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Social media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdown
As a host of countries move to rein in social media use by children, could this be technology’s big tobacco moment? Continue reading…
‘More relevant than making fires’: Explorer Scouts launch badges for AI and digital age
Content creation and online safety among new topics for 14- to 18-year-olds – but tweaks may be needed when social media ban comes in Scouts are introducing badges in content creation, digital communication and online safety after consulting nearly 3,000 teenagers who said they wanted skills to help them navigate a world increasingly shaped by…
Attorney general tells department to stop using X amid UK disinformation concerns
Exclusive: Richard Hermer’s office understood to be first in government to restrict use after recent riots The attorney general for England and Wales has told his office to no longer post on X, making it the first UK government department to stop using the Elon Musk-owned platform amid increasing worries about its use to incite…
UK ministers lobby Trump to avert backlash against social media ban
No 10 is worried about retaliation from White House over restrictions on under-16s’ internet use Ministers have embarked on a concerted lobbying operation to prevent a backlash from the Trump administration to the under-16s social media ban announced by Keir Starmer. Officials said they had spent weeks trying to reassure senior Trump officials and the…
Florida lawsuit accuses TikTok of violating state’s child social media ban
State’s attorney general alleges TikTok exposed children to harmful sexual content and addictive features Florida became the latest state to sue TikTok on Monday after the attorney general accused the company of violating a state law that limits social media access for teenagers. In a press conference, Republican James Uthmeier said TikTok exposed children to…
Social media firms hit back as Starmer announces ban for under-16s in UK
Meta, YouTube and Snapchat say ban, which would stop children using their platforms, will drive them to ‘less safe services’ UK politics live – latest updates How will the ban work? UK parents: how do you feel about the ban? Britain’s plans to ban social media for under-16s will push teenagers towards more harmful platforms,…
Crackdown on tech platforms will go ahead despite US intervention, says No 10
US embassy came out against UK’s proposed under-16 social media ban, which would affect American firms White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not…
Limit social media ban for under-16s to unsafe apps, Starmer urged
Campaigners warn against blanket restrictions and say focus should be on blocking teenagers from platforms with ‘risky’ features Online safety campaigners have urged Keir Starmer to block under-16s from accessing social media apps that do not meet strict safety standards, instead of implementing a broader Australia-style ban. The NSPCC, Molly Rose Foundation and Smartphone Free…
Starmer tells social media firms in No 10 meeting ‘things can’t go on like this’
PM summons senior figures from Meta, TikTok, Google and X and says social media is ‘putting our children at risk’ Keir Starmer has told social media bosses “things can’t go on like this” in a Downing Street meeting over internet safety. The prime minister summoned senior figures at Meta, TikTok, Google and X to No…
Reform UK voters least likely to see social media posts from family and friends, study finds
Thinktank says algorithms are fuelling isolation and division after analysing posts shown to social media users Reform UK voters are the least likely to see posts from friends and family on social media and most likely to see content from brands and news organisations, a study has found. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)…