photo library. When a photo leaves the network it carries a seal and a link to the original capture, so anyone can check where it came from without joining.

“People are tired of not knowing what’s real anymore,” Diep said. “Here, when you share a photo, you have proof you took it.”

Private messages are end-to-end encrypted, and the PRUF Vault keeps messages and files in encrypted storage, so PRUF cannot read either.

PRUF calls its architecture Zero PII, short for zero personally identifiable information, and PRUF.NET is its first public proof. The company is extending the same verification layer to website access and human-controlled authorization for AI agents, and plans to license it to platforms that need to know a real person is on the other end without ever learning who that person is.

The core network stays free after beta, with optional subscriptions for extra storage and additional usernames. There are no ads.

“I built it because I wanted to use it,” Diep said. “I missed the old internet, where not everyone knew your name. I figured there had to be at least 10,000 other people who missed it too, people who wanted a quiet corner away from the noise where they could sit and share with their friends.”

PRUF.NET at a glance

10,000 free public beta seats on iPhone through Apple TestFlightNo name, email, phone number, password or government ID to joinAccounts bound to iPhone hardware and a live Face ID checkPhotos taken in the app only, sealed and verifiable when sharedEnd-to-end encrypted messages and no ads

Claim a seat: visit pruf.net on an iPhone and tap the public beta link.

Logos, app images and a fact sheet for media are in the press kit at prufsystems.net/press.

Apple, iPhone, Face ID and TestFlight are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions.

About PRUF Systems Inc.

PRUF Systems Inc. is a Los Angeles technology company building a verified human network on Zero PII architecture, along with encrypted data systems and digital provenance technology. The company has filed [four U.S. utility patent applications: update with the international filings] covering its core architecture. PRUF.NET is its first consumer application. Learn more at prufsystems.net.

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SOURCE Pruf Systems Inc.

Technology

America’s Largest Political Group Is Getting Its Own Election Night

Published

31 minutes ago

October 26, 2026

A record 45% of Americans identify with neither party. On November 3, they get the first nationally televised Election Night built around the independent voter bloc, presented by United Independents, the organization behind the Independent National Convention, in partnership with DeFiance Media.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Can the country’s largest bloc of voters turn identity into representation? Independents now make up 45% of U.S. adults, a record high in Gallup’s 2025 data, yet partisan coverage continues to dominate mainstream mediums. On November 3, one broadcast will cover the election from the Independent point of view.

Broadcast live from the National Press Club’s television studio in Washington, D.C. Election Night 2026: Independent Edition is an eight-hour program hosted by Christopher Life, founder and CEO of United Independents, and Macy Gunnell, NewsForce’s White House correspondent. DeFiance Media will be producing and streaming the broadcast.

Built on live election data from The Associated Press (AP), the program will call the national races as the returns come in. Then it goes where other broadcasts don’t: race-by-race coverage of independent candidates in consequential congressional contests, and guest conversations with the strategists and organizers behind them.

Built for the Voters Both Parties Are Chasing

Two generations of Americans have come of age as independent voters, and in 74 years of nationally televised Election Night broadcasts, not one has been built around them. This one is: national results and the balance of power, dedicated coverage of the independent candidates who could tip the next Congress, and a live chat with selected viewer questions put to the hosts and guests on air.

Open to Every Newsroom

Television pool feed. U.S. television outlets, including local stations, can carry the program live, in full or in part, separate from DeFiance Media’s full-program streaming.Social streaming. The broadcast streams through participating social media partners. Channels that want to carry it can sign up at Election2026.live.Live clips and excerpts. Newsrooms, commentators, and creators can pull portions of the program for reporting and social distribution while the broadcast is underway.

Request access through the Media & Distribution Access Form at Election2026.live.

Free and Accessible Nationwide

Going live Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, from 6 PM- 2 AM ET. Updates, guest announcements, and viewing instructions: Election2026.live.

