United News of Bangladesh

Britain will ban under-16s from using a range of social media platforms, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, calling it a “big moment” for the country as the government moves to strengthen online protections for children. Starmer said he would push back against technology companies if they resist the new rules, which aim to shield children from harmful content and reduce excessive screen time. He said he was “not prepared to compromise on the safety and happiness of our children.” The decision places the United Kingdom among a growing number of countries tightening rules on children’s access to social media. Australia, Canada, Brazil and Indonesia have already introduced or proposed age-based restrictions, while countries including France, Spain, Denmark, Thailand and South Korea are exploring similar measures. The UK plan is expected to go further than Australia’s approach, which prevents under-16s from holding social media accounts and allows penalties for tech companies that fail to comply. Under the British rules, the ban will apply to platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. However, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal will not be included. The government also plans to restrict strangers from contacting children on gaming and livestreaming platforms. The measures are expected to come into force early next year. Starmer, who has been in office for nearly two years and faces political pressure at home, said the policy could form part of his long-term legacy. He is seeking to introduce major reforms amid speculation of possible leadership challenges within his party. The prime minister, who has two teenage children, said success would mean a sharp fall in children using social media and a wider cultural shift in how young people grow up. He said the government is confident the ban will work, despite concerns raised by some children’s rights advocates. The move follows a public consultation that received 116,000 responses from parents, children and the tech industry. More than 90% supported restricting social media use for under-16s, according to the government. Esther Ghey, mother of 16-year-old Brianna Ghey, who was killed in 2023 by two teenagers exposed to harmful online content, said the ban could help save lives but must be backed by wider support measures, including after-school programmes. The policy could also create friction with the United States, which has warned against broad regulations that may affect free speech and place heavy burdens on American tech firms, according to the US Embassy in London. Starmer said he expected to discuss the issue with world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, at the G7 summit in France starting Monday. He said leaders generally agree on the need to protect children online, though differences remain over how far regulations should go. However, some experts have raised concerns. University of Cambridge professor Jon Crowcroft said such bans may be well-intentioned but could push children toward less safe online spaces and are difficult to enforce effectively.

Foreign bloggers and international visitors are increasingly sharing their experiences of feeling safe while living in or traveling across China, describing a level of security that allows them to move around freely day and night. Among them is Tatiana Kucherova, a 31-year-old Russian who has been living in Guiyang, the capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, since 2016. Joking about life in the city, she said the biggest risk she faces at night is eating too many snacks at local night markets. Tatiana first came to China to study Chinese at Guizhou University, later completed a master's degree, found a job and eventually decided to settle there. She described Guiyang as a comfortable city with a lively nightlife, where she and her husband often enjoy late-night barbecues and evenings out with friends. What stands out most to her, however, is the sense of security. "In bars, I can leave my belongings on the table without worrying someone will take them," she said, adding that the feeling gives her peace of mind. Tatiana frequently posts photos and videos of Guizhou on social media, and says many of her friends abroad have become interested in visiting the province after seeing her content. Similar experiences are being shared by many foreign visitors as China sees a rise in international arrivals, supported by expanded visa-free entry policies, improved travel services and upgraded public facilities. Many travelers have posted videos showing everyday scenes that surprised them, including unattended luggage in public places, shopkeepers taking naps while leaving stores open and people walking alone at night without fear. A Spanish student in Beijing, Ana, recently accompanied three friends on their first trip to China. While visiting busy commercial districts in Shanghai, she said they felt comfortable carrying cameras and personal belongings without constantly worrying about theft. "I feel completely relaxed here. Even walking alone late at night doesn't make me nervous," she said. For many visitors, such experiences contrast with the safety concerns they often consider before traveling abroad. Some said they arrived expecting to take extra precautions, such as closely guarding their belongings or avoiding going out at night, only to find those measures unnecessary. French blogger Leo recently shared a video showing how he accidentally left his backpack on a bench along Shanghai's Bund waterfront. When he returned about 30 minutes later, the bag was still there. The video attracted millions of views online. An Italian content creator known as Carlo Wu said he continues to be impressed by seeing parcels left outside apartment doors and laptops unattended in public spaces even after living in Shanghai for four years. He also recalled a neighbor personally delivering a food order that had mistakenly been sent to the wrong apartment, saying such acts of kindness left a strong impression on him. According to China's Ministry of Public Security, criminal cases nationwide fell by 12.8 percent in 2025, reaching the lowest level this century. China also ranked as the world's third-safest place and fourth in the law-and-order index in Gallup's 2025 Global Safety Report. Experts attribute the country's security environment to a combination of legal enforcement, community-level governance, technological support and rapid emergency response systems. Kong Fanbin, dean of Nanjing University's Huazhi Institute for Global Governance, said public safety in China is supported not only by police but also by communities and grassroots organizations. Meanwhile, He Yanling said public security has long been treated as a key public service by Chinese authorities, with local-level governance playing an important role in maintaining social stability. Observers say China's long-term social stability, continued investment in public services and focus on peaceful development have also contributed to the strong sense of safety experienced by both residents and visitors.

