DuckDuckGo Wins by Forsaking AI Search Results
What? Search engine DuckDuckGo saw a large spike in installations following Google’s May 19, 2026, AI-forward overhaul to its searching function. While DuckDuckGo does have its own AI, the private browser saw visits to its AI-free search subdomain—noai.duckduckgo.com—triple, prompting the company to allow users to set the AI-free page as their permanent default engine.
So What? While Gen Z continues to adopt AI into their daily lives, Gallup found that the generation is increasingly skeptical of its benefit in society. Nearly a third of Gen Z participants (31%) self-described themselves as angry about AI, a 9% increase from last year.
Now What? The AI explosion has been the cause of a technological boom, but it is also the cause of plenty of anxiety—particularly among younger generations who fear being displaced by the tech—and companies like DuckDuckGo are beginning to take notice. Those tired of the AI bubble encompassing seemingly everything in their lives will find a small victory in this news and DuckDuckGo’s newest features.
Meta Introduces 13+ Teen Accounts Globally
What? Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, expanded its settings for 13+ accounts globally on June 2, 2026. The increased protections are “inspired by movie ratings criteria and parent feedback” (though they’re no longer rating content as “PG-13”) to regulate teen social feeds to age-appropriate content.
So What? Meta has previously faced lawsuits related to how their apps impact teen mental health and safety. Representatives of the company are also called to stand before the Senate on June 23, 2026, for similar matters.
Now What? The new 13+ setting will be the default for all teen accounts across Meta products, which blocks users from seeing sensitive content, messages and accounts, among other things. Parents may be interested to know that they can opt in to an even stricter version of the teen account, called the “Limited Content” setting.
AI Favors Certain Faiths but Often Fails to Mention Religion at All
What? A multi-university study found that AI often “sidelines religious perspectives” in questions related to life’s challenges, including those dealing with grief, depression, marriage, purpose and ethics. However, when religious viewpoints were discussed, the same study found that AI tended to guide users towards Catholicism, Sikhism and the Baha’i faith while distancing from atheism, agnosticism and Jehovah’s Witnesses.
So What? Research institute RAND found that roughly 1 in 5 people aged 12 to 21 used AI for mental health-related advice. The study also comes shortly after Pope Leo XIV released his Magnifica Humanitas, comparing the AI boom to the Towel of Babel and raising robust ethical concerns against the technology.
Now What? Christians and AI have a complex relationship—one Plugged In has already discussed at length. Those who use the tool must remember that the technology often leaves out relevant information. We also should discern how the preferential answers AI does give might guide us to biased conclusions.
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