The UK's newly announced social media ban for users under 16 requires age verification, a measure that critics say will concentrate user data in the hands of major tech companies rather than protect young people.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer framed the policy as a firm stance against tech giants, but the enforcement mechanism reveals a contradiction. The ban on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat requires age verification systems—infrastructure only major platforms can realistically implement at scale.
This consolidation of power works in big tech's favor. Age verification demands extensive personal data collection, which the largest companies are best positioned to handle and monetize. Smaller competitors lack the resources to comply, further entrenching market leaders.
The policy aims to protect minors from harmful content and excessive screen time, concerns that resonate with parents and policymakers. However, the implementation hands tech giants a gatekeeping role and access to verification data that strengthens their competitive moat.
Experts question whether the ban will achieve its stated goals while warning that the data collection requirements create new privacy risks for young people.
WhatsApp has introduced an @all mention feature that lets users notify everyone in a group chat simultaneously. The update also adds anonymous polls and improved private chat options.
X is discontinuing its Revenue Sharing program on September 7 and launching the Original Content Rewards Program in its place. Existing members must apply to the new initiative.
Snapchat is introducing a storage fee for users who want to save their photos and videos to the app's Memories feature. The move has triggered backlash from the user base.
Microsoft's quantum division leader Zulfi Alam is proceeding with claims his team engineered a new state of matter despite widespread doubt from the scientific community about the validity of the results.