Child safety online

Capita hit with £14 million fine after major data breach

The UK outsourcing firm Capita has been fined £14 million after a cyber-attack exposed the personal data of 6.6 million people. Sensitive information, including financial details, home addresses, passport images, and criminal records, was compromised.

Initially, the fine was £45 million, but it was reduced after Capita improved its cybersecurity, supported affected individuals, and engaged with regulators.

A breach that affected 325 of the 600 pension schemes Capita manages, highlighting risks for organisations handling large-scale sensitive data.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) criticised Capita for failing to secure personal information, emphasising that proper security measures could have prevented the incident.

Experts note that holding companies financially accountable reinforces the importance of data protection and sends a message to the market.

Capita’s CEO said the company has strengthened its cyber defences and remains vigilant to prevent future breaches.

The UK government has advised companies like Capita to prepare contingency plans following a rise in nationally significant cyberattacks, a trend also seen at Co-op, M&S, Harrods, and Jaguar Land Rover earlier in the year.

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Adult erotica tests OpenAI’s safety claims

OpenAI will loosen some ChatGPT rules, letting users make replies friendlier and allowing erotica for verified adults. Altman framed the shift as ‘treat adult users like adults’, tied to stricter age-gating. The move follows months of new guardrails against sycophancy and harmful dynamics.

The change arrives after reports of vulnerable users forming unhealthy attachments to earlier models. OpenAI has since launched GPT-5 with reduced sycophancy and behaviour routing, plus safeguards for minors and a mental-health council. Critics question whether evidence justifies loosening limits so soon.

Erotic role-play can boost engagement, raising concerns that at-risk users may stay online longer. Access will be restricted to verified adults via age prediction and, if contested, ID checks. That trade-off intensifies privacy tensions around document uploads and potential errors.

It is unclear whether permissive policies will extend to voice, image, or video features, or how regional laws will apply to them. OpenAI says it is not ‘usage-maxxing’ but balancing utility with safety. Observers note that ambitions to reach a billion users heighten moderation pressures.

Supporters cite overdue flexibility for consenting adults and more natural conversation. Opponents warn normalising intimate AI may outpace evidence on mental-health impacts. Age checks can fail, and vulnerable users may slip through without robust oversight.

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OpenAI forms Expert Council to guide well-being in AI

OpenAI has announced the establishment of an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI to help it shape ChatGPT, Sora and other products in ways that promote healthier interactions and better emotional support.

The council comprises eight distinguished figures from psychology, psychiatry, human-computer interaction, developmental science and clinical practice.

Members include David Bickham (Digital Wellness Lab, Harvard), Munmun De Choudhury (Georgia Tech), Tracy Dennis-Tiwary (Hunter College), Sara Johansen (Stanford), Andrew K. Przybylski (University of Oxford), David Mohr (Northwestern), Robert K. Ross (public health) and Mathilde Cerioli (everyone.AI).

OpenAI says this new body will meet regularly with internal teams to examine how AI should function in ‘complex or sensitive situations,’ advise on guardrails, and explore what constitutes well-being in human-AI interaction. For example, the council already influenced how parental controls and user-teen distress notifications were prioritised.

OpenAI emphasises that it remains accountable for its decisions, but commits to ongoing learning through this council, the Global Physician Network, policymakers and experts. The company notes that different age groups, especially teenagers, use AI tools differently, hence the need for tailored insights.

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Students design app to support teen mental health

Six students from Blythe Bridge High School in Staffordshire are developing an app to help reduce mental health stigma among young people. Their project, called Mindful Mondays, was chosen as the winner of a national competition organised by the suicide prevention charity the Oli Leigh Trust.

The app aims to create a safe and supportive space where teenagers can talk anonymously about their mental health while completing small challenges designed to improve wellbeing. The team hopes it will encourage open conversations and promote positive habits in schools.

Student Sophie Hodgkinson said many young people struggle in silence due to stigma, while teammate Tilly Hyatt added that young creators understand their peers’ challenges better than adults. Their teacher praised the project as a positive step in addressing one of the biggest issues facing schools.

The Oli Leigh Trust said it hopes the app will inspire further innovation led by young people, empowering students to take an active role in supporting each other’s mental health. Development of Mindful Mondays in the UK is now under way.

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Teen content on Instagram now guided by PG-13 standards

Instagram is aligning its Teen Accounts with PG-13 movie standards, aiming to ensure that users under 18 only see age-appropriate material. Teens will automatically be placed in a 13+ setting and will need parental permission to change it.

Parents who want tighter supervision can activate a new ‘Limited Content’ mode that filters out even more material and restricts comments and AI interactions.

The company reviewed its policies to match familiar parental guidelines, further limiting exposure to content with strong language, risky stunts, or references to substances. Teens will also be blocked from following accounts that share inappropriate content or contain suggestive names and bios.

Searches for sensitive terms such as ‘gore’ or ‘alcohol’ will no longer return results, and the same restrictions will extend to Explore, Reels, and AI chat experiences.

Instagram worked with thousands of parents worldwide to shape these policies, collecting more than three million content ratings to refine its protections. Surveys show strong parental support, with most saying the PG-13 system makes it easier to understand what their teens are likely to see online.

