All posts tagged: Online safety

US refuses to budge on environmental impact of tech, regulating Big Tech at G7 – POLITICO

US refuses to budge on environmental impact of tech, regulating Big Tech at G7 – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The environmental impact of AI specifically, as it consumes huge amounts of energy, has become a talking point in Europe, with the European Environment Agency warning earlier this month that the “the rapid expansion of AI presents a growing challenge to achieving climate neutrality.” But an emphasis on combating the environmental impact of tech is “a red line for the United States,” a digital ministry representative, granted anonymity due to French protocol, told reporters, adding that France respects its “partners’ red lines.”  Environmental issues have been “the most complicated” to get a consensus among the G7 countries, the same representative added, saying that the wording of that part of the declaration may only be endorsed by the “G7 presidency,” i.e. France.  “This is a step back from the initial ambitions,” the same representative admitted, adding that France “knew it would be complicated.”   More broadly, “discussing the regulation of industry players is something the United States is not ready to do,” the French digital ministry representative said, adding that “in Europe, we will conclude that regulation is necessary, and we will take the extra step that …

How Elon Musk galvanized the UK’s online safety regime  – POLITICO

How Elon Musk galvanized the UK’s online safety regime  – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

A poster featuring Elon Musk, calling for users of his X social media platform to delete their accounts due to the AI chatbot Grok’s image-creation feature. | Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images It urged ministers to pass new legislation explicitly covering generative AI services – a recommendation the government rejected a month later, on the basis that amending the Act before it was fully in force risked ”complicat[ing] and undermin[ing]” implementation. “The vibe has very much been one of ‘trust the process,’” Owen Bennett, who led international online safety at Ofcom until December 2025 and now works as an independent digital policy consultant, said. Various parts of the OSA took time to come into force, but now key duties are in force, that “grace period” is passed, Bennett said. Pre-Grok, the U.K. government was also clearly signaling that it didn’t intend to follow Australia’s lead in banning social media for children, with a spokesperson for No.10 Downing Street saying in December there were no plans to implement a ban and “it’s important we protect children …

I’m a headteacher – this is why we need an under-16 social media ban | Politics | News

I’m a headteacher – this is why we need an under-16 social media ban | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Teachers have spent years trying to hold back the tide of harm pouring into children’s lives through their phones. It is a daily battle – one fought in classrooms, corridors and playgrounds – while the world’s biggest technology companies continue profiting from products and platforms designed to keep young people hooked. The government’s decision to formally support phone‑free schools is welcome. At The John Wallis Church of England Academy, we took the decision to ban smartphones. Pupils now put their phones in lockable pouches when they arrive at school that can’t be unlocked until the final bell has rung. Now two-and-a half-years in, the results of the ban are clear. Lessons are calmer, behaviour has improved and staff can focus on teaching and supporting pupils instead of confiscating devices. But while the ban has undoubtedly made an impact, it’s not enough on its own. During the school day, we can draw firm boundaries. But once the bell rings, control passes straight back to the social media platforms designed to pull children in and keep them …

UK watchdog issues first-ever suicide forum fine – POLITICO

UK watchdog issues first-ever suicide forum fine – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Campaigners have criticized Ofcom for not taking action sooner. The Molly Rose Foundation’s CEO Andy Burrows welcomed the fine but said the process “has taken an interminable amount of time.”   “Molly Rose Foundation submitted detailed evidence which showed scores of vulnerable young people remained at risk while Ofcom’s investigation dragged on. Further lives were lost during this period,” he said. Seven months ago the Molly Rose Foundation in conjunction with Families and Survivors to Prevent Online Suicide Harms published a report accusing both the government and the regulator of dragging their feet and warned that even if Ofcom sought to block U.K. access to the site, this would amount to little more than “regulatory whack-a-mole” in the absence of improved legislation.  An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We share the urgency about the extreme harms that sites such as this can cause, and understand the anger felt towards them by those who have been so personally affected. Today we’ve made clear that this provider has failed – and continues to fail – to comply with its duties. Our investigation into this forum was the first to be launched under the Online …

Apple launches age verification for UK iPhone users  – POLITICO

Apple launches age verification for UK iPhone users  – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Apple is not required to implement age checks under U.K. law, as the Online Safety Act does not apply to app stores or operating systems. Ofcom is conducting a report on whether to expand the act to include them, due in January 2027.  Users who choose to update to the latest software, iOS 26.4 for iPhones and iPads, are prompted to verify their age, and can use credit cards linked to accounts as proof or undergo a process to scan ID. Apple may also use the length of time a user has held the account as proof of their age.  The requirements have also been rolled out in South Korea.  Source link

10 years after Brussels attacks, threat has moved online, says EU terror chief – POLITICO

