
Musk ordered to block children from viewing porn on X
New rules come into force on Friday requiring all companies that host pornography to introduce robust and 'highly effective' age checks to prevent any child under 18 accessing the content.
Failure to do so will mean they will face enforcement action by the online regulator Ofcom. This can include barring a social media company from operating in the UK or fines worth up to 10 per cent of their global revenue. For X, formerly Twitter, this would mean a penalty of up to £200m.
Mr Musk's X site is understood to be under scrutiny because of the amount of porn available on its platform, which has a 13-plus age limit. Online safety campaigners say it is one of the most commonly cited by adults and children where they stumble across X-rated adult content.
Research by Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children's Commissioner, found that many children were more likely to see porn on X than on established adult sites.
Some 41 per cent of young people aged 16 to 21 reported having seen pornography on Twitter compared with 37 per cent for dedicated adult sites. It was followed by Instagram (33 per cent), Snapchat (32 per cent) and search engines (30 per cent).
To enforce age restrictions, social media companies have been recommended by Ofcom to use open banking, photo ID matching, facial age estimation, mobile network operator age checks, credit card checks and digital ID services.
Industry sources say Mr Musk's X has three options: to bar all children aged under 18 from his site, remove all porn from the platform or introduce age checks for those accounts or parts of the site where there is adult content.
'If X or any other company that hosts pornography has not introduced highly effective age assurance by this Friday deadline, Ofcom has been clear that they will face enforcement action,' a government source said.
It is understood that nearly all of the biggest porn sites worldwide have agreed publicly or privately to introduce age checks to stop children accessing their content.
Aylo, the parent company of Porn Hub, is among those to have said that they will bring in 'government-approved age assurance methods'. Ofcom said the changes would 'bring pornography into line with how we treat adult services in the real world'.
They are part of a raft of measures that take effect this week under the Online Safety Act, which was introduced following The Telegraph's Duty of Care campaign to protect children from online harms.
Social media giants such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp will also be expected to enforce age checks at 13 to prevent children accessing content inappropriate to their ages.
The tech companies have been told they must either ensure their minimum age limits of 13 are properly enforced or radically overhaul their sites to make content safe enough for the thousands of under-aged children currently using them.
Ofcom research has suggested as many as six in 10 children aged eight to 12 have a social media profile even though access is supposed to have been restricted to over 13.
The measures are part of new children's codes set by the regulator Ofcom, which require companies to block their access to harmful content, including suicide, self-harm, violence or misogyny, from July 25. Those that fail to do so also will face fines of up to 10 per cent of global turnover or bans on operating in the UK.
Ofcom believes there is technology such as facial estimation, photo ID matching and emerging social ID cards for younger teenagers that could be used to provide 'rigorous' age restrictions.

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The Independent
11 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why Starmer has more to worry about than his inability to play golf when he meets Trump at Turnberry
Keir Starmer has confided that he has never played golf before, which may prove to be a problem when he holds a bilateral with Donald Trump at the US president's Turnberry course in Scotland on Monday. The location partially explains the nervous energy around the prime minister when he discusses this last-minute arranged meeting as Trump spends a few days relaxing at his own Scottish courses. 'Golf is not something you can pick up in a weekend,' a source close to the PM said, envisaging the two holding their bilateral around 18 holes on the championship course. But a potential crash course in golf is the least of Sir Keir's concerns as he prepares for yet another crucial bilatera l with a US president he has struck up a politically unlikely friendship with. Top of the agenda will be the steel industry followed by Ukraine and Gaza - all issues where Sir Keir and Trump still seem far apart. Men of steel If sorting out the trade deal was the equivalent of a green on a golf course, Starmer would be on his third attempt with the putter trying to sink a ball which initially rolled invitingly near to the flag. Already we have effectively had two signing ceremonies for a trade agreement to tackle Trump's 'freedom day' tariffs. The first occasion in May when it was described as 'the big and beautiful deal' seemed to have resolved almost everything. Then nothing happened until the two men appeared together in Canada last month with a signed deal