Author Archives: Carol Edwards

GET UP TO 25% OFF: Breville espresso machines are 25% off at Amazon and Best Buy. Shop the Breville Barista Express, Bambino Plus, and more!

Our top picks:

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Best deal overall

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine BES870XL

$559.95 at Amazon
(save $190)

Get Deal

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Best runner-up deal

Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine (BES878BTR)

$679.95 at Amazon
(save $170)

Get Deal

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Best budget pick

Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine (BES500BSS)

$399.95 at Amazon
(save $100 )

Get Deal

Whether you’re trying to save money on your daily coffee run, want to learn how to make barista-quality espresso at home, or (like me) cannot live without having at least one shot of espresso in the morning, now’s the time to get an espresso machine.

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Yes, having a whole-ass espresso machine in your kitchen (or home office) may sound ridiculous, but the convenience and cost-saving benefits make it worth it. Plus, you deserve to indulge in a little luxury every now and then. This way, you can have “little treats” throughout the day without spending $7-$10 on Starbucks’ drink du jour. OR, you could buy one for your mom and make it a Mother’s Day she’ll never forget.

Whatever you choose to do (or not do), here are some of the best deals you can find on Breville espresso machines:

Best deal overall

Why we like it

With more than 20,000 reviews on Amazon, the Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine (BES870XL) is a crowd favorite for its convenience, performance, and quality.

It has a built-in grinder with dose control, so you can get the perfect amount of coffee grounds for your espresso. (The grind size dial makes it easy.) The machine also features a steam wand for milk frothing and creating cute latte art.

You’ll also get a razor-dose trimming tool, 54 mm stainless steel portafilter, one- and two-cup single- and dual-wall filter baskets, coffee scoop, integrated tamper, stainless steel milk jug, cleaning disc, tablets, brush tool and Allen key, water filter, and water filter holder.

Buy it at Amazon or Best Buy for $559.95 ($140 off).

Best runner-up deal

Why we like it

Not as popular but still just as impressive, the Breville Barista Pro Espresso Machine (BES878BTR) is a great runner-up option. This model also has a built-in grinder with dose control and a powerful steam wand for latte art and milk frothing.

The ThermoJet heating system heats the machine up in just three seconds, so you won’t have to wait long to get your caffeine fix, while the digital temperature control delivers precise and consistent water temperature for optimal extraction.

Get it at Amazon for $679.95 or Best Buy for $679.99 ($170 off).

Best budget pick

Why we like it

If you can’t justify spending upwards of $500 on an espresso machine, the Breville Bambino Plus Espresso Machine (BES500BSS) is the perfect budget-friendly option.

This smaller espresso machine is ideal for tiny apartments or those with limited counter space. It still has dose-control grinding capabilities and a powerful steam wand for frothing milk, but it doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as the higher-end models.

You can buy it at Amazon for $399.95 ($100 off) or get the Breville Bambino at Best Buy for $299.95.

Apple Pencils on sale

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Best for iPad Air, Pro, and mini

Apple Pencil (second generation)

$79 at Amazon and Best Buy
(Save $50)

Get Deal

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Best budget option

USB-C Apple Pencil

$69 at Amazon
(Save $10)

Get Deal

Whether you own an iPad already, are about to scoop up one of next month’s new releases, or are taking advantage of impressive price drops on older generations, an Apple Pencil is a game-changing accessory, and as of April 29, two of them are on sale.

At Amazon and Best Buy, you’ll find the second generation Apple Pencil available for $79 instead of its usual $129 (saving you $50), while at just the former retailer, you’ll find the USB-C Apple Pencil priced at $69 instead of its $79 MSRP. For both styluses, this marks a return to their lowest prices ever.

For most people, we’d recommend the second-generation Apple Pencil, as it’s sale price puts it just $10 above the less-feature heavy USB-C Apple Pencil. The magnetic stylus charges while attached to your tablet and offers excellent pressure sensitivity that makes taking notes and drawing as easy as possible on a tablet. Artists and designers will especially appreciate the precision and ease of this pencil.