10 years after Brussels attacks, threat has moved online, says EU terror chief – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Ten years ago, two terrorists from Daesh (also known as the so-called Islamic State) blew themselves up at Brussels Airport. Another explosion tore through a metro car at Maelbeek station, in the heart of Brussels’ EU district. Thirty-two people were killed, and hundreds more injured.  The attacks came just months after terrorists killed 130 people in attacks on a concert hall, a stadium, restaurants and bars in Paris, exposing gaps in information-sharing in the bloc’s free-travel area. The terrorists had moved between countries, planning the attacks in one and carrying them out in another, said Wegter, who is Dutch. “That’s where our vulnerabilities were.” Today, violent jihadism remains a threat and new large-scale attacks can’t be excluded. But the probability is “much, much lower today than it was 10 years ago,” said Wegter. In the aftermath of the attacks, the bloc changed its security strategy with a focus on prevention and a “security reflex” across every policy field, according to Wegter. It’s also stepping up police and judicial collaboration through Europol and Eurojust, and it’s …

‘Be the one in control’: Why are more countries leaning towards banning social media access for kids

‘Be the one in control’: Why are more countries leaning towards banning social media access for kids

Published by Sam Flores

Shafinaz said regulators were increasingly prioritising a “precautionary approach” when it comes to the social media landscape. “For example, I think even MCMC would rather be accused of over-regulating than failing to act while all of these harms continue,” she said, referring to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. In response to CNA’s question on whether Meta’s teen accounts feature would be enough to make governments reconsider blanket bans, Chua said the company shares a “common purpose” with regulators. “But there’s definitely, I think, more conversations to be had about how you can pursue the common intent,” he said. “The conversations that we have with regulators is to figure out how we can keep people safe online, not just in a small number of apps that are actually perhaps more invested in safety than unregulated or newer apps.” Chua reiterated Meta’s calls for age verification to be introduced at the base level of app stores, saying that this would be more efficient than requiring age verification for each of the dozens of apps that teens …

Talk To Kids About Online Safety And Risks Of Sharing Images

Talk To Kids About Online Safety And Risks Of Sharing Images

Published by Sam Flores

No parent wants to entertain the idea that their child could commit a sexual offence, or become the victim of one, but the latest statistics suggest we can’t bury our heads in the sand. Data from the Youth Justice Board shows the number of children committing sexual offences is on the rise. In 2025, proven sexual offences saw an increase for the third consecutive year, rising by 6%. The proportion of children arrested for sexual offences rose to 7%, up from 5% in 2024. Meanwhile the number of youth cautions for sexual offences rose by 27% compared with the previous year. “This data paints a troubling picture about today’s youth,” says Jessica Wilson, managing director at Eventum Legal. Kids are sharing indecent or extreme images According to the Youth Justice Board’s report, in the year ending March 2025, 54% (around 800) of proven sexual offences were related to indecent or extreme pornographic images or videos, which includes creating and sharing material. Ghislaine Bombusa, content and digital director at Internet Matters, tells HuffPost UK: “Child sexual …

Margaret Hodge in the running to lead Ofcom – POLITICO

Margaret Hodge in the running to lead Ofcom – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The previous Conservative government appointed Michael Grade, a Tory peer, as chair in 2022. His term ends on April 26, and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which is leading the recruitment process, hopes to announce his replacement before then. The interview panel, which is made up of civil servants and independent members, will now hand Technology Secretary Liz Kendall a shortlist of approved candidates. Former Conservative Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright is also in the running, according to the same two people quoted above. Wright, one of the architects of the Online Safety Act (OSA), has been critical of Ofcom’s implementation of the flagship law. The Telegraph newspaper has reported Channel 4’s former Chairman Ian Cheshire is also on the shortlist.  Kendall has also been critical of Ofcom for not implementing parts of the OSA quickly enough. She warned last November that it risks losing public trust.  Ofcom, which also regulates TV and radio, is about to embark on a major review of the telecoms sector, which is being upended by developments in artificial …

Top Trump official says no US ‘slush fund’ for far right in Europe – POLITICO

Top Trump official says no US ‘slush fund’ for far right in Europe – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The message from Rogers appeared to be another sign of the Trump administration trying to send conciliatory signals to Europe, despite the recently published National Security Strategy calling on the U.S. to “cultivate resistance” to the political status quo on the continent. And it came just hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for a “strong and revitalized Europe” on the Munich stage.  Rogers has courted controversy by taking to her official social media accounts to launch public attacks, from characterizing immigrants to Germany as “imported barbarian rapist hordes” to connecting Sweden’s migration policy to instances of sexual violence, and for her sharp rebukes of social media regulations in the EU and the United Kingdom. After U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s searing Munich speech last year criticizing European democracies for ostensibly pushing back on free speech rights in efforts to crack down on election interference, Rogers indicated that the U.S. is still making a list of which allies have been naughty and nice, but used a gentler tone.  “In terms of who’s a good …