Preteen girl at desk solving homework with AI chatbot.
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The UK government is closing a “loophole” in new online safety legislation that will make AI chatbots subject to its requirement to combat illegal material or face fines or even being blocked.
After the country’s government staunchly criticized Elon Musk’s X over sexually explicit content created by its chatbot Grok, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced new measures that mean chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot will be included in his government’s Online Safety Act.
The platforms will be expected to comply with “illegal content duties” or “face the consequences of breaking the law,” the announcement said.
This comes after the European Commission investigated Musk’s X in January for spreading sexually explicit images of children and other individuals. Starmer led calls for Musk to put a stop to it.
Keir Starmer, UK prime minster, during a news conference in London, UK, on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
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Earlier, Ofcom, the UK’s media watchdog, began an investigation into X reportedly spreading sexually explicit images of children and other individuals.
“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass,” Starmer said, announcing the latest measures. “We are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.”
Starmer gave a speech on Monday on the new powers, which extend to setting minimum age limits for social media platforms, restricting harmful features such as infinite scrolling, and limiting children’s use of AI chatbots and access to VPNs.
One measure announced would force social media companies to retain data after a child’s death, unless the online activity is clearly unrelated to the death.
“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media,” Starmer said.
Alex Brown, head of TMT at law firm Simmons & Simmons, said the announcement shows how the government is taking a different approach to regulating rapidly developing technology.
“Historically, our lawmakers have been reluctant to regulate the technology and have rather sought to regulate its use cases and for good reason,” Brown said in a statement to CNBC.
He said that regulations focused on specific technology can age quickly and risk missing aspects of its use. Generative AI is exposing the limits of the Online Safety Act, which focuses on “regulating services rather than technology,” Brown said.
He said Starmer’s latest announcement showed the UK government wanted to address the dangers “that arise from the design and behaviour of technologies themselves, not just from user‑generated content or platform features,” he added.
There’s been heightened scrutiny around children and teenagers’ access to social media in recent months, with lawmakers citing mental health and wellbeing harms. In December, Australia became the first country to implement a law banning teens under 16 from social media.
Australia’s ban forced apps like Alphabet’s YouTube, Meta’s Instagram, and ByteDance’s TikTok to have age-verification methods such as uploading IDs or bank details to prevent under-16s from making accounts.
Spain became the first European country to enforce a ban earlier this month, with France, Greece, Italy, Denmark, and Finland also considering similar proposals.
Additionally, the country’s House of Lords, an unelected upper legislative chamber, voted last month to amend the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to include a social media ban for under-16s.
The next phase will see the bill reviewed by parliament’s the House of Commons. Both houses have to agree on any changes before they pass into law.
After having reactions to two different jabs, Zoe has decided she doesn’t want her son to have any more (Picture: Getty Images)
Following her son’s third round of baby vaccinations, Zoe Nichols felt helpless as she listened to his endless cries. Even though the little boy had been given the suggested doses of Calpol, he just wouldn’t settle.
‘He was just crying and crying,’ Zoe, 39, tells Metro.
She wanted to stay with him following the vaccinations, but Zoe had compulsory training at work the next day, so that afternoon the beauty therapist bundled her baby into the car to take him to his grandparents, a two-hour drive away.
‘For the whole journey, he mainly slept – he loved being in the car,’ Zoe remembers.
After dropping her son off with his grandparents, she made the two-hour drive back to Dorset, only to receive a worrying phone call as soon as she walked through the door at around 11pm.
‘His grandparents were saying that he wasn’t right – he wouldn’t stop crying, and he had a fever that wasn’t coming down with medicine,’ Zoe remembers. ‘They were going to take him to the hospital.’
The doctors tried to reassure the family that it was probably just a common virus, but Zoe couldn’t help but feel eaten up with ‘mum guilt’, because she couldn’t do anything to help. Eventually, her son was put on a drip for the night and, as she tried to sleep, Zoe kept her phone close by in case of an update.
Thankfully, the next morning, she received a smiling photo of her baby, who was all back to normal.
As a child, Zoe remembers having all her vaccines, and yet, at 15, she still got measles. She says that two years later, at beauty college, half of her class — some who had been vaccinated and some who hadn’t — were off with mumps.
‘You take all the information that you’re given as gospel,’ says Zoe (Picture: Supplied)
The experience always made her question the point of vaccinations and whether they actually worked, she says. So when Zoe became pregnant at 31, she started to think about what she should do for her baby.
At her NCT class, she remembers being urged by the leading midwife to give children whatever vaccines are offered by the NHS. ‘You take all the information that you’re given as gospel,’ Zoe explains. ‘But all pros and cons should be made available.’