However, if you’re looking to spend the least amount of money possible, the USB-C Apple Pencil is worth considering. When the stylus came onto the market, it brought some much needed upgrades from the first-generation Apple Pencil. For starters, its compatibility overlaps with much of the second gen Apple Pencil — you can use this stylus with the iPad Air, Pro, mini, as well as the 10th generation iPad (which does not support the second gen pencil).

Unlike the first Apple Pencil, it can magnetically attach to your tablet, though it doesn’t support wireless charging like it’s more expensive counterpart. With that said, it at least offers USB-C charging (though weirdly, our reviewer found that the stylus didn’t come with a charging cable). You may not get extra-fancy features like the Double Tap support you’ll find on the second-gen Apple Pencil, but you’ll still get a stylus with low latency and great battery life, and that’s more than good enough for taking notes.

Summer camping season will be here in just a few short weeks. For those who don’t mind chilly nights, it may have already begun. If your camping kit is is need of a few upgrades, Coleman camping gear is on sale at Amazon.

Best Coleman camping gear deals to shop today

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Best Coleman tent deal

Coleman Carlsbad Dark Room Camping Tent (4 person)

$121.35 at Amazon
(save $108.64)

Get Deal

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Best Coleman cooking deal

Coleman Fold N Go 2-burner propane camping stove

$111.45 at Amazon
(save $23.54)

Get Deal

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Best Coleman sleeping deal

Coleman QuickBed single inflatable air mattress

$40.09 at Amazon
(save $14.09)

Get Deal

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Best Coleman lighting deal

Coleman Rugged Rechargeable 400L LED lantern

$43.49 at Amazon
(save $21.50)

Get Deal

Camping can be incredibly enjoyable. But it can also be frustrating if you lack the right gear. Thanks to today’s deals at Amazon, plenty of essential Coleman camping gear is marked down, which’ll not only make your adventures more affordable, but more efficient too. Here are some of our top picks to shop today.

Best Coleman tent deal

Why we like it

Camping in the summer is one of the best times to get outside. Unfortunately, the outdoors comes with some inconvenient lighting in the early morning hours of summer. If you’re easily disrupted by light, getting a comfortable tent that blocks out light will be essential for camping enjoyment. The Coleman Carlsbad Dark Room Camping Tent fits the bill, blocking out 90% of sunlight which also helps it stay cool and comfortable inside the tent.

The screened-in porch is also convenient for enjoying the world outdoors without being exposed to the bugs that also enjoy life outdoors.

Best Coleman cooking deal

Why we like it

Cooking while camping is a major part of the equation, unless you love freeze dried meals. If you’re into cooking at the campsite, the Coleman Fold N Go 2-burner propane camping stove could be a great addition. You’ll have access to two adjustable burners that offer great convenience for cooking while the foldable design means you won’t have to haul around a huge cooktop. Coleman’s match-less InstaStart ignition lets you simply press a button to start up the burners.

With a 16.4-ounce propane cylinder, Coleman says that both burners can last for one hour on high heat.

Best Coleman sleeping deal

Why we like it

While camping has many joys, sleeping on the ground isn’t one of them for most people. In fact, sleeping on an uncomfortable surface with unfamiliar bedding can one of the main downsides. But you’ll be sleeping well under the stars with the Coleman QuickBed single. This inflatable air mattress is designed to be leak-free, and the twin-size can be ideal for both kids and adults with a maximum weight limit of 300 pounds. The flocked material on the upper means you won’t hear squeaking while rolling over. Once deflated, the air mattress fits inside of the included carrying case for easier and safer storage until your next camping trip.

Best Coleman lighting deal

Why we like it

Once bedtime comes around and the campfire is extinguished, you’ll want a portable lighting solution. The Coleman Rugged Rechargeable 400L LED lantern will never need new batteries. Producing 400 lumens on high or 100 on low, this portable lantern will help light the night should anyone need a midnight walk. On high, expect to get about five hours of light which extends to about 20 hours with the lantern on low.

