Meta has been granted a patent for an AI system that could simulate a person’s social media activity, including continuing to post on Facebook after they die.

Before anyone panics, Meta says it has no plans to build or release this technology. Still, the patent filing outlines in detail how a large language model could be trained on a user’s past posts, comments, messages, likes and other activity to effectively keep their account active, even after death.

The idea sounds like something straight out of Black Mirror, but it is very real on paper.

What Meta’s AI Patent Actually Says

The patent, originally filed in 2023 and granted in late December, describes how a large language model could “simulate” a user when they are absent from the platform. That includes taking a long break from social media or being deceased.

According to reporting from Business Insider, the system would analyse “user-specific” data such as historical posts, comments, chats, voice messages and likes. From that, it could generate new content, reply to messages, comment on posts and interact in a way that mirrors the original account holder.

The filing states that the impact on followers is “much more severe and permanent” if a user is deceased and can never return. The AI system is presented as a way to fill that gap.

The patent lists Andrew Bosworth, Meta’s CTO, as the primary author. It also references the possibility of simulating audio or even video calls using the reconstructed digital persona.

A Meta spokesperson told Business Insider that the company has “no plans to move forward with this example” and stressed that patents are often filed to protect ideas that may never become products.

Why Meta Thinks This Could Be Useful

The patent does not frame the technology purely around death. It also mentions users who step away from social media for extended periods, such as creators or influencers who rely on consistent engagement for income.

In that scenario, an AI understudy could maintain engagement, reply to messages and keep an account active while the real person takes a break.

Meta has previously explored digital legacy tools. Around a decade ago, Facebook introduced features allowing users to assign a “legacy contact” to manage their account after death. The company has also discussed AI avatars more broadly.

In a 2023 interview with Lex Fridman, Mark Zuckerberg suggested there may be ways AI could help people interact with memories of loved ones. He added that such systems should ultimately require the person’s consent.

The newly granted patent shows how that thinking could technically be implemented.

The Wider ‘Grief Tech’ Trend

Meta is not alone in exploring this space. So-called “grief tech” or “death bots” have already emerged through startups that allow people to create interactive digital versions of deceased relatives.

Business Insider reports that Replika was founded by Eugenia Kuyda after the loss of a friend, while You, Only Virtual was launched by Justin Harrison following his mother’s cancer diagnosis.

Even Microsoft patented an AI chatbot in 2021 that could simulate deceased individuals, fictional characters or celebrities.

The difference here is scale. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. If a system like this were ever rolled out, it could potentially affect billions of accounts.

Legal, Ethical And Business Questions

Not everyone is convinced this is a good direction.

Edina Harbinja, a professor at the University of Birmingham specialising in digital rights and post-mortem privacy, told Business Insider that technology like this raises significant legal, social and philosophical issues.

She also pointed to the business incentives. More simulated users could mean more engagement, more content and more data to train future AI systems.

Joseph Davis, a sociology professor at the University of Virginia, expressed concern about how AI replicas could affect the grieving process. One of the tasks of grief, he argued, is confronting the reality of loss. An AI version of a deceased person could blur that boundary in unsettling ways.

There are also practical questions. Would the AI behave differently on WhatsApp compared to Instagram comments? Would it understand private humour versus public tone? And how would consent be handled after death?

Is Facebook Really Letting You Post After Death?

Right now, no.

Meta has made it clear that this patent does not signal an upcoming product. Companies frequently patent concepts to protect intellectual property, even if those ideas never reach the market.

However, the fact that Meta has formally outlined how an AI could keep a Facebook account posting after death shows how quickly digital identity technology is evolving.

Whether this remains a theoretical safeguard or becomes a real feature one day will likely depend on public reaction, regulation and how comfortable people become with AI replicas of themselves.

For now, your Facebook account will not outlive you, but the idea that it technically could is no longer science fiction.

The post You Could Use Facebook After You Die Thanks To Meta Patented AI appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Australia’s sweeping new social media restrictions for children are about to take full effect, and Twitch has now been confirmed as the latest platform to fall under the ban. Starting 10 December 2025, anyone under the age of 16 will be blocked from creating accounts, and existing accounts will be deactivated shortly after.

A Major Expansion of the Ban

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese first announced plans to enforce strict age limits on social media back in September 2024. One year later, the policy is ready to roll out, covering a long list of services including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube.

After months of speculation over where Twitch would land, the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant confirmed that the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform is now officially included. With Twitch heavily used by under-16s for gaming and creator interactions, regulators considered it a space for online social interaction rather than simply a gaming service.

Twitch has stated that users under 16 will be unable to create new accounts from 10 December. Existing under-16 profiles will begin shutting down from 9 January.

Why Twitch Was Included

While some early discussion suggested Twitch might be exempt due to its focus on gaming, eSafety ruled otherwise. On its website, the regulator explains that Twitch is “a platform most commonly used for livestreaming or posting content that enables users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to the content posted”.

This classification places it squarely within the scope of the ban, which targets apps encouraging open social communication among minors. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to remove under-16 accounts risk fines of up to roughly 50 million Australian dollars.

Which Platforms Are Covered

The full list of banned platforms for under-16s now includes:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Snapchat
• YouTube
• Reddit
• X (formerly Twitter)
• Threads
• Kick
• Twitch

Some services such as Pinterest, YouTube Kids and Google Classroom remain exempt. The list may expand in the future if teenagers move to alternative platforms to circumvent restrictions.

How Age Checks and Account Removal Will Work

Each platform has been tasked with building its own age verification system. Government ID cannot be the sole method, meaning apps must combine multiple signals such as behavioural analysis, face or voice recognition, and automated age inference.

