Content Policy

Age checks slash visits to top UK adult websites

Adult site traffic in the UK has fallen dramatically since the new age verification rules were enacted on 25 July under the Online Safety Act.

Figures from analytics firm Similarweb show Pornhub lost more than one million visitors in just two weeks, with traffic falling by 47%. XVideos saw a similar drop, while OnlyFans traffic fell by more than 10%.

The rules require adult websites to make it harder for under-18s to access explicit material, leading some users to turn to smaller and less regulated sites instead of compliant platforms. Pornhub said the trend mirrored patterns seen in other countries with similar laws.

The clampdown has also triggered a surge in virtual private network (VPN) downloads in the UK, as the tools can hide a user’s location and help bypass restrictions.

Ofcom estimates that 14 million people in the UK watch pornography and has proposed age checks using credit cards, photo ID, or AI analysis of selfies.

Critics argue that instead of improving safety, the measures may drive people towards more extreme or illicit material on harder-to-monitor parts of the internet, including the dark web.

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Study warns AI chatbots exploit trust to gather personal data

According to a new King’s College London study, AI chatbots can easily manipulate people into slinging personal details. Chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot are popular, but they raise privacy concerns, with experts warning that they can be co-opted for harm.

Researchers built AI models based on Mistral’s Le Chat and Meta’s Llama, programming them to extract private data directly, deceptively, or via reciprocity. Emotional appeals proved most effective, with users disclosing more while perceiving fewer safety risks.

The ‘friendliness’ of chatbots established trust, which was later exploited to breach privacy. Even direct requests yielded sensitive details, despite discomfort. Participants often shared their age, hobbies, location, gender, nationality, and job title, and sometimes also provided health or income data.

The study shows a gap between privacy risk awareness and behaviour. AI firms claim they collect data for personalisation, notifications, or research, but some are accused of using it to train models or breaching EU data protection rules.

Last week, Google faced criticism after private ChatGPT chats appeared in search results, revealing sensitive topics. Researchers suggest in-chat alerts about data collection and stronger regulation to stop covert harvesting.

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Musk–Altman clash escalates over Apple’s alleged AI bias

Elon Musk has accused Apple of favouring ChatGPT on its App Store and threatened legal action, sparking a clash with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Musk called Apple’s practices an antitrust violation and vowed to take immediate action through his AI company, xAI.

Critics on X noted rivals like DeepSeek AI and Perplexity AI have topped the App Store this year. Altman called Musk’s claim ‘remarkable’ and accused him of manipulating X. Musk called him a ‘liar’, prompting demands for proof he never altered X’s algorithm.

OpenAI and xAI launched new versions of ChatGPT and Grok, ranked first and fifth among free iPhone apps on Tuesday. Apple, which partnered with OpenAI in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT, did not comment on the matter. Rankings take into account engagement, reviews, and downloads.

The dispute reignites a feud between Musk and OpenAI, which he co-founded but left before the success of ChatGPT. In April, OpenAI accused Musk of attempting to harm the company and establish a rival. Musk launched xAI in 2023 to compete with major players in the AI space.

Chinese startup DeepSeek has disrupted the AI market with cost-efficient models. Since ChatGPT’s 2022 debut, major tech firms have invested billions in AI. OpenAI claims Musk’s actions are driven by ambition rather than a mission for humanity’s benefit.

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Netherlands regulator presses tech firms over election disinformation

The Netherlands’ competition authority will meet with 12 major online platforms, including TikTok, Facebook and X, on 15 September to address the spread before the 29 October elections.

The session will also involve the European Commission, national regulators and civil society groups.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM), which enforces the EU’s Digital Services Act in the Netherlands, is mandated to oversee election integrity under the law. The vote was called early in June after the Dutch government collapsed over migration policy disputes.

Platforms designated as Very Large Online Platforms must uphold transparent policies for moderating content and act decisively against illegal material, ACM director Manon Leijten said.

In July, the ACM contacted the platforms to outline their legal obligations, request details for their Trust and Safety teams and collect responses to a questionnaire on safeguarding public debate.

The September meeting will evaluate how companies plan to tackle disinformation, foreign interference and illegal hate speech during the campaign period.

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Google rolls out Preferred Sources for tailored search results

Google has introduced a new ‘Preferred Sources’ feature that allows users to curate their search results by selecting favourite websites. Once added, stories from these sites will appear more prominently in the ‘Top Stories’ section and a dedicated ‘From your sources’ section on the search results page.

Now rolling out in India and the US, the feature aims to improve search quality by helping users avoid low-value content. There is no limit to the number of sources that can be chosen, and early testers typically added more than four.

While preferred outlets will appear more often, search results will still include content from other websites.

To set preferred sources, users can click the icon next to the ‘Top Stories’ section when searching for a trending topic, find the outlet they want, and reload results.