More Coleman camping gear on sale at Amazon:

• Coleman Tandem 3-in-1 double sleeping bag — $79.26 $119.99 (save $40.73)

• Coleman Portable Folding Utility Wagon — $124.67 $144.99 (save $20.32)

• Coleman Camping Cot (queen) — $149.99 $199.99 (save $50)

• Coleman Canopy Sun Shelter — $169.66 $199.99 (save $30.33)

We thought the rumored new iPad Pro 2024 features were set in stone: new OLED display, new M3 chip, a slightly bigger screen (12.9 inches to 13 inches), and other minor changes.

However, according to a new report from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, an Apple prognosticator with an impressive track record, it looks like at least one of those rumors are incorrect. As it turns out, the iPad Pro may not be getting the M3 chip after all.

iPad Pro 2024 plot twist

Gurman claims that there’s a “strong possibility” that the next-generation iPad Pro tablets will be equipped with the M4 chip, a shift from his August 2023 report where he claimed that they’ll be equipped with M3 chips.

At first, in a mid-April report, Gurman said that M4 chips would be featured in the following next-generation Apple hardware:

• iMac

• entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro

• high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro

• Mac mini

Now, as mentioned, there’s some scuttlebutt that the iPad Pro 2024 may be added to the list.

The M4 chips, according to Gurman, will add some novel AI capabilities to the new crop of Apple hardware this year, thanks to a new neural engine. In other words, Apple is reportedly skipping the M3 chip for the iPad Pro models, going straight to introducing an AI-focused M4 processor for the high-end tablet line.

“I believe Apple will position the tablet as its first truly AI-powered device — and that it will tout each new product from then on as an AI device,” Gurman said. “This, of course, is all in response to the AI craze that has swept the tech industry over the last couple years.”

On top of that, with the new M4 chip, iPad Pro 2024 will likely be wicked fast compared to the current-generation, M2-based iPad Pro, which launched in 2022.

We’re expecting Apple to drop new iPads during the highly anticipated May 7 “Let Loose” livestream. Only then will we know whether Gurman’s prediction will hold true. Stay tuned for Mashable’s in-depth coverage of the event.

Amazon deals of the day at a glance:

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OUR TOP PICK

Narwal Freo X Ultra robot vacuum and mop

$1,099.99 at Amazon
(save $300)

Get Deal

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BEST SMART HOME DEAL

Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 release)

$27.99 at Amazon
(save $22)

Get Deal

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BEST PORTABLE SPEAKER DEAL

JBL Clip 4

$49.95 at Amazon
(save $30)

Get Deal

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BEST APPLE ACCESSORY DEAL

Apple Pencil (2nd generation)

$79 at Amazon
(save $50)

Get Deal

Amazon is closing out the month of April and heading into May on a high note with top-notch deals on big brands. To kick off the week, we’re seeing some impressive discounts on our favorite hybrid robot vacuum, the Apple pencil, Amazon’s Echo speakers, JBL speakers, and more.

We’ve sorted through the listings and handpicked a few excellent deals you can shop on April 29. Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day.

Our top pick

One of our top picks for a self-emptying robot vacuum and a self-sufficient hybrid, the Narwal Freo X Ultra is the ultimate hands-off cleaning companion. It features self-washing and drying mopping pads, a self-filling water tank, a two-month dust bin capacity, and enough power to clean up to 2,000 square feet before needing a charge. The futuristic design isn’t exactly subtle, but this CES 2024 standout has set the standards high for robot vacuums that also mop, with “genius case-by-case mopping features that tailor the task to the status of the floor it’s cleaning.” As of April 29, the powerful vac has received its first big discount on record. Snag it on sale for $1,099.99 — that’s a savings of 21%.

