Category: News
Mobile games break rules on loot boxes, Renault revolution based on EVs you actually want
The most popular mobile games in the UK are being advertised without disclosing they contain loot boxes - random in-game purchases which critics say are "exploitative" and "foster addiction". The regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), says it bans and removes ads which fail to make the clear whether or not a game contains a…
1 in 5 Under 18s in UK use fake age on social media, Gen Z spends 6 hours a day online
Ofcom has warned social media companies they will be punished if they fail to take significant extra steps to address the problem of children pretending to be adults online. A newly released survey, conducted by the UK media regulator, indicates 22% of eight to 17 year olds lie that they are 18 or over on…
Two-thirds of content creators fail to check accuracy, watch out for ‘Apple Support’ scam
Social media influencers need “urgent” help to check their facts before they broadcast to their followers, in order to reduce the spread of misinformation online, Unesco has warned. According to a report by the UN’s educational, scientific and cultural organisation, two-thirds of content creators fail to check the accuracy of their material, making them and their…
Which? reveals Top 5 brands impersonated by scammers in the UK
Home delivery companies Amazon, DHL, Evri, Royal Mail and UPS are the top five brands impersonated by scammers targeting the UK. And with Christmas fast approaching, Which? is warning shoppers to expect a flurry of fake texts and emails. Which? teamed up with the DNS Research Federation (DNSRF), an Oxford-based non-profit, to explore the worst-hit brands when…
9 in 10 Black Friday ‘deals’ cheaper or same price at other times, Which? finds
The vast majority of Black Friday ‘deals’ are cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, according to new Which? research. Black Friday has become a hype-driven sales extravaganza lasting for two weeks, or even longer at some retailers. Shoppers splurged an estimated £13.3 billion in 2023. Which? looked at deals on…
UK ‘waters down’ switch to EVs, LinkedIn ‘too dull’ for Under 16s
The Government is poised to water down rules mandating the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) after a backlash from carmakers. Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, will announce a fast-track consultation on potential policy changes to the phase-out of petrol engines at an industry gathering on Tuesday, it is understood. The rethink comes after Mr Reynolds and…
Slowest broadband streets in UK revealed in new survey
Greenfields Road in Bishop Auckland is the UK’s slowest street The County Durham road came bottom with average broadband speeds of 0.35Mb - 2,634 times slower than Tynemouth Street, London, which boasts the fastest broadband speeds of 921.76Mb. Turnberry Crescent in Bridge of Don, Aberdeen is Scotland's slowest street; the B4570 in Ponthirwaun is Wales’…
Millions scammed online since tech giants pledged to tackle fraud
Millions of people have been scammed on platforms owned by tech giants since they signed a ‘world first’ pledge to do more to tackle online fraud, new Which? research has found. The consumer association is calling on the UK government to bring forward implementation of the Online Safety Act and fines for firms that fail…
Temu shares slump with China slowdown, Oppo Find X8 series launches globally
PDD Holdings, the Chinese owner of online shopping platforms Temu and Pinduoduo, has reported disappointing sales and profit as Chinese consumers continued to hold back amid an economic slowdown. US-listed shares of the e-commerce giant fell nearly 11% on Thursday following the announcement. It comes after PDD's main rivals in its home market, Alibaba and…
Bluesky boss unable to give correct age limit for platform, Google forced to sell Chrome browser?
The chief executive of the social media network Bluesky - which has exploded in popularity in recent weeks - was unable to give the correct age limit for users on the platform in an interview with the BBC. While speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast programme, Jay Graber wrongly said you needed to be…
