The Know Daily - Tuesday 16 June 2026

_{Read in 4m 11s ∙ Listening to Yazmin Lacey ∙}

Over-50s circus artists are flipping expectations on ageing in Hertfordshire 🎪✨ Last weekend’s “A Rebellion Against Ageism” showcase brought together performers aged 50 to 96, with trapeze, juggling, clowning and dance (not to mention some truly iconic looks) as part of Generation Circus. 

 🤳 Under-16 social media ban

Yesterday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the UK will ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms from spring 2027 – one of the biggest changes to online safety rules in years.

So what's actually changing?
Under the plans, social media companies will be prevented from offering their services to under-16s. Platforms expected to be covered include TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X and YouTube. The government says the measures will be brought before Parliament later this year, with the ban expected to come into force early next year. The move follows a government consultation in which 9 in 10 parents backed a minimum age of 16 for social media use. 

Why is the government doing this?
Ministers argue that social media is exposing children to harmful content, addictive features and online risks at an increasingly young age. Starmer said the government wants to "give kids their childhood back" and has framed the policy as a public health and child safety measure. The announcement follows years of campaigning by parents, children's charities and online safety groups, who have raised concerns about bullying, harmful content, mental health and excessive screen time. 

What does the ban actually mean?
This is where things get a bit more nuanced. The proposal isn't a blanket ban on the internet. As reported by the BBC, services such as WhatsApp and Signal are expected to remain available, as will educational apps, music streaming services and many other online tools. Alongside the social media ban, the government is also planning new protections for under-18s, including overnight curfews and age limits for certain AI chatbot services.

So how will it be enforced?
The responsibility will largely fall on tech companies rather than children or parents. Platforms will be expected to use age-verification tools to identify users and prevent under-16s from creating accounts. The regulator Ofcom will oversee enforcement and develop guidance on how age checks should work. 

What’s the reaction been?
Supporters argue the ban is a necessary response to growing evidence about the impact of social media on children's wellbeing and online safety. Critics, however, question how effective it will be, pointing out the importance of teaching media literacy to children. Tech companies have also warned that blanket bans could have unintended consequences by pushing teenagers away from safer online spaces.

💊 Effective pain relief for period cramps may not be what many people are reaching for first, according to a large new study.

• The bigger story: Researchers analysing a decade of supermarket loyalty card data found that around half of purchases of menstrual products were linked with pain relief. But while paracetamol was the most frequently bought option, experts say ibuprofen is often more effective for cramps because it targets the chemicals that cause uterine muscle contractions, rather than just blocking pain signals in the brain. The findings highlight a wider gap in public understanding around period pain treatment, with researchers suggesting there is an opportunity for better health information and awareness about which medications are best suited to different types of pain.

✈️ Free cabin luggage and compensation for delayed flights have been agreed by EU ambassadors as part of an air passenger rights deal.

🦜 Parrots may use names on top of their talent for repeating human language, a study has shown.

📺 Fox is acquiring Roku – the popular streaming TV platform operating across the US, Europe and Australia – in a deal worth $22 billion.

🗻 The geological timeline for Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland has been significantly revised following new findings. 

💨 Global offshore wind capacity is set to quadruple by 2035, a report by the Global Wind Energy Council has shown. 

🏊‍♀️ The best wild bathing and cold water swimming spots in the world have been revealed in a new hot and cold therapy index.

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