UK Moves Toward Social Media Ban for Under-16s

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The UK government is considering introducing a nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16, alongside tighter regulation of artificial intelligence chatbots, as part of efforts to respond more quickly to digital risks.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration has launched a consultation on the proposed ban and is working to amend legislation so that new rules could be implemented within months after the process concludes.

Officials are also seeking to close a regulatory loophole in the Online Safety Act that currently excludes one-to-one interactions with AI chatbots from safety oversight. Authorities have raised concerns about young users forming close interactions with AI systems that were not designed with child protection in mind.

Technology minister Liz Kendall said new proposals would be presented before June and confirmed that tech companies would be responsible for ensuring compliance with UK law.

Additional measures under consideration include restrictions on “stranger pairing” in online gaming, limits on the exchange of explicit content, and enhanced digital evidence preservation in cases involving minors.

The proposals follow growing global scrutiny of digital platforms and AI tools amid rising concerns over their impact on children’s wellbeing and online safety.

SpaceX Joins Pentagon Drone AI Contest

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Elon Musk’s SpaceX and its subsidiary xAI are reportedly competing in a classified Pentagon challenge focused on developing voice-controlled autonomous drone swarm technology.

According to Bloomberg, the initiative is part of a $100 million prize competition launched in January that seeks to create systems capable of translating voice commands into digital instructions for managing multiple drones simultaneously.

The project aligns with the U.S. Defense Department’s broader strategy to accelerate domestic drone innovation and streamline development processes. The technology under consideration could play a role in future security applications, including protecting major events and critical infrastructure.

SpaceX’s participation follows its recent acquisition of xAI, combining aerospace engineering with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities ahead of the company’s planned IPO.

Major AI firms including OpenAI, Google, Anthropic and xAI previously secured Pentagon contracts worth up to $200 million each to advance AI adoption in defense systems.

Nexperia Secures $60M Loan to Boost Chip Output

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Dutch state-backed finance institution Invest International will provide semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia with a $60 million loan to support investments across its global production facilities.

The funding aims to expand output capacity, modernize manufacturing lines and improve operational efficiency.

Nexperia, based in the Netherlands and owned by China’s Wingtech, has been at the center of a geopolitical corporate dispute after Dutch authorities intervened last year by installing a European management team. The move caused tensions between Europe and China and disrupted global supply chains for basic automotive chips.

The new financing is expected to strengthen Nexperia’s production capabilities while preserving its internal resources for ongoing activities.

Separately, a Dutch court recently ordered an investigation into alleged mismanagement at the company but allowed the current European leadership to remain in place.