Government defends Online Safety Act after X claims it threatens free speech August 2, 2025 The Government has defended the Online Safety Act after Elon Musk’s X said the legislation was threatening free speech. In a post titled What Happens When Oversight Becomes Overreach, the platform, formerly known as Twitter, outlined criticism of the act and the “heavy-handed” UK regulators. The Government countered that it is “demonstrably false” that the [...]
EE capitalises on parental fears with safer SIMs for under 18s July 29, 2025 EE has unveiled ‘safer SIMs’, a trio of under‑18 mobile plans that bundle together network‑level content filters, throttled speeds, scam protection, and a ‘P.H.O.N.E.’ Chat guide. The move has been backed by in‑store safety clinics across 400+ UK branches and is pitched directly at parents overwhelmed by children’s digital exposure. At her debut briefing as CEO [...]
Trump hails relationship with Starmer – but no steel exemptions yet July 28, 2025 In a Scottish golfing holiday that has swiftly given way to a multi-sided international summit, Keir Starmer has held a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump which has spanned from the UK-US trading relationship to immigration policy and international conflicts. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds had tempered expectations of immediate steel tariff progress ahead of the meeting, [...]
Jess Carter, the Online Safety Act and a problem that won’t go away July 26, 2025 Online racist and misogynistic abuse of Lionesses defender Jess Carter during the Women’s Euros echoes that faced by Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho after the men’s Euro 2020 final. The Online Safety Act 2023 aimed to make the UK the world leader in this area, so why are we still asking how to [...]
UK hits Big Tech with online safety crackdown July 25, 2025 The UK’s biggest tech platforms are under new legal pressure from Friday as sweeping new child protection laws come into force, requiring firms to deploy strict age verification for harmful content – or face fines of up to £18m, or 10 per cent of global turnover. The new rules, part of the government’s long-trailed Online [...]
Sport England boss Boardman asks Ofcom to act on Lionesses abuse July 22, 2025 Sport England chair Chris Boardman has written to regulator Ofcom to raise concerns about online abuse of the Lionesses during the Women’s Euros. It comes after England defender Jess Carter on Sunday revealed she would step back from social media following online racist abuse she received throughout the tournament. Boardman has written to Ofcom chief [...]
MPs slam Online Safety Act as ‘not up to scratch’ July 11, 2025 The UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) is failing to protect the public from the spread of harmful misinformation and must be urgently overhauled, MPs have warned in a damning new report. In findings published Tuesday, Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee (SITC) said the OSA – which began to take effect earlier this year – [...]
Sadiq Khan pitches London as AI hub despite sector concerns June 2, 2025 Sadiq Khan today championed the capital as an open, “values-led” tech hub, telling international investors that London “will always remain open to talent” and is “resolutely pro-growth”, even as sector voices warn of structural barriers limiting UK competitiveness. Speaking at the inuagural SXSW London’s opening, the Mayor of London framed the capital as a “creative [...]
City Police sack two over social media misuse amid rising distrust May 26, 2025 The City of London Police has dismissed two employees for social media misuse, following internal investigations into inappropriate online conduct over the past two years. From 2024 onwards, four staff members of the police covering the Square Mile were investigated for inappropriate online conduct, City AM understands. This resulted in dismissals and formal warnings in [...]
Government slammed over digital safety, as MPs demand tougher screen time controls May 22, 2025 The UK government has come under fire from education leaders and MPs after issuing what has been branded a “disappointing” and “lacking urgency” response to calls for tighter regulation around children’s screen time and digital safety. The Education Select Committee has condemned ministers for downplaying recommendations from its May 2024 report on screen time, which [...]