I built my career on social media as a teen. I still think banning under-16s is right Opinion George Bacon arguably makes a living from young people scrolling. But he says a social media ban for under-16s is logical and responsible.
Meta trial risks reputational damage that ‘dwarfs’ financial hit Tech Meta faces a reputational hit that could “dwarf” even the potentially colossal financial penalties if it loses a landmark US trial over claims it deliberately made Instagram and Facebook addictive to children. The tech giant goes to trial in California today in one of the biggest legal tests yet of the way social media platforms [...]
Musk brands UK a ‘police state’ as Big Tech rebels against Starmer’s social media ban Tech Elon Musk, Meta and Google’s YouTube have all attacked Keir Starmer’s planned social media ban for under-16s, warning the restrictions will drive teenagers towards less safe corners of the internet and create sweeping new surveillance powers. The backlash comes as ministers consider forcing Apple and Google to carry out age checks on millions of British [...]
Social media ban may push children to ‘darker corners of the internet,’ lawyers warn June 15, 2026 Sir Kier Starmer’s announcement to ban social media for under-16s on Monday morning may create privacy issues for children and encourage them to use less regulated platforms, legal experts have warned. Speaking at Downing Street on Monday, the Prime Minister said social media platforms are harming children’s wellbeing and making it easier for their mental [...]
VPN demand rockets as UK prepares for under-16 social media ban June 15, 2026 Searches for VPNs jumped 165 per cent overnight after the government confirmed plans to ban under-16s from social media, fuelling demand for digital workarounds. The rush came within hours of Keir Starmer unveiling one of the world’s toughest online safety regimes, which will block social media platforms from offering services to under-16s and introduce wider [...]
‘Protecting children is right’: Starmer takes on Big Tech with social media ban for under-16s June 15, 2026 Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media for under-16s, arguing that platforms are harming children’s wellbeing and fuelling a generation of unhealthy online habits. The Prime Minister said social media was making children “unhappy”, making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse young people and potentially damaging their mental health. Speaking at [...]
Squash players turn to social media to cash in on LA Olympic Games opportunities June 1, 2026 British squash players are turning to social media to create commercial opportunities as athletes look to cash in on potential revenue streams. Following on from the success of athlete content at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics – TikTok told City AM that there were 99,900 posts tagged with the official hashtag, with tournament-related searches dominating [...]
HSBC is the only UK name on $13 trillion list of top global brands May 14, 2026 The rise of AI has shaken up an influential ranking of global big-name firms, as the competition to become one of the world’s elite brands becomes fiercer than ever, according to an influential index tracking the corporate elite. The Kantar Brandz Top 100 – which ranks the value of brands – unveiled on Thursday, is [...]
Meta can read your Instagram DMs from today May 8, 2026 Instagram users are waking up to a major privacy rollback after Meta officially switched off end-to-end encrypted direct messages, giving the tech giant far greater visibility into private conversations shared across the app. From today, users who previously enabled Instagram’s optional encrypted chats will lose access to the feature entirely, with all messages reverting back [...]
Alex Dilling: Mastering the art of French cooking May 6, 2026 After honing his craft under two titans of French cooking, Alex Dilling now presides over one of London’s most refined dining rooms. His double Michelin-starred restaurant at Hotel Café Royal is a masterclass in modern haute cuisine, writes Carys Sharkey. As a teenager in sunny, expansive California, Alex Dilling thought he’d be a punk rocker, [...]