UK regulator for broadcast, broadband and postal services
Two Cleveland police officers, PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, and five people in a Volkswagen Passat have been pronounced dead after the Passat travelled the wrong way on the A66 at South Bank and collided with a marked armed response vehicle. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation and dozens of arrests have been made in linked inquiries.
The UK government has announced plans to bar under‑16s from major social platforms and to restrict risky features, including livestreaming, stranger‑to‑stranger chats and romantic AI chatbots for under‑18s. Ministers say the measures will start next spring; critics warn the ban is rushed, risks driving children to unregulated services and could face legal challenges.
The National Audit Office says awareness of social tariffs among broadband and water customers is low, and regulators must align measures with consumer needs. Ofgem is raising debt relief efforts as energy prices rise, while water tariffs vary by region and face criticism as a “postcode lottery.”
The Guardian and Independent report Jess Asato’s High Court claim targets xAI’s Grok for creating non-consensual, sexualised deepfake images. The action argues liability lies with AI designers for guardrails and harms, amid calls for stronger protections.
Regulator Ofcom has accelerated crisis-response measures to curb illegal content online during UK crises. Platforms must deploy crisis protocols, dedicated law-enforcement channels, and post-crisis reviews as part of updated safety codes, following incidents including 2024 riots and the Southport murders.
The government has updated the Online Safety Act to require platforms to remove illegal content quickly during crises, with firms facing fines or service blocks for non-compliance. The move follows unrest linked to a knife attack in Northern Ireland and intensified debates over social media’s role in spreading harmful material.
A wave of studies and official reports show that hotter summers are driving higher electricity costs for households in the US and UK. Analysts warn that rising prices, delayed aid, and tariff changes will shape bills this summer, triggering cautious budgeting and potential policy responses.
Racist violence sparked by a stabbing in Belfast has drawn thousands to anti-racism rallies while protests spill into Glasgow and beyond. Authorities say the unrest follows the stabbing of a Sudanese national and has been amplified online by far-right groups.
The UK government has announced plans to block children under 16 from major social media platforms and to restrict livestreaming and stranger contact on gaming services, following Australia’s model. Legislation is expected before Christmas with protections due to take effect in spring 2027; Ofcom will design "highly effective" age checks.
Two men linked to Ukraine and Romania have been convicted at London's Old Bailey of conspiring to commit arson and damaging property tied to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. A Russian-speaking Telegram handler, named El Money, directed the attacks to sow fear and disrupt UK politics. Sentencing is set for Friday as authorities stress the incident’s broader implications for security and foreign interference.
The Guardian reports a conflict around whether politicians can present the Today programme. Ofcom differentiates news from current affairs, affecting rules on who can host political programming. Other outlets weigh in on GB News and broader public broadcasting debates.
The UK faces escalating tensions after rioting in Belfast and Southampton linked to a knife attack case. Government debates online safety measures as far-right actors and social media amplify calls for protests. Protests have targeted immigrants, with authorities promising action against incitement.
IDS has disclosed a sharp rise in chief executive Martin Seidenberg’s pay for the year to 31 March, tied to a £3.6bn takeover by Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group. While executive remuneration surged, IDS reported falling group profits and weaker performance at its GLS parcel arm amid regulatory and market pressures. The group is pushing universal service changes in the UK as Ofcom investigates delivery targets.
Culture secretary has said she is minded to intervene in the Paramount-WBD merger on public-interest grounds, triggering regulatory scrutiny by Ofcom and the CMA. A final decision has not been taken; Paramount and WBD face a response deadline, with potential timelines extending into Q3 2026.
Labor deputy leader pushes for election-specific duties on major platforms to counter misinformation and foreign interference. She wants a digital code of practice and framework during elections, with the Electoral Commission collaborating with Ofcom and platforms. Critics say the move aims to protect democracy by ensuring informed choices amid opaque algorithms. The issue comes as ministers flagged concerns over platform responsibility.
Campaigners say Edwards’s Substack commentary shows a troubling return to public debate around his case, while he says he is trying to rebuild a meaningful life and discuss mental health after pleading guilty in 2024 to possessing indecent images of children.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has announced that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will leave Elon Musk’s platform X, joining the Attorney General’s Office in suspending official posts. The move comes amid scrutiny of X’s handling of misinformation, racist content and online safety, with Ofcom investigations and past government actions raising pressure as violence and protests linked to recent incidents unfold.
