White House warns trading partners against ‘imposing digital services taxes, fines, and other forms of extortion’ on US tech sector

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The Trump administration will confront Australia over its plan to force digital platforms to take down harmful content and let users opt out of algorithm-generated “for you” feeds.

Big tech companies would be fined more than $100m for breaching the proposed laws and the Australian government is under pressure to raise those fines even further.

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© Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/EPA

© Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/EPA

© Photograph: Annabelle Gordon/EPA

Sick of doomscrolling? From venues with smartphone swear jars to cabins with absolutely no signal, here are the fun and freeing ways to ditch your device

There’s a ritual at the start of every event hosted by the Offline Project. Run by Pelé Zachariah, the activities vary – it could be a group walk, a collage‑making class or a supper club – but each one begins in the same way, *with an invitation to hand over your phone. Devices go in a lockbox. Once they’re all in, Zachariah closes the door and turns the key. “I don’t place them in for people, because it’s nice for them to physically put it in the box themselves, walk away, and think: for the next two or three hours, I’m fully present.”

He has been running these screen-free events in London since August 2025. First-timers can be apprehensive about being separated from their phone. “You can sense the vibe when they’re putting it away,” says Zachariah. “People have said to me, ‘I felt really weird’ or ‘I felt super uncomfortable for the first few minutes not having my phone on me.’ Then they’ll say, ‘I didn’t know how much I needed that.’”

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© Photograph: Silent Book Club

© Photograph: Silent Book Club

© Photograph: Silent Book Club

Ofcom concerned TikTok’s age verification is ineffective, leaving some exposed to posts on suicide, self-harm and pornography

TikTok is under formal investigation over concerns it has failed to protect children from harmful content, the UK’s online regulator, Ofcom, has announced.

The social media platform’s approach to checking the ages of users has sparked “particular concerns” at the watchdog, almost a year after measures to protect children from the worst of online content came into effect under the Online Safety Act.

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© Photograph: True Images/Alamy

© Photograph: True Images/Alamy

© Photograph: True Images/Alamy

All the young people the Guardian spoke to disagreed with aspects of the government’s proposed block

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds in Britain are to be encouraged to observe a midnight to 6am social media curfew but will be able to opt out by changing their account settings.

From next spring, they will be urged to refrain from using certain apps, with the block being switched on by default. But the curfew will not be mandatory and can be overridden.

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© Photograph: Cultura/Alamy

© Photograph: Cultura/Alamy

© Photograph: Cultura/Alamy

Just as last week was ending, the US government forced Anthropic to pull its two newest models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, citing national security concerns after Amazon researchers allegedly found a way to bypass Fable 5’s guardrails.  Cybersecurity researchers have since signed an open letter calling the move dangerous, and Anthropic itself noted the same jailbreaks exist in other models. So is […]

According to Keir Starmer, a teenager doesn’t have the judgement to scroll through Instagram without state supervision, but does have the judgement to pick the next government. We are governed by idiots, says Clive Pinder.

The post Too Young for TikTok, Old Enough to Vote? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

The evidence from Australia is clear, says Dr Reuben Kirkham, Director of the Free Speech Union of Australia: Sir Keir Starmer's social media 'ban' is doomed to fail. And it targets the wrong things anyway.

The post Keir Starmer’s Doomed Social Media ‘Ban’ appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

The ban would apply to a range of social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Australia is implementing a digital ID system for all, including minors, to access social media, supposedly to protect children online. The initiative, starting December 10, 2025, raises concerns about privacy and surveillance. It can only lead to excessive government control and censorship of individuals. I urge resistance. Do not comply!

Australia is facing increasing governmental control resembling a surveillance state, driven by initiatives like the mandatory Digital ID and age verification for social media. Critics argue it undermines freedoms in pursuit of safety, likening it to an Orwellian dystopia.

In 2024, Australia enacted a groundbreaking law prohibiting social media use for individuals under 16. This law, driven by mental health concerns, mandates age verification and could lead to significant fines for non-compliance. Critics warn of potential privacy violations and mass surveillance through proposed Digital ID systems.

Australia's upcoming Social Media Age Verification law will require a Digital ID for social media use, which I will refuse. Instead, I encourage subscriptions to the Bible Science Forum, with options for free, or premium membership for exclusive content.

The Australian government's Social Media Age Verification Bill has been passed without debate, aiming to impose biometric digital ID on citizens aged 16 and over. Critics warn it represents a shift towards authoritarianism and encourage voters to oppose Labor and Liberal parties.