Although a couple of acquaintances had said there were ‘lots of warnings on side effects’ when it came to jabs, she eventually decided to go along with NHS guidelines and booked the MMR vaccinations for her baby.
While her son’s eight and 12-week jabs were uneventful – he had just a mild fever manageable with Calpol – it was the 16-week shots that Zoe believes landed her baby in hospital.
‘I thought that it came and went too quickly to be a virus,’ she says.
After his initial jabs,Zoe’s son hasn’t had any of the vaccines offered through the NHS (Picture: Getty Images)
Just before he turned one, it was then suggested that her little boy have a Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine to protect him from picking up tuberculosis from abroad, as his father’s family from India often visited. Again, Zoe did what the doctors recommended.
‘But the vaccine injection site got scabby and pussy. It took ages for his skin to heal, and he still has a big scar from it,’ she says, adding that it was the last straw for her. ‘I wasn’t going to put him through that anymore.’
Since then, Zoe’s son hasn’t had any of the vaccines offered through the NHS to children, at one year, 18 months, three years, flu, or Covid vaccines.
‘I’m not a scientist, but I know what happened for me and mine,’ she says. ‘I don’t want to look at stats and figures, because those can be easily manipulated by pharmaceutical companies.’
But her choice has raised eyebrows, with several healthcare professionals and acquaintances warning the mum that she should ‘protect’ her little boy by getting him vaccinated.
‘I don’t want to look at stats and figures, because those can be easily manipulated,’ says Zoe (Picture: Supplied)
Zoe remembers one occasion in early spring 2023, when her son was rushed to the A&E because he couldn’t breathe at nursery.
‘Initially, I was asked if he had received all his jabs. When I replied no, the nurse gave me a look as if I had sneezed in her face,’ she claims. ‘She then told the doctor with an attitude, and acted as if I hadn’t fed him for a week or had committed some other form of neglect.’
The toddler ended up being diagnosed as having both enterovirus and rhinovirus and recovered within days.
Zoe insists that she feels cautious when anyone pushes her into making a decision, not just whether it involves vaccinating her son. Anyone quick to judge anti-vaxxers, she’d like to know the ‘primary experience’ that led them to think the way they do.
‘Why are they so for vaccines?’ Zoe asks. ‘My child was in the hospital overnight directly after having had a vaccine. That’s why I’m against it. My primary experience has led to my decision.’
News that measles cases have been found in the UK doesn’t scare Zoe, either. In fact, what frightens her is thinking about the children who do get vaccinations and what they are having put into their bodies.
She wonders why we question what is in our food and water, but don’t ask what the vaccines are, and the harmful impacts that they could have on adults and children.
‘I think there are pros and cons to everything,’ she says.
Zoe believes that there are better ways to stop disease spreading than vaccinating people (Picture: Getty Images)
Zoe believes that if her child did get measles, he would get ill and then get better, just like she did when she had measles at 15. However, recent statistics have shown that measles is on the rise across Europe, with nearly 130,000 people contracting it last year, double the number in 2023 and the highest rate since 1997. Last June, a child from Liverpool died from contracting the disease, while London is currently seeing a fast-spreading outbreak infect dozens of schoolchildren.
While Zoe acknowledges the pain families who have lost children due to measles must feel, her personal experiences mean she will not sway her decision. Instead, she asks: ‘Why in 30 years has nobody managed to find a cure for when you actually have measles?’
The mum insists she doesn’t throw caution to the wind either, but takes precautions to keep herself, her child, and the people around her safe from any virus. When her son comes home from playdates and school, or is about to eat a meal, Zoe makes sure he washes his hands.
‘In my opinion, there are better ways to stop disease spreading than vaccinating people,’ she explains. ‘It can just start with safe measures like washing your hands or using a bit of sanitiser. If clients are under the weather, I don’t see them, and I wear a mask during my treatments.
‘I just don’t feel that mass medication will help. If you look after your body and your mind, I really don’t think you need a vaccine.’
Zoe is also keen to guide her son away from injections until he can make a fully educated decision for himself.
‘I’m not a radical conspiracy theorist,’ she insists. ‘I’m just being mindful and conscious. It’s my choice and I don’t want myself or my child to be an experiment.’
‘When vaccines are missed, children lose a vital layer of protection against diseases that can spread quickly in schools. Viruses like measles are highly contagious — one infected child can spread it to 9 out of 10 unvaccinated classmates. For children, these infections can cause serious complications, from pneumonia to long-term neurological problems.
‘Vaccines use tiny, safe fragments of a virus or bacteria to ‘teach’ the immune system how to defend against the real thing. This training means that if your child is exposed, their body is ready to fight it off without them ever becoming seriously ill. It’s not just about protecting one child — high vaccination rates create herd immunity, which shields newborns, people with medical conditions, and others who can’t be vaccinated.
