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Life after Molly: Ian Russell on big tech, his daughter’s death – and why a social media ban won’t work
Molly Russell was just 14 when she took her own life in 2017, and an inquest later found negative online content was a significant factor. With many people now pushing for teenagers to be kept off tech platforms, her father explains why he backs a different approach Ian Russell describes his life as being split…
Social media time does not increase teenagers’ mental health problems – study
UK study comes as ministers consider Australia’s ban on social media use for under-16s Screen time spent gaming or on social media does not cause mental health problems in teenagers, according to a large-scale study. With ministers in the UK considering whether to follow Australia’s example by banning social media use for under-16s, the findings…
Kemi Badenoch says Tories would ban under-16s from ‘addictive’ social media
Conservative leader backs Australian-inspired policy to stop platforms ‘profiting from their anxiety’ UK politics live – latest updates The Conservatives are backing a ban on social media for under-16s in an attempt to prevent addictive platforms fuelling anxiety and distraction among teenagers. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said she did not like the word ban…
Parents of sextortion victim sue Meta for alleged wrongful death
Exclusive: Lawsuit is the first UK case of its kind, with Ros and Mark Dowey accusing Meta of ‘putting profit before our young people’ The parents of a 16-year-old who took his own life after he fell victim to a sextortion gang on Instagram are suing Meta for the alleged wrongful death of their son,…
‘Don’t pander to the tech giants!’ How a youth movement for digital justice is spreading across Europe
Gen Z are the first generation to have grown up with social media, they were the earliest adopters, and therefore the first to suffer its harms. Now they are fighting back Late one night in April 2020, towards the start of the Covid lockdowns, Shanley Clémot McLaren was scrolling on her phone when she noticed…
Instagram’s age-verification identified a moustachioed adult as over 16 – but how did it go with a 13-year-old?
Meta platform allows users under 16 in Australia to change their date of birth – but only after clearing a ‘video selfie’ or providing government ID Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Instagram’s process for determining whether a user is over…
Ofcom urges social media platforms to combat abuse and limit online ‘pile-ons’
New guidance from UK regulator aims to combat misogynist abuse and ‘revenge porn’ Social media platforms are being urged to limit internet “pile-ons” under new guidelines to protect women and girls online. The guidance from Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, to combat misogynist abuse, coercive control and the sharing of intimate images without consent comes…
‘Enshittification’: how we got the internet no one asked for – podcast
Tech critic Cory Doctorow explains why for so many the internet – from Amazon to Google to Instagram – seems to be getting worse Do you ever get the feeling that the internet isn’t what it used to be? Well, tech critic Cory Doctorow thinks you’re right – and he has a term to describe…
Meta could face millions in fines for not signing content deals in Australia
Labor’s proposed media bargaining incentive to apply to platforms with Australian-derived revenue of at least $250m, according to Treasury Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Meta and other tech companies refusing to sign content deals with Australian news outlets face millions…
‘The chilling effect’: how fear of ‘nudify’ apps and AI deepfakes is keeping Indian women off the internet
Widespread adoption of artificial intelligence has been accompanied by new ways to harass women online Gaatha Sarvaiya would like to post on social media and share her work online. An Indian law graduate in her early 20s, she is in the earliest stages of her career and trying to build a public profile. The problem…