5 h. ago Teenage girls making TikToks: Philippa James’s best photograph

‘My daughter and her friends are part of the smartphone generation. The more time I spent with them, the more I learned about the darker side of their mobiles’This started as a project with my daughter and her friends, who are all part of the smartphone generation. They were 14 years old at the time and I wanted to learn more about the relationship they had with their mobile phones. In 2022, a study by Ofcom showed that nine out of 10 children owned one by the time they reached the age of 11, and that 91% of them used video platforms, messaging apps and social media by the age of 12. I spoke to my daughter and her friends about how they use their phones and the negative reputation that surrounds teenagers and their screens. They told me the positives as well as the negatives, such as how social media can raise confidence as well as knock it down.I asked if I could photograph them. There was very little direction from me and – rather than photographing them in a controlled portraitur...

Culture

7 d. ago We’re being deafened by digital noise. Pause it and you hear the sound of democracy in crisis | Rafael Behr

Politics is struggling to cope with the pace of technological change – and that is affecting every single one of usReturning from holiday, asked where I have been, I want to say “offline”. The more precise answer is France, where the internet is available. But I tried not to use it compulsively because there isn’t much point in getting away from it all if you carry it all with you on a phone and check it every few minutes.At some point in the past decade or so, the condition of vacation came to be defined more by detachment from the digital realm than departure from home. The break begins not in a departure lounge but with the act of logging off, setting the out-of-office email auto-reply, archiving work-related WhatsApp chats, deleting social media apps. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Man, 42, arrested at Luton Airport over alleged assault at St Pancras station

Video shared on social media last week appeared to show activist Tommy Robinson pacing around the station as a person lay still on the floor.

Events

9 d. ago Parents, don’t panic – healthy screen time for children is possible, if you follow these few simple tips | Kaitlyn Regehr

Yes, the huge firms pushing unsuitable content must be regulated. But until they are, adults can model the positive use of techDr Kaitlyn Regehr is the programme director of digital humanities at University College LondonThis summer the technology secretary, Peter Kyle, announced he was considering a two-hour “screen time” cap on children’s use of social media apps – a proposal that is not just insufficient, it’s outdated.Though appropriately placed at the start of the summer holiday – a time when kids’ screen time can increase, along with the onus on parents to ensure the safety of such engagement – Kyle’s announcement is linked to somewhat stale screen time guidance. We should indeed be thinking about moderating time on screens, but the proposed cap addresses only the quantity of consumption, not the quality. Fortunately, as someone who lectures on digital literacy (and is a mother), I can tell you there are some ways to push back and create healthier habits for children this summ...

Society

3 w. ago Harper Beckham follows in mum Victoria's footsteps after Brooklyn's olive branch amid family feud

Harper Beckham is a mini Victoria in the making as she appeared in a rare social media video showcasing her mum's beauty products

Society

3 w. ago Face age and ID checks? Using the internet in Australia is about to fundamentally change

New codes developed by the tech sector and eSafety commissioner come into effect in December, with major ramifications for internet usersGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAs the old adage goes, “On the internet, nobody knows you’re a dog”. But in Australia it might soon be the case that everything from search engines and social media sites, to app stores and AI chatbots will have to know your age.The Albanese government trumpeted the passage of its legislation banning under 16s from social media – which will come into effect in December – but new industry codes developed by the tech sector and eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant under the Online Safety Act will probably have much larger ramifications for how Australians access the internet.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Is THIS the key to finally slashing screentime? 'Dumb' iPhone is devoid of the internet, games, or social media apps

The Sage phone, launched in the UK this week by US firm Techless, comes without internet, web browsers, games and social apps like TikTok and Instagram.

Sport

4 w. ago 'Naughty' tortoise starts fire in owner's home by knocking over heat lamp

The London Fire Brigade posted about the incident on social media, along with a photo of the peckish tortoise – who appeared to be nibbling on a leaf while wrapped in a blanket

Society