UK, Australian and US discussions on online safety laws
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.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has begun legal action against Telegram for failing to remove pro-terror material, citing content linked to Christchurch and Buffalo attacks. Telegram contests the allegations as Russia charges its founder, Pavel Durov, with facilitating terrorism amid ongoing safety talks with Australia.
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.
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.
A federal trial in Oakland has opened in which California and 28 other states have accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to hook children, harvesting their data and hiding internal research. The states are seeking damages that could reach roughly $200 billion and court-ordered product redesigns to protect under-13s.
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.
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.