Chris Campbell:

Websites Go Dark as AI Exposes Critical Security Flaws

Governments and companies around the world shut down websites as they raced Thursday to protect themselves from hacks after artificial intelligence (AI) uncovered critical flaws in a widely used programming language called PHP.

Rahat Masood, senior lecturer in cybersecurity at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, described the discovery as "quite devastating."

The flaws could allow "attackers to get into your servers without any authorisation, without any username or password," she said, adding, "Once they are in the servers, they can do anything they want."

PHP helps run about 70% of the world's websites -- from online stores and news outlets to government services. Created in the early 1990s, PHP originally stood for "personal home page" but now means "hypertext preprocessor" and sits underneath popular web design platforms.

Increasingly powerful AI models can spot weak points in back-end computer code that have gone unnoticed by humans for years. Cases like PHP's have heightened cybersecurity fears, with the number of software vulnerabilities discovered worldwide in 2026 on track to roughly double last year's record total.

PHP programmers released a fix Wednesday, and the U.S. National Security Agency told organizations to patch their sites immediately or pull vulnerable systems offline.

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Greg Guenthner:

New Airbnb Rules Ban Hosts From Making Guests Wash Dishes, Do Laundry & Other Checkout Chores

For years, Airbnb guests have complained about being charged cleaning fees while still being expected to tidy up properties themselves. Now, the vacation rental company is introducing stricter guidelines to limit what hosts can demand.

According to Airbnb's updated policy, which takes effect on November 20, 2026, hosts will no longer be allowed to require guests to complete time-consuming chores typically handled by professional cleaners. That includes requiring guests to wash and put away dishes, strip beds, start a load of laundry, or take garbage off-site.

"Guests shouldn't be asked to avoid using a listed amenity like air conditioning," Airbnb states. "But you can ask them to turn it off when they leave."

Hosts can still ask visitors to place dirty dishes in the sink, gather used towels, and separate garbage and recycling into designated indoor bins. Airbnb also expects guests to leave properties in a reasonable condition without requiring excessive cleaning afterward.

The changes apply to reservations booked on or after that date and are designed to establish clearer expectations for both guests and property owners.

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Davis Wilson:

Meta Is Creating a New Non-Voting Stock Class It Could Use To Fund Its AI Buildout

Meta Platforms said its board approved Class C shares, a new stock category without voting rights, which the company could tap to help pay for its AI spending, according to a filing on Wednesday.

Meta will distribute a dividend of one Class C share for each share an investor holds. The company expects the dividend to affect the market price of its Class A stock the same way a two-for-one stock split would. The new shares are set to take effect in January, and the board will pick the dividend date.

Meta said it will use the new stock to raise capital, pay employees and pursue possible acquisitions, all while leaving the control held by CEO Mark Zuckerberg intact.

In its quarterly earnings report on Wednesday, Meta said it expects 2026 capital expenditures of $135 billion to $145 billion. The company raised the bottom of that range from $130 billion.

Meta stock climbed roughly 6.8% in extended trading Wednesday. Through Wednesday's close in New York, the shares were up roughly 6% for the year.

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