which the president almost immediately fumbled on to the floor. But even after that there was one crucial issue left over - steel. Trump put tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and then increased them to 50 per cent for the rest of the world, with a threat that the UK would go from 25 to 50 per cent if it did not sort the issue out. Time is running out and with the taxpayer now in hock to the future of British Steel and the entire industry staring at a precipice, Starmer needs to get the zero per cent tariff he was promised back in May. Unfortunately, there appears to be no immediate sign of that happening. Palestinian recognition There is a lot of speculation within Labour this weekend that Keir Starmer wants to recognise the state of Palestine as French president Emmanuel Macron did on Thursday. But he cannot do it until after he has had his meeting with Trump - otherwise the inevitable row over it would dominate proceedings. US secretary of state Marco Rubio made it clear that the US was disgusted with France and thought Macron was 'rewarding terrorism' by Hamas. A similar angry view would be taken with the UK. But the two do need to discuss the issues with the crisis coming to a head. Somehow Trump's enthusiasm for brokering a ceasefire there needs to be renewed and some think Starmer is the man to do that. His ability to boost the president's ego has become the blueprint for international leaders to deal with the second Trump term. Without US leadership there is a danger that the war will just go on and thousands of people trapped in Gaza will simply starve to death. In many ways Starmer will be speaking for the so-called E3 group of UK, France and Germany on the issue after the emergency phone call with Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday. Not forgetting Ukraine The Middle East may not even be Starmer's biggest international priority in these talks. He is desperate for a solution to the Ukraine problem and recently with Macron and Merz has been pushing ahead with the 'coalition of the willing' to provide a safeguard for Ukraine after a peace deal. He and Macron announced new details and plans for the coalition of the willing after the French president's recent state visit. But they are moving ahead without the one thing they need - a promise by the US to back them up militarily if things go wrong. Trump has resisted this idea, much preferring to get a share of Ukraine's mineral resources. He has shown no interest at all in Starmer's plan. But the British prime minister needs to somehow to get him on side on Monday. The State Visit While this is a private trip for Trump to look at his personal business interests (play golf on his own courses), it is a precursor to a much bigger visit in September. The invitation for a state visit came from the King and was delivered by his prime minister but details of the political side of the historic trip will be discussed. There may be an awkward moment regarding why Macron got to address a joint sitting of the Houses of Parliament and Trump will not. 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The one thing that matters though is that Trump values relationships and trusts people who are straight with him and give him their trust. Back at the G7 in Canada Trump made it clear that the UK will do well with him because he likes Starmer. He said: 'The UK is very well protected. You know why? Because I like them. The prime minister has done a really good job. He has done what other people have been talking about for six years and he has done it.' Starmer is going to need all the charm that he seems to have reserved for his international duties to get what he wants on Monday. But recent history suggests that it could all be within his grasp.


The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
UK and Australia sign Aukus treaty to build nuclear submarines as Lammy downplays US doubts
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Telegraph
41 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Red Bull staff told to smile more as Christian Horner's exit papers over the cracks
Formula One is famous for making lots of noise, but the silence at Red Bull on Friday was frankly deafening. After the day of the long knives a fortnight ago – comprising the bombshell dismissal of team principal Christian Horner after 20 years and 405 consecutive races in charge, along with a couple of his senior lieutenants – this was the first real opportunity for those responsible to explain their reasoning. Oliver Mintzlaff, the former RB Leipzig chief executive who now runs the Red Bull GmBH division responsible for Formula 1, was present in the Spa paddock, along with a few of his sidekicks, including Ahmet Mercan, the global head of motorsports corporate projects. Helmut Marko, the octogenarian motorsport advisor who oversees Red Bull's junior talent programme, was also present and correct. These were the men who fired Horner in a London meeting on July 8, and who then waited in the Racing Bulls factory the following day while Horner tearfully addressed staff. No reason was given for Horner's sacking in the brief statement that followed from Red Bull Racing. Horner was not given one in person either. The Telegraph has been told that Marko was of