3 d. ago France to ban children from social media, following Australia's example

President Emmanuel Macron is backing draft legislation that would make it illegal for social media companies to offer their services to under-15s.

Politics

6 d. ago Researchers say that giving a child a smartphone before this age could be dangerous

Australia has become the first country to ban social media, including TikTok and Instagram, for children under 16

Technology

1 week ago Elon Musk, AI and the antichrist: the biggest tech stories of 2025

A look back at the biggest tech stories of the year, from the rise and fall of Musk’s Doge to lucrative investments into AIHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, wishing you a happy and healthy end of the year. I myself have a cold.Today, we are looking back at the biggest stories in tech of 2025 – Elon Musk’s political rise, burst, and fall; artificial intelligence’s subsumption of the global economy, all other technology, and even the Earth’s topography; Australia’s remarkable social media ban; the tech industry’s new Trumpian politics; and, as a treat, a glimpse of the apocalypse offered by one of Silicon Valley’s savviest and strangest billionaires.How an obscure US government office has become a target of Elon MuskHow Elon Musk’s billionaire Doge lieutenant took over the US’s biggest MDMA company | Technology | The GuardianThe chaos Elon Musk and Doge are leaving behind in WashingtonEggings, swastikas and dog poop: Tesla bears brunt of people’s ire ag...

Politics

2 w. ago The Guardian view on Australia’s social media ban: dragging tech companies into action | Editorial

Children under the age of 16 needed protecting and the moral argument wasn’t winning. Government regulation can change the terms of debateOn 10 December, the world watched as Australia enacted the first social media ban for under-16s. Whether it will have the desired effect of improving young people’s lives we are yet to find out. But what the ban has achieved already is clear.Many politicians, along with academics and philosophers, have noted that self-regulation has not been an effective safeguard against the harms of social media – especially when the bottom line for people like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk depends on keeping eyes on screens. For too long, these companies resisted, decrying censorship and prioritising “free speech” over moderation. The Australian government decided waiting was no longer an option. The social media ban and similar regulation across the world is now dragging tech companies kicking and screaming toward change. That it has taken the force of the law...

Politics

2 w. ago Ten minutes of terror: how the Bondi mass shooting unfolded in real time – video

Warning: this video contains footage that may be distressing to some viewers. At 6.41pm Sunday, on a footbridge overlooking Archer Park at Bondi beach, two gunmen opened fired in what would become Australia's worst mass shooting since the Port Arthur massacre. Guardian Australia's video team has pieced together footage posted to social media, showing the attack from different angles‘We are all human beings first’: Jews and Muslims embrace at vigils for those killed in Bondi beach terror attack‘We need to be here’: a paddle-out for Bondi – in pictures‘Pandemonium’, a woman in labour and every bandage in the clubhouse: how lifesavers became first responders in the Bondi shooting Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Peter Andre 'fully supports' social media ban as he issues chilling warning

Peter Andre has backed Australia's social media ban for teenagers and warned that the 'dangers are so real' online for children as he hopes that other countries will follow suit

Events

3 w. ago Peter Andre warns dangers of social media are 'so real' as he backs Australian ban

EXCLUSIVE: In his weekly column, Peter shares all about the "pressure" parents feel in the build-up to Christmas, why he doesn't believe in New Year's resolutions and warns of the "dangers" of social media as he backs Australia's ban

Events

3 w. ago Australia’s social media ban has given us a way to fight big tech – and get my son back on his skateboard | Sisonke Msimang

The ban on under-16s accessing ‘harmful’ content that began this week has overwhelming approval from adults – even if it had a few teething issuesA few weeks ago, my 14-year-old went into the garage, pulled out his skateboard and told me this was going to be his “skate park summer”. I was curious about what was sparking his renewed interest in an activity he hadn’t thought about since he was 12. His response: “The ban.”I was thrilled. As far as I was concerned, Australia’s world-first social media law aimed at preventing children under 16 from accessing social media apps was already a success. But this week, as the ban took effect, my son wasn’t so sure. Access to his accounts remained largely unchanged. Many of his friends were in the same position. Across the country, the rollout has been uneven, as social media companies try to work out how to verify kids’ ages.Sisonke Msimang is the author of Always Another Country: A Memoir of Exile and Home (2017) and The Resurrection of Winni...

