Kids aren’t using VPNs to watch porn and skirt social media bans, VPN firms say Tech Only around one per cent of children use virtual private networks (VPNs) to access age-restricted content, research commissioned by VPN providers suggests, as the industry awaits a key announcement from government this week over how the under-16 social media ban will be enforced. A YouGov survey commissioned by the VPN Trust Initiative, founded by NordVPN, [...]
‘The problems didn’t begin with John Edwards’: Pressure grows for wider data watchdog overhaul Tech John Edwards’ resignation was meant to draw a line under the workplace misconduct scandal that engulfed Britain’s data watchdog. Instead, it has shifted scrutiny onto the leadership that surrounded him – and of the regulator’s record long before he stepped down. Tech secretary Liz Kendall told MPs on Wednesday she was “appalled” to learn Edwards [...]
Revolut, Wayve and Elevenlabs join European tech sovereignty push Tech The founders behind some of Europe’s biggest technology success stories, including Revolut, Wayve and ElevenLabs, have launched a new push for European tech sovereignty as the continent seeks to build homegrown rivals to Silicon Valley. More than 100 startup founders and chief executives have joined a new ‘built in Europe’ campaign spearheaded by venture capital [...]
UK cannot ‘outsource AI future’, says Netcompany boss April 29, 2026 The boss of Danish tech firm Netcompany has warned that Europe must build its own AI platforms, or risk handing control of its data to the US or China. André Rogaczewski, chief executive of Netcompany, told City AM that AI sovereignty is now a strategic issue for businesses and governments. “Technology is a battlefield”, he [...]
UK launches £500m Sovereign AI fund as Kendall backs ‘British winners’ April 16, 2026 The UK government has unveiled a £500m push to scale domestic AI firms, as ministers step up efforts to anchor the next wave of tech firms on home soil amid growing competition. Tech secretary Liz Kendall is set to launch the new Sovereign AI Unit in London on Thursday, casting it as a central pillar [...]
UK trials teen social media bans ahead of potential crackdown March 25, 2026 Hundreds of teenagers across the UK are set to take part in a government-backed trial of social media restrictions, as ministers weigh whether to introduce a nationwide ban for under-16s. The six-week pilot will see 300 teenagers aged between 13 and 17 split into four groups, testing different levels of access to apps such as [...]
AI minister defends billions amid ‘phantom funding’ scrutiny March 10, 2026 Britain’s multi billion-pound push to build sovereign AI capacity will inevitably include projects that are still taking shape rather than fully deployed capital, the UK’s AI minister told City AM, as scrutiny intensifies over the government’s headline investment figures. Kanishka Narayan, who was appointed as AI and online safety minister last September, said the scale [...]
Liz Kendall welcomes X’s Grok changes as Ofcom probe continues January 15, 2026 The government has welcomed new safety measures introduced by Elon Musk’s X to curb abuse linked to its Grok AI tool, as the UK’s online safety regulator presses ahead with a formal investigation into the platform. Tech secretary Liz Kendall said she “welcomed” X’s move to restrict Grok’s image generation capabilities, but stressed that regulators [...]
Exclusive: Liz Kendall bets £55bn to close UK innovation gap October 30, 2025 Britain’s new tech secretary, Liz Kendall, insists the government’s record £55bn R&D package marks a turning point for UK innovation, but with the country still lagging global rivals in key sectors, questions remain over whether even this scale of investment can close the gap. The funding, confirmed on Thursday by the Department for Science, Innovation [...]
Labour to use tech to ‘shock’ UK economy into growth October 27, 2025 The UK’s Labour government is positioning deregulation and AI adoption as two key levers used to address its inherited ‘growth emergency’. Peter Kyle, business secretary and former tech secretary, recently doubled down on this strategy, articulating the dire need for the UK to aggressively “innovate its way out” of a low-growth cycle. “I’ve never known [...]