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Uk Government

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BBC Faces Funding Crunch as Licence Payers Fall Ahead of Charter Talks
world3 hours ago

BBC Faces Funding Crunch as Licence Payers Fall Ahead of Charter Talks

The BBC’s annual report shows a sharp drop in license-fee payers (about 539,000 fewer to roughly 23.3 million) even as licence income rose to £3.9B due to inflation. The broadcaster is pressing for a revamped funding model in its charter renewal negotiations, including options to charge streaming viewers, while implementing £500M in cost cuts and around 2,000 layoffs as it trims TV, radio and content spend in response to declining licenced usage.

via Deadline|
#bbc#charter-renewal#funding-model
UK targets Iran’s IRGC as a national-security threat under new laws
world17 hours ago

UK targets Iran’s IRGC as a national-security threat under new laws

Britain is submitting draft regulations to Parliament to criminalize support for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and designate it as a national-security threat under new powers aimed at foreign state proxies. The move, which could carry life imprisonment for acts of support or sponsorship, follows a wave of anti-Semitic attacks in the UK and accompanies listings of Iran-backed IMCR and Russia’s GRU, signaling a tougher stance on foreign interference and proxy groups amid UK–Iran tensions.

via Al Jazeera|
#foreign-proxies#irgc#national-security
UK Apologizes for State-Driven Forced Adoptions of 185,000 Babies
politics12 days ago

UK Apologizes for State-Driven Forced Adoptions of 185,000 Babies

Prime Minister Keir Starmer formally apologizes for the state- and church-backed forced adoptions carried out between 1949 and 1976, affecting about 185,000 children; the government pledges funding to help adoptees access records, reconnect families, and study long-term impacts, following Church of England admissions of responsibility and earlier recommendations.

via Al Jazeera|
#child-rights#church-of-england#forced-adoptions
Britain's Defence Investment Plan pivots to drones and deterrence with £298bn
politics14 days ago

Britain's Defence Investment Plan pivots to drones and deterrence with £298bn

Britain's long-awaited Defence Investment Plan pledges £298bn over the next four years—£15bn more than previously and the biggest uplift since the Cold War—yet critics say it underfunds defence at about 2.7% of GDP by 2030 (NATO target 3%). The plan pivots toward cheaper, autonomous systems and drones, with £63bn for the nuclear deterrent, £8bn for a UK-led next-generation RAF stealth aircraft, and a push to hybrid crews. It also funds replenishing Ukraine aid (£11bn), air/missile defence (£790m), and protection of undersea cables (£330m). The Army grows to ~76,000; some programmes are cut (e.g., Type 83 destroyers, Storm Shadow replacement), and expansion of Cadets is delayed.

via BBC|
#air-force#defence-spending#nuclear-deterrent
Britain Signals Intervention in Paramount-Skydance-Warner Merger
business14 days ago

Britain Signals Intervention in Paramount-Skydance-Warner Merger

Britain is poised to intervene in Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery after Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy indicated she is minded to intervene, citing concerns about media plurality and on-demand consolidation; parties have until July 6 to respond, and a formal action could follow. The merged group would own Channel 5, TNT Sports, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, CNN International, Paramount+, and HBO Max. Paramount has U.K./EU approvals pending, the U.S. DOJ has cleared the deal, and while some U.S. state governments may sue to block it, Paramount expects to close by early fall with a ticking fee if not.

via The Hollywood Reporter|
#business#media-plurality#paramount-skydance
UK Online ID push could bar teens; privacy groups warn
world21 days ago

UK Online ID push could bar teens; privacy groups warn

Britain is considering a law to require online age verification, effectively banning under-16s from social media and forcing adults to show ID for many online services. Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), warn the plan would create a centralized data-tracking system and may be ineffective, noting teens can bypass it with fake IDs or VPNs and that it could restrict access to educational and community content online.

via Hackaday|
#age-verification#digital-identity#eff
UK's Planned Under-16s Social Media Ban: Five Big Unknowns
technology28 days ago

UK's Planned Under-16s Social Media Ban: Five Big Unknowns

The piece outlines five major questions about the UK’s forthcoming under-16s social‑media ban: which apps will be restricted beyond the government’s listed sites (Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X) and how gaming platforms like Roblox will be treated; whether YouTube Kids will be exempt; why messaging apps like WhatsApp are unlikely to be banned; how age-check enforcement and potential VPN use could shape compliance; and whether the policy can come into force by early 2027 amid parliamentary process and potential legal challenges.

via BBC|
#roblox#social-media-ban#technology
UK to bar under-16s from major social networks by 2027
technology29 days ago

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
UK to block under-16s from social media by spring 2027 with age checks
technology29 days ago

UK to block under-16s from social media by spring 2027 with age checks

Britain’s Labour government unveiled a plan to ban under-16s from social media by spring 2027, backed by age‑verification measures. The ban would cover major platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while WhatsApp and Signal would remain unaffected and YouTube Kids would continue for under‑16s. Roblox would see restrictions rather than a blanket ban. While pitched as protecting young people, officials acknowledge enforcement challenges and potential VPN workarounds, and critics warn the policy isn’t a silver bullet and could have broader social impacts.

via BBC|
#age-verification#social-media-ban#technology
US urges UK to skip blanket under-16 social media ban, favors parental controls
world1 month ago

US urges UK to skip blanket under-16 social media ban, favors parental controls

The White House urged the UK not to impose a blanket under-16 social media ban, arguing such one-size-fits-all rules would place an undue burden on US tech firms and that parents should be given robust tools to manage privacy and account settings, with platforms encouraged to provide safer online experiences; the stance comes as the UK pursues tighter online-safety measures under the Online Safety Act amid regulatory scrutiny and ongoing legal challenges involving major platforms.

via The Guardian|
#online-safety#platform-regulation#social-media
UK orders Apple and Google to block nude images on under-18 devices within three months
technology1 month ago

UK orders Apple and Google to block nude images on under-18 devices within three months

Britain's government has urged Apple and Google to automatically enable or update features that prevent under-18s from taking, sending, or viewing nude images on smartphones and tablets; if firms don’t voluntarily comply within three months, legislation could force them to act, with penalties including fines or criminal liability. The plan would apply to OS providers and the retail chain, and would not affect adult users. Apple already provides age-verified protections and reporting tools, while Google says it remains committed to child safety. The move ties into the Online Safety Act and ongoing discussions on restricting young people's access to social platforms.

via BBC|
#apple#child-protection#google
UK MPs warn Palantir dependence could become a public-service weakness
politics1 month ago

UK MPs warn Palantir dependence could become a public-service weakness

UK MPs say the UK’s growing reliance on Palantir’s data-analytics tools is an “unacceptable” weakness that could give the vendor outsized bargaining power and risk public services if Palantir withholds support. The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee urges the NHS to exercise an early-termination clause in its Palantir contract and notes about $750 million in contracts with the NHS and the Ministry of Defense, alongside dependencies on other cloud providers. While Palantir defends its role as a neutral partner, critics question the company’s political stances and urge reducing reliance on a single vendor to protect public interests.

via WIRED|
#nhs#palantir#politics
UK sanctions tweak sparks cross-party backlash over Russian oil loophole
politics1 month ago

UK sanctions tweak sparks cross-party backlash over Russian oil loophole

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces cross-party criticism after ministers quietly issued a sanctions licence allowing jet fuel and diesel refined from Russian crude to continue importing, effectively easing the ban; government says the exemptions are temporary and will be suspended soon, while opponents warn the move undermines sanctions and signals weakness to Moscow.

via politico.eu|
#diesel#jet-fuel#politics