the opinion that it had become 'more Christian Horner Racing than Red Bull Racing'. But in the statement put out, Mintzlaff merely thanked the 51-year-old for his 'tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking', adding that Horner would 'forever remain an important part of our team history'. Cameras and notepads were therefore poised when Marko and Mintzlaff arrived in Belgium. But in the end neither man said anything. Mintzlaff apparently came close to talking a few times, but decided against it. Marko, who usually cannot resist a microphone, merely smiled and declined to speak to journalists who hovered. In that respect, the Austrian was at least following the advice he gave to Red Bull staff in a spectacularly ill-judged address the day after Horner's dismissal, when he told the stunned workforce to 'smile more' and 'work 10 per cent harder'. 'It was really awkward,' said one person who was there, adding that Marko 'completely failed to read the room'. Sources within the team suggest morale on the factory floor in those first few days after the announcement was at rock bottom. Horner has his enemies within the paddock. And despite being cleared by two internal inquiries in last year's sexting scandal, he was clearly not blameless in that affair. But he also remained immensely popular within the factory. He gave most of the people at Red Bull their jobs, growing the team from 300 to well over 1000. He signed off on their bonuses, their annual leave. He created the culture which led to 124 F1 wins and 14 titles. Senior figures were clearly blind-sided, too. The likes of chief engineer Paul Monaghan, technical director Pierre Wache and Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero 'GP' Lambiase, recently promoted to head of racing, all stood by Horner last year. Lambiase will miss this weekend's race in Spa, as he did Austria last month, although it is understood to be for personal reasons. The Telegraph has also been told that multiple team sponsors – all of whom were brought in by Horner, or by his chief marketing officer Olly Hughes, were also shocked and upset at the manner of Horner's departure. None was consulted. It remains to be seen whether any of them says so publicly. 'Christian has been supportive,' says replacement The shock has subsided to a degree. That is understandable. If nothing else, Formula One teams adapt and move forward. The new man Laurent Mekies appears to be well-liked and is doing his best. The Frenchman made a good impression in his first FIA press conference yesterday. He was open and smiling (Marko will be happy), saying how the whole thing had been a complete surprise to him, how honoured he was to lead Red Bull, how generous Horner had been about his appointment. 'He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call,' said the 48-year-old, who was brought in by Horner and was even at the Englishman's charity clay pigeon shoot the week before replacing him. 'I think again this morning or yesterday, we texted each other. He has been nothing else than supportive, which is very impressive in the context.' But asked by the Telegraph Sport whether he had been given any reason for his predecessor's departure, Mekies admitted that he had not. 'The short answer is no, they haven't. We didn't get into the why and the why now. But they outlined the objectives they had for the team moving forward.' There may well be legal reasons for their silence. Horner's lawyers are currently negotiating a settlement that could be worth anywhere between £50m and £100m. But as long as it remains, it will be filled with speculation. Were the Verstappens behind Horner's sacking? Marko did say one thing on the record on Friday, to De Telegraaf, dismissing speculation that the Verstappens were in any way involved as 'complete nonsense'. But they must have been a factor, directly or indirectly. Were the shareholders terrified of Verstappen leaving? Intriguingly, the Telegraph understands Thai majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya visited Verstappen in Monaco on the afternoon Horner was fired. Were they jealous of Horner's power and influence? The communications consultant who Marko has parachuted in for the next four races did tell the Telegraph on Thursday, when asked for the reason for his dismissal, that 'the can is the star, not the man'. Were they worried by declining performance? By the endless off-track controversy? In one possible slip of the tongue on Friday, Mekies did admit there was a desire 'to reduce the noise outside, just to concentrate on racing'. It was probably a combination of all of the above. But until someone senior at Red Bull Austria actually speaks, the speculation will continue. In the meantime, a bedraggled team soldier on, rivals no doubt circling like vultures on LinkedIn. Red Bull should be good in Spa this weekend, but will they decline as a force in the long run? Or can they rebuild for a third era of success? Wolff joked in the paddock on Friday that he would 'miss' his old sparring partner. 'He was one of the main casts [characters],' he noted. 'His track record speaks for itself.' Will Mekies be given that same autonomy to run the team how he sees fit? Will his power be diluted by Austria? There are a lot of questions still to be answered.