Starmer prepares child social media curbs as pressure mounts on addictive apps May 27, 2026 The government is preparing to tighten restrictions on children’s social media use after a consultation that drew more than 81,000 responses, with ministers expected to target the design of major platforms rather than impose a blanket ban for under-16s. New measures under consideration include restrictions on autoplay videos, infinite scrolling, push notifications, overnight access and [...]
‘Economic catastrophe’: Social media and welfare state ‘to blame’ for youth unemployment May 23, 2026 Social media and the welfare state are pushing Britain towards an “economic catastrophe” over youth unemployment, a landmark government review has found. Smartphones have “rewired” the brains of young adults and left them trapped in unemployment, former health secretary Alan Milburn has found in an official report commissioned by Sir Keir Starmer. Labour ordered the [...]
SpaceX IPO puts Musk’s AI empire – and ambitions – in the spotlight May 21, 2026 SpaceX has finally opened its books to public markets, revealing a company generating tens of billions in revenue, burning through cash at an extraordinary speed and betting its future on AI as much as rockets. The long-awaited Nasdaq float, expected next month, could value Elon Musk’s space and AI empire at as much as $1.75 [...]
Former Tory MP set to call Sunak in libel spat with Hancock May 20, 2026 The Court of Appeal is set to hear the latest chapter in a libel claim brought by expelled Tory MP Andrew Bridgen against former ex-health minister Matt Hancock MP. The legal battle between the ex-politicians erupted in January 2023, when Hancock posted on social media about Bridgen after the Tories suspended him over a “disgraceful” [...]
‘Sounds too good to be true?’ City watchdog clamps down on social media insurance scams May 20, 2026 The Financial Conduct Authority is cracking down on insurance scams advertised on social media and messaging platforms after finding half of young drivers have purchased illegitimate insurance premiums this way. The regulator said nearly 40 per cent of drivers aged 17-25 are “unconfident” in spotting the signs of a fake insurance policy, meaning “thousands could [...]
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 [...]
Social media ban could stifle Gen Z’s ambitions May 1, 2026 Everyone wants to protect young people online, but social media has quietly become one of the best learning platforms for business, says Charlie Terry Let’s be clear. Having protective restrictions in place for under-16s is a good idea. Much of what young people encounter online day to day would have been unthinkable on any mainstream [...]
Lady Mayor: ‘Lawless London’ narrative is risking vital global deals April 27, 2026 Misperceptions of London as dangerous and unwelcoming are sending the wrong signals to vital partners like India, writes Susan Langley.
Meta to cut 8,000 jobs as AI spending soars April 24, 2026 Meta Platforms is set to cut around 8,000 jobs next month as it ramps up spending on AI, in what marks one of the company’s largest rounds of layoffs in recent years. The move, as first reported by Bloomberg, will see roughly 10 per cent of Meta’s workforce cut, alongside plans to leave thousands of [...]
Ofcom launches probe into Telegram over child safety failures April 21, 2026 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 [...]