What a UK #socialmediaban for under-16s might look like - Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has promised a crackdown on children under 16 using smartphones, with a consultation launching in March to shape new protections based on what parents and young...

UK #SocialMediaBan for Teens Could Happen Within Months - The UK has moved significantly closer to banning under-16s from social media after the House of Lords backed an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill...

#UKgovernment mulling X action after #Grok creates #AI deepfakes - The government has criticised recent changes to Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot, calling them “insulting” after warnings that the tool was used to create illegal images, including of children...

#Parents urged to put #phones away and focus on family this #Christmas - Parents are being urged to take a hard look at their phone habits this Christmas, after England’s children’s commissioner said that many children feel ignored during family time...

#Reddit takes #Australia’s under-16 #socialmediaban to the High Court - Reddit has started legal action against Australia’s new law banning kids under 16 from using social media. It is asking the High Court to review the policy...

#Schools enforce stricter phone rules for a distraction-free learning environment - More schools across South West England are introducing stricter #mobilephone policies...

Autumn #Budget creates fresh challenges for #freelancers -Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget is set to tighten finances for freelancers across the #tech and media sectors, according to audit and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg…

#META Begins Teen Account Shutdown in #Australia - Meta has started warning young Australian users that their Instagram, Facebook and Threads accounts will soon be shut down, as the country prepares to enforce a strict ban on all #socialmedia access for...

UK #mobile #networks face a multibillion-pound #lawsuit over alleged “loyalty penalties” - Several of the UK’s biggest mobile operators, including Vodafone, EE, O2 and Three, are facing a major class action lawsuit...

Virgin Media O2 to Launch the UK’s First Satellite-Connected Mobile Service - Virgin Media O2 will become the first UK #mobile network to offer automatic #satellite connectivity to customers in areas without a phone signal...

#Apple Faces £1.5bn UK Damages Over ‘Unfair’ #AppStore Prices - Apple may have to pay up to £1.5 billion in damages after a UK court ruled that it overcharged iPhone and iPad users through “excessive and unfair” App Store fees...

#AI #DataCentres in Scotland Face Major Water Use Concerns - Data centres across Scotland that power artificial intelligence (AI) tools are consuming enough tap water annually to fill 27 million half-litre bottles, according to data obtained by BBC News...

#Google states #SMEs could free up one day a week by using #AI tools - Small businesses could reclaim up to a full working day each week by adopting artificial intelligence (AI), according to new research from Google...

Half of UK adult shoppers now use #phones to make regular #payments - When choosing a payment method 57% of UK adults are tapping their phones to pay for everyday purchases, according to new figures from UK Finance...

#Mobile and #broadband customers are missing out on ‘£325 a year’ #savings - Millions of households are paying more than they should for their mobile and broadband service, according to Citizens Advice...

#Apple’s new #iPhoneAir fuels debate over future of SIM cards - Apple’s launch of the iPhone Air has revived speculation that the traditional SIM card is on its way out...

"#Sharenting" #socialmedia posts put #children at risk, study warns - Sharing children’s photos online could expose them to identity theft, cyberbullying and even fraud later in life, according to new research from the University of Southampton...

#SouthKorea Bans Phones in Classrooms, Citing #MentalHealth Concerns - South Korea has passed a nationwide ban on #mobile phone use in school classrooms, joining a growing list of countries tackling digital distraction in education...

#HMRC turns to #AI in pursuit of #tax cheats - HMRC has confirmed that it is now wielding artificial intelligence tools to trawl through #socialmedia posts and track down suspected tax evaders...

#OpenAI Launches #GPT5, Promises ‘PhD-Level’ Expertise - OpenAI has unveiled GPT-5, its most advanced AI model yet, claiming it delivers “PhD-level” performance in multiple areas like coding, writing, and reasoning...