… Meta, Snapchat and parent Snap Inc, YouTube and parent Alphabet Inc., and TikTok and parent ByteDance are facing thousands of lawsuits in both federal and state court over claims they knowingly designed their platforms to have features that addict children and teens, fueling a …
… He’s been the most played artist in the UK on YouTube in the past month, with double the number of plays of his nearest rival, Canadian star Drake. …
… These included $16m from a lawsuit against ABC, $16m from CBS Broadcasting and CBS Interactive, $24.5m from Meta, $22m from YouTube and $8m from X. …
… These included $16m from a lawsuit against ABC, $16m from CBS Broadcasting and CBS Interactive, $24.5m from Meta, $22m from YouTube and $8m from X. …
… Gonzalez Rogers also oversees related multidistrict litigation by more than 2,600 individuals, school districts and local governments over whether social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Google and YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok addict children. …
… If you have consistent access to a device and data, consider Canva for graphic design, CapCut for basic video editing, or free coding courses on platforms like freeCodeCamp, Alison, Coursera, and YouTube. …
Google’s YouTube has settled a social media addiction case brought by a 15-year-old in Florida, in a fresh legal blow for online platforms accused of fuelling a mental health crisis among children. …
Amazon Prime Video has won exclusive global rights to stream the Emmy Awards starting in 2027 under a six-year deal, ending the ceremony's rotation on traditional US broadcast networks. The ceremony will stream live for free worldwide each September without requiring a Prime Video subscription.
Amazon Prime Video has won exclusive global rights to stream the Emmy Awards starting in 2027 under a six-year deal, ending the ceremony's rotation on traditional US broadcast networks. The ceremony will stream live for free worldwide each September without requiring a Prime Video subscription.
Ghana has built foundations for protecting children online through legislation like the Cybersecurity Act 2020 and frameworks involving multiple agencies, but these efforts are not sufficiently connected, measurable, or fast enough to match the speed and scale of the digital world children now inhabit. Traditional child-protection systems designed for physical spaces must evolve to address online threats like grooming, blackmail, and sexual exploitation that can occur remotely.
More than 1,000 news providers, including the New York Times and Reuters, have signed up for World News Day on Monday to promote journalism amid declining trust and an industry "existential threat". Trust in news dropped to a new low globally in 2026, with people increasingly turning to social media and AI chatbots for news.
Rockstar Games revealed a 34-track Grand Theft Auto 6 soundtrack compilation featuring artists including Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen, and PinkPantheress, set for physical release on CD and vinyl. The announcement has sparked fan debate over the irony of releasing the soundtrack in physical formats while keeping the game digital-only.
Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel told the BBC that the firm would be "willing to implement" time limits for teen users, calling it "an important step forward for the industry." Meta is pressing other social media companies to adopt similar measures after agreeing to a $12.7bn settlement with US states over allegations that it designed apps to be addictive to young users.
The European Union will propose a ban restricting under-15s from social media, video-sharing platforms, AI chatbots, and online games as part of an EU Kids Act. The proposal allows gradual access to services by age while imposing obligations on companies depending on service type and child age.
Alphabet's Google will invest at least €13 billion ($15.1 billion) in AI infrastructure in Finland over the next two years, including three new data centres in the north and a 22-year nuclear power purchase agreement for up to 50% of one nuclear plant's energy output. The deal marks Google's biggest European investment and first nuclear energy deal outside the United States.
Stella Parton has asked fans to stop posting "AI garbage" and fake tributes following her sister Dolly Parton's death on 25 August at age 80, calling the flood of artificial content "challenging to absorb" and urging more compassion. The plea echoes similar requests from families of other late celebrities who have objected to AI-generated videos and content created as tributes.
Ghana's $150 million music industry, growing 10 per cent annually, faces piracy and streaming revenue challenges that prevent artists from monetising hits sustainably. According to Ghana Songs CEO Bright Dwomoh, piracy costs the industry more than GH₵10 million annually, while streaming payouts average around GH₵0.05 per stream and royalty distribution transparency remains a concern.
Afrobeats star Davido has threatened to leave music following persistent attacks from individuals globally, posting on X that he would "soon leave their music" to pursue other ventures, though fans and industry players have urged him not to bow to pressure.
Children growing up in a digital world face risks from oversharing personal details such as location, school identity, and home information on social media and other platforms, often without realizing the exposure. Digital safety requires both parental controls and conversations with children about online experiences, since restricting device access alone does not protect them from inappropriate content on others' devices.
Anointed gospel recording artist and worship minister Ken Blege has announced the global release of his new album, He Found Me, which captures a transformative spiritual journey and is available for streaming and download worldwide on multiple platforms.
After Meta settled a US lawsuit by agreeing to add child safety measures, the UN human rights chief said all social media platforms should be redesigned to protect children and that governments must act rather than wait for courts to intervene. Meta's proposed changes include time limits and parental supervision controls, aligned with the UN's May framework for safer platform design.