A prize-winning writer from Trinidad and Tobago is at the center of a growing debate over artificial intelligence after questions emerged about whether AI was used in his award-winning short story. The controversy involves Jamir Nazir, one of five regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize announced on May 14. The final winner is expected to be named in June. Nazir’s story, ‘The Serpent in the Grove’, set in rural Trinidad, was praised by judges for its vivid language and imagery. One judge described the writing as “sublime” and “richly evocative.” However, questions soon surfaced online about whether the story may have been generated or assisted by artificial intelligence. The issue escalated after publisher Granta said it used an AI chatbot, Claude, to assess the text. According to Granta, the system concluded that the story was “almost certainly not produced unaided by a human.” Sigrid Rausing, publisher of Granta, said it remains unclear whether the award may have gone to work involving AI assistance, adding that the story could remain published until a final review is completed by the Commonwealth Foundation. She also noted the irony that AI tools are now being used to help detect possible AI-generated writing. Granta said its editors were not involved in selecting the winners beyond routine copy editing, and expressed concern over growing speculation around the case. Nazir could not be reached for comment, and no contact details were provided by the publishers. The case comes amid wider concern in the publishing world over the use of AI in creative writing, including recent incidents where book deals were withdrawn over similar allegations. The Commonwealth Foundation said it is taking the allegations seriously and has launched a review of the judging process. Its director-general Razmi Farook said the organisation aims to ensure its award system can address the growing challenges posed by AI in creative work. He added that while the issue is complex, the tone of public debate around it has become increasingly concerning. Online discussions have intensified, with users highlighting unusual phrases from the story and questioning its originality. Some have also pointed to inconsistencies in Nazir’s online presence and profile images. Nazir, who also has a poetry book listed on Amazon titled ‘Night Moon Love: Poems For All Those Who Have Loved Or Dreamed Of Love’, maintains a low online profile despite the recent attention. The author’s biography on the Commonwealth Foundation website states that he hopes readers reflect on moral questions raised by his work and the consequences of everyday choices.

Prosecutors in New Mexico have called for sweeping changes to social media platforms owned by Meta as a landmark trial enters its second phase, focusing on child safety concerns linked to apps like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Opening statements began Monday in a three-week bench trial to determine whether Meta’s platforms constitute a public nuisance. In the first phase, a jury imposed $375 million in civil penalties, finding the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and failed to address child sexual exploitation risks. State prosecutors are now urging the court to mandate fundamental reforms, including curbing addictive features, strengthening age verification systems and enhancing privacy settings to better protect minors. New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the earlier verdict challenged long-standing legal protections for tech firms under Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act. The state has proposed a $3.7 billion plan aimed at addressing the impact of social media on children’s mental health. Measures include redesigning content recommendation algorithms to reduce engagement-driven exposure, limiting features such as infinite scrolling and push notifications, and introducing safeguards against exploitation. Prosecutors are also seeking requirements for parental oversight of child accounts and the appointment of a court-monitored safety supervisor to track compliance. Meta has opposed the proposals, arguing they are impractical and infringe on free speech and parental rights. The company has warned it could withdraw services from New Mexico if compelled to implement what it describes as excessive regulations. During the hearing, District Court Judge Bryan Biedscheid expressed caution about overstepping judicial authority, while legal experts noted that applying public nuisance laws to internet platforms remains largely untested. Meta’s legal team also questioned the feasibility of implementing state-specific changes to its apps, calling such demands technologically unworkable. The case is the first to go to trial among dozens filed by US states accusing Meta of contributing to a youth mental health crisis. Its outcome could have far-reaching implications for how social media platforms operate and are regulated across the country.

