Digest: UK to Trial Social Media Ban on Under-16s; Google Patent Hints at AI-Generated Landing Pages

"The UK government has launched a three-month consultation exploring stricter social media rules for children, including a potential ban on under-16s, daily usage limits, and overnight digital curfews. The move, part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's plan to address the impact of smartphones on young people, comes months after new child protection requirements under the Online Safety Act."

"Pilots involving around 150 children aged 13 to 15 will test restrictions such as full social media bans, one-hour daily limits, and overnight curfews, monitoring effects on sleep, mood, and physical activity. Ministers are seeking input from teenagers, parents, and guardians on whether to introduce a statutory minimum age and other measures to support healthier digital habits."

"Google has secured approval for a patent that signals a potential shift in how its Search product could function, with AI-generated landing pages created directly within search results. The system would use a machine-learned model to assess a search query and evaluate the quality of an organisation's existing landing page via a 'landing page score'."

The UK government initiated a three-month consultation on stricter social media regulations for children, potentially banning users under 16, implementing daily usage limits, and establishing overnight digital curfews. Pilots involving 150 children aged 13-15 will test these restrictions while monitoring effects on sleep, mood, and physical activity. The government seeks feedback on statutory minimum age requirements and measures to promote healthier digital habits. Additional considerations include limiting addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, improving age verification, and reviewing access to AI chatbots and gaming platforms. Google secured a patent for AI-generated landing pages created within search results, using machine-learned models to assess queries and evaluate landing page quality through a scoring system.

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