Meta will begin removing under-16 accounts from Facebook, Instagram and Threads on 4 December, allowing teens to download their photos and place accounts on hold until they turn 16. TikTok and Snapchat plan to introduce similar deactivation and archival options.

Users who are incorrectly flagged as underage will be able to appeal. Meta will use Yoti’s facial age estimation, while TikTok and others are rolling out their own review procedures.

Community Reactions

The announcement sparked strong reactions online, with thousands of social media posts ranging from support to frustration.

Some praised the move as overdue, saying social media pressures have become harmful for young teens. Others argued the ban is unrealistic, predicting teenagers will easily bypass restrictions using VPNs or fake birthdays.

One user joked that “Australian teens are about to be grounded by the entire internet”, while another said, “This won’t stop a teen that wants to access the platform, when there’s a will a way is going to show itself.”

Some parents voiced mixed feelings, noting similar rules already exist in parts of Europe, while creators expressed concern about how the ban might affect younger viewers.

What Happens Next

Tech companies now have just weeks to finalise their systems and prepare for the rollout. Australia is the first country to implement a ban of this scale, and its outcome is expected to shape global debates about online safety for young users.

For now, Twitch joins Kick and the rest of the major social media landscape in locking out under-16s, as the country pushes forward with one of the strictest internet safety policies in the world.

The post Twitch Officially Added to Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

NOW CLOSED – Krispy Kreme NZ has recently released four retro mini mobile games on their Instagram.

From the days of 8 BIT, relived and replayed for free, with genres that hearken back to the basic pixelated graphics and punishing gameplay.

Finger Bun Fighter sees you partaking in some sweet fisticuffs, Cookie Dough’s Krispy Kart goes to the old skool feel of top down racing, Brownie Batter Bash is a doughnut fueled take on the classic Pong and our favourite, Fairy Bread Fantasy is a sugary 2D platformer adventure. You can read our review and see gameplay HERE.

At the end of each game you are awarded a high Score. whether you make it to the end of each game or not. STG and Krispy Kreme NZ wants to know; WHAT IS YOUR HIGHEST SCORE?

Tell us here on STG or via our Social Pages (Facebook or Twitter) and be in to Win a Krispy Kreme NZ Voucher.

We have three vouchers up for grabs for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. But get in real quick – as this Giveaway, like the four retro games and Krispy Kreme’s Throwback Party Doughnut range are for a real limited time.

The prizes are:

1st = Assorted dozen – The overall Highest Score winner on any of the Four Games

2nd = OG dozen – The second Highest Score winner on any of the Four Games.

3rd = Shake n Glaze combo – The third Highest Score on any of the Four Games.

You can give us your Answer by placing a Comment below, hitting us up on Facebook, Tweet to us, or Email Us.

(If you enter on Social Media don’t forget to Tag: @KrispyKremeNZ)

* Winner(s) will be selected from those that Comment below / Facebook Comment / Email in accordance to the above Question.Winner(s) will receive a Krispy Kreme Voucher reflected on their submitted High Score. Winner(s) must adhere to the terms and conditions listed on the vouchers. Vouchers are not transferable. Competition ends on the  27th of May 2019. New Zealand entries can only be accepted.

The post What’s Your Score? – Krispy Kreme Giveaway! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Go back to the early 90s with pixelated gameplay on ‘Throwback Arcade’ available on Krispy Kreme New Zealand’s Instagram page.

Yup, a huge and addictive revisit to the days where games were simpler – yet still tricky enough to cause a bit of sweat and alot of tears as you aimed to get through the ensuing Levels and aim for that all important high score.

There were no Save Points, no Checkpoints, just perseverance.

Krispy Kreme New Zealand has four retro-tastic short to mid play games on offer for mobile, accessed via their Insta.

Finger Bun Fighter hearkens back to the early days of Street Fighter, except you are a doughnut, of course. Perform crazy super moves, kick and punch you way to sugary glory in the best of two doughy fisticuff rounds.

Cookie Dough’s Krispy Kart sees you taking on the doughnut kart against opponents across varying tracks in old skool top down view as you race against your opponents, collecting boosts and power ups and all the while aiming to stay on the track. Harder than you think.

Fairy Bread Fantasy was my favourite. Evil Snacks have invaded and they have switched off your Hot Light. It is up to you in this coin collecting, enemy pouncing and sprinkle spraying 2D platformer to save your friends from the impending darkness… and presumably uncooked sweeties.

Finally we have Brownie Batter Bash and I’ve saved the most addictive to last.

Brownie Batter Bash is a take on the classic Pong. Your doughnut is the ball and there are many treats and bonuses to be collected at the top of the Arcade screen.

Bounce your doughnut from the board and reap the tasty delights, but of course timing and a lot of skill is necessary.

Having played alot through all four mini-games I thought it would be a breeze – but nope. Prepare to be severely tested with these pixelated bite sized addictions.

Krispy Kreme know that the 90’s gaming era was a memory that all of us who were around then and old enough to have birthday parties with school friends, go to the Arcades or play on our SEGA Master Systems or Super Nintendo’s is a memory that we have all held on to.

To coincide with their retro mobile game offerings Krispy Kreme New Zealand also has four doughnut flavours for their Throwback; Cookie Dough, Fairy Bread, Finger Bun and Brownie Batter.

Both the free to play games and the doughnut range are for a strictly limited time – so get in to these button mashers on Krispy Kreme New Zealand’s Official Instagram and play while you can and chomp on down to party favourites from yesteryear.

The post Krispy Kreme Retro Game Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.