China’s leading technology companies are expanding their presence in the global artificial intelligence race. ByteDance and Alibaba Cloud have introduced new image generation models aimed at competing with Google’s Nano Banana Pro but for cheap.

Both firms are focusing on improving performance while reducing costs for businesses and individual users.

Seedream 5.0

ByteDance has launched Seedream 5.0, now available for beta testing on Jimeng in China and on CapCut globally.

According to the company, the model improves reasoning capabilities and better interprets complex prompts. It allows users to edit specific elements of an image without regenerating the entire design.

In one demonstration, a snowy night scene was created and later modified by switching lights on and off while preserving the rest of the composition.

The release follows ByteDance’s recent introduction of Seedance 2.0, an AI video model that has been creating Hollywood-grade hyper-realistic videos.

Qwen-Image-2.0

Alibaba Cloud has introduced Qwen-Image-2.0, developed by its Qwen team.

The model combines image generation and editing within a single system. It supports prompts of up to 1,000 tokens and produces 2K resolution images.

Qwen-Image-2.0 is designed to handle structured layouts, multi-panel designs, and consistent characters across scenes. It also demonstrates strong performance in rendering Chinese text and complex calligraphy.

Feature Comparison

Below is a comparison of key features among the three competing models:

Disclaimer: Feature details are based on publicly available information and may change over time.

Portugal’s parliament has approved, in its first reading, a bill that would require explicit parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to access social media platforms.

The proposal marks one of the first concrete legislative efforts in Europe to impose such restrictions.

The draft legislation was introduced by the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) and was approved by 148 votes to 69, with 13 abstentions. The bill can still be amended before a final vote.

Digital Mobile Key to Enforce Consent

Under the proposed law, a public system known as the Digital Mobile Key (DMK) will allow parents to grant consent for their children’s access to social media.

The DMK system will also help enforce the existing ban on children under 13 accessing digital social media platforms, video and image sharing services, and online betting sites.

Technology companies will be required to implement age verification systems compatible with the DMK.

Government Cites Child Protection Concerns

Supporters of the bill say it is necessary to protect children from cyberbullying, harmful online content, and predatory individuals.

The legislation states that multinational digital platforms have been able to set rules unilaterally, affecting children’s cognitive and emotional development, particularly in cases of early or excessive exposure.

It also notes that social media platforms have, over the past two decades, assumed roles traditionally held by families and schools without regulatory oversight.

Before the vote, PSD lawmaker Paulo Marcelo said the aim is not to prohibit access for its own sake but to establish rules that empower parents to supervise and control their children’s online activity.

Technology companies that fail to comply with the restrictions could face fines of up to 2% of their global revenue.

Part of Broader International Trend

Portugal’s move follows similar legislative efforts elsewhere. France’s lower house recently backed a bill to ban children under 15 from social media amid concerns about bullying and mental health.

In Australia, a ban on social media use for children under 16, covering platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, came into force in December.

Russia has officially blocked WhatsApp, the messaging platform owned by Meta, removing it from the country’s online directory and effectively cutting off access within the Russian internet.

More than 100 million people in Russia use WhatsApp, according to available estimates.

Russian authorities had previously warned that WhatsApp could face a ban in 2025. In July 2025, a member of the Russian parliament, which oversees regulation of the IT sector, said there was a strong possibility the platform would be added to the list of banned services.

The Russian government has encouraged users to migrate to Max, a domestic messaging app described as similar to WeChat. However, Max does not provide end-to-end encryption.

Meta said in a statement that the Russian government has attempted to block WhatsApp completely to move users to what it described as a government-run surveillance app.

According to Meta, the move would deprive more than 100 million people of secure communications and reduce protections for users in Russia.

On February 11, Russian authorities also removed Telegram from the online directory.

Access to Meta’s other platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, has also been made inaccessible. Meta has been placed on Russia’s list of extremist organizations.

Reports indicate that YouTube has also been banned, although it is unclear whether it has been completely removed from the online directory.

The Russian president has also directed authorities to tighten sanctions on foreign communication apps in 2025.