UK broadcasting, telecoms and online safety regulator
Bumble has announced changes allowing either user to send the first message and extending the reply window to 72 hours, as part of a broader move by dating apps to combat user fatigue and lift engagement.
Radio Caroline has apologised after pre-recorded death announcements were broadcast in error on May 19. Ofcom has ruled the incident breached accuracy and correction rules, describing it as a very significant inaccuracy on a matter of high public interest. The station has reprimanded the staff member involved and moved obituary files off the studio desktop.
Channel 4’s The Great ADHD Myth? has triggered sharp criticism from academics and ADHD advocacy groups. A professor withdrew support, arguing the programme cherry-picked comments and presented ADHD as a myth. ADHD UK calls the film sensationalist and one-sided, while supporters defend science-led inquiry and rights to challenge consensus.
Royal Mail has reported improved delivery performance in the first quarter, with 85% of first-class mail delivered next day and 91.4% of second-class mail delivered within three days. Ofcom targets remain unmet, and the company has pledged to meet these benchmarks by May 2027 as part of a £500 million five-year turnaround plan. Regulators have fined the group before, and investigations continue into ongoing delays and backstop targets.
The Justice Department has reached a $400m settlement with TikTok and related entities over alleged violations of the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act. TikTok will pay $300m immediately and another $100m after a court vacates a 2019 consent decree tied to Musical.ly. The deal resolves a 2024 DOJ suit and includes stronger youth safeguards, the department says.
Two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, have been killed after a Volkswagen Passat driving the wrong way on the A66 near South Bank collided with their marked armed response vehicle at about 03:39 BST. Five occupants of the Passat also died. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation and police have arrested people in related enquiries.
Multiple fatal crashes linked to dangerous driving have triggered government pressure on social-media platforms to remove content celebrating reckless road behavior. Ministers say platforms must act now as investigations unfold and a review of online safety powers is underway.
A deadly crash in Teesside linked to social-media videos of dangerous driving has spurred government pressure on platforms to remove such content. Police say one victim had posted similar clips; officials vow to curb the trend as calls for platform action mount.
Police say a Volkswagen Passat driven dangerously collided with an armed response vehicle on the A66, killing five occupants and two officers. Authorities have arrested 12 people linked to alleged serious and organised crime as the investigation widens across Teesside.
Channel 4’s ADHD documentary has sparked a response from ADHD UK, which claims the programme misrepresents medical evidence and relies on a single-child experiment. The charity has lodged a complaint with Ofcom and is lobbying Parliament for corrections as it argues ADHD is a recognized NHS condition.
Meta has agreed to an $18bn settlement and new protections for under-18 users, introducing time limits, notifications, and restricted features in the US. The UK and other countries are watching closely as policymakers consider mirroring or strengthening safeguards amid ongoing concerns about teen online safety.
Which? flags a fake 10 Downing Street listing on Booking.com, using the PM’s address and a photo. A brief 20-minute window allowed researchers to test the booking flow. A fake review and external payment links were posted; 14 people sought to book, but only a Which? tester’s request was accepted. The listing was removed six weeks after going live, amid calls for stronger online-ads controls.
The government has announced plans to introduce a new law to require major tech platforms to build in device-level protections for children, with a focus on blocking nude images on under-18 devices. Talks with Apple and Google continue as ministers warn decisive legislation will be needed if progress remains insufficient.
Ofcom has opened an investigation into Pornhub’s age verification process, examining whether Aylo’s device-level checks are highly effective under the Online Safety Act. The regulator says the service provider bears responsibility for age assurance and is concerned that due diligence and testing may have been inadequate. A fine could reach up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue.
UK forecourts will display locations and pricing via the government Fuel Finder on Google Maps from today. Ministers say motorists can save on pump prices as prices rise globally amid the Middle East war; AA and CMA warn data accuracy and coverage remain uneven.
Royal Mail has announced a restructuring aimed at cutting head office and support functions as it implements universal service reforms amid a long-term decline in letter volumes. Frontline delivery and processing roles will be protected, with voluntary exits and natural attrition guiding the changes, which are expected to complete by the end of next year.
Public transport authorities are being empowered to impose fines up to £100 for nuisance behaviour such as loud music, vaping and littering. A nationwide campaign urges passengers to use headphones and share the carriage, not the noise, while enforcement rests with authorised officers and police.
The BBC has announced a plan to move BBC Scotland, BBC Three, and related services online as part of a broader effort to save £500m over the next two years. Linear channels will close in spring, with content rerouted to iPlayer, BBC Sounds, and YouTube while some programming shifts to BBC One/Two in Scotland. The changes aim to align with changing audience habits while preserving key regional content.
Ofcom reports nine months after the Online Safety Act’s safety duties began that harmful content exposure among children is unchanged, with personalised feeds driving much of the risk; regulators warn enforcement must tighten to protect youngsters.