Tech firms, such as Meta, TikTok and Google, tend to dodge real accountability despite harming children with content designed to hook young people — and this has to stop
The Government must tackle tech firms
Bereaved parents are right to be angry because while children are being harmed, Big Tech carries on largely unchecked. The likes of Meta, TikTok and Google have built platforms designed to hook young users, yet too often dodge real accountability. Keir Starmer is right that “looking the other way is not an option.” But meetings, consultations and warm words are no substitute for action. Parents who have lost children are demanding change, and they deserve more than promises. For too long, tech firms have been allowed to police themselves, offering reassurances while harmful content, dangerous trends and addictive design continue to spread. That must end. If companies fail to get their house in order, there must be real consequences – heavy fines, tough sanctions and rules that are actually enforced. This is about more than regulation. It is about responsibility. Children’s safety cannot be left to corporate goodwill. If Big Tech won’t act, the Government must – and it must do so now.
Amanda Knox’s move is deeply insensitive
Amanda Knox’s planned UK visit risks reopening wounds that have never fully healed. Inviting Brits to “come say hello” just miles from where Meredith Kercher lived feels, at best, deeply insensitive. Knox, twice convicted and twice acquitted over the murder, has every right to rebuild her life. But turning that story into a career, through books, podcasts, stand-up and film, raises difficult questions. Her latest documentary, Mouth of the Wolf, revisits the scene of Meredith’s murder. For some, that’s compelling storytelling. For others, it reopens a tragedy that a grieving family have spent years trying to process. Supporters say Knox was wronged. Critics say she has monetised a brutal crime. Both may be true. But one fact remains: a young British woman lost her life, and her family still deserves peace.
John Virgo is greatly missed
A true national treasure, John Virgo brought joy, flair and unforgettable commentary to millions. As World Championship snooker returns to Sheffield, his absence will be deeply felt. The game has lost not just a voice, but a showman whose warmth and wit made the green baize part of Britain’s fabric.