Meta Platforms has agreed to a historic settlement with dozens of U.S. states over allegations that its platforms fueled a youth mental health crisis, agreeing to pay up to $18 billion and overhaul key features on Facebook and Instagram. The company will initially pay approximately $12 billion, with additional payments conditional on whether competing platforms adopt similar safety standards.
Meta Platforms has settled claims brought by 29 states that the company designed Instagram and Facebook to addict children, misled consumers about safety, and improperly collected personal data from child users without parental consent. The settlement was reached during a federal court trial in California, averting what would have been a major test of allegations that social media companies harmed young users.
Adam Mosseri, Instagram's head since 2018, testified in a trial brought by 29 U.S. states over alleged addictive design that few teenagers — in the low-single digits — used the "Take a Break" feature before Instagram made it the default setting in September 2024, nearly three years after its launch. Mosseri acknowledged the feature was available to users but said most teens didn't want it before being made mandatory.
TikTok has agreed to pay $400 million to the US to settle allegations that it and parent company ByteDance violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act by collecting data on millions of users under 13. The settlement is one of the largest-ever over child privacy issues, following similar violations by YouTube ($170 million in 2019) and Epic Games ($275 million in 2022).
A 15-year-old girl from New Jersey dismissed her claims against Meta, Google, and Snap, which alleged the platforms' owners contributed to her social media addiction, depression, and self-harm. Her attorney said the plaintiff chose to dismiss the remainder of her claims to resume her life, though she had sought to hold social media companies accountable.
A jury trial beginning Tuesday, filed by 30 US states including California and New York, claims Meta violated federal and state privacy laws for children. The states seek over $1 trillion in damages and demand changes to Instagram and Facebook, including ending "like" counts, infinite scroll, autoplay video, filters, and other features they say manipulate young users into prolonged engagement.
Nigerian singer Ayra Starr underwent major surgery two weeks before releasing her album Starrgirl and returned to performing within days, telling the Today show: "I'm healing. I have strength today."
Top social media platforms urged the Australian government not to rely heavily on early evidence that most children still use their products despite a landmark under-16 ban introduced in December, as lawmakers consider doubling maximum penalties to A$99 million and expanding regulators' investigative powers. Australia's eSafety Commissioner reported that roughly 80% of minors were still on social media months after the ban took effect but noted modest declines in underage accounts and said enforcement would drive further change.
Meta said Thursday it had taken down more than 750,000 accounts suspected to be held by Australians under 16 since the country's social media ban went live in December, with 462,000 Instagram and 294,000 Facebook accounts deactivated through June. The action comes as Australia's internet regulator considers an enforcement lawsuit against platforms for insufficient compliance, though independent studies showed more than eight in 10 under-16s remained on social media in the ban's first three months.
U.S. House Democrats are developing an investigative strategy targeting companies and financial firms surrounding President Trump, using hearings, subpoenas, and document requests rather than pursuing immediate impeachment. Democrats say this approach, informed by lessons from Trump's first term, aims to build evidence of whether Trump used his power to benefit himself, allies, or donors.
Disney and TikTok have agreed a deal allowing creators to use clips from Disney films and TV shows, including franchises like Star Wars, Toy Story, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in their videos. The scheme will launch in the US before rolling out to other countries.
Disney and TikTok have agreed a deal allowing creators to use clips from Disney films and subsidiaries—including Star Wars, Toy Story, and Marvel—in their videos, which will also be shared on Disney's short-form video platform Verts. The scheme launches in the US before rolling out to other countries.
Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison has defended the company's $110bn takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery in a New York Times op-ed, rejecting antitrust concerns by arguing the combined entity would account for less than 20% of US television watch time and would compete against tech giants with greater resources.
After years of social media speculation about her body and health, Ariana Grande's spokesperson said she will take a step back from public-facing work after finishing her current tour. Her new album Petal addresses pressures of fame, with its title track video depicting rejection and criticism of various personas.
Russian authorities have charged Pavel Durov, cofounder of the encrypted messaging platform Telegram, with "aiding terrorism" and issued an international arrest warrant, alleging his company failed to remove channels and bots used by Ukrainian special services and terrorist organisations to coordinate attacks in Russia.
Netflix has overtaken the BBC as Britons' first choice for television viewing, with 26% of viewers turning to the U.S. streaming service first compared with 25% for the BBC, according to Ofcom's annual Media Nations report, which also found broadcaster-owned streaming services rose 9% year-on-year.
Rapper Yung Filly told a Western Australian court on Monday that "vibes were good" between him and a woman who accuses him of rape after a 2024 Perth nightclub performance. The 30-year-old, whose real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos, has pleaded not guilty to six counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count of strangulation.