Children’s rights

France accelerates rapid ban on social media for under-15s

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an accelerated legislative process to introduce a nationwide ban on social media for children under 15 by September.

Speaking in a televised address, Macron said the proposal would move rapidly through parliament so that explicit rules are in place before the new school year begins.

Macron framed the initiative as a matter of child protection and digital sovereignty, arguing that foreign platforms or algorithmic incentives should not shape young people’s cognitive and emotional development.

He linked excessive social media use to manipulation, commercial exploitation and growing psychological harm among teenagers.

Data from France’s health watchdog show that almost half of teenagers spend between two and five hours a day on their smartphones, with the vast majority accessing social networks daily.

Regulators have associated such patterns with reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content linked to self-harm, drug use and suicide, prompting legal action by families against major platforms.

The proposal from France follows similar debates in the UK and Australia, where age-based access restrictions have already been introduced.

The French government argues that decisive national action is necessary instead of waiting for a slower Europe-wide consensus, although Macron has reiterated support for a broader EU approach.

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New AI startup secures $5M to transform children’s digital learning

AI education start-up Sparkli has raised $5 million in seed funding to develop an ‘anti-chatbot’ AI platform to transform how children engage with digital content.

Unlike traditional chatbots that focus on general conversation, Sparkli positions its AI as an interactive learning companion, guiding kids through topics such as math, science and language skills in a dynamic, age-appropriate format.

The funding will support product development, content creation and expansion into new markets. Founders say the platform addresses increasing concerns about passive screen time by offering educational interactions that blend AI responsiveness with curriculum-aligned activities.

The company emphasises safe design and parental controls to ensure technology supports learning outcomes rather than distraction.

Investors backing Sparkli see demand for responsible AI applications for children that can enhance cognition and motivation while preserving digital well-being. As schools and homes increasingly integrate AI tools, Sparkli aims to position itself at the intersection of educational technology and child-centred innovation.

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Analysis reveals Grok generated 3 million sexualised images

A new analysis found Grok generated an estimated three million sexualised images in 11 days, including around 23,000 appearing to depict children. The findings raise serious concerns over safeguards, content moderation, and platform responsibility.

The surge followed the launch of Grok’s one-click image editing feature in late December, which quickly gained traction among users. Restrictions were later introduced, including paid access limits and technical measures to prevent image undressing.

Researchers based their estimates on a random sample of 20,000 images, extrapolating from these results to more than 4.6 million images generated during the study period. Automated tools and manual review identified sexualised content and confirmed cases involving individuals appearing under 18.

Campaigners have warned that the findings expose significant gaps in AI safety controls, particularly in protecting children. Calls are growing for stricter oversight, stronger accountability, and more robust safeguards before large-scale AI image deployment.

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Japan arrests suspect over AI deepfake pornography

Police in Japan have arrested a man accused of creating and selling non-consensual deepfake pornography using AI tools. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said thousands of manipulated images of female celebrities were distributed through paid websites.

Investigators in Japan allege the suspect generated hundreds of thousands of images over two years using freely available generative AI software. Authorities say the content was promoted on social media before being sold via subscription platforms.

The arrest follows earlier cases in Japan and reflects growing concern among police worldwide. In South Korea, law enforcement has reported hundreds of arrests linked to deepfake sexual crimes, while cases have also emerged in the UK.

European agencies, including Europol, have also coordinated arrests tied to AI-generated abuse material. Law enforcement bodies say the spread of accessible AI tools is forcing rapid changes in forensic investigation and in the handling of digital evidence.

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Education for Countries programme signals OpenAI push into public education policy

OpenAI has launched the Education for Countries programme, a new global initiative designed to support governments in modernising education systems and preparing workforces for an AI-driven economy.

The programme responds to a widening gap between rapid advances in AI capabilities and people’s ability to use them effectively in everyday learning and work.

Education systems are positioned at the centre of closing that gap, as research suggests a significant share of core workplace skills will change by the end of the decade.

By integrating AI tools, training and research into schools and universities, national education frameworks can evolve alongside technological change and better equip students for future labour markets.

The programme combines access to tools such as ChatGPT Edu and advanced language models with large-scale research on learning outcomes, tailored national training schemes and internationally recognised certifications.

A global network of governments, universities and education leaders will also share best practices and shape responsible approaches to AI use in classrooms.

Initial partners include Estonia, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Arab Emirates. Early national rollouts, particularly in Estonia, already involve tens of thousands of students and educators, with further countries expected to join later in 2026.

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TikTok restructures operations for US market

TikTok has finalised a deal allowing the app to continue operating in America by separating its US business from its global operations. The agreement follows years of political pressure in the US over national security concerns.

Under the arrangement, a new entity will manage TikTok’s US operations, with user data and algorithms handled inside the US. The recommendation algorithm has been licensed and will now be trained only on US user data to meet American regulatory requirements.

Ownership of TikTok’s US business is shared among American and international investors, while China-based ByteDance retains a minority stake. Oracle will oversee data security and cloud infrastructure for users in the US.

Analysts say the changes could alter how the app functions for the roughly 200 million users in the US. Questions remain over whether a US-trained algorithm will perform as effectively as the global version.

