3 h. ago Albanese is taking away social media for children but hanging out mistletoe for AI. It’s magical thinking | Peter Lewis

The PM won big by convincing us we could avoid the madness of Donald Trump’s new world order but Labor’s feeble AI plan embeds Australia deeply in its orbitGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastI’m blaming Santa. As 2025 reaches its inevitable endgame, I can’t help thinking we have all become gullible children enthralled by the promise of tech cornucopia, refusing to see the folds in our logic because deep down we don’t want to break the magic.While the federal government prepares to take the toys off the children with its world-first social media ban, it is hanging out the stockings for the self-same tech overlords to fill with new goodies via its light-touch National AI Plan. Continue reading...

Politics

18 h. ago Australia PM tells teens to ‘read a book and stop scrolling’ as social media ban comes into effect

New law forces major platforms to block under-16s as global attention turns to Australia’s experiment

Politics

20 h. ago MPs pledge support as Jimmy Lai spends 78th birthday in prison ‘for believing in freedom of speech’

British media tycoon’s children raise alarm over his failing health in Hong Kong jail

Events

26 h. ago Georgia longed for a baby. At 40, she decided to find a sperm donor and found the perfect man. Peter was handsome, caring and educated... until they met and she discovered the brutal, horrific truth

In Peter Lewis, she thought she had found the perfect man. A handsome science graduate, Lewis, 40, had an established reputation as an online donor, having already fathered almost 50 kids.

Politics

37 h. ago Social media use damages children’s ability to focus, say researchers

Study of 8,300 US children suggests social media may be contributing to a rise in ADHD diagnosesIncreased use of social media by children damages their concentration levels and may be contributing to an increase in cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a study.The peer-reviewed report monitored the development of more than 8,300 US-based children from the age of 10 to 14 and linked social media use to “increased inattention symptoms”. Continue reading...

Events

40 h. ago Social media damages children’s attention spans in a way TV and video games don’t, study finds

‘Greater consumption of social media might explain part of the increase we’re seeing in ADHD diagnoses’, experts warn

Events

6 d. ago Australia’s social media ban explained and what it means for the UK

Australia has passed world-first legislation banning children under the age of 16 from using social media. But what does this mean for the UK? Will bans come into place? Here are the essential facts

Politics

6 d. ago Mr Men Little Miss feature film in the works from Paddington producers

David Heyman has joined the French media company StudioCanal with plans to bring one of the bestselling children’s book series of all time to the screenThe film-makers behind the successful Paddington series are to embark on a feature film adaptation of another British family favourite, the Mr Men and Little Miss series of illustrated children’s books.David Heyman, whose Heyday Films produced Paddington and Paddington 2 as well as the Harry Potter series, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and White Noise, is to join with the UK arm of French media company StudioCanal to make the film. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Mr Men and Little Miss feature film in the works from Paddington producers

David Heyman has joined the French media company StudioCanal with plans to bring one of the bestselling children’s book series of all time to the screenThe film-makers behind the successful Paddington series are to embark on a feature film adaptation of another British family favourite, the Mr Men and Little Miss series of illustrated children’s books.David Heyman, whose Heyday Films produced Paddington and Paddington 2 as well as the Harry Potter series, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and White Noise, is to join with the UK arm of French media company StudioCanal to make the film. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Australia social media ban: when is it, how will it work and what apps are being banned for under

Will the ban be delayed or postponed, and how will age verification work? Platforms will need to deactivate accounts for users under 16 and stop teens from making accounts until they are that age, or face fines of up to $50m. Here’s everything you need to knowGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s world-first social media ban for children under the age of 16 is just a week away.The tech platforms – large and small – are working on functionality that will kick off existing under-16 account holders and prevent any new ones from signing up. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Family alarmed over Jimmy Lai’s deteriorating health as he languishes in solitary confinement in Hong Kong

Hong Kong media mogul has suffered dramatic weight loss and other worrying ailments since being jailed in 2020, Lai’s family sayThe children of Hong Kong’s jailed pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai have voiced new alarm for his health, describing his dramatic weight loss, teeth rotting and nails turning green before falling off.Lai, who turns 78 next Monday, has been behind bars in Hong Kong since late 2020 as China clamps down on the financial hub to which it promised a separate system when Britain handed it over in 1997. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Publisher condemns ‘violent’ use of Franklin the Turtle after Hegseth’s boat strike post

US defense secretary posted meme depicting beloved children’s character aiming rocket launcher at set of boatsPete Hegseth told US soldiers in Iraq to ignore legal advice on rules of engagementA post on social media by US defense secretary Pete Hegseth, depicting a beloved children’s character aiming a rocket launcher at a cluster of boats, has elicited condemnation from the book’s Canadian publisher.Hegseth’s post of the mocked cover of a Franklin the Turtle book titled Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists prompted disbelief and outrage. The image shows a smiling anthropomorphic turtle in military helmet and vest, with a US flag on his arm and a drug-laden boat exploding in the background. “For your Christmas wish list,” Hegseth wrote as the caption. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago I Went To See “Paddington: The Musical,” And It’s Even More Magical Than You Think

I Went To See “Paddington: The Musical,” And It’s Even More Magical Than You Think  BuzzFeed

Politics

8 d. ago LadBaby's Mark and Rox eye up Mariah Carey for sixth Christmas number one as they launch surprising product range

They’ve had five Christmas number ones and boast over 13 million followers on social media. They’ve written eight children's books and raised an incredible £1.3 million for charity. But viral sensations, LadBaby’s Rox and Mark Hoyle, content creators who live in Nottingham, come from humble beginnings.

Politics

8 d. ago The children left unable to sit up straight by social media: 'Deeply alarming' number suffer anxiety and behavioural problems, report warns

More than a third of children aged three to five now uses at least one social media platform, despite their links to anxiety, speech and sleep issues, bad behaviour and even physical problems.

Events

8 d. ago ‘Alarming’ study shows scale of social media use among nursery

Children who haven’t yet learned to read are ‘being fed content and algorithms designed to hook adults’

Events

1 week ago The EU wants age limits on social media. What other countries already have limits?

The European Parliament agreed on a resolution calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media

Politics

1 week ago Australia will enforce a social media ban for children under 16 despite a court challenge

The Australian government says children under 16 will be banned from social media next month as scheduled despite a legal challenge

Events

2 w. ago Another country set to join Australia with ban on social media for children

Australia’s move is being closely watched by countries that share concerns about social media impacts

Politics

2 w. ago After Australia, now Malaysia to ban children under 16 from social media

Malaysia joins growing list of countries imposing ban on social media usage for children

Politics