The Guardian

Guardian analysis of X feed shows how keen world’s richest person was to air his views and ‘interfere’ in British politics Elon Musk posted about race and immigration in the UK on his social media network X twice as often as he did about SpaceX, which he also owns, in the run-up to the aerospace and AI company’s initial public offering. A Guardian analysis of Musk’s posts, replies and reposts bet…

Exclusive: National Crime Agency and safety watchdog issue guidance amid rise in explicit material online AI prey: why watchdogs are telling parents to protect children from nudification apps The UK National Crime Agency has recommended parents should not put photos of their children on public display online as part of landmark guidance to tackle the rise of AI-generated sexual abuse material. Ad…

Culture secretary says her department will stop using platform, citing concern over its far right content that fuels violence and division The UK’s culture and media department will stop using X because the site “now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate”, Lisa Nandy has announced. The culture secretary’s department is the UK’s second to quit the Elon Musk-owned platform over in…

Modern AI systems are, in effect, a universal adviser to help people do harmful things. We’ll need to harness AI for defense, too Earlier this week, national security agencies from the Five Eyes – that’s the rich, English-language-speaking countries club – jointly released a statement warning of the increasing cyber risks of AI models: in particular, their ability to autonomously hack into system…

Up to 4,000 community banks fear looming legislation to regulate digital cash will deprive rural firms and farmers of $850bn-worth of loans On a quiet summer morning, above a small mid-western town, an American flag is waving in the breeze. The camera cuts to a father helping his son at the wheel of a tractor, and flits to a smiling couple on a grass-lined pavement, moments before flashing to gra…

The podcaster and TV host talks to us about doomscrolling, aliens and a horrifying sound healing that made her want to vomit What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? It’s not really advice, but it is something my mum said when I was going through a breakup with a guy who treated me so badly our whole relationship. She said, “Oh, I feel so sorry for him.” And I was like, “Why do you…

Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers, linked to the Scattered Spider hacking group, change pleas on first day of trial Two British cybercriminals from the Scattered Spider hacking group have pleaded guilty to a cyber-attack on Transport for London in 2024 that cost £39m and affected 10 million people. Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 18, pleaded guilty to offences under the Computer Misuse Act at W…

Twenty years ago I briefly became the victim of a viral pile-on – all because of a silly YouTube video. But I’m glad I had the chance to embarrass myself and move on. Are today’s teens so fortunate? As a teenager, I went kind of viral – and the most amazing thing about that is it had absolutely zero effect on my life. It was the summer holidays in 2006, and my friends Jessie, Emma and I decided t…

Need something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days Continue reading...

Age verification means that the sector’s biggest players will now have access to information that will only make them richer and more powerful This week, the UK announced a wide-ranging ban on social media that will soon block users from communicating or accessing information on apps such as X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Snapchat unless they prove that they’re over the age of 16. Th…

Exclusive: Richard Hermer’s department understood to be first in government to restrict use after recent riots The attorney general has told his office to no longer post on X, making it the first UK government department to stop using the Elon Musk-owned platform amid increasing worries about its use to incite violence and racism. Richard Hermer’s office last posted on X on Friday, and it is unde…

Directive aimed at government workers, but reports of wider implementation spark warnings of future Afghanistan-wide prohibition The Taliban have ordered a sweeping ban on the use of smartphones by government officials – in what some analysts say could foreshadow broader, population-level restrictions. In a directive issued by the Taliban’s military courts and reviewed by the Guardian, the ban wa…

As the pornography platform has exploded in popularity, a side industry has emerged: middlemen who encourage young women into the industry, then take a large cut of their earnings Markuss Hussle wants his online students to understand one thing: he knows how to make money. There is no subtlety involved. He gives an hour-long presentation in one video, sitting next to his silver Lamborghini. In an…

Prime minister expected to unveil ‘Australia plus’ ban for under-16s on apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat Good morning. In Downing Street officials reportedly refuse to talk about Keir Starmer wanting to establish a legacy. But it is hard for the rest of us to avoid the word, particularly on a morning particularly on a morning when he has summoned reporters to Downing Street for an 8am …

Smac McCreanor, a content creator who recreates viral internet trends through dance, gets woken up by bunnies every day Have you seen the video of Smac McCreanor pretending to be a parakeet ? Dressed in green, she gracefully slides and sidesteps, occasionally lifting her arms – or wings? – mimicking the movements of a bird who went viral for his dance moves . McCreanor, 33, translates the interne…