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UK Weighs Australia-Style Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

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Britain is considering an Australia-style ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, as the government steps up scrutiny of how digital platforms affect young people’s mental health and development. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said children risk being drawn into “a world of endless scrolling, anxiety and comparison,” and warned that the government is ready to take robust action.

The move follows an announcement that officials will examine whether features such as infinite scrolling should be restricted and whether the current age at which children can access social media platforms is appropriate. Ministers are set to visit Australia, which last month became the first country to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for under-16s, to study how the policy is enforced. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said Britain is considering the same age threshold.

While supporters argue that a ban would provide clear protection for children, critics warn it could push harmful activity underground or reduce access to the positive aspects of social media. The government is also reviewing stronger age-verification checks and whether the UK’s digital age of consent is too low.

Concerns have intensified amid the rapid spread of AI-generated content online, including recent reports involving xAI’s Grok chatbot generating non-consensual sexual images. Britain has already announced plans to ban AI nudification tools and remove addictive platform features, alongside enforcing the Online Safety Act, which has increased age checks and reduced access to harmful content.

Starmer said no option is off the table as the government works with experts to identify the most effective safeguards for children online.

Denmark Moves to Ban AI Deepfakes, Giving Citizens Copyright Over Their Own Likeness

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Denmark is preparing to pass one of the world’s toughest laws against AI-generated deepfakes, aiming to give citizens new legal rights over their appearance, voice, and likeness online. The bill — expected to pass early next year — would make it illegal to share or distribute deepfake content without a person’s consent, extending copyright protections to individuals.

The proposed legislation follows growing concern about the rapid spread of deepfakes — hyper-realistic AI-generated videos, images, or audio that impersonate real people. Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said the move is essential to protect both private citizens and democracy itself, warning that political deepfakes could “undermine our democracy” by spreading falsehoods.

Under the new law, Danes would be able to demand takedowns of AI-generated content that misuses their likeness, while parody and satire would remain protected. Major tech platforms that fail to remove harmful deepfakes could face significant fines, although individuals are unlikely to face criminal penalties.

Experts have praised the move as a landmark step. “When people ask, ‘what can I do to protect myself from being deepfaked,’ the answer right now is basically nothing,” said Henry Ajder, a generative AI researcher and founder of Latent Space Advisory. “Denmark is one of the first governments to change that.”

The Danish proposal mirrors similar measures abroad. The United States recently criminalized the sharing of non-consensual intimate deepfakes, while South Korea introduced harsh penalties for deepfake pornography. Denmark’s initiative could now influence European Union policy, with France and Ireland reportedly showing interest in adopting similar laws.

For victims like Marie Watson, a Danish video game streamer whose photos were digitally altered and shared online, the legislation comes too late to undo the damage but offers hope for future protection. “When it’s online, you’re done. You can’t do anything,” she said. “It’s out of your control.”

Pinterest Shares Plunge 18% as Ad Competition and Tariff Pressures Hit Growth Outlook

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Pinterest shares tumbled 18% on Wednesday after the company issued a weaker-than-expected revenue forecast, raising concerns that the image-sharing platform is losing ground to larger digital advertising rivals amid growing tariff-related pressures. If losses hold, the drop would wipe about $4.36 billion off Pinterest’s market value.

The sharp decline contrasts with strong third-quarter results from advertising heavyweights Alphabet, Meta, and Reddit, all of which reported robust ad spending fueled by AI-powered targeting and larger global reach. Analysts said Pinterest’s smaller scale and slower innovation pace are limiting its ability to compete effectively.

Chief Financial Officer Julia Donnelly cited weaker ad spending in the United States and Canada — Pinterest’s biggest markets — as retailers face thinner margins due to new tariffs. “Larger U.S. retailers are navigating tariff-related margin pressure,” Donnelly said, adding that China-based e-commerce giants such as Temu and Shein have also reduced marketing budgets after the removal of the “de minimis” import exemption.

Pinterest now expects revenue between $1.31 billion and $1.34 billion for the current quarter, with the midpoint slightly below analyst expectations of $1.34 billion, according to LSEG data.

“Performance has been fine, but we struggle to see a catalyst for growth,” said analysts at Piper Sandler. Morgan Stanley added that Pinterest “failed to deliver” in a market increasingly rewarding innovation and upward earnings revisions.

Despite Wednesday’s steep loss, Pinterest shares remain up 13.6% for the year — outpacing Meta’s 7.2% gain over the same period.