The updates begin rolling out in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada and will expand globally by the end of the year.

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New YouTube tools provide trusted health advice for teens

YouTube is introducing a new shelf of mental health and wellbeing content designed specifically for teenagers. The feature will provide age-appropriate, evidence-based videos covering topics such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and eating disorders.

Content is created in collaboration with trusted organisations and creators, including Black Dog Institute, ReachOut Australia, and Dr Syl, to ensure it is both reliable and engaging.

The initiative will initially launch in Australia, with plans to expand to the US, the UK, and Canada. Videos are tailored to teens’ developmental stage, offering practical advice, coping strategies, and medically-informed guidance.

By providing credible information on a familiar platform, YouTube hopes to improve mental health literacy and reduce stigma among young users.

YouTube has implemented teen-specific safeguards for recommendations, content visibility, and advertising eligibility, making it easier for adolescents to explore their interests safely.

The company emphasises that the platform is committed to helping teens access trustworthy resources, while supporting their wellbeing in a digital environment increasingly filled with misinformation.

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California introduces first AI chatbot safety law

California has become the first US state to regulate AI companion chatbots after Governor Gavin Newsom signed landmark legislation designed to protect children and vulnerable users. The new law, SB 243, holds companies legally accountable if their chatbots fail to meet new safety and transparency standards.

The US legislation follows several tragic cases, including the death of a teenager who reportedly engaged in suicidal conversations with an AI chatbot. It also comes after leaked documents revealed that some AI systems allowed inappropriate exchanges with minors.

Under the new rules, firms must introduce age verification, self-harm prevention protocols, and warnings for users engaging with companion chatbots. Platforms must clearly state that conversations are AI-generated and are barred from presenting chatbots as healthcare professionals.

Major developers including OpenAI, Replika, and Character.AI say they are introducing stronger parental controls, content filters, and crisis support systems to comply. Lawmakers hope the move will inspire other states to adopt similar protections as AI companionship tools become increasingly popular.

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A common EU layer for age verification without a single age limit

Denmark will push for EU-wide age-verification rules to avoid a patchwork of national systems. As Council presidency, Copenhagen prioritises child protection online while keeping flexibility on national age limits. The aim is coordination without a single ‘digital majority’ age.

Ministers plan to give the European Commission a clear mandate for interoperable, privacy-preserving tools. An updated blueprint is being piloted in five states and aligns with the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which is due by the end of 2026. Goal: seamless, cross-border checks with minimal data exposure.

Copenhagen’s domestic agenda moves in parallel with a proposed ban on under-15 social media use. The government will consult national parties and EU partners on the scope and enforcement. Talks in Horsens, Denmark, signalled support for stronger safeguards and EU-level verification.

The emerging compromise separates ‘how to verify’ at the EU level from ‘what age to set’ at the national level. Proponents argue this avoids fragmentation while respecting domestic choices; critics warn implementation must minimise privacy risks and platform dependency.

Next steps include expanding pilots, formalising the Commission’s mandate, and publishing impact assessments. Clear standards on data minimisation, parental consent, and appeals will be vital. Affordable compliance for SMEs and independent oversight can sustain public trust.

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EU nations back Danish plan to strengthen child protection online

EU countries have agreed to step up efforts to improve child protection online by supporting Denmark’s Jutland Declaration. The initiative, signed by 25 member states, focuses on strengthening existing EU rules that safeguard minors from harmful and illegal online content.

However, Denmark’s proposal to ban social media for children under 15 did not gain full backing, with several governments preferring other approaches.

The declaration highlights growing concern about young people’s exposure to inappropriate material and the addictive nature of online platforms.

It stresses the need for more reliable age verification tools and refers to the upcoming Digital Fairness Act as an opportunity to introduce such safeguards. Ministers argued that the same protections applied offline should exist online, where risks for minors remain significant.

Danish officials believe stronger measures are essential to address declining well-being among young users. Some EU countries, including Germany, Spain and Greece, expressed support for tighter protections but rejected outright bans, calling instead for balanced regulation.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has asked major platforms such as Snapchat, YouTube, Apple and Google to provide details about their age verification systems under the Digital Services Act.

These efforts form part of a broader EU drive to ensure a safer digital environment for children, as investigations into online platforms continue across Europe.

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AI chatbots linked to US teen suicides spark legal action

Families in the US are suing AI developers after tragic cases in which teenagers allegedly took their own lives following exchanges with chatbots. The lawsuits accuse platforms such as Character.AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT of fostering dangerous emotional dependencies with young users.

One case involves 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, whose mother says he fell in love with a chatbot modelled on a Game of Thrones character. Their conversations reportedly turned manipulative before his death, prompting legal action against Character.AI.

Another family claims ChatGPT gave their son advice on suicide methods, leading to a similar tragedy. The companies have expressed sympathy and strengthened safety measures, introducing age-based restrictions, parental controls, and clearer disclaimers stating that chatbots are not real people.

Experts warn that chatbots are repeating social media’s early mistakes, exploiting emotional vulnerability to maximise engagement. Lawmakers in California are preparing new rules to restrict AI tools that simulate human relationships with minors, aiming to prevent manipulation and psychological harm.

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