Media Contact

Shaun Saunders
shaun@graffiticreativegroup.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/americas-largest-political-group-is-getting-its-own-election-night-302919753.html

SOURCE DeFiance Media

Technology

Pianist Michael Weinstein Wins Best Social Media Music Collaborations at the 2026 Vega Awards

Published

31 minutes ago

October 26, 2026

With more than a million followers across social media, Weinstein’s piano collaborations bring together vocalists from around the world to create unique musical performances and reach new audiences.

SOUTH SALEM, N.Y., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Pianist, entrepreneur and social media creator Michael Weinstein has been recognized at the 2026 Vega Digital Awards in the Social Media Collaboration category for his music collaboration series, Piano Sessions: Bringing Voices Together Through Music.

“I love collaborating with talented singers including building friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

Weinstein has built a social media audience of more than a million followers across TikTok, Instagram and other platforms by sharing piano performances and collaborations with singers from around the world. His videos feature vocalists performing alongside his piano accompaniment, creating intimate musical performances that showcase each artist’s individual talent and style.

While Weinstein has spent much of his professional career building businesses and marketing consumer brands, music has always remained one of his greatest passions.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life and one of the things I enjoy most is collaborating with other musicians,” said Weinstein. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many incredibly talented singers and I love being able to play alongside them and create something special together. It’s also rewarding to introduce these artists to new audiences while building relationships and friendships that have become just as meaningful as the music itself.”

An accomplished pianist and keyboardist, Weinstein has collaborated with an impressive range of vocalists, including artists who have performed and recorded with Maroon 5, Sting, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Usher, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott. He has also collaborated with standout performers from American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The Voice.

Weinstein is also planning a live concert in New York City in 2027, bringing together several of the talented vocalists featured on his social media channels for a special collaborative performance. Additional details will be announced in the coming months.

Outside of music, Weinstein is the Founder and CEO of JAM Direct, a marketing and advertising agency, and former Chief Marketing Officer of Allstar Products Group, where he was responsible for marketing some of the most successful products in “As Seen On TV” history, including the Snuggie, ShamWow and Shake Weight.

Watch Michael Weinstein’s performances here:

https://linktr.ee/mweinsteinmusic

About the Vega Digital Awards

The Vega Digital Awards is an international competition recognizing excellence in social media, digital marketing and brand strategy. Judged by the International Awards Associate (IAA), the competition honors work that demonstrates innovation, effectiveness and measurable impact across the global marketing landscape.

Media Contact

Michael Weinstein, JAM Direct, 1 9146610053, mw@jamdirect.com, https://michaelweinstein.me/

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prweb.com/releases/pianist-michael-weinstein-wins-best-social-media-music-collaborations-at-the-2026-vega-awards-302919551.html

SOURCE JAM Direct

Technology

Landis+Gyr Secures Major Contract with Leading US Utility

Published

2 hours ago

October 26, 2026

CHAM, Switzerland and ALPHARETTA, Ga., Oct. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Landis+Gyr Group AG (SIX: LAND), a global energy technology leader driving intelligent innovation across the grid, today announced that it has secured a major contract with a leading US investor-owned electric utility. The agreement covers more than 3 million advanced metering endpoints.

Under the agreement, Landis+Gyr will provide Revelo meters and associated network and head-end system technologies, complemented by advanced security solutions, premium support, and software maintenance and services. The deployment is expected to advance the utility’s grid modernization objectives by enhancing security, grid visibility and operational performance.

“This important win reflects the strong momentum of our Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio and the trust customers place in Landis+Gyr to support large-scale grid modernization programs. By combining advanced metering, integrated technology, security and support capabilities, we look forward to helping this utility enhance grid visibility, reliability and operational performance,” said Peter Mainz, Chief Executive Officer of Landis+Gyr.

About Landis+Gyr

Landis+Gyr is a global energy technology leader, delivering intelligent solutions that connect devices, data, and decisions across the grid. Trusted by more than 2,000 utilities worldwide, we transform traditional devices into intelligent, networked sensors, giving utilities real-time grid visibility and system control. With these combined insights, electric, gas, and water companies can anticipate demand, optimize operations, and deliver energy that’s more reliable, resilient, accessible, safe, and sustainable for everyone. For more information, please visit our website www.landisgyr.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/landisgyr-secures-major-contract-with-leading-us-utility-302919687.html