Politics

3 w. ago Will other countries follow Australia’s social media ban for under

Several European nations are already planning similar moves while Britain has said ‘nothing is off the table’Australia is taking on powerful tech companies with its under-16 social media ban, but will the rest of the world follow? The country’s enactment of the policy is being watched closely by politicians, safety campaigners and parents. A number of other countries are not far behind, with Europe in particular hoping to replicate Australia, while the UK is keeping more of a watchful interest. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Australia’s social media ban launched with barely a hitch – but the real test is still to come

The policy to cut off social media access for more than 2 million under-16s remains popular with Australians, while other countries look to follow suitOn the lawns of the prime minister’s Kirribilli residence in Sydney, overlooking the harbour, Anthony Albanese said he had never been prouder.“This is a day in which my pride to be prime minister of Australia has never been greater. This is world-leading. This is Australia showing enough is enough,” he said as the country’s under-16s social media ban came into effect on Wednesday. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Reddit launches High Court challenge against Australia’s social media ban

Both legal actions contend the legislation is unconstitutional

Events

3 w. ago Reddit launches High Court challenge to Australia's social media ban for under

Platform fights landmark ban on use of social media by young people saying it is preventing free political expression

Events

3 w. ago Planning to visit the US? Take it from this American citizen – don’t | Eleanor Limprecht

I love many things about the land of my birth but Donald Trump’s America has become an unwelcoming country of deep divisions and waning trustI’m in the US right now, but if I didn’t have family here (and a US passport), I wouldn’t be. My teenagers and I flew over the week of Thanksgiving from Australia, preparing ourselves for long lines and extra questions at customs. It took less than five minutes in the US citizens’ line.With the news this week of the Trump administration planning to implement new invasive requirements for travellers from 42 countries, including Australia, that would require five years of social media history for visas, I would simply not travel here on another passport. There are plenty of places which welcome visitors without trawling their political opinions and family history. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Meghan and Harry warned as couple accused of 'meddling' in politics AGAIN by praising Australia's social media ban for under 16s 

Australia is the first country to impose national age limits on social media, with 10 major platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, required to block anyone under 16 from creating an account.

Events

3 w. ago The Standard podcast: Should the UK enforce a social media ban for under

Listen here on your chosen podcast platform.

Politics

3 w. ago Following Australia's lead, Denmark plans to ban social media for children younger than 15

Denmark is planning to follow Australia in introducing stricter restrictions for younger teens to access social media

Politics

3 w. ago Australia demands social media giants report progress on account bans for children under 16

Australian authorities are demanding major social media platforms report on account deactivations since a ban on users under 16 became law

Politics

3 w. ago Will Australia’s social media ban survive a high court challenge from two teenagers? Most likely – here’s why | Luke Beck

The under-16s ban is a pragmatic first step in trying to reduce the potential harm on young people of addictive products. It is not undermining the democratic processGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA constitutional challenge is pending against the government’s under-16 social media account ban. The case argues that the law contravenes the implied freedom of political communication. It is likely to fail.Two 15-year-olds, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, backed by the Digital Freedom Project advocacy group will argue that the law is unconstitutional because it impermissibly burdens the implied freedom of political communication. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Prince Harry and Meghan issue an extraordinary statement about Australia's social media ban and fire a scathing blast at big tech: 'It shouldn't have come to this'

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have issued a message for Australia.

Politics

3 w. ago Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issue statement: 'It shouldn't have come to this'

The statement, released through the Archewell Foundation, discusses Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's thoughts on Australia's decision to ban under-16s from social media

Politics