Google says the change may also benefit publishers, offering them more visibility when AI-driven search engines sharply reduce traffic to news websites.

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Brazil prepares bill to tighten rules on social media

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has confirmed that his government is preparing new legislation to regulate social media, a move he defended despite criticism from US President Donald Trump. Speaking at an event in Pernambuco, Lula stressed that ‘laws also apply to foreigners’ operating in Brazil, underlining his commitment to hold international platforms accountable.

The draft proposal, which has not yet been fully detailed, aims to address harmful content such as paedophilia, hate speech, and disinformation that Lula said threaten children and democracy. According to government sources, the bill would strengthen penalties for companies that fail to remove content flagged as especially harmful by Brazil’s Justice Department.

Trump has taken issue with Brazil’s approach, criticising the Supreme Court for ruling that platforms could be held responsible for user-generated content and denouncing the 2024 ban of X, formerly Twitter, after Elon Musk refused to comply with court orders. He linked these disputes to imposing a 50% tariff on certain Brazilian imports, citing the political persecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula pushed back on Trump’s remarks, insisting Bolsonaro’s trial for an alleged coup attempt is proceeding with full legal guarantees. On trade, he signalled that Brazil is open to talks over tariffs but emphasised negotiations would take place strictly on commercial, not political, grounds.

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YouTube’s AI flags viewers as minors, creators demand safeguards

YouTube’s new AI age check, launched on 13 August 2025, flags suspected minors based on their viewing habits. Over 50,000 creators petitioned against it, calling it ‘AI spying’. The backlash reveals deep tensions between child safety and online anonymity.

Flagged users must verify their age with ID, credit card, or a facial scan. Creators say the policy risks normalising surveillance and shrinking digital freedoms.

SpyCloud’s 2025 report found a 22% jump in stolen identities, raising alarm over data uploads. Critics fear YouTube’s tool could invite hackers. Past scandals over AI-generated content have already hurt creator trust.

Users refer to it on X as a ‘digital ID dragnet’. Many are switching platforms or tweaking content to avoid flags. WebProNews says creators demand opt-outs, transparency, and stronger human oversight of AI systems.

As global regulation tightens, YouTube could shape new norms. Experts urge a balance between safety and privacy. Creators push for deletion rules to avoid identity risks in an increasingly surveilled online world.

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UK minister defends use of live facial recognition vans

Dame Diana Johnson, the UK policing minister, has reassured the public that expanded use of live facial recognition vans is being deployed in a measured and proportionate manner.

She emphasised that the tools aim only to assist police in locating high-harm offenders, not to create a surveillance society.

Addressing concerns raised by Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti, who argued the technology was being introduced outside existing legal frameworks, Johnson firmly rejected such claims.

She stated that UK public acceptance would depend on a responsible and targeted application.

By framing the technology as a focused tool for effective law enforcement rather than pervasive monitoring, Johnson seeks to balance public safety with civil liberties and privacy.

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AI browsers accused of harvesting sensitive data, according to new study

A new study from researchers in the UK and Italy found that popular AI-powered browsers collect and share sensitive personal data, often in ways that may breach privacy laws.

The team tested ten well-known AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, Merlin AI, Sider, and TinaMind, using public websites and private portals like health and banking services.

All but Perplexity AI showed evidence of gathering private details, from medical records to social security numbers, and transmitting them to external servers.

The investigation revealed that some tools continued tracking user activity even during private browsing, sending full web page content, including confidential information, to their systems.

Sometimes, prompts and identifying details, like IP addresses, were shared with analytics platforms, enabling potential cross-site tracking and targeted advertising.

Researchers also found that some assistants profiled users by age, gender, income, and interests, tailoring their responses across multiple sessions.

According to the report, such practices likely violate American health privacy laws and the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

Privacy policies for some AI browsers admit to collecting names, contact information, payment data, and more, and sometimes storing information outside the EU.

The study warns that users cannot be sure how their browsing data is handled once gathered, raising concerns about transparency and accountability in AI-enhanced browsing.

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Elon Musk calls Grok’s brief suspension a dumb error

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok was briefly suspended from X, then returned without its verification badge and with a controversial video pinned to its replies. Confusing and contradictory explanations appeared in multiple languages, leaving users puzzled.

English posts blamed hateful conduct and Israel-Gaza comments, while French and Portuguese messages mentioned crime stats or technical bugs. Musk called the situation a ‘dumb error’ and admitted Grok was unsure why it had been suspended.

Grok’s suspension follows earlier controversies, including antisemitic remarks and introducing itself as ‘MechaHitler.’ xAI blamed outdated code and internet memes, revealing that Grok often referenced Musk’s public statements on sensitive topics.

The company has updated the chatbot’s prompts and promised ongoing monitoring, amid internal tensions and staff resignations.

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