Australia’s social media age-restriction law has faced enforcement challenges as a study finds that initial age-inference checks are failing to identify under-16 users, despite platforms claiming to follow regulator guidance. A Kick platform shows stricter onboarding, while Meta, YouTube and others dispute the trial’s implications.
Sky has announced it will acquire ITV’s broadcasting and ITVX operations for £1.6bn, creating a major UK challenger to global streaming platforms. ITV Studios remains independent, and a long-term content-supply deal will see ITV Studios provide content to the merged group. Regulators will review the deal, which includes potential contingent payments based on advertising performance.
The film Citizen Vigilante, linked to Uwe Boll and Armie Hammer, has been posted for free by Elon Musk on X, prompting complaints that the platform amplified anti-Muslim content. UK Muslim groups urge Ofcom to assess compliance with the Online Safety Act as questions grow over X’s moderation and the safety of users.
Meta has discontinued Muse Image, its Instagram-linked AI image generator, following privacy concerns. The feature, which automatically enrolled public accounts for image generation, is no longer available. The move comes after swift criticism from creators, unions and privacy advocates, who argued the feature violated consent and risked non-consensual image manipulation.
Ofcom has fined Virgin Media £28 million after findings that millions of calls were mishandled between 2022 and 2024, delaying or blocking contract cancellations and encouraging staff to retain customers via incentives. The regulator says customers faced hold times, transfers, and deliberate call-dropping, impacting switching to rivals. Virgin Media has overhauled its customer services and will compensate affected customers.
World Cup coverage shows a surge in online abuse against players, with authorities noting a rising pattern of racist and discriminatory behavior on and off the pitch. FIFA data indicates a spike in reports to law enforcement and monitoring bodies, while unions call for stronger action from platforms and governments.
Ofcom has found 26% of UK viewers now turn to Netflix first when choosing what to watch, narrowly ahead of the BBC on 25%, while ITV is first for 15%. YouTube viewing has surged: TV viewing of YouTube has doubled since 2022 to 19 minutes a day and total daily YouTube time is 41 minutes. Traditional broadcasters’ weekly reach has fallen to 70%.
BrewDog’s founder James Watt has tabled a bid to reacquire the Scottish craft beer business he co-founded, via a new firm, Second Best. The move follows Tilray’s rescue of BrewDog earlier this year and the company’s subsequent administration, which closed bars and left investors out of pocket. The ICO is reviewing potential GDPR concerns over shareholder data.
British judges have ordered a full inquest into Jools Sweeney's 2022 death after fresh social media evidence was identified, overturning a 23-minute original inquiry that did not examine digital life. The ruling also prompts wider questions about how platforms preserve data for coroners and may influence new legal standards.
Ofcom has launched a formal investigation into TikTok over the platform’s use of age-inference checks to determine users’ ages. The regulator is examining whether these methods are highly effective and if they correctly identify child users, amid concerns about exposure to harmful content. TikTok says it complies with the Online Safety Act and will cooperate with Ofcom.
Ofcom has blocked a UK-based suicide forum for the vast majority of users and says all legal routes under the Online Safety Act have been exhausted. UK access remains possible via VPN; regulators are reviewing additional powers, including court-ordered blocking. The operator has not paid a £950,000 fine.
Ceasefire talks have stalled as fighting intensifies across Gaza. Mediators are pressing for a durable pause, while civilians bear the brunt of renewed bombardment and displacement.
A federal judge has denied xAI's emergency request to block Minnesota's law banning AI-generated non-consensual nude images, allowing the statute to take effect while xAI's wider constitutional challenge continues. xAI has argued the law is overbroad, exposes platforms to $500,000 fines per image and lacks a safe harbour; Minnesota officials have pledged to defend the statute.
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.
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.
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.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman findings show demand for ADHD and autism assessments far outstrips capacity in England. Patients face long waits, inconsistent care, and are increasingly paying privately. A government review is due to inform a national approach.
Meta has agreed to enforce safety features for under-18s in the US, with time limits, night blocks and parental controls. The UK is watching closely as ministers propose tougher protections, including a ban on under-16s from social media. The developments may push global standards.