Tag - social-media

 
 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (center) meets with advocates for the country's social media ban for children under 16 at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Jun 29, 2026
Australia gives regulator more power to pursue Big Tech over under-16 social media ban
The move ​comes as evidence suggests children are still able to access the platforms six months ‌after the ‌world-first restrictions took effect in December.
A dead pangolin stripped of its scales is advertised on Facebook by a Thai account selling "seasonal wild delicacies," part of what conservationists call rampant illegal wildlife trafficking across social media platforms.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 29, 2026
For sale on Facebook: monkeys, rhino horn and dead pangolins
A recent report by conservationist organizations accuses Meta of hosting and effectively encouraging the world’s “largest single known illegal wildlife trade market.”
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has, in addition to traditional media appearances, focused more on direct communication through social media, official messaging and rapid online rebuttals since taking office.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 26, 2026
Takaichi’s social media strategy tests old political norms
While traditional media outlets remain vital, the greatest merit of online platforms is “giving the full context” in a timely manner, Takaichi’s public affairs chief said.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a parliamentary meeting in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics / ANALYSIS
Jun 25, 2026
Takaichi’s smear video scandal shows Japan’s digital campaign rules are behind the curve
A scandal involving alleged AI-generated attack videos has exposed gaps in Japan’s laws governing online election campaigns.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, during a welcoming ceremony before talks at the Kremlin in Moscow in May 2025.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 25, 2026
Scarier than fiction: ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’ comes to life
The objective is not to promote authoritarianism directly, but to corrode the trust that sustains democratic societies and international cooperation grounded in rule of law.
There is little evidence to suggest teenagers have turned away from social media under the law, a team of Australia-based researchers has found in a peer-reviewed study published by the British Medical Journal.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jun 25, 2026
Australia’s social media ban for under 16s having little impact, study shows
Underage users have been dodging the restrictions by using accounts registered to older people, setting up fake accounts, or by logging into private browsers.
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki speaks during a news conference at the Diet building in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 17, 2026
Japan set to enact bill criminalizing vandalism of the national flag
Backing from the opposition Democratic Party for the People paves the way for the bill’s passage through the Upper House, where the ruling bloc is a minority force.
News consumers around the world are now turning more to social media and video platforms than traditional outlets for information, a report has found.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jun 16, 2026
Social networks and online video outweigh traditional media in 2026
The report from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism found 54% of respondents said they got news from social media or video platforms in the week before the survey.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced one of the strictest online crackdowns against social media use by children in the democratic world on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Jun 15, 2026
British prime minister announces full ban on social media for children under 16
The Labour government says its new range of child internet-use restrictions will be tougher than Australia’s limits.
A revised election law under consideration would stipulate that "social media users must not harm the fairness of elections" through false statements or factual distortion.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 14, 2026
Japan eyes responsibility of social media users during elections
The government expects to get the legislation enacted during the current parliamentary session ending in July.
U.S. President Donald Trump posted an apparently AI-generated video on his digital platform Truth Social last Saturday that included a short segment depicting himself dressed as the protagonist from the popular anime franchise "Naruto.”
JAPAN
Jun 13, 2026
Japan pushes back on Trump’s anime posts
President Donald Trump’s use of Japanese anime-style imagery on his social media account has not gone over well in Japan.
A record 101,045 consultation requests on social media-related issues were made to consumer affairs centers in Japan last year, nearly double the level in 2021.
JAPAN / Society
Jun 12, 2026
In a first, consumer consultations in Japan about social media top 100,000
Those in their 50s and older accounted for more than half of the total social media-related consultations to consumer affairs centers.
The rise of silver content creators is helping redefine what we associate with aging, and they are a potent spending force due to their substantial net worth.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 11, 2026
Your mum and dad are influencers now, too
As populations age and people delay retirement, these third-age influencers are restoring some relevance and legitimacy to age groups sidelined in many professions.
Smartphones and PCs seized by Osaka Prefectural Police in connection to a social media scam that led to the arrest of 41 people
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 11, 2026
Osaka police arrest 41 over side-job scam affecting 2,300 people
In the scam posted on social media, victims were told they could earn large sums through a side job if they first paid for training courses.
Several countries have been considering ​tightening rules around AI use as well as social media use for children.
WORLD
Jun 11, 2026
Canada moves to ban social media for children under 16 and regulate AI chatbots
Companies could face penalties of 3% ​of global revenue or up to C$10 million ($7.2 million), whichever is more, for failing to comply.
A surgeon fills a syringe with Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, a tirzepatide injection drug used for treating type 2 diabetes and weight loss.
JAPAN / Science & Health / EXPLAINER
Jun 10, 2026
‘Thinness equals beauty’: Mounjaro misuse among women sparks health debate in Japan
The nation is one of the leanest in the world, making the misuse of the diabetes drug simply for weight loss that much more alarming.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts a roundtable meeting for leaders of National Health Service trusts, at No. 10 Downing St. in London on Tuesday.
WORLD
Jun 10, 2026
U.K.’s Starmer to announce social media ban for under-16s in days
Two broad options are being considered: a “blanket” ban on under-16s using social media, or age restrictions on key features of social networks and apps.
A court ruling will be handed down on June 22 for a woman suspected of killing a 17-year-old girl in Hokkaido in 2024.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jun 9, 2026
Prosecutors seek 27-year sentence for suspect in murder of Hokkaido girl
Public prosecutors have alleged that Riko Uchida and others “applied some physical force” to the high school girl, who was embroiled in a dispute over social media photos.
A video posted by U.S. President Donald Trump on his social media account shows him portraying himself as the protagonist of the Japanese anime series “Naruto.”
JAPAN
Jun 9, 2026
Trump faces backlash over Naruto-style hero video
The president has repeatedly used Japanese anime and other cultural references for political purposes.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responds to questions at the Upper House Budget Committee on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jun 6, 2026
Takaichi faces heat over defamatory campaign video scandal
A report claims that her campaign posted defamatory videos of her rivals on social media during election time. The release of audio recordings has intensified the controversy.

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