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The House of Lords backs social media ban for under-16s

The upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom,, the House of Lords has voted in favour of banning under-16s from social media platforms, backing an amendment to the government’s schools bill by 261 votes to 150. The proposal would require ministers to define restricted platforms and enforce robust age verification within a year.

Political momentum for tighter youth protections has grown after Australia’s similar move, with cross-party support emerging at Westminster. More than 60 Labour MPs have joined Conservatives in urging a UK ban, increasing pressure ahead of a Commons vote.

Supporters argue that excessive social media use contributes to declining mental health, online radicalisation, and classroom disruption. Critics warn that a blanket ban could push teenagers toward less regulated platforms and limit positive benefits, urging more vigorous enforcement of existing safety rules.

The government has rejected the amendment and launched a three-month consultation on age checks, curfews, and curbing compulsive online behaviour. Ministers maintain that further evidence is needed before introducing new legal restrictions.

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Davos roundtable calls for responsible AI growth

Leaders from the tech industry, academia, and policy circles met at a TIME100 roundtable in Davos, Switzerland, on 21 January to discuss how to pursue rapid AI progress without sacrificing safety and accountability. The conversation, hosted by TIME CEO Jessica Sibley, focused on how AI should be built, governed, and used as it becomes more embedded in everyday life.

A major theme was the impact of AI-enabled technology on children. Jonathan Haidt, an NYU Stern professor and author of The Anxious Generation, argued that the key issue is not total avoidance but the timing and habits of exposure. He suggested children do not need smartphones until at least high school, emphasising that delaying access can help protect brain development and executive function.

Yoshua Bengio, a professor at the Université de Montréal and founder of LawZero, said responsible innovation depends on a deeper scientific understanding of AI risks and stronger safeguards built into systems from the start. He pointed to two routes, consumer and societal demand for ‘built-in’ protections, and government involvement that could include indirect regulation through liability frameworks, such as requiring insurance for AI developers and deployers.

Participants also challenged the idea that geopolitical competition should justify weaker guardrails. Bengio argued that even rivals share incentives to prevent harmful outcomes, such as AI being used for cyberattacks or the development of biological weapons, and said coordination between major powers is possible, drawing a comparison to Cold War-era cooperation on nuclear risk reduction.

The roundtable linked AI risks to lessons from social media, particularly around attention-driven business models. Bill Ready, CEO of Pinterest, said engagement optimisation can amplify divisions and ‘prey’ on negative human impulses, and described Pinterest’s shift away from maximising view time toward maximising user outcomes, even if it hurts short-term metrics.

Several speakers argued that today’s alignment approach is too reactive. Stanford computer scientist Yejin Choi warned that models trained on the full internet absorb harmful patterns and then require patchwork fixes, urging exploration of systems that learn moral reasoning and human values more directly from the outset.

Kay Firth-Butterfield, CEO of Good Tech Advisory, added that wider AI literacy, shaped by input from workers, parents, and other everyday users, should underpin future certification and trust in AI tools.

Diplo is live reporting on all sessions from the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos.

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YouTube’s 2026 strategy places AI at the heart of moderation and monetisation

As announced yesterday, YouTube is expanding its response to synthetic media by introducing experimental likeness detection tools that allow creators to identify videos where their face appears altered or generated by AI.

The system, modelled conceptually on Content ID, scans newly uploaded videos for visual matches linked to enrolled creators, enabling them to review content and pursue privacy or copyright complaints when misuse is detected.

Participation requires identity verification through government-issued identification and a biometric reference video, positioning facial data as both a protective and governance mechanism.

While the platform stresses consent and limited scope, the approach reflects a broader shift towards biometric enforcement as platforms attempt to manage deepfakes, impersonation, and unauthorised synthetic content at scale.

Alongside likeness detection, YouTube’s 2026 strategy places AI at the centre of content moderation, creator monetisation, and audience experience.

AI tools already shape recommendation systems, content labelling, and automated enforcement, while new features aim to give creators greater control over how their image, voice, and output are reused in synthetic formats.

The move highlights growing tensions between creative empowerment and platform authority, as safeguards against AI misuse increasingly rely on surveillance, verification, and centralised decision-making.

As regulators debate digital identity, biometric data, and synthetic media governance, YouTube’s model signals how private platforms may effectively set standards ahead of formal legislation.

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Snapchat settles social media addiction lawsuit as landmark trial proceeds

Snapchat’s parent company has settled a social media addiction lawsuit in California just days before the first major trial examining platform harms was set to begin.

The agreement removes Snapchat from one of the three bellwether cases consolidating thousands of claims, while Meta, TikTok and YouTube remain defendants.

These lawsuits mark a legal shift away from debates over user content and towards scrutiny of platform design choices, including recommendation systems and engagement mechanics.

A US judge has already ruled that such features may be responsible for harm, opening the door to liability that section 230 protections may not cover.

Legal observers compare the proceedings to historic litigation against tobacco and opioid companies, warning of substantial damages and regulatory consequences.

A ruling against the remaining platforms could force changes in how social media products are designed, particularly in relation to minors and mental health risks.

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