Culture news Battle for Barron Trump: What is ‘DraftBarron’ and why is it trending? A satirical website calling for Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, 19, to be drafted into the US military has been created, as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The hashtag #SendBarron has been trending on social media. 04/03/2026
Tech News ‘Dangerous and unacceptable:’ Privacy experts warn against age checks Age verification through a live selfie or uploading a piece of government ID is the way that technology companies say will be used to keep children off harmful sites. 02/03/2026
Tech News Reddit’s rise: How AI is changing online search Reddit has become the AI algorithm’s favourite website. This is why it is becoming popular, and how to use it. 28/02/2026
Tech News ‘Slot machine’ social media: Is social media addictive by design? Social media features such as infinite scroll and personalised feeds can drive compulsive use. Experts argue that Big Tech should change its business models for meaningful change. 25/02/2026
Tech News Reddit hit with €16 million fine in UK for failing to protect children "Children under 13 had their personal information collected and used in ways they could not understand, consent to or control," said John Edwards, UK Information Commissioner. 24/02/2026
Health news Seeing influencers drink makes young adults want to drink too, study The content young people see on social media influences their behaviour towards alcohol, according to a new study. 23/02/2026
Health news Health experts warn of risks of online ‘paracetamol challenge’ Health bodies across Europe are warning about the so-called “paracetamol challenge,” which encourages adolescents to ingest dangerous amounts of the medicine. 23/02/2026
Tech News Can app stores really keep kids safe on social media? Children can bypass age checks through factory resets, using alternative app stores or accessing social media sites on desktop computers. 23/02/2026
Tech News US rights to free speech vs. European rights to set their own rules Europeans and Americans talk past each other while rivals watch. The EU can set its own standards, but in an interconnected economy, decoupling fantasies and grandstanding won’t help. 22/02/2026
Culture news Meet Punch: The abandoned monkey taking the internet by storm Abandoned, bullied and left to figure things out on his own, Punch found an unlikely friend - an IKEA orangutan plushie - and has now stolen the internet's hearts. 20/02/2026
Tech News Italy weighs social media age limits amid teen digital addiction Italy warns of soaring digital addiction in teens, as experts link it to family and education problems and say bans on social media alone are not enough. 19/02/2026
Tech News Meta’s Zuckerberg to testify over claims of social media harm on kids A 20-year-old woman going by the name KGM alleges in a lawsuit that her use of Meta and Google platforms as a child fostered depressive and suicidal thoughts. 18/02/2026
Culture news Eurovision fans blame high ticket prices for live tour cancellation There's been an enormous backlash from Eurovision fans in response to the cancellation of the inaugural live tour; another setback to the organiser's ongoing preparations for this year's song contest. 17/02/2026
Tech News Ireland investigates Elon Musk’s Grok AI over sexualised images Ireland can levy fines of up to 4 percent of a company's global revenue under EU rules. 17/02/2026
Tech News Portugal approves social media restrictions for kids under 16 Portugal is the latest European country to approve social media bans for children. 13/02/2026
Tech News Nearly half of Europeans would back banning X over EU law breaches A new YouGov survey across Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland shows nearly half of Europeans (47 percent) would back banning social media platform X from the EU if it continues to breach EU rules. 11/02/2026