Iran has mocked US President Donald Trump with an AI-generated video after he extended a fragile ceasefire with Tehran, sparking a fresh wave of online trolling from Iranian accounts. The video, shared by the Iranian consulate in Hyderabad on X, satirises Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire at what he described as Pakistan’s request. The post captioned the clip saying, “How was the ceasefire extended? The video is getting viral in Iran.” In the 45-second AI clip, a digital version of Trump, along with Vice President JD Vance and others, is shown waiting at a negotiation table while Iran’s delegation never arrives. The AI Trump is seen posting on a social media platform, saying, “We are having very great negotiations with Iran.” The video then shifts to a meme-style sequence inspired by SpongeBob SquarePants, showing a “2,000 years later” time jump as the characters continue waiting. Later, the AI Trump appears frustrated and tells the empty seats that if Iran does not come to talks, the United States would bomb them. He then asks, “So where are the Iranians?” An aide then hands him a note that reads, “Shut up, Trump.” The clip ends with the AI Trump saying he will extend the ceasefire at Pakistan’s request before leaving the room, drawing laughter in the video. In reality, Trump has said he extended the ceasefire indefinitely following a request from Pakistan, arguing it would give Iran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the conflict. Iran, however, has said it is still undecided about returning to talks expected later this week in Pakistan’s capital. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by state media, said Tehran entered negotiations in good faith but accused the United States of lacking seriousness. Iran has also said it has not yet decided whether it will attend the next round of talks with Washington. With inputs from NDTV

A US YouTuber who caused widespread anger in South Korea with a series of offensive online stunts has been sentenced to six months in prison. The Seoul Western District Court on Wednesday found Ramsey Khalid Ismael, known online as Johnny Somali, guilty of several charges, including disrupting businesses and sharing fake sexually explicit content. Prosecutors had asked for a three-year jail term. Ismael was also accused of harassing people at an amusement park, creating disturbances at a convenience store by playing loud music and throwing noodles on a table, and causing similar disruptions on public transport. He was also charged with distributing deepfake videos without consent. The court said the 25-year-old showed serious disregard for South Korean laws and hurt many people through his livestreamed actions aimed at earning money on YouTube. He was taken into custody immediately after the verdict, as the court considered him a flight risk. In October 2024, Ismael triggered public outrage after posting a video of himself kissing and performing a lap dance on a statue honoring victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery. He later apologized, saying he did not understand the importance of the monument. Ismael, who had been banned from leaving South Korea during the trial, earlier told reporters he regretted his actions and wanted to apologize to the public.

