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Mind launches inquiry into AI and mental health after Guardian investigation
February 20, 2026
Exclusive: England and Wales charity to examine safeguards after Guardian exposed ‘very dangerous’ advice on Google AI Overviews ‘Very dangerous’: a Mind mental health expert on Google’s AI summaries Mind is launching a significant inquiry into artificial intelligence and mental health after a Guardian investigation exposed how Google’s AI Overviews gave people “very dangerous” medical…
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‘It’s the most urgent public health issue’: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on screen time, mental health – and banning social media until 18
February 16, 2026
The hit podcaster, author and former GP says a failure to regulate big tech is ‘failing a generation of children’. He explains why he quit the NHS and why he wants a ban on screen-based homework A 16-year-old boy and his mum went to see their GP, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, on a busy Monday afternoon.…
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Schools in England should be phone-free all day, education secretary says
January 26, 2026
Bridget Phillipson says pupils should not use mobiles at any point, as Ofsted prepares to inspect compliance UK politics live – latest updates Schools should be phone-free throughout the entire day, the education secretary has told headteachers in England, stressing that pupils should not use the devices even as calculators or for research. Bridget Phillipson…
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UK study to examine effects of restricting social media for children
January 21, 2026
Trial involving 4,000 children will explore impact on mental health, sleep and time spent with friends and family A pioneering investigation into the impact of restricting social media access for children in the UK has been announced as politicians around the world consider action on the issue. In December, Australia became the first country to…
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My friends in Italy are using AI therapists. But is that so bad, when a stigma surrounds mental health? | Viola Di Grado
January 21, 2026
State provision for psychological health services is lamentable. Until things improve, let’s not judge those who turn to an app for help It’s a sunny afternoon in a Roman park and a peculiar, new-to-this-era kind of coming out is happening between me and my friend Clarissa. She has just asked me if I, like her…
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He called himself an ‘untouchable hacker god’. But who was behind the biggest crime Finland has ever known?
January 17, 2026
How would you feel if your therapist’s notes – your darkest thoughts and deepest feelings – were exposed to the world? For 33,000 Finnish people, that became a terrifying reality, with deadly consequences Tiina Parikka was half-naked when she read the email. It was a Saturday in late October 2020, and Parikka had spent the…
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Social media time does not increase teenagers’ mental health problems – study
January 14, 2026
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…
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Social media is corrupting young minds – but a ban is not the answer | Zoe Williams
January 13, 2026
Kicking under-16s off the social platforms is tempting, but it ignores the root of the problem: the older generations who made them so toxic in the first place Kemi Badenoch is evolving into one of those politicians who, whatever she says, is not just likely to be wrong, but is likely to say the opposite…
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Third of UK citizens have used AI for emotional support, research reveals
December 18, 2025
AI Security Institute report finds most common type of AI tech used was general purpose assistants such as ChatGPT and Amazon Alexa A third of UK citizens have used artificial intelligence for emotional support, companionship or social interaction, according to the government’s AI security body. The AI Security Institute (AISI) said nearly one in 10…
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‘I feel it’s a friend’: quarter of teenagers turn to AI chatbots for mental health support
December 9, 2025
Experts warn of dangers as England and Wales study shows 13- to 17-year-olds consulting AI amid long waiting lists for services It was after one friend was shot and another stabbed, both fatally, that Shan asked ChatGPT for help. She had tried conventional mental health services but “chat”, as she came to know her AI…
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