Basically like a smaller form version of the baseline Echo, the Echo Dot is made to seamlessly add some smart benefits into your daily routine. It’s small enough to sit on a bedside table, shelf, countertop, or desk and can be used for everything from receiving reminders, saving recipes, setting timers, scheduling tasks, playing white noise, communicating with friends and family, lighting up your room, and of course, listening to music. The 5th generation Dot boasts more vibrant sound, clearer vocals, and deeper ass, although it doesn’t have Dolby audio like its bigger cousin, the Echo. It does, however, feature new motion sensors and a front-firing speaker (versus a woofer and tweeters). As of April 29, it’s on sale for just $27.99 — that’s 44% in savings and just $5 shy of its all-time low price.

Read our full review of the Echo Dot (5th Gen) here.

If you’re looking to take your iPad experience to new heights, you need the Apple Pencil. And as of April 29, the 2nd generation stylus is on sale for just $79 — that’s 39% off and matches its lowest price to date. That’s likely the most expensive pencil you’ve ever owned, but there’s a reason for that. This thing allows for seamless note-taking, drawing, annotating, and sketching with no lag. It has tilt sensitivity for impressive shading, low latency that makes it feel like writing on paper, automatic paring, double-tap support that allows you to switch modes, and a magnetic home on the side of an iPad so it won’t get lost.

One of our favorite portable Bluetooth speakers, the JBL Clip 4, is on sale for just $49.95 as of April 29. That’s a savings of 38% and about $5 shy of its all-time low. The Clip 4 is the definition of portable — not only is small enough to slip into any bag, but it also has a built-in carabiner to “clip” it onto a backpack, belt loop, or just about anything else. But that doesn’t mean it skimps on other features. It also boasts 10 hours of battery life, an IP67 waterproof and dust-proof rating, and a quirky design with a variety of color options.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon’s daily deals for even more savings.

The best deals on flowers ahead of Mother’s Day 2024

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Best for delivery on Mother’s Day

Urban Stems

Take 15% off your entire order with code LOVEMOM

Get Deal

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Best for larger bouquets

The Bouqs Co.

Save $20 on select deluxe bouquets with code 2XBLOOM

Get Deal

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Best for variety

1-800 Flowers

Save up to 40% for Mother’s Day

Get Deal

Mother’s Day weekend is just under two weeks away, and if you don’t want to be caught scrambling for a gift the day before, securing a gift now is the way to go.

Thankfully, there are plenty of online retailers that specialize in fresh flower delivery that have already started running Mother’s Day promotions. Shopping ahead of time isn’t only less stressful — it means you have access to these early deals (and likely on a greater selection of bouquets before they start to sell out).

So far, we’ve seen deals crop up from Urban Stems, 1-800 Flowers, and The Bouqs Co., but we’ll be updating this list in the lead up to the holiday on May 12, so you can show your appreciation for the mom in your life (without emptying your wallet).

Best for delivery on Mother’s Day: Urban Stems

Why we like it

Want to surprise Mom with her flowers on the day itself? Right now, your best bet is shopping from Urban Stems, which is offering 15% off your entire order with the code LOVEMOM. That does mean you can add more than one bouquet and save on all of them, though some exclusions do apply (we found that we couldn’t put house plants in the same order — even those under their Mother’s Day section). You might find that you’ll want to add a couple bouquets, or pick up a more extravagant one just to save on shipping, which is free with purchases over $160.

Best for larger bouquets: The Bouqs Co.

Why we like it

If you know your mom will appreciate an extra-full bouquet, the Bouqs Co. is running the perfect sale: for a limited time, you can save $20 on select deluxe-sized bouquets with the code 2XBLOOMS. The site’s deluxe bouquets are double the size of their original arrangements — the originals typically have 12 or 14 stems, meaning with this deal you’ll be getting bouquets with either 24 or 28 stems. You will want to place your order before the sale ends on May 1 at 11:59 PST. At the time of writing, you can order flowers the week of Mother’s Day, or on May 11 if you pay $12 more.