Viral AI-generated videos styled like Lego animations are being used to spread pro-Iran narratives during the ongoing conflict, with experts warning they represent a powerful new form of propaganda. At first glance, the fast-paced and vividly coloured clips resemble scenes from animated films. However, the content often includes images of war, injured children, fighter jets and US President Donald Trump, presenting Iran as resisting what it portrays as a dominant global power, the United States. In a recent BBC podcast, a representative of Explosive Media, one of the main creators of such videos, acknowledged that the Iranian government is a “customer” of the outlet, despite earlier claims of being fully independent. The individual, who identified himself as Mr Explosive, said his small team uses the Lego-style format because it is easily understood across cultures. The videos are widely shared by Iranian and Russian state-linked social media accounts, reaching millions of viewers. Experts say the content is highly effective. Propaganda specialist Dr Emma Briant described the videos as “highly sophisticated,” noting that AI tools trained on Western data help create culturally familiar messages for global audiences. She said the clips have collectively drawn hundreds of millions of views. The videos often mix political messaging with controversial or unverified claims. Some include references to conspiracy theories, such as alleged links between US figures and the Epstein files, for which there is no credible evidence. In one widely circulated clip, a downed US pilot is shown being captured by Iranian forces. However, US officials said the pilot was rescued by special forces on April 4 and is receiving treatment in Kuwait. The producer rejected that account, offering an alternative version without evidence. Analysts say such content can shape perceptions by rapidly spreading misleading narratives. Some social media influencers have echoed the claims made in the videos, further amplifying their reach among English-speaking audiences. The clips have become more detailed in recent months, depicting specific locations in the Gulf region being destroyed by Iranian strikes. In reality, reports suggest damage in many cases has been limited. The videos are often released shortly after major developments in the conflict, sometimes even before official announcements, indicating a coordinated and fast-moving content strategy. Explosive Media’s representative defended working with the Iranian government, calling it an “honourable” role, and dismissed criticism over misinformation and alleged bias. Researchers say this type of AI-driven messaging signals a shift in how countries communicate during conflicts, bypassing traditional media channels and directly targeting global audiences. While social media platforms have removed some accounts sharing the videos, similar content continues to reappear, highlighting the challenges of controlling such rapidly evolving digital campaigns. Source: BBC

Apr 1 (AP/UNB)--Advocacy groups and experts condemned YouTube for serving up low-quality artificial intelligence-generated videos to its most vulnerable audience: children. In a letter to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Sundar Pichai, the CEO of YouTube’s parent company Google, children’s advocacy group Fairplay expresses “serious concern” about the spread of AI-generated videos on both YouTube and YouTube Kids. The letter, which was sent on Wednesday morning, was signed by more than 200 organizations and individual experts such as child psychiatrists and educators. “This ’ AI slop ’ harms children’s development by distorting their sense of reality, overwhelming their learning processes and hijacking their attention, thereby extending time online and displacing offline activities necessary for their healthy development,” the letter reads. “These harms are particularly acute for young children.” The letter calls on YouTube to clearly label all AI-generated content and ban any AI-generated content on YouTube Kids. They also propose barring AI-generated videos from being recommended to users under 18 and implementing an option for parents to turn off AI-generated content even if their child searches for it. The letter is signed by 135 organizations including the American Federation of Teachers and the American Counseling Association, and around 100 individual experts like “The Anxious Generation” author Jonathan Haidt. The letter is part of a larger campaign from Fairplay that also includes a petition. Much of this AI-generated content is fast-paced with bright colors, lively music and clickbait titles that work to grab the attention of young viewers, the letter outlines. There has been a growing movement online against AI-generated content, particularly when it looks or feels low quality or leans into the meaninglessness of “ brainrot.” Spokesperson Boot Bullwinkle said in a statement that YouTube has “high standards for the content in YouTube Kids, including limiting AI-generated content in the app to a small set of high-quality channels.” “We also provide parents the option to block channels. Across YouTube, we prioritize transparency when it comes to AI content, labeling content from our own AI tools, and requiring creators to disclose realistic AI content,” Bullwinkle said. “We’re always evolving our approach to stay current as the ecosystem evolves.” YouTube's current policy regarding AI-generated content requires creators to disclose when content that's “realistic” is made with altered or synthetic media, including generative AI. Creators are not required to