‘When vaccine uptake drops, we see outbreaks. Measles, once close to elimination, has resurged in parts of the UK and Europe because people are missing their jabs. Without widespread vaccination, diseases can re-establish themselves, leading to avoidable illness and hospitalisations.’
A version of this article was first published in October 2025.
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Parenting a child with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) can be wonderful, although parents often share that it’s not without its challenges.
One particularly exhausting element can be the process of bedtime – that is, helping children wind down for the evening and, ultimately, go to sleep.
Research suggests up to 50-70% of children with ADHD have sleep problems, with delayed sleep onset and bedtime resistance particularly common issues.
“Children with ADHD often have busy minds and bodies, which can make bedtime a real challenge,” sleep consultant Rosey Davidson told HuffPost UK.
Part of this is biological. Some research suggests kids with ADHD release melatonin – the hormone that signals it is time to sleep – around 45 minutes later than neurotypical children. As they get older, this can stretch to nearer 90 minutes.
“This means their natural sleepiness signal comes later, which is one of the reasons they may struggle to fall asleep at the same time as other kids,” said Davidson.
But just because a child has ADHD, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to help support them to sleep better.
As Emily Whalley, a holistic sleep and wellbeing coach at Fox and the Moon, told HuffPost UK: “We have to work with our children and their individual needs, not against them.
“And just because a child has ADHD, it doesn’t mean the way sleep works no longer applies to them. Biology doesn’t switch off because of neurodivergence.
“The fundamentals of sleep – i.e. circadian rhythm, sleep pressure and nervous system regulation – still matter. In fact, for many children with ADHD, they matter even more.”
So, sometimes going back to basics can really help.
Photo by Richard Stachmann on Unsplash
How parents can support children with ADHD to sleep better
1. Keep bedtime consistent
A consistent bedtime routine is crucial for all – old and young, neurotypical and neurodiverse – as brains like the safety of knowing what is coming next.
“Consistent rituals such as a bath, a story, or calm music, signal it is time to wind down,” says Davidson, who is the founder and CEO of Just Chill Mama.
While the routine is important, it’s also crucial to recognise that you might be starting proceedings a bit too early – so take a step back and reassess the actual time your child goes to bed.
As Whalley asks: “Is the child’s body clock running later? Is bedtime actually mismatched to their natural sleep drive?”
She continues: “If a child simply isn’t tired enough at 8pm, no amount of consequences will fix that, we’re working against physiology.”
2. Focus on light
Getting outside in natural light is so important during the day, as it helps regulate the internal body clock (“it’s like putting in your order for sleepiness at night,” notes Davidson).
As evening arrives, dimming the lights helps to support melatonin production, making it easier to drift off.
3. Consider nervous system input earlier in the day
“Many children with ADHD are sensory-seeking and need intentional proprioceptive input, what I often call ‘heavy work’, in the late afternoon or early evening,” says Whalley.
The sleep expert suggests all of these can help regulate the nervous system before we expect stillness. “Sleep doesn’t begin at lights out, it begins one to two hours earlier, with how we prepare the body and brain,” she notes.
Davidson agrees that providing opportunities for movement, deep pressure, or sensory activities earlier in the day can help kids feel regulated and calmer in the evening.
“Research also shows that children with ADHD who are more physically active tend to fall asleep more easily and sleep better overall, so getting out for exercise, or even movement within the home is helpful,” notes the sleep consultant.
“Yoga is excellent as it helps both the mind and body to wind down.”
4. Try quiet, focused activities before bed
Slow, quiet activities like colouring, jigsaws, or listening to an audiobook can all help your child’s mind transition from alert to calm in the hour or so before bed.
“Listening to music or audiobooks can also help the mind switch off racing thoughts,” notes Davidson.
5. Let them offload their worries
If your child is a bit older, writing down their worries or ideas (journalling) before bed can help offload any thoughts that might keep them awake. If they’re a bit younger, drawing pictures and/or discussing their day could also help.
“Children (and adults) with ADHD often ruminate over their day, and struggle to switch off,” says Davidson.
“This is why techniques around managing thoughts and feelings can be helpful.”
The expert noted that for older children and adults, CBT-i (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia), which is about changing a person’s thoughts and feelings around sleep, can also be effective.
6. Gently help kids back to bed
You’ll probably notice your child comes downstairs multiple times before they eventually fall asleep, which might mean the slim period of downtime you get before your own bedtime is pretty disrupted.
Davidson says for kids who get up repeatedly; gentle, consistent responses work best.
