Stop Press! Spain Sidelines Social Scrolling!

Spain is preparing to propulsion nan plug connected societal media for under-16s, joining France and Australia successful trying to civilise what Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described arsenic nan ‘digital Wild West’. Announcing nan plan, Sánchez accused societal media firms of presiding complete a realm of crime and misconduct, tally by companies ‘wealthier and much powerful than galore nations’. Children, he warned, are being near unsocial successful a world of addiction, abuse, pornography and manipulation. Spain, he said firmly, has had enough!

Spain intends to travel France’s lead and insist connected genuine property verification alternatively than polite tick boxes. Sánchez besides confirmed Spain will subordinate France and different countries successful a caller European ‘coalition of nan willing’, aiming to modulate societal media together – and, ideally, springiness parents a quieter evening.

As I’ve written present before, artificial intelligence has its drawbacks. It promises each kid nan deluxe upbringing erstwhile reserved for nan able – bespoke lessons, personalised intermezo and video games that accommodate to their each whim. A “royal” puerility for nan masses – what could spell wrong?

Plenty! AI tutors tin hallucinate delirium – 1 over-friendly teddy was caught whispering frankly kinky suggestions (Oops!). Children tin cheat, bully and deepfake alarmingly easily. Even erstwhile systems “work”, AI builds cosy echo chambers wherever youngsters brushwood only their favourite topics – and endlessly agreeable chatbot “friends”.

Finally, galore acknowledgment for emails to my website below! Delighted you bask my file – and novels!

Nora Johnson’s 14 critically acclaimed psychological suspense crime thrillers, including nan latest ‘The House of Secrets’ (www.nora-johnson.net), each disposable online astatine Amazon etc. Profits to Cudeca crab charity.