Online Safety stories - Page 5

Swiss startup Umanitek has unveiled Guardian Agent, a subscription tool to spot deepfakes, fake profiles and AI-driven impersonation online.

OpenAI deploys behavioural age prediction for ChatGPT as it prepares a 2026 adult mode, raising fresh privacy and child-safety concerns.

Lonely UK daters increasingly turn to AI companions even as romance scams surge, with rising losses and growing trust in chatbots over humans.

Sumsub launches AI Agent Verification to link automated activity to verified humans, tackling rising AI-driven fraud without blocking bots.

EE has opened a new Lakeside Experience store, piloting 'Stay Safe with AI' sessions amid a GBP £3 million UK retail investment plan.

Incode has joined the OpenAge Initiative, bolstering a push for interoperable, privacy-preserving age checks across online services.

McAfee boosts its Scam Detector with instant QR checks and smarter message scanning to counter a surge in personal, AI-powered frauds.

WhatsApp launches Strict Account Settings, a lockdown mode offering tighter privacy and security for journalists and other high‑risk users.

Snapchat adds detailed screen-time and friend context tools to Family Centre, giving parents new teen safety insights without reading chats.

Plans for a UK under-16 social media ban spark warnings it could damage the creator economy while missing deeper online safety flaws.

As generative AI spreads rapidly, experts warn governance is lagging and call for enforceable audits, red teaming and continuous oversight.

Bitdefender warns of a global surge in fake job emails posing as Amazon, Carrefour and the NHS, stealing data, money and account logins.

Virgin Media O2 will donate 12,000 refurbished smartphones in 2026 to help tackle digital exclusion and cut electronic waste across the UK.

YouTube sets 2026 agenda with tougher child safety tools, bigger creator payouts and expanded AI across production and viewing.

Online shopping scams in the UK jumped 416% in late 2025 as malvertising, social media fake shops and deepfake frauds surged, Gen warns.

Betsson adopts Group-IB's real-time fraud tech to counter rising account takeovers, bonus abuse and payment scams across its platforms.

Governments worldwide tighten social media age checks for children, fuelling demand for privacy-friendly facial age estimation tools.

A deepfake surge is driving relentless AI-powered celebrity scams, with persona kits and adaptive fraud campaigns eroding online trust.

Ofcom has opened a probe into X over claims its Grok AI tool enabled deepfake sexual images, testing the UK's new Online Safety Act.

Corsearch has launched CVAN, an AI-driven network that spots suspect listings across 1,500 marketplaces before counterfeit goods go live.