Best for variety: 1-800 Flowers

Why we like it

No promo code is needed for you to save up to 40% on the bouquets of flowers, succulents, and even garden decor that’s a part of 1-800 Flowers Mother’s Day sale. While these savings are nice (and good for a mom who might not want the traditional bouquet), it is worth noting that free delivery becomes $2.99 delivery on May 9, and gets progressively pricier until you hit $14.99 delivery on May 11. At the time of writing, you cannot schedule delivery for Mother’s Day itself.

Ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June — where AI is predicted to be a big talking point — Apple is reportedly intensifying its talks with OpenAI, according to Bloomberg.

As Mashable has previously noted, Apple has been talking to several big AI companies in pursuit of a potential partnership for on-device chatbot capabilities. According to Bloomberg, Apple and OpenAI discussed a potential deal earlier this year. Those talks have since reopened, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The possible agreement could be about OpenAI integrations into iOS 18.

No deal has been currently reached, however. It seems that Apple may be deciding whether to partner with another company to bring chatbot features to its devices. Apple is also in talks with Google about bringing the latter’s Gemini to iPhone.

New research hints that Apple is working on an AI upgrade to Siri as well. As Mashable’s Cecily Mauran reported, Apple researchers are working on a model that would better understand context of what’s on screen and running in the background of a device than ChatGPT currently can. It would also better understand conversational context. This would all be on device, a shift in the current state of large language models (LLMs) that are cloud-based, because they require a lot of computing power.

Whatever Apple’s plans are, we may not hear what’s coming until WWDC.

The Rabbit R1 shook up the tech world as it hit the scene with a bright orange chassis and a promise to save us from the chaos of navigating countless apps.

If you don’t know what the Rabbit R1 is, or why the internet is going crazy over the device, it’s an AI assistant that can fit in your palm. However, what makes it different from ChatGPT and Gemini is that it’s designed to take action on your behalf.

For example, ChatGPT and Gemini can answer, “What’s the best pizzeria in my area?” However, if you were to ask, “Can you place an order for a pepperoni pizza from this place?”, you’d get the equivalent of a blank stare from those assistants.

Conversely, in addition to an LLM (large language model), an LAM (large action model) underpins Rabbit R1. So if you were to ask it that same question, it would actually take action — and order it for you. I’ll dive into the Rabbit R1’s capabilities, but first, let’s take a step back.

Rabbit R1 price

The Rabbit R1 is just $199, making it relatively inexpensive compared to other AI assistant devices (e.g., the $699 Humane Ai pin).

Unlike the Humane Ai pin, the Rabbit R1 doesn’t require a monthly subscription.

Rabbit R1 release date

The first batch of Rabbit R1 orders are expected to start shipping some time “around April 24.”

Rabbit hosted a “pick up party” on April 23, allowing some buyers, even if they’re not within the first batch, to grab their new Rabbit R1 at a location in New York City — but only if they RSVP’d in time.

Tweet may have been deleted

If you are in batch 2, orders will begin shipping in early May, with batch 3 shipping “shortly thereafter,” according to a Rabbit support post.

Orders after batch 3, including batch 4, batch 5, batch 6, and batch 7, will begin shipping in between June and July.

Rabbit R1 design

The Rabbit R1 is a compact, cute, pocketable gadget with a 2.88-inch screen. This bright-orange device is striking, featuring a rotating camera (i.e., the “Rabbit Eye”), an analog scroll wheel, and a push-to-talk button.

Credit: Rabbit Inc.

If I were to get the Rabbit R1 in my hand, I’d instinctively want to play 8-bit games on it. It looks like a retro-esque handheld gaming device à la the Playdate, another brightly colored, squarish gadget.

Rabbit R1 specs

Here’s a quick rundown of the Rabbit R1’s specs:

• 2.88-inch touchscreen

• 360-degree rotating camera

• 2.3GHz MediaTek processor

• 4GB of RAM

• 128GB of storage

• Speaker (on the back)

• SIM card slot (for a 4G LTE connection)

• All-day battery life (reportedly) via USB-C charging

Rabbit R1: 7 cool things it can do

Now here comes the fun part. What, exactly, can the Rabbit R1 do? The list appears to be endless.

