February 7 Tech news roundup: EU says TikTok is too addictive, Firefox is getting an AI kill switch, AirDrop to support more Android phones soon

Firefox 148 to add an AI kill switch

Mozilla has revealed that it will add an AI kill switch to Firefox soon. Firefox has very few AI powered features which include tab group suggestions, translations, the ability to access third-party chatbots via the sidebar, link preview summaries, and alt text for images in PDF. Those features are quite limited when compared to other browsers which have Agentic AI capabilities, search, and answer engines. The problem with this is that these features is that they are deeply integrated in the browser, and not all of these can be disabled.

This is where Mozilla wants to make a difference. It wants Firefox users to have the choice of turning off AI features completely, if they don’t want them in their browser. In order to do this, Mozilla will introduce an AI kill switch, which lets users turn off all AI features in a single click. This option will be introduced in Firefox 148, which is scheduled to be released in the last week of February. The feature is currently being tested in the Nightly version of Firefox. A new section called AI Controls is available under the browser’s settings page, which can be used to configure the various options that are available to the user. There is a toggle at the top of this section named “Block AI Enhancements”, this is the one-click kill switch that will disable all AI features in Firefox.

It’s not possible to please everyone, some users may want more AI features, but there is a large subset of users who prefer to stay away from AI. Mozilla’s approach seems to be a win-win situation for everyone.

EU says TikTok’s infinite scrolling is too addictive

TikTok may have resolved its problems in the US, but it has run into trouble in the European Union. Regulators who have been investigating the app since February 2024, have revealed the preliminary results of their report. It says that the service has breached Digital Services Act (DSA). Specifically, the European Commission found that TikTok’s infinite scrolling feed, autoplay, push notifications, and recommendation system were too addictive. TikTok’s screen-time and parental control features were found to be lacking, and that the app is designed to keep users scrolling the feed. The investigation claims that the app failed to implement safeguards that prevent the addictive features from harming the well being of its users, both physically and mentally.

The Verge reports that TikTok has reportedly rejected the findings claiming that it is categorically false and meritless. It plans to challenge the report. If the company is found guilty of violating the laws, the EU could slap a fine on TikTok which could see it paying up to 6 percent of its global turnover.

Epic Games Store’s chief admits the launcher is terrible

While the Epic Games Store has steadily gained popularity over the years, particularly due to giving away good games for free, it has its fair share of critics. A vocal majority of PC gamers have always complained that Epic’s launcher is slow, clunky, and lacks several features that are available in Valve’s Steam. Steven Allisson, the Vice President and General Manager of the Epic Games Store has admitted that players are right to say that the launcher is terrible. He acknowledged that the company had been focusing on providing tools for developers, but things are changing.

Last year, Epic began working on improving features related to player experience. This year is going to be even better, Allison said. Epic plans to release an updated version of its launcher in May or June 2026, that will make the client faster than ever thanks to optimizations and a new architecture. Epic is also working on bringing social features such as avatars, player profiles, private messaging, voice chat, later this year. Will this be enough to make the Epic Games Store a more attractive option for gamers? Only time can tell us the answer.

Valve delays Steam Machine launch due to RAM and SSD shortage

Valve’s Steam Machine launch has been delayed, the company confirmed in an announcement on Steam. It had announced the Steam Machine alongside a new Steam Controller, and a Steam Frame VR headset in November 2025. Valve had expected to launch the devices in Q1, 2026. But it had to reanalyze the market due to the ongoing RAM and SSD shortage. The crisis began due to the expansion of AI companies and their need to install more servers. This sent the prices of memory and storage to spiral out of control, leading to significantly higher prices than normal, often twice or thrice the original price. This has also resulted in a shortage of inventory, which in turn has caused more price hikes.

Valve says it now plans to launch the Steam Machine and the other devices in the first half of 2026. It has not revealed the price of the gaming console, but given the state of the RAM, SSD crisis, and the delay in the device’s launch, it looks like the Steam Machine’s price tag may be well out of the reach of most gamers.

Google says it is bringing AirDrop support to more Android phones soon

Last year, Google surprised Android users by introducing support for AirDrop, Apple’s wireless file transfer protocol. However, this feature is currently only available on the Pixel 10 devices. That could be changing soon. Google had worked on making Android’s Quick Share compatible with Apple’s AirDrop for iPhones, iPads and Macs.

Android Authority reports that the Mountain View company wants to expand this Quick Share feature to other Android devices. Google says that it is working with its partners to bring AirDrop compatibility to more Android devices soon, though it is unclear who the OEM partners are. Qualcomm is also said to be working on a similar AirDrop feature for Android phones with a Snapdragon chipset. Google had discontinued its Android File Transfer app for Mac in 2024, it is possible that it did so because it thought AirDrop was a better option for users.