disclose when generative AI is used to create content that is clearly unrealistic, including animated videos and those with special effects. YouTube said it is actively working on developing labels for YouTube Kids. In its letter, Fairplay argues that voluntary disclosure policy and what it sees as an “extremely limited” definition of altered and synthetic content mean kids still see a flood of AI-generated videos that are not labeled as such. They also argue that many children who watch YouTube videos are not yet able to read or to comprehend something like an AI disclosure. That leaves children “to fend for themselves or their parents to play whack-a-mole,” the letter reads. Fairplay's campaign comes shortly after Google’s AI Futures Fund invested $1 million into Animaj, an AI animation studio that makes videos for kids and draws in staggeringly high viewership numbers, according to Bloomberg. The campaign follows a landmark verdict in a social media addiction trial in which a California jury found that YouTube designed its platform to hook young users without concern for their well-being. Meta was also found liable on the same counts as YouTube in the same case. “Pushing AI slop onto young children is just another testament to how YouTube and YouTube Kids are designed to maximize children’s time online — including babies. AI slop hypnotizes young children, making it hard for them to get off their screens and move onto essential activities like play, sleep and social interaction,” said Rachel Franz, the director of Fairplay’s Young Children Thrive Offline program, in a statement. “What’s more, YouTube’s algorithm makes it impossible for kids to avoid AI slop.” Earlier this year, YouTube head Mohan listed out “managing AI slop” as one of the company's priorities for 2026. In a January blog post, he wrote that the company was “actively building on our established systems that have been very successful in combatting spam and clickbait, and reducing the spread of low quality, repetitive content.”  

The Pokémon Company International has criticised the White House for using its imagery, including the popular character Pikachu, in a political meme posted online with the slogan “Make America Great Again”. The company said it had no involvement in the creation or distribution of the meme and had not given permission to use its intellectual property. Pokémon spokeswoman Sravanthi Dev said,“We were not involved in its creation or distribution, and no permission was granted for the use of our intellectual property.”  She added that the company’s mission is to bring people together and that it is not linked to any political viewpoint or agenda. This is not the first time the company has objected to the Trump administration’s use of its content. In September, Pokémon also criticised a video that used its theme song and the slogan “Gotta catch ’em all” while showing arrests made by US border patrol and immigration agents as part of the administration’s deportation campaign. The latest meme appears to use an image from the recently released game Pokopia for Nintendo. The slogan was written in a font similar to the game’s style, with a small version of Pikachu appearing behind the letter “e” in the word “make”. When asked about the criticism, the White House referred the BBC to a post on X by spokesman Kaelan Dorr.In the post, Dorr shared a 10-year-old Wall Street Journal article about former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who once referenced the mobile game Pokémon Go during the 2016 election campaign, saying she was trying to get supporters to “have Pokémon go to the polls”. “Hey Mr Pikachu, big fan. Question for you – why no response to articles like this?” Dorr wrote on X, suggesting the company might have a political bias. The Pokémon Company did not say whether it plans to take legal action over the use of its content. During Donald Trump’s second term, the White House has frequently used popular internet memes on official social media accounts to promote its policies. White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson earlier defended the approach, saying the administration was using engaging posts and memes to communicate the president’s agenda. Recently, the White House also posted a video combining images from the war with Iran and scenes from the video game series Call of Duty. Several artists and public figures have criticised the administration for using their content without permission. Comedian and podcaster Theo Von last year objected after the Department of Homeland Security used a clip of him in a video highlighting deportation numbers. Von responded on X saying he did not approve the use of the clip and asked the agency to remove it. Source: BBC  

An extraordinary surge of AI-generated misinformation linked to the US-Israel war with Iran is being exploited by online content creators who are using advanced generative AI tools to generate revenue, experts have told BBC Verify. Analysis by BBC Verify uncovered numerous instances of AI-created videos and manipulated satellite images being circulated online to support false or misleading claims about the conflict. Collectively, such content has drawn hundreds of millions of views across social media platforms. “The scale is deeply concerning and the current war has brought the issue into sharp focus,” said Timothy Graham, a digital media specialist at Queensland University of Technology. “What previously required professional video production teams can now be produced within minutes using AI tools. The barrier to creating convincing synthetic footage of conflict has effectively