Meta trial lawyer to advise UK as scrutiny of social media design grow April 12, 2026 A US trial lawyer who led a landmark case against Meta is set to advise the UK government, as ministers consider tougher action on the impact of social media platforms. Matthew Bergman, who represented a young claimant in a high-profile Los Angeles lawsuit, is expected to be consulted as part of ongoing discussions around online [...]
Apple’s new ID checks dubbed as ‘ransomware’ as UK rollout begins March 26, 2026 Apple is rolling out mandatory age verification checks for iPhone and iPad users in the UK, prompting criticism from privacy campaigners who have likened the move to ‘ransomware’. The changes introduced by the latest iOS update will require users to confirm they are over 18 to access certain apps and services. Those who do not [...]
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 [...]
Government drops AI copyright opt-out plan after industry backlash March 18, 2026 The government has scrapped its preferred proposal to allow AI firms to train on copyrighted material by default, as it shifts its approach after sustained opposition from the UK’s creative sector. In a report published on Tuesday morning, ministers confirmed they are U-turning from the proposed ‘opt-out’ model, which would have allowed developers to use [...]
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 CityAM, 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 [...]
Fractile pledges £100m UK expansion amid AI chip push February 10, 2026 UK chip start-up Fractile has announced a £100m expansion of its British operations, scaling up in London and Bristol as ministers step up calls for greater domestic ownership of critical AI. The investment, which will be rolled out over the next three years, will fund a new industrial hardware engineering facility in Bristol. The move [...]
Whitehall leans on AI to fix failing public services January 27, 2026 The UK government is accelerating its use of AI across public services, as ministers look to modernise creaking systems, boost productivity and strengthen national security. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a new cohort of British AI specialists who will spend the next year embedded in government. They will be backed [...]
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 [...]
Labour pencils £210m cyber plan to curb escalating attacks January 6, 2026 The UK government has unveiled a £210m cyber action plan aimed at shoring up the public services, as ministers face mounting pressure to respond to a sharp rise in attacks on major British businesses. The plan, published on Tuesday, comes amid a backdrop of high-profile cyber incidents that hit retailers including M&S, Co-op and Jaguar [...]
Big Tech braces as Keir Starmer flirts with Australia-style social media ban December 22, 2025 According to reports, Keir Starmer is weighing up an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, as ministers reassess how far the UK should go in regulating online platforms for kids. The prime minister has previously said he was “personally” opposed to a blanket ban, arguing that the focus should be on controlling content instead. [...]