Credit: Rabbit Inc.

However, based on the X account of Jesse Lyu, the CEO of Rabbit Inc., here are some of its most noteworthy capabilities.

1. Generate AI images

Lyu boasts that you can use Rabbit R1 to generate AI images (via Midjourney) without shelling out a monthly fee.

Tweet may have been deleted

2. Identify objects and answer questions about them

Watch Lyu point his Rabbit R1 at a pair of sneakers and ask who makes them.

Tweet may have been deleted

3. Listen and summarize

Lyu commands the Rabbit R1 to listen to his own lecture and summarize it an easy-to-digest manner.

Tweet may have been deleted

4. Problem solving with the ‘Rabbit Eye’

In this mind-blowing use case, Lyu tells the Rabbit R1 that he’s having trouble with his Nest thermostat — and the AI device proceeds to identify the issue.

Tweet may have been deleted

5. Translate text

Watch the Rabbit R1 translate text on a KitKit bar into English. This could be a useful tool for travel, particularly while visiting countries with languages that are foreign to you.

Tweet may have been deleted

6. Order DoorDash

Putting the LAM to the test, Lyu shows how the Rabbit R1 ordered KFC on his behalf.

Tweet may have been deleted

7. Play music

The Rabbit R1 can play music and podcasts via voice commands.

Tweet may have been deleted

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Mashable will be at the Rabbit R1 pick-up party. Expect a review on the Rabbit R1 soon — we’ll be testing how well these features work in the real world.

Meta has begun pushing AI on Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp — so much so that you can’t turn Meta AI off. As it turns out, the tech giant’s own features aren’t the only AI proliferating on Meta’s platforms. Explicit ads for AI “girlfriends” are populating Facebook and Instagram, Wired reported.

Searches by Wired found that at least 29,000 ads for explicit AI “girlfriends” have been published on Meta platforms, most with sex-related messaging; at least 19,000 ads have the term “NSFW” and 14,000 “NSFW AI.” Wired conducted searches on Meta’s ad library, which can display all ads currently on its platforms; all ads shown in the EU in the last year; and ads from the past seven years related to elections, politics, or social issues.

These explicit ads appear to violate Meta’s adult content advertising policy, which bans advertisers from running ads that “contain adult content, such as nudity and depictions of people in explicit or suggestive positions, or activities that are overly suggestive or sexually provocative.” Facebook and Instagram’s community guidelines ban nudity and anything the platform sees as “offering sexual services.” These platforms also ban sexual language in instances of sexual solicitation (or perceived solicitation), even “commonly sexual emojis.”

For years, sex workers — and also sex educators, LGBTQ users, erotic artists, and the like — have said that Meta unfairly targets their content and accounts due to these policies. Such users have told Mashable that they feared targeting under Meta community guidelines; Instagram shadowbans LGBTQ and sex educator accounts; and that Whatsapp bans sex worker accounts. In one experiment conducted by sexual wellness brand Unbound last fall, Meta repeatedly rejected sex toy ads targeted for women, while approving ones targeted for men. Last November, Mashable reported that Meta allegedly rejected a period care ad for being adult or political.

Yet, these NSFW AI “girlfriend” ads apparently skate through. Wired‘s report isn’t the first instance of ads for explicit AI apps showing up on Meta: Deepfake ads featuring Jenna Ortega and other celebrities ran on Meta platforms as well.

When Wired contacted Meta about this, 2,700 AI “girlfriend” ads were active. Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels told Wired that the company prohibits such ads and were reviewing them, and would remove those that violated its policies. “When we identify violating ads we work quickly to remove them, as we’re doing here,” he told Wired. “We continue to improve our systems, including how we detect ads and behavior that go against our policies.”

Still, the publication found that thousands of these ads were still active days later.

Mashable has reached out to Meta for comment.