disappeared,” he added. The United States and Israel began launching military strikes on Iran on February 28. In response, Iran has carried out drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as several Gulf countries and US military assets across the region. As the conflict escalated rapidly over the past week, many people turned to social media platforms to follow developments, seek updates and share information about the unfolding situation. Social media platform X announced this week that it will temporarily remove creators from its monetisation programme if they share AI-generated videos of armed conflicts without clearly labelling them. Under the programme, eligible users receive payments when their posts attract large numbers of views, likes, shares and comments. Mahsa Alimardani, a researcher on Iran at the Oxford Internet Institute, said the decision signals that the platform recognises the scale of the problem. “It’s a significant indication that they understand this is a major issue,” she said. BBC Verify contacted TikTok and Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to ask whether they plan to introduce similar measures. Neither company responded to requests for comment. One example of misleading AI-generated content identified by BBC Verify appears to show missiles hitting the Israeli city of Tel Aviv while explosions can be heard in the background. The clip has appeared in more than 300 separate posts and has been shared tens of thousands of times across multiple social media platforms. Some users on X asked the platform’s AI chatbot Grok to verify whether the footage was authentic. However, BBC Verify found that in several cases the chatbot incorrectly claimed the AI-generated footage was real. Another fabricated video, which has been viewed tens of millions of times, purports to show the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai engulfed in flames while crowds appear to run toward the building. The AI-generated clip circulated widely online during a period of heightened anxiety among residents and tourists following reports of drone and missile strikes targeting the city. According to Alimardani, such fabricated content damages public confidence in reliable information. “Videos like these undermine trust in verified information available online and make it far more difficult to document genuine evidence,” she said. BBC Verify also identified a new element emerging in the conflict: the spread of AI-generated satellite images. On the first day of the war, BBC Verify confirmed several authentic videos showing Iranian drones and missiles striking the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. However, a manipulated satellite image shared on X by the state-linked newspaper The Tehran Times began circulating the following day, claiming to show severe destruction at the military facility. The fabricated image appears to have been derived from a real satellite photo of a US naval base in Bahrain taken in February 2025, which is publicly available online. Google’s SynthID watermark detection system indicates that the altered image was generated or modified using a Google AI tool. Further examination shows that three vehicles parked outside the base appear in exactly the same positions in both the genuine satellite photo and the manipulated AI image, even though the pictures supposedly represent scenes captured a year apart. Google’s AI products, including the video-generation tool Veo, are among a growing number of widely used AI platforms. Others include OpenAI’s Sora model, the Chinese AI application Seedance, and Grok, which is integrated into X. Henry Ajder, a specialist in generative AI, said the range and accessibility of such tools has grown dramatically. “The number of tools now available to create highly realistic AI manipulations across different formats is unprecedented,” he said. “We have never seen these technologies so accessible, so simple to use and so inexpensive,” Ajder added. Victoire Rio, executive director of the technology policy non-profit What To Fix, said this has contributed to a sharp rise in AI-generated material online because the process of producing and distributing such content can now be largely automated. Meanwhile, X’s head of product said on Tuesday that about 99 percent of accounts sharing AI-generated war footage were attempting to “game monetisation” by posting content designed to attract high engagement and earn payments through the platform’s Creator Revenue Sharing programme. X does not disclose how many accounts participate in the programme or the amount of money creators can earn from it. However, Graham estimates that X may pay between eight and 12 dollars for every one million verified user impressions. To qualify for the programme, creators must generate at least five million organic impressions within three months and maintain an X Premium subscription, he said. “Once creators qualify, viral AI-generated content effectively becomes a money-making machine,” Graham added. “It has created the ultimate misinformation enterprise.” X did not respond to BBC Verify’s requests for comment or questions about the Creator Revenue Sharing programme. Experts told BBC Verify that although social media companies say they are attempting to improve moderation and detection systems to manage the rapid spread of AI-generated content, addressing the issue remains complex. “The deeper problem is that monetisation driven by engagement and the distribution of accurate information are fundamentally at odds,” Graham said. “No platform has fully solved that conflict, and perhaps none ever will.”