Ofcom launches probe into Telegram over child safety failures Tech The UK’s communications regulator has launched a probe into Telegram after evidence emerged that child sexual abuse material was being shared on the platform. Ofcom announced on Tuesday that it has also opened investigations into teen chat sites Teen Chat and Chat Avenue, assessing whether the platforms are meeting their legal duties to protect children [...]
MPs reject social media ban for under-16s Tech MPs have voted down a proposal to ban under-16s from using social media, after toying with the idea of following Australia’s nationwide law. The amendment, tabled by Conservatives to the children’s wellbeing and schools bill, was defeated in the House of Commons on Monday evening, by 307 votes to 173. The measure had already been [...]
Starmer orders tech giants to delete abusive content within 48 hours Tech Tech companies will be legally required to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours, or face heavy fines and potential UK blocks, under new measures unveiled by the Prime Minister The proposals, introduced through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, require platforms to act swiftly once content is flagged. Companies that fail to [...]
Trump official warns UK on ‘Russia-style’ X ban after Grok row January 11, 2026 A key Trump administration official has sent the UK a firm warning following speculation Elon Musk’s X platform may face a ban after a scandal around AI-generated images. Sarah Rogers, under-secretary for public diplomacy at the US State Department, issued a series of messages criticising the UK on the rumoured ban. Rogers said the UK [...]
Grok scandal exposes Online Safety Act flaws January 7, 2026 The UK’s relatively new Online Safety Act was sold as its long-overdue answer to the alarming harms of social media. Brits were promised a framework tough enough to bar Silicon Valley access, tough enough to promote innovation, and strong enough to keep its users, particularly children, from digital abuse. Barely months into its rollout, controversial [...]
MPs push for stricter AI rules as UK lags December 8, 2025 Over 100 UK parliamentarians have called on the government to tighten the reigns on AI regulation, warning that ministers risk letting the technology race ahead unchecked. The cross-party push, led by figures including former defence secretary Lord Des Browne and ex-environment minister Lord Zac Goldsmith, argues that superintelligent AI could become “the most perilous technological [...]
Alarming rise of social media use among toddlers December 2, 2025 Almost 800,000 children under the age of five are now likely to be using social media platforms in the UK, intensifying concerns around the country’s ability to protect the younger generation online. The figures, based of Ofcom’s recent research, reveal an alarming rise in very young children using platforms intended for teenagers or adults. It [...]
TikTok wants you to stop doomscrolling (on its own app) November 19, 2025 TikTok has spent years perfecting the dark art of keeping you glued to your phone, but now it wants to help you put the phone down. In a move that feels almost existential, the company announced on Wednesday the rollout of a new so-called ‘Time and Well‑Being’ centre designed to help people step away from [...]
Yoti revenue surges amid boost from Online Safety Act rules November 18, 2025 Yoti has seen a surge in revenue as the identity verification business was boosted by fresh rules introduced under the Online Safety Act. The London-based business posted a 55 per cent rise in turnover to £20.3m for the year to end March, according to accounts filed with Companies House. “Regulatory issues are central to the [...]
ChatGPT: OpenAI’s safety upgrade offers an illusion of care October 28, 2025 OpenAI has recently told users that its latest chatbot update aims to become a safer tool for users experiencing distress, particularly when showing signs of psychosis, mania, self-harm, and overall emotional over-reliance on AI. The company, known for its trigger of the AI boom in November 2022 and quasi-synonymous to conversational chatbots, said the changes were informed [...]