“Consider social stories, roleplaying in the daytime (putting teddies to bed and saying goodnight), and making it [their bedroom] an appealing space,” she said.
“You can also foster ideas around connection – so that they know you will always come back. I like to put up a photo of parents on the wall next to the child’s bed so they have a visual reminder they are always connected.”
Another option to try is a “bedtime pass system”, where your child has one or two “get out of bed” passes each night.
“This gives them a sense of control while still keeping the overall structure and boundaries around sleep,” says the sleep consultant.
“If they do get out of bed, quietly returning them without negotiation is more effective than long explanations or arguments. We can still be loving and responsive but hold the boundary that this is where they sleep.”
“If a child is snoring most nights, breathing through their mouth, grinding their teeth or waking unrefreshed, it’s important this is medically reviewed,” she adds.
“Sometimes what looks like behavioural insomnia is actually poor-quality sleep.”
A note for parents struggling with the long evenings
If your evening downtime is fairly non-existent, you might be left feeling pretty exhausted and like you have absolutely zero chill once you’ve taken your child back up to bed for the sixth time.
Whalley wants you to know you are not failing. Equally, it’s not your child’s fault they are struggling to drift off. “These children are not difficult, they are neurologically wired differently,” says the sleep coach.
But the right adjustments, as well as small biological and sensory tweaks can make “meaningful differences”, she adds. “Progress may not look identical to a neurotypical pathway, but it is absolutely possible.
“ADHD explains sleep challenges, it doesn’t mean they’re untreatable.”
Davidson urges parents to also role model their own healthy behaviours around sleep by talking about how they prioritise it and why, as well as showing their child how they relax and unwind (for example, switching off screens a set amount of time before bed or reading a book).
“Children learn so much by imitation,” she says. “Remember that helping your child sleep is a marathon, not a sprint, and being kind to yourself is just as important as helping them rest.”
Many of us have been there: your child isn’t doing as they’re told, you need to rush them out of the door so you can get to childcare and work on time, and you’re about to boil over.
They’ve launched their shoes in a huff, a sibling has been shoved, whatever it is, you’ve issued those fateful words: “Right, no TV until tomorrow!”
If they’re younger, and they’ve thrown a toy, you might even threaten to take it away for the next few hours.
The words are out – and there’s no going back. You have to see it through. If you’re lucky, your child caves, puts their shoes on, and stomps out of the door.
Why taking away toys or privileges as punishment might not have the desired effect
While this kind of punishment can sometimes stop behaviour in the short term, psychotherapist Anna Mathur told HuffPost UK “it rarely teaches children what to do instead”.
Taking toys or privileges away as a punishment isn’t something she’d recommend.
“On its own, it tends to create fear or upset rather than understanding. Children often focus on the loss (‘my toy’s gone’) rather than the learning (‘my behaviour hurt someone’),” she explained.
“So while it might stop behaviour in the moment, it rarely teaches the skills we actually want children to develop, like empathy, emotional regulation, or taking responsibility.”
In her view, the only time removing something makes sense is for safety or logic, not discipline. “For example, if a toy is being thrown, it’s put away because it’s not being used safely. That’s protection, not punishment,” she explained.
Taking things away is “usually more about adult frustration than child learning”, the therapist continued. “As parents, especially when we’re overwhelmed, we can reach for control quickly.”
Staying calm and offering connection is key
While this strategy is “understandable” – especially when you’re stressed beyond belief and trying to leave the house – the therapist said “it’s not the most effective long-term approach”.
“What works better is connection first, then teaching: slowing the moment down, helping the child reflect, repairing what happened, and reinforcing positive behaviour,” she explained.
“Children learn best when they feel safe enough to think, not scared enough to comply.”
She suggested a helpful question for parents to ask themselves is: am I trying to punish, or am I trying to teach?
“Children behave better when they feel understood and regulated, not when they feel scared of losing things,” she continued.
“And often ‘poor behaviour’ is actually a sign of overwhelm, tiredness, hunger or big feelings they don’t yet know how to manage. In those moments, what looks like defiance is often dysregulation.”
Her general rule is “connection first, teaching second, consequences third” as “taking something away doesn’t address the root cause”.
Try to catch and reinforce positive behaviour as much as possible
The Welsh government advises that parents should also try to give positive consequences for their child’s positive behaviour more often than they give negative consequences for unwanted behaviours.
An example of a positive consequence might be: “Well done for putting all your toys away, now we can read a book together.”
Mathur is a big believer in this, too. “I also encourage parents to focus just as much on catching and reinforcing positive behaviour as correcting negative behaviour,” she added.
“Children repeat what gets attention. Noticing kindness, effort and repair can be far more powerful than only responding when things go wrong.”
