Tag

Online Safety

All articles tagged with #online safety

politics8 days ago•2 min saved

UK culture secretary leaves X over online abuse and misinformation

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced she is quitting X and that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will also stop using the platform, accusing X of fostering abuse and misinformation that undermine democracy; the move makes DCMS the second UK department to exit X after the Attorney General’s Office, and Nandy will continue to use Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn as regulators scrutinize online safety and AI-generated content.

via Al Jazeera|

#lisa-nandy #misinformation #online-safety

technology12 days ago•1 min saved

Australia doubles fines and expands oversight to enforce under-16 social media ban

Australia will double the maximum penalty for violating its social media minimum-age law from AUD 49.5 million to AUD 99 million and expand the eSafety Commissioner’s powers to compel platforms and third parties (including age-verification and app-store providers) to show how they keep users under 16 off their services, six months after the Online Safety Amendment Act took effect. More than five million accounts have been removed or restricted, and the eSafety Commissioner is investigating five platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—to close enforcement gaps.

via Mashable|

#australia #online-safety #penalties

world14 days ago•5 min saved

Albanese's blunt warning on online extremism goes viral in Parliament

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged expanding the under-16 social-media ban to curb exposure to pornography and the so‑called 'nudify' apps, saying algorithms push viewers toward extreme content and Nazi‑level propaganda; he described graphic harms seen in hospitals and sparked online shock and debate over online safety and media attention.

via New York Post|

#australia #manosphere #misogyny

politics18 days ago•10 min saved

House unveils bipartisan KOSA framework to protect minors online

House Republicans and Democrats announced a bipartisan deal on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), establishing a federal safety floor that would preempt weaker state laws. The framework includes age verification for sexually explicit sites, social-media design changes to curb harm to minors, default safety settings, limits on disappearing messages, and a data-brokers registry. The House text omits a Senate-proposed duty to exercise reasonable care for user safety. Leaders aim to move the bill soon, with the Senate seeking to attach KOSA to a broader AI framework and target a deal by early July.

via Punchbowl News|

#congress #kosa #minors

politics18 days ago•10 min saved

GOP Receives Classified Briefing on White House Defense Goals Amid Recon 3.0 Push

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will brief House Republicans in a classified session on White House goals for military funding and a party-line reconciliation package as Republicans push Recon 3.0; the report also notes the House Appropriations Committee moving on the 2027 defense bill, bipartisan progress on a kids-online-safety package (KOSA), and other Capitol agenda items including a Dershowitz appearance and a pivotal Iowa Senate poll tied to national political dynamics.

via Politico|

#defense-spending #house-republicans #iran-deal

technology18 days ago•8 min saved

House strikes bipartisan bargain on Kids Online Safety Act

House Energy and Commerce leaders reached a bipartisan deal on the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) as part of the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, moving it via an expedited process but requiring Senate reconciliation; the House version would preempt some state laws and AI rules and omits the Democrats' 'duty of care' standard, while a White House-backed package aims to combine the Senate’s KOSA with additional AI and app-store measures, setting the stage for further negotiations and potential alignment with Meta.

via Politico|

#ai-preemption #kids-online-safety-act #kosa

technology20 days ago•11 min saved

UK’s under-16 social media ban could redefine how we learn, share, and access the internet

Britain is weighing a ban on under-16s’ access to major social platforms, potentially requiring age verification across services and signaling the biggest change yet in how people go online; while supporters say it could shield children from harms, critics warn it could hinder learning, push teens to smaller or unregulated sites, raise privacy concerns over data checks, and alter online life for both youths and adults as education and information increasingly move through digital platforms like YouTube.

via BBC|

#education #online-safety #privacy

technology25 days ago•10 min saved

UK to bar under-16s from major social networks by 2027

Britain’s government announced a plan to ban under-16s from accessing major social media platforms (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X) with the ban coming into force in spring 2027. The proposal includes age-verification for some users over 16 and feature restrictions for younger users; WhatsApp, Signal and Roblox would not be banned, and YouTube Kids remains exempt. The plan follows a public consultation and has drawn mixed reactions from platforms, safety advocates and lawmakers, with a full platform list and specifics to be released later.

via BBC|

#age-verification #online-safety #social-media-ban

world-news26 days ago•76 min saved

UK eyes teen social-media ban as Starmer pushes online-safety plan

Labour leader Keir Starmer backs a UK plan to bar under-16s from a range of social-media apps as part of a broader online-safety push, citing polling that reportedly shows broad public support. He says the measure could be discussed at international forums like the G7. Supporters argue it would protect children and spur funding for after‑school programs, while critics warn about enforcement challenges and the risk of driving teens to less-regulated sites.

via AP News|

#keir-starmer #online-safety #social-media-ban

politics26 days ago•4 min saved

UK to bar under-16s from major social media in sweeping online-safety plan

Britain's government unveiled a sweeping plan to ban social media use for anyone under 16, blocking platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X while excluding messaging apps; described as a landmark move, the measures will go to Parliament and take effect next spring, with livestreaming and stranger-communication blocks and potential age-verification/content controls to curb online harms.

via NBC News|

#legislation #online-safety #politics

technology26 days ago•1 min saved

UK Pledges Social Media Ban for Under-16s to Reclaim Childhood

Britain’s government announced a plan to block social media services for anyone under 16, modeling the approach on Australia and adding protections by default for 16- to 17-year-olds, including bans on livestreaming and messaging from strangers. Regulations could start as soon as spring 2027 and target platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, aiming to curb online addiction and boost child safety.

via CNBC|

#livestreaming #online-safety #social-media

uk-politics26 days ago•8 min saved

UK leans toward Australia-style ban on under-16s on major social platforms

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to unveil an Australia-style plan to ban under-16s from major social platforms (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, and more), stop livestreams on so-called safer sites, and restrict talking to strangers on gaming apps, with curfews for older teens under consideration; full details will be announced next month after a public consultation showed broad support for online-safety measures.

via BBC|

#online-safety #social-media-ban #starmer

technology26 days ago•7 min saved

UK online-safety chief warns under-16s social media ban would be unenforceable

The Molly Rose Foundation’s chief executive argues a blanket under-16s social media ban in the UK would be unenforceable and that the government should curb addictive features—autoplay, infinite scroll, and algorithms—drawing on Australia’s limited impact and Molly Russell’s case.

via BBC|

#australia-style-ban #autoplay #online-safety

politics1 month ago•6 min saved

Canada's Safe Social Media Act: guardrails earn a backdoor for platforms

Canada’s Liberal government introduced the Safe Social Media Act, which would block under-16s from creating social media accounts unless platforms can demonstrate guardrails to protect children from bullying or content that encourages self-harm; it also requires rapid removal (within 24 hours) of sexually explicit material and would regulate AI chatbots separately. The bill must pass Parliament to take effect and aligns Canada with broader global pushes for online safety ahead of G7 talks, though industry groups warn the ban could backfire and call for stronger, safer protections rather than blanket exclusion.

via Politico|

#ai-regulation #canada #child-safety

health1 month ago•3 min saved

Benadryl Challenge resurfaces as pediatric deaths spark parental caution

Connecticut doctors warn the resurfaced Benadryl Challenge may be linked to three children's deaths from exposure to the drug’s active ingredient; overdosing on diphenhydramine can cause seizures, heart problems, confusion and loss of consciousness. Parents should discuss online risks with their children, store medications securely, and seek emergency care or Poison Control if overdose is suspected; consider safer options like Zyrtec, Allegra, or Claritin.

via Click2Houston|

#benadryl